Mixed Media Altered Book

Here's what I found on my desk this morning....well, what I've been working on. I love illuminated manuscripts so this is my version of that. I take a book, saw it down, cut it out and paint it. I'm loving the results! So, much fun, I become completely absorbed in the making. (Much to my husband's chagrin because I never hear the phone when it rings.)

I'm reaching a realization.....of sorts. Maybe it's coming from the changes I'm experiencing and will soon be experiencing with upcoming childbirth....

Well, my realization is more like a letting go....letting go of my old self and making room for the new one to grow....letting go of the assumption that the art I create has to follow a form...I just like to make stuff....letting go of fear and worry and the need to "fit" in....I'm letting myself "go with the flow" and accept things I can't change and accept myself....and I find a sort of peace with this...peace of spirit and mind....and this peace brings a freedom in creation and trust...

Anyways.....the last pic is a new altered book that I'm listing on Etsy.

It's getting chilly here....stay warm.

On my desk this morning...

Here's a look at what greeted me this morning. I try to get in there daily to "work". Today had all kinds of pleasant interruptions, my mom and nephew came over. Other not so nice interruptions include a cough and head cold that's kept me down the past couple of days and a baby who has decided that my belly is an inflatable jumper. It's pretty hard to use a X-acto knife when your belly moves of its own accord. But I've made some progress. I've been really enjoying the altered book/mixed media thing I've been doing lately. The new work is showing up in my shop....POP over if you care to have a look.

Well, tomorrow's Saturday. If all works out, I'll be heading in The Magic City (Birmingham, AL) for their annual ArtWalk. Hope your weekends great!

Mournings and Musings

One part of my life is ending and another is beginning. I'm starting a new life with a new LIFE and a new house and so many other new things that it's all overwhelming at times. I have to let myself mourn a little to that which is ending so that my heart is open to receive the new blessings that will enter. It's hard. I lay awake at night (some due to the pregnancy and some due to the thoughts and dreams and hopes that the future will bring) and try to let things go. At the same time I'm desperate have my books and art supplies unpacked so that I can get to work. I feel pulled in so many ways creative and otherwise.

These images here are the last things I was able to finish before having all of my things packed. I long for my "studio" space at the new house and hope and dream that what I create there will allow me to have a life at home to raise my son. I see so many possibilities and wonder which ones will open doors for me to create this type of life. I'm full (literally and figuratively and creatively and all the other -lys you can think of). I try not to get discouraged when things fall apart but it's said that things fall apart so that others can fall together. I try to keep this in mind.

I suppose in the end things happen as they must and we must learn to let things happen as it will.....

The steampunk altered book is available HERE.

Here's some things keeping me inspired in these days of waiting and longing:

http://yama-bato.tumblr.com/categories

Check out the gorgeous images in the bookbinding catagory.

http://www.createmixedmedia.com/uncategorized/they-say-were-obsessed-like-its-a-bad-thing

This sums me up nicely.

http://pinterest.com/hilaryblackwood/

And I've become addicted to Pinterest.

A Passel of Babies....

Here's a batch of babies I've been hard at work on. I'm participating in a Etsy team show tomorrow in Huntsville (see previous post for link) and these are some new items I'll have available. Whatever is left after the show will go live in my Etsy shop until a new owners comes to claim them. I've really enjoyed making these to the point of going overboard with them. I have about 4 more to finish, hopefully in time for Saturday.

I grew up with my mom making dolls and generally being crafty around the house...I get a lot of my craftiness/artiness from her. Her father was also an artist and my dad's mother is an artist, so I suppose I can't help being an arty/crafty person myself. I get it from all sides. And I suppose, my little one will probably be artsy too....what with me as a mother and a father who writes and builds instruments. I guess I'll see soon enough!

Goodbye, "City" life....

