Paint Party Friday: Week 11

"PPF" 

First let me say how excited I am to have been selected as this week's Featured Artist for Paint Party Friday! I'm amazed and inspired week after week by all the talent showcased through PPF, and am honored to share a bit about my painting journey this time around. Thank you Kristin and Eva for your hard work, care and support of us all. Blog Land would not be the same without you!

For my submission, I wanted to create something that was colorful, quirky and representative of my most recent work. Since I've been doing a lot of long-necked ladies lately, I thought PPF might like to live there too and and since it's for a Paint Party, I decided to play with the idea of multi-colored strands of hair. The funky, glittery stars (which I seem to pop in everywhere these days) are a nod to my blog, Twinkle, Twinkle.

Wanna see more?! Well, okay then:

9 x 12 Acrylics on Watercolor

A mix of matte and iridescent acrylics, acrylic ink and fine glitter

The smudging of PPF was a last minute "accident." 

I liked the look so much, that I went back and "messed it up" even more

Thanks again to Kristin, Eva and You! I so appreciate your time and support.

Kristin xo

Looking for The Summer of Color? Read all about it here!

Paint Party Friday (Week 6)

"I. Am. Mommy" 

9 x 12 Watercolor paper

Happy PPF!

If you saw the Mother / Daughter sketches in my last post, then you may recognize this one: I'm happy to report that "I. Am. Mother" is finally complete:

I have to say, I didn't expect it to come out like this - the blue foil bird and tiny houses in the corner were a last minute addition - but I enjoyed going with my gut and seeing what came of it. The color scheme was inspired by a gorgeous photo I saw on Pinterest (just joined, wicked fun!) that had these bold blues and yellows I couldn't wait to play with. In the end, I hope it captures what I was hoping for: a colorful, whimsical take on a Mother's love and devotion. . .

Blue foil bird with Swarovski crystal eye

Distressed decorative papers, pencils, crayons, glitter gel pen and Stickles glitter

Thank you for your time. Do check out all talent at The Party for a lot of fun, art and inspiration . . .

Kristin xo

Paint Party Friday (Week 3)

"A Mother is Born"

8 x 10 WIP

Has this ever happened to you? You think your piece is complete, you get all ready to take brilliant shots of your new work . . . . and once you're behind the camera, you realize that your painting isn't done . . . 

Yeah, that's me today; thinking I was all finished with this when clearly, the photographs proved that I was not.  So, I hope you don't mind my sharing a tiny little WIP with you instead. At least I can now see what needs to be done. 

Speaking of which, has anyone seen my automatic pencil? I last saw it under a pile of Caran d'ache crayons and paper tape . . . .

Happily linking to The Paint Party:

And wishing you a beautiful weekend,

Kristin xo

Paint Party Friday (Week 44)

"Girls Are Like Apples"

 8 x 12 Moleskine journal

Today I thought I'd bring my latest Moleskine page to the Party . . .

Like most of us, I have a collection of special quotes and sayings that I've stashed away or saved for that "perfect" project. I've been saving this anonymous quote for years, waiting for that something special. It finally made it's way into this journal page, but I do think that it's meant for more.  . . . perhaps a canvas version of the same . . . . I dunno.

But I do know that I love the quote and am grateful to have it written down somewhere. It's a message that I think is vitally important to share with my little girl:

"Girls are like apples. The best ones are at the top of the trees. The boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid and don't want to get hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples that are on the ground that are easy, but not as good. So the apples at the top think that there is something wrong with them, when in reality, they are amazing. They just have to wait for the right boy to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree."
- Anon

Mushroom college elements from Lisa's Altered Art

All writing done in pencil

Thanks for looking! I hope you have a great time at the party. . . .

Kristin xo

Journal Play

"You Are What You Eat"

8 x 12 Moleskine Journal

Images from Retro Cafe Art

A new Moleskine + A few hours to play . . .

Thanks for looking!

Kristin xo

Paint Party Friday (Week 32)

"You Are Here"

4 x 6 

Detail

I've been bit by the painting bug lately, thanks to the weekly art and imagination found over at Paint Party Friday. . . big hugs to Eva and Kristin for their time and dedication in hosting this beautiful community.

"You Are Here" was inspired by the directional maps often found in large malls in which a red dot shows the pedestrian (or lost shopper ;) their location. I used both Golden Acrylics and Caran D' Ache watercolor crayons in addition to a bit of Stickles glitter on the heart, er dot . . .

Thanks for stopping by: to see more painterly pieces, check out the Party for yourself . . . 

Kristin xo

SPA: Pierrot

"Tears of a Clown"

4 x 6 Postcard

I've been wanting to experiment with "paintovers"for a while now and this week's theme - Pierrot - over at Sunday Postcard Art gave me the perfect opportunity to do so. My goal was to come up with a way to "paint" over an existing image from a magazine or catalogue in order to create a stylized version of the original. I also wanted to challenge myself to work fast and free - and hopefully become a little less cautious with my art in the process . . . Since this was new to me, I took pictures as I went. Wanna see? 

