My Workspace

I would like to tell you that my work area doesn't always look like this but the truth is, it very often does. I usually work in about 12 inches square.  I have a tendency to toss things when I'm creating. I always need one more piece of paper or another brush or some doo dad.

What is odd is at my day job my desk is neat and tidy more often than not.  There is something about creating that frees me to be as messy and playful as I want. This use to concern me but not anymore. This is the creative me. The happiest me and I'm embracing every messy inch of her.

Seth Apter is hosting a honest look at our workspaces over on his blog this week so I'm linking to his blog. Thanks to Seth Apter for this idea and for allowing me to play along.

Happy Mail and Swaps

 Happy Mail!!  

"What is Happy Mail?" you ask? Artists send happy mail to each other. It may be a card, a drawing or a small gift. It often includes little bits of things we, mixed media artists, think would be fun to use in a project.

I recently participated in a one for one swap.  We used the Hot Air Balloon from Stampington's Tempting Templates.  If you have never visited their page.. check it out. They have very cool templates.   

When my Hot Air Balloon arrived from Scotland it came loaded with other goodies.  Wee Man sent me a personalize ICAD with a dog on it.  He knows dogs are my favorite animals.

Mo included a whole passel of Mixed Media goodies: die cuts, book pages, a page from her newspaper with my birth date on it, feathers and ribbons.  I will have a great time playing with all this ephemera.  

Isn't this balloon just darling? I've hung it from my living room curtain so I can see it every time I sit down.

I'm feeling like a Renegade

The Documented Life Project theme this week was Black and White. I had a really hard time with this one. I thought and thought about it and nothing came to mind. I finally decided that I could doodle on birds. I like the contrast of the white on the black and black and the white.

The birds are cut with a Taylored Expression die I borrowed from Ann. I tore the edges of the black paper to give it a bit more texture.  Three birds in black and white complete with doodled bodies as well as background. I wasn't thrilled with the page but had no clue what else to do with it so I went to bed.

I woke the next day still bothered by all that black and white.  It was just too dull for me.  Then I remembered I still had the cutout of one of the birds and I went looking for the sharpies. I made marks all over a piece of white card using lots of different colored markers.  I began to feel better.  

I glued the bird cutout to the speckled paper and attached it to my book as a tag size inclusion. I love knowing that bit of color is behind the polka dots. 
Yep, I'm a renegrade,
 

How Are Your Feeling?

The prompt for The Documented Life Project this week was draw a face or alter one from a magazine. 

I tried drawing faces about a year ago. I found it to be extremely frustrating. I wasn't having fun and it was irritating the crap out of me. That gave me pause because the point of my art journal is to express myself and enjoy it. It's my time to escape the real world full of rules, problems and pressure.  I gave up drawing faces that day. I have artistic talents but that's not one of them.

I decided when I began this project that I was documenting my life and my art life so I would do my own thing and use the prompts as a guide. When I looked at this post card from my friend, Wee Man, in Scotland I knew I had to use that face.What an interesting face a Rhino has!   

The Feelings checklist (the page of faces) was on my desk.  I found it when I was cleaning a file cabinet a couple of months ago.  I thought it was perfect for this page. Lots of faces and each one of them depicting different feeling. 

The backgrounds are gelli prints.  The tip ins are attached with a combination of clear packing tape and washi tape.  

Link to: The Documented Life Project

The Act of Creating is the True Gift

Thoughts:  I am finding that I am called more and more to create with paint and paper.  I feel more in tune with myself when I'm at my art table. I feel free of the restraints of the world when sitting at the cluttered little table surrounded by bits of paper and glue. I truly believe that whatever creative talents I have are a gift from God. The gift is how I feel when I'm creating. I'm content. The stress of the day slides away and I am at peace. The finished piece is secondary to the calmness and serenity the act of creating gives to me. That is the true gift from God.  

The Art: I used a heavy coat of thick gesso to create some texture. I used a pallet knife to make swirls in the thick gesso. I started by trying to drip orange paint but it was too thick so I used a brush and a spray bottle. I was working towards getting puddles of color in the ridges but was not too successful. I turned the page sideways to get a few green drips and used a paint brush for the blue. I wiped most of the blue off with a baby wipe. The birds are a Stencil Girl stencil that I traced and cut out in different pieces of background paper. I went back and stenciled on the legs. The words have no hidden meaning....they are just the words that came to mind when I looked at the piece.  I'm still not sure if I really like this piece. The background is "so-so."  I can tell you that when I finished this page I was feeling much better than when I started it, so for me, it is a true success.  How does creating make you feel?

Mixed Media Madness

The Summer of Color Challenge  is coming to an end. This is the last week of the challenge. I really enjoy this challenge and I'd like to thank Kristin Van Valkenburgh for hosting the challenge once again.  

I was out of town last week so I am a little behind in my challenges. I combined the SOC and my Journal 52 (Technology was the theme).

I used acrylic paint and Silks for this page. I'm not sure I love the Silks because they ran when I used matte medium on top of them. The sun burst was made with a Tim Holtz stencil. The dots were made with a rubber stamp I found in my drawer.  My art drawers are always fun because they are like a treasure chest.  I forget I have something so when I find it, I feel like I've gotten something new.

I've heard a lot of pros and cons about the internet. I would just like to say that I've made many new friends in the last three years.  This page represents where the members of one group of friends live.  We share art and our lives with each other through the internet. We also trade mail art. I've received a lot of international mail in the last three years.  I feel like I have 20 plus pen pals. These friends have taught me a lot and have helped me gain confidence in my artwork.  I love the ladies of Mixed Media Madness. This page is for you. 

Link to: Paint Party Friday

Nostalgia

  

I started this page because the challenge this week at Journal 52 is Nostalgia.  I mulled several ideas over in my head and then I saw this picture in an old Child Craft Encyclopedia.  It reminded me of my one and only train trip.  My grandmother wanted me to experience traveling by train before they were phased out in the area where we lived. We traveled from Memphis to New Orleans to Houston.  I wish I could do it again.

I am really missing my grandmother right now.  I think part of that might be because I'm watching my friend, Mo, spend so much time with her grandson.  Logan will have so many wonderful memories of his grandmother because she spends so many quality hours with him.  I would not give all the money in the world for the many, many hours I spend with my grandmother.  This one's for you, Mamaw New Orleans.

Link to: Journal 52,  Artist Play Room