The Flu

I don't feel like I'm starting the new year out very well. I got the flu last week,for the first time that I can remember, despite that I got a flu shot. Yes, I know they said that it wasn't necessarily going to work for this year's strain. It came fast and hard for me. Imagine being under an electric blanket and still being cold. And I thought it was just lots of continuous hot flashes and the body aches were that I was another year older so maybe I was getting arthritis. No! It was the dog gone flu!! I can't remember the last time I slept as much as I did the first 2 days of this. I had to cancel my Saturday mixed media class AND a 90 minute massage that I got for a bargain price on Sunday. I went back to work today still not totally feeling my normal self y but I expect it will take some time to find my energy again. Already I want to take a nap and it's only 7pm here. I got some of these for myself for Christmas.I've been wanting these for a long time because the colors are intense. You know how I do my "Morning Pages" around 4:30-5am? Those morning pages of rambling, bitching, whining, moaning, complaining, dump everything on the table pages none stop important don't think about what you're writing just get it up and out stuff........??? I've been playing with these luscious color sticks on top of all this writing. Ok. No writing on that page. But here And here And one morning I got so into this I created a two page spread. Not bad art for still recovering from the flu yesterday morning. But don't you just love the color? I feel like I'm moving in to something different on these pages. AS I am looking back at these pages I have to tell you it feels fun looking at them. I mean it looks to me like I had fun doing them. I didn't plan them. I only wanted to play with color and lines. Do you find that when you don't plan something you end up liking it or not? Is the end result what you're after or do you already trust that you will like it in the end because you have trusted the process? Thanks for stopping by........ I hope you do not get the flu.

Be Nobody But Yourself

I am continuing to play in this Moleskine Journal, sometimes in the car in the morning before work. If I have laid down some gesso in the background at home, I can spread some color on with some water color crayons with a water brush or a baby wipe in the front seat of the car. Baby wipes are great for spreading larger surfaces quickly. When that baby wipe is full of color and when it dries I can also use that somewhere. I begin some journaling and eventually something will come to me that I want to collage. I find myself still drawn to using faces in my journaling, so this one came out of altering a face from a fashion magazine and the gown came from yet another magazine. I love recreating an entire new character. Call it my love of costume design in college or making paper dolls as a child. Maybe both. Day by day along with some brief journaling, a bit more drawing with watercolor crayons, doodling with paint markers and the page is full. I like it. And I am a firm believer that one should always be oneself all the time, not only in art. I am joining the party. You are invited!! Thanks for stopping by. Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!!

I've been teaching a mixed media workshop at my local AC Moore on Saturday mornings. We've been playing on large pieces of brown paper. Just playing....with prompts and or suggestions ..... I have seen such growth. Check out some of the pieces and see the changes. Same piece after another session. How cool is that!! Here's another one. Which became this..... Here's one that really changed. It began like this. She was not feeling it. I mean, I think she was having a hard time moving on. I suggested she try some different colors, ones that she had never used before and that it was ok to cover anything up. She could always bring it back again. Check this out. Here she is- very much feeling it now. I love this!!!Here are some closeups and some other works in progress. That one is slightly out of focus. Sorry. But aren't those colors awesome? Notice that some of these are hung up. WE didn't have a lot of wall space in the craft room due to all the Christmas wreaths in the beginning so we had to make do with the outside of cabinet doors and big boxes that were leaning against the wall. Hanging the pieces up on the wall allows for a different view, and some of us are finding it allows for more freedom and playing when we are standing up. I am just so impressed with these wonderful creative women. I look forward to more good stuff during this new year. Happy Creating to all of you. Thanks for being here and for being so supportive. Happy New Year!!