Original image from the new Macy's Fall catalogue

For a distressed look, I removed some of the ink with nail polish remover before sealing 

the image with clear Gesso. I then backed it onto watercolor paper for strength.

Now here's the tricky part: To challenge myself even further, 

I used only wax crayons (Manley) and my finger to blend them.

Final details include the use of pencil, charcoal and Hallmark's B & W sticky ribbons to complete the background.

Thanks for looking! Be sure to check out Sunday Postcard Art for more Pierrot pieces this week. I for one can not wait . . .

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color - RED

"Strolling with Hubert"

8 x 10 Journal Page

{This was inspired by schoolwork Kendra recently brought home that featured the word red. Her writing serves as the base for this mixed-media painting & collage. Also featured are several sources of sparkle: from Stickles red to iridescent glitter to Swarovski crystals and even a decorative piece (the belt) from the top of an old flip flop}  

Who knew Brown could be so pretty?

Like many of you, I wasn't sure how I was going to tackle the color. But try we did and I'm now among those who found that I really loved working with Brown. It is neutral, rich and varied in it's applications - and I was so inspired by your use of it. Thank you for sharing your art here, on our Facebook page and in our Flickr group.  We had an amazing turnout last week and I know it's going to continue as we hit the ground running on our next - highly anticipated - color . . .

But first, who won Brown week?

Our Brown giveaway (featured in the post below) was won by . . .

YOU

Please Email me your address and I'll get your vintage Browns right out . . .

And now: welcome to RED week!

This week ( Monday July 18th to Sunday July 24th) our challenge is to work with the color Red. Should you decide to take it on, your Bonus! challenge is to somehow incorporate wings into your work. As before, please (A) link your blog or Flickr feed in the widget below so that others can find you (B) leave one comment (in the comment section at the end of the post) if you completed a Red piece and (C) leave two comments if you completed the Bonus! challenge. 

And the giveaway?

{Canson 5.5 x 8.5 tablet of drawing paper, Liquitex acrylic ink in Naphthol Crimson, Golden Acrylics in Pyrrole Red (1 oz), Recollections Tinsel Glitter in Cherry, A vintage Old Maid playing card (Little Miss Muffet), a few red paint chips and a vintage Golden Dictionary page featuring the word "red." Lastly, you'll find a sprinkling of red and iridescent Swarovski crystals}

And what is next week's color?

PURPLE

(Monday July 25 - Sunday July 31st)

"But, luckily, he kept his wits and his Purple crayon."

- from Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)

Will there be a bonus challenge with Purple?

Um. Hum. And let's be honest: this one's really for me ;) Should you like to give it a go, your Bonus! challenge for Purple week is to bring on the sparkle and shine . . . You may use anything that would stop a deer in it's tracks . . . fine glitter, chunky glitter, glass glitter, crystals, beads, shiny discarded embellishments (like the flip flop above ;), glass holiday ornaments . . . I could go on . . . you get the picture . . . 

Have fun!

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color - PINK

"Seek Joy"

8 x 10 Watercolor Journal page

This page was inspired by the following quote:

"If we were talking to you on your first day here we would say, 'Welcome to planet Earth. There is nothing that you cannot be or do or have. And your work here - your lifetime career - is to seek joy'."

- Abraham

You continue to amaze me . . .

Just two weeks into color prompts and The Summer of Color has already proven to be an incredible journey. Your Green work was beautiful, diverse and so obviously created from the heart. Thank you for your comments to one another, your dedication to the project and the enthusiasm and passion you bring to your work. I love the community we're building here and am honored that so many of us are sharing it together. 

Have you checked out our Flickr?

I must say, it is really impressive! At last count, there were 100 pictures in our gallery and it continues to grow daily. If you haven't added your work to the Flickr pool yet, I highly encourage you to do so. I love seeing our work in one place and I'd be thrilled if we were all represented. If you have any questions about Flickr, please feel free to go here. For more Summer of Color community and connection, check our our Facebook page. It's quickly becoming my favorite new hangout . . .

Drumroll please . . .

The winner of last week's Green Giveaway (pictured in the post below) is . . .

YOU

Please email me your address and I'll get your Green goodies right out!

Now, on to PINK week!

I'm thrilled to hear that many of us are already excited about this one. If you haven't joined The Summer of Color and have been wanting to, now's a perfect time to start. Judging from your reactions, I can already tell that it's gonna be a great week. . . As of Monday the 27th through Sunday July 3rd, you may link your artwork inspired by the color Pink in the widget below. This week's Bonus! challenge is to in some way incorporate wax into your work. In summary, (A) please link your work in the widget below so that others can find you, (B) leave one comment if you created a Pink piece and (C) leave two comments if you completed the Bonus! challenge. Good Luck! 

And what is this week's pretty in Pink giveaway?

Bazzill basics 8 page scrapbook in pink, several pink bingo papers, two vintage (written on and stamped) postcards from the 1920's, one vintage nursery-rhyme playing card, several pink "keep this coupon" tickets, Liquitex soft body acrylic paint, Hubba Bubba bubblegum ;) and a sprinkling of clear, iridescent and pink Swarovski crystals and beads.

And what is next week's color?

YELLOW

(Monday July 4th to Sunday July 10th)

"How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun."

