IF = Tango

It takes two to 'tango'

Lame, I know :)

But I had much fun creating it.

I used modge podge instead of matte medium. Quite different. I see pro's and con's with both.

Modge podge:
Very thick (like thick school glue)
smells like glue
tacky and dries quickly
less expensive
I got fewer wrinkles and air bubbles in my collage elements (yay!)
slight sheen to surface when dry

matte medium
thinner
not tacky, you can reposition collage elements
matte finish

I will probably switch between both in the future depending on what effects I want.
It's good to have choices.

hazy

You'll have to click on the image to see it larger...
I was feeling a little constricted in the normal size which was 9" x 7.5" so I cut a really long, narrow piece of wood and created this lovely lady.
The dimensions are 17" x 6" and you can't tell in this scan, but I also added a wood box frame.
See her now on ebay

lady waiting

It is so hard for me to use a restricted palate, but when I do I am always so pleased.

It's also hard for me to know when to stop, but when I don't overdo it, i'm happy.

I love minimalist art, but can't seem to employ the same theory in my own work, but the closer I come the closer I am to my true vision

on ebay

IF: Worn (out)

on ebay

To Do

three trees

I don't really plan out paintings, theme or meaning wise, I just kind of compose the drawing, think about pallete and start painting.
Upon reflection I have seem 'life' showing up in them. Like for the last month we have had rain, and more rain. When I look at the images I created I see alot of blues, grays, and rain-like imagery.
Then I created this one today. Which so reflects the relentless heat we have experienced. Several days with temps in the 90s and heat indexes in the 100s. To me, this painting looks like a heat wave.

funny how that works

on ebay

IF = Unfold and BIG SALE

Buy here

BIG SALE!
It's my first sale, so it's gonna be a good one!

Buy any 3 prints mounted on wood and choose a 4th print for free. A $25 value.
If you would prefer 7" x 5.5" prints on paper, those are $18 each, 4th one free. Any image you see on my etsy can be a print.

ALSO

If you purchase an original painting on etsy you can get a print of your choice for free.

My etsy

two together

bid here

today was a strange day,
i've been feeling out of sorts, kind of lonely, kind of restless
i think being out of school for the last month is finally catching up with me,
I don't realize how much school is a social outlet for me.
I love learning. I love a good lecture. I absorb it all and it floats around in my head and colors my world in unexpected ways.
i expect to be a student forever in one capacity or another.

IF = Craving

I couldn't decide on just one craving...

Bid here

Today was Paul's first day of Kindergarten.
Actually it's called Jump Start to Kindergarten and it is part of his schools summer fun programs.
He was so brave, much braver than I was.
He kept saying the day before how he might cry when I had to leave, and I was cavalier about it, reassuring him that he would be fine, and many of his friends from preschool would be there.
When it was time to separate, his lower lip trembled just a bit, but he put on a very brave face.
My voice cracked, just a little, before I screamed at myself to 'get it together' and gave him a hug n' kiss.
When I picked him up, four long hours later, he chatted happily about the new friends he made, and playing on the playground. Oh and snack time was fun too.
Sounds about right for a little boy, recess and lunch are his favorite classes.

Always

Bid here

This painting reminds me of my best friend Erica, who moved to Washington (state) last summer. She signs her letters, "Always" so I thought that was an appropriate title.
I miss her, but she will be visiting in September, and we talk every week...

SO! It seems that my new pattern is listing four paintings a week, then taking Friday and Saturday off. It feels manageable, my house is clean, my children are happy and I'm cooking every meal (average 2 meal out a month!)
Of course things can't stay this way, school starts Jun 18th, so that will be an adjustment.

Another exciting development is I may be trading in my 1998 Honda CRV for a similar year/mileage Toyota Sienna. I have serious mini-van envy and so why not make a lateral move? This might take a few months as I would like to save up as much $$$$ as possible to upgrade to a slightly newer vehicle.

I don't mind driving an older car, I don't need the newest greatest shiniest thing. Since I buy Honda or Toyota, they are very reliable, and I love not having a car payment. Of course someday, my dream is to buy a BRAND NEW car, at least once in my life. We'll see...

Lady Bird

I can't even begin to describe how fun this painting was to create.

I have been painting non-stop for the last two days, just trying new things, thinking, really thinking about what I want my art to be, what it should say, and I have been rewarded.

buy here

trio

bid here

today was uneventful,
I almost got my daughters hair cut.
She has mad, mad, curly hair and I am at a loss as to what to do with it.
I want it to be long so we can do pony tails and such, but it is such a frizzy mess right now I feel I need to get it trimmed and maybe the stylists can advise me.
I'm not complaining, I love her hair, I just need to learn how to take care of it.

fish out of water

so back to my regularly scheduled life:
i made a delicious spinach lasagna
painted
played outside with the babies

now it's bath time, then bed time, then Tudors time (for me)
sometimes life is good

if = cracked

so much for my art resolution,
i spent the week cleaning and painting my great room. It needed to be done, and i feel good that it is, now maybe I can get back to some sort of normal

buy here

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.