More Collage Projects

I am really having a lot of fun with collage these days!  Still taking Daring Adventures in Collage with Mati Rose and it has been a blast!  This next week is the last week--can't believe it went by so fast. :(  But the good thing is that it has inspired me to make a lot of art on a semi-regular basis (which is why I like to take classes--it gives me just the push I need to make something!)

Each week, we are assigned a "Treasure Hunt" which has a particular theme.  Week 3's theme was "Rusty Things," so I went around the backyard taking close-up photos of anything that had that gorgeous, orange hue!

There was also an assignment to be on the lookout for "mini compositions" that caught our eye.  Above is a photo of one of the many "experiments" I find in the backyard left behind by my daughters.  I just really liked the bright colors and the weird textures.

 

Each week, we are also assigned a new collage challenge.  For week 4, we were challenged to collage on any kind of surface OTHER than a canvas.  So I went to the local craft store and found some fun, wooden letters to cover with paper and paint!  (It's going to spell "ART!") :)

This was just a mixed media painting/collage I made that was inspired by a photo one of my classmates had taken.  I was really drawn to the color scheme of plum, antique white, rust and chestnut.

And the latest collage was something I did in my small 3"x5" sketchbook.  Sometimes it is just fun and freeing to work "small."  It lets you do big, bold things that you might not try if you have a ginormous, blank canvas or page staring back at you.  And they're quick to make, which is also very satisfying (especially when you feel like you don't have a lot of time to create!)

Well, that's all the creativity going on these days!  I like being back in the studio.  I like just randomly visiting a canvas or journal page from time to time.  It feels good. :)

New Adventures in Art

I'm in the middle of taking another online course with the amazing artist, Mati Rose, called "Daring Adventures in Collage"  and so far, I like what we've done! :)  Above is the close up of a patchwork collage from week 2.  I love taking close-up photos of pieces because they always turn into their own work of art.

This is the whole thing.  Not quite finished--just getting started.  Not sure how to finish it, how to tie it all together.  Or maybe it's done?  ometimes you have to step away, as they say, and gain a new perspective.

Here's another close-up.  This one would make kind of a nice greeting card. :)

And this is just from another project/class all together.  So many paintings and sketches in my studio in so many varying stages.  It's kind of fun to go back to them after a while and add something or just decide they're done and end up hanging them on a wall in my house somewhere.

And this is mainly the reason I can't quite seem to find enough time to get into the studio to create.  :) Lots of little messes to clean up.  But when they're made in the art room, at least they're pretty!

Creative Girl: The Land of Light and Shadows

i am super excited for this art class to begin!  i'm taking an online art class with Danielle Donaldson called "Creative Girl: The Land of Light and Shadows."  It looks colorful, fun, whimsical and magical. It's not too late to join in on the fun.  I've taken a lot of online classes and it's sometimes hard to find something that seems new, fresh and fun.  This class looks like it is all of those things and more.   I can't wait!

it's been a long LONG while...

 

So it's been over a year since my last blog post.  Guess I've been a bit busy! :)  Our newest member, Kenai (pronounced KEEN-eye) is now a year old and walking around and playing with toys and driving us crazy with his screams and giving us lots of love, hugs and laughs!  It's tough being a mom to three and trying to find time to make art and homeschool and do housework and cook and clean (ok, cleaning pretty much falls off the list of priorities!) but now that the little one is a bit bigger, I've been finding more time to do the things that recharge my soul.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom and I LOVE my babies to the max, but it sure does feel good to paint uninterrupted and have complete thoughts that don't revolve around diapers, breaking up fights, and managing homework. :)

I've been painting lately.  Big, juicy backgrounds full of color.  Lots of experimenting.  Trying to find my voice.  Having a LOT of fun.  I like to take photos of the paintings in their various stages.  It's fun to see how they transform and evolve over time.  The above photo shows the first layer.  Below is what it looks like now after some more layers.

The color pallet was inspired by my daughter's outfit.  I loved the mix of purple, lavender, red violet, red and turquoise!

Proof that you can find inspiration just about anywhere! 

 Another painting in progress...This one started out kind of "ugly" and then it transformed into something I'm really liking.  Not sure where to go from here.  We will see what happens in time.  I'm really into the color combo of midnight blue, turquoise, red and neon pink!  I even started a pinterest board just for those colors alone.

Colors just make me super happy!  What can I say?  I am taking an e-course with Mati Rose right now called "Daring Adventures in Paint" and it has been the perfect thing to re-start my ART!  I find myself sneaking over to the studio throughout the day to add bits of paint or collage to the several canvases I have spread out on the floor.  The canvas above is completely different now.  I will have to post some before and after shots!

A lot has happened in the last year since I've last blogged.  Our oldest daughter, Brielle, graduated high school and is now in the Army!  She just graduated boot camp this winter and is now in training.  We couldn't be more proud!  Our oldest son, Zach, is also in the Army and stationed in South Korea.  We haven't seen him in over a year.  He has yet to meet his youngest sibling in person.  It's hard having a member of your family in the military--especially a child!  But they are hardly "children" anymore--they are both growing into such beautiful and amazing adults!  Thank goodness for letters, phone calls and Skype!  I can't wait to hug both of them in person, though.  And Raul's dream (and mine) is to have all five kids together at once.  Some day! :)

So that's it for now.  Hoping to post at least a few times a week.  My goal is to get into some kind of regular art-making schedule.  And post the updates here on the blog.