Justbeans

In my room...

2012-02-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

You know that Beach Boy's song, In My Room...that kept rolling in my head as I was taking the picture of this canvas. It is a WIP. I am feeling uninspired still but I want to draw and try to paint even though I feel this way. Maybe a spark will ignite (yay)!

This is a 16" x 20" wrapped canvas. It is a painting over collaged cloth, old text and music sheets. I saw a photo of Meryl Streep taken from The French Lieutenant's Woman. I have always loved that movie! I was playing around with my camera and somehow got that date in there, the date isn't even right. Now I have to figure out how to get it out! I have no idea where my camera operations booklet is!

LET ME IN! A Cat Tale...

2012-01-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

I had to put an old easel in front of the window screen on the right (out of view), if you don't let Circe in right away she'll jump to the screen and hang on it until you open the door. So far the easel is working and she hasn't been able to do that for quite some time! She use to jump onto the kitchen window screen if she saw you there at the sink washing dishes or looking out the window. I finally got smart and used the spray hose attached to the sink to make her stop. She is one determined cat Miss Circe is!

Today, wet on wet...

2012-01-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

Today I want to paint but I don't want to paint, so I dropped wet watercolor onto wet paper. Just playing today. In a strange mood. Why do moods have to interfere with what you think you want to do? I feel like half my head has a rock in it, the other half is light as air! Balance, where is the balance. Just talking here.

Finished!

Ok, from the last post to this...

2012-01-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

I used some fairly recent paintings I did in old books while playing around and collaged them onto that page I ended up with after covering the last attempt I did, with several layers of papers. I like this much better. I used stencils, watercolor, oil pastel and Stabilo black pencil.

Now that is a little better!

2012-01-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

From this...

to this...

to this! Now what? LOL! Make another one!

Ok, is this really going anywhere?

2011-12-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes! Here I am once again trying to get the creative mojo going so I sketched, didn't quite like it, gessoed over the sketch...hmmm, rubbed some slate gray oil pastel over a template on the face. Brought out my pencil and sketched a few more lines. Sprayed with workable fixative. Now what? Still playing, better than becoming comatose with the tv. Ok, I will be patient with myself for a change or maybe a moment.

Winter's Solstice WIP

2011-12-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

Watercolor, pencil...so far. This is from my drawing on last post. Lot's to do with this, I am just playing, just that kind of day. Am enjoying the peace! Now they are finished! With added ink, watercolor, stencil, graphite. A playful weekend!

One cold and dark December evening...

2011-12-22T04:09:00.000-08:00

Just piddleling away. Can't sleep, this is so relaxing. Still more to do on these but I love the fact that I did them in the first place. I am trying to get back some momentum.

Not feeling very motivated lately but here is a picture of Fwed.

2011-12-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

above before crop, below after crop

Thank you Julie for making this a close up, I love it!

He appears to be guarding his territory on his very own fence post! I have said before in case you are curious, I have named him Fwed because he has a bit of an overbite and if you could see him up close and if he could talk human he was say his name is Fwed not Fred, definitely Fwed! What more can I say! He is a funny cat, he has his own fishing pole with a toy mouse on the end and he drags it all over the house. Upstairs, downstairs and when he is finished playing with it it ends up in Circe's food bowl. I guess he is making a statement? Sometimes I go to bed really late and wake up with that fishing pole in the middle of the hallway. Sometimes I find it in my bed when I wake up and sometimes you can see he attempted to get into my bed with it! I suppose he gets playful in the middle of the night hoping someone will play with him. He also likes to play fetch like a dog when you toss it.

Wet lace and graphite...

2011-11-28T04:30:00.000-08:00

Burning the midnight oil. It is now 4:28 a.m. pst. Had to draw. I played with wet lace and graphite pencil. Here is the result for tonight...it started out as a study of shadow and light. Wish I could take credit for the subject!

Something new, mixed media...

2011-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

A few months back Jane DesRosier posted some beautiful art by Margaret McDonald MacIntosh. I fell in love with it. I love Art Nouveau! This painting is collage and acrylic paint. I think I will add beeswax to it to finish it. I had started this as a painting on canvas board but lost interest and picked it up again after taking Sharon Tomlinson's Faces and Collage class.

I don't know why after I fix my picture in Picasa they still come out as if I didn't do anything to correct the centering etc.!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful TG day...we did! It is really hard to celebrate when so many are hurting! But we do donate to food banks as well as buying food bags at the market to donate. I just wish there was more I could do!

Remember this ugly piece?

2011-11-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

From early last month...it was pretty unforgettable but bothered me to no end. I have been working on it and reworking it, this is the so far...

Sometimes you just need to do it...get in there a PLAY!

2011-10-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

No matter what happens. I find that right now collage is filling that interest to play. I am looking at magazines differently. I am looking for patterns more than fashion. I have never been interested in fashion (maybe because my body really can't carry it off very well, oh well at least my body has been healthy for the most part)! I now look at pages of obscene jewelry and the background colors and the patterns on purses, etc. I think I want to pile up a page with collage and then paint the whole thing black and the sratch out till I can see what comes up from underneath. I know that is not a new idea but it is for me.

Just listed in my Etsy store (revised)

2011-10-03T17:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/83114874/ariel

fingers crossed! Thanks Zorana! I think I fixed it.

I googled the symbolism of the Peacock and found this!

"Peacocks usually represent immortality (ancients believed that peacock flesh did not decay after death) and resurrection (because peacocks renew their feathers annually)".

OK I have the Klimt bug...

2011-09-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here is my second Klimt inspired painting but this it is mine! Thank you Patricia for allowing me to sketch you from one of your photo's so long ago. I finally got inspired to do something with it! I love that original photo of you!

I am calling her Ariel and still have some tweaking to do to her.

The Gritty Jane/Klimt Challenge...

2011-09-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my entries...

Yes I said one of my entries. I am inspired! I have to say I really have learned to appreciate Klimt! This is done on a 9 1/2" x 11 1/2" 140 coldpressed watercolor paper using acrylics and wc crayons some ink. It was not easy by any means but I did learn alot from trying! I had wanted to make it a Klimt inspired painting but I can get anal especially when I am trying to figure things out. (Please don't tell me I am too hard on myself or being self critical I am just being honest!) Anyway, I came away wanting to do more and that is a good thing! I want to make them more my own but inspired! I just have to/want to keep trying! Why not! It is fun! Here is the link to Jane's blog if you'd like to see what this challenge is about!

A collage progression...Layered Impression Class with Katie Kendrick

2011-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

The first is a collage.

This second is with added paint.

The third one more paint and more collage. I love this class!

3rd drawing/painting/collage Joyously Becoming class....

2011-09-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Using oil pastels, gesso, graphite, watercolor crayon over a collaged telephone page. Now I know I cropped it without showing the bottom right and the bottom left of sketch book showing. This happened yesterday too. In Picasa after editing it does not show up. I then exported to my picture and it is showing up???? Oh well!

I am enjoying Joyously Becoming the online class with

2011-09-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Katie Kendrick.. This is the 2nd day.

I am finding it very freeing and fun! Every now and then it is a good idea for me to take an online class and I really admire Katie's artwork!

Still plodding along but at least the heaviness of August has left...

