A return to sharing some art... maybe!

Well despite my best intentions.. I haven't posted anything in almost a year!  Can't believe it - well yes I can, Life has been busy and that is a good thing.

I don't know where to start really so I will start with some portraits commissions I did.  I haven't had any time to be in the studio working on any personal things lately.  I have lots of ideas though and hopefully will have some new pieces - or at least one - done within a month. In fact just tonight - with another sleepless night I went in and started throwing around some paint.  Nothing serious just getting back in the groove.

These portraits are 8x10 pencil drawings.  I do always enjoy portraits even though they can be challenging and stressful but I was happy with the way these turned out.

Another piece in the Birth Art Series

 

Here is another piece I did for my Birth Art series.  This is the 2nd interpretation of this idea. The first one, click here, was the watercolor on yupo paper that had the large blooming flower. 
    This one is a mixed media artwork on canvas where I combined acrylic paint, pastel, fabric, and a twine/yarn material.  I used a photo taken while I was in labor for this piece.  Titles are always difficult for me but I decided to call this one Bringing a Blessing.  I played around with swirling the white paint in the figure area mixing it with heavy body gel medium to retain the brushstrokes a bit.  I really only have a couple of more pieces done to show.   One was very large and way out of my comfort zone..  not really sure why I chose such a large canvas for it!  I'll share that one at a later date.

Birthing Art - Post 1!

Well it has certainly taken me awhile to get around to posting some of these.  While I was pregnant, I created some sketches as I went through some birthing preparation.  Sketches about different ideas of birth, translating feelings, perceptions and such.  This is a painting I actually did before I gave birth to my baby although I did go back in to work on it last year also.  The few other paintings I did were done over the past year. This one is an acrylic on canvas and is definitely one of my favorites!

A Painting in December

Although December seemed like a month set out to crush me, I did have the opportunity (and found the time amazingly) to work on a commissioned piece that someone wanted to give as a Christmas gift.  So working from a photo, I painted this 9"x12" portrait of their family dog in acrylic on one of those 3" thick canvases.  I like those thick canvases because you can display them easily on a shelf or on a wall.  After not doing much painting over the last year I was nervous as I begin, but was really happy with how it turned out.

Just Making Something!

Being a new mom, crafting, making art and things like that just aren't on the list of things that can be done... however - I did make the time to make something for my babe the other day.  Of course being as conscious and aware as I am of what is really in the food and products we consume/use/eat... i cringe at the idea of what is probably lurking in baby toys... and I just wanted to make something for the babe I love so dearly!  So I made this little shape book/teether toy.  I sewed 4 'pages' with organic fabric and organic ribbon and attached them to a natural, untreated teething ring I finished with coconut oil. I designed it so they can all be grouped together or taken apart.  So far apart works good so I can keep them all throughout the house.. and it's not so big! 

Finally!

Obviously I haven't been in my studio much the past year as I've been otherwise occupied.  But wanted to share something I have done recently.   Totally not my usual style, this is a watercolor/pastel, on yupo paper... and inspired of course, by recent life events :)  

I've done a couple of other birth art pieces and I will share those soon... and have more stored away in my mind and my pregnancy/birth sketch book (inspired from the journey and preparation I did for birth -  through the book Birthing from Within... that will hopefully make their way to a canvas sometime in the next year albeit transformed and evolved as the distance from the delivery grows.)

This particular piece took me months to complete - not only for the obvious lack of time to devote to it, but just trying to get it right.  I don't work in watercolor very often and struggle getting the results I want.  Finally I got something I was happy with.  Inspired by the last days of pregnancy (and modeled from a photo taken in the nursery the day I was in labor - --- - right before things got "real" ) and the flower represents allowing the body to bloom and open to birth the baby within.  I framed this one up and gave it as a gift to my wonderful midwife whose coaching, encouragement and wisdom helped me find the strength within to make it through the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life.

custom wall design

Custom Wall Design for Organic Spa

This is wall design I painted back in the spring - just now getting around to photographing and sharing it.  This was for the entry wall of a spa and salon.  The wall was textured so that presented a challenge but it all came out well in the end!