Entries Tagged as: dark
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.
Creative Every Day Theme for January: Dark
December 30th, 2012, Comments (23)
At the end of each month I will announce the totally optional theme for the following month. For the month of January 2013, the theme will be Dark.
As always, this month's theme for the Creative Every Day Challenge is totally optional. Use it if it inspires you, continue being creative every day in your own way if it doesn't, or do something in between. You can sign up for the 2013 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime. More info can be found here and the sign-up page is here.
I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month on the blog to help keep you inspired. You can use the posts here for jumping off points or interpret the theme in your own creative way. If you need some suggestions, here are a few ideas to get you started. You could:
- *Start with a dark surface, by drawing or painting on black paper or a black canvas.
- *Work with shadows in your writing or art.
- *Take time to imagine in a dark space or just close your eyes. Or work by candlelight!
- *Work in deeper, darker shades.
- *Focus your creations on the night sky.
- *During the darker, colder months, I like to get crafty and decorate. What craftiness could you get up to this month?
- I also love to fill the colder months with warm soups, are there any warm, comforting meals you'd like to try out?
How to use the CED themes:
If you're feeling creatively stuck or blocked at any point during the month, use the theme as a source of inspiration to get you moving. Feel free to focus on the theme in your creative activities for the entire month or as much as you'd like.
Using the theme is entirely optional for CED participants. Use it if it inspires you, ignore it if it doesn't. I'll be sharing posts throughout the month around the theme (among other things) to get you thinking about how to incorporate it into your life. I'd love to hear how you use the theme in your creative world.
And have fun with it!
Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift. ― Mary Oliver
p.s. The art above is adapted from Ophelia available here.
