it's all learning

This is a mixed media piece I created this past weekend. I do not like it, BUT, I learned some things while making it, and I do like that. Taking a cue from one of the quotes on my 2020 vision board: Make something today even if it sucks. 👍😊

1st snow of 2020

This weekend we experienced the first snowfall of 2020. It seems a good time to post this winter piece I created a couple weeks ago. It's one that started out as something totally different. When it didn't go at all as intended, I just started messing around with it. Once it had the textured background, I didn't know what to do next so set it aside. The next time I looked at it, I imagined a snow scene and this is what happened. It actually ended up to be something I really like. I never knew watercolor could do things like this.

2019 is a wrap

Today is the first day of a new year and new decade. It seems like a good time to refresh the blog with a new look. Gone are the sunlight dappled water background and winding country road header. They've been replaced with a simple, solid blue background and a header made from a photo of a metal bookmark I created a few years ago. 

As for 2019, I'd set specific creative goals and am pleased to say I met them. Blogging definitely helped in that regard, so I will continue blogging in 2020. I doubt anyone but me sees my blog, but that's just fine. I do it for myself, as a way to chronicle my efforts and growth. It inspires me to keep practicing and learning. 

What will 2020 bring? I'm increasing the number of hours I intend to spend creating each month. My initial focus will likely remain watercolor and mixed media, but I'm also itching to use some of that stained glass I was gifted a few months ago, as well as do some sewing - maybe a quilt. The possibilities are endless, and I'm excited to get started! 

By the way, I read (analog and audio) a record number of books last year, grew one of my best gardens ever, spent more time in the pool than in the past several years, and set up a dedicated yoga/meditation space which I've been using daily for 160 days now. It had it's challenges and sad times, yet 2019 was a great year on many levels.

dream the dream

The piece above is one of three galaxy ones I created a couple weekends ago. I've always been mesmerized by space, and decided to try my hand at creating images. It's a fun process with cool results -- pretty sure this will become a regular part of my art. 

space web

This is a piece I did last weekend, but didn't have time during the week to post here. When I was done and stepped back to truly look at it, I was surprised how dark it is. It has a desolate, trapped feeling to it. It started out as something inspired by the science fiction series I've been reading, but it took a turn along the way. I'm wondering if long days/evenings at work have been taking a toll. I suspect whatever I start working on this evening will be lighter. We'll see where my mood and muse take me.... 

discover and joy

 

I finished the WIP I shared last week. Taking a cue from Gina Lee Kim's book, I added sail boats. It was fun to get my alcohol inks out and play with them on photo paper. The masks are washi tape I trimmed down. The "Discover" is copper I cut, engraved and then burned before using brads to attach it to the piece. 

The Joy piece, below, was a quick little thing I did yesterday - just playing around and experimenting. It reflected how I felt about my Thanksgiving weekend.

 

from the best yet to meh

This past weekend I finished what I think is my favorite watercolor thus far. The colors are vibrant and gorgeous. I'm not sharing it here yet, however, because it or a print of it might be a gift for someone. Instead, I'm sharing the piece I started next. There's much I don't care for about this one, but I've learned some things not to do, which is good. This piece needs much more done to it, but I can't seem to figure out what yet. I'll keep playing with it and maybe something will come to me.  

crackin rose

This is the "red" exercise from Gina Lee Kim's book that I'd been following. A vase of flowers isn't something I'd typically choose, but the point is to practice various techniques. I like the way the crackle medium worked on the vase, although it doesn't show up so well in the photograph. 

how about some mountains?

Here's the completed (I think) piece I started at the watercolor class I attended. When I got home from class, I changed the leaves from summer to fall. This past weekend, I added mountains in the background. One usually paints the background first when using watercolor, but things don't always go as expected.

absence & watercolor workshop

I caught a bug a couple days after my 10/9 post which took me out of commission for awhile. Then I revamped my craft room / home office shared space to include a dedicated yoga/meditation space. Then work got hectic with very long hours. The last few days life is finally returning to some normalcy 😊. 

This past weekend I attended an all-day watercolor workshop. It wasn't what I'd hoped or expected, but still a day well-spent. It was really nice to be in a group of others interested in learning watercolor, sharing their experiences and seeing how they make art. I love how we're all so unique! We got to practice and experiment for part of the class, and I learned ways to use a pallet knife with watercolor. At the end of class we used tape to mask off tree trunks, painted the background, then removed the tape to paint the trunks. I liked the effects of the knife on the trunks and will incorporate it in future work. The photo above shows how my piece was at the end of class. When I got home, I kept working on it. It still has a ways to go...

the magic of beginnings

This past weekend I finished the piece I shared as a WIP last week, adding texture and dimension to the tree trunks, more leaves here and there, and a quote.

fall trees WIP

This week I worked some more on a WIP I started a couple weeks ago. It's slow going, but that's ok. Progress is progress. 

red poppies

I wasn't in the mood to finish last week's WIP so I started a couple new ones this week, both exercises in Gina Lee Kim's book. I like how the poppy exercise turned out. 

WIP - first time using drawing gum

This last week I played around with some flowers, and then got the drawing gum out to see what that's all about. Oh My! I think I'm going to use this stuff a lot! I love trees and birch trees are one of my favorites, so the fact that drawing gum helps to create them, well, I'm over the moon. Sure, I could use acrylic or some other medium to create the birch trees over the watercolor, and likely will in the future, but I really like this effect. I plan to add leaves and I'm not sure what else, so it's definitely a WIP, but this was a fun practice session.

watercolor stained glass

When I sat down to practice watercolor this week, I was inspired by the beautiful landscape panels at Glass Art Stories.

the trouble is...

