New Painting

Yesterday I was able to spend about 12 hours in my studio - researching and sketching mural concepts and samples, painting, ordering art supplies... it was great to be able to get in the creative groove and stay there all day... I haven't done that in a LONG time. And the best part is I actually started and finished a painting that I really like. It was great too because I took photos of my model on Friday and was able to quickly follow through on my ideas. What was cool also was my husband spent the day painting a motorcycle which he did a great job on. - I'll post pics of that later..

For this painting - which I haven't titled yet. I took pictures of the process from how I start, a couple of photos along the way and then a finished product (top picture). That way you can see how the painting evolves as it goes along. I was so excited after my day of fun that I'm ready to roll on more ideas...the only problem is I'm out of canvas... now I just have to wait my canvas materials to arrive at my doorstep : ( not that I'll have another day to spend that long painting anytime soon.

Wrap Skirt

So.. Yesterday I made a wrap skirt out of some fabric I painted a couple of years ago. I love fabric and have lots of designs for it and a couple of years ago tried to bring some of it into reality.. this fabric came from one of those attempts that didn't work out to well. However, after seeing it again I did kind of like it and wanted to use it. Typical me style, I wanted to do something quick and easy and no fussy pattern. I cut some off the length with I should not have done because it barely wraps, but it still works ok. I do need to reposition one of the eye hooks, but after sewing them on backwards...twice, yes twice, I decided to wait to do that another day. I tested it out today anyway and it did ok although it will require the leggings which I intended to wear with it anyway. As many fights I have with sewing I still seem to keep trying, maybe one day I'll get better at it : )

Pillow from Recycled Clothes

This is the pillow I just finished. It took me way longer than it should have, the material creeped and crawled like crazy. I made it from 2 different dresses (one is a hand me down from a friend that I cut the top off of and made into a shirt, the other from another hand me down that wasn't made correctly - I tried to take it apart and put it back together but with no luck thus it became part of my fabric box), a ribbon from a gift, a random button, and the blue and black detail is part of a scrap piece from a weaving I did in college over 7 years ago. I don't throw anything away because, hey.. I might can use it for something. The pillow case has a white insert with a 95% polyester 5% Silk filling and the overall size is roughly 10" x 13".

Walking in Sand

This is a painting I've been working on for several months. I've kept putting it away and pulling it back out... It really has been giving me fits. I've reworked and reworked again but I really like parts of it, although I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's titled Walking in Sand because it is in fact someone walking through the sand at the beach. Strolling along the beach is a free and happy feeling, although it is a little of a challenge at times to pick your feet up and through either the dry fluffy sand or the wet sand near the water. It takes a little work but the feeling you get from feeling the wind and hearing the sounds of the ocean is rewarding... I guess it's kind of like life... any thoughts?

New Mural

This is the mural that I just finished. It depicts crumbling and cracking plaster to reveal bricks and has a tromp l'oeil window with a bird perched in the opening.

New Painting

I've finally managed to complete a new painting.... At least it's mostly complete. I may go back into it a little in the next couple of days. I'm continuing my main body of work with the figurative theme which I really do enjoy - Although I'm feeling the urge to paint some more cars : ) This one has the figure in color as my last two have had the figure in gray values with limited color palattes in the background. I'm trying to loosen up my brush strokes on the figure and not have everything so tight. It's hard to loosen up on the detail though. I want to continue to focus in on emotion with each of the pieces in this body of work. Now for the the hard part... the name.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog.  I'm finally going to try blogging and this is where I will have frequent updates about new artwork.  I'm currently working on figurative paintings as my main body of work.  However, I just finished a rooster as an anniversary present for my husband (he has wanted a rooster or chicken painting for a while)  I actually had a lot of fun with this painting and might even do more.  I really haven't painted very many animals but it was a nice break from my normal work and using really thick paint and the palette knife, which I love, lended itself perfectly to the rooster feathers.  

My husband encouraged/(made) me to clean out and organize my studio today so hopefully with my clean and somewhat organized studio, productivity will now increase while frustration will decrease : )  He is so supportive and helpful.