2011-09-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

for the most part that is!

This is an old leaf I am painting on...

A close up.

This is my attempt at playing with Klimpt on an 8" x 8" piece of water color paper. As I proceed it is looking kind of crappy but at least I am having fun with it. Don't think it is going well at all but I still want to finish it. I will post ugly or not.

WIP, watercolors and watercolor pencils...

2011-08-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have gone back to an old sketchbook that I had drawings in and left to go onto other things. I have to ask myself, why didn't I do this a couple of months ago. Going back over old drawings and start painting, drawing, stamping over them. I can't believe how meditating it is for me to just get lost in thinking about colors, mediums and playing! This was a pencil drawing I had started some time ago and since I love playing with watercolors I had decided to go for it. I kind of think this is finished but I won't really swear to that, we will see. I have a few more in this sketchbook that I am/have been tinkering with. Or maybe I am feeling the Mercury retrograde veil finally lifting! I sure hope so, what a drag retrograde can be!

Trying to get the spark back...

2011-08-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

Still plodding along! This has been an awful month so far, speaking for myself that is! I have been inspired to do some more journalling after seeing Milliande playing in her journal. My mind is and has been rather dull lately so can't think of much else to write. So here is to plodding along!

Creative Limbo is a B%&^*!

2011-08-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have been in a creative limbo for over a month and it is time to force myself to get out of it. This one feels like it could go on for quite awhile! I was inspired again by Lynne Hoppe and someone on her blog list, Michele Meister! Thank you both for that! I have been just making colors in old books, Lynne always inspires me with her art! Today I was inspired by Michele's choice of colors and so much more. Lynne is on my blog list and now I have added Michele Meister so I hope you check them both out if you haven't already. I tend to come into things late! So today I will Play!

An Interesting face to draw...

2011-06-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

This is a pencil drawing, or rather a rough drawing on brown textured paper of Alexandra (Alexandra is much prettier than this drawing) but she has such an interesting face. She gave me permission to use a photo she had on FB. I hope she doesn't mind my drawing! I love using colored pencil but it seems sometimes I don't have just the right color! I am definitely going to draw, maybe try to paint, but for sure draw again on different textured papers! This particular paper didn't allow me to blend very well. So I have to try again!

Still playing in my 4" x 6" journal and a WIP...

2011-06-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

The top one is work in progress...not sure where I will go with it but I am enjoying the process. Of course some needed distraction with the girly girl stuff. I love paper dolls, yes still, at my age! I have been cutting some out and pasting them onto papers just playing. I use to cut out the Mary Englebrite (spelling?) paper dolls from her magazine every now and then when I bought one. I then took my Xyron and adhered the cutouts onto magnet sheets and now I have a little collection. I keep thinking I will give these little magnetized dolls to some little girl someday but can't seem to part with them yet. I don't know why! Then there is my love for mermaids. Go figure. I have been playing around with ACEO's but haven't posted yet.

I feel like drawing!

2011-06-03T11:29:00.001-07:00

These were recently added in my little pocket journal, pencil, watercolor, stamp ink, patterned paper, MS butterflies, not much done for the day. But so enjoying the wonderful weather we are having, it is dream like weather. It is a little breezy right now and there are beautiful wispy clouds with blue sky. I hear the ice cream truck whistling by. So it is about time to make dinner (fish tacos) tonight and maybe more drawing for dessert!

A self portrait of me done in my mid to late 20's. I just found it I have to get my sketchbook out and some pencils and lose myself in the line and in my imagination!

Still waiting for my son to fix my blogger!

Look what caught Fwed's eye this afternoon....

2011-06-01T15:27:00.001-07:00

Blogger won't let me leave comments or read many that were left. I accidently found many comments left through the back door but I can't comment back! So thank you that left me comments since the last ones posted here! I know when my son comes by for my computer check up he might be able to enable it once again. I can't leave comments on many blogs nor can I sign in to some. Who knows. Anyway, these woodpeckers were really big! Fwed and I were upstairs looking through a dirty window. When the weather improves so will the view. It just isn't worth it with all the rain right now. Click on the picture to get a larger image.

The Challenge...

2011-05-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

The challenge was posted on Facebook...Gritty Jane's page to see what you could do with the top original painting by Rossetti. Here is my painting. If you have Facebook check out Gritty Jane and see what wonderful artwork others have interpretated from the original. It was a lot of fun! Thank you Jane for the challenge and putting me onto Rossetti!

Waving at Lynne Hoppe wherever you are!

2011-04-28T11:59:00.001-07:00

Got milk? I was practicing with some casien paint...love the smell of it! This was done in my pocket journal, inspiration, Lynne Hoppe of course!

My finished collage in Papers and Portraits class...and

2011-04-23T16:03:00.001-07:00

My finished class project, Words Can Hurt. Collage and acrylic paint on 11" x 14" canvas board.

Look at this wonderful Etsy order I bought from www.itsybitsyspill.etsy.com I ordered the pencil bag and it is absolutley well executed! She also sent me a wonderful print that I can't wait to frame! Magaly has a blog as well for those of you that don't know it is www.theitsybitsyspill.blogspot.com go visit!

Here is my WIP. I am signed up for Jane DesRosier's class...

2011-04-18T17:51:00.001-07:00

Portraits and Papers 2011. You can check out her site on my blog list below. It has been fun so far. I have so many "papers" like so many of you I am sure so this is a good way to use it. This is a collage and acrylic paint. I have to refine it a bit and I have some more things to do to it.

Well here are my keepsake folders I made for my Etsy shop.

2011-04-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

They were a lot of fun to make. They make great whimsical gifts with a purpose!

I have been busy with these fun projects...

2011-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is a drawing in an old sketchbook I rediscovered when I braved going down to my workshop in the cold constant rain yesterday.

This is how my project began and with an article/DIY in Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine, the last issue I believe or maybe it was January/Feb issue. This is a regular manilla folder (not really pink). It was folded and sewn and collage and stamped.

I made 5 more of these. I hope to get them into my Etsy shop. Obviously I have to get better photos!

I have also signed up for Jane DesRosier's new class Portraits and Paper Collage. I always enjoy and get so much from her classes. I hate to say it but she really does not charge enough for all you get from them! Here is her link

www.janedesrosier.blogspot.com

I have added tags to my etsy shop...

2011-03-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Theses are now in my Etsy shop...just click on store name http://www.etsy.com/shop/mystymeadows the photos, the main photo, is blurry and since I am not a graphic designer person, for the life of me I can't figure out how to make it better so if any of you out there can help I would very much appreciate it! This is why etsy frustrates me. Even with all the advice they give I can't get it to work. Every time I ask they refer me to their FAQ's. All of these tags are 6 1/2" x 3". I used images from my art and tried to make use of one face for many as you can see. There are only three that are different faces. Oh this was so much fun! I have to buy more tags! Do you think anyone would buy them in my Etsy store? I am so down on Etsy right now!

This weekend I found some stamps I had to have...

2011-03-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

They are called Doll Part Stamps by Characte Constructions. I had fun stamping them out. Gluing them together and adding glitter and puff paints and applying them to a piece of cardboard. I removed the top layer of cardboard to give an ocean effect and left the top part to paint a sky. It was fun what can I say.

