Leprechaun Trap

Today Paul and I decided to make a Leprechaun trap. He came up with the basic design and I followed orders. I always have to fight the urge to 'guide' him, but when I let go and let him be the decision maker, it is more enjoyable for everyone.

His sign says "NO TRAPS AHEAD"























So there is a ladder for the Leprechaun to climb up, a golden path to lead him on, the rainbow with some gold pieces behind for the ultimate bait. Notice the flowers...












































Whoopsy, Mr. Leprechaun! Don't be so greedy next time!

But to Paul's credit he is very concerned about the hypothetical prisoner. He wants to add water and food and a blanket to keep the wee creature comfortable.
Lucky for me, Leprechauns are very wily and can escape most situations, so after taking the gold, they usually leave something in exchange, like some chocolate, and are on their way.

IF = Legendary

Who isn’t familiar with the legendary tale of William Tell?

I thought I knew the story, but all I really remembered was he shot an arrow through an apple perched on someone’s head.

It filled my head with great imagery, so a painting followed.

Then I visited wikipedia, to learn the real story. The story of how William Tell wouldn’t bow to an Austrian overlord. How the overlord then punished him, commanding him to shoot an apple off the head of William’s son, if he refused, they both would be executed.
William Tell pierced the apple perfectly.

I don’t know how well my light-hearted painting goes with the dramatic tale, but it’s a great story anyway, and I love how Illustration Friday always stretches me in someway, and I always seem to learn something new.

modernity

this piece is really making me happy.

it incorporates a lot of what i love:
i got to collage
throw paint
do portraiture
have things complicated
have things simple
leave something to the imagination

Spiral Betty

I sketched her face last night.

I envisioned her hair early this morning, like around 5 am, as I was lying in bed, trying to sleep, but wide awake.

The background, a nod to Klimt.

The name, a play on Robert Smithson's 'Spiral Jetty'


Photo credit George Steinmetz September 2002

A collaboration of ideas, and somehow an image emerges.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
I like this one

IF = Intricate

This piece is a bit more intricate than I usually work.
The tiny leaves of the ferns, the marbled map paper, and her face is more realized.
I'm really trying (on some pieces) to develop a more restricted palette. To see that more can be done with less. It's a long and winding path, as most things are.

starflake

lost at sea

growth

IF = Breezy

I was originally thinking of an analogous color scheme, blue to green, but somehow purple ended up in there, and I wanted a punch of color too by adding some bright red.

Upon reflection, it is appropriate, as a weather themed painting. It is quite similar to the unpredictable weather patterns we experience here in St. Louis. For example, yesterday the high was 60 and we had thunderstorms in the evening. Today it's around 25 and we're expecting snow.

I see St. Louis weather in this painting. Is it winter with the cool blues and whites of the sky? Is that spring blowing in and the trees ready to leaf? Who knows...

For sale on ebay

pitcher

I used a muted palate, and tiny little brushstrokes...
it looks calm and serene, just like i was feeling as i was painting it

waiting

there is an air of anticipation about this painting. like the fields are ripe for planting, she is dreaming of summer blossoms, or perhaps someone is meeting her in this seclusion...

print on etsy

IF = Instinct

Interesting bee instinct...
If bees see another group of rival bees hanging around a particular flower, they will go check it out later...

seems like a human trait as well, shoulderpads anyone?

horizon

hummigbirds

I’ve been sick this last week. Some respitory thing, which is annoying, but more annoying is how tired I’ve been. Like go to bed at 9pm tired. And I wake up tired. And I’m tired in the middle of the day so I need a nap tired.

But I think I’m finally getting better and have been trying to speed along my recovery.

Yesterday I worked out for 16 min on my wii fit. Today I tried to drink a lot of water. Right now I’m eating a salad for dinner.

When I’m not feeling well I crave heavy, bloating foods, you know, comfort food. Pizza, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and lots of it, forget normal portions. After the enormous lunch I ate, I figured a salad was on the menu.

I have to say, I am not enjoying it very much. Hopefully my body will appreciate all the extra nutrients and not having to digest a bunch of red meat and repay me by giving me a little burst of energy.

This painting was a bright spot in my day yesterday.

IF = Celebrate

night dancers

click on the image to see it really big!