-Vincent Van Gogh

"What a horrible thing yellow is."

- Edgar Degas

Is there a Bonus! challenge for Yellow week?

But of course! Next week - should you choose to accept it - your Bonus! challenge is to incorporate metallics into your work. Metallic ink, paints, leafing, embellishments or otherwise, the choice is yours.

Have Fun . . .

Kristin xo

MMM: Size Matters

"The World on a String"

24 x 30 Gallery-wrapped Canvas

Detail of dress and twine

Detail of Texture Paste on world & hill

Finished! And what a labor of love it was . . . This large 24 x 30 gallery-wrapped canvas will be presented as a gift to a brand-new baby tomorrow, and I'm hoping that it will live above her crib. I've been helping my friend decorate her nursery (it was started a couple of months ago without knowing the gender) and now that the beautiful baby has arrived, I'm hoping to pump up the girlie factor by adding some fun colors and feminine touches such as those in this piece, "The World on a String". . . 

Of course I'll show you the decorated nursery when it's complete (hint: it has bright white walls and a royal blue ceiling) but in the meantime, this painting will serve as my entry for this month's Mixed Media Monday prompt, Size Matters. 

In other blogging news, The House of Art launched today (I promised I'd tell you!) and my first video and article on "What is an Artist" is now online. Check it out when you can, I know that you'll love it there. . . 

Kristin xo

MMM: Memories

"Time Flies"

Altered pocket watch

I just returned from Art Unraveled and this week's Mixed Media Monday prompt, Memories, gave me the excuse to work with some of the techniques I learned while there. First of all, I was thrilled to have painted my first face! I took a wonderful class with mixed media artist Cynthia Anderson and by the end of the day, I had completed the little girl you see here. This will truly be a memorable image for me, and I was excited to use it in the piece above. . . .

I started with an empty pocket watch and a pair of wings that I bought at the vendor fair. The little face was made by reducing part of the original image (created on canvas) by 60% so that it would fit inside the watch. Once I got the size I wanted, I further enhanced the copy with paint, pencils and various pens before adhering it to the interior with matte gel. I then used more gel to add German glass glitter to the inside rim of the watch. I love knowing that this will tarnish with age while still providing a lot of sparkle. The exterior was distressed with some black ink and the wings were attached to the back the E6000. 

Thanks for letting me share my memory with you. I look forward to seeing what everyone does this week and encourage you to check out the giveaway on my sidebar if you have not already done so . . .

Kristin xo

MMM: Something Borrowed

"The Lollipop Tree"

8 x 10 gallery-wrapped canvas

                            

Detail of sides

Detail of top

This week's Mixed Media Monday prompt, Something Borrowed, asks us to create a piece of art using something borrowed - even if that means "borrowing" someone else's ideas! I love this concept as, let's be honest, most of us do our best to avoid comparisons with others. To be challenged to do the opposite was something I couldn't wait to try . . .

You may already see it, but in "The Lollipop Tree" above, I attempted to channel two artists that I greatly admire: Pam Garrison and Amy of Paper and Gluestix. They both create bold compositions, often using bright, cheerful colors to tell a story. In this piece, I tried to emulate the doodling and gallery-wrapped sides that Pam Garrison has been painting lately in addition to the whimsical lines and positive affirmations that Amy often uses.

This piece started life as a line drawing / experiment in doodling which was then washed with several layers of watered-down acrylic. I really didn't know what it was going to turn into when I started, but it seemed to develop into a large giving tree of sorts, with candy colors dripping from the sky and a plant grand enough to produce a crop of lollipops. The affirmation on the leaves states that "Life is Sweet." Other touches include a birdcage / chandelier in the top left and a "bird" (the flying heart) on the top right. In addition to several layers of acrylic, I also used colored pencils, a white China Marker, a ton of matte gel medium and a piece of imagery (that one's for me) from vintage Mother Goose. Finally, I  smudged charcoal over the entire piece (highlighting the brush marks) in order to give it depth and tone it down.

Thank you for your time! I'm eager to see what everyone does this week . . .

Kristin xo

MMM: Child's Play

"Preschool Collage"

12 x 16 Canvas Panel

This week's Mixed Media Monday challenge is to create a piece of art using the tools and techniques "that speak to your inner child." Not only did I love the excuse to play with some of my favorite supplies such as crayons and colored pencils, but I also used this opportunity to feature some of Kendra's preschool artwork. As you probably know, those little ones bring home a lot of stuff and although we have a wall in our home dedicated to her artwork, I wanted to do something more with some of my favorites . . .

I started with a 12 x 16 canvas which was covered in four panels (from a blank journal) that had been painted in bold colors and stamped (in relief). Next came more stamping, this time with black ink and various stamps, including the back of an eraser. I then lightly washed the whole piece with some watered-down paint before adding my collage elements from several pieces and copies of Kendra's artwork. Final touches came from smudged charcoal, crayon, pencils and plenty of glitter. It hangs from a satin ribbon and includes a few Swarovski crystal beads hung from wire on the top right.

Thank you for your time! I can't wait to see what all you kiddies did this week . . .

Kristin xo