Sometimes little things bring such peace!

2011-03-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

I started with an outline from an old page in an old poetry book. I cut it out.
I crossed out some of the words and came up with...hours are numbered, and the world retiring, the sun appears, astonished Art structures, stone by stone, the mad winds night-work. (Sorry I cut off the name of poet and can't find it to give credit!)

Some supplies...

And finished off with a pic on the left of it using my Pogo, hey, I bought it, might as well make use of it!

Got bit by the Modigliani bug....

2011-03-05T23:35:00.001-08:00

The top one was a colored pencil sketch that was ultimately painted in acrylics on canvas (2nd image). The bottom one is a colored pencil sketch and will be painted onto canvas soon. I have a few more of this type of pencil sketching that I am working on, kind of like a series. I am having so much fun and it is so relaxing to do right now. I am trying my best to stay away from FB, (the I could be doing something better with my time eater upper) as much as possible!

I am working on a portrait for someone but have come head long into a block!!! I guess I am so afraid of them not liking it I have froze up! I am working through it though. Isn't it ridiculous to put myself through this! I just need to go with the flow and breathe. What are these stupid invisible walls I put up that make me doubt and question myself!!!

I am going to start putting some paintings up on ebay soon. Forget Etsy!

The sun has been out and shining these past few days...

2011-02-20T07:32:00.001-08:00

Circe, almost catching a cat nap!

The moon the other night!

I have been journaling, it is so relaxing!

The sun is intoxicating! It has been cold and sometimes windy the skies are blue and beautiful!

I have straightened up one of my craft rooms and it feels good. The cats were so curious when they came in. They had to explore, especially Circe. Here is a picture of her in a sleepy mood.

Conversations with my self today! I was visiting Lynne Hoppe's blog...

2011-02-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

Lynne's blog always inspires and is fun to visit. I love the links and her experimentations. Well today I told myself damnit get on with it! You want to paint and play just do it! I am meant to do it! It is what I can do well enough to say so! It doesn't matter what the outcome is just do it! I have been collecting paints, pastels of all kinds, watercolors and journals now use them, fill them up! I am going back to my old WIP's and here is one you may remember it from an old post last year. Well, it is almost done and at the same time I am just drawing. It is the last one, the mixed media portrait of my mother from the 1940's. I am calling A Rose in the Garden. The others are playing with various tools, chalk pastels, watercolor, ink, pencil, etc. I have so many sketch books to fill and I intend to do it this year! It doesn't matter if I sell or not. I won't focus on that, it can be such a downer! Maybe someday I will find a person who can set up my Etsy and Ebay at a later date. We will see, right now it is just my year to concentrate on playing and improving and exploring!

Playing with Daniel Smith's new Watercolor Ground.

2011-02-05T12:44:00.001-08:00

I am not a watercolorist but I am learning to love the medium. I am fairly new to it. I put the DS Watercolor Ground onto cardboard and after 24 hours I sanded it a bit. It took the watercolor well, no seepage. I like the product so far, it doesn't feel like Gesso it is more chalk like! I have to try it in my journal I have a feeling it might work very well, I want to see if the copic pens will bleed through it. I haven't tried this medium on cloth or canvas yet but will soon. I found that the watercolor pencil blended well with water but they were even better when I had applied the pencil over a wash. Oh and it was fun to carve some grooves and watch the color follow them. Anyway, that was this mornings project, I just haven't felt like painting much lately.

Folk art!

2011-02-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

After going through my wood pile I came up with this for my Etsy shop. Inspired by Jane DesRosier's wood block doll from December, I believe it was. Mine is different but that is ok. I have more in the works. I can't tell you how much better in person these look. I have some of my other pieces lined up on a mantel and I love the look. I will have to get a picture soon to show you.

I am waiting for my watercolor ground from Daniel Smith to dry right now. I will let you know how it goes with some pics.

A new product...I have ordered this and will let you know.

2011-01-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

Go to danielsmith.com it is called watercolor ground you can see it with this link. The possibilites!!! I order some and can't wait to try it. I want to try it on cloth and canvas.

http://www.danielsmith.com/Item--i-284-055-001

Something else that is really interesting...

This year we will experience 4 unusual dates; 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11. NOW figure this out; take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year & see what you get!

My reminder to be grateful for the little things in life!

2011-01-21T14:25:00.001-08:00

I, like so many of us need a reminder to be thankful of/for the little blessings in life. I heard that humans are the only species on this planet that are aware of being or rather being aware of consciousness. I sometimes wonder about that, especially when I see a pod of porpoise or whales. Not to forget elephants either for that matter! They seem to always be in the moment and always happy to be alive. They just are. I suppose our human knack of making things complicated and getting so much in our own way is the difference. I have to strive to remember to be in the moment, to be aware of the experience of the moment. I had drawn the face on a tag a while ago but seeing Sarah Wallis's tag art on her blog (see my blog list, Circles of Rain, below) got me inspired so I had to finish it. I had prepped a journal page and put the two together so it is now my gratitude page. Now I am trying to remember where I put my other tags.

Eve in the Garden...

2011-01-16T20:31:00.001-08:00

I still have a few things to do with this painting but I wanted to see how it was coming along via uploading to computer. It really helps me, as I have said before, see how things are progressing. It is 11" x 14" x 3/4" wrapped canvas, acrylic paint, mixed media paints.

Playing with my Pogo pics...

2011-01-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

I just put my pogo pic in a bowl of hot tap water to see if I could pull away the top layer and get rid of all backing. Well all I could do was wipe some of the top layer away. The first thing I noticed when pic was in hot water it faded. Underneath, after I wiped away bits of film, is purpleish...I like it.

I had to add a new post as blogger would not let me (easily) add this to my last post. Blogger always seems to change. Frankly I find it harder to use than when I first started to blog! So this pogo pic is part of what I posted earlier today. You can see the original pogo pics, if you like, in the post below this one!

Pogo Printer fun!

2011-01-14T05:47:00.000-08:00

Well after some hairpulling and almost crying! I am just a nincompoop when it comes to anything technical even something simple but technical! The top page is from my Strathmore Journal (free) online class with Pam Carriker. The bottom are pogo printed pics of the before and after on a new (wip) journal page. Lynne Hoppe (link on my blog list) has for about a year (I believe) shown some of her Pogo prints in journals and when the Pogo price dropped she announced it on her blog so I bought one. Well I can see taking this little portable printer with you when you are traveling, even if only a short hike. If you have a journal with you and some pencils or traveling watercolor set it is very nice to have this small printer along just in case there is a picture you'd like to capture and stick right away into your journal. Thank you Lynne, especially after I figured out how to use this thing! Instructions are not clear enough for me...I also went to Youtube for instructions. I did figure it out finally by myself as you who follow me know I like to experiment....TG!

Ok now today will be a better day for me now that that is done!

Lynne Hoppe Always Inspires...

