Triptych Art

have this little book called The Art Book.  Each page is about a work of art.   When I want to do some art and can't think of what to do, I pick a page with my fingers, and try to do a something inspired from that page.  Remember my painting a few days ago?  The page I opened to that day was to Constable, John, who did great landscapes with lovely light.  A few days after that, I picked a page and it was Froment, Nicolas, who painted religious art, and used triptychs.

I like the looks of triptychs.  I always think I will do some panels in this style. You can read about triptychs
here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triptych.  I decided to do a "cheap" triptych.  I used some of my roll of  paper/cardboard to cut the three panels.  I cut out three women from a magazine which I painted over and added a bit of difinition with some sepia and sanguine sketching pencils,  glued those and some birds on the panels..  Then I painted on the frames.  After I got the women and the birds on the panels, I started for other stuff to add to the collage.  I found this four layer overlay from an old book and decided to sew a layer over the panels.  I like this, and I call it the Garden of Eva.

This is the triptych.  The overlays are shiney so pics are difficult.

Another shot with a different camera setting.

Left panel

Center panel.

Right panel.

I am still working on dotee dolls in the evening.  I usually burn out on things way before this but for some reason I keep doing them!  Shall I show some new ones or have you seen enough of them?

Fabric Art

My friend Alma, is just starting what she calls the glossy project (you can go to that if click on the glossy project icon on the right) in January.  She creates the most fabulous fabric and fiber and mixed media pieces!  I was lucky enough to get to take a class from her several years ago.  She inspires me to make things from all the fabric I have collected in the last few years.  Here are a couple of my projects.  Both are unfinished.  I am still waiting for my muse to tell me where to take them next!  I am sure she will get to that when she gets a bit more time, lol.

This is Fatima.  I am not sure why she is called that.  I think it might have something to do with watching Errol Flynn movies when I was young. (he he)

Some background around Fatima.  I finally, and felt so grateful for this, found a place to use some of that dreadful papercloth or is it clothpaper I made last winter which I got caught up in the activity and made tons but have not used very much of it.  The pots are made of this stuff.  I added a few beads and somefree motion stitching to the little mini quilt.  I have to finish the edges and back yet.

And this is the most recent piece made in the style of Alma's Glossy project.  I screwed up, tho and she is backwards to what she should be.  I decided to go ahead and use her anyway.  It was supposed to be Carrie Underwood, from the cover of STYLE magazine.  My little car girls think she is beautiful.  

Abstract Art?

My friend Sox over in the sketchbookproject yahoo group has been painting abstracts and talking about abstract art quite a bit.  I decided to give it a try.  For inspiration I opened my little "art book" to a random page.  The painter I opened it to (name is forgotton) painted landscapes and used light very successfully.  He was a very early scenic painter.  And I had before that watched a video on utube on a lady painting an abstract.  So, I decided to try to paint the scene south of my house in an abstract manner.  Here is the result.  I am not real sure it can be called a true abstract but it was fun and I like it.

Today, I made a list of things I am going to do or want to do after the first of the year.  Right now I am having to slap my hands to keep from over committing myself to too many things.  (Slap slap slap)!

Dotee Doll Art III

I have lots of pieces of felted wool.  I always think about making something with them but have not come up with much.  I did make the crows last year (scroll back a year or so).  I decided to try a dotee doll or two using the felt.  Small projects are harder to make with this stuff, as some if it is quite thick.  But I managed. I found some almost all black pieces and cut my oval shape.  The process from there goes like this:

I found a piece of commercial felt, drew circles on it and embroidered the faces.  I tried a few new looks for the faces.  The bottom one I will use for the babuska. 

  I am not an embroiderer!  

But I do have resources.  I found this book

at the YSM a few years back and I refer to it often.  I have a tendency to make stitches backwards... I must have dysembroidea or something! 

 After I cut out the faces I stitch that onto the oval.

And since I am thinking bubaska I might use some fancy stitches.  Well, I said to myself, this would be a great place to practice some of these beautiful stitches!  And for inspiration, I have this bubaska pen to look at.  I used it for a face pattern!

And I added what I hope looks rather like a capelet on her.  And a flower on her dress.  Very primitive stitching but passable for this.

Some hair added and more stitching.  I will add some beads hanging from her bottom, I assume that might be legs, lol.  She was fun to try.  I think I might use her for a pin cushion and if I do, I will leave the legs off!

So, I don't know if I will be making more of these or not.  I get over things and move on.  I am going to upgrade my vision/dream board and post my focus word for 2011 this next week and I will be posting my painting I did on Xmas eve day.  I need a new project.  Any suggestions?

