Long Time, No Paint

Well, I sure haven't been in the studio much lately.  And it's been almost a year since I've blogged..... I think the only art I've done lately is to paint a few terracotta pots for my plants.  Hopefully, I'll soon clear off my table and get on with it 💜☮💜

Stuff Going On in my Studio

I sent this little acrylic 6x6 inch painting off to New Orleans recently.  Happy it's found a wonderful home in such a great city!

This is an example of some postcards I made recently, to send out to art friends.  It's ink and watercolor on a heavy watercolor paper.

Made this ink and watercolor postcard for an art swap.  The theme was squares.  Nobody said the squares had to be perfect :)  I'm kind of partial to the dog. 🐕☮😀

Don't Worry - Just Create

I love this quote by Isabelle Allende.  I find it to be extremely accurate!  I know that lots of times I don't "feel" like creating art, but if I sit down and start painting anyway - well, wow, the things that emerge are so interesting.  Not that I'm making great art or anything, but the ideas and the thought patterns will rise up and out comes a creative work that I had no idea was lurking in there.

I put this quote on a background of a gelli print that I had made with acrylics and painted a turtle on top of it with more acrylic and markers.  

I haven't been updating here as much as I'd like to.  I hope I can get back into a regular posting pattern.  

Here are some funky postcards created for an art swap.  The colors were purple and silver with black & white accents.

Did I mention that sometimes the muse takes a little while to show up - haha!  This is a good example of before :)

It's still rewarding to create, even if things aren't moving along as fast as you'd like.  Just relax and do whatever and your inspiration will come along and surprise you.  

Hope you're enjoying your day!  ☮💜✌

Love Mixing Patterns

Feeling some inspiration from Indian block print fabric.  I've been thinking of starting a sewing project after looking at my fabric stash.  I rarely sew anymore but I use fabric in crafting and love the beautiful fabrics from India.  This painting was a quick mixed media entry in my art journal.

Collaged postcards for another art swap.  You can probably tell that I love patterns.  This was for a Red, White and Blue exchange.  Lots of fun to find a pleasing combination.

Dream Work

Coyote showed up in my dream the other night.  When he shows up, he has my attention.   There's much that could be said about power animals, animal spirit guides, etc.  I won't go into that, but the Coyote has meaning to me and comes to teach a lesson.  So, painting about it helped me to sort what I think the lesson is.  Mixed Media on cardstock. 

Rainy season here in south Florida is definitely on and it's the worst season for my asthma.  I didn't dream about this, but just painted about receiving healing from a Reiki practitioner and working on my own healing vibes.  Mixed Media.

Oh, my - some days I just want to have pink hair and hang out in the garden with my dogs.  My husband thinks this looks like Jane Jetson...hmmmm.  At least he looked at it! Ha!   Another journal entry of mixed media on cardstock. 

More Mail Art

I recently participated in an art swap with Black and White as the theme.  The colored pencil postcard on the left depicts a member of the Sing-sing tribe in Papua New Guinea.  They're the ones that paint white skeletons on themselves and are so striking!  The other card didn't turn out quite as I had hoped, but it's an example of a tattoo that the Maori of New Zealand use.  (I like to incorporate tribal things into my art on a regular basis.)

A new art friend requested a Found Poetry postcard to add to his collection.  I think he is planning a blog with them.  (I'll have to check on that.)  These are a lot of fun to do.  Acrylic and ink.

Adding some colored penciled flowers to a plain envelope to send out in a swap.  Can't waste an opportunity to add mail art! ☮

Fun Projects

I've been painting more tin cans to use as planters.  I enjoy painting the Day of the Dead motifs.  They're so colorful and easy to paint on the ridges of the can.

I've been participating in a few art swaps lately.  This is a collaged postcard created on an acrylic painted background.  

And here's a few collaged ATC cards.  ATC stands for Artist trading cards.  I usually include one in any personal art swaps I'm doing.  I'm discovering that "fussy cutting" isn't one of my favored things - Ha!  

Hope you're out there creating every day!  ☮