2011-01-09T01:09:00.001-08:00

I used a piece of muslin to blot my paint brushes. The top was the front and the back is was inspired by the blotches that seeped through from the front. I folded one end over and stitched it across and let it unravel as it would. I was also browsing through an old poetry book for words to use for future journalling and saw a part of this poem, "The Song of the Shirt" by Thomas Hood, from it came the inspiration for the rest of the piece. I have also been wanting to try to paste paper to cloth and the opportunity presented itself. I used Aquacolor watercolor crayons and Portfolio watersoluable oil pastels, a Staedler Triplus fine liner brown pen, a black Rapidograph fine point ink pen and gel medium. I may save this for a cloth journal or might attempt to sell the piece in my Etsy shop if someone else would like to use it in a cloth journal since I really don't care to sew and I can only see a cloth journal so far in the future and then again only maybe. I prefer the back piece rather than the front.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

2010-12-31T13:28:00.000-08:00

Now on sale in my Etsy Shop...just click on my store on the right side.

I just finished my Just for FUN mixed media painting. I used, papers, acrylic paint, watercolor, oil pastel on a 16" x 20" canvas.

Another WIP...

2010-12-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

I have always loved sketching horses as a young girl and haven't really done this in awhile. I have to use my imagination or old photos because I can't even go 100ft near them I am terribly allergic to these magnificent creatures! Here is my sketch for a painting I have in mind and can't wait to get it on canvas!

Playing through a mood....NOW IN MY ETSY SHOP!

2010-12-22T15:32:00.001-08:00

I was going to sew this in a journal but took Carrie's advice and mounted it. I collagedit onto an 8" x 8" x 1 1/4" canvas to which I applied some acrylic paint, etc. This is what saved my brain for today! It kept the seratonin flowin.

Monsoon day 5 WIP...

2010-12-14T15:05:00.001-08:00

The top photo is in my watercolor journal I got Fwed's eyes which was my objective besides keeping busy and creative. The bottom photo began from a blotted watercolor pad. I use my wc pad as a desk protector most times. The blotted background is Golden Q Adzo Gold. I then used walnut ink to create the outline of the cat and then added more watercolor and some white gel pen. I think I have capture Circe's (my cat companion)eyes. I may stop here. I have various projects lying around waiting for me to finish or not. So I guess I will just move onto something else.

We are having 3 days maybe 4 of monsoon here in the PNW!

2010-12-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

So here is one of my rainy day projects! I had a piece of muslin to which I added plaster cloth to and left it and rediscovered it. I got out my water color paints and painted a face (what else?) I then collaged decorative paper napkin over top. I have a ton of decorated paper napkins that I have to use up! So you will see this one in other projects. The muslin with plaster cloth is inspired by Lynne Hoppe. Her blog is on my blog list below if you'd like to see her work! I plan on stitching my piece into a journal! This was a fast project after the cloth dried.

I have also played with ACEO card making and have about 25 or so made up. I have been lazy about getting them together to take a picture of them but will soon (I think).

Snowed in and what to do? What else!

2010-11-23T19:23:00.001-08:00

Journal of course!

A WIP.

2010-11-18T15:34:00.001-08:00

Taking a break. I was playing with my paints and watercolor journal. I mixed some Golden Fluid Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold with some Titanium white just to apply as a background color. I realized I had too much paint and had to use it not waste it. So I have started a painting inspired by Alphonse Mucha," La Danse" so here is a sneak peak. It is funny but this is the first time I felt so free in painting. Maybe I am finally moving on beyond my self imposed limitations! I sure hope so! I am going to go make dinner now.

Finally finished.

I am painting but this is my diversion...

2010-11-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

drawing. I love whimsey! I don't know what it is about drawing that just makes me go somewhere else, I could draw for hours and hours! I find it very meditative. Painting intimidates me but a pencil and paper that is something else! I am not intimidated by the white blank paper but I am by a blank white canvas! Maybe it is because I have more control of a pencil rather than a paint brush...it may be one of those unanswerable questions for me. Anyway, just sharing my diversion. Hmmm, I have to try to draw a complete drawing with background and all...oh, oh, that intimidating feeling is creeping it's ugly head. I guess I answered my own question. Ok I will work on it!

I posted this to my Facebook page and am posting here too!

2010-11-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

This is what you do to your favorite wooden spoon if you have accidentally burnt it. You get your wood burning tool and turn the spoon into art!

Mermaids, mermaids, mermaids and a ...

2010-11-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

couple of hearts and a face pendant. Theses were handmade of earthenware clay which I fired and painted. They are wall pendants. I suppose you could really put them where ever you would want them. They could be hung from a rear view mirror if your State allows that sort of thing. The mermaids go up to approximately 2 1/2" to about 6" in length. The hearts are about 3" in length and 2" at the widest. The face pendant is 2" wide by 1 1/2" long. I think they are unusual and fun. I will have to take individual pictures for my Etsy shop. Please tell me what you think of them? Don't forget to click on the photo to get a larger view.

I have been playing in my art journal trying to fill it up...

2010-11-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

but I still have much to do before I paint the cover. I keep going back to redo old pages over the ones I am not quite satisfied with. These are new. The bottom one was done Halloween night. I was watching an old movie from 1966 on cable, "The Blood Queen" with Dennis Hopper and John Saxon. It was about a group of astronauts landing on Mars and the "Martians" (poor Mars and Martians what we do to them) gave them a green woman with these eyes! Yes it was so hokey and funny to watch. I do remember seeing this movie back then and those eyes gave me chills when they came into closeup. So here is my attempt at recreating those eyes.

Lynne Hoppe this is for you...

2010-10-24T10:05:00.001-07:00

It was you that said you have acute lip envy right? I hope so or I am going to be really embarassed!!!

I like to browse different magazines for hair and eye inspiration...I really like the mags with a different look. I found Zink magazine and saw this and thought of you Lynne! Hope you enjoy it!

Still working on my art journal pages...

2010-10-18T14:54:00.001-07:00

I have been working on this Moleskine art journal for over a year now. I still have about 20 or more pages to go as I do paint, draw, collage on both sides. Maybe I will glue a few pages together. I can't say how wonderfully peaceful it is for me to work on this little journal especially since I am waiting for my kiln to turn off. It helps me pass the time because I still have that little girl in me who loves Christmas and wants to hurry up and open my presents and this is only a bisque firing so far! I still have to paint and glaze and refire. I have painted in other journals along the way, they are incomplete but I have them to look forward to when this one is done. Who knows maybe I will incorporate some of those pages into this one. I try to draw or paint something everyday.

This is fun...

2010-10-10T10:31:00.001-07:00

I used Sheer Heaven, a manipulated printout, nail polish remover ( you are supposed to use Rubbing Alcohol but I had nail polish remover at hand), graphite pencil. The top one is just touched up with graphite pencil, I will do more to it. The second photo is the same but enhanced using Picasa to make adjustments in color tones. Having fun. More info about Sheer Heaven on

http://www.cre8it.com/ At cre8it.com there is a demo video it is also on youtube just enter Sheer Heaven in the search.

Sketching my day away...or not.

2010-10-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

I should be cleaning, putting things in there proper places and making more room but I just don't want to! TY E for buying me a new sketch book and some water soluable oil paints today, can't wait to try them out!

Thank you Ariel for allowing me to sketch you from computer photos. The one on the top is Ariel! I want to try to paint this but for now just having fun.

Yesterday I got some earth clay and made some bird beads and some other pendants, if they turn out well after firing and painting I will show you...probably in a couple of weeks.