I finished two watercolor courses in August, and this month I'm learning from a watercolor book by Gina Lee Kim. I followed her work a few years ago and then forgot about her when I wasn't creating for a couple years. Thankfully, I stumbled on her work again and ordered her book. She reminded me watercolor doesn't have to strictly be watercolor. It can be augmented with other mediums. DUH. I do this all the time with my art but it hadn't yet dawned on me for watercolor. And it was exactly the inspiration I needed after failing miserably at my watercolor practice last week (see below). I felt good for practicing but was very disappointed in the results, frustrated to the point of wanting to return to acrylics. Gina Lee Kim to the rescue! 😊

 

glass for art

No watercolor practice this week, but I did meet a watercolor artist at the State Fair Friday, buy some of her art and talk with her about the classes she teaches (both watercolor and quilting). I will likely take a class from her at some point - she's talented and nice. 

I spent the majority of my day today sorting through, cleaning and organizing the stained glass my husband no longer wants (too small for him so I get them). They'd been stored in open boxes in his shop where he also does wood working, so they had lots of sawdust on them. I'll use them to make pendants and jewelry, as well as small stained glass items. I *might* use some to make mosaic art as well. I've not worked with mosaics before, but I saw something recently out of larger pieces of glass than the usual mosaic art, and liked the effect.

3D spheres

This week's class exercise was 3D spheres. I found the shadows tough to do, so will continue practicing this week. 

beginning watercolor class

I've tried watercolors a few times over the years, but always been so frustrated with the results that I'd quickly return to acrylics. I love the texture that's possible with acrylics, plus it's so forgiving. If I decide I don't like something, I can just paint over it. Watercolor has more limitations, and I don't like limitations. However, I also know I've always tried watercolor just randomly without any research or instruction. Since this is my year to learn from others, I decided to try watercolor again. I started classes this past week and, no surprise here, learned I was doing several things incorrectly. I'd been using watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils and a cheap watercolor pan set and random brush. All were wrong for a beginner so off to the craft store I went to pick up enough supplies to get me by until my Amazon package arrives this week. The photo above is my initial practicing of proper brush technique and shading. While I'm one who likes to fast forward to results, I'm forcing myself to truly practice every lesson in the classes. This particular exercise was both challenging (being new to me) and therapeutic in that it was somewhat rhythmic, requiring focus and patience.

classes & watercolor

This week's creative time was spent doodling sunflowers and starting a watercolor tree at sunset. The drawing class I'd been taking just wasn't cutting it for me. The instructor uses Procreate and while she said the lessons easily translate to traditional tools, I struggled to make the leap so am looking into alternative classes. While I'm searching for ones for drawing, I think I'll look into watercolor too. Who know what will entice me? It changes all the time. A couple weeks ago I picked up some fabric for a new collage I have in mind, but ever since I brought it home, I haven't wanted to sit down and get started on it. Sigh. But alas, at least I'm creating something each week. :)

Friendly Plastic is still friendly

This week I got the Friendly Plastic out and experimented a bit. What a relief to find I had sealed it up well so it didn't dry out and get brittle over the last few years. These might be transformed into pendants or embellishments for greeting cards.

fired alcohol ink tiles

These are the ceramic tiles I adorned last week using alcohol inks and fire. For someone who likes to be in control, this project was challenging because there's little control to be had. The good news is if you don't like a result, you can wipe it clean and start over (and yes, I did that a few times - ha!). The orange and green one is my favorite, as I was somehow able to make it resemble flowers. What I'll do with these tiles is a mystery, but I had fun making them.

short break + glass pendants

Other than doodling and starting a new drawing class, I haven't crafted or created anything for a couple weeks. There have been a lot of changes going on at the office, and when home, I was preparing for our annual Fourth of July party. Weird, now that the party is behind us, I'm finding it hard getting back into creating. It's like exercising, if I take a break, it's tough to get restarted. By posting this today, I'm hoping it'll encourage me to get back on the horse (so to speak). It's a photo of the glass pendants I made this past winter/spring. I really like the new technique of lumpy soldering - it's much more pleasing to my eye than smooth solder. It adds another layer of interest to each piece. 

I don't know what I'll be posting next week, but it will be something new that I work on this week. :)

airplane mobile repair

This week's post is a bit different, but it's still something creative. My father used to fly radio controlled airplanes and it brought him much joy. Now that he no longer flies his planes, this old airplane mobile is about the only airplane-related item he has. I wanted to fix it up after all these years of neglect. Some chain was missing and one of the hoops was gone, but I had chain that was similar and was able to make a new hoop out of 9 gauge galvanized steel wire. The wire wasn't easy to bend, even with a wire bender, so it's not perfectly round, but it's close enough. A little paint so it matches the rust on the other hoops and voilà!  It brought a smile to face when I hung it up for him Sunday - definitely worth my time this week. ♥

all stitched up

I'm pleased to say my first beaded fabric landscape collage (boy, is that a mouthful) is complete. Is it perfect? Ha! Far from it. Am I happy with it? You bet I am. I dove in and saw this project through to completion, even though there were times when I questioned my sanity. The point is I tried something new, experimented, watched videos for tips (especially helpful for the binding, which I ripped out and started over more than once) and didn't overthink things like I have a tendency to do. I learned a lot on this project but more importantly, had fun and am eager to try my hand at another one.