Amazing Tool for Exploring Colors

I LOVE COLORS!
But sometimes that love leads me to complete color overload, where I spend hours and hours and hours thinking about ALL OF THE POSSIBILITIES available to me, and I end up not even getting to the creating (please tell me I'm not the only one with this issue!)


But thanks to a recent e-mail from Stumble Upon*, I found an amazing on-line tool to help me visualize colors, patterns and palettes. You don't even have to put on your shoes to go there...just click HERE and you'll be magically transported to ColourLovers.com where you will "Find design inspiration with thousands of palettes and color schemes to fall in love with."

I'm currently having fun with my third project from Kelly Rae Robert's book "Taking Flight." It has a seriously grungy look to it (that's my opinion), which is NOT my typical comfort zone (give me crisp and clean any day)! The paints I used were Titan Buff and Raw Sienna, which were followed by a lettuce green alcohol ink and 2 pads of distressing ink.


I'll be adding some polymer clay forms to this, and I've been trying to figure out what color those forms should be! I'm going to try my new tool at ColourLovers.com to help me with that decision. I'll let you know in the next day or so how it turns out!

Till then...


*disclaimer for the stumbleupon site....I cannot be held legally responsible in any way whatsoever if your discovery of this website leads to days and days of endless intenet browsing. (Hint: try setting your kitchen timer for 15 minutes, it worked for me...maybe there's even a StumbleUpon Anonymous group...hmmmm...)

Monday Morning Art!

I'm in a serious creating mode....starting out my day by experimenting with some paint combinations...


Looking out the window at the crazy snow, that will probably be gone by tomorrow morning...


Playing around with some new ideas (I used chopsticks to make the stems!)....



And getting some really cool ideas for my art night with Nikki tonight....



That's it for now...I'm off to my mom job for the afternoon (a quick stop to visit Dr. Rob and a visit to the local nature center to hold some bunny rabbits!!)

Till next time...

An Artist's Spring Break...

Share Your Art!

I was over at Veronica's blog, and she's invited/challenged us to share our art!
Here's how: The first 4 people to respond to this post will get something made by me! Could be some mixed media, could be some ceramics, who knows!

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make although I hope you do!
2. What I create will be made with you in mind so you won't get something I already made unless I think it suits you to a T.
3. It'll be done sometime within the next 2 months.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be.
5. The catch is that you must offer this blog candy on your blog!

Here's what you do...
Re-post this on your blog (but change it to your name on the first line) and offer something you make - your choice - to the first 4 people who do the same on their blog. When you create your give-away list,you will be the #1 spot and players 2-5 will be the people who you make something for!

The first 4 people to post this on their blogs and leave a comment here telling me they did (I will go to your blog to check that you have this posted) will get an art share handmade item from me. Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

SO ...................who will be next????
1. Jean
2.
3.
4.
5.

The First Flower of Spring!

Two reasons to be joyful today...

1. The first day of spring!
2. The first flower in our yard!

Happy Spring Everybody!

Anything is Possible!

Anything IS possible...how appropriate for the Easter season! Here is my completed Chapter 2 project for Kelly Rae Robert's book. My plans were to put a flower in the middle of this piece, but spirit took over and spoke boldly...


This was created on an old book cover (5" x 8") using acrylic paints, a variety of objects for texturing, and polymer clay (the central figure was imprinted with a hand carved linoleum block; letters were stamped with a metal alphabet set). Fun to Make!

I needed the reminder that miracles DO happen!

live each day with arms wide open,
being true to yourself,
knowing that anything really is possible.

Affirmation Self-Portrait

Hooray! I just finished my 2nd self-portrait from Artella's Me-Flection e-course! In this project, we were supposed to "Create a self-portrait in which your hair is an extension of your personality." I've been on a real "spiral kick" lately, so here's what I came up with....I'm calling it "Affirmations!"


It was a true learning experience in many ways! I promise to come back a little later to tell you all about it, but right now, I'm signing off to watch CSI with my daughter! LOL! Till then...

Super Book Give Away from Susan Tuttle!

If you're a mixed media fan, you won't want to miss this chance to win an awesome book by Susan Tuttle. The book is called Exhibition 36: Mixed-Media Demonstrations + Explorations which you can find HERE on Amazon.com.


To enter the contest and get a chance to win the book, go on over to this link! The random drawing will be held on Wednesday, March 25th at noon. My hope is that whoever wins the book would be just as thrilled as I would be!!

Also make sure you check out Susan's blog and her amazingly inspiring website!

Stay tuned for the completion of one of my own mixed media creations...till then...

Have a Heart...

In honor of Love Thursday, I submit this contribution...have a heart :)

Songs of the Senses - Touch

I've been involved in a group on Coach Creative Space called Songs of the Senses. Forty-five of us are creating a piece of artwork for each of the 5 senses - sight, sound, scent, taste, touch - plus one for a 6th sense of our choice. The idea is to spend 2 weeks on each one, for a finishing date of May 23!

This mixed media piece became a good exploration of texture. I had fun finding different pieces to add, and I tried to keep my focus on the process. Usually I shy away from silver pant in my art, but it was really calling to be used on this one! I'll keep you up to date with my next 5 pieces!! Till next time...

Joy!

Last night I finished this 4x4 mixed media piece on Blick Artist Board. I not only enjoyed the process of making it, but I really like the finished result as well. I think I'll make several more with different words and put them on my Etsy shop!

Artella Me-Flection #1

It's pretty typical of me to have more than one project going at a time...maybe it's undiagnosed ADD, or maybe it's just the way my creative mind likes to work. No excuses though...that's just how I am, and I've totally accepted that part of me!

I'm still working on Chapter 2 of Taking Flight, and I'm still slowly going through Julia Cameron's Vein of Gold. But I started something else that just felt so right for this time in my life. It's from the Artella Words and Art website, and it's called Artella's Mixed Media Me-Flections, and I just finished the first project tonight!

The first lesson was to Create a self-portrait on a map illustrating a time you felt "lost". Well, after several days of thinking about it...I came to the conclusion that I don't usually feel "lost", because I am always open to new experiences, new places and new people. I guess I see each day as a mini adventure.



The map I chose to use was of New Mexico - one of my favorite states! I haven't been there for so long, and there are so many reasons that I'd like to go back (gee, I wonder if that's why I picked that map...hmmm...)

Let's see...there's Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu where Georgia O'Keefe used to spend her summers...or the Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe which is a short walk from the Santa Fe Plaza...or the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos...and of course, there's just a whole lot of beautiful country and a whole state full of beautiful art! One of these days....not too far off....

But in the meantime...I'll keep making my art and living life in the midwest! And that suits me just fine for now! Have a great week, and remember to