neldaream

New Painting on The Pulse

There is a lot of paint and paper flying around the studio here. I am preparing to start collaging some canvases next week. I will show you the papers later, but I wanted to let you know that one of my favorite paintings will be featured this Sunday on The Altered Page at http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com. Sorry I can't add a link right now. Typepad is acting squirrely tonight. Can't load up an image either. Anyhooo... I hope you will check it out. See you there!

Painting Shapes

One of the techniques I learned from Connie Hozvicka in the BIG class was Shape.  The idea is to just show up in front of your big canvas and, using any color, just start painting a shape.

Then add another color.  By this time in the process I had started feeling pretty free.  I thought, "Why not a bit of scribble?"  Before I knew it, I had this:

Did we have fun, or what?  This was a wonderful excercise to loosen up.  It made me ready to try a canvas next.  You should try it; you'll like it.

 

Still Life at the Altered Page

If you have never read The Pulse over at The Altered Page you need to get on over there.  Seth always has interesting posts and ideas from artists in the mixed media community.  This Sunday, July 8th, I am priviledged to be featured in The Pulse.  Seth asked for some still life photos of our studios and mine will be shown there.  Check it out...



The Altered Page

 

New Paintings

Some paintings of birds nests have found their way onto my easel lately. 

I have always had a fascination with bird nests.  Just looking at all those intricately woven bits of grass fills me with wonder.  I think; how does a tiny little bird know how to do that?  How is it that each nest is different from species to species yet the nests are basically the same style within one species?  How can mama bird fashion a home from bits of grass and twigs that is strong enough to withstand wind yet soft enough to cradle fragile eggs?  How can she make it so perfectly formed to hold just the right amount of babies?  How many hours does she work to build the nest?

So many questions.

Only her creator knows.  He put the secrets in her.

Looking at a bird nest I wonder; "What has He put in me?  What are His secrets?  Do I already know, deep inside what I should do?  Do I already know how to do it?"

I am learning to trust that innate wisdom.  To trust that when I show up in the studio it will guide me.  Put this here...put that there...

Creating with the Creator. 

 

 

Checking In

Yes, I'm still alive.  Thanks to all of you who have asked.  I'm sorry I have neglected posting to the blog.

There have been so many new challenges here: new directions in business, buying and selling a house...so much to do. 

One bright spot in the last month is a wonderful online class taught by Connie of Dirty Footprints Studio.  The class was titled BIG and it truly lived up to its name.  Connie not only encouraged us to paint on big canvases, but to let out the BIGness inside us.  I highly recommend this class to anyone.

Here are a couple of paintings from my big, 18x24" journal from the class.

We're leaving tomorrow for a big trip to Texas, but I will be back soon.

2/28/12 Journal Page

You have to leave the city of your comfort

and go into the wilderness of your intuition.

----Alan Alda

 

2/15/12

Playing some more in the journal with found poetry...

They all started out together.

They were just too good for words

when they started out.

They suddenly changed;

no more nice, quiet, sedate.

They ran, they laughed,

they screamed, they hollered.

It was something awful,

and wonderful.

1-31-12

I have been enjoying a class with the inspiring Misty Mawn.  I love the way Misty challenges us to think beyond what we have done in the past. 

Each day is devoted to a different expression of a subject.  Tuesdays are for creative writing.  I have begun writing again!  Last week we explored nature in art.  We were told to write down everything surrounding us at a particular moment, then make a poem from it.  I was enjoying a new CD of Indian flute music and this is the poem that came from that.

In a natural cathedral

an Indian flute sings.

Its clear notes pierce through

walls of green leaves.

A woman sits, long braids flowing,

breathing her life into the reed.

Listen to the call to worship.

Join the choir of sparrows,

squirrels, crickets.

Sing the song of peace.

 

 

12/06/11

This morning I heard a phrase spoken by a talk show host that intrigued me: Times are Changing.  It made me want to do a journal page. 

I set out to play with only that phrase in mind, just wanting to put some paint on the page and see what would happen.

The page in the journal had been pre-painted with orange.  I have now learned I do not like starting on pre-painted pages.  It was too orange for today.  So I tried to tone it down with some gesso and paint.

Ahh...that suits my mood today much better. 

I liked the collaged text pages peeking through the paint; especially the piece from a Bible with the blue underlined sentences.  It was like a message from God; couldn't cover up a message from God, now, could we?

How about some stenciling through punchinella?

Well, since that went pretty well, how about some more stenciling through that plastic place mat from GoodWill?  But what color to use...

I chose a blackish color.  Uh-oh.  It has taken over the page.  Now what?  Even after blotting and adding white gesso on top it is still screaming on the page.  Plus I have now lost some of that nice collage element.

Find a nice figural head in a fashion magazine.  Combine it with some painted deli paper.  How about some left over stars from another project found on the work table?  Yes, I like that.  Especially since one of them is blue.  It compliments the blue underlining on the text. 

Now, where to place the stars.  There are only three.

Maybe that's a little better.  Kind of makes a boomerang effect into the focal point of the text.

That black head on the page is screaming.  Need to add more black somewhere else.  Outline the stars...add some black text.  Hmm...still not enough.  Wish I hadn't added that last line.

Asphaltum to the rescue.  It never disappoints.  Hey, it even blurredf the line I don't like.  Maybe it could use a bit more. 

I'm liking this better.  The head is integrated a bit more into the page, although it is still screaming at me.  But at least it is muffled somewhat. 

It is finished.  I don't like it enough to keep going further.  It is what it is..and that's okay.  I had fun and I learned something.  The main thing I learned is that a touch of black can totally take over and dominate a page.  Note to self: be more cautious in using black.  Experiment to see how you like it combined on a page.

But then...maybe I could paint over that head with Payne's Gray...tone it down...integrate it into the page more...

 

The Fancy Flea

Some concerned citizens have been asking if I have given up art.  No, I promise that is not the case.  Things are just changing a bit right now.  I am trying to integrate my love of antiques and art.  

On Saturday I was a vendor at The Fancy Flea Market in Lakeland, FL.  This was cited by Romantic Homes Magazine as one of the Ten Best Flea Markets in the U.S.  They were so right, it was a marvelous show.  It was held on the streets of the historical district of Lakeland.  Combine that with mature trees along the street, top notch vendors, beautiful weather, live harp music, beautiful gardening items and good food...well, it was just wonderful.  It was so busy, though, I forgot to take pictures; just snapped these few as we were setting up the booth.

This show was the first time I tried to put my art with the antiques.  Guess what?  I sold some paintings!  It was great confirmation to me that this idea will work.

Tomorrow I will be working on some small paintings that didn't get finished in time for the show.  It's another idea I have been wanting to try.  So many ideas...so little time.

The next Fancy Flea Market will be held on April 28 in 2012.  You gotta come; you will love it.  See you there!