But I do have to clean up my mess/messes!

Struggling to keep the muse alive...

2010-10-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know it is not good to start off with the negative but I am not happy with this one at all but still posted it. I think something in me is changing as far as creativity goes. I am leaning toward a direction finally but still can't quite get a grip on it. I like fantasy, I love surrealism! This little mermaid is a diversion to remain in the creative mindset. I need to draw, paint, make something everyday or it just dies in me. I can't bear to not be creative what else is there? So I have decided whether I like it or not I am posting it, kind of like a diary of artwork by me. Sounds self indulgent but that is what it is! This one is mixed media on wood. Please any comments will be great if you'd like to leave one or more. I am a big girl and would love critiques as well. I can only learn. The one on the left is just one I did for fun and to fill my art journal.

I can show it now...my first completed pendant.

2010-09-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Click on the images if you'd like a better view.

While attempting to get rid of things I came upon...

2010-09-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

My second polymer clay Fairie that was sculpted by me many years and years ago when I was still working a day job and dreaming of making art when I grew up. I also painted the rabbit and made a polymer vest for this carved rabbit. No, I didn't carve him I got him blank and naked, I painted and dressed him. I am trying to remember how I did the fairy wings I think I put wire and glitter inbetween some kind of contact paper and heat set it a bit and then drew with a micro pen the lines on the front side of wings. I made her dress out of antique lace to which I added tiny swarovski crystals. BTW, I never did clean out that drawer. I need to go downstairs and make some chains for my pendants and also I am working on my painting that I posted last. Ok, it is my intention to go downstairs and make chains. I think I can!

Remember this from an earlier post???

2010-09-22T14:19:00.001-07:00

She is getting a new face and a new do and maybe a new dress! I just couldn't live with it the way it was. It served it's purpose. Hope it turns out the wayI see her in my head!

Ta Da....finished this part!

2010-09-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well I forgot I have to put what I want shown first last! The top photo is of future pendants. The rest are waiting to be adorned. I will post again when that is accomplished. I have one completed but have promised it to someone and will show after she has received it. What an adventure this was! Oh the cussing, pain, etc. but it was worth it! I can only get better! Thank you Sharon Tomlinson and Deryn Mentock for a wonderful class!

A Carrie Fairy...from this to this...

2010-08-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

I was playing with a photo of Carrie Joy and I used a photo copy and acrylic paint, prismacolor pencil, inktense graphite and watercolor pencil, cheesecloth, gel medium, decorative napkin, black paint pen, oil pastel. Then I did a photo copy of it and played with it again. Just playing around. I wouldn't recommend the oil pastels unless they are water soluble, the gel medium just pealed it off. That is why I recopied it and played again minus oil pastel.

What I love about watercolors...

2010-08-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

Is when you mix some water with a color or two and you drop it onto paper and let it dry and out pops a face or wings or something. I love it then when I can coax something recognizable with colored pencil or oil pastels or paint and some magical creature appears!

I bought some shipping tags that seem to be made of a light cardboard and I was wondering what I would do with it when this came about after playing with my watercolor paint. I really like how this paper just absorbed the water and color.

A Change of Pace...

2010-08-19T15:09:00.001-07:00

These are some wooden book shaped boxes I have been working on. I have collaged and painted them. Inspired by Terra Sheridan! Terra's recycled/upcycled cigar box art is wonderful! Here is her blog

http://terrasheridan.blogspot.com

I haven't been feeling all that well lately, positional vertigo, so this project was a good way to put my paints, decorative napkins, and Mod Podge to good use. These boxes are 5" x 7" x 2" and they open toward you from the top like you were opening a book. I have a few more to paint. I had purchased these boxes a few years ago. I did one as a fairy tale box when you open it it has a fairy hiding under a leaf and a little poem. I have to find it and put it up to show. I may even put it in my Etsy store eventually.

I have signed myself up for Sharon Tomlinson's and Deryn Mentlock's new class Of Towers and Turrets at

www.allnorahsart.ning.com

I have been wanting to put my penciled face drawings into pendants and now I will be able to. I am looking forward to that class which starts next Friday, August 27th! It looks like a lot of fun but oh my all that money I got from selling my paintings and dolls is almost gone with all the supplies I had to get! But really that is ok since I have been wanting to do this for so long and now here is the opportunity and I have to take it! I know this class is more than worth it! Sorry, I can't bid on Carrie Joy's recent painting she has on ebay. Someday!

OMGosh what was I thinking?

2010-07-29T16:39:00.001-07:00

I haven't felt like painting and I was afraid I'd begin to fear painting again. I tend to do this to myself! I feel like I have to try to paint something whether I want to or not...so I hope J.W. Waterhouse isn't rolling in his grave over this one! I did it as a study, I did teach myself a thing or too so that was good! Anyway, I am posting it just to keep my blog going. I hope you don't mind! I am laughing here! Oh I see more that I need to do on this! I do love the computer for that reason, it is helpful to see things in a different light! Now for another one! I have a few going so that I keep some momentum.

Just finished Fairy Underglass

2010-07-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

just finished this one. I cut the stem off a wine glass and soldered the end and added wire with a charm. (I saw this done in Somerset Workshop, I can't remember the issue!) I made the fairy with paperclay and wire and yarn and various material for the vignette, I used a made in China praying mantis. She is holding a star wand and I made her wings from transparancy. Also various forest material and acrylic paint. The glass is glued down with Locktite...that stuff works really well but hard to get out of the little bottle unless you have strong hands to squeeze with! I am going to sell this in my Etsy store as soon as I adjust the size, etc. you know all that darn figuring out image sizes for Etsy! The worst part of Etsy for me!

Oh Fraptuous Day Cahloo Cahlay...

2010-07-25T11:13:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190423298215&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

I have sold 4 paintings and 5 dolls between eBay and Etsy! So far I am happy! I am posting the mixed media collage Kindoms Not of This World later and I have posted on ebay my Prescious Treasures framed acrylic painting. Fingers crossed I just hope someone falls in love with them and wants them!

Calling All Angels

2010-07-15T19:49:00.001-07:00

My first Angel. This is mixed media/collage on 6" x 12" wood panel. I had started this one a year ago and just finished it. I have not painted an Angel so when I looked at her face I thought she looked like an Angel to me so why not!

Sunny days and great temperature this week...YaY! Great Angel painting weather!

I have listed my Queen of Hearts doll SOLD on ebay, thank you buyer!

2010-07-11T19:45:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190417349861&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

I created this doll in Jane DesRosier's Cloth and Clay doll class last year. It was for the Heart Challenge. The body is cloth, Jane DesRosier's patter and I put mine on a wooden base with a dowel for support. Her crown is made of old text and her face, hair and hands are of paperclay. I used a crossword puzzle for her apron...love is a puzzle sometimes afterall! I did have her in my Etsy store with no sale so I thought I'd see what eBay will do for me! I have my Distracted Juggler in my Etsy store and if nothing happens with that I will try to sell it on eBay. I need to sell some of my many creations to make room for more...lol! I know a lot of you understand what I am saying!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

WIP's for a sunny day! Yay!

2010-07-06T17:34:00.001-07:00

This is taking Jane DesRosier's Table Leg Class to another level! These look great in the garden and I think I will see if my local nursery will let me take pictures of them in their flower beds. Will post more pictures later.

