Just delighted to return to my art journal with another creative journal challenge from the talented and generous Kimberly Kelly Santini.
While her gratitude bomb took a moon phases theme, mine came out on a completely different path. First writing the names of those whose presence in my life filled me with love, I completely filled the page with pencil writing. In fact it became so trance-like, I found mysel mirror writing….something I haven’t done in a long time.
Acutely aware of the passage of time as I face my 70th birthday in the summer, I am always intrigued by the progress of flowers. That first hint of a bud, the moment it blossoms fully and the slow fading and dropping of petals. Frankly it never occurred to me that there’s a very literal reference to “stop and smell the roses” message on this page until I finished it. Also broke out my flower of life stencil (one of my favorite sacred shapes) and added circular reference to our trips around the sun.
Grateful for much these days. Sometimes, when the world is falling apart around us, we need to center back and try our best to keep up our energy. Perhaps in order to pass it on to those in much greater need through whatever way we can.
Whew……..can’t even count the iterations this painting went through!
Start with a hummingbird painting I didn’t like…..
He didn’t talk to me. Experimenting after taking an Ardith Goodwin class, he felt like a big fat green worm, though I did like the little stained glass-like features.
As a gift to my artist self this year, I have joined Kimberly Kelly Santini’s Patreon group, and have been encouraged to think about my paintings a little more, before and during the paint slinging process.
So why did I want to paint a hummingbird? In my eyes, they are tiny but mighty, flying jewels with their iridescent feathers, darting aerials and fierce territorial tendencies. They can fly backwards!
Lately I have become fascinated with the connections we have with animals and birds. We believe they are messengers, we associate strengths with them, We feed them, we shoot them, we eat some, we try to protected others. All one complicated relationship
The idea of connecting animals and birds with man-made objects has been rattling heavily in my art journal. As my original painting involved a hummingbird, what I really wanted was some fluttering, some connection, some jewels.
Covering the original painting with blue, white and yellow, I scraped the paint across the surface with an old credit card, and added the main elements.
Maybe I should have stopped here?Loved the diamond at this point…but was I painting a diamond?Again, the diamond felt like the subject.Just too much of everything all the same value.Hmmmm…or hummer….getting closer.
Think I should have stopped somewhere around #2, before adding the second hummer. When I got to the fifth or sixth version, my husband came in and remarked that he missed my vibrant color palette.
Stopped me in my tracks. What was I doing? Was I trying to copy Kim Santini’s brilliant use of color, her subtle shifts in tones and saturations? That sure wasn’t working. It was monochromatic, couldn’t even see the hummers.
I’ve said it before and will reiterate….there is a thrill in failure. Nothing to lose by laying down the darkest, most intense blue in the background. While the painting feels overworked (that’s because it is) the concept is closer to what I wanted. And it is definitely speaks and portrays more of my creative voice. Rosalita (my muse) is happy enough to second that I should sign the painting.
Not finished with this subject or idea. I learned so much from this painting…and Kimberly Kelly Santini…… I need another go round, though I think this canvas has enough paint applied. There is so much more to learn.
The prompt from 64 Million Artists for Day 15 was “what do you wear.”
My gold scallop shell necklace! A recent gift, I have hardly left the house without it. Reminding me of the many blessings in my life, given with great love, sparkly and shining, and a perfect accessory for this Florida lifestyle.
During this challenge I have tried to work intuitively. My only requirement in responding to the prompt is that I include a bird, or bird shape. The rest I just wing. For those interested in winging it, here’s what happened.
Recently introduced to a free video available on Annie Hammond’s website, I started with collage in my Dina Wakley Media Journal. My collage involved reaching into a pile of scraps I keep and selecting some that gave me a little “zing”. They included piece of paper I had used as a palette that I ripped into a feather shape and a stretched out piece of hand wipe that had dried out.
Then I used some stencils and black and blue paint and some fabric texture medium….just because I had never used that before.
Next came some paint. What was leftover on my palette and some white and cream.
My beloved necklace came next. I hung it in front of me and went looking for a bird shape or silhouette. Nothing in mind, just trying to respond to what was on the page. I found what “zinged” in a sketch I had done on the beach.
And that’s when the assignment turned into a two page event. Those wings just had to spread out. Sorry I didn’t photograph the second page before it gained a wing. It was a mix of items from a Christmas show we had attended.
Once the bird was drawn, the necklace followed, and we certainly needed some gold paint bling to capture the sparkle.
And that’s the story behind “What I Wear” . If you’ve never tried to work intuitively, I’d strongly encourage you to give it a try. You might enjoy the “zing” of winging it. And you might be inspired to add some bling.
Getting a bit behind on the 64 Million Artist January Challenge. This is day 10, I chose the nature prompt. Our instructions were something beautiful, soft, spiky, human made, not green and a strong smell.
Thanks again to Reenie Ram for providing a fun reference photo, and allowing me to use it for reference.
Who’s the fairest of them all? My first thought when I read the prompt on day 9 in the January challenge from 64 Million Artists. And in the Florida birds that I get to see, my favorite is the Roseate Spoonbill.
Often mistaken for a Flamingo by non-bird watchers, these pink beauties are enough to make me stop the car and admire that splash of color. Pink, for me, symbolizes hope, and I always take a moment to renew my faith when I see them. A wonderful talisman.
Once again, using a reference photo from Reenie Ram, I allowed my intuition to just play. I drew the Roseate yesterday, but revisited the journal page this morning. It felt boring. So I asked my muse, Rosalita (yes, she has a name) to guide me. A mirror, some boxes, some alligator flag shapes. My green and pink colors for this year. When i felt done, I took a moment to observe what surfaced this morning.
Nature, boxes and squiggly lines. A good balance of soft and hard edges, a dash of unexpected with the mirror. As I look at my long “To Do” list this Monday morning, I am thinking this is a reminder to live this day a bit outside the box. Not a bad suggestion for any day!
Our prompt today from 64 Million Artists was about what access you have that allows you to function better in your everyday life.
Blessed that my handicaps at this point in life are limited to glasses and a few meds. That is not the case for so many.
Also blessed that I have access and permission to paint from my dear friend Reenie Ram’s beautiful wildlife photography. While my paintings are a loose representation of her stunning work, I am ever grateful to be afforded a glimpse into postures and details I’d have difficulty replicating with my old camera and cell phone. Thank you Reenie. See her reference photo for this piece below.
A rectangle, square, circle and two other shapes. Arrange them, embellish them, draw, pain, sew or tear. Today I chose Uniquely Me as my prompt from 64 Million Artists.
Experimenting with just painting, collaging and finding the answer in the art, I trusted my intuition, picking paper that called to me and playing with the shapes. Heading to my favorite photo sharing site, Paint My Photo, I wanted a flying bird and found a photo of silhouetted sandhill cranes that called to me. In looking at the piece, I felt the bottom right needed something added, so I repeated the bird, but made it smaller.
Always trust your intuition. When I finished I asked myself what about my page reminded me of my unique. The little silhouette of the smaller bird screamed my name. Always a little different, it shouted over it’s shoulder. I
Took a couple days to find my rhythm, but think I’m getting there. Of the three challenges for yesterday, I chose “what do I collect and why.”
Art supplies are the obvious answer, because there are never enough to satisfy the urge to experiment. It also occurs to me I collect birds. Not in real life, but my sightings are recorded on eBird. Which then becomes a journal in itself.
Art journaling….a never ending way to discover all sorts of things.
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