IF: Time

her hands pointing reminded me of the hands of a clock

lovely wood mounted prints available here

blue morning

by the sea

on a side note...
you know how to go to some blogs and you click on an image and it opens up much larger in another window? Will I would like to do that but have no idea how. If anyone can help i'd much appreciate it.

ancient

good gravy it's 31 days!

reflective
kinda how i've been feeling. looking at all the art i have lined up on shelves over my table, seeing the changes, noting things that are constant

what a wonderful experience this month has been!

i will be starting something different for february.

art every other day. i hope you all stay with me for it. i love your comments and my stat counter shows a slow increase in visitors.

my brother Tim, who watches my children twice a week, made this beautiful snowman with my son.

i am so grateful, as i have no idea how to make one.
but i am quite sure this is the best snowman i have ever seen.



favorite part? the hair

30 days

here is an oil painting of me and my naughty children

29 days later

hold on

lame, i know

i don't know where the day has gone
i guess between sledding twice, skating lessons with Paul, pizza afterwards...
long story short, i don't have a completed painting.
this is what i have done so far



i'm really not sure where it is going either.
most of it may get painted over
so tune in tomorrow to see the results...

27 days

necessary

I used beeswax to adhere the collage papers and to coat the image. i scraped in around her face and rubbed oil pastel into the grooves.
fun!

I can't believe the month is almost over!

blue dress

I have to thank Misty Mawn for challenging us to the 31 days of art in January.
January is a long cold month. I usually experience a let down after the holidays, and all I see ahead is long, grey days.
Because of this challenge I have been much preoccupied. My days have been filled with Quinacridone Burnt Orange and Yellow Oxide and Titan Buff.
I have experimented more and I believe grown more than I have in a year.
I will take from this the knowledge that hard work will get you everywhere.

I believe in February I am going to slow down just a bit. I will be attempting "Art Every Other Day"

Then who know? In March I would like to go back to art every day.

We'll see.

day 25

look closer

one week left

feathers

day 23 (for another 30 minutes)

gems

22

palms

day 21 - invisible

what would be day 20

this should be day 20 of art, but alas, I have done none today.

I started a new semester of school today, so I was anxious...

Anxious about my classes.

Anxious about starting a new schedule and breaking the little routine my family and I have set up for the last month and a half.

Anxious about not being home as much.

Anxious about the sitters (my brother and his girlfriend) who will come to our home two evenings a week.

Anxious about art getting pushed to the bottom of the priority list.

and on and on

Some of my fears have been laid to rest already.

I LOVE my classes. Media & Techniques in Art and Fibers & Textiles.

The fibers class sounds like it will be a 16 week long communal quilting bee. Eleven students sitting around a table sewing, dying fabric, paste papers, embroidery, felting and more.

Media & Techniques is an Art History class but we get to do art projects in it. Yay! One painting, a drawing, printmaking and something else I forgot. Field trips to galleries and demonstrations in class.

I will only be gone Tues and Thurs 3 - 9, so still home the other 5 days a week.

I think it will all work out.

So, no painting today, but I will begin again tomorrow, and I WILL keep it a priority.

Day 19

I can't believe this is day 19 and I'm still with it.

This has been harder and easier than I imagined.

I feel like my art has taken some unexpected turns and instead of feeling out of ideas, I am excited to be trying lots of new things.

pink

Continuing with the color theme, and I'm using glazing again.

pale yellow

i used a texture called "blended fibers" on the background, it gave a wonderful bumpy surface where the paint could move forward and back.
I did a glazing treatment on her face, using primarily yellows, what a fun experiment!

i have to say, i never thought i would like yellow so much

red - day 16

Misty Mawn's prompt for the day was red, I had to accept the challenge, I don't think I've ever used this much red before!

Her dress was a flash back to my Brownie days, I was suddenly inspired to to a basket weave with my monoprinted vintage papers. Remember making those placemats out of construction paper?

I think it also fits the Illustration Friday theme, because she looks quite pale and lovely against the vibrant background.

Days 14 and 15

Day 15 - White

Day 13

virtue

IF: Contained and Day 12 of Art

My excitement can not be contained!
I can show you my latest illustration for Lipstick Magazine





buy prints here or here

day 11

I didn't post anything yesterday, but I did paint!

daily art - day 9

eclectic

new sculpture

for sale on etsy!

day 8 of art

7 stripes