Rockin' It

I love painting rock portraits ~ rocks are such cool little subjects.  My blog friend, Penny Berens, has been appliqueing and embroidering rocks daily this year.  Check out her great work.

This was another busy week so I wasn't as productive as usual overall, but I did paint something every day.  Today will be Day 34 of my 100 day challenge, and I'm already thinking I might re-up for another 100 days after I conclude this first run.  Challenges keep me making art regularly.

This is a holiday weekend in the States, the start of the summer season.  I'll spend the time catching up on things, getting back into my more normal routine.

Hope you have a great weekend, wherever you are. xx

Eureka!

I think I've found my painting medium ~ watercolor.  I'm just totally loving it.  I love that you can go big and splashy and loose with it...and that you can be tight and detailed and precise, too.

This piece here was inspired by a photo of stoneware pots.  I've been saving a lot of images on Instagram, that I can refer back to as inspiration for painting.  Some flowers, but mostly photos of other things, images with interesting composition, images that have texture, pattern, design.

Also photos of others' artwork in other media, that inspire me to want to try something similar in watercolor.

The only caveat now is that my neck has begun bothering me from looking down as much as I have been.  So I'm going to have to watch that I don't overdo it with the painting.  Take it slowly.  Make it last.  I have the rest of my life, I don't have to do it all this month or this year.

It might actually be spring now on the north coast.  Only time will tell whether this warm/dry spell will continue, or whether we'll be hit with more rain.

Have a blessed week.  xx

A Busy Week

Last week was busier than usual for me...but still I'm painting every day and collaging most days.

I've been exploring different styles of abstraction with watercolor.  It's so interesting to me that just as with previous media that I've been into, the concept of developing a style in watercolor has been on my mind.  Although it's more an exploration of various techniques and methods of application, while learning how to work with (read: control) this medium with a mind of its own.  And testing out things other artists have done to see if they fit for me.

There likely won't be a distinct "answer" to my experimentation, and that's okay.  This quote from Tricycle's daily newsletter is apt, for painting and for life:

I suspect there will never be answers. Instead there will be only the awkwardness of the struggle—and perhaps the struggle is a sublime kind of grace in itself, which merely disguises itself as awkwardness.

—Rick Bass, “Bonfire”


Have a great week. xx

Last Week's Best

I'm enjoying my watercolor exploration, trying different things, changing up my subject matter, and painting something every day.

And enjoying creating collages nearly every day.

And meeting new snailmates via Instagram and getting to know them through the mail.

And exchanging ephemera, vintage book pages, botanical cutouts, postage stamps, old postcards, and other goodies from around the world.

Life's just a kick right now...and I'm loving it.

Here's a tip:  No matter what's going on in the world, you can make your own happiness, right here and now.  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Have a great week.