everything

Much larger than i'm used to working, like 12" x 10"
I would like to go larger still, I'll get there...

Much of yesterday was spent painting, my house. With the help of my brother, we got the hallway, dining room and some of the great room done. Tomorrow we will paint the two vaults in the great room, if my ladder and my roller on a stick can reach.
A newly painted room is one of favorite things. I love what we did yesterday, it's called mesa taupe, and it's, taupe, but its' a beautiful taupe i swear. it looks clean and modern and velvety. I'm doing the two vault walls with a seafoamy bluey color. It might sound strange, but I have high hopes.

I think it's a great way to start the summer.

Candy

I haven't painted any fairies in a while, and it was fun to make some wings. I may be doing some more in the future, as I will be showing at Archon (science fiction convention) again this year. I had such a great experience, and got LOTS of positive feedback and even made some money. Last year I showed as an amateur, but may go professional this time. Their requirements are that you are published (I am) and generate your income from your craft (writing, art, game design...) and I do. It's not much of an income, and after talking to other pro's at the the con, that seems typical, but it is an income. Being pro means you get a write up in their convention guide, get a special ribbon on your badge, and will be judged for the art show amongst the other professionals. I was a finalist for the amateur art show last year, but didn't win, so have no illusions for winning this year, but it's all good.
I'm getting excited, can you tell?

Glory

I love the beginning of a new week. It's like a clean slate. This week I will spend 15 minutes a day picking up, this week I will do the things I need to do to promote my art like work more on my artist's statement, this week I will have time for it all, kid time, husband time, me time.

Who knows, this week it might just happen...

Orange

My son wanted his room painted orange.
'Orange?!" i replied. Then looked at some magazines on decorating kids rooms and guess what? Orange is a very popular color for kids rooms. So I said ok, and got like 30 color chips and looked at them all in the light in his room, picked what i thought was a nice, pleasant, orange. Not to garish, not to pastel, just right.
just wrong it turns out. Three coats later, (apparently you should primer green walls before painting with orange) and I hate it.
I'm not against the idea of orange, but I needed it to have more white in it. To be just a touch lighter.
My husband just told me his friend told him that psychologically, white rooms make people lonely, blue rooms make them calm and orange rooms...orange rooms make them angry....
Well I'm angry just looking at all my hard work and money wasted.
pictures to come later...

together

whew! barely got this one done. I just kept working on it. I would add something and walk away, then think about it, and come back and add something else. I love it, it is so painterly and free
when i'm doing tight, illustrative work, i don't get the same joy, the pleasure of the spreading paint around, and letting it tell me where it want's to go.

on ebay

flowered

This is a linocut I did called "Flowered"
All I can say is "how fun!"
If you have never tried, I recommend it. I got the lino block at a craft store and it was so soft and easy to cut. The cutting tools were easy to use too, able to do quite delicate work, though some of that get lost in printing.
I did an edition of 8 prints. This is 3 of 8 and it is available on ebay.
The bottom is numbered, titled and signed (name/date) at the bottom.

diamond

This painting has kind of a stained glass look. It wasn't intentional at the onset, but developed that way. The colors are all sort of muted with turquoise being the most saturated.
I'm usually terrified to start painting with out a plan,
but when I do,
just sometimes,
it all works out.

on ebay

Happy Mother's Day and Goal for May

I hope all the mother's have a relaxing day ahead of them, I have a brunch, then a trip to the brand new super mega JoAnn's. I think dinner will be at my parents house. So lot's of driving, but no cooking :)

I take my last final on Tuesday, and would like to start something for the month that I will be out of school. Sunday through Thursday, I want to do a painting a day, so you will be able to find some sort of new artwork here. I'm taking Friday and Saturday off as my 'weekend'.
I did something similar in January, but I posted new work everyday, I think I missed two days the whole month. It was an incredible journey and my work really evolved. I'm ready for that growth to happen again.

I will start today with this new painting. I have been experimenting with thicker paint application (impasto), working more intuitively and everything is looser. This will be listed on ebay tonight for buy it now $75

I titled the painting 'Beginnings'

time flies

but I have not been having fun.
I have been swamped with end of the semester papers, projects and exams
I have been stressed out and overwhelmed
and not much fun to be around I hear

So I turn in one more project tonight, have one more exam next week and I am done!!!
for a month.