Dotee Doll Art II

Here are some more dotee dolls.  I guess I am hooked.  It is so relaxing to have the makings by my chair and I can pick one up and "stitch" away.  Now that I have an understanding of how to put these together, I am, of course, changing and pushing to see what else I can use to make them.  I have some felted wool ones cut out.  And I am trying new face looks too!  We shall see.

The blue one just tickles me.  Her hair is a piece of fabric left over from some project and it was almost like sequin base... you know, all holey. I just sort of folded and draped it over her top.

I love this one too.  

This one not so much...

And her hair? A small piece of felted wool I found 

And she has a really long braid, lol.  This piece of wool is what led me to cut out some dolls from felted wool to try.  I am thinking bubushka look...

Dotee Doll Art

My friend Susan from Australia showed a dotee doll she made last week-um-somewhere on the net.  We belong to lots of different groups and visit randomly, so I am not sure where she posted her picture.  But, since I had not heard of dotee dolls before, I had to google that and give it a try.  They are fun, and I love how the personalities develop as you add embellishments to them.  Here are three I made and I have to warn you, I have five more started.  They are just so darn cute!

Love the crochet hair!

This one has silk hair, thanks to a gob of silk my friend Liz sent me!

A tiny piece of glam left over from my dancing girls denim quilts.

Stuffies

My friend Janet over in the sketchbook project group makes the cutest stuffies!  After I saw her creations I wanted to make another one or two.  I had this t-shirt I bought, but could not wear... it just didn't fit right, but I loved the colors on it so I thought I would make a stuffie so I could enjoy something from my poorly thought out purchase.  I sort of just layed the T on the machine and free motion sewed the shape.  The problem with this stuffy, is that the fabric is sort of like lycra so it stretches like crazy.  So, I got this funny fatty looking thingy.  I tried to give it a bit more shape with some stitchings.  Then, she sat around the sewing room for quite a while.
A couple of days ago, I started some dotee dolls so I picked up the stuffy and gave it some facial features.  I think it is rather cute, with a personality all it's own.  And I do still love the colors!

Bird Art-The End

So, I finally got the birds to the point where I can say "thats it" they are done.  The final colorization is each bird in a bright color, with a shot of gold over their backs, and tags with the word "forgive" around their necks.  They will go into my studio to remind me that in 2011, my focus word is forgive.  I not only have to forgive others, I have to forgive myself for my mistakes too.  I am gonna work on this!  Do you have a focus word for 2011?

Here are the birds in all their splendor.  I know the background is busy but, forgive me, as I am doing, lol.

Bird Art III

Yeah, this is turning into quite a bird story, lol.  But, I think I am getting closer to what I wanted in the first place.  This after noon, after a nap (loved that!) I started sorting through my journals and sketchbooks to see what I have available for a sketchbook thingy that is starting Jan. 1, and a couple of other things I have signed on for in January that require journals.  After a few minutes of gessoing some pages in a couple of those, you know how you can only do so many then you have to let them dry?  My arm and hand still wanted to slosh some paint around and there within reach were the birds!  So, I gave one a coat of blue paint, one a coat of yellow and blue and one a coat of green, with not set intent in mind.  That is called mindless art, he he.  Then I decided to try something.  I dug out a piece of a vinyl lace tablecloth... I pick up vinyl lace stuff to use as stencils, and pulled out a few cans of spray acrylic paints.  I ended up with some mottled looking birds, not really heart throbbing tho.  But I let them dry, then used some metallic markers for the eyes and added some dots and embellished the wings and tails with come calligraphic lines.  Yeah, these are better. I wanted colorful birds.  But tomorrow, I still have four more to play with... who knows what will happen next!!

And the little dolls in the lower corner.  I think they are what my friend Susan in Australia calls dotee dolls.  I have never made these before but you know me, I have to try almost everything!!  They are turning out pretty cute.  Still, have to stuff them and hang something off the bottom of them yet.  

Birdart III and Organizer Art

I went out to the garage studio this morning-I am so loving to have heat out there so I can work even when it is cold!  I decided to give the birds a coat of gesso as I did not like the burnt sienna wash on them.

Which is what I did.  They are a lovely pinkish white now.

I don't like to use gesso or any other media out of their containers as I feel like they get contaminated which can cause them to dry up or curdle or something.  So I pour a bit out onto a the pallet that is most handy and use the media from that.  I always have a bit left over, don't you?  Well, I keep an altered book or altered journal handy where I am working.  Ones that have pages that need a coat of gesso or a wash of color you know?  So, when I was finished with the birds, I used up the left over gesso and cleaned out my brush on one of my books.

When it is warm I have a utility sink on the back porch which drains out into a container so I can wash my brushes and such and not worry about stuff getting into the drain system.  But, right now, I have to clean my brushes in a bucket of water which I take out side to dump cuz it is too cold.  So, I keep a bar of soap in a little dish and a small bucket of water on my art desk for cleaning.  I can just twirl my brush around on the bar of soap, then swish in the water, and give it a pass over the wire grid I have leaning in the bucket, to make sure all paint is gone.  I save many brushes by using this method.

