The RAVEN Has Landed!

Hello all my artsy friends! I haven't visited my blog in forever, it's so sad. Life has been in my way and I haven't had time or inclination to do any art, although I've missed it! Hoping the new year will bring more time. In the meantime, I wanted to share about my Raven Art Journal. Remember this post where I had just put it together back in February 2010? Well, it's been traveling around the world with all sorts of talented artists throwing their fabulous artistry inside of it. It returned home this month finally!!

One of the artists took the time to put together a video of all the pages people have done in all the 8 books that traveled, and I wanted to share it here. Enjoy!

Happy 4th & Turtle Naming Contest

Happy 4th of July for all my American friends. For my others, happy summer Monday (unless you're down under, then Happy Monday only.)

One of my favorite summer memories is when we used to pop down to Warsaw, Mo where my great grandma Leverta lived and attend their Jubilee Days festival. Of course as kids, our favorite part was the turtle races. We'd look for days ahead of time to procure and train our turtle. I got to thinking about those times when  a turtle wandered into our lives yesterday...

So today, I just wanted to mention the little one and I have a Turtle naming contest going on over on our homeschool blog. He needs a name desperately and the little one has offered up a nice prize, as have I. Come on over and Name That Turtle!

Have a wonderful 4th, and don't burn yourself on those fireworks!

Month of Art Wrap-Up & GIVEAWAY

 (don't be frightened by my scary clown lady! lol)

As usual, I petered out on the artwork. I did do a few things in the last week but just have not blogged them. All in all, 14 days of blogging art. That's more than I usually do. I enjoyed doing more art than normal but I was hoping it would restore my desire for constant art time. It did not. Too much going on at this time, what with summer activities, gardening, cleaning out closets, etc... But maybe fall will restore that need.

 (recent drawings, watercolor painting)

In working on different things this month I realized I've become stagnant in my art. This might be why I'm not wanting to do it as often. I think I need to take some classes for drawing and painting to be energized again. I'm also feeling the desire to write again as I did for National Novel Writing Month last November. Don't know what I would write, but its percolating in my brain...

This week my daughter and I worked on a small scale model of the chicken coop we want to build. You can see more about it here. I consider that a bit of art as well!

Thanks to those who created along with me, and who visited & commented on what I was creating. I have a few small canvases I worked on that I have not finished but I have ideas. I'll be giving one away to a lucky winner. Follow me through google or facebook and leave a comment on where you follow me, and you're entered into the giveaway drawing! I'll draw a name next weekend.

Day 23 - Bloom & Grow

I think I have forgotten how to take photographs. Or I'm too lazy to do it right. What is it about the 'right lighting' that is so elusive? *sigh* So please forgive these pics of new artwork (taken with my cell).

I was hopping around the internet yesterday and happened upon one of my favorite little blogs: A Collage A Day. For a paper collage artist such as myself, it is astounding to me how the artist of this website can create these little tiny collages daily (although it looks like its not EVERY day anymore) and sell 95% of them for $25 each. He had a novel idea and has developed quite a following, including me. Anyway...

Seeing as I had not gotten around to watercolor painting yet, I was inspired to play around with collages again. I can't help myself. Only this time, I tore paper into 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" pieces such as 'A Collage A Day' might use and go from there.

Bloom

Grow

I think I might mount the both on a piece of jet black matboard and frame them for my bedroom. Who doesn't need to remember to 'Bloom' and 'Grow'?

Also wanted to share a few websites I found as I was hopping around the internet. I love finding new blogs!

Art Hound

Brown Paper Bag

Not Paper

Twisted Vintage Studio

Nancy Standlee Art

Green Paper

Pikaland

Jessica Bell Made This  (For some reason the first page's pics don't come up for me, but click on the right links for 'fabric' or 'paper', etc... Stunning.)

Oh! And I learned a new word: Bojagi. I can see new art happening in my future!

 (I've been attempting to create daily in June. Visit 'Creative Vibrations' to read more about it.)

Day 20 - Content?

Just a quickie post. 

Was experimenting with painting faces the other day. First time with the layering of colors and everything. Worked on a lady's face, she came out quite sad looking. I don't really mean, sad/bad painting looking, but sad unhappy looking. 

Tried painting first with a picture of my girls but that didn't last very long. Too hard to have it be my first painting and not come out looking like them... Going to keep trying. Not sure if the painting is completely done. The teen doesn't like her hair and I tend to agree. Might add to it. I had painted 'content' on the background and then the girl came along. She doesn't look very content does she?!

Here's what the background look like before I painted the girl (layers of acrylics, Caran d'Ache crayons, India Ink, Pencils.)  Picked up the Water Paper Paint book at the library today. I think I'll be doing a little watercolor instruction tomorrow with the little one. Fun! She had a lemonade stand today (see blog post here.) Summer is officially here!

Day 17 - Make a Joyful Noise

The other day I was sitting in the house when I heard a loud racket. I could not comprehend what that mixed cacophony of sound might be. Hubby went to take a look and it was a chatter of birds screaming and divebombing a couple squirrels. I guess they dared to encroach on the birds' domain. I found it so funny. They were willing to fight the big fat squirrels!

Monday I enjoyed painting backgrounds for several canvases. On Tuesday I was right back out in the yard at the picnic table, braving the mosquitoes to paint some more. The paintings take on so much more meaning when you're not doing them for sale. They were just for play. If I find one I want to sell I can but it was more for experimenting and immersing myself in paints again.

I found myself wanting to paint a bird. I think drawing on this story with the birds and squirrels, as well as the image of a chicken I used for the chicken pillow, contributed to the idea for this painting.  I was also thinking how the birds wake me up many days, having a little snack party at the birdfeeder, chirping outside my bedroom window! This one is entitled: Make a Joyful Noise (from Psalm 95:1).