Two paintings listed tonight on eBay. SOLD Thank you buyers!

2010-07-05T18:10:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190414427987&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190414432194&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Wish me luck! Thank you!

Oh Happy day after the 4th!

2010-07-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

I am so happy the 4th is over! Don't misunderstand me the celebrations are great but I would rather they be in designated areas and not in our neighborhoods where we have 80' tall timbers all around us. Yes every 4th of July I am the one who prays for rain and lot's of it! There was one house fire yesterday afternoon a few blocks East of us, thank goodness it did not destroy their house as far as I can tell! I also thank God our neighbor across the street from us went somewhere else to celebrate this year because the last two years she had big parties, her men guests were letting off BOMBs, yes the illegal ones! (What is it about men and loud noise?) The men, her guests hid the illegal fireworks/bombs in their trucks! Everytime you'd see them digging in the corners of there trucks while sheepishly looking over their shoulder was the warning sign or tell "get ready for another BOMB and sure enough!" This year I took one and a half tranquilizers and slept through it all and it did rain...yay! Today I have a tranquilizer hangover so it is just a skethching and playing computer gamesand drinking strong coffee for me!

Here are two images for now, a pencil sketch, and one of Fwed trying to pretend he is an extension of my laptop keyboard so that I may touch him a little! (I see I need to work on my sketch some more.) Tonight I am putting two more paintings on ebay, will show you later.

I do hope the rest of you had a safe and fun 4th!

Sold on eBay...Thank you buyer!

2010-06-20T18:12:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190407555488

Dreamer

Wish me luck!

2010-06-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

Melisande pronounced meh-lis-anda.

The second photo is of Carrie Joy who allowed me to use her image in my painting.

Thank you Carrie Joy!

The first time I came across the name Melisande was when I saw a photo of a brooch made by, I believe, was Rene Lalique! I can’t remember, it was so long ago, but I did make a sketch of it which I will include as soon as I can find it. Mind you it is not exact, but you get the idea. I love Art Nouveau and I was browsing through a book on Art Nouveau jewelry, especially work by Lalique!

I was on Facebook one day and read a comment by a wonderful artist friend, Carrie Joy of Carrie Joy Art (see my blog list). She was commenting on how sad she felt for the wildlife impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. She said she felt bad for the people, but especially for the wildlife. I had wanted to paint another portrait and had asked Carrie Joy if I may use one of her photographs of herself that she had posted on her blog; she gave me permission. Hence the marriage of Melisande and Carrie Joy! Thank you Carrie Joy for allowing me to paint you in my fantasy portrait of Melisande.

Here is a quote from Debussy’s Opera of Pelleas et Melisande, 1902. “Act I. Scene I. In a forest. Golo while hunting has lost his way following a wild boar and came to a place unknown to him. There he sees a woman sitting by a spring. She acts like a figure in a fairy tale and behaves like a person stranger to and isolated from the world.

The story behind my painting of Melisande is that she was/is a Naiad, or Water Spirit, who came from the water world and lived in the lake where Golo spotted her. This is my response to the tragedy of the Gulf oil spill and to the wildlife, and the expression of compassion represented by the character Melisande (and Carrie Joy). It has been said that when you stop seeing the Naiads or Water Spirits the streams and waterways have dried up or have been destroyed.

SOLD ON EBAY...YAY! THANK YOU BUYER!

2010-06-13T20:03:00.001-07:00

I am on eBay now I think under Neenerbeans and don't know how to change that name to my real name. I am selling my Dryope mixed media painting. 16" x 20" x 1/2" canvas beginning tonight. You can see it here;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190404980959&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Dryope a Naiad (fresh water spirit). I have agreed with eBay to post listing on my facebook but haven't seen it yet and don't know how long that takes to get listed. This is all new to me so wish me luck! All and any suggestions on selling on eBay or how to list on eBay will be appreciated, I am not finding eBay all that easy to understand or how to make changes but in time hopefully I will. Everything has it's learning curve!

I have to share this photo my neighbor Jennifer took!

2010-06-12T13:47:00.001-07:00

My neighbor up the street, Jennifer took this photo of my cat Fwed in her front yard! When she sent it to my Facebook and asked me if this was my cat Fwed I gulped thinking, oh no he is in trouble now! But thank you Jennifer for seeing the humor and sharing this photo...a great picture I think! When I first got Fwed he immediately ran out the back door as soon as it was open and I thought he was gone forever he had only come to our home from the animal shelter for a few hours. I was really worried because a big wind storm was coming our way that night and since he was new to the area...well you know. I always thought now if I were a cat I would love to go to Jennifer's yard and I guess that is where he spent his first night home in the storm in her yard. Jennifer has wonderful trees and plants everywhere a virtual natural paradise any variet of bird, cat, raccoon, squirrel would love! I love it! Well as you can guess Fwed did come home the next day after the storm where I kept him inside the house for the next 6 months or more! But as you can see he is outside and loving it! Older and wiser he is! He also has a four o'clock curfew that he keeps!

Coming along bit by bit...

2010-06-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, it is my mother in her late 20's I believe, I will have to ask her later when this is finished. I wanted to approach this painting as if it was just any painting but that is not happening. I am putting things I remember in it like that look in her eyes. That "look" is not in her photo. I have seen this "look" many times when she seems to be looking far away like in a daydream. Or was it when she was seeing something far off and making judgements...well I won't go any further than that!

Ok, now I see I need to work on the left side of her face (my left that is).

I am stuck!

2010-06-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is a portrait I am working on of Rose...my mother. You can see from the original picture she is sitting on grass in a park. I can't for the life of me think of a background for the portrait. Of course it is a work in progress and maybe I need to take a break from it and the background will come.

As a child I was always more comfortable with using pencil or charcoal for my drawings. Color seems to intimidate me I am trying to get beyond that. It was tough going from black and white photo to color. I had to post it though, I always seem to get a better perspective when I view my artwork on my blog. Sometimes I wish I hadn't posted but it is good for me to do. I enjoy the critiques the suggestions, encouragement, comments!

Self portrait...does this count?

2010-06-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

I caught a glimpse of my face at the bottom of my coffee mug yesterday (a mug in a mug). I couldn't take a picture because if possible you would see a camera lens in the bottom of the mug instead. I had my husband take a picture of my hands holding the mug and then drew my face in...tada, a self portrait. This is in response to Gritty Jane's Self Portrait challenge!

This is what I did today...

2010-05-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

This is a result of Gritty Jane's challenge to do a self portrait...I can't do that so I made a portrait of Jane! I hope she likes it! It is a mixed media on a 11" x 14" canvas. See the picture of Jane's photo on her blog you can link from my blog list below.

More rain, more Naiads...

2010-05-26T15:55:00.001-07:00

More inspiration from John W. Waterhouse and his Naiads! This painting is Hylas and the Nymphs!

