seeing & hearing

an exhibit!

Another artlovemagic  group event ( I participated in the Girlshow last summer).

how she looks today

I think she's looking better today. She's even got gold dust on her arms. In fact it's all over her dress too. But it's paint.

My inspiration came quickly to me yesterday. As soon as I got off the computer. I made a few changes that went well. However the side bits outside of her dress are bugging me. They remind me of Spongebob Squarepants graphics. This is not good. Hope I didn't kill it for you too.

Speaking of you too, (u2), a line in their song "Get On Your Boots" was part of the inspiration for this painting. It was "Women of the future hold the big revelations". It's part of a bigger idea that I'm not very good at explaining. So I'll let this painting speak for me.

woman

 

Would you wear a dress like this? Hmmm. Well, your spirit might.

This part of the painting process is one of the hardest parts. When there are things I like, but things that don't seem to be working. All I can do is wait and look now and then for the painting to "speak" to me. When this will happen is not within my control- or even if it will happen. So I wait and look now and then.

faces

In college(the last time I really painted), almost all of my paintings for my senior show had faces. It was very people/face focused. In contrast, for the past year, I've done no human faces. I did do a bit of a lion face, and a full body Kermit the Frog, so I hadn't completely left that realm.

Oh, and by the way, when I was in college (pre-internet) I got a lot of faces from one source I had around for some reason, a J.Crew catalogue. Strange thing is, I had painted Ty Pennington, but didn't realize it. He was a J.Crew model back then. The painting is long gone. I suppose the other models are also now in their 40's with manly wrinkles and stubble wearing a pigment dyed premium T-shirt somewhere and they are just as real as Mr. Pennnington. Anyhow...

The past couple of days I've really been wanting to do a face again. I always get a little scared before embarking on a painting. What if it totally flops? (like the lady who has a muppet face which I am painting over and you are NOT going to see). If that was the only painting I did today it would be a little disappointing. Fortunately it wasn't. One out of 2 is ok with me.

It's very much in my new style and old college style (20 years ago- eegads!). This is a small painting I did relatively quickly.

 

my baby's back!

There are probably few people that if given a choice between having a cellphone or a digital camera would choose the camera. But I am one of them. It's not that I don't like the cellphone, it's just that I have a landline at home and when I am out, I'm nearly always with another person who has one. So, by default I choose the camera. Of course, both inventions are amazing when you think about it.

Anyhow, my camera has been away at celebrity rehab the repair shop. After a traumatic fall "she" (it's pink) is determined to stay sober is staying away from Ethan. All this to say, I can take pictures again.

 

I'm working on three different paintings at the moment. This being the one that is most finished. I've been told my paintings look "psychedelic". I'm not sure it was a compliment at the time, but I can see how it fits the genre. It isn't the result of taking drugs.  I never had anything but alcohol. I don't know why I didn't. Everyone else I knew did. I probably would have liked them a lot- maybe too much. Sometimes I think it was God's way of keeping me alive to see 42 years, 3 kids and a great husband.

Anyhow, sometimes paintings just feel like practice or learning for the future. This seems to be one of those. I enjoyed making it, but feel more like a direction than a destination.

 

This one is unfinished. I am happy with half of it (the bottom), but the top still needs to speak to me.

And behind door # 3 we have: 

The decorative piece! I'm going to add more color to brighten it up a bit. I had a fresh canvas and stuck to a safe design. I love applying the paint to the new canvas so much more than regessoed canvas. Regessoed makes it look chalkier, which is interesting, but more difficult to work with.

i don't know what to call this yet

i don't know what to call this yet
Originally uploaded by ocotillodesign

Too soon to know if this is done yet or not. Done enough.

radiating

How it looked yesterday. Fortunately Miss K. still has a camera (I forgot about that). It's coming along today. Much further than what I have here. 

painting again

Well, technically I'm not painting yet. But I have an outline! I didn't paint at all when the kids were home during the break. She Who Paints just can't bear to be interrupted to make a PB & J sandwich (or whatever). Her eyes would narrow and glare before coming to her senses that the youngest child cannot fend for himself (and even the older ones shouldn't have to all the time). Anyhow, they're all off at school and I thought I really didn't have anything to put down on canvas. And I would have kept on thinking this way if one little idea hadn't come to mind ("try drawing a man inside a man"). And I got up all my nerve that this glimmer of an idea wouldn't peter away. And it didn't. It grew and blossomed all over the canvas. And by the end I thought "where did all that come from?". And now I want to show it to you. But the digital camera got dropped. But we are older, wiser and more experienced now so we have camera insurance (2 cameras later). Maybe I can scan part of it. Maybe I'll think of something...

a bit of an absence

My inner Eeyore would like to have a word before I get on with this post: The good thing about taking herbs & supplements when you feel an illness coming on is that you don't get the full force of a cold or flu. The bad part is that you don't get that sense of recovery either.You can just feel "kinda sick" for a long time. I hate when the kids are miserably sick (though thankfully they're better now). I can handle the nastiest toxic spill of a dirty diaper, but cleaning up vomit makes me want to do the same.It's gotten cold. I don't like the cold when it's too cold and north windy for bike riding. I don't like grey skies. Not today anyhow. I'm annoyed with my wacky messed up equilibrium that doesn't seem to like the cold or grey either. Ok, I'm done. I don't want to give the impression that my life is all chai tea, butterflies, lovey dovey Jesus and rainbows. Mmmm....chai tea.  That sounds good right now. Otherwise I'm doing pretty good- how about you?

I did this writing style test on what is written on my blog and it came out ESJT. Interesting, as I nearly always test INFP. Maybe the test is wrong.

My painting is taking a rest. I have other projects this time of year. Things to make. Like these unfinished necklaces:

 

I was just drawing on the wood previously, but found that I can draw on paper and sort of decoupage a design onto the wood. I also can use old designs I've printed out as long as they're the type that don't bleed when wet. It's been fun experimenting with that. I'm happy with the results so far.

I'm not doing much wood burning anymore. The garage is like an icebox. I also got concerned about the fumes that might be coming off this commercial industrial chemically treated wood products I buy when I did woodburn. I can really get bummed out when I think how contaminated our world is becoming.

I've been working on my Christmas design too on the computer. That's what I've been up to lately creative-wise. How about you?

I think this has been the most beautiful autumn I've ever had. It hasn't really gotten cold which is a definite plus. There is an oak tree out back that seems to contribute to the sanity in my life. It's leaves are changing color and falling off slowly. Soon the trees will be bare and the leaves will be raked up. So I made this painting for now and for the time when they go away.

 

Sometimes the wind will blow some leaves into the house (hey- there's one by the painting) and I just let them. As you can see, we have hardwood floors. So there's a few leaves indoors. I like them. If I get tired of them, I can just sweep them up and send them back outdoors. But for now they stay.

My painting powers seem to be waning, but I've been more inspired by my jewelry lately.

Step 1:

  

Step 2:

 

Working on Step 3.

I really like putting words in the backgrounds. Words, spoken and written are not my strong point and I so appreciate others who have the gift of LifeWords. :)