Then summer session starts.
I originally had planned to take 2 classes. After some soul searching and reevaluating my priorities, I decided to just take one class. And in the fall, just take one class. And in the spring, we shall see.

When I am in school, that takes priority, and everything else has to line up behind. Well on my list of priorities, school is around number 4 or 5.
So I am slowing down. It will add a year till graduation, I only have 9 classes left. But I don't care.

I do care about my family, my personal artwork and having time to explore other interests.

So expect to see more of me here, soon...

if=theater and 1st Interview!

I just had my very first artist interview!
Check it out at Liz's blog primoriginals

Her work is lovely and inspiring, I especially like the art pendants in her esty store.

Thank you Liz!

Here's my Illustration Friday offering























I have an optional title "Stage Fright"
which applies to me and my life in so many ways. They say all the world's a stage, that's unfortunate for me

She Knew

She knew it was against county ordinance, put she loved him and couldn't let him go...

print here
original here

IF = Impossibility

If seemed like an impossibility to her that it would ever stop raining
and be sunny and warm

Acrylic, oil pastel, pencil, vintage atlas, matte medium
Painted on wood 9" x 7.5" x .75"

Print here
Original on ebay later tonight

Transparent

I used lots of transparent glazes on this painting. To make my glazes I use Golden fluid acrylics and mix with my matte medium. I can control the amount of saturation using this method. I can get washes with just the barest hint of color, so I can apply layers and layers, building up the darker areas.
Sometimes I like to work quickly, boldly, and sometimes, like today, I like to take my time and watch the image emerge.

print here
original here

Paper Dress

Restraint seems to be the word of the day. I restrained much of what I normally do in a painting. Minimal brush strokes and work on the face, the background is simple simple simple.
I used some text from a vintage geography book to establish the dress, added many overlapping pieces of aqua tissue to apply color then drew a simple outline.
I think it is very effective. I think sometimes I may be 'self-indulgent' when creating mixed media pieces, too in love with the process and not concerned enough with the result.

Original on ebay later tonight
Print HERE

Pink Horizon

This is a first for me, (I think)
I don't believe I have ever painted one of my figures in anything other than a dress.
Funny to realize. I think I will do some more

Dream

I love these colors, Phthalo Blue and Raw Umber.
It's my favorite way to make black. It makes a dark, earthy color. I TRY to never use black from a tube, but i do use ink. I am finding my paintings are just a little bit softer when I don't even use the ink.

The life so short, the craft so long to learn - Chaucer

Print mounted on wood, available HERE
Original on ebay HERE

IF = Talisman

3. Talisman: anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions.























The monarchs arrive, for a day or two every summer, then they are gone. They conglomerate around my purple butterfly bush, all oranges and blacks, and I feel lucky. I take my children outside and they laugh and chase the butterflies and I feel lucky again.

Mixed media collage on 3/4" select pine
9" x 7.5" x .75"

Print here
Original on ebay later tonight.

sunny

I like the contrast in this painting.
the colors are bright and happy, but the figure looks so melancholy.
The stark shadow so dark compared with the whiteness of the sun.
An interesting juxtaposition.

Dancing Queen

In yesterday’s news the story that made me chuckle was the scandalous piece about Michelle Obama touching the Queen. This is a big no-no in royal protocol. No one touches the Queen. If she does extend a hand for a handshake you are supposed to offer a limp touch in return.
They were posing for pictures and the Queen put her arm lightly around the waist of Mrs. Obama and Michelle did the same.
An innocent gesture?
Or a bold attempt to humanize the monarchy?

A I

Have I mentioned I’m addicted to American Idol? Judging by their ratings I’m certainly not alone, but I’m always slightly embarrassed to admit how much I enjoy this show. I always pick a singer and root root root for them, and occasionally I vote. In previous years I have supported Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia and David Cook. I’ve lost a few times with Bo Bice and Clay Aiken. But it seems I generally like the person who ends up winning first or second.

This year I’m crazy about Adam Lambert.

He certainly seems to be controversial. You either LOVE him or you HATE him. I’m think that’s good in an artist. Don’t you?