Despite Our Plans

Today is Thursday and again time to share with Sara over at Gitzen Girl what I've created this week. Although I've been working on a number of projects, the one I'm choosing to share happened quickly and without plan. Last weekend I thought I'd prepare a canvas while I was finishing my current piece. One way I like to add depth to my backgrounds is to add some black gesso in places without thinking too much about it. Once that layer is completely dry, I repeat the process with some Golden Titanium White and some Golden Titan Buff, allowing the canvas to dry completely between color application.

That said, the first coat, the black gesso, was drying on a canvas last Saturday when the Handsome Ginger and the Model stopped by. The Handsome Ginger stopped dead in his tracks in front of the drying canvas and declared it wonderful just as it was.


I disagreed strongly, explaining the plans I yet had for it. But, as usual, his opinion won out. As he stood there gazing at it, he did allow that I could throw a "sploosh" of blue and red ("primary colors only, thank you") across it. I lobbied for a dribble of yellow (primary, of course) as well. After the Professor and his visitors left the house, I set up a "throwing station" in the studio. Ringing the space with plastic, I had a lovely time making the final mess for him...


These days I truly love making messes, and this one now hangs happily in the their home. I called it Youth because it semed so certain of itself, so definitely black and white. Delightful how our creations take on personalities of their own despite of our well laid plans, isn't it?



How have you honored your own creative gift today? Go for it, my friend. You've got something in there just crying to be born!

Revisiting the Day the Music Died

At the beginning of the year, I shared a piece of art I put together from a broken guitar I found on one of my walks. It has been sitting in the studio since then, "cooking on the back burner." This week I finally decided to finish it. So after studying the background, I chose to paint the guitar its complementary color, a deep turquoise. Wish I'd taken a photo at that stage. I was so unhappy with the outcome of the color choice, however, that I left the room until I could figure out how to salvage the piece.

The Professor's response was gentle when I asked for his thoughts.
"I don't really like the color. Can't you tone it down somehow?"

How many times have I wanted to trash an entire piece? How often have I actually followed through with that desire? More times than I care to say. This time, however, the voice of wisdom ruled the day. I picked up a wide and relatively dry brush and covered the way-to-turquoise guitar with white paint. I'm thinking it's a keeper.



Go take a look at some of the other creative offerings over at Gitzen Girl.



What are you creating these days?

In Process

Thursday rolled around too quickly this week, so you might want to enjoy some of the finished projects the lovely people created over at...
Here is my offering for the week, an unfinished mixed-media piece entitled Surrender, inspired by my thoughts on the singular incident that radically altered Mary's life between a visit from an angel (that alone would set you on your ear!) and the welcome from her pregnant cousin. It began as a photo of a friend wrapped in a piece of fabric in my living room to get an idea where the folds of Mary's robe might be


With that trusty reference on my computer screen, I loosely painted the placement of Mary. From there I affixed pieces of a crumpled paper bag in the general shape of the robe. What followed was a couple of hours with various sized brushes, some Golden Ultramarine and Titanium White acrylic paint. A lovely afternoon passed, I must admit. Here is the outcome...



And a close up of Mary's face...


The finished painting (soon, I promise) will be the visual half of a visual-verbal collaborative piece slated to hang in the Fireside Room of Hilcrest Chapel in Bellingham, WA in the RU4ME Art Exhibit during the month of December 2010. My co-collaborator is gifted writer, Christin Taylor, who will add her written response to the finished work. I am truly honored to work with this gifted woman and anticipate her response with excitement. If you are up near Bellingham, plan to come see the finished piece.

What are you working on these days?

Body Image Blocks

This past week I finished a project for my friend, the Psychologist. Her work in the area of one's unhealthy relationships with one’s own body and food is inspired. She takes a strongly sane position between the "Fat is fab, eat it if you see it" ladies and the "Strut your skeleton, starve yourself" girls. She's created a body of research on the subject that is remarkable. I thought I'd heard it all, but after 15 minutes listening to her input on the topic, I was surprised to have learned a few things. (Did you know, for instance, that every cell in the body is renewed in a year? So, who do I want to be next year?) I've put attending her Clean Eating Class on my Bucket list. Wise beyond her years, she is a knowledgeable and a caring therapist. (And she'll blush if she reads this.)

My task was to decorate some Jenga blocks with statements regarding body image. She called them cognitive disconnects, I believe. Her plan is to use them in a game she has created for her Body Image Workshop. Sadly, many of these statements have been my foundational truths. But as I carefully chose lettering, color and design for each individual block, I also had plenty of time to meditate, often squirming with discomfort I might add, on the statement.



As misery loves company, I thought I'd share a couple of them with you:








Bunk, wouldn't you say?

What have you created this week?

Surprising Response

Hope you missed me last week. I'd like to say that I just got busy, but that is not entirely truthful. I did work on some creative projects, but they were either unfinished by last Thursday or fall into the "Hush'Hush" category for one of you.

This week, however, has been thrillingly creative. New projects are brewing in a variety of media. My sister proposed interesting project involving silk and color and design. A new friend, Flame-lighter, shared a free write begging for a slide-show. Another friend, the Counselor, gave me some wooden block to adorn with truth and lies. Mother Mary, the Poetess, has partnered with me to create a children's book. All these projects have served to give my eyes new sparkle and put the bounce back in my step. Thank you all and I'll keep you posted.

On top of all this, I am reading a book by somatic psychologist, Christine Caldwell, entitled Getting Our Bodies Back which has been thought provoking. And no, it is not about getting rid of that "baby weight." This book seems to be the inspiration for this week's You Create project. After reading a chapter the other morning, I pulled out my crayons and journal and began to play a bit. The following image is one of the surprising results(surprising because I have never done anything remotely resembling this). No abstraction here...


Reminds me of a toned-down Matisse done in wax crayon.

What have you created today?

Two Week Project

Again, thank you Sara for inspiring my creative Thursday. New habits grow slowly, but surely. If you're considering beginning a new creative habit, check this out...


Since the Professor is on vacation right now, my usual slow and solitary pace has kicked into overdrive. We decided to remain at home while he created a bookcase wall for his ever-growing library. During this project, the contents of his office are being stored in the living room. I don't do chaos well; I should have taken a trip...

Anyway, enough whining. I'd been working on a couple of small art boards (watercolor pencils on a stamped image on gessoed matte board) while away with my girlfriends a couple of weeks ago and finally decided to use them for the covers of a journal (a belated birthday gift) for my friend, Ms. Jazzercise. So I got out my handy tool...


Cut pages to size and punched them...


In the process of binding the covers I smashed the pointer finger of my left hand, requiring ice. Yaa-owch!!


I was pleased with the outcome and have decided to let "Ms. J." determine the front cover..


But I'm tending toward this one...



Hope you have a lovely Thursday, doing something that gives you joy.
Blessings...