Purple Polka-dot Witch...

Welcome to Blogtoberfest Day 16!

I worked on a fun little sketch yesterday, just some practice with faces...

 Her features and hair are painted with acrylic paints, and her dress and headband are paper collage...

When I was done, I decided to dress her up as a witch for Halloween, and put her on another ATC.

Until next time...enjoy!

Halloween ATC 3...

Welcome to Blogtoberfest Day 12!

Here is another Halloween ATC for you to see, I am certainly having fun with my digital collage. The hunt for  just the right graphics is a big part of that. It has been great practice, since I am not entirely comfortable using technology in this way. 

I like this combination of the cheerful happy children, and the more serious ghostly lady haunting them. Of course the cat, being able to see spirits, is keeping a close eye on them all...

Until next time...enjoy!

Now For Something Really Big...

Welcome to day three of Blogtoberfest, and thanks for following along. 

If you have been visiting here for any length of time, you may have noticed one thing about my art. I work small. My most common canvas size is 8"x10", then 5"x7", 4"x4", ATCs at 31/2"x21/2" and all the way down to inchies, at 1"x1". I am most comfortable with these small sizes for a number of reasons, including their portability and my ability to scan them using my own home equipment. 

Here are two more small pieces of digital collage, completed yesterday...

  But the other day, I got a hankering to do something big, I mean BIG! So I dragged out the easel I bought a full year ago at a yard sale for $10, and set it up...

 This is meant to be a travel easel, and has a very complicated series of knobs and hinges that took me a while to figure out. But I love the brass lined drawer and compartments...

Then I went rummaging around in my basement storage, looking for the larger canvas panels I purchased years ago, and never used. This one is 22" X 28"...

I love how the upper bar of this easel can slide down and lock tight, holding the canvas firmly in a couple of grooves designed for that purpose. Now I can really go to town, scrubbing and smooshing the paint without it falling off! 

  I think this will be the perfect surface for my Athena painting, with an olive tree and some mountains in the background, and an owl on her shoulder. I think it will be a fun experience, working with bolder strokes and more detail. Come back for a visit to see it as it progresses. 

Until next time...enjoy!

A Gift of Flight...

I know I have mentioned them frequently over the course of the last year, these amazing women that have come into my life. But on this, the one year anniversary of our gathering as a community, I find myself with a heart full of gratitude.

 For me, this journey began when I ran across an blurb about Kelly Rae Roberts e-course;  Flying Lessons Tips + Tricks to Help Your Creative Biz Soar! I love KRR's art work, and she was my first introduction to mixed media art. I had her book and had read articles about her in Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine for a number of years before I thought to go looking for her online. I was delighted to find she was offering a class on building a creative business and jumped at the chance to learn from her. The class was full of useful information, simplified enough for a internet newbie to grasp and utilize. I learned about promoting my self and my work, about different routes to take to sell my art, and about the importance of the the connections you can make using social networking.
  But above all, and no offense to Kelly, because her content is fantastic, above everything though, was the private Facebook group that was formed as part of the class. For some inexplicable reason, we bonded. We quickly connected and grew into a huge loving, supportive and effective community of fellow creatives. We have helped, advised and supported each other through our first stumbling steps in building our businesses. We have found a safe place to share our fledgling art, and received positive reinforcement and advice when something wasn't quite right. Terrible twos to troubled teens, we have shared parenting advice, and cried for each others pain. Divorces, betrayals, job losses and rotten bosses, we have shared it all, and are stronger for the sharing. There is always someone to give you kudos over learning a new technique, and someone to understand when folks at home don't quite get us.
My Flytribe has helped me find my artistic style, and increased my confidence in sharing my art. I thought I would learn some tips and tricks, and I did. But I also found a whole other family, a sisterhood of creative souls.
As this year draws to a close, we are still going strong as we each face new and exciting challenges. We are committed to staying together and continuing to share our successes and failures, and sending out words of love and encouragement every step of the way. To honor our Flytribe community, we decided to take up a collection to sponsor a future flier by paying the tuition for the 2012 Flying Lessons. This will be the last time Kelly Rae Roberts offers this e-course, so she offered to match our contributions. We are so pleased to announce that we gathered enough donations to pay for not one but EIGHT slots in the upcoming class! Along with Kelly's eight, that makes sixteen lucky fliers! We are all just tickled at the response, did I mention they are a wonderful and generous group of ladies? If you would like to apply for the chance to win one of these slots, please go to our Flytribe Blog, and follow the instructions. 

Oh, in case you were wondering if I did any actual ART this week, I did do my ATCs for our Flygirls ATC Group. This is a spin off of about 60 of us, from the original Flytribe, that wanted to experiment with ATCs. We started our monthly swaps last November, and last I checked, we have a hostess and theme set up through 2013! This month the theme was "learning" and as an added twist, and partially because of my participation in Every Inchie Monday, we decided to each add an inchie to our packets. Here are the results;

my "learning" inchie...

and last, but not least, the theme for Every Inchie Monday is "eye", and here is mine...

Thank you Trillian over at Every Inchie Monday for inspiring not only me, but some of my fellow fliers as well. Look what you started with your teeny, tiny art! Until next time...enjoy!

If you would like to read more about our group, and some amazing posts about the art of giving, here is the list of all the Flytribe Blogs participating in this hop;

Janet Forrest http://www.tatterednworn.wordpress.com

Cat Athena Louise http://www.catathenalouise.com

Stacey Bockness Curry http://starhitchedwagon.blogspot.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld http://cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/giving-flight-giving-back/

Renee Burke http://happilyeverafterbyreneeburke.wordpress.com

Mary Sterk http://www.justmarydesigns.com

Michelle Reynolds http://www.shellsinthebush.com

Constance Rawlins http://livingwithinyourharvest.com/2012/08/19/fly-tribe-anniversary/

Kelly Hoernig  http://www.kellyhoernig.blogspot.com/2012/08/flytribe-anniversary.html

Cindy Jones Lantier http://www.lantier.org/2012/08/the-gift-of-giving/

Kathleen Conard http://newfromoldcreations.blogspot.com/2012/08/giving-back.html

Claudia Dow http://www.claudiadow.blogspot.com

Susan M. Walls-Beverly http://susanscharmingtrinkets.blogspot.com/2012/08/flying-lessons-and-art-of-giving-back.html

Linda Barutha http://lindabaruthadesigns.blogspot.com/2012/08/giving-back.html

Linda Kinnaman http://lindakaysart.com/blog/2012/08/19/my-dream-journey-one-year-now/

Cheryl Dosseyhttp://www.cheryldossey.com/2012/08/paying-it-forward/

Sofia Dabalsa http://sofiadabalsa.blogspot.com

Jill Lambert http://jill-lambert.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving.html

Sally Rose http://sallyhow2.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-gift-of-flight.html

Ursula Smith http://EasyScraps.com/blog

Deborah Eaton http://www.deborahgeaton.com/blog/

Lori Leissner  http://www.leissnerart.com/2012/08/giving-thanks-giving-back-giving-flight.html

Creative Clearinghouse http://creativeclearinghouse.com/Online-Class-Reviews/blog/2012/447/Spirit-Giving

Lenore Angela http://lenoreangela.blogspot.ca/2012/08/giving-back.html

Katharina Star http://www.blog.katharinastar.com

Rachél Payne http://wp.me/pWRyw-10P

Sherry Richert Belul  http://www.simplycelebrate.net/cherry-blossom-soup/gifts

Deborah Velasquez http://deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com/

Shannon Etnyre http://www.livingwithumami.com

Live Laugh Love Retreats http://livelaughloveretreats.com

Kelley Miller Artworks http://kelleymillerartworks.blogspot.com/

Wini Dougall http://artloveandjoy.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/giving-flight-giving-back-blog-hop-and.html

Carol Bray http://theredpaintedcottage.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving-back-by-giving.html

Tracy Yarbrough http://chickpeastudio.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving.html

Diane Enright  http://dianeenrightphotography.wordpress.com/

Jamie Burch http://www.dancingdownserendipitystreet.blogspot.com/2012/08/giving-flight.html

Mary Cottingham http://www.barnbugstudio.blogspot.com

Susan Dietz http://flutterbeforeyou.blogspot.com

Lori Moon Studio http://lorimoonstudio.blogspot.com/2012/08/fly-tribe-blog-hop-giving-back.html

Kim Hyer http://www.apaperaddict.com

Tina Carlborg http://www.tinachicky.blogspot.com

Catherine Pistone  http://catherinepistone.blogspot.com/

Mary MacIlvain http://maryart.macilvain.com/

Carolyn Chenault http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/the-big-giveaway

A Little Bit of Catching up...

Over this past week, I have had some interesting things happening, the first of which is I finished the painting I started of my Cinnamon Bear. I am still debating adding some inspirational words, like I do with most of my art, so I will live with it like this for a while, and decide later.

 Last week I posted about our vacation being cut short, and deciding to work on our log cabin to make it ready to use. I decided to share some pictures, I just love it's rustic charm! Here is the north side,

 and the south. It has two decks and entrances.

 The downstairs bedroom, the floor was scrubbed clean with deck wash, which removed the silver color and  then I oiled it to swell the dry wood and enhance the color.

