Arting for 365 Day 85: Chihuly Gardens

Day 85 (7/23/12): Chihuly Gardens

4.75 x 4.75″ Pastel and ink on paper

Before leaving Seattle yesterday, we were lucky enough to visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass with our friend and his dad. We had seen some work by Chihuly (an incredibly skilled glass blower) earlier this year, but seeing it out in the garden was really a completely different experience. The colors were vibrant and worked harmoniously with the natural surroundings. I highly recommend you visit if you happen to be in Seattle.

After the gardens, we headed to the airport where I pulled out my pastels and pen, and got to work on day 85’s piece. I used simple shapes and lines to create the abstracted interpretation of the colorful work I had seen. Thanks, Jesse, for taking us!

Arting for 365 Day 68: Lone Ball

Day 68 (7/5/12): Lone BallGoal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

The ball definitely sat all alone, but somehow it did not feel lonely. Perfectly content with its rounded self, it reflected the evening light as the sun moved down the horizon.

This piece available for purchase at or by emailing micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 62: Fluorescent Abstraction

Day 62 (6/29/12): Fluorescent Abstraction

4 x 5″ Iron-on Paper, ink, paper

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

Three or four years back I started making onesies for some of my preggor friends using iron on paper for the designs. The left over paper often had really great, bright colors and an interesting texture – similar to that of reptile skin. I didn’t throw much of that paper away, thinking it would be nice to use in other projects.

Yesterday I came across some of the fluorescent pink, rectangle filled paper I had kept. As the evening hours rolled in, I sat down and created this piece. I enjoy that the design in very soothing and organic while the color is very bold – almost obnoxious even.

This piece available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/103317609/fluorescent-abstraction-mixed-media or by emailing micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 60: Bird and Nest

Day 60 6/28/12): Bird and Nest

8 x 10″ Ink on Paper

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

High temps, fires and crazy smoke are, sadly, all the rage in Colorado right now. -Scary stuff for a lot of folks. I realize I have no place to complain, but on a purely selfish level, I hate the fires and temps because they have really put a damper on my getting outdoors to enjoy nature – one of my favorite things to do.

So last weekend, when I was able to get out in non-burning Encampment, Wyoming, I really soaked it up. I’m pretty certain this may be the reason for the sudden onslaught of nature based stuff I’ve been creating.

Day 60’s piece is a combination of a neat birdhouse my parents had hanging down at their place, and a drawing of a pheasant inspired by a photo I spotted on Canadian Hiking Photography’s blog. I’m pretty darned pleased with this one. I love the more realistic style of the bird juxtaposed to the simpler abstracted branches and nest.

Original piece available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/103179476/bird-and-nest-ink-drawing-original or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Prints available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/103179903/bird-and-nest-ink-drawing-print or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 34: A Place to Rest Your Beer

Day 34 (6/1/12): A Place to Rest Your BeerGoal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Friday’s may become my official coaster creation days. It seems the perfect day for it. My brain is working its way toward weekend mode  – thinking about the time I will get to spend with family or friends, time spent outdoors, with perhaps a summer beverage thrown in for good measure.  Basically, I typically feel like creating something fun.

Day 34 was filled with simple, bold designs using bright colors and cut up envelopes. I once again used old Sierra Nevada paper coasters to build on. When finished, I did my due diligence, ensuring that they work by testing them out with a glass of beer!

Day 34: A Place to Rest YOur Beer Detail 1Day 34: A Place to Rest Your Beer Detail 2Day 34: A Place to Rest Your Beer Beer Detail

Work available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/listing/101166161/handmade-acrylic-and-envelope-beer or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 32: Mosquitos

Day 32 (5/20/12): MosquitoGoal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive days

I got to meet up with my friend, Mary, for a jog at Happy Jack last night (HJ is a lovely trail system outside of Laramie, Wyoming). While jogging, Mary provided me with the following comedic/intellectual commentary regarding the herd of mosquitos we had run into:

Mary: We’re not getting bit. These all must be boys.

Me: Oh – The boys don’t bite?

Mary: I don’t think so. And they hatch earlier, probably because they need time to grow their penis’.

I can always count on Mary to make me laugh.

4.75 x 4.75″ Ink and paint on paper

Work available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsByMicah or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 28: Geometry in Orange & Black

Goal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive daysDay 28: Rich's Tryptic

There are days when it is nice to just draw. -To enjoy the act of creating shapes, lines and color for the soul purpose of creating. Yesterday was one of those days.

Work available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsByMicah or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 25: Trajectory

Day 25 (5/24/12): TrajectoryGoal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive days

A trajectory through life, years in the making, that is both organic and planned. Flying around on virtual paths that intertwine and intersect. Ideas brought to fruition. Ideas come to pass. Ideas released from from a low flying plane.

20 x 9.5″ Ink on paper (click on pics for better images)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 25:Trajectory Detail 2Day 25: Trajectory Detail Eggs

Work available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsByMicah or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 24: Seedy

Day 24 (5/22/12): Seedy

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

If you have been following my daily endeavor, it may be obvious to you that I am fascinated by the little seeds I found and used in day 10 and day 14’s projects. I love how delicate they appear – even though they are pretty rigid, the textured lines that grow from their spine outward, and their perfect wing-like shape. So I thought I would interpret these traits by incorporating a drawing of the seed in day 24’s piece.

It was clear to me that I needed to pair my drawing with seeds for the 11 x 14” work. But after gluing them down it was obvious that the large drawing and the seeds competed with each other – fighting for attention and definitely not working together. I hoped that glazing each seed with paint would fix the problem, but instead, a muddy mess appeared. The seeds had to go. As I began peeling each off, great silhouettes appeared, allowing me to explore my drawing a bit further.

Day 25 (5/22/12): Seedy Detail

Work available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsByMicah or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 22: Topographic Trash

Day 22 (5/21/12): Topographic TrashGoal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive days

As I picked up yesterday’s art material from off of the ground I wondered how smart of a move it was. It was ragged, torn and initially, just looked a bit unsanitary. But upon closer inspection, I realized it – which seems to be some sort of paper- had just been weathered by the recent rain.

I glued my newly found trash-treasure to an 8 x 10” oil board and applied paint to the grooves and mountains of the tattered, island shaped paper. Breaking up the space surrounding it, I painted lines and shapes that made their way onto the weathered surface. I thought that perhaps I could make a beautiful piece from this worn paper but as I worked with it, I realized it had a personality all its own. No matter how much paint I applied, it was going to stay worn and ragged. There was no “prettying” it up. And for some reason, I am perfectly content with that.

Work available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsByMicah or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com