insects and botanicals

My studio is filled to the brim with years of collecting surface substrates in every imaginable material and size just waiting for its due transformation! Many times I have found these fantastic 'canvases' in the bottoms of bins, at garage sales, on the side of the road, or end of season sales and often they aren't even intended to be used as a canvas at all. My family and friends can attest to this crazy obsession of mine, and although they don't always see my vision at the time, once I do my thing I usually get the thumbs up. 

When I found these smaller blocks of wood at an end of season sale, they had little mass-produced messages printed on them....but I LOVED the wood. The wood was real. The color of the wood was a-ma-zing! And let's just say they were marked way, way. way down!! Ultimately, they came home with me, the messages were sanded off, and there they sat waiting their turn for transformation.

Late the other night I decided to grab one and just try something a little different. I really didn't want to add color this time and kept the palette black and white to allow the wood grains and tones to dominate. 

I honestly didn't have a plan in place (which is more often than not the case in my creative world) but once I began, it came together perfectly. I love, love, love how the ink and paint stained the wood, and once the illustration was designed it gave it a bit of a retro-grunge feel. So....very....cool!

I can't wait to do another! and another!! 

Looks like a new series has now been birthed for these remaining blocks of wood: Insects and Botanicals. Stay tuned for more!

the message of the spirit owl

Spirit Owl - 8x10 - Wood Canvas, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

 "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire!" -Unknown

As I had a few weeks of health issues recently, I ended up with quite a bit of quiet time in my world. And it got very quiet around here. So very quiet!

It's funny really, when we beg for some 'quiet time' in our lives, to just be left alone for a little while, and then, all of a sudden when it arrives, you realize how precious your life is with all of the chaos and interruptions and friends and family. It was good though. It was.

It gave me a chance to have some serious heart to heart, uninterrupted conversations with God. It gave me opportunity to step back and just breathe and rest. And it gave me moments to clear my mind and allow inspiration to come forth like a firestorm. I came to realize I cannot just sequester these ideas and pursuits away, especially when fed by fear. There is no room for fear in my life!

I am so thankful for the quiet time and even more thankful for the chaos! I am definitely thankful for the chaos! And I love this sweet little forest creature born in the midst of it all. A strong and beautiful spirit owl filled with wisdom and intuition. And when his spirit guides you, you can see your true reality, all while offering guidance to explore your unknown and the magic of life.

Magical!

blue

Blue - Approx. 5x4.5x0.5 - Wood slice, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

“The bluebird carries the sky on his back” Henry David Thoreau

As many times as I try to use more subtle colors when I create, I often find myself these days drawn back to the vibrant color family of blue. It's ironic really because growing up, I hated blue! I mean really hated it. It's actually my birthstone, Sapphire, and I received a lot of gifts surrounded by the color blue or my birthstone. A lot! I thought it was dull and blah! I was jealous of my sister and her green Emerald! I mean, wow! LOL

Too funny because I wear a lot from the blue family, my home is decorated with a lot from the blue family, and I have created a LOT of artwork where blue and all of it's relatives are a big part. I am not sure what changed other than my love affair with earth. Whatever the reason, blues and greens and everything in between, make me smile!

let's sleep under the stars

Let's Sleep Under The Stars - Approx. 4.5x4x0.5 - Wood slice, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

Lately, I have been dreaming of the stars and camping and fresh air! I haven't pitched a tent in a bit too long and I look forward to much cooler weather so we can escape and sleep under the stars. There is nothing better!

These little wood slice rounds I had in my studio were a perfect earthy canvas to paint that dream. It can be hung on the wall, or hung as an ornament, or even sitting on a shelf or desk. It makes a fabulous gift for that camping lover in your life, too!!

When life gets busy and you need an escape, it may be time to sleep under the stars!

snow owl and hexagons

Snow Owl and Hexagons - 10x10 - Wood Canvas, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink, Gold Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

I had such an amazing response with the other owl that I did, so I figured why not? Let's do another owl! and oh, how I love him!!

I have always loved snow owls and really wanted to experiment this time. I kept seeing earthy, earthy colors but really wanted to find a way to incorporate some unexpected bright and trendy color combinations without being too overpowering to the snow owl. And then hexagons showed up over and over in my thoughts, so hexagons it was! Using both watercolors and gouache provided me the opportunity to maximize the transparency of the watercolor, especially for the background and hexagons, and the opaque qualities of the gouache for the snow owl. Once the black ink was discreetly added to enhance details, I was in heaven!! The response and requests were overwhelming and it was another "ah ha" moment for me, for sure!