 Here is the vinyl tile I installed in the bathroom, which now has running water,a sink, a toilet and shower. I love rustic, but I am old enough to appreciate some modern conveniences...

and here is the gorgeous view looking north towards our little town. The land lacks the typical trees, lake or creek I would prefer in a vacation cabin, but the view and isolation make up for that. I went up on my own this past Friday, and clear coated the floors, so we are now ready to place the furniture and start enjoying our little hideaway. There are two whole other floors that remain untouched for now, I have been focusing on the main living area so that we can use it. The ultimate goal here is to sell the cabin, along with the surrounding 77 acres, but for now, we can enjoy some quiet times, and staging it as a usable get away can only help it sell better.

Back at the home front, I was delighted to harvest my first carrots and green beans this week, and steam them up for dinner. I have never grown this multi-colored carrot variety before, and think it lends an exotic look to the meal. There are a few new potatoes tucked in there as well.

 Last winter, I posted about my participation in the Art-o-mat Project, where you create little pieces of art, the size of a pack of cigarettes, ship them in and have them placed around the country in refurbished cigarette machines... These machines are placed in museum gift shops, hotel lobbies and various other high traffic locations, and managed by the folks at Artists in Cellophane, out of Winston- Salem, NC.
Well, after I sent my box in, I waited a very long time to hear back from anyone, and was beginning to think that the whole thing was a bust. Either no one was interested in the art I had produced, or they were sitting in a warehouse because of a backlog of stock. Imagine my delight when I received a message on my Facebook page, from a young artist that had purchased one of my collages, and wrote in to thank me, and ask for advice on starting her career as an artist! I though it was very kind of her to write, and wrote back with some pointers on starting a blog and setting up a Facebook page.

 Then, in one of those amazing coincidences, I got a check in the mail from the Artists in Cellophane. It seems that my fears were unfounded, not only is my art work out there, but they have sold 41 pieces out of the original 50! As you can see on this activity report, they use an image of a vintage gas gauge to show my remaining supply, and it is almost on empty. I love the little message; "more please", and the smiley face. I also enjoyed seeing where my art was when it sold, North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Las Vegas and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC!
 I was so excited to get this, I may have made a fool of myself, but with only Mr. How2 to witness, I guess I am safe...So my next project, besides my "Learning" ATC's for this months trade, will be 50 more tiny bits of art, mounted on blocks of wood so they will dispense properly through the machines. Participating in this project is not about making money with your art, at $2.50 per piece, you are not going to be living off your sales, but it is about networking, getting your art out there and validation as an artist, especially when just starting out like I am. My work spoke to someone...life is good!

This weeks theme for Every Inchie Monday is "house" and here is mine. Until next time...enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day!

Just a quick post this morning, I am having a family BBQ, but it is last minute and the place is a mess! I spent the week happily puttering around in the garden and my studio, and completely ignored all else...I haven't been able to work on anything large, but I did finish my ATC's for this months Flygirl ATC Group exchange. The theme is "Mellow Yellow" and our hostess this month is Kelly Hoernig, go check out her lovely blog.

I showed these to Mr. How2 last night, and he really likes them, he is my biggest fan, but asked why I wasn't doing larger pieces to sell, and didn't these take up a lot of my time. My answer to him was, first, I AM painting larger pieces, and he would see them if he followed my blog...(he is strictly a computer solitaire kind of guy) and that these are not a waste of my time, for two main reasons.

  First, I get to communicate and exchange with a wonderful group of other artists online on a daily basis. With wonderful, heartfelt conversations, encouragements and commiseration. Not to mention the beautiful art, which has been an absolute joy to watch as styles are developed with time and practice. Which brings me to my second reason, I have learned so much about my own style/brand/technique over the last few months, and it is a direct result of my "playtime" making these ATC's. The size makes them a comfortable format for trying new methods, and there is never any fear of messing up an expensive canvas. I have instant feedback when I post them to our group, and learn what works, and what shouldn't be done again. With a theme chosen for each month, by someone else, I am challenged to stretch my abilities and my interpretations to entirely new levels, things I never would have thought of myself.

So there you have it, my tiny little art! Speaking of tiny art and challenging myself as an artist, here is my Every Inchie Monday creation for the theme "Number".

Numbers and I don't get along very well, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room left in my brain after all the creative stuff. As a result, I have to spend an inordinate amount of time making sure they are correct, which SO goes against my nature. I work better if I keep my calculations down to a very simplistic method, hence the "counting apples" concept. The kiss is a reminder to "Keep It Simple, Stupid"!

I hope you have a wonderful day with friends and loved ones. Until next time...enjoy!

Painting While the Sun Shines...

This time of year it is so difficult to stay indoors and work in my studio. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the weeds are growing... but I am so driven to continue exploring this new style of art, that I am afraid much of my outdoor work is being neglected. I did stop long enough to combine these two passions, and created some flower baskets to sell at our local nursery...

