your path in life...

“Do you choose the path, or the path choose you?” Hmmmm....something to ponder. Do we really want to change anything from the path of our life?? We always say we would have changed this or that, go this way or that way, choose something different...but in knowing that, everything...everything would be different as we know it now. No thanks. Wouldn't change a thing!

Vintage book page, pen & ink, Prismacolor pencils (approx 4.75"x7.25")

some days need serious color!

Some days, your leaves (or your life) needs some serious color! I have had a few of those days for sure, as I am sure many do. Color is so powerful. One color alone, or specific color combination, can create mood or stir emotion, recall a memory, it can even change your heart rate. Truly amazing!

Some days I feel like I need ALL the colors! As many as possible. I love them all. I want them all. xo

Vintage Book Page, Pen & Ink, Prismacolor Colored Pencils (approx 4.75"x7.25")

the Lord is my rock!

The Lord is my Rock....and Thank God that He is!! Everyday my relationship with the Lord grows and in that, I grow as well. As a mother, a friend, an artist, a person. I have learned patience, forgiveness, compassion, faith and so, so much more. I am Blessed.

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge..." Psalms18:2

Vintage Bible Page, Pen & Ink, Prismacolor Colored Pencils (approx 5"x7.5")

I have been creating artwork on vintage book pages for a very long time now and have recently been adding to the collection, almost daily. I have always been in love with old or vintage books and papers and years ago when I came upon a few vintage books that were falling apart with missing pages, I knew I was going to bring them back to life using my artwork. Using vintage book pages is nothing new in the art world these days, but you will often find them used with something printed on top of them, versus an original piece of artwork. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to create something that was unique, original, beautiful, accessible, and affordable. On the creating end, I could take a limited amount of supplies with me (like I often do with ACEO's) so I could work on them almost anywhere. Working on the Bible pages have especially been rewarding for me lately, allowing me to spend even more time in the Word. It's a win-win!
Blessings to you!

for the love of ink

No matter how often I engulf myself in paints, brushes, fabrics, papers, or a universe of color and textures....I always find my way back to pen and ink. Black and white. Simple. Clean. Precise. Detailed. Meditative.

I have always doodled or used patterns in my inky art and although I still combine pen and ink with paints, colored pencils and ephemera, I will always love the beauty and  high-contrast of black and white using pen and ink. These are some of the pen and inks from my Moleskine from recent. Forgive the poor photo quality.
May your days be filled with Blessings! and of course, ART!

barn owl beauty

  'Barn Owl Beauty' Acrylic 20"x20"

Exploring I have been. And I do love where this is taking me. Oh, the colors! It's amazing how a color can change the way you feel. Can set a mood. Love it!

This little guy makes me happy. Something about his face. His surroundings. The colors. I loved the process of building it all. I put the brush down, once again, and used my fingers mostly and all kinds of objects. It's not a new process for me, using lids from bottles or jars, bubble wrap, crumbled papers, tubes, old gift cards...anything I could find that would add dimension, depth, design. It is such a freeing process and I am especially enjoying this continued exploration. I am especially enjoying painting objects and characters of nature lately. I always have, really, but especially now. So peaceful. There is so much beauty to be found in nature. Can't wait to see what I find next.....

elephant painting

I was just reading through my posts and realized soooo much has occurred since I last posted here. Too much, really, to be able to catch everyone up completely. How about a quick overview...we moved (always so much work!), school started for the kids, participated in a little art show that I almost sold out of everything I brought (it was exhilarating!), sold every single wearable art handbag I talked about over the past several posts (They were a big hit! Getting ready to paint and sew up some more!), I started a fantastic job with Wine and Canvas where I get to teach groups of people to paint while we sip wine, eat, sing and just have the best of time (I love it!), and among other things, I found time to paint and create!!

  'Elephant Majesty' Acrylic 20"x20"

I really loved working on this elephant. Well, I always love working on whatever I am working on at any given moment. It's like falling in love...over and over and over again. The mystery of the blank canvas. The excitement of the blank canvas. The first touch of paint to the surface. The textures. The colors. Explorations. Transformations. The growth. The comfort. The building of layers until something amazing transforms. It becomes you. How can I not want to experience that all the time, right?

This year I am trying to work differently than I have in the past. Working on getting out of my comfort zone. Loosen up. Paint from deep inside. I also want to take my work away from my studio. Go to the park. To the Slough. Change my surroundings. I know these things will take me places I don't even realize yet. For my elephant painting, I put the paint brush down through most of it and my hands became my main instrument. I loosened up and just 'experienced' the painting at a different level than I have been used to. Get that type A personality out of the room and experience the process, the birth of the elephant, the colors, the layers. I didn't want to lose my style, my techniques. But I wanted to experience something new. I have had a lot of positive feedback and inquiries, so I guess I am heading in the right direction. It's exciting.

I have several more to post and I promise..I really, really promise....to post those over the next few days.
See you then....