School has begun and a new fall painting

Today my little man had his second day of school. He is in the first grade and I can hardly believe it. You may be wondering why I'm showing the 2nd day of school picture instead of the first. Well, that would be because the bus came ten minutes earlier than he said he would yesterday! He was honking his horn as Asher was getting his shoes on. So here is the first day... running late.

I didn't even get a "bye Mom" or a kiss or nothing. He didn't either. All he got was "run, baby run!" haha

So today we had a re-do. Here it is...

there goes my baby

He was up in a flash today. Good thing, because the bus came 5 minutes earlier than yesterday! But he loved riding the bus, although I can't imagine it will last. He is on it for a long time, about 45 minutes I'd say. Then he has to wait around in the school for it to begin. I'll probably soon be taking him, once the newness has wore off and he wants to sleep later.

In other news, I have managed to paint a fall painting. I haven't named it yet, but am thinking of Dreaming Amber... not sure. What do you think?

I also want to mention to my Blogger friends that I am soon leaving Blogger and moving over to Wordpress in order to get all my art business related stuff together on one site, you know things like my website, shop, etc.. I sincerely hope you will come over there and continue stay in touch with me. I'll have a link to get there, more about it later. It's a work in progress at the moment, but it's coming soon. I've even got a newsletter in the works. Busy times.

Dreaming Amber?

Well with all this new found time, I'm off to do more creating! Have a happy day...

Finished pup has new owner

My painting of "Can I go home with you?" has a new owner. I didn't get to meet her, but I tried. She left before the winners were called. I hope she likes it, well obviously she likes it or she wouldn't have bid on it ;)  But what I mean is, I hope she is happy she won and likes it even more now that he is hers. 


I had a few people tell me they wanted to buy it as I was making my way up to add it to the items to be auctioned off, but of course it was for the benefit. But I did list it in my FineArtAmerica.com shop, here. Where are all these people when I am at an art show? haha Maybe I've hit a soft spot here with the pup. He is a cutie, and who doesn't love dogs?


My face painting gig went well. Lots of happy kids, which makes me happy. I got lots of cute pictures of their smiling painted faces (and an arm!). Here's a couple that I think turned out great...

New Acrylic Painting + Kitty update

I've been so busy outside I haven't done much painting lately, but last night I went into the studio and had a pretty productive couple hours. I've got a face painting gig on Saturday and they ask for a small donation for a silent auction and I've decided to donate this little guy. The art and craft show is to benefit a local no kill shelter in my county called Posey County Pound Puppies. So I thought a cute little dog would be perfect for the auction and I actually planned on painting this just for that purpose. I hope he gets a good home :) I think I'll name him "Can I go home with you?".  He's not quite finished, I need to add just a few little things. 


My poor kitty Glove is hanging in there. She started looking quite a bit better then all of a sudden I noticed she stopped drinking and eating again and I thought oh no, this is it. But Wednesday morning I got up and was petting her like normal and noticed this icky smell. I got to looking and she had an oozing wound on her little back end. I called the vet right away to get in because I knew in her current state she might not be able to heal very well. So I took her in and she had an abcess and they cleaned her up and clipped it away and discovered this giant hole! Turns out she had been bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider! I'll show you a picture at the bottom, so beware. Not a close up though.


We have Brown Recluse Spiders everywhere in my house, it's a constant threat for us. I worry about all the time. We have our home sprayed 4 times a year. God forbid my son get bit. But I never thought they would get through an animals fur, but then I remembered she has just had a lot of her fur clipped away due to all the matting. My poor baby! So it's been a couple days of anti-biotics, and I've been pampering her and feeding her with a spoon (she is so spoiled) and she is doing a lot better, Yay! She is eating, and wanting affection and I guess she has used up another one of her nine lives.


She also had some sort of colon clogging problem and the vet had to give her an enema. Ugh, I'm glad they did it and not me... lol. I left her there for an hour, so she wouldn't have a blow out in the cat carrier... haha  She's all unclogged now and he said it's soft food for her now for the rest of her life. No problemo, other than it stinks to high heaven, but she's worth it.


Here she is, hole and all the first day. It looks like it is healing pretty good now.

brown recluse spider bite at base of tail

IF you are a little morbid, like me and want to see a close go here.