So, yeah I know....city life in Alabama compares to living in the sticks for most other folks but having grown up on a little 4 acre plot of land I was desperate to get back to it....especially when we found out I was pregnant. So, after searching and searching we discovered this little spot out in the "country". House, Barn and 3 arces to set it all on to call our own. Of course, there is much work to done...bathroom renovations, new flooring in living room, new paint, new carpet....this list goes on...but compared to our Mill Village "cottage" where we currently live...so worth it. We'll have plenty of room for our growing tribe of animals (a new kitten recently fell out of a tree and into our lives...making our critter count 2 cats and 6 dogs) and a studio space for me! And a place for Jacob to build his instruments and other various carpentry pursuits.

So, a big year this one...first baby, new house, etc and so forth...

On the crafty side of things, I'll be doing a Etsy team show this weekend in Huntsville. Click here to go to the blog page and for more info!

It's been awhile....

Well...my poor little blog has been ignored. But I must say it's been a summer of a lifetime. I've not announced it here....but I'm 5 months pregnant and between that and buying a house to have room for our newest addition it's been very busy lately. I have had time to work on my Etsy listings...the two pieces you see here are available.

I think I've finally found a way to use my tin milagros that I've been making which I talk about in this older post. Adhering them to wood allows the tin ornament to be enjoyed without the pesky edges being a danger. And I really like the way the tin shines off the wood. Maybe I'll get a chance to have a tutorial/painting progress thing of sorts for this type of work.

What do you think of these?

I plan on making different "milagros"...maybe some goddess/myth ones....wheels are still churning here....

Progress of a Painting

Here's another progress of a painting I recently finished. I forgot to take pictures as I got caught up in painting but you can see the gist of the progress here. This painting is available as a print in the ol' Etsy shop.

New Mini Folk Art Available

This new series of folk paintings are done on wood using acrylic.

The first three paintings will be available in the shop today. The last painting will be available as a print soon.

Other good news! My work is now offered for sale in a gallery in Talladega!

Before and After the Storm...

Outside the thunder is grumbling...warning us to stay inside because it's about to lose it's temper in an outpouring of tears.

I love thunderstorms. The grumbly clouds, frantic lightening, and gray sheets of water playing the xylophone on the roof.

Right now, we're between storms and I scooted outside to let the dogs get their feets wet and to take some photos of my newest painting (last photo). This painting was inspired by our newest pup edition, Mary. Read about her HERE.

While me and the dogs were out I found fungus growing on a fallen tree limb--victim from a previous storm, we have about 6 pecan trees in the back and lose a ton of branches in a storm---and a tree full of wet leaves and dark berries.

I'll be working in the shop today (the above painting is now available as a print--HERE, painting, listening to Pandora (R.L. Burnside Goin' Down South is on now!), and enjoying the thundering arrival of April showers!

New loves!

Up there is Mary! Our recent addition to our tribe of pups. She was abandoned near a creek where we had taken other dogs to walk. Her companion--a large male dog that looked a lot like her was deceased. She was freezing, half starved and fearful. We took her to the vet and discovered she was 3 months old. Well now, she is becoming the hot shot around here... Playing with our largest dog--a bull dog mix and generally causing a ruckus.

Down below is a new painting I recently completed called "Don't worry you'll get there!" --SOLD

I had no idea where I was going when I began. I just wanted to play and create a background for a later painting but I liked it so much I just kept painting and decided that a little sketch in one of my books would go perfect with this background and voila! This painting. I really like it. Something different but fun. It's mixed media with scrapbook paper background, tissue paper, a page from a german book and cheese cloth with paint dried in it.

I started another one yesterday and will have it to show soon.

Other things I love...

My new laptop valentine's day present from my husband (who I also love)! I made him a guitar rack for his cigar box guitars, diddly-bo's and regular guitars. Maybe I'll have pics soon.

Warm cuddly puppies on snowy days! (It has snowed an unheard number for Alabama of 4 times this winter!)

New books to read!

And the possibilities of things to come!

Affinity for Tin

This weekend I finally got around to doing something I've always wanted to...making tin ornaments and charms. I love Mexican folk art...milagros, nichos, tin ornaments. I've also wanted a way to add to my original folk paintings and I thought this could be a neat way to combine different things I like. So, still playing around and seeing what I can do!

And another good thing....the tin ornaments are recycled cans! Double whammy goodness!

Also, I recently created a facebook page for my art and where I've got different links to my online stores!

