It's not unusual...

...for me to occasionally dabble in landscape-type paintings when requested.

My Aunt Bonnie, like me, loves the sea (I'm certain it's a hereditary thing).  One of the main things she loves: Lighthouses.  Aunt Bonnie = Lighthouses...always has.  She asked me to make her a lighthouse picture a few weeks ago, so I did a watercolor sketch and sent it to her...and forgot to sign it.  She's a sweet stickler for things like that and demanded I make her another, SIGNED this time.  I did, except this time 'round, I used acrylics.

The idea of making tapestries has been really intriguing to me lately so I decided to experiment using canvas.  My intention is to slide a dowel rod through the top (replacing that nightmare thing I have in there right now) but keeping the idea of hemp twine wrapped around the edges and used as a way of hanging the painting (plus I think she'll like the rope look combined with the painting).  And, yes, it's signed! :)


{tags art, painting, acrylics, ocean, tapestry, canvas, twine, aunt, lighthouse, sea, seascape]

New body baby...

New body as in body of work.  I'm not sure where I'm going with it, but I have found that I'm very attracted to poppies. Symbolically they are of great interest to me - anything that is tied to dreams is bound to pique my interest (or obsession).  I've also noticed that the use of poppies seems to soften things up a bit for those that are turned off by my work.

I stayed with my Grandmother a lot when I was a little girl and among the variety of flowers she had (has) were poppies. They surrounded the base of 2 oak trees that I played on and around.  I loved the colors - bright bloody red, sometimes tinted orange and the petals seemed so vulnerable.  We sold fake poppies made by Veterans to support the American Legion. The fake poppy petals were more resilient than the real ones and I always wondered why poppies were chosen for that specific purpose.  I'm sure I knew I one time, but I can't think of it right now.

Knowing the different things poppies represent I was hesitant to use them in my work, considering the subject matter, but hopefully it will be taken as something positive, whatever the interpretation.  One constant running theme with me: I mean no harm.

[tags art, drawing, painting, watercolor, poppy, poppies, symbology, dreams, morpheus, veterans, childhood, memories]

Illustration Friday: Lost

I'll be honest: this was not made for this week's Illustration Friday theme, but I think it fits very well.  The word is "Lost" and the painting ("Lost and Found") matches.  This painting (6 in. x 9 in. with 1 inch border) was made a couple of weeks ago using watercolors.  As usual, it contains bits of my own self image, the idea of loss, and even the eventual celebration of what loss can illuminate.


[tags art, drawing, painting, illustration, nude, figure, desert, sun, loss, hope, fear, body]

Illustration Friday: Suspend

I like the word "suspend" and the many images that could be associated with it.

In November of last year I drew a similar picture while in a hospital waiting room. The idea of being suspended by a thread passing through the navel intrigued me. Sort of the second tie to life, with the umbilical cord being the first. However, once this tie is cut, it's over...or the end of this is followed by the beginning of a new life, depending on your beliefs.

This time 'round I drew a above the suspended body, with the thread wrapped around the little finger.

[tags life, art, drawing, colored pencil, birth, death, suspend, string, hanging]

Illustration Friday: Refresh

With one day left, I jumped on it.

If you would just stop touching it...

"You" being "me" and "it" being my blog (and me...depending).  I turned 32 the other day (July 2nd) and I still haven't learned that things will be less irritating if I leave them alone.  This goes along the lines of "things become complicated when you forget about their simple, individual parts" or "...the little scratch on the roof of your mouth that would heal if only you could stop tonguing it".

As I wrote in my last post from June-freaking-13th (nearly a month ago!), I created a self-hosted WP blog at a subdirectory at ItDoesArt.com and was trying to decide if I was going to keep this one and that one, or ditch this one, blah blah blah.  Overcomplicated.  Just...overcomplicated.  I like this blog.  I like you guys/gals that subscribe to it, and comment and what not.  That other one was far too much of a pain in the ass for what I wanted it to be.  Which was (get ready) a BLOG.  It was slow.  Posting to it was a nightmare.  Really, there wasn't any major benefit considering...  I get why people do the whole self-hosted thing and it makes total sense for them.  For me...not so much.

So, like most things I repeatedly attempt/redo/reorganize/overthink, I'm simply going to use this lovely one and nothing more.  The rest is unnecessary.  My site is still accessible from this blog, just as this blog is still accessible from my site.  It's just much faster and less complicated.

As I've been writing this, fireworks are being set off outside and it's really pulling my attention away.  I'm going to go hunt them down (I'm not sure which direction they're in and the trees block most views) and admire them.  Happy 4th.

Moving the blog...

Your thoughts? I finally have the <a href="http://www.itdoesart.com/blog">ItDoesArt.com/blog</a> set up, working, and all that tasty goodness. Even though that blog is active, I'm still trying to figure out if I keep updating this one along with that one, or do we all shift over? I appreciate (REALLY appreciate) everyone that follows my blog and I would like to maintain those people, but I'm not sure how to go about it, other than keeping this one active! Perhaps updating this blog with links to new posts on the self-hosted blog?

Or, maybe I'm just over-thinking this whole deal, which is entirely likely as I tend to do that all.the.time. :)

Offer your thoughts if you're up for it!