Labyrinth Art Progress

I am a bit stiff and sore.  Summer activities have a tendency to do that to me after being so sedate for so many cold months.  I spend lots of time sitting at my art desk when it is cold.  I love doing that but when it finally warms up around here... the outdoors win out over everything.  The summers here are pretty short so one has to take advantage of the warm days when they come.  Every summer I try to create something interesting around the yard.  This summer, my goal is a labyrinth!  I researched the net for some basic designs...it is rather difficult to figure them out.  I finally decided I would start with an inner circle...mine is about eight foot in diameter to build a sunburst of rocks to honor my long time love of playing in the sun.  Next,  I will just keep adding circles until I run out of space, (not going to happen, lol) or rocks (that too is not going to happen) or energy (still up for the project right now) or interest (I usually finish what I start sooner or later so this is doubtful too.)   I have to drive my little tractor and trailer over a small hill to the east, load up some rocks from piles of rocks there, drive back to the labyrinth site, lay the rocks into the circles using a stick to try to keep the rock laying paths relatively equal.  I think I started the labyrinth about a week ago, once I started feeling better from the eye infection and I have about three circles completed.  Once I get all the circles placed,  I will use a design from the net to form the paths.  This is much less confusing than trying to figure the paths out as I lay rocks.  Labyrinths are supposed to be good to enhance meditation.  I am finding laying the rock paths have already started the process!

Center circle... sun so bright taking a picture is difficult!  I used a compass to stake the true north and my sun rays will point out the four directions.

Circles two and three in place nearly.

Found a nice round rock for sun center to add sun rays.

These are not beautiful rocks... just plain janes but they work to mark the paths.

And this is just a little very round rock approximately 5 or 6 inches in diameter I found... rocks rock! 

Portraits

You know you always have yourself as a model, even if you prefer someone else, lol.  Someone on the net mentioned doing self portraits so I decided to use a picture I took using photo booth.  I moved it to photo shop and played.  I wanted it to look like a line drawing, but I do not know how.  This is what I ended up with... not usable.  I wanted a line drawing so I could use it for a pattern to try some other media!  BOO!

Photo booth is not the most flatterning photo method at best.  Photo shop is not the most fun program as far as I am able to use it.  Does anyone know of how to turn a photo into a line drawing?

Desparate Art

I haven't been very artsy since the beginning of May... I just can't seem to get interested in much.  I think it is because the whole mixed media community are all doing the same things... back ground papers, art journaling, collages... you know know what I mean?  I just want something NEW, edgy, challenging!
 I have been working just a bit on my "It Might Be A Bird" assemblage,  and mentally working on my labrynth.  I did add a free motion patch above the pocket on my jacket today, but that too is not a thrill.

A day or two ago, the new CPS arrived.  Did you see the black and white ornament challenge?  I thought with this

poor sick eye that I might could do a small project so I decided to do a transfer of Betty Grable.  

I was able to hum "She's Got Betty Grable Eyes" as I worked one eyed.  It is not going to be mailed in but I do kinda like it.  I am not a beader with two good eyes and I need to read up on sewing beads on.  I finally just strung the beads and then stitched the strand on.
And, today, finally, I felt well enough to go over the hill with my little tractor and trailer to load some rocks for the labrynth so I am officially started on it!  I am so happy about that!
Now, if I can just keep my eyes clear and seeing... maybe some small pieces of art will occur too!  I am officially off antibiotics today and switched to antihistimine eye drops and my eyes felt so much better today!

Nick Bantock Tarot Card Swap

In the Travelersart yahoo group, red dog started a Nick Bantock Tarot Card swap.  I am assigned "the tower."  I have not played with tarot in any manner so had to do some research.  After that, I felt I need ed to renew my understanding of how NB worked too.  So, finally I felt I was equipped with enough knowledge to give it a try.  Here are my efforts.

My first try.  It was way too busy and not enough color to make me happy.

After some color enhancing with PSE, the color was good but the design disastrous!  Even though the card depicts disasters and such, I decided to try another one.

Ahhh... much better and easier to read, I hope.  So, 26 copies later, I am trimming to 3.5 X 5 inches signing them and giving them a gloss acrylic finish.  Soon, the mailbox to the swap host!

Textile Art Projects

I am still working on the "jacket" update.  I am not real thrilled with it right now but hopefully eventually it will be "pleasing" in my sight, lol.  Here are a couple of photos of what I am doing to it.

I first just did a running stitch or two around all the edges.

And, now I have learned what I think is called the fern stitch, so it goes all around the edges too!

As you can see, the 100% natural linen is not beautiful, so that is why I am trying to give it a face lift.   But this jacket has a great feel to it when I wear it.

And, over in the sketchbook group some of the ladies have been making wrist cuffs so I, of course had to do a couple of those.  Here is a picture of the first one.  I used a silk scrap as the base, folded it over a piece of quilt batting and freehand stitched like Teesha Moore does with her little mini pillow thingies.

Then, I used a lovely scrap of shear fabric to fold and gather for the wide part of the flower.  The center of the flower is a metallic looking scrap which I also folded and gathered.  Layered the flower onto the silk strip, then stitched on some beads and a chain stitch of green.  I have not put on a "clasp" yet.  I am working on what I want to do for that...

I love this cuff... so girly even on my old looking hand!

The olive green and cinnamon colors are lovely together.  

Now, I am working on a denim based one.

Art Gallery Visit

Three generations of "us" caravanned to California the last couple of weeks.  One of the highlights for me was to visit the Fingerhut Gallery in Laguna Beach.  There, I was able to view some masters as well as some other artists.  I loved the beautiful art.  Here are the photos I took there:

Seuss was there... this is one of many...

Chagall!

Picasso...

Playful Matisse...

And Miro!

I so loved the faces of this artist... reminds me of my eldest car girl... I gotta do some faces after this...

The Winds of Change

And the Wheels of Life were such fun paintings!

Cubanistic held my interest too...

I so enjoyed the gallery!  I need to visit more of them!

Wire Art

I made this wire doll.  I started out just playing with a piece of wire and one thing led to another.  She is hanging on my wall right now...

I started with a coil... then added facial features...

Her arms are coils...

Her hair is coils...

Her shoes are wrapped... aren't they cute?

I have been doing summer activities lately and not much art.  But, I am sure something will be showing up here soon!