So, go "like" my page and get updates on store updates, blogs, etc.

Also, don't forget 100 followers...Giveaway! I'll probably have different items to choose from so suggest away!

What do you think of my new tin ornaments? Any thoughts, suggestions, as to other ways to use them? Have any tips on how to make them? Let me know!

Thanks for looking~Stay warm!

Myths...

Have I ever mentioned that I think too much?

Today I remembered one of the very first myths that I read...it was Edith Hamilton's version of Pyramus and Thisbe....

In the story two lovers and neighbors cannot be together because of their parents and the only way they can communicate is through a chink in the wall that separates them. They decide to meet beneath a white berried mulberry tree. Thisbe gets there first and spys a lioness fresh from the kill....Thisbe flees but drops her cape behind. The lioness finds the cape and tears it with her mouth as she wipes her face on it. When Pyramus arrives and finds the bloody cape, fears he has sent his love to her death and hastens his own...

Later when Thisbe returns and finds Pyramus dying she in turn stabs herself with his sword and together they perish...

The white mulberries hanging in the tree above them were forever stained dark red with their blood....

Now, I remembered reading this as I was going through paintings, posting pictures and updating shops... Check out prints here

A recurring thing I paint is a tree rooted in a heart....

A part of me wonders if this painting is not in some way...a regurgitation of this myth after being embedded in my brain...

I love myths and mythology, I love the way they shape us and tell us about our selves, our loves and our fears....

Myths can bend, twist, and change their faces and give us universal truths about humans...

I try to explore this with my art....reinventing myth or at least giving certain paintings a old, traveled look to them...which is what I think a myth would look like if it had a face...old, traveled, slightly weary and slightly impish....with a certain twinkle in her eye...

What myths do remember or do you feel have shaped you?

I aint' gonna study war no more....

Here is the newest in my series....Can you guess what this series is based on? I've really enjoyed making this and I have a few more in the works. That white skull you see is prep work for the painting. This pictures were also taken in the snowy front yard. Alabama received several inches of snow on Sunday and things are just now slowly beginning to return to normal.

In other artsy news: My friend Sherry has opened a charity Etsy called What Gives. 90% of proceeds will be going to a charity---a different one chosen each month. So, hop on over and check it out. This is a new storefront so it's kind of empty right now, but new items are being added! Can't wait to see what she does!

There's also a new local store that is really cool called That Funky Little Store Downtown. Check out their blog. It has links to their Facebook and Etsy storefronts!

Etsy Treasury!

Throwing out a thank you to lrobinson for including me in the treasury hugs.

There is some awesome work represented go check it out!

Illustration Friday Submission

Topic: Deja-Vu

Which to listen to.....

The heart versus mind
It happens all the time
The battle of two wills
Call it what you will
My heart said go
But mind said no

Aisha Ludmilla Pin

Head or heart? Which one do you listen to? Should only one be the deciding factor? Or do you need the head to ground the heart....or contrariwise, let the heart give the head wings.....

We get stuck. Stuck between the two desires...feelings of wanting to do something, needing in your heart to do something contrasted with your head saying...stay a little longer, not now, wait, and on and on.....

The Decision

Oh, wouldn't it be so easy to separate the two....
But then what would we have? And what and how would you choose, head or heart?

All I'm trying to do.....is carry my heart gently.....

“The heart is the only broken instrument that works.”

T. E. Kalem

A somewhat funny, sad sidenote: The hand holding the heart thing I made a few years back is broken....

And these questions are open for discussion, comment, leave experiences, share stories....it helps...

Mixed Media Paintings

Here are some recent mixed media paintings I recently finished. The bird painting is rather about 2 and half feet long and maybe 8 inches tall (I didn't measure). It's painted on a piece of leftover plywood from a project from Jacob.

The Dala horse is painted on recycled book board from a discarded book (and a leftover from a folded art book arts class I taught). It is currently for sale at my Etsy store. Check it out HERE!

But of these are some first attempts at making a mixed media painting. It was really fun and very "painterly"! I have plans to make some more. I'll keep you posted.

Thanksgiving is Thursday and I have so much to be grateful for this year. I hope you do too!