Overwhelmed but a better artist for it

Wow, has it really been that long since my last post?  I don't really have any good reason why I haven't blogged, it is not because I haven't been creating art.  I just finished up a year long class with Juliette Crane, Serendipity, and really enjoyed being challenged each month, pics of some of the resulting art work are below.

Juliette is continuing the year long adventure with Serendipity 2, so if you are looking for a class that will keep you stretching your intuitive side you may want to consider it.

I also took a class with the wildy creative Micki Wilde called a Hermits Compendium.  It was a nice change in my normal art work and was all about imaginary creatures.  She shows how to change an ordinary art journal cover into something that looks like an antique magic book, here is a pic of my cover.  She encouraged us to make it our own by creating our own title.

Another online class I am taking is Jane Davenports Express Yourself and it is all about drawing faces with expression and how the subtle changes in features can relay different emotions.  I am learning lots of new techniques and really being challenged.  I altered a book and am using it for the class:

I also enjoyed a class by the talented Mindy Lacefield called Wild Surrender, all about giving into the creative flow.

Although all the classes were a great experience I have learned a good lesson, DO NOT take 4 online classes all at the same time!  At least for me, I need to dedicate myself to a class and not feel like I need to rush through a lesson so I can get to the next one.

I will be attending Lucky Star Art Camp again this year, in November, and cannot wait to experience this event, it is like nothing I have ever done, creating with artists, in person, who you have only known online, being immersed into all things creative, and surrounded my like minded women is so incredible.  If you get the chance to do something similar go for it, it will stay with you for a long, long time!

Thank you for reading!

Painting on Cardboard + New Stencils

I recently splurged on some new StencilGirl stencils, I had a 25% discount to use! Here are pics:

 I've been wanting a tree stencil for a while and I found the perfect one, it even has a sun/moon on it, couldn't wait to use it and the opportunity arose through a year long course I'm taking with artist Juliette Crane called Serendipity, check out the button on the right for information on this class.  Each month she has a new lesson showing her process from start to finish and then a few weeks later she will post a bonus lesson.  The Dec bonus lesson was painting on cardboard, which was so much fun and offered so much freedom, no worry that I might mess up a "canvas", so I brushed on some complimentary colors - purple, magenta, pink and then used shiva oil sticks in red and brown, dragging them across the cardboard horizontally, which gave some really great texture.

I let that dry and then started playing with the tree stencil, I decided I wanted it to be a moonlit forest scene and I ended up painting a face on the moon, inspired by Juliette's characters.  I used a stablio marks all pencil to outline the trees so it wouldn't look too much like I used a stencil.  Later I added the deer.

I am quite addicted to stencils, I'm a StencilGirl Club member and each month, for $25, I get three exclusive stencils, designed by one of the StencilGirl artists along with access to a video made by the design artist.  Each month there is a large one (9 x 11) and then two smaller ones, all coordinating together. Check out their website www.stencilgirl.com.  I like the versatility of stencils and the added texture and depth they can bring.

What have you done with stencils lately?

Lucky Star Art Camp Experience

A few weeks ago I attended my first ever art retreat/camp.  I was so excited when I registered, it was close to home (Hunt, Texas) and my favorite online instructor, Juliette Crane, was going to be teaching all day painting classes, how could I not go?  As the time finally approached, I started to get a little nervous about it, sharing a cabin with 3 other ladies who I would not know, sharing my art work with others (which is always a little scary), and just the overall fear of not fitting in.

I should not have worried, Lisa Hamlyn Field, the organizer of the event, thought of everything.  Even the cabin mates where thought out, I was in with 3 other ladies in my age group and we all really meshed - although our art interests were different.

The event wasn't all art, there was Yoga, gardening, canning, jewelry making, photography, how to write a book, quilting, crocheting, and more.  The venue couldn't have been better, Waldemar, a girls camp, is just beautiful with the Guadalupe River running right through it.  The food was awesome, I haven't had three square meals a day like that, ever.  I got to try paddle boarding for the first time, that was so much fun, and there were kayaks, canoes and paddle boats available as well as archery and horse back riding.

Each night there were key note speakers and I must say, I got a lot out of each one - from how to form a like minded small group of women to get feedback and explore creative ideas, the current state of our food system and what an individual can do to make an impact, or what it takes and how to dream big, to accepting/loving yourself through self portraiture/photos.  All good stuff.  At the end of day we sat around a huge campfire and were serenaded by Mandy Rowden, a local Austin singer/songwriter.

On the first day I thought, boy, 4 days of this is going to be too much, but by the end I was longing for more time there.  I recommend attending an event like this to everyone, just get away and off the "grid" for a while, it does so much good for the soul and reminds you how great female companionship can be.  The only thing that would have made the experience better is more time for more classes!

I don't take enough pictures, which is why I should have signed up for a photography class, but here are a few.  The venue was so beautiful.  In the collage below I've included a picture of the two canvases I painted with Juliette.

When Art Happens

Well it has been a while since I've posted, life, vacation, work......

I have started a year long course with Juilette Crane called Serendipity, check out the button on the sidebar.  The first months project was all about following your intuitive side, not over thinking things, which is hard for me to do when I'm creating, especially if I'm working on a canvas (in lieu of in my art journal).  I did the project 3 times, each time it got a little easier to let go and just create.  Then, this weekend, I was in my studio just creating some backgrounds and doodling, using up left over paint with stencils, cleaning up and reorganizing and that is when this bird showed up.

I found a mask I had made out of a pattern in a magazine and thought, why not!  Love it when art just falls into place. A good lesson that maybe rubbed off from Serendipity!

I will try loosening up like this more often.

Whimsy

Finding my whimsical style. My faces always looked too much like a fashion model. If i make the face round and the eyes big it is more whimsical looking. 

I had a background started in my art journal and started with that. After drawing in the character I did a white wash over the background which helped to bring the character forward. Here are before and after pics of that. 

I will keep fine tuning this style. 

Thanks for reading!  

For the love of Duke

The past 3 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for me.  Our dog, Duke has been sick and loosing weight.  We took him to the vet on July 9 and he was diagnosed with a bacteria infection and put on antibiotics, no improvement.  Back to the vet on July 18, more antibiotics, still no improvement.  Third visit to a different vet, who took an xray, found a mass pushing against his stomach, MRI revealed that his intestine was collapsing into the colon.  He is only 9 months old and tough as nails, we couldn't give up on him, so he had surgery yesterday and we are hoping for the best.

Lots of prayers were offered and I believe that is the only thing that kept him alive.  The vet couldn't believe he had survived 3 weeks in his condition. 

I am thankful for the advancement in veterinary medicine, for God's blessings, and that Duke has a chance.

Today I spent sometime in the studio, I had a art journal page that I had some background colors on that I really liked and had been saving (for who knows what), so I just started putting down some paint, then drawing in a figure and this praying girl showed up.  God is good.

I was also inspired by a print I purchased from Juliette Crane etsy shop  http://www.etsy.com/shop/juliettecrane.

Pets offer unconditional love and companionship, I cannot wait to get Duke home and watch him return to his old self.

Thanks for reading!

Whimsical face drawing w Jane Davenport

I bought the DVD by Jane Davenport available through Cloth Paper Scissors. Well worth every penny. Jane is a great teacher and takes the fear out of drawing a face. Here is my whimsical face, her nose is very long but I am happy with it overall.

I used col erase colored pencils, acrylic paint, tissue paper for background, distress ink for hair. 

If you want to learn to draw faces Jane's classes and DVD is the way to go.