New painting of baby barn owl

I haven't been in my studio much the last two weeks because of Christmas break, but I did manage to paint this baby barn owl right before Christmas. I thought it turned out wintery looking, probably the blue background. It is acrylics on wood (Luan).

Pin It
While I hate the word cute being used to describe art, this little guy is kinda cute, huh?

It's Paint Party Friday! Take time to visit the other artists and their work if you have a chance. Lots of talent!

CMOE benefit project & PPF 29

I'm killing two birds with one stone here. It's Paint Party Friday and I want to tell you about a project I've got started. I've been asked to participate in a benefit for CMOE, a local children's museum. I am decorating a pre-made wooden "piggy bank" shaped like a dinosaur that you can insert a coin into its mouth and it swirls around and ends up in his belly. It will be auctioned off for their 5th Birthday Gala. I am honored to be asked to help and hope that my dinosaur will fetch a good price to help out the museum. I'm not going for a childlike theme, more of a serious piece with attitude... haha at least in my head!

It stands a couple feet high but as I paint on it, I've discovered there really isn't much surface area. So far, I've gesso'd it and ink'd it with india ink in my random pattern technique and now I've just started to add paint... metallic of course. I have more plans for this other than just painting but you'll have to tune in later to see what I've got up my sleeve ;)

gesso'd

 

ink'd

ink'd other side

adding the metallic paint

I've missed like 3 Paint Party Friday's and I'm just barely squeaking in for this one tonight! This week I've brought all my plants back into my greenhouse cause it's going to get pretty chilly tonight and it's time. Bringing all my plants in has turned out to be a big project (just like every year, how quick I forget!). I was hoping to be further along with my dinosaur by now, especially since the gala is this month... yikes! I'll make it, no worries.

Try to visit all the talent that is PPF! Til next time ;)
 

Paint Party Week 25

Paint Party Friday has arrived again. Today I have another work in progress called "Forest Floor" done with metallics and a couple pics of the now finished and framed "Water for Elephant".  See the post for Water for Elephant here.

Forest Floor stage 1

Forest Floor stage 2 work in progress

Forest Floor stage 2 close up work in progress

I was so inspired by one of the paint players last week that I had to go outside and pick up some leaves and create a painting with some natural stamps. I learned as I created and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I have lots more to do to this painting, it really started out as just playing but now I have more of a vision for the piece and will share it as soon as I finish it.

Water for Elephant - finished

Water for Elephant - finished and framed

Thanks for looking :) check out all the Paint Players for inspiration and fantastic eye candy!

Paint Party Week 24

Welcome to my entry for Paint Party week 24. I am later than normal and my painting isn't finished, but I've made it! I call this Water for Elephant and I've created it today as I've watched Hurricane Irene make her way up the east coast. It is in my new media craze... metallic acrylic paints and now Jacquard Pearl Ex.

I am watching Nightly News and have heard New York City is now under a hurricane warning. That is just crazy talk! This week has been a natural disaster week. The earthquake, which we felt here in Indiana and now the hurricane which looks like it will affect a lot of people, no doubt. I feel for those people, how will they all evacuate? I hope the devastation is minimal and pray for the people in it's path. Most destruction and lives lost is from flooding though, I've always heard. So as the coming hours bring fear, let's pray a miracle happens and Irene breaks away and heads east to the Atlantic. I have many blogging friends on the east coast and my prayers are with you all.

Water for elephant - India ink on gesso, work in progress

Water for elephant - adding metallic paint

close up

see the shimmer from the metallic paint?

This painting created itself pretty much. I started out thinking zetangle with my paint brush loaded up with india ink. But then it started to show me an elephant and then a waterfall and all the other hidden images. Maybe I was inspired a bit by my son's book of I Spy. Have you seen those books? I think I am addicted to them. :)

Of course the colors in the photo are not as brilliant as the original, too much sunlight on the painting when I took the picture. I am not sure about the red face in front. I've already bumped it up to a darker red and now I'm thinking it's taking the center of attention too much. It's not finished yet, so I'll post the finished piece later.

See all the fantastic work from Paint Party Friday. Have a great weekend!

Paint Party Week 22

Hey hey hey! There's a party going on down here! A Paint Party that is. :)

One of the things I've worked on this week was my Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks project for July (a teensy bit behind). This is in Nicola's book of Nicola Toms Designs and I call it "Shimmering Nights". Sorry about the glare. This painting is a little different for me, more simple and a bit abstract. I used a gigantic bristle brush to try to get that streaky look. I used copper paint to make the shimmers. These are acrylics. The painting is of the nearby Ohio River at night on the fourth of July when we have fireworks for Independence Day in the US. The goldish, coppery shimmery ones are my favorites. I just love fireworks.

