Comfort Cottage

The Whisper

It seems as if everywhere we turn, there is someone telling us what we should do, who we should be, where we should go.  Some of these voices will be well-meaning, but some will have their own agenda.  It can be really easy to lose our way in all of the noise.  Before we know it, we are doing things and going places we never intended.  One day, if we are lucky, we wake up and wonder just whose life it is we are living.   We really need to keep listening for the whisper from within...the one that comes from the most authentic part of ourselves.  What is your soul trying to tell you?

 

 

The Whisper

10" x 10"

Mixed Media on Canvas

 

I prepared my canvas by collaging it with various vintage printed materials.  They were adhered with matte gel medium.  I added layers of painted, sponged and splattered  texture with Liquitex heavy-bodied acrylics.  I lightly sketched in the face before painting it.  I enhanced edges with Derwent Tinted Charcoal pencils.  I sketched in the vine, painted it and enhanced edges with a Sakura Pigma Micron pen and a white gel pen.  The rose, bird, mariner's compass and words were printed out from my computer and adhered with gel medium.  I added finishing touches of paint and sealed the surface with a matte acrylic spray.

 

I'm hoping to have more to show you before the end of the week.  There may also be another quilt/fabric adventure with my sister/partner-in-crime.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

Until next time,

 

Rise

I have a new mixed-media painting to show you, and I'm very excited about it.  Those of you who have become familiar with my art have probably noticed that there is not a face to be found in all of my works (At least, not a human one).  To quote Emerson, "Unless you have tried to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."   Today, it was time to grow.

 

Rise

11" x 14"

Mixed Media on Canvas

 

I used gel medium to adhere various vintage ephemera to the canvas.  This was followed by sponging/tapping/splattering acrylic gouache.  I lightly penciled in the face before I painted it.  I added the bird, vines, flowers and my own words.  I printed out the words and the bird from my computer and adhered them with gel medium.  I used Derwent Tinted Charcoal pencils,  a Sakura Micron pen, and oil pastels to enhance edges.  After the paint is fully cured, I'll spray with an acrylic matte varnish.  The edges of the canvas are painted black.

May we have the courage to pick ourselves up...one more time.

 

Until next time,

 

April Calendar Challenge

It is a gorgeous, warm, sunny day here in Pennsylvania, and I have the perfect thing to share with you today.  I have been seeing all sorts of lovely handmade calendars popping up all over blogland, and I have found the source.  There is a very talented lady at The Kathryn Wheel who hosts a monthly challenge: Calendar 366.  You may have heard of her: Kate Crane.   Her captivating art journal work has been featured in Stampington and Company's fabulous publication, Art Journaling, by Somerset Studio.  This is my calendar for the month of April.

 

 

I used a square punch and Kay & Co. papers.  I can't remember the manufacturer of the the stamp line for the swirls, but the butterfly is from Inkadinkadoo.  All of the images are vintage free stuff I found on the web.  The background was done with Delta Ceramcoat paints and a natural sponge.  If you would like to learn more about the calendar challenge, you can find it here.  Kate's wonderful work has been featured in the Winter 2012 issue of Art Journaling by Somerset Studio, as well as many other publications.  You can find links to all of the participants for this month's challenge here.

 

 

The last item to share with you, I promised about two weeks ago, but unfortunately, the subject, my niece's 12 week old Bernese mountain dog, would not sit still long enough for me to get a photograph!  On Sunday, we had a family gathering at my sister's house and Moses, the newest addition to the family, finally cooperated.

 

 

Is he not the most adorable puppy on the planet? (Have you ever seen a puppy that wasn't adorable?)  This guy is already twenty-seven pounds, and he's gaining an average of about six pounds per week.  Hugging him is like hugging a bear cub!  I LOVE big dogs!

It's time for me to get back to work.  I should have another drawing to share with you in a day or so.  Enjoy the lovely spring weather we are having!

 

Until next time,

 

Summer Rental

It's that time of year when one's thoughts turn to spring, and the longing to be in some distant paradise grows strong.  It's all my hubby's fault :)  A few weeks ago, I came downstairs, groggily wiping the sleep out of my eyes.  Hubby had gone shopping, presumably for food. He called up the stairs to me that he had gotten me a treat.  I arrived in the kitchen expecting chocolate muffins, and didn't notice the very large box on the island.  As I searched the bags for those elusive muffins, he finally pointed at the box rather gleefully and said, "Didn't you see what I got for you?"  I nearly fell over as a bright and shiny new Epson Artisan printer stared back at me.  I wanted to tell you about it, but after my son was injured, everything else was pushed to the back burner.  But the plot thickens...

Last weekend, again, first thing in the morning, he went "food" shopping.   Now, let me explain that my printer wasn't the only piece of equipment that was standing on it's last leg.  My computer had begun to sound like a jet taking off, it didn't like to boot, and after my last experience with another of these infernal machines burning up, I had the feeling that I should have a fire extinguisher handy before I turned it on!  Unbeknownst to me, the tax return had shown up the day before.  My darling hubby presented me with a new computer, courtesy of our little windfall.  I need to start getting up earlier on the weekends to keep an eye on him :)

 

So what, you ask, does this have to do with longing to be in a distant paradise?  I began printing out photos from my trip to Maine yesterday!  Also, I finished a new piece of art - a mixed media collage based on one of my photos.

 

Summer Rental

16" x 20"

Mixed media on canvas board

 

I never thought that wall joint compound and plaster bandaging could be so exciting.  I used them to create a textured surface before painting.  After I did the inital laying in of color, I used some of the fire-trap-of-a-magazine-collection in my studio to add more color and texture.  Tearing paper is very satisfying :)  I adhered the paper with Liquitex Matte Medium.  I did the final acrylic glazes and enhanced some of the edges with a General's Carbon pencil.  It's not as soft and crumbly as a charcoal pencil, but it gives a good dark line over the paint and plaster.

I start Workshop 2 at Strathmore Online Workshops on Wednesday.  Watercolorist Cathy Johnson will be leading the workshop.  I had purchased her first book, Creating Textures In Watercolor in 1992.   She has a wonderful blog, Artist's Journal Workshop where you can find all sorts of ideas, inspiration, and other artists.

Her new book, Artist's Journal Workshop:  Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures, was released this year.

That's all for now.  Tomorrow, it's off to New Jersey to see my sister.

Until next time,

 

Feloons

This one was inspired by my sister's cat, Gus. He's a huge orange tabby that looks like a balloon with four paws. I just couldn't help myself :)

 

Feloons

18 x 24

Mixed media on 140lb Cold Pressed Paper

Materials: DaVinci watercolors, Caran D'Ache Neocolor IIs, Portfolio Oil Pastels; Decoart Americana Acrylics, Speedball Super-Pigmented Black Ink, Bic Wite-Out Correction Pen, Watercolor brushes round, size 8 and flat size 10, liner size 2, bubble wrap, hand-carved rubber stamps

 

Until next time,

 

Discover

Over this weekend I painted the third in my series for Traci Bautista's online workshop, Doodles Unleased.   To see all of my work for this workshop, you can click here.

 

 

Materials:  Jo-Sonya's Artist's Gouache, Portfolio Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, Bic Wite-Out Correction Pen, Speedball Super-Pigmented Acrylic Black Ink, 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper, Sharpie markers

 

I hope your weekend was a restful one.  Blessings to you.

 

Doodles Unleashed!

Hi there!  Sorry I've been away for a few days.  I've been busy working on art for Tracy Bautista's online workshop, Doodles Unleashed.  It's one of three, free workshops being offered at Strathmore Artist Studio.  Tracy is the author of Collage Unleashed, and her new book, Doodles Unleashed is due to be released in February.

I have two paintings to share with you.  It was so much fun to work without any preconceived plan. 

 

 

I've tried lots of "opaque" white pens, but Bic's Wite-Out correction pen is by far the best!  It really pops against a colored background.  I did the black line-work with a script liner brush and Speedball's Super-Pigmented Acrylic Ink.  It flows beautifully off of the brush.  I used Jo-Sonya's Artist's Gouache, diluted it with water for the first layer and sprayed it over plastic canvas and stencils.  You can find the spray bottles at your local discount store or dollar store.  I used the paint full strength to paint in shapes.  I enhanced the color a little with Portfolio water-soluble oil pastels.  The piece was worked on Strathmore's Windpower 140lb cold-pressed watercolor paper.

 

 

On this one I printed the texture with bubble wrap (can you tell?).  I also sprayed diluted artist's gouache over plastic canvas and torn masking tape.

 

Stay tuned for more Doodles Unleashed through January.  Also, on the horizon, I will be participating Brave Girls' new online workshop, Body Restoration.  Yes, I've decided that it's time to do something about my health.  Brave Girls' workshops are both fun and supportive.  You can check out the new workshop here.

That's all for now.  I hope your New Year is full with life and love.  God bless you all!

 

 

Back to the Studio

Hello, my friends!  It's good to be back.  I've been out of the studio for a few days, enjoying the celebration of Christmas.  I've actually spent most of the last two days in the kitchen - a rarity for me.  It was good to know that I haven't forgotten how to cook!  We had a houseful yesterday.  My wonderful son, Michael, turned twenty, so a birthday celebration always immediately follows Christmas.

Before the holidays, I had started a painting that I was finally able to finish this morning.  It's primarily an abstract work, with suggestions of realism.  I didn't have a particular plan in mind when I began.  I just allowed it to evolve naturally.

 

 

The Ascent

Acrylic on Canvas

14" x 18"

 

I wish you peace and contentment as this year comes to a close.

 

Until next time,