Portrait Play

Here is my portrait for today. I feel like I am on to something here - not sure what it is, but I like it.

It is an acrylic background. Lots of scraping, water blotting and accidental transfers with dash of a rubber text stamp. The portrait was done with watercolor pencil, gouache and colored pencils (black and white). I like the unfinished look of it. 

Busy Summer

The heat is finally here in southern Oregon and I am busy in my "cool" studio. I have been working in all sorts of media and a variety of surfaces - basically I am playing and having a blast. I was inspired by an entry on The Sketchbook Challenge about artist  Lynne Hoppe doing watercolors and pencil on old book pages. I have been trying to do a page every day - I just love the look and want to do something BIG....

These are done with watercolor pencils and white gouache...

in contrast I just finished 3 (yes really) paintings. Here is the one I submitted for the 2011 Southern Oregon Art Show at the Firehouse Gallery in Grants Pass, Oregon from August 5-26th.

I call it Equine Dreams. The horses were a happy accident - paint drips that looked like horses heads. This is me trying to be a looser painter. I would love to know what you think.

Summer Fun

This is my 3rd summer in southern Oregon and I think I finally get the rhythm. Once the sun comes out activity ramps up to a fever pitch. There is so much to do here - biking, swimming, hiking, rafting....It is also the time when friends and family come to visit. I have been lucky to teach for the summer Children's Art Program for the Grants Pass Museum of Art. Each year we organize a group of artists ready and willing to teach some aspect of art to kids of all ages. This year one of the classes I taught was "Recycled Book Journal." We had a great time gluing and painting and discussing the latest cuts on "So You Think You Can Dance." It was so much fun we stayed an extra hour playing in our books. I took a lot of photos, but really loved the pictures of  hands, busy creating......

The smiles say it all.

Nothing left to do but clean up!

The Wedding

We are currently in San Diego for my son John's wedding. The event took place at the Point Loma Lighthouse and it was a picture perfect day. I am a lucky woman to have another daughter in my life. She made a beautiful bride and I love the fact that my son got choked up when he was saying his vows. My hubby and I are very proud! This is not the best photo. The guy lurking in the background (and almost falling off the cliff) is one of the photographers... I am sure the formal photos will be great...

Trip to Philadelphia

Finally unpacked and able to share about my trip to Philadelphia. We decided to fly out of Portland and happened on the most amazing bakery called Petite Provence Alberta  on the way to the airport. They have several locations in Portland and definitely worth a stop. I did not realize how much I have missed a good French bakery until we walked in the door. Artistic displays and artfully baked bread and goodies. The smell of sugar and butter was heavenly......

Our flight was less than charming. Bad weather and a bumpy ride. The kind of trip where you applaud the pilot when you finally land. We were able to rent a car and travel to the Lancaster County area to see the countryside and Amish farms. 

I was hoping to acquire another Amish quilt for my collection, but did not find one in colors that worked for me. We did manage to get some antique shopping in and an unexpected find... the National Toy Train Museum. My hubby was jazzed because he has an O gauge train set in the process of being put up in our barn. I was really taken with the artistry of the old toy trains. 

The doll and teddy bear show was a blast. It began with a competition between  about 30 or so artists for their one of a kind signature pieces. The voting was done by our peers and I was thrilled to be one of 4 artists honored with an award. Here is my entry piece.

It was so much fun to catch up with all my East Coast friends and collectors. The show was amazing, lots of eye candy and amazing craftsmanship. I also had the chance to make some new friends. 

Nancy Latham, a talented doll artist from Florida. I loved her dolls and paintings. You can see more of her creations at Wistful Children

Another artist from New York, Reina Mia Brill  makes "Knitted Wire Sculpture". Brightly colored, fun ceramic pieces.

You can view more of her pieces here: Reina Mia Brill

Our trip home was thankfully uneventful. I am glad to be unpacked and nesting for a few days, then back to work on future classes and new art pieces. 

More Artfest....

I am long overdue posting photos of my Artfest creations. Here is a pic of my "Saint of Lost Shoes". She was inspired by the stash of doll shoes I found in one of my many stash boxes - none of them had a matching shoe. This was my first time sculpting a face and I am ready for a chance to play more with this.

I also had a wonderful time in Olry Avineri's Deck of Roses class. Here are a few samples of my "deck". I am mounting them on wood and coating them with a thick coat of clear tar gel to give them a look of resin. Hopefully this will work!

Back from Artfest

Well it is almost a week since I have returned from Artfest. Another event of wonderful inspiration. I am proud to say I finished all the class work at Artfest - a new one for me! These 2  were done in Misty Mawn's Coloring Book Class on Saturday. - Both done with watercolor crayons and white paint....

I have started using my 3"x5" book again to collage papers that are left on my worktable. here is a spread I did yesterday....

I can see a future painting.... more to come as I continue to unpack!