And, since I am in the paper mache mode, I decided to make me an organizer today for all the "stuff" I like to keep on the table by my evening tv viewing/reading/art chair. lol.  I use foam core board, old book covers, anything ridgid that can be cut with a craft knife for the form. Then covered with one coat of basic paper on all corners to reinforce.  Then, scrap papers and old art efforts as finish.

Hopefully, this mess will be no more, once the new organizer box is dry!  Yeah, my phone, my phone book and reading book, my camera, my note pads, pens and pencil all in their own little nooks.  No more digging down to the bottom for the note I wrote two days ago, lol.

Bird Art II

Today, I added a bit more paper layer, finished  wings and added them to the bodies.  I gave them a burnt sienna wash... while wet I know I am still not happy with that so something new will have to be done.  What, you may ask? Well, right now I have no idea, but I am sure something will pop up!  Here are the birds with their wings and new wash:

Wings look good but the burnt sienna, not so much.

Oh yeah, have you picked your focus word for 2011?  Mine is "forgive" so I decided to add the letters to the breast of my birdies.  Not to sure they will remain.  

The book writing does show through the burnt sienna wash.   

And, since I was forced to travel 60 miles to accompany HRH yesterday to next larger shopping availability, and I was forced to go into Walmart (lol) I bought me a new supply of sharpie markers.  One can never have too many markers.  The extra fine tip ones wear out majorally fast, don't you find?

And since I want to keep them on my side table so I can journal and draw during tv watching, I needed something to put them in.  And since I was already in paper and glue up to my eyebrows, I made a paper mache box just the right length to hold those little babies.  Now, I just have to wait for it to dry.  Oh, I might just put a carrying handle on it tomorrow. 

Okay, I will be finishing up the birds tomorrow, I imagine, so what what what project shall I take on next?  If you have some good ideas or inspirations, please let me know!

Bird Art

My whole yard was a mecca for the birds today!  The wild turkeys came in the morning and then again in the evening!  Then, the magpies decided to heckle Job the hawk while he enjoyed his noon day meal which was very funny to watch.  We had new visitors in the form of the crows, who have not been here in the yard before, although they have flown by at times.  The entertainment was so inspiring, I decided to make some bird art.

I started with about a 3 inch strip of aluminum foil which I crumpled into a very loose ball 

Then I shaped out a beak

Then another strip of foil, this time about 12 inches for a body

I used some wire to stick the two together, then added a bit of masking tape to help hold them.

I wanted to make more than one so I ripped foil and wadded up balls until I had enough to make 6 birds

Next, out to the garage where I ripped up a discarded book into strips to make paper mache, which I added to the foil forms.  I added foil and tails and made foil wings too, which is covered with paper mache.  

The first coat of paper mache is drying.  Tomorrow, another layer, then I will add the wings.  In the meantime, I have to decide if I am going to make the final coat colorful paper or paint.  Perhaps I should do a few of both.    These go together so easy... don't you want to make one?

Fabric Card Art

I found this roll of very interesting "stuff" at the scratch and dent store one day.  I discovered later it is called buckram.  I had to google that one.  It is a stiffener for drapes and such.  I brought the roll home and have played with it a bit here and there.  I thought perhaps I could use it as the base for pages in a journal, yeah, that would work, so I cut several rectangles I could fold in half and make a journal.  But, alas, I guess my heart was not exactly into that as that is as far as it went with the buckram.
But last week, I received this most beautiful card from my friend and leader of the sketchbookproject group, Sox.  It was made of small pieces of fabric and I so fell in love with it.  And, you know don't you, I had to try my hand at making some.  First, I need a substrate and what to my wondering eyes should befall but the pages of buckram I had cut!  I cut one up to play with it, I could get three card size pieces from the previously cut pages.  Don't worry, I have more on the roll if I ever decide to go farther with the journal, lol.
After that it was just sitting at the sewing machine throwing on pieces and scraps of fabrics and laces.  It is fun!  And the cards are beautiful.  I chose white on white for these first ones, but I do believe I will be making some more colorful ones too!

ON the left I concentrated on textures more.  On the right, I used a piece of old linen embroidered dresser scarf.  I have lots of beautiful pieces of crochet, embroidered pieces, and old linens.  I like the ski wampus edges on these too!  On the inside I add poems... in the card on the right the poem is about the winter moon!  I will be mailing it off soon.  The other one is blank until needed and a poem to match the occasion will be sewn into it.
Thanks Sox, for the inspiration!