  I collect vintage and unusual containers through out the year, 
and make them up in time for spring...

But I am still drawn back into my studio to pursue my first love...

This is a series of four Artist Trading Cards I made for our
Flygirls ATC Group trade this month, "May Flowers"

I will just have to figure out a way to better mange my time... until then, enjoy!

Believe in New Beginnings ATC

I just finished making my four ATC for our groups monthly exchange. This months theme is "Believe in New Beginnings" and I decided to try my hand at watercolor sketches. Here are the results...

I am enjoying this new medium, and it will travel well, and since travel seems to be very much in my future, I guess that is a good thing. It is also Every Inchie Monday and the theme this week is "fire"...

These really do look so much better in reality than they do scanned, I sure wish you could see them!
Until next time...enjoy.

Gadabout Artist: Playing in the Sunshine...

Well, we are firmly ensconced in sunny Yuma, AZ, and enjoying days of 70+ degree weather. I have no real complaints, we are hooked up to power and water, so no more batteries or sponge baths, very nice after dry camping in the desert for so long. There are many wonderful snow-birds to meet and I spent a lovely evening playing bingo with 253 of them! No beginners luck for me, though...too bad, it would have helped pay for all the extra beads and art supplies I bought in Quartzsite!

There are not a lot of art supplies available there, but a store appropriately named,  "Addicted To Deals" seems to be a clearing house for just about anything under the sun, and they had a wonderful assortment of scrapbooking supplies. The large rubber stamps were only 3 for $5 and the sets were under $2. I think they will be great for my ATCs and the art I am working on for Art-o-mat. Speaking of which, one of our new neighbors here is a wood worker, I am going to ask him later today if he might be willing to cut out the little blocks of MDF that I need for my first shipment to Art-o-mat. I have been working on the art, and had planned to affix them to the blocks once we returned home, but this would allow me to ship much earlier. There is a lot of trading of skills back and forth down here, and I thought I might join in...

Here are just a few of the beads I bought, there are hundreds of tents and stores selling them in Quartzsite, and you can find everything imaginable for jewelry making. I haven't been in the jewelry business for a very long time, but I just could not resist, old habits die hard. So when I finally get around to opening that Etsy shop, you will likely find a collection of jewelry as well as art. My sweet daughter has recently started making jewelry, so she will receive some as well. She likes the more ethnic/hippy style, so these pendants and wood and coral beads were purchased for her. Until next time, enjoy...

Learning to Leverage my Art...

I first heard this phrase while watching an art tutorial video online, in which the artist was explaining how you can get more mileage out of your art work.As I understand the meaning, after creating a piece of art, on canvas, paper or even cardboard, you can then scan, copy or photograph that work, and print it out. This gives you an unending supply of your own original work, to tear, crumple, paint, tint, layer and paste to your hearts content. I find the concept intriguing. I decided to give it a try;

This piece will eventually become a background image for some of the tiny art I am currently working on for the Art-o-mat project. I have been learning my way around Pinterest, and got caught up in some posts using paint chips as art components, so this influence has made an appearance here.

 I am also just finishing up Traci Bautistas Doodles Unleashed Strathmore Online Workshop, so the colors and the free style are also making themselves known. What I didn't realize while working on this one, is how much it was also influenced by my current location, out in the Arizona desert. Mr. How2 took one look and said he loved my cactus picture! I never even noticed, but it does rather resemble a desert garden, doesn't it?
I guess you could say my mind is a bit like a crowded attic, the last thing dumped in there, is the first thing you see when you open it up!

Back to leveraging your art; I also came across this video, and the concept really started to come together for me while I watched it, thank you to the artist Zorana!
 When I get back to civilization, and can plug into an actual outlet, instead of a cactus, I will scan these backgrounds into my computer. From that point, I can print them out in pieces, in their entirety, in different colorways or intensities, and use them in a variety of ways. I wouldn't want to overuse the same art, but I can certainly do much more with it than just one painting. I am currently working on a full page of faces, and another of birds and flowers to use with these to create mixed media collage art.
So go ahead and look at your art again, but look in a different way. You may find a whole new world of art in there! Until next time, enjoy...

Gadabout Artist: Week 4

I had to switch to a full week, because we have been visiting our nephew and his little family for 8 days now, and you really don't want the details of all our little construction projects around here. Mr. How2 is wrapping them up now, and we are getting ready to set out for Yuma, AZ, with a little jaunt back up to Quartzsite. I have been working on small pieces of art, and participated in a blog hop, learning many new things as I prepared my post for that.

These are my Artist Trading Cards for our Flygirls ATC Group's February "Love" themed swap. They will be going in the mail tomorrow, one extra as a gift for our hostess. If you still don't know about ATCs, please click here for more information, or to participate in a swap yourself. Until next time...enjoy!