I have developed a fascination for metallic paint and went to the Blick Art Supplies store to hopefully buy a set, but was disappointed to find they didn't have many metallics to pick from. Only your usual gold, silver and copper and I am wanting metallic vibrant colors to try. I'll have to order online. No big deal but I'm a right now kinda girl, guess I'll have to wait. Plus I was hoping to use my 40% off coupon for there for a set. Dang. Michaels didn't have any either other than a few craft grade for kids which I did buy 2 to test out. Asher can always paint with them if they don't work out. Does anyone have any experience with metallics... any brand you would recommend or even stay away from?

If you want to see what is painted above it on the facing page, I have it here.

Happy Paint Party Friday. See all the creative participants here.

Metallic Sun

"Metallic Sun"

 My entry for July in Nicola's book for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks. Actually part of the entry. I split my month in two this time since Nicola has such a great large book. I discovered a couple things with this painting. One is that I think I adore metallic paint. Oh the shine! I must get more. I tend to like shiny gaudy things. I only had copper, purple, silver and an antique copper that worked. I used metallic markers for other colors with mixed results and I liked using the paint more than the markers. I added black Sharpie marker after the initial coloring was finished and I like the result, kinda reminds me of an Aztec look plus it gave it more detail. I might revisit this Metallic Sun in the form of a canvas when I get some yummy metallic paints. I'm also thinking some distressing in the form of antiquing might be cool.

I listened to blog talk radio (ARt and Soul radio)for the first time last night by Lesley Riley  and she was interviewing New Mexico artist Darlene Olivia McElroy. I went to her website as I listened and explored her site. Her artwork is fabulous and I was drawn in to her techniques. She has videos on her website where she graciously shares techniques. Check it out if you have a chance. She also has books that I'm thinking about looking up. The blog radio can be replayed anytime I think (at least I replayed it after it had broadcasted). Just wanted to share :)

Have a great day!

Paint Party Week 21

Sweet Summer Night

Week 21?! Holy Schzznics! I've missed a few. But I'm back in the saddle again. This is "Sweet Summer Night" another addition to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks project. This went in Kathy's book for the June installment. I just finished it last night, so I'm behind on the project too. Oh, if anyone is interested in seeing a bunch of the sketchbooks in one place, we have a Facebook page called Creative Sistahs. Come on over and like us ;)

School starts next Wednesday yippee!/boohoo - I'm having mixed feelings... Asher, my son, is going to all day Kindergarten but that means I will have more time to get things done. That also means no more snoozing until 10:30ish everyday and staying up until 2:30 am anymore. Ugh, that I won't like. Cause I've grown quite fond of a life of leisure. I can tell you one thing though, I won't be making any of that damn tomato sauce!

Happy PPF! Visit all the Uber-Creative people here ;)

Work in progress - Sistahood of the traveling sketchbooks

I haven't had a chance yet to post this, well actually I was hoping to get more done on it before I posted this but oh well here is some artwork that I've managed to create in the midst of gardening mayhem for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks. Canning jars are cooling behind me as I write this. More beans. And more work is to be done on this tonight (hopefully).

Here is another shot, including my feet... hee hee

This is for a June installment in Kathy's book. I've gotta crank out July as quick as I can... we're a little behind due to the Canadian Post Office strike.

Paint Party Friday Week 9

Yippee, it's Paint Party Friday! If you want to join in the fun and share your creative endeavors then hop on over to PPF and add your post to the list. It's super easy, all you do is add your name and your blog post address.

This acrylic painting called "Poppies for Kelly" started out as a greeting card and I thought as I was painting it that this was too much work for it to just get tossed in the trash or stored in a memory box so I cut up the card and framed it. It was my gift to my best friend Kelly who just got to graduate from college and attend commencement, an undertaking that took her 20 years. I'm so proud of her.

My husband had made a few of these frames for me to sell my artwork in about a year ago and it just fit perfectly. I probably didn't paint it on the best paper, but like I said it started out to be a card. I actually used greeting card computer paper.

I'm off to check out all the great artwork from PPF!
See ya soon, have a great weekend & Happy Friday the 13th!