Let's do a trade.

I have a very good friend, Michelle,  who is tentatively planning on moving in a few months.  We met as members of a yahoo group, Assemblage Artists, and have been friends since that time.   I find her work totally inspiring and very out of my comfort zone.   When I knew she was leaving, I wanted to buy a few pieces of her work to add to my collection.   She thought maybe a swap would be better.  She wanted this picture and I was thrilled to find a good home for it.   It is large about 2 x 3 feet and framed, although the picture doesn't show the frame.

This is what I traded for

We have another trade in the works and I will post that soon.  

I think Maggie created a monster - Boats and more boats

My last post talked about me learning a tiny little bit about acrylics.   The only way to learn more is to do more.    I really like boats - don't own one, but I really like them.   I decided to do more boats.  If you remember I went to a class by Maggie Ruley a few weeks ago and discovered that I loved acrylics.

First, I sketched on what I wanted.   This helps me get the proportions right.

Second - I added a wash of color for the canvases.   Need to cover every square inch with paint so you have a base to pain on.

 Then I put on several layers of paint, shaded them and when satisfied, put a couple coats of shiny varnish on them.   I love them. 

Maybe I will said away in one of them.   That would be fun. 

Inspiration - amazing where it comes from.

Last Thursday I attended and posted about a painting class at Maggie Ruley's studio.    I really enjoyed it and felt really enthused when I got home. 

I had seen a painting at The Studios show in March.   Loved it and thought something similar would be good.  Since then, I've seen about a dozen similar ones in Pinterest and figured I would try it.

I've had this canvas cut and in this frame for years (years is NOT an exaggeration).   I took the second photo (one I found on the Internet - similar to the one I saw in March) and sketched it on the canvas.   Step 1  - done.

 Here is the photo I had printed off the Internet.  

 Below, I had  blocked in all the areas with a base coat of acrylic paint.   I am not really experienced in acrylic as I started in oils, moved on to watercolors and now I am trying acrylics.   So far, so good.  

A little more detail added.   Sorry about the feet in the picture.  Oh well, that's the problem with my TINY studio space.   Doesn't handle big paintings..
 Still more details being added.

 Picture finished with two coats of acrylic varnish.   I like the sheen on the painting.  Intensifies the colors too and I really - really like that. 

 Picture framed and is now hanging on my ever-crowded walls.

You notice that I left out the board that props the boat up in the picture.   Didn't think it was necessary.  

This is really fun.   I will have to go through my pictures and see if there is anything I want to paint.   I expect there is and I will post when completed.  

An afternoon of painting!

Yesterday my friend Michelle and I attended an afternoon painting class by Maggie Ruley.   She has a great shop with great paintings.

The medium us acrylic.  One I am familiar with but not too experienced with.  

 

This is the result of about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  I did the boat below.  Now I plan on doing more boats.  

Enjoy!

Looking to a Higher Power!

I have found a new love.   Gluing stuff to a canvas.    I have lots of stuff, so this is fun.  I found the girl form at an art and soul retreat.  The face was from my sister.   The cross was a purchase! 

Enjoy!

Unlock yourself

I purchased the face and body at a craft sale at The Studios in Key West.   It has been in my stash for a long time.  Finally got it out and assembled another piece.

Enjoy!

Dressed to the Nines

Dressed to the Nines is an english idiom meaning "to perfection" or "to the highest degree".   That's my title for the two assemblages I created.   Pinterest is going to be the death of me.   So many ideas and so little time to do all of them.   Similar ideas are all over Pinterest and this is my interpretation.

 

They were so much fun!!! 

 

Gettng my challenge finished - More Collage

Just this spring, I was lucky enough to go to Portland, Oregon for Art & Soul Retreat where I did a couple very fun and exciting collages.   One of a nest and one of my dog Benny.    You can see it on March 3 posting if you want to scroll back.    Susan Schenk was the instructor.   I had finished Benny and was ready to leave class and take a much needed nap.   About 3, Susan said that I had lots of time left and told me I had time to do another collage.   Not much interested, but always up to a challenge. I went thru her rather generic dogs and picked one.     Since I didn't want to take her pattern, I photographed her picture and went to work doing the background of the pup.   Background was done and it sort of layed on my work table until last night.   I was pleased with it but it took me a bit of time to finish it up.   

As you can see - a rather generic dog.

Finished and framed.   I think it looks like a dog I'd like to add to my household of 3 dogs and 1 cat.  

I see a lot more collages in my future.   

Collages matted and framed

A couple weeks ago I posted about two classes I took in Portland.   They gave been matted and framed.   It was so much fun.   

Love a finished project.

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 7 - Final Day

Day 7 and the last of my two day Dremel workshop.   I really had no idea how nice this class would be but it has certainly lived up to expectations.  The first picture is the 5 engravings done today.  The second are my three favorites my other participants.

The 7 days have flown by and I am ready to make it home.   But, alas, that won't happen until tomorrow.   Hopefully the dogs won't be too mad at me for being gone.   I'm sure they will forgive me quickly.

I hope you have enjoyed the posts.

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 6 & 7 Today is day 6.

I am taking a two day class on learning everything there's to know about a Dremel tool.   It should be great fun with all sorts of possibilities for miniatures.  At the end of the class I should have a book that has been etched, polished, engraved, etc.

You might not be able to read the text.   It's etched glass, mirror, polymer clay and copper.   I'm going to post tonight and again tomorrow night.    

