This is a detail from my almost-finished wall art, imaginatively called "Spirals". I'm very pleased with the way it turned out - mostly as I envisioned it! I love working with this material-which-has-no-name-but-I-should-name-it-something: acrylic paint-coated (many layers, textures) muslin fabric. Maybe libric, Libby's fabric? It's so easy to add texture to it and cuts like a dream.I also love David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames which came out ages ago in hardback and only recently in paperback. I'm not a big laugher in general, but his book had me giggling even days later. While I was reading it (and laughing), I realized I was tearing through it and would be finished too quickly. Book lovers know the self-control needed to savor a good book! So I looked over at my husband's nightstand and saw Sum by David Eagleman. It looked like a good brake book to stall the finishing of When You Are Engulfed.. so I started reading it. Wow, very interesting. The full title is Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, and consists of little vignettes about.. the afterlife. I'm not one to think about, let alone believe in or fret about "the afterlife", but I found the ideas in the book very creative and fun. I almost feel inspired to write my own tale.
My second ever beaded project at left is a flowering dogwood branch. I am stunned by the beadwork I've found on other blogs I now follow, and especially some from Japan. Not just beaded flowers but food, too, like Chami's jello molds and corn cobs. Amazing. It's toward the end of my day today and I'm a bit tired from beading, gourd cleaning, gluing, yesterday's ballet class, and some collage work.
SoulCollage is another love (there are so many, I'm thrilled!) I've not had time to mention. SoulCollage is a unique process created by Seena Frost, combining personal work (some say it's worth 10 hours of therapy) + creative outlet + fun + relaxation. All cards are made using images from print media, so the ability to use scissors and glue are all you need. My perception of SoulCollage is definitely influenced greatly by Sandy Guderyon, a beautiful person and skilled facilitator of the process. I've met some wonderful people there, including another facilitator and fellow blogger across the globe, Imelda Maguire, in Ireland. It's hard to explain with words, you just have to experience it. I found Sandy's group through the ubiquitous social networking website, meetup.com. Contact me for more information, or find your local group and give it a try. I really can't say enough good things about it, but I'll stop myself now. Here are two of my cards:
Making French Beaded Flowers is something I started about 3 years ago, after a young, wise, dear friend gave me Carol Benner Doelp's The Art of French Beaded Flowers, and I promptly started teaching myself from it. I don't know why, but I love the planning, assembly of materials and tools, the execution (yes, an exercise in patience and painful detail), then the final product! which is surprisingly tough, delicate and heavy all at the same time. My latest creation (the first completely of my own design) is shown: framed pink flowers. The flower and leaf design are not based on any real flower, just something for fun and to see how well a wooden frame works to hold them (very!).
This is the front of a card I made this card for my father (a skilled and avid birdwatcher) last Father's Day. The bird - a belted kingfisher - is from a recycled child's book on birds (circa 1966), and the flowery part is from a beautiful book on Russian Textiles by Susan Meller. I accidentally found this book at my local library - the history is fascinating and the textiles (beautifully photographed) are fabulous. Interesting and exotic in a middle-European, 19th century, art deco, psychedelic way (and this unfortunately is not a good example of that).
Well, hello there! I feel like a chick who just hatched herself out of a shell, and sat wide-eyed looking around. My first blog. Sure, I know blogger has been around 10 years already, but - did you?
Rough seque: Look, I found ancient Celtic spirals in Ireland at New Grange!
This is my place for sharing pictures, mainly of my artwork, but other beloved images will show up (like Celtic art).
Wow - this first one is really hard. It seems more like making that first smudge from a new paint tube or paint-pen: nothing to bring people into the room for, but still necessary, and also fun to see how the color looks and get a feel for the flow. (hee hee - amusing myself with my art geekiness!)
If you think the title is obtusely cryptic.. you obviously don't read inspirational quotes too often. Funny that the original (google "dance like nobody's watching") is credited to many: Mark Twain, the Irish, anonymous, and has evolved many different variations. Write your own today!
This is a detail from my almost-finished wall art, imaginatively called "Spirals". I'm very pleased with the way it turned out - mostly as I envisioned it! I love working with this material-which-has-no-name-but-I-should-name-it-something: acrylic paint-coated (many layers, textures) muslin fabric. Maybe libric, Libby's fabric? It's so easy to add texture to it and cuts like a dream.