It is raining and yesterday I tried to organize my workshop and did fairly well with more work to do! Today the rains came once again and I didn't want to go out to the shed and organize I really want to paint today. In my process of straightening up I have put my paints away and had only my cheap little watercolor kit and my Prismacolor pencils at hand. This is my entry in today's Moleskine journal. I worked off a lousy print but that is no excuse for not getting the Naiad in the foreground right. In the painting (the Waterhouse one) her head is tilted more toward the viewer and you can just barely see her left cheekbone and the necessary shading in her hair etc. Oh well, I am not Waterhouse, darn! lol, I really enjoy the face in the background much more and I have an idea to use that face in something by itself! Thank you John Waterhouse! My study is in colored pencil, Inktense Graphite pencil and very inexpensive watercolor kit, very! Just have to post to see what I need to do to correct or maybe just move on. I love my Moleskine! Gees the Waterhouse print on the blog looks better than what I am using. Darn Kodak printer!!! oh well!

More zendoodling and art journal fun...

2010-05-20T07:18:00.001-07:00

A few things to add today! I have so many things going on that I seem to shut down mentally and physically, but, so what! If I could not do this I would be lost! I look for anything to keep the creativity flowing even if it is minimal and the zendooldling is really helping. I keep looking at the Hundertwasser images that Lynne Hoppe put me onto and it is so perfect for zendooling, zentangleing, zen anything! I have even got back into carving my own stamps, hence, the circles and flowers they will be fun to zendoodle around! Still working on my RODF journal but not getting too far but will show when it is finished. I am still working through my Pod Fae, I think I will be making my own arm and leg branches myself maybe using paperclay! At least they have Sculpey heads right now, one has hair.

Zendoodles and cat cuteness...

2010-05-14T08:17:00.001-07:00

The Zendoodle is done in Staedtler Lumocolor fine point pen and colored pencils on 6" x 6" Bristol Vellum. This was so relaxing to do I think I will start a journal of Zendoodles. This drawing pad is perfect to fit in my purse I can take it anywhere to doodle and relax.

The second pic is of Circe and Fwed enjoying breakfast! I couldn't resist posting this!

I am still working on my "Pod Fae's" but I am on the search for just the right ingredients, twigs, fauna, etc. I am also working on a journal that has so many steps to it that it is overwhelming and so I am switching back and forth!

PODS, PODS and more PODS...and

2010-05-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

These are the pods my sister sent earlier this year. I think I will use sculpey for the faces and maybe hands and feet. I will try twigs for the arms and legs and maybe if it works out I will show them here. I may try using a porcelain head but the skin color looks off against the pod, I may have to try painting or staining the head to make a good match...we will see.

The snail came about after playing with Sculpey and PaperClay. I had to see what would happen if I used pencil on a pod but maybe I will add some more to it....oh darn I forgot to look for moss and lichen for the fairy clothes. Back to the workshops and/or hunting outdoors on the trails!

Lynne Hoppe got me interested in Hundertwasser so I had bought a calendar with so much wonderful art and colors! Thank Lynne!

Sun is still fleeting in Seattle!

2010-05-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

I think there is no chance of growing tomatoes this year but things are looking very verdant, very lush and I love that!

But I am keeping busy! Here are a few things I am playing with...two pencil drawings, one in my sketch book and the three heads in my Moleskine art journal.

I found some porcelain fairy heads I made a few years ago. I gave up on making fairies the arms kept breaking so I ended up with missmatched limbs. Now I am left with the just the heads and some torso's. (If you'd like to see some of the fairies that made it check out my Etsy shop, I have sold a few and they are precious. I have made them so that they hang on fishing line and look like they are flying.) My sister sent me some pods that she found on one of her walks and I think I may make a few fairies using the porcelain heads and or sculpey and they will be simple and cute. If they come out I will put them in my Etsy shop and cross my fingers! They will be a little smaller than the ones already there. These may end up being 3" tall, anyway that is how tall they are in my head right now!

May already...can you believe it?

I have to re post this pic...

2010-04-21T05:13:00.001-07:00

We've had some sunny days but yesterday was cool and gloomy and then it monsooned all night and still is so I have to post this picture of last Spring so that I remember "Yes Janine there is a thing called Spring!"

I have signed up for the Remains of the Day class and I have been gathering papers and sorting and also straitening things up. I am not a scrapbooker what was I thinking when the shopping channel has their craft day I get so tempted and now I have tons of paper this class gives me the opportunity to put these papers to good use! Maybe even give me more room to put more stuff into! I feel like I am an art supply hoarder! OMG, it sounds like the rain has slowed!

Shall I call her Dryope or Undine? This is long...

2010-04-01T17:31:00.001-07:00

Mixed media, collage, acrylics, micron pen on a 16" x 20" canvas

The Naiad was intimately connected to her body of water and her very existence seems to have depended on it. If a stream dried up, its Naiad expired. The waters over which Naiads presided were thought to be endowed with inspirational, medicinal, or prophetic powers. Whoever drank of these magical waters would be inspired, thus the Naiads were themselves considered prophetic and were frequently worshipped by the ancient Greeks in association with divinities of fertility and growth. Hence all persons in a state of rupture, such as madmen, poets, seers and prophets, were said to be caught by the Nymphs.
The genealogy of the Naiads varies according to geographic region and literary source. Naiads were either daughters of Zeus, daughters of various river gods, or simply part of the vast family of the Titan Oceanus. Like all the nymphs, the Naiads were in many ways female sex symbols of the ancient world and played the part of both the seduced and the seducer. Zeus in particular seems to have enjoyed the favors of countless Naiads and the other gods do not seem to have lagged far behind.

The Naiades (Naiades) were nymphs of bodies of fresh water and were one of the three main classes of water nymphs - the others being the Nereids (nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea) and the Oceanids (nymphs of the oceans). The Naiads presided over rivers, streams, brooks, springs, fountains, lakes, ponds, wells, and marshes.

The Naiads fell in love with and actively pursued mortals as well. Classical literature abounds with the stories of their love affairs with gods and men and with the tales of their resulting children.
A gorgeous nymph named Dryope and her sister Naiads of a spring in Bithynia (or Mysia) fell in love with a very handsome mortal named Hylas (squire and companion of Heracles) as he filled his pitcher from their spring. Dryope and her sisters begged Hylas to live with them in their underwater grotto, and lured him into their waters.
This put an end to his part of the voyage with Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece, and caused his best buddy Heracles to also leave the crew of the Argo and spend months searching for his pal. Some ancient sources claim that Hylas was transformed into an echo by the Naiads, and as Heracles boomed the name 'Hylas', it would echo back at him, nearly driving the hero nuts.

But not all Naiads were willing accomplices: Arethusa, a nymph of a spring, was a huntress with whom the river god Alpheus fell in love. Arethusa, unwilling to marry, crossed to the island Ortygia, and there turned from a woman to a spring to escape from her pursuer. But when she changed into a spring the river Alpheus quickly mingled with it his own waters, thus achieving his purpose.
Amalthea was a Naiad, and famous as a nurse of Zeus, when he was a baby being reared in Crete. Amalthea owned a horn which could supply food in abundance, in other words she possessed the original Horn of Plenty. (Other sources claim that she had been a goat or to have owned a she-goat who suckled Zeus, and from the goat's skin Zeus fashioned his fearsome Aegis, his protective shield.)
But Zeus wasn't always loving towards Nymphs: Lara, a Naiad daughter of the River God Almo, could not hold her tongue and reported to Hera that Zeus loved a mortal woman named Juturna. Zeus punished Lara for this by wrenching from her the indiscreet tongue, and told Hermes to take her to Hades as she was to become an infernal Nymph. In this way she became Tacita, The Silent Goddess (Dea Muta). Lara consorted with Hermes and gave birth to the Lares, twin brothers, who guard the crossroads and ever keep watch in the city.
Greek towns and cities were called after the names of Naiads. Lilaea, in Phocis, was named for Lilaea, the Naiad of the Cephissus River.
There is a reference in Homer's Odyssey to a cave, rather than a body of water, that is sacred to the Naiads. It might be assumed, therefore, that this cave in Ithaca may have contained a spring or have been the source of a stream or brook.