Steampunk ? Art

Or maybe not!  I thought it would be fun to play with steampunk so I googled it to see what it is about.  I read and reread the wiki on it.  Not so helpful.  I looked at some pictures.  A bit better.  So, off to the desk in the garage (I am so thrilled HRH has put some heat out there so I am still working out there!) to see what I could do.  I started with pieces from my roll of cardboardy paper.  Heavier than paper, smooth, tough, I love working with this stuff whatever it is.  Then, using "found" stamping utensils in the form of an old potato masher, spools, film spool, some cookie thingies and such, I stamped the "steampunk" looking background.  After dry, I added some marker lines.  Then, I found this bell shaped cookie thingy and thought "this would make a cute dress shape."  I also had some clothes pins with pom poms in their teeth that I picked up somewhere-YSM, dobbers of some kind for who knows what,  so I used that for the heads.  STill needed something so the stamps came out which produced the eyes, hands, rooflines and the hair!  AFter all that, I had to figure out how to hang the dang things, (I made 4).  I put them on some thin sheets of wood I had laying around and used upholstery tacks to mount them. I like them but not what I would call a major success.  I am gonna have to work on this steampunk stuff!  Have you tried it? The pictures will not scan well, guess that is cuz I gave them a finishing spray of clear acrylic.  Live and learn!

Cooper's Hawk Art

The cooper's hawk that we call Job since he patiently sits on a table or a limb and waits for small birds to come close to him so he can have a nice meal has been a fun bird to watch.  He was here all last winter but did not "wait" right up next to our house, rather he stayed out in the orchard area.  This year he waits right outside our front door!  We have had fun watching him, but he keeps most of the small birds away from the feeders.  Between him and the turkey visits, we will have to sanitize our yard in the spring, lol.

Ring Necked Dove

We have always enjoyed the presence of mourning doves on our hill.  The strut around the yard and make lovely cooing sounds as they pick up what ever it is they eat.  This year, we have had a new breed of dove.  It is called the ring neck dove.  It is a bit bigger than the mourning dove, with more brown on it a a ring on it's neck.  It has an aweful sound, when it yells which is the only discription I can come up with for the sound it makes.  Some people want this new breed of doves to be eliminated.  They think it is an evasive species.  I am not sure where it came from, and why it seems to be spreading across the western states, but we enjoyed watching these gentle birds all this last summer and fall.  The mourning doves leave with the first cold snap of the year.  The ring necks stayed much longer.  All the doves, along with my cliff swallows will return when it warms again.  I am already looking forward to that!

Wild Turkey Art

This morning, suddenly, we discovered twenty seven wild turkeys in our yard grazing in random wanderings.  They came very close to the house and I was able to get photos and videos.  We have lived in our current home for over ten years and the turkeys have not come to our house before.  We have had lots of other birds, and deer, and fox, and cottontail rabbits, a moose, stray dogs and cats, escaped goats who wanted to eat every morsel of growth available, in the field a ways back a herd of elk, lizards, snakes, and several species of squirrels.  We enjoyed a couple of hours of turkey watching then they just as suddenly disappeared again.  I hope they visit us again soon.  In honor of today's visit, a small drawing in my sketchbook.

Magpie ARt

We have a little cooper's hawk that has taken up residence at our house!  We have named it Job cuz it just sits around waiting for other smaller birds to come around and then he has his daily meal.  Until he moved in, we had lots and lots of different kinds of birds at the feeders.  Now, alas, hardly any.  The waxwings have been coming each day to eat the cedar berries and they seem to be his favorite meal.  Some of the birds that we had besides the waxwings were red wing black birds, doves, house wrens, sparrows, grosbeaks, pine siskins, blue jays, and more.  A few days ago we had a flock of wild turkeys, not that the hawk bother them, lol.  And every morning we have eight or so magpies.  They eat just about anything we put out for them!  We have seen them quarreling with Job once or twice.  Here is a drawing I did of one that was posing on a cedar post we have near one of the feeders.

Journals

Starting in January, there is going to be a sketchbook project happening... see the side bar to join if you would like to play.  You need to sign up and have a journal ready to go.  I have lots of journals, as you know, and I really do play with them.  The three in this picture are not ones I have used before.  Moleskin, Rhodia, and Joie are the manufacturers.  I actually bought the moleskin more than over a year ago cuz everyone talks about them in the art world, don't they?  I just never got around to using it.  The Rhodia is one I won a few months ago.  I am so red faced as I am not sure now what I did to win it... maybe commented on someone's blog.  It is a very lovely journal and I wish I knew how/why I received it so I could give the generous person credit, but I am not really organized nor young so that is now impossible... so sorry unnamed benefactor!  The other little one has the name Joie on it, I picked it up at the YSM.  It is not a name I have heard before.  I will be using one or all of these for my sketchbook efforts on this project.  It is a year long commitment so I hope I can stick to it!

Sorry about the blackness... but the journals are black! lol