Entries Tagged as: art
Color and Commissions
April 7th, 2013, Comments (4)
I am enjoying this color theme so far, how about you? I've been playing with color in paint, in nail polish (purple toes), in colorful salads, and some turquoise clothing.
I thought I'd share a couple commissions that I've been working on this month. One is a commission that isn't quite done yet. I had to stop because I wasn't sure whether I wanted the dresses to be white as originally planned or pink with a white stripe and ties (I'm still thinking it over.) I still have to paint the moon and stars in and a few other small details, but I love how it's coming along. It took a long time for this image to develop. I was playing with the arrangement for months and the final idea came to me while I was in the shower! I was using the steamed up glass shower door as a sketchpad and the idea formed. My favorite part is that there is a subte heart shape between the mother and daughter figures. (It's 8"x10" with acrylic on canvas)
This one was a commission for someone who recently experienced a loss and wanted an image with a dragonfly in it. I love when this happens, the image came to mind as she was talking and it came together very quickly. (It's 6"x6" with collage, acrylic, and ink on panel.)
In a way they are (unintentionally) similar pieces! I seem to be liking these trees curving towards the moon and of course, the moon and trees are always big in pieces of my art. But the pinks are a bit different for me! I think it's Annabelle's influence. 
Let her Sleep
March 8th, 2013, Comments (6)
I saw this Napoleon quote in a variety of places in the last year, on wall decals and a variety of etsy art, including an embroidered piece, sign, and a print. Even though Annabelle has never been one I've had to "let sleep" (she is a super duper early riser and not the best sleeper. Oy!), the quote still made me think of her, my little fire ball, who I think will move mountains for sure.
I wanted to do my own version of the piece and since the theme is black and white this month, I opted to do it in ink. It makes me happy. I think I'd like to do it bigger with paint and grays and purples. We shall see. Time is limited these days!
Anthology of Babes
March 1st, 2013, Comments (4)
Today is the launch of Anthology of Babes: 36 Women Give Motherhood a Voice, edited by Suzi Banks Baum. It is a collection of writings and art about mothering by women who are also artists. Do you pause during the course of a normal batshit busy day to wonder, “Will I ever finish a full sentence again?” or “Is it possible to resurrect my own voice amid the din of this crowd that persists in following me, even unto the bathroom?” These 36 women have finished a few sentences for you to be inspired by and to assure you that, yes, it is possible and even, really important for you to finish that row of knitting or write that story. In the words of Audre Lorde, “The farthest horizons of our hopes and fears are cobbled by our poems, carved from the rock experiences of our daily lives."
You can read more about and purchase the book here. Tonight there is a celebration of the launch with new readings from mothers in the Berkshires. More details here. How exciting! I wish I could be there too. I'm honored have my writing and art included in this anthology. I can't wait to get my hands on it!
Hearts
February 15th, 2013, Comments (8)
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. My day was fantastic. Sure, there were a lot of tantrums going on (we're going through a dramatic phase), but in the morning, Annabelle asked me to pick her up, then she petted my face gently and said, "Mama pretty. Pretty Mama." Heart melt! And then this evening, Andrew came home with a delicious dinner, my favorite chocolate chip cookie on the planet, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I surprised him by telling him I got us a sitter for an upcoming evening, so we can enjoy that couple's massage gift certificate I got him for our anniversary (back in October!) All in all, a great day.
I had some fun making Valentine's Day related crafts this year too. One on my own and one with Annabelle's help. On my own, I used my best friend's heart hole punch (I must have one of these) to cut heart shapes from old playing cards, scrap paper, and some paper I'd painted. They made such a pretty garland. I really wanted to make some vertical garlands, so that's what I did, but next year, I think I'll make more and make a regular long garland too.
With Annabelle, I wanted to make a Valentine's Day card for her daddy. I saw a great idea on Pinterest for making a hand card that made a heart shape when it opened. I wanted to adapt it, so that she would be more involved by letting her paint the paper we made it with. We spent one day while she was home sick, playing with red and white paint, so she could see how the colors mixed, making a new color, pink (one of her favorites.) I let the paint dry and on another day, I traced her hand on some paper. She loves doing this and she likes to see me trace my hand too. Then when she'd gone to bed, I cut out the shape of her hand and used the cut out to trace her hand onto her painted paper, which I'd folded in half.
Cutting the paper with her pinky finger and thumb touching the fold, creates a card with a heart shape in the middle. What a sweet memento. And her daddy loved it.
Sending love out to all of you. Have a great weekend!
Laundry Lines
February 12th, 2013, Comments (17)
This piece I'm calling "Laundry Lines" is 6"x6" with acrylic and ink on panel. I started out thinking the colors were going to be SO different. It was going to be a more wintery scene, lots of blues and purples, but it went in a very different direction. I love being surprised as I create. Yellow isn't a color I use a lot, but it fits so perfectly with the light theme this month.