I got this info about naiads at http://thanasis.com/mythman/nymph.htm

A few WIPs...(works in progress)

2010-03-31T07:19:00.001-07:00

The top pic is pencil done on a muslin cloth. I purchased a 4" x 4" muslin journal from Lynne Hoppe www.lynnehoppe.blogspot.com and this extra piece of muslin was included in my order so I am playing with it. I see little eyes peeping out from the hair on the viewers right. I keep seeing eyes pop up in my little journal. I think she has more in her etsy shop just check out her site if interested. I love her blog she shares her techniques and many other things. It is fun to play!

I love the Naiad's that were so popular in the Art Nouveau movement. I am working on this one now. One of my favorite contemporary artists is Patricia Ariel http://mesmerizedbythesirens.blogspot.com her work really inspires me to explore deep inside and that is what I hope to do with this painting, we will see. There will be a story behind this one that I will share when painting is finished. I am really posting to see what it looks like from my computers view point and will make changes as it progresses. And I see that I need to make some changes now! This is only the early stages. I hope it turns out!

"In the Spring when things are green I'll try and tell you what I mean....

2010-03-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh,,,,Lewis Carroll thank you for those lines! These lines have always resonated with me. "In the Summer when days are long, perhaps you'll understand the song." I like to say "In the Spring when things are green, I'll try and show you what I mean." I am an artist I can show you better than I can tell you. These lines make me feel so nostalgic, I guess we all go through these periods. I have so few friends only because I was that shy child that felt things too deeply but couldn't express them very well. Too shy to speak up! I could almost cry if you looked at me and saw me. I liked to be invisible, I tried to be invisible. I think that it's is ok most times I love to be alone, I crave it but during these nostalgic times I want to reach out to those I knew, to those that were in my life. To those I hurt but didn't understand at the time I was hurting them because I was so into my head, so into my self absorbed little world where make believe was reality, at least it was a more appealing reality, really an escape. So now it is the time in my life when my eyes are opening and I am getting older and it is harder to escape and now I need to face myself mostly that these lines ring true..."In the Summer when days are long perhaps you'll understand the song." I feel I am beginning to understand the song.

It is raining here in the Seattle area and of course that always adds to the inner drama, the memories, the nostalgia. I need to remind myself to be in the moment so I am getting this out here and now so that I can be in the moment and get back to the many creative projects I have in mind. Some of which make me think of Lewis Carroll's lines in Alice in Wonderland as I have made these things that remind me of "and Mimsy were the burroughgroves the momewraths outgrabe", or something like that (my Alice book is not at hand right now). I am calling these creations Mimsies, these are what mimsies are to me. I still have a few in progress, ready to paint up, I only have two at the moment but hope to get them to my etsy shop this coming month. I have had so much fun making them!

My computer is back and has more room, I just have to compress some images that I have and that should help increase the space. My son said that when people send me video attachments, e.g. The cute dualling kitties or the cute kid having a tantrum. When I opened them they would add attachments automatically and also added several viruses that were hogging up space. So he told me "DO NOT OPEN VIDEOS THAT PEOPLE SEND YOU, IF YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM JUST GO TO YOUTUBE AND LOOK THEM UP YOURSELF." So to all of you that have sent me cute videos before I will not be opening them, sorry but I need to have my computer at hand....lol, I know many of you know what I mean! Also, I will not be sending any cute videos, ok, I promise!

I haven't been ignoring just trying to figure out...

2010-03-27T10:40:00.001-07:00

how to upload pics from my new camera. Why does it have to be so complicated?
#$%@!!!

Also, I have to try to make more space in my computer so I have to wait for my computer expert son to come by this evening to show me what I am doing wrong and to clear up space! I am sure I have duplicate programs somehow, it all started with new printer and camera so that is me trying to learn things on my own. It just gets more complicated, must be some kind of karma I have to learn, ohohoh, (let's not let karma get complicated too, a silent prayer to myself here)! Shhhhhh! He will be taking my laptop to his house to work on it and I don't know if I am liking the idea of my laptop being gone from my sight for long! I will get it back when he is good and ready and not when I want it back I am sure, the usual, you know how it goes. Oh well, can't complain it is free help!

I recently purchased a wonderful cloth journal book all prepped and ready for me to play with from Lynne Hoppe www.lynnehoppe.blogspot.com from her etsy store. I was so happy to get the only or the last little cloth journal and now I see how she puts them together, (she has shown them on her blog). I should be able to make more and more and use the bolt of muslin I purchased a year ago from JoAnn's. This is so much fun for me. The only other thing I am looking forward to purchase is a prepped journal created by Mystele....so Mystele (www.mystele.com)if you still visit my blog please answer my email?

Well enough bladdy, blah for now, hopefully will have more to show soon!

Exotique (fini)

2010-03-03T14:21:00.001-08:00

Here is the project I was working on in Sharon Tomlinson's www.allnorahsart.ning.com online class project. Completed! Thanks to you who gave me suggestions to improve this collage! I really enjoyed making this especially after some of the other offered suggestions, I think it really helped! She is done on an 8" x 10" canvas, using vintage print, gel medium transfers, decorated paper napkins, acrylic paint, oil pastel, Inktense pencil, black ink, Caran deArche water soluable crayons.

A new project and Ridng a headless horse....

2010-03-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

at age 14 with my on and off friend Bunny (you know how teenagers are). Those were the days. What a beautiful blustery day at Hansen Dam Stables in So. California! Hansen Dam Stables was in Sylmar. I don't know if it still exists, I imagine not. I do not remember this day and I have a pretty good memory! I am on the headless horse and "Bunny" is on the horse with a head! There we are in our mohair sweaters and sneakers, this should date us! Hope you don't mind me posting this Bunny!

The second pic is a project from allnorahsart.ning.com project (another fun online class). I am not sure it is finished but I don't know what else to do with it. It needs something more in my opinion.

Finished but untitled...

2010-02-22T06:47:00.001-08:00

Well here she is...I still think of her as my inner Scarlett! lol!

Mixed media, 16" x 20" canvas, tissue, acrylic paint, collage, Inktense.

For Renee...

2010-02-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

I copied these beautiful candles from Pattee's site for Renee...as Pattee suggested we light a candle for her. Renee's blog is http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com. Pattee's blog is www.odd-dolls.blogspot.com. Sorry Pattee I should have said this when I posted but I was so sad to hear about Renee. It is Pattee's beautiful gesture to Renee that I have copied. I have only been reading Renee's blog for a short time, almost a year, but her sweet loving nature quickly captured me!