I do love this new process and believe I will be creating a few more owls. 💛

carpe diem and a bird

Bird and Berries / Carpe Diem - 6x6 - Wood Canvas, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

These smaller sized canvases make a huge impact! Perfect for a tiny space on the wall, or perfect on a tabletop, too. I don't have too many in this size, but I am positive I will buy more soon.

Well, maybe not too soon. I just may have to take a photo of the stacks and stacks of canvas in my studio already, wood and linen. PLENTY to keep me busy for a while.

owl with botanicals

SOLD Owl with Botanicals - 8x8 - Wood Canvas, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish

I love owls! I mean who doesn't? Right? So obviously that was where I headed first in my new wood canvas addiction.

I love how the watercolors took to the grain of the wood for the background. The entire piece has such a modern but earthy feel and I just love it. 

botanical no.1 on wood slice

Botanical No.1 on Wood Slice - Approx. 11x12.5x1 - Wood slice, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink. Sealed w/ UV Satin Varnish.

I have always loved wood and all its characteristics. The different colors and tones, the growth rings and knots, the organic beauty of each and every piece. Probably because I have such a serious love affair with trees and mother nature as a whole! Swoon!!

Over the years I have been drawn to wood as my artistic canvas over and over again. Everything from building from it to wood burning to carving to painting on and even drawing on wood surfaces with colored pencils. It is an amazing surface to express your artistic talents! Recently, I committed to myself to using supplies (mainly so I wouldn't buy any more art supplies lol) and inspiration that already lives in my studio and in my life. I had a naked wood slice in my stack of studio supplies and well, the rest is history!! I was once again addicted to working on a wood canvas.

This time I wanted to try something different and incorporate watercolors or gouache and possibly ink as my medium. I wasn't quite sure how it would absorb or expand once water was introduced, and whether to 'prepare' the wood before or after or in-between stages, but I figured it out and now I can't stop. I have several pieces completed since finishing this Botanical and I'll post the other pieces here over the next few days. Botanical's have always been a favorite inspiration for me but, hint hint, owls have also found their way into this love affair I am having. I love all of the feedback and purchase requests I have already received on Instagram or Facebook so I think I will be lingering here in wood canvas world for a while.

the story of chromosome X

So very much can happen in a months' time! And how amazing it can be!

'The Story of Chromosome X'  36x36 | Vintage Ephemera, Graphite, Acrylic, Ink, Colored Pencils, Pastels, Gold Leaf

Unexpectedly, and a bit last minute, I decided to submit a painting to Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center's 10th Annual juried exhibition "X". SBDAC invited the artists to interpret the symbol X to honor their 10th anniversary season for the month of June.

Once committed, I still had to figure out my interpretation of the symbol X.

I stared at my blank canvas for a couple weeks waiting for it to speak to me. Nothing. Then more nothing. It continued to stare at me and still nothing. I only knew my daughter would be the subject. But how on earth does that interpret the symbol X?

And then...one day, out of the blue, like an explosion or the excitement of Christmas morning, Chromosome X was born! Of course I had to double check and look up Chromosome X and Chromosome Y to 'just make sure which was which'......just in case I didn't pay close enough attention in Middle School Biology. LOL. Whew! It was all good! I was on the right track.

....and so it began. I didn't know anything at that point other than using my beautiful daughter as my muse and using an element of all the techniques and mediums I am forever drawn to.

The painting was essentially intuitive. I had no real plan. No sketches. No idea. I didn't see the final piece in my head. I let the painting tell me the story. The Story of Chromosome X. The beginning when God created woman. The love songs. The definition. The beauty of a woman.

I loved every part of this painting adventure including receiving the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center's Choice Award! Such an honor! And surprise! I overheard and was told such amazing compliments and "WOW's" from the Center and the public and fellow artists. I am honored.

It filled my heart & soul and affirmed once again, the path I am on as an artist!!

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center 10th Annual Juried Exhibition 'X' Choice Award 2018

time to catch up

It's been a while! Well, I am back, once again. A lot has happened in my personal and business life since the last post of August, 2016. One thing never changes...time sure does fly by quickly!

I will do my best to catch up with anything important since that time, while keeping up with the now. That's the goal. And a few other things I have up my sleeve, too. But for now, one thing at a time. 

After the last post and coloring book I was blessed to have the opportunity to do another one! This one was filled with inspiration for Moms, but I really tried to make sure it spoke to anyone and everyone. You were able to find them in most WalMart stores throughout the US, Amazon and a few other places, too. I can't wait to do another one.