Thursday, April 25, 2013

a message of friendship

Thoughts of what is a friend and what it means to be a friend has been in my thought quite a bit lately.

So I decided to look up the definition, this is what Wikipedia had to say:
friend is a person that someone likes or knows. People who are friends talk to each other and spend time together. They also help each other when they are in trouble. Friends are people that can be looked up to and trusted. A friend is one who admires a person's skill and helps or encourages them to make the right choices.

I wanted to pay homage to a friend of  mine which is what prompted me to make this piece.  I was soooo excited to share with her what our friendship had inspired in me.  Needless to say,  I never got the opportunity.  Which I now accept as being OK.

It is my 2nd original piece being added to my Etsy shop.  There will be more to come.
It's funny how the Universe can step in at just the right time to provide a message that is needed to be heard.

Lo and behold, I got an unexpected package delivered to me from this girl named Sharon.  I worked with her at Theda Clark Hospital in Neenah, WI back in the mid to late seventies.  I quit that job in the early eighties and saw her only occasionally after that.   Then later in the early nineties we reconnected.  We would take long walks together and just talk and talk and talk.  I learned lots about Sharon and she about me.  We are both the same age and both are Aquarians, somehow we felt that made us spiritually connected.  I am smiling!

Anyway... I wanted to show you the outside of her package.  In every possible place she put something about smiling.  Which is essence made me smile!
The beginning of her note, inside,read:
"Total surprise, huh?  I couldn't help it.  I just saw the enclosed gift, thought of you and imagined what a shock it would be if it appeared on your doorstep, so that's just what I thought I would do.  How fun is that?"
Thanks to Sharon for the gift and for being the one the Universe used to provide me with a message.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

this is my Happy Place

This is  my "Happy Place!  
It's a reminder that we all have a Happy Place within us.

This is a monumental piece because it will be the first original piece of my art added to  my Etsy shop (click here).  

I am finally ready to release my originals out into the world.  Up until this point my originals have been like "my little babies".  I have held them near and dear to my heart.  They represent a new chapter in my life where I have learned to trust and let my creative spirit out to play.  
Happy Place is made on a  8x10 birch painting panel, I used the back side.
It is actually designed to sit on a flat surface.  It actually looks adorable sitting on an end table where it quickly becomes a point of interest and conversation starter.  
Layered with decoupaged pieces and multiple layers of acrylic paint.
The vase is an empty toilet paper rolled that I adjusted the size,  layered with masking tape, then covered it modeling paste. 
I made the wired flowers myself after a fair amount of trial and error.

I feel I must give credit when credit is due.  This piece was inspired an assemble made by 
Thank You Donna for always being an inspiration to me in many ways.

Thanks for sharing in my creative journey!  

Sunday, April 21, 2013

ordinary courage

 I am feeling inspired by the word courage so I did this layout in my art journal.
When I think of all the times I reach out of my comfort zone what I am actually doing is being courageous. And with each courageous action it makes it easier the next time.

I've just started reading  Brene' Brown's book titled The Gifts of Imperfection, right in the beginning she talks about courage.  I discovered that I had highlighted many things she had to say.  This is a statement she makes on page 13.  I was forced to stop and ponder what that meant, it really struck a cord.  Of all the (perceived)  hurdles I thought  I had,  I was looking at them as being something that I am afraid of.  I've made a conscious decision to change my perception.  Instead of thinking about the fear I am going to revel in being courageous.  

So I ask you...what can you be courageous about today?  Even small, I'd really like to hear.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Creatives-Celebrating Sisterhood Art Retreat

It can be a heartfelt warm + fun + exciting time meeting up with other creative spirits.  I had the privilege of meeting up with a group of creative women at a beautiful setting in Lake Geneva, WI.  The retreat was sponsored by Linda Barutha of Live-Laugh-Love Retreats. I was fortunate enough to be there the 1st day with all of these great women.  I (we) were able to pack alot of fun in the short amount of time.  Most of these ladies I have come to know thru a on-line class we took together 2011.  We are fondly known as the Fly Girls.  This is the first time I have met most of them.  Which was exciting within itself.
This is our group.

 Me and my good gal pal, Debbie.  
She was my sidekick and my roomie for the night. 
We laughed hard and often during our time together, as we always seem to do.



I'm looking at the pages I contributed to a journal titled,
For the Love of Creativity.





It's time to give up my tiara for a crown, don't you think?  I am totally infatuated with this crown that Kris made.  Know what else?  She makes one of a kind custom jewelry.  Go check her site out and tell me what you think.  http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com  Tell her I sent you and maybe, just maybe,                
      
 **wink**wink** 



I'll be able to get a crown very soon.    
                                                     

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Peaceful flowers

I wanted to show you this 3D project I completed yesterday.  I've been working on it for a few days, I can honestly say the entire time I was feeling this surge of creativity.  It has truly been a labor of love.  Right now it's adorning my wall in my Living Room then it will be sold to anyone who can see it hanging on their wall.  If that person is you let me know and I will send you more details.


I've been asked "how did you make it".  Let me tell you:
    • it's on a 12 x 24 gallery wrapped canvas with a 1 1/2 " cradle
    • the left side of the canvas is textured with modeling paste, then delicately painted with various color from the colors
    • the right side is painted with varying shades of Paynes Grey acrylic paint, it difficult to see the texture from the photo
    • flowers are made from burlap that I stiffened and shaped
    • stigmas of the flower are from wire then I threaded a bead to the end
    • stems are from a clothes hanger I wrapped with torn painted paper
    • the leaves are several pages from a vintage book glued together then I lightly painted on them making sure some of the text showing thru
    • the flower pot-cardboard cut out and shaped like a clay pot, textured with crackle past then painted

Saturday, April 13, 2013

my heart is open


In a nutshell, this defines how I have been feeling lately.  It has been a while since I have felt completely opened to the creative process without judgement of what I was creating.  Sorta reminds me of life!  I can get so caught up in everyday aspects of life, I put more emphasis on what is around me in the exterior world that I loose sight of within my heart is the place I want to be.





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