Creative Every Day

Wind in Her Hair

June 28th, 2007

I woke up in such a funk this morning. Over-heated, blah, feeling sad for no apparent reason. I sat in this funk for awhile, but knew that I needed to move on and although it's tough to start, the best thing for a funk is to get to work. So, I set up at the kitchen table (I like to work in a different place everyday it seems and I don't think I've ever painted in the kitchen) surrounded myself with supplies and got to work. I had prepped a wood board with gesso earlier in the week and I'd also made a sketch on a scrap of paper next to the bed when I had an image of a woman with butterflies in her hair and words and other things, sort of like a tangle of thoughts caught in her hair which you can see when the wind blows. I sketched it out on the board and then thought for awhile about how I wanted to bring her to life. I pulled out some of the 195o's magazines I got in Seattle, some old sheet music, and some packing tape and made some quick transfers. I played around with the images I chose, I particularly loved the chair and the fish. Then I cut butterflies out of random patterns in an Oprah magazine and saved those for later. I started arranging the tape transfers on the board, glued them down and then started to paint, later collaging in the butterflies. I like how she came out, very summery and soft. I'll have her up in my store tonight or tomorrow. I thought I'd try and make it out to Mindy's Creative night (such a cool idea!), but I've got a migraine brewing and need to chill in the dark for a bit.

"Wind in Her Hair" is 8"x8" with mixed media on cradled wood board. I've still got lotus imagery in my head, so when I found a lotus image in one of the 1950's magazines I put it in her body. I was happy to have found the image, especially after seeing the most gorgeous jewelry today, one piece of which incorporates a lotus flower.

Oh, I love it. It's by Erin Dolman, who I found through Ullabenulla.

Other things I'm lovin today: wearing my hair in pig tails, taking a cold shower, "half baked" frozen yogurt by Ben & Jerry's, little sun dress from Old Navy, re-reading the 5th Harry Potter book before the movie comes out on the 11th, air conditioning in the bedroom.