I hope everyone in the Northeast survived the blizzard. We got just over two feet of snow, but the craziest part was the snow drifts. They made banks up to five feet high in some spots!
Projects done in the dark of night
January 25th, 2013, Comments (8)
Going along with the dark theme, here are some projects I've been working on in the dark of the evening and a project I want to start bringing to light!
We did a very late Christmas celebration at my house this year with my family. I'd been wanting to make wreaths for the first time this year and I'm so glad I gave it a go! The first one, I'm so excited about. It was kind of tediious, but I didn't mind it at all. It was kind of relaxing tying all those ribbon bows to fill up this wreath for our front door. I ended up using a lot more ribbon than the instructions suggested, but that may have been because I just eyed the length of the ribbon for each bow.
The second was a simple cardboard frame with paper layered on top to create a pattern. I used it to decorate our wall of holiday cards.
This was a gift made for my step-mother, who likes my Itty Bitty Kitty paintings and once owned a Himalayan cat. It's just 4"x4" on panel. I've got other Itty Bitty Kitties for sale here.
And this...was my childhood dollhouse build by my grandpa for my third birthday. It is in rough shape. I'm hoping to clean it up and have the beginnings of decoration in place for Annabelle's 2nd birthday in May.
She Dreamed of the Sea
January 11th, 2013, Comments (12)
Another feature of the Dark, is a time to dream. I think I was inspired to create this dreaming piece in part because I wonder about what my little girl is dreaming about. I pictured her soft blankets, that she's become so attached to, like a landscape/dreamscape for her imagined worlds.
This piece is 6"x6" on panel. The blanket was created with collage first, then the entire piece is worked into with acrylic paint and ink.
She Cast a Colorful Shadow
January 9th, 2013, Comments (12)
I haven't painted since I painted the 20 Little Lights piece the evening of the Sandy Hook shooting. I think I poured a lot of myself into that piece and the printing of prints of it as I've been raising funds. It took a lot out of me. Plus, it's holiday season and the darkest time of the year. This is definitely not my favorite time of year. I want to hibernate. But, I'm glad I have the Challenge to remind me to be creative in all the little ways (like the cardboard forts I've been making, new recipes, holiday decorations, and silly dances with my daughter.) And I'm also glad I got back to making some art.
I know some people were scared or even turned off a bit by the dark theme. I get it, I do! But the dark also has beauty. In the darkest places, the stars are brightest! The darker times of year are wonderful for hot chocolate, warm blankets, snuggling with cats, and cozy slippers. Dark times are a good time to go within, to dig deep. One of my favorite quotes is: In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. -Albert Camus.
The piece above is acrylic and ink on watercolor paper. It was inspired in part by the quote above and in part by all the potential that is quiet and underground, but still pulsing and ready to transform once Spring arrives.
Giveaway! Hooray!
January 4th, 2013, Comments (66)
I love a good giveaway, don't you? And this one is fantastic. Leonie just contacted me to ask if I'd like to give away a combo-pack of her Create Your Incredible Business and Life Workbook to a Creative Every Day reader!! So you'd get both the Life and Business editions! Wowza!
To win, leave a comment below (by Monday at noon EST) with one hope you have for the New Year. I'll randomly select the winner from your entries! Good luck!
Thank you to all who entered!! The randomly selected winner was entry #52, Nandita! I will be contacting you shortly!
Create Your Incredible Year
January 2nd, 2013, Comments (10)
For the last 4 years, I've worked with Leonie's beautiful Workbook and Planner which does an amazing job of helping you wrap up the year that's ended and plan for the next year.
What I especially love is how she gently, but firmly helps you to not only define your goals for the year, but then also break them down into actionable steps. I think that's where we lose a lot our stamina when we create resolutions. We say we want to lose weight, create more art, send out that book proposal, or go to Italy, and then it doesn't quite come together. A lot of it is because we don't know where to begin, the task of losing weight or making more art is too big and overwhelming, we haven't broken it down into smaller, doable steps with a date to complete each of these mini-steps.
Above are a sampling of pages I've completed in the workbook so far, a lovely New Year's Eve activity. I still have more to play with. So far, I especially loved filling out the gratitude page as I worked through wrapping up my 2012. Still have more to add, but it was great to appreciate all the wonderful things I have to feel grateful for right now. And in these winter months, I also enjoyed thinking of some things I want to do to make my living space more wonderful. I'm still working out what my big goals for the year are. I have a few, some that are simple, some a little scary. But a little scary is a good thing when it comes to big dreams!
If you're looking for some assistance in getting your big dreams in motion, Leonie is a powerful resource for making things happen (she's a master at making things happen fast!) and her 2013 Create Your Incredible Year Workbook and Planner is a great place to start.
Happy New Year!
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