A Farmers Toys

My sister and I have been cleaning out our Mom's house.  Our Dad passes away 10 years ago and now our mother can't live on her own.  We came across some farm toys that my Dad had.  I would like to incorporate them into some paintings.  This is a photo of a till ( I think I remember that correctly), a toy version,

which is what would be attached to the back of a tractor and used to work the earth so it would be fresh for planting or to dig up weeds. 

Workshop

I took a Marilyn Dewenskus workshop last week. Marilyn is a mixed media artist that is a former Ball State professor. She used to live in the Detroit area and comes in for workshops every so often. She was a fantastic teacher! I learned about pouring which is where you mix up a cup of watercolor paint and water, pour it over different papers- like paper towels, kleenex, fabric- and then let it dry. When its dry take off the paper and see that you have! Sometimes there was no paint left behind and sometimes it looks great. Marilyn adds into her paintings images of things that have meaning to her life. She makes it look easy but it really is not. I have included a picture of one of Marilyn's paintings. The second photo is of Jazz, our mascot for the week.  Also at the workshop were four of my fellow members of the Sisters of the Brush.  The art group that I am joyously a member of.  If you go to sistersofthebrush.com  You can see our posting of our week together painting. 
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Unfinished work

I have been given a few paintings that were started by Mary McCarthy Anderson. Mary was a friend who we (the Sisters of the Brush), started a scholarship in her name at Paint Creek Center for the Arts. I wanted to try and finish one of her paintings, sell it and donate the proceeds to the scholarship. This painting I am calling "Whats the Point?". Mary had put the pencils and shapes of pencils in the painting. I am adding squares and glazes of color on it. I am not finished yet but wanted to share.

New York New York

I recently went on a trip to New York City. I was a chaperone on a high school band trip. I didn't get to visit all of the fantastic art museums and galleries while I was there. What I did do was visit some spots that I had never been to before. We went to the top of the Rockefeller Center or Top of the Rock as the locals say. We visited the 911 Memorial which was quite moving. My favorite had to be visiting Lincoln Center. We had a fantastic tour guide and he told us stories as we walked through all of the separate buildings where you can see ballet, opera, theater and the orchestra. The building where the ballet is held was constructed to look like a jewelery box with a ballerina inside. Very clever! I am posting a photo that I took of Central Park. All of the trees were in bloom. Can't wait to go back again!

Art Studio time

I started taking a studio art class this past year. I get together with other artists and we paint and talk for three hours every Friday. It is a chance to get other opinions on what we are painting. Plus we get ideas and its a time to connect. This particular painting I created by staining the paper with flavored teas. Then I added shapes of flowers and painted around them. I wanted to create a tropical feel. I used turquoise blue over layers of quinaquidine gold to end up with the teal like color.

Time to start again

I has been quite a while since I have written in my blog and I have to leave the house in a few minutes so I have to make it fast! It is a new year and it is time to make some changes. I am starting an open studio class on Fridays soon at Paint Creek Center for the Arts. I have to miss the first class because I will be out of town. But it will be great to get together with other artists and get some new ideas. I can get in a creative rut trying to work out of my house on my own. I did visit the Faberge' exhibit at the DIA recently. I thought it was very interesting! I had read about the Faberge' eggs for years but had never seen one. The design is so intricate and they managed to create these designs so that the eggs could fold out flat or open with a treasure inside! It isn't at the DIA for much longer so go see it soon!

Christmas is approaching

As Christmas approaches we are all getting ready for the festivities. I decorate my house with two big trees and two small ones. It does take me quite a while to do it but I enjoy looking at them. I used to do lots of baking but I find it harder to make the time now that I work. Also I like to eat the cookies and that I can't afford to do! Finding creative ways to decorate your house can be fun. I like to wrap my trees with ribbon some years. I also add candy canes and silk poinsettias to fill in the holes where there aren't any ornaments. I am collecting hand blown glass ornaments that I have purchased from local artists. In what creative way do you express yourself during the holidays? I would love to hear some stories.