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 5

Today is really a change of pace.   I'm taking a jewelry class.  It's called Open Back Bezel and Tapered Woven Cuff.   Not the type of jewelry I'm used to doing (mostly wire wrapped), but it sure will add to my repertoire.  Always a good thing to improve your skill set.   I am really looking forward to it.   

Hopefully by the end of the day I will have some really nice items, but most important; a new skill set.  Oh yes, it's taught by Margaret Aden.

Oh hell.   Class was cancelled due to instructor being stranded in Denver.  Found a class for the afternoon and a free workshop for this evening.  Eva Sherman is the instructor and she seems delighted for me to be in her class.  Much better outcome than I anticipated.   I had lunch with several ladies and told them how my morning was progressing and no one, including me, figured out why someone would be scheduled to teach a class at 9 am would try to fly in the morning of the event.   She was stuck in Denver.    Eva's class was called the Perfect Storm.

While I was waiting for the class to start, Liz Kettle told me about a free workshop in the evening to make fabric postcards.  Bernina supplied 9 brand new sewing machines to be used at the retreat and it was wonderfully fun.

While I was waiting for 1 pm to arrive so I could start my afternoon class and here came one of the women I had lunch with and she had decided to ditch her class and take mine.   We had such fun.

phases of my work.   It is using copper wire. 

Debbie, Eva, Eva adding the patina and showing us how to use it.   My finished piece.!

3 finished Cuff bracelets, - Mine is in the forefront in both pictures.   The teacher is in the middle and Debbie's is the one at top.



Cloth Postcards.   Great fun.



Art and Soul Retreat - Day 4

Day 4 is here.   It's going by really fast.   Yesterday was such fun with all the funky birds.   Funky birds are  out of my confort zone, but oh so much fun.

Today I am taking Jesse Reno's class - Follow The Leader.  It's painting!   Something abstact by the description.  Now I am not an abstract person, but hope to adapt a bit.   Should be fun.  Also out of my comfort zone.

Examples of Jessie's art work.

This is so far out of my comfort zone it's hard for me to get a grip on it. The following are phases of my first painting- the bright Orange one in the corner.  

The following are examples students did in class.  The bottom right is my masterpiece.  

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 3

Today is Day 3 and the class I'm taking is Give 'em  the Bird by Doris Ardnt.   I should have three small paintings done by the end of the day.   Should be great fun.

I did get them done.  .

Top picture is brochure, Doris explaining how to do birds, my practice sheet and finally boards with background colors painted on.

The top two pictures are instructors paintings and the bottom are my first effort at funky birds.  

Come back tomorrow to see more painting efforts.

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 2

A much better night.   Didn't wake up wide awake in the middle of night.   That's a good thing.   

I am taking another collage class today.   Today's class is called COLLAGE A PET.   That should be fun.  I brought about 6 pictures for inspiration.   I have one with Benny and Uno (our cat), but don't know if it will be the best model to do.   I learned lots last night about collage.   Things I never knew.  This class is also taught by Susan  Schenk.    The first time I had seen her works was in the  publication, Cloth, Paper, Scissors.    It's amazing that you an do so much with just strips of paper cut from magazines and old scraps of craft paper, maps, newspapers, etc.   Recylcing at its finest.   Makes me really happy all those magazines are not going into land fills.   

The other things about her classes is she supplies all the items needed to do the class.   When you're travelling with tons of stuff, that's a real incentive to do her class.   Today the only thing we had to bring was a picture of our pet.   Last night, nothing.   This really works well for me.   

The following pictures are, from left to right.   Photo of Benny, pieces being glued to background in the next 7 pictures, finished with me holding the finished project.

The following projects are of other projects in the class.   Sorry I can't put the rooster, McKenzie is it's name, upright.   Tough doing blogging on my iPad.   Will get better tho.

The following are all framed.   These were examples the instructor had done.

Here I am again

It has been a great day.   Having fun!!   Come back tomorrow and see day 3.  

Art and Soul Retreat - Day 1

It's 2:30 in the morning and I am ready to go Make Something!!!    Unfortunately, it's way too early.   Have talked to Ron and he was amazed that I was up already, but the old body clock doesn't stop just because you change to 3 time zones earlier.   Hopefully I will get a few thoughts off my mind and go back to sleep until it's time to go down and find breakfast.

Wow, I know Key West and Portland , Oregon are far apart but after about 3 hours of a 5 hour flight, the thrill went out of the flight.   Dinner on the flight was very good.   I did manage to get a short nap, but it didn't readjust my body clock.

When I got to the hotel, there were still having an opening gathering and I went and met a few of the instructors and visited with Marie, the first Art and Soul Person I met two years ago.    Got to see an upclose view of my first class  that I am taking - I can't wait.    Pictures to follow!

Got my first trade.  "What is a trade?" you ask.    It can be anything and you swap with other people.   I made stamps to use in paintings out of wine corks;  wire wrapped pieces to use on necklaces or other art pieces and made up bags of interesting beads and other interesting items.      Two years ago, I got such interesting things and used them in all sorts of various pieces.   I"m sure it will be great this year too.  

Went to my class and worked fast and hard all day.  The class was a tin shrine.

Top left is tin shrine as received.

Bottom left after sanding, painting and re sanding.

Top right is main panel.   

Bottom right is nearly finished.   Don't like the too shiny hearts.  

Class was taught my Laurie Mika.  

Evenings:

Took a collage class by Susan Schenk

Can't wait to get it framed; then I can search for wall space.   

Just gotta share

I follow an artist, Kecia Frazee Deveney on facebook.  I love her art.  But this weekend she posted a photo and it is much too interesting not to share.

 I think this is really cool!