Category Archives: mixed media

Arting for 365 Day 137: Adapt

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Day 136 (9/12/12): Adapt 2

5 x 7″ Watercolor and ink on paper

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

After creating day 135’s more emotional piece, I decided I wanted to focus on something much less intense for day 136. I pulled out the watercolors with the intention of creating something bright and visually interesting.

Originally these pieces were one, 9 x 12″ watercolor. As I worked on the original, I felt pretty good about the red and orange design and felt equally satisfied when I was completely certain it was done. My certainty faltered a bit when later in the evening I pulled out my day’s work to share with the boyfriend, and realized I was not a huge fan of the piece. The bright reds and oranges that I thought were so obvious in the painting earlier now seemed overtaken by a lot of pink. What I first thought was a great painting now appeared cheesy.

5 x 7″

I realized that salvaging the piece was my next clear goal and could probably be accomplished if I cut the work down and approached it as two new pieces. I pulled out my always reliable ink pens, hoping they would save the day.

I feel like the ink pens came through for me as I am pretty pleased with these two 5 x 7″ works and may even turn Abstract 2 into a larger painting.

Adapt 1 and Adapt 2 are both available for purchase.

Arting for 365 Day 134: An Odd Character

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Day 134 (9/9/12): An Odd Character
7.5 x 8″ Watercolor and ink on paper

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

He was not ordinary. He did not wear trendy clothes, nor speak the local vernacular – in fact he rarely spoke. His most favored company was his own and his spectacular ability to be wholly unaware of those around him made him appear rude and out of touch.

But if one could follow in his footsteps for just a day, they would soon see he was not out of touch. Simply out of place.

If you think this piece is pretty neat and you want to buy it, you can do it here.

Arting for 365 Day 131: Direction

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Day 131 (9/6/12): Untangling Ideas

Sometimes I feel like figuring out what we want to do with life is a bit like a science experiment. Sometimes there are very conclusive results, but other times (most times for this girl) the results are basically inconclusive.

I can happily say that my life’s experimentations have narrowed the general direction I want to go. But I can also say I haven’t untangled and separated out all of the variables in order to give solid evidence of the route I should take to get there.

But like a good scientist, I’ll keep experimenting – crossing off the things that don’t work, while building on the things that do.

Arting for 365 Day 129: Beetle Army

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Day 129 (9/4/12): Beetle Army

8 x 8″ watercolor and ink on paper

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

The mass of armored bugs moved under feet like an army passing through. Determined. Focused. Efficient.

Obstacles were inconsequential – rocks pushed aside, water traversed with ease.  Hell bent to reach their destination, they scurried below.

This piece available for purchase here.

Arting for 365 Day 127: Time and Age

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Day 126 (9/2/12): Scissor Cuts

8 x 10″ Watercolor and ink on paper

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

After spending countless hours drawing umpteen lines, she reached for her scissors and began to cut. The strips of paper falling below made her think of pasta. Homemade pasta.

She imagined a plump Italian grandma rolling out dough. With ease she would create perfect, uniform noodles the girl was sure came only with time and age.

Later the entire family would come to grandma’s to share in her creation – enjoying stories and laughter over a bottle of wine.

The girl continued cutting her imperfect strips. Time and age, she thought.

Arting for 365 Day 121: Hoya

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Day 121 (8/27/12): Hoya

11 x 14″ Ink, Hoya flowers and stems

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

As some of you may know, we jetted (actually trucked) off to the mountains of Wyoming this past weekend for a wedding. Our friends Mary and Nathan were nice enough to let us stay at their house Friday night, which is always a treat.

Mary has a bit of a green thumb and so I often check out her plants. She has a crazy amount of them that all magically seem to be thriving. As I was looking at her collection of greenery, I noticed this amazing plant called a hoya. It had waxy green leaves and spectacular bundles of flowers that were attached to long penducles (stems).

One of the rounded bundles had died, but was still attached to the plant. Mary pulled the dead flowers and stems off and turned to me knowing this was something I could use. I was pretty excited about the new treasure, as was the boyfriend – “Thanks Mary, more trash.”

Yesterday I used the dried stems and flowers along with some ink to create a somewhat deconstructed version of the hoya. Enjoy!

Arting for 365 Day 117: Grid

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Day 117 (8/23/12): GridGoal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Directly before sitting down to write day 117’s post, I decided to go on a jog. While weaving my way through the hood I was excited to see a sign for an estate sale. Changing route I made my way over to the house and walked in; curious to see what I couldn’t live without.

My anticipation quickly turned to a feeling of uneasiness. I’ve been to an estate sale before and realize that they are typically held when someone has either passed away or foreclosed – neither great situations. But this one felt different. People were everywhere. The house I entered no longer felt like a home but a clearinghouse of used goods whose owner was suddenly forgotten and whose personal items were being rifled through, groped, and nabbed without second thought. Here I was, in this once lovely home that now felt broken up into sections with only hints remaining of what it once was. I quickly turned and left.

As I finished up my jog I realized how much the piece I had just created made me think of the situation I had walked into. The flower – like the house – had been gridded off into sections. The pretty was still there, but for all that was happening around it, it was hard to see.

Arting for 365 Day 112: Nature

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Day 112 (8/18/12): NatureGoal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Yesterday our friend hosted a gourmet camping party to celebrate her 40th birthday. It was about as far from hard core camping as you can get, but was oh so lovely! We had delicious food, paired with some amazing beers – thanks to the slew of home brewers in the group – and wine. If the shindig wasn’t awesome enough, we topped it off with some forest croquet.

Being out in nature is always inspiring. And as it came time to create my day 112 project, my friends suggested I use a bit of nature. -A brilliant idea. We pulled out some pens and got busy drawing on leaves.

I love the simple designs. I also love that the leaves started out flat, but as they dried overnight, curled. Because I like the new form so much I decided I’d take a crack at resin again – coating them before they got too brittle.  I feel like I’m going to turn them into necklaces.

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