Fabric of Life

The Fabric of Life

by Kay Ryan

It is very stretchy.

We know that, even if

many details remain

sketchy. It is complexly

woven. That much too

has pretty well been 

proven. We are loath

to continue our lessons,

which consist of slaps

as sharp and dispersed 

as bee stings from

a smashed nest,

when any strand snaps --

hurts working far past

the locus of rupture,

attacking threads 

far beyond anything

we would have said

connects.

This was an exercise I did for Misty Mawn's class. It was abstract week; something I really enjoyed. Every week we add poetry (either found, by a favorite poet or written by us) to our work if we wish. Again, something I LOVE. No expectations when I sat down this morning. That's always the most fun. This is the result. Happy weekend everybody!

Sleep

"... I think that just being alive is so much work

at something you don't always want to do.

The machinery is always going. Even when you sleep."

-- Andy Warhol

This painting came from a sketch I did one night. It wouldn't leave me alone; I even dreamed about it. So I had to paint it. Poor thing, I know how she feels. Strange how things take hold of you. Maybe it's from lack of sleep.  ;)

This is my entry for Paint Party Friday. I try to make it over there when I can. You should too! Have a great weekend everyone!

Alone

Really missing my Mom today. This song always reminds me of her.

Fly Away

I'm experimenting with new mediums. This painting is done with watercolors and gouache. The song is how I feel lately. I guess it came through on the painting...  ;-)

Gray Skies: Journal Page

I've been fighting migraines all week and haven't been able to work in my studio as much as I would like. I've had my art journal at my side, though, and a few of my inks and other supplies (still using up that fabric remnant!). This page emerged today. Not a happy one but they can't all be sunshine!

I'm also anxious to get back to Misty Mawn's workshop. *sigh*  Hopefully the migraines will leave me be for awhile. Enough already!  :(  I hope YOUR weekend is going much better!

Heartfelt: Journal Page

"There are places in the heart that do not yet exist;

suffering has to enter in for them to come to be."

-- Leon Bloy

I've been working in my art journal this week. I started out with doodling hearts and flowers. This emerged. I felt the urge to get out needle and thread! The striped piece in the background is a fabric remnant. Can't sew very well but for a journal spread it'll do. ;-) I see hearts emerging in my journal a lot lately. Not sure why but I'll go with it; very therapeutic. I saved this quote when I came across it a while back. Now I'm glad I did. I used it on another page. Have a great week everybody!

The Past

The Past

by Kay Ryan

Sometimes there's 

suddenly no way

to get from 

one part to 

another, as though

the past were

a frozen lake

breaking up. But 

not from the

top; not because

it's warmer

up here; it's not.

But from underneath

for some reason --

perhaps some heat

trapped on its own

for so long it's 

developed seasons.

I'm taking an awesome workshop with Misty Mawn combining paint, poetry, pastels, sculpting... and that's just in the first week! *sigh* This piece is done with charcoal, pastels and acrylic. I'm having fun experimenting with everything. No expectations when I sit down and sketch; just seeing who or what develops.

Maybe it's because I can't seem to stay warm (I've been bundled up in the house all week fighting off the flu). I thought this looked like a sheet of ice surrounding the face so I went with that. When I found Kay Ryan's poem, it clicked. :)  

This is my entry for Paint Party Friday. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it around to see every one's work last week. It may take a few days but I will be visiting your blogs this week.  :)

Changing Direction

Mysteries, Yes

by Mary Oliver

Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous 

to be understood.

How grass can be nourishing in the 

mouths of the lambs.

How rivers and stones are forever

 in allegiance with gravity

while we ourselves dream of rising.

How two hands touch and the bonds will

never be broken.

How people come, from delight or the

scars of damage,

to the comfort of a poem.

Let me keep my distance, always, from those

who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say 

"Look!" and laugh in astonishment,

and bow their heads.

I am trying out some new ideas in my paintings. Thus the title of the post; and it fit the painting as well. ;-) For this new year I thought I'd experiment with some different themes and see where those take me. I'm wanting to grow in all areas of my art and I'm also taking some workshops to help with those goals. This is also my entry for Paint Party Friday. It doesn't happen often but I'm a day early! 