Oh my goodness! The teen just brought me a Lindor Truffle chocolate to eat. You don't mess around with Lindor. I must fly! Ta-ta!

(I've been attempting to create daily in June. Visit 'Creative Vibrations' to read more about it.)

Day 14 - And Just Like That...

4 days were lost. The weekends seem to be full of who knows what. I know I didn't do much but art just didn't make it to the table, so to speak. What have you been creating?

** Friday we went to a friend's house for bible study, food and games. As usual we got plenty rowdy and had the best time until 1 am!

 My teen with her drawings and the little one's comics

** Saturday the girls and I headed to the church for an art show. We submitted a few pieces for people to look at and received favorable comments. It's just nice to have the girls participate as well.

** Sunday was a blur. I caught a cold and a migraine so who knows what I did. Mostly sleep.

** Monday I tried to rest but also spring cleaned my bedroom. No more clothes that don't fit, no more junk, no more piles of stuff we're not using. GONE! To the thrift store or the dump.

Today I couldn't stand it anymore. I thought 'I'm behind, I should just pull out my papers and glue and collage something.' My art room is atrocious so I haven't been working down there. But I had had enough, I needed to paint. Out came the acrylic paints, the brushes, fluid acrylics, Neocolor II crayons, colored pencils, bottles of india ink. I dragged them all upstairs, with canvases, and went to work on the picnic table.

As soon as the girls saw me playing with stuff in the backyard, I had guests. They pulled out things to work on. We had a fun time and worked until it was too dark to see and the bugs were eating us alive. 

Nothing is finished yet on my end, although the girls collaborated on this abstract above, and the teen painted with her new found love, the Neocolor II water soluble crayons:

I'll share a completed piece tomorrow. It feels good to paint again.

Day 9 - Love One Another

I've unexpectedly had a day to myself. Hubby at work, teen sleeping in and the little one went to her cousin's house last night. Of course art was first on my menu; my creative vibrations have been humming...

In continuing with my idea for positive affirmations for the wall, LOVE is what came to mind today. People can irritate you to no end but if you remember that you LOVE them, it puts things in perspective, especially family. I can't help you with the people you don't love. lol 

Piece is made with painted paper scraps, transparency pieces, inks, paints and pens.

I've been reading a book about Joseph Cornell,  an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. He was an artist of immense talent, yet plagued by shyness, and wary of the company of strangers. It's such an interesting book. I recommend to people, especially if you like building or viewing assemblage pieces.

Okay, I'm off to plan a night out with hubby. I'm thinking Indian food and Pirates of the Caribbean movie. What are you doing this fine day?

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 8 - Drawing Peoples

Today while attempting to draw people from a picture, I thumbed through previous drawings I had done. (Note: Click on pics to see up close, because some of them aren't clear until up close because of the flash.)

I sketched Nancys from an old 1935 'Tom and Nancy' reading book. These are some of my favorite drawings.

I did a study in birds a while back. I like how they came out although I'd like them more 'brushy' instead of exact lines.

While we were in Atlanta on a trip, I found a book of shells and worked on this little drawing. 

 

Tonight I was sketching a picture of my mom on the beach, while on our cruise in April. As you can tell, it is terrible. Her mouth looks like I don't know what (supposed to be top teeth and then tongue because she has her head thrown back, laughing) and I started to work on the waves but gave up.

I'm so glad I ordered these books from the library last week. I'm hoping they help me with the peoples drawings.  Life Drawing and Drawing People. I'm thinking, whenever I get back to college class taking, my first will be drawing classes. It's a skill I don't possess and would like to 'beef' up on it.

Ohhh, have to show you my thrift store find today! A whole pile of PRINT magazines, magazine for the graphic artist. They have the neatest pictures inside, and their mags were $0.29 each! A steal. Can't wait to peruse them!

See you tomorrow. Be creative!

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 7 - Creating Family Time & Rats

I'm typing this quick post at 11:03 pm on a Tuesday night. Yes, I know. Late of course, for my post of the day. And to make matters worse, guess who didn't finish an art project yesterday or today? ME! That's who! But to clarify the point of this monthly creativity project; creating everyday is the goal, but is not do-or-die. Yesterday (and today) I was creating family time.

The kids and I spent 12.2 million hours at the pool yesterday, hangin' with the G-ma, getting some sun, and in the case of me; adding to my cache of freckles. My legs and arms are sore (think of all the exercise I accomplished though!) and I went to sleep before 11 pm. It was amazing!

Today we were back at the pool, and I think our faces were the losers this time. They're so red! Gotta be careful and extra vigilant with the sunscreen tomorrow.

I did work on a bit of art. These are pictures of supplies for a project. This is just a teaser until it's complete. It's going to be an apron. Can't wait to finish it!

** Oh, just had to share. My adorable moppy pup pups went to the groomers today.

I decided to get them sort of long puppy cuts so they would be cooler for summer. The groomer was a bit overzealous and gave me rats to take home. 

Clementine  

 

Winston

Shaved rats. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. Kind of reminiscent of the last time I had to get Clemie extreme groomed. Remember this post? Oh boy. So, we can't go out in public with the pup pups now. What would the neighbors say? lol

Last thing. Tomorrow we have to turn in any art we want to share in an art show at church. It's so hard to pick things that you think people might want to see. The teen picked out a few things from her college art classes, I picked some canvases and the little one will be sharing some of her cartoons. Have I mentioned her veggie cartoons? They're so funny, I'll have to share some soon. Maybe tomorrow.

Ta-ta for now!

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)