Explorations

If you read my post on my jewelry blog you will know that this past week hubby and I took a trip to the beach and then to Seattle to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit. Here are just a few of the photos from those trips.

 This is the lighthouse in Westport, WA

View of Seattle from the top of the Space Needle.

The new Ferris Wheel on the Pier in Seattle as looking from Pike Place Market.

All of these were originally taking in color but I've been playing with altering them digitally a bit. These others from Pike Place Market and the Glass exhibit just have to be in color to appreciate them.

There are flower sellers all over Pike Place Market and that day there just seemed to be so many peonies. I just loved them. If we had been going right home, I would have bought some.

What's a market without fresh fruit and veggies and they have the best.

I did finally get my scans completed of my most recent painting from my journal. I'm still trying to come up with a name. "Veiled Happiness" is what came to mind first or maybe "Through the Mist". I really didn't like it until I added the ribbon, now it seems complete.

I'm Allowed

So, I've been working in an art journal and have a hard time writing over my art. I don't know, am I crazy it is after all in a journal and not on a canvas? So, this week I gave myself permission to just do the art and not write if I don't want to. So far this week, three pages done and in the past it would have taken me 2 weeks to fill 3 pages. I'm feeling a little bit better about this and it does help me learn new techniques.

This week was all about finding inspiration from Donna Downey. You can check out her blog HERE. She has a great video each Wednesday and a collage on Monday.

This one is a collage of postage stamps that I painted over which I think gives it a cool texture. I'm just calling it Abstract Flowers. This one is available for sale as prints or cards on Deviant Art. http://djam50.deviantart.com/#/d53dfsl  I already ordered some cards of this one, so some of my special friends just might get this in the mail from me.

Another abstract painting of a leaf. This one is also available as print or cards. http://djam50.deviantart.com/#/d53dh3a

This one I finished today... more leaves. I still need to scan it (this is just from my camera but it will be up on Deviant Art soon).

I hope everyone is having a great week. I'll try to post more pictures later this week.

Journaling - Layers

Yes, I know it's been awhile since I have written a post or shared some of my art but I am still here. For the past several weeks I have been knee deep in jewelry.. so I guess you could say I was still doing art.

I just signed up for the Book of Days premium (check out the link on the right hand side) and have been reading so much and ready to get into some of the special lessons Effy has for us there. But first, I did clean off my crafting table and get all my wonderful paints and supplies out to do some more journaling. I just finished this page today and my intention was to do some layering of paint and texture..which I did but the page spoke to me or maybe it was my Muse and she wanted to say a bit more about Layers.

I wrote "It is about more than what is in the book or what is on the paper. It is digging deeper into what we hold precious, the wrinkles we encounter in life. As we dig, when do we find our soul?"

We all are multi-faceted and have many layers to our life, some of us encounter obstacles or wrinkles and for others it is smooth sailing. We have bumpy roads which cause us to question our decisions and sometimes to make changes. Art is Life and Life is Art. I'm sure someone somewhere said this, I just can't remember who.

I believe we should embrace life with all it's layers and celebrate the choices we made getting there. It's never easy but it should be your choice and in the end, what makes you happy. If you aren't happy, then change the course of your life or add a new layer.

This page started out with just some gesso on paper and with some paint, collage and pen, I changed it. Just think of what you could do with your life with just a little paint.

Have fun and create ART.