Monday, May 25, 2015

HOME OF THE BRAVE - Memorial Day


A journal page from several years ago
in honor of all who have served
so that we can enjoy the freedom we have

Friday, May 22, 2015

ART IMITATES LIFE


ART JOURNAL
ACRYLICS
 Iris Apfel  - Designer

I'm back in my art journal today.  I recently read an article in the New York Times about this very interesting designer (now 93).  Iris  is an "over the top" designer/fashion icon.  She is all about color if you've ever seen her NYC apartment featured in a magazine.  The jewelry alone that she wears must add 10 pounds to her weight.  So this was another exercise in my journal where I take a photo and glue it in the book and then do my interpretation on the opposite page....

The hardest part for me is always trying to do the eyes.  

This is how she looked earlier in the process....


And here you have a close-up. She's quite the character and I hope she wouldn't be offended by my interpretation of her.  Her face is such a caricature that I'm sure she's been done by many artists.  She was definitely a fun face to do.  

Sunday, May 10, 2015

MOTHER'S DAY - The Girl with the Paint Brush



The Girl with the Paint Brush
24 x 30 canvas
Mixed Media
I've been working on this canvas for a couple of weeks now.  Had to paint it in my kitchen because I don't have an easel so I painted it leaning against shelves in a hutch that I have there.  I kept making trips back and forth from my art room to the kitchen....so ultimately, my kitchen was covered with paints and art stuff....you know how that goes.  This is one of those paintings where you could keep adding a little something here and a little something there....as a matter of fact, I came back from church this morning and I'm still dressed for church....I didn't even want to take the time to change into some "paint" clothes.  So far as I can tell, I haven't got paint on my skirt!

I'm going to show you a little bit of the progress of this painting...


I knew from the get-go that I wanted a checkerboard pattern in the painting.  I also knew that I wanted to have a female figure.  That is all I knew when I started to create this.  I drew the floor, sketched a female figure on another piece of paper and traced it onto the canvas and added  a simple table.  I hadn't intended, originally, for the girl to be painting the wall...I was going to have the figure standing in front of the wall looking out.  


I made up the flowers and I have a school of fish on the bottom.  After I had collaged the clothing onto the figure, the flowers are what I worked on next....just punches of color in lots of shapes.

A close-up of "the painter" as she works on her flower.  At one point, I had thought to put myself in as the painter, but in looking at the colors I was working with....I opted to give her red hair (not me!) to add more color.  However, I am a lefty, so I guess in my mind....there is a part of me here.
More detail.....



She has a little bird to keep her company as she paints.  The bird is probably thinking that the caterpiller might be a nice treat.  I added 3 to the painting and one is crawling on the floor.  I also added a couple of lady bugs.  

Doing this painting for me was like reading a good book....something I don't want to put down and in some ways, you don't want it to end....because now I have to think of my next idea.

I'm enjoying my Mother's Day.  Mom's put their families first for most of their lives, but I have to say, today is all about me (I have an empty nest)....having the time to do what I love to do.