New Personal Piece

Here is a new personal piece I've started. I'm excited to experiment with some lost and found edges on this one as well as formed and flat surfaces. 

And here is a delightful "personal piece" my son and daughter-in-law created. She arrived last Monday. Mommy and baby are home and doing well.

Welcome to the world little Nora.

Flight W.I.P.

I've had this one simmering inside my head for a long time. Have you ever felt something so deeply but haven't known how to give it voice? It was vital that this idea didn't fall into typical or obvious cliche. I've been thinking and collecting images that offered possibilities to support this concept and so far have come up with this. 

 I began with several photo references, concentrating on shape and gesture. I made a detailed sketch and scanned it in.

 Next I placed one of my favorite textures over the sketch and did some erasing to allow the sketch to come through the multiplied layer.

Started painting, taking my time. I play with it every morning before working on my current commission. I have several ideas for the background but will have to see which supports the concept the best.

Well, timer just buzzed.....off to work.

Hungry Birds and little 'e'

One of my daughters had her first baby a year ago. She loves birds and has decorated little E's room with them. She has asked if I would paint a picture for her birthday. Instead of "Angry" birds, I changed them to "Hungry" ones.  Scanned in the sketch and the fabric scraps from her quilt and played around with some ideas. This is digital paint just to see how things might look. Don't know if I should go with a more flat pattern or more realistic. I also don't know if I should crop it down to just little 'e' and the one hungry birdie? Opinions??

Intervention

Working on this personal project in between the children's book. From the sketch from my previous post

I took out all layers except the texture and the sketch. I printed it out on my oversized printer and then sealed it with a transparent gesso.

Next, I started working in Nu-pastels and Pitt pencils, trying to keep the edges soft.

I don't like painting on top of this clear gesso because the rough texture, while wonderful for grabbing pastel, is murder on my brushes. So I put down a layer of acrylic matte medium, then proceeded with oils. [I've discovered this wonderful medium, made by Daniel Smith. Dries overnight and very little odor.]

Finally, put a unifying glaze over it to push back the orange and wiped out the highlights. Once dry, I applied a bit of colored pencil to punch up the lights.

 INTERVENTION

 I believe in a Creator and see confirmation of my belief daily in the wondrous world that surrounds me.  There have also been times I have felt the presence of some unseen beings intervening in my  life, especially in times of sorrow or distress. I believe we are all connected, especially to our loved ones who have gone before us. Is it unreasonable to think that they are still involved in our lives...that they slip beneath the surface to watch over us,  particularly in times of need? 

The Three Little Pigs

A personal family project....book cover, actually.

Personal Project #2- Antiphon Sketch

An antiphon a call and response style of music, usually sung in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or some other part of a religious service. Call and response. A song of prayer. One that stresses the need to either blend or harmonize one's voice with the Source. The pages of the hymnal are blank as I search for the melodies to lead me forward toward the Voice.

Fugitive Moments

Just one of the benefits of having 10 grandchildren living close by is the availability of adorable subject models. Although most of my time recently has been divided between teaching an after school fantasy art class, and the first phase of illustrations for a children's book, I have my little side projects. These consist mainly of fan art inspirations and personal images (I also have been working on my own assignments from a class I'm taking).

This is one of those personal projects. The model is Mia (she did so awesome) and her aunt Audrey took the pictures. (My thanks to both and to mother Bevany for getting her all ready).

This has been one of those images I can't shake from my head. It's about the brief time our children are within our influence and the importance of what we do with that time. I believe when children come to us, they are instilled with an innate desire to ascend. How fragile is their hold on that power to soar. They protect the thin barrier that houses that inertia but it is easily penetrated and punctured. How I wish I could take back the deflating comments I spoke in careless haste to my children. Once spoken, the damage is done. Some of that "vertical soul" is lost. I want to convey in this work, the need for building and uplifting words to help them rise to their potential. Like the popsicle, our time with them melts away and our children leave us with either the hard words we speak or the sweet taste of acceptance and encouragement. In truth, it's usually both.
Using the computer to help me decide the color scheme. I will also try out 2 other pictures to see which works best.

Intensified the colors in the balloons here.

Intensified the popsicle and laid down some white over the gray in the dress.