Thursday, August 14, 2008

Friday, August 8, 2008

July...Seasons of the Heart.....


Wow, nearing the finish line. Of course, anything having to do with hearts is right up my alley. This piece again was influenced by recent events. Also, I am still totally under the spell of Illuminated Manuscripts, so I used that border and then added the rubber stamped woman, who is heart-broken, with a crystal tear falling from her eye. This piece just sort of intuitively came to the surface....and I left it simple, barely touched.

Lay Me Down...too!

Since the recent diagnosis of my husband's prostate cancer, everything has taken on a new significance or atleast my perspective has been altered. Stephanie's theme had me stumped for awhile, nothing was coming. (plus we have been in the midst of surgery, etc) Then all of the pieces came together as I created this little shrine using the back side of the canvas, like a box. In the center is a metal box or coffin, containing a small skeleton. On either side are images that represent the sun and the moon, man and woman, husband and wife....I guess the duality of nature, life and death. The phrase which comes from wedding vows seemed like the appropriate title.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Lay Me Down




I saw this one in my head long before I made it. Then I still had to make the elements, one of which is a linoleum carving I made of a woman who looks like me. I wrote a little song/note called "Song by me to get buried". It was fun and light hearted, not the heavy and somber attitude I used to associate with death. I applied it as a transfer under the pattern I created on acetate on the left.

All of these have been a stretch because I was not used to making a picture. Whether on canvas or board or paper, I just tried to do something different to experience a new thing. I am very happy to be part of this talented group. Now, what to do for the last two themes? I don't know yet...

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Lay Me Down


Most of my art is in my journals.  But recently several pages were published in a book and now I'm part of this group.  I'm coming out with my art just a little bit.  At first I was nervous, but it has been fun and a stretch, especially when I heard there were themes involved!  Project Eight is about 8 artists, 8 months, eight 8x8 pieces of art, all made 2008.  My birthday this year?
...08-08-08!

Seasons of the Heart


I will admit that this is the second time I painted this--the first was in my journal with big words, "I see pregnant people."  My son is about to be a daddy and my heart is full.  My favorite part is the belly!  

Animal Dreams


This theme was a real challenge.  I put off doing it until one day I just sat down with a 'what the heck' attitude and this emerged.  I like that once finished I had no idea what it was about.  A friend saw it and exclaimed, "Sheep counting people!"

Ancestor


This is Aunt Evelyn, my dad's mother's sister who died before I was born.  All I know about Evelyn is she drank a lot and never married! And that she was pretty and looked a bit like a flapper girl.  I have a pic of the family farm she lived in as a girl but it was too deteriorated to use in the background so I took the liberty of putting the picture of the lakeside resort that my great-grandparents on my maternal side of the family began in 1908 and was, sadly, sold last year. It isn't my thing to paint with the intention of a realistic rendering, but I've wanted to paint her for a while.  It does look like her a bit, huh!