Crossroads

"When she was just a girl

She expected the world

But it flew away from her reach

So she ran away in her sleep

And dreamed of para- para- paradise

...Every time she closed her eyes"

from the song Paradise by Coldplay

May all of your dreams come true in 2012! Happy New Year everybody! I love this song. It's been on my mind a lot and was the inspiration for this painting. If you want to listen to it, I've included it below:

Out of One Comes Many

These are some of the Christmas gifts I've made for family members over the last week. I've been playing with Ice Resin and bezels. Fun! I love the Ice Resin. It is so clear, it's amazing! With some of the pieces I embedded little watch parts. Others, I just left as is. Sorry my photos are so bad. Here is the second set:

It took quite a few "duds" and these aren't perfect but I'm happy enough with them to give them as gifts. I have a ton of different sized bezels but wanted to start with the bigger ones just to get the practice. I painted a sheet of watercolor paper with some acrylic paint in my favorite colors and started cutting it up for the bezels. Here is what I started with:

So, out of one painting comes many gifts! This is my entry for Paint Party Friday.

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates the Holiday!

Heal

I Want 

by Mary Oliver

I want to be

in partnership

with the universe

like the tiger lily

poking up

its gorgeous head

among the so-called

useless weeds

in the uncultivated fields

that still abide.

But it's okay

if, after all,

I'm not a lily,

but only grass

in a clutch of curly grass

waving in the wind,

staring sunward: one of those

sweet, abrasive blades.

This is my (late) entry for Paint Party Friday. Check out all of the wonderful entries from the other artists. You won't be disappointed! 

I Heart Art...

"...We name life 

in relation to whatever we step out from when we

open the door, and whatever comes back in on its own."

-- from the poem No Ideas But In Things 

by Jessica Greenbaum

This piece is just an exercise in frustration for me. It's what happened after a long day of working on another painting that I was very excited about when I started it. When I came up for air and actually looked at it hours later, I was ... not so much. :(  Something happened between the idea I had when I started and the thing that transpired onto the canvas. So I put that away to let it rest for another day. I haven't given up on it but I'm not ready to go back to it right now. *sigh*

Not wanting to leave the studio just yet, I decided to slap some paint down with my hands on some watercolor paper just to see what would come of it. I love to use my hands as a paintbrush when I get into a mood... After a few minutes I thought I saw the outline of a heart and took it from there. Voila. Frustration worked out...  

I had a selection of poems on my desk that I have been using for inspiration and the quote I used at the top of the post has really stuck with me. Those are the last lines from the poem and I love them. I'm working on a couple of paintings right now. Hopefully something can be salvaged from one of them. 

Turning

Turning

Going too fast for myself I missed

more than I think I can remember

almost everything it seems sometimes

and yet there are chances that come back

that I did not notice when they stood 

where I could have reached out and touched them

this morning the black shepherd dog 

still young looking up and saying

Are you ready this time

by W.S. Merwin

I loved this poem when I first read it. It describes perfectly how things have been for me lately. It seems that time keeps getting away from me and I'll just marvel at how much I've missed. I'm trying to make an effort to slow down and appreciate more of the things and people that are important to me. I don't always make much progress but I am definitely becoming more aware. 

This is another art journal page and my entry for Paint Party Friday. This was a loose sketch I did one night a while back and I just decided to paint it today. Still loving those watercolors I used in the background.

Another thing I want to try and be better about is visiting all of you more. Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my last post. They helped me more than you know. I look forward to visiting all of your blogs in the coming days! Big Hug to all of you!

I Wish...

"I'm so tired,

I wish I was the moon tonight..."

Neko Case

Well it's been a while since I posted! I want to thank everyone who has sent emails asking about me. I'm fine. Just a little tired. I've been taking a little time off to visit with family and friends and to hopefully get some inspiration for my art. Now that I'm home and settled back in, I am hoping the time away will bring some energy back. Aren't you supposed to feel MORE rested after a vacation?  ;-) 

This is a journal page I did while trying out my new watercolors. They are yummy!  So that's supposed to be me staring at the moon, waiting for energy and ideas... We'll see if it works. This song keeps playing in the meantime: