A colorful mask: Art & Soul project

The left eye has a mirror behind it and behind the right eye is a dangling light bulb. The copper plate on the nose says "Journey." The eyebrows are made from a broken necklace I found at a thrift shop. She also has fiber eyelashes.

Art & Soul sent me this papier mache mask as an optional project to bring to the Kansas City retreat next month. I wasn't sure if I could complete this, but once I got started, I couldn't stop.

They will display everyone's masks and I have the option to put mine up for sale or not, so I'll be thinking about whether to do that and how much I would charge for this (I have no idea!). My  husband didn't want me to sell it because he wants it, then he said if I sold it, I could just make him another one, LOL.

Little chunky book necklace

 

Made this cute little necklace at my friend Jo's house a few weeks back.

"Green for a Day" ATCs

A selection of ATCs I finished last week to trade with my art group this month.

LOVE: My February canvas

Oops, I'm a little late posting this, as I just took this February canvas off my wall and put up my new March canvas (wait until you that one). Better late than never! As some of you might recall, I've decided to make a new canvas for every month of the year. By time this year is through, I'll have, hopefully, monthly changeable art that captures the season, the holiday or the sentiment for the month.

For February, obviously, I was going for a "love" theme. The whole idea came about after creating a neat fall-themed canvas in a workshop and thinking, Why not do one for every month? And also because over the past year I've gotten to the point where I like hanging up and keeping my own art. In the past, I always made things to give away, or for a specific person or event. I really never kept anything I made. But I've grown much more comfortable and confident with my style and my husband loves it, so why not?

These are 12 x 12 canvases, mixed media, acrylics.

 

 

 

Fun with Paperclay

Wanted to try a little 3D sculpting with my small stash of Paperclay. I really enjoyed this. Need to take a class from the talented Sunny Carvalho to hone my skills, but what fun! This puzzle piece is for a puzzle swap with my art group. Her theme was, of course, "Alice in Wonderland."

More puzzle fun!

I finally got around to working on the myriad puzzle pieces from my art group. Here are a handful I've completed in the past week or so. The puzzle pieces go back to the owners after I finish my artwork on them. The themes are written on the back of each puzzle piece, as chosen by the various puzzle owners. Can you guess what the themes are based on my work? :)

 The silhouettes, above, are painted using black acrylic.

Altered Pages: Beauty part II (again)

Sorry for the repost -- I ended up doing a little more work on this page and I liked it better, so wanted to represent the finished version. :)

Another spread I did in my friend's altered book with the theme "beauty."

 

Altered pages: Beauty

My two-page spread in a friend's altered book. Her book's theme is "Beauty." My altered art group decided to do an altered book round robin this year, among other things, so this is the first of, hopefully, several altered pages in various books.

Winter Whimsey: Painting with my husband

What a blessing! My dear husband sat down with me to paint tonight, going step-by-step with me through Christy Tomlinson's fun class "Winter Whimsey." His canvas, the snowman, turned out just delightful! I painted a "She-Art" girl on mine. 5x7" canvases, mixed media.

Christmas 2012 ornament

Better late than never! I forgot to post this in December. I made this ornament to swap with someone in my art group. The paper on the background is from a late 1800s hymnal and the girl is handpainted by me. The opposite side has the world "Joy" on it and the sides sport snowflake rub-ons.

Waiting at the door: Girl with cat

This is a piece I painted for an art friend for an altered item challenge. When she gave this to me, it was a two-part blond-wood picture frame with a $2.99 price tag on the back from a dollar store. I removed the glass, painted the girl and cat on the wood panel and then altered the outside frame with a knob and other embellishments to look like a door. Here are two pictures: the panel canvas and the finished frame. Hope she enjoys it!

                                

"Winter": a monthly themed canvas

Here is the second in a series of themed canvases I want to make for my wall so I have one to change out for each month of the year. After working on this inter...mittently for a week or two, I completed it tonight. This is called "Winter."

My first themed canvas, which gave me the idea in the first place, was a Fall piece I did in a workshop in October. I've thought about doing this ever since. This is a 12x12" canvas: collaged, painted, embellished, etc. I hope I can keep up!

 

 

(CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTOS)

 



 

Summer ATCs (I'm catching up with posts!)

Wow, I've been very bad at posting stuff for a few months. Yeesh! Here are a couple of ATCs from July:

Painting with acrylics is a huge love for me and I find myself doing that more and more in my work, including ATCs.

No heart without ART



A new piece I finished tonight, a 3D assemblage featuring a PaperClay heart on an altered background and mat, 8x10. Thinking about selling this piece, which is a new direction for me. Let me know what you think!

 

 

Oh Glorious Summer

A little 5x7 canvas I put together this evening in celebration of summer. I also wanted to try some texture medium (in this case, crackle texture medium by DecoArt).

Angel Board Workshop

I have such talented friends!

Here are some of the (nearly) finished boards my talented art friends made Saturday at a workshop I taught in my home. I'm so glad my friends let me "try out" the class on them before I teach it again in September! They did such a beautiful job.

Angel Baby

 

My original angel board (sans wings), from a wonderful class taught by Golda Rader at the SDP 2012 conference. She's tall: 32"x11.25" on shelf board.

Sisters ... forever friends

This piece is very special to me, as it is my first commissioned artwork, and it was such a rewarding and humbling experience.

Mixed media, acrylics on a 16x20 stretched canvas. Sides sealed using washi tape and gel medium.