Creative gifts.

Busy, Busy, Busy.  That's been my life these days.

I've pulled a few creative gift ideas off You Tube to share with  you.  

Enjoy!

Hot Glue Creations

 I love to learn new techniques.  I particularly enjoy taking classes, especially at local museums.  Several years ago a friend recommended classes at the Pearl Fincher Museum in Spring, TX and I was glad she did.  Here I met a wonderful art instructor named Evelyn Bouley.  She's the educational specialist for the museum who organizes or designs workshops for all levels of artists.  She's been an art educator for over 33 years and has developed a masterful approach to using materials and techniques in a variety of ways.  Recently she taught how to create an abstract diptych (2 panel painting) using hot glue and acrylic paint.  I asked if I could share these steps on my blog and being the true educator she said "of course!"

 1.  Get 2 - 8 x 10 canvas boards.  Trace the size onto a piece of white paper.
2.  Use 2 lines to divide the space into 3 shapes.  Keep them pretty simple.
3.  Fill 2 of the shapes with patterns.  Again keep them simple.



 4.  Cover the back of the paper with graphite to create tracing paper.

 5.  Trace the design onto both canvas boards


 6.  With a glue gun go over all the lines on both canvas boards.

 7.  Choose acrylic paints in some warm colors (reds, yellows, oranges) and some cool colors (blues, greens, or purples).

8.  Paint one section using a blend of warm colors - meaning don't just paint a flat color but a mixture.

9.  On the third section create a neutral color by mixing a color with it's complement (aka color opposite on the color wheel).  In this case I used orange + blue.  Mix small amounts of this color into some white and paint it on the 3rd shape.  This will give the eye somewhere to rest.

Let all the paint dry.

 10.  Squeeze some metallic paint onto a flat surface and with a brayer roll this color onto the hot glue.  If you don't have a brayer just use a small brush.  Don't worry about some of the metallic smearing the areas.  You can wipe those off with a damp towel or blend them with a brush.  Let this paint dry.

11.  To mix the glaze put a small amount of black paint into a generous amount of matt medium.

12.  Working in small sections paint the glaze on.
13. Next take a soft paper towel or tissue and wipe away most of the glaze leaving some in the grooves.

14.  If you want to brighten the metallic paint back up use a small detail brush after the glaze has dried.

Wasn't that easy?  Now create your own unique designs on different size canvas boards. Share your creations with me - I'd love to see how Evelyn inspires other people like she did me!

You can't make old friends.

Today I opened my Facebook page and my friend Julie Hilgenberg had posted this link for me:

Old friends are the people that keep us going through good times and bad.  We know each other's secrets, shortcomings, mistakes, and weaknesses.  We also know what also brings each other joy, happiness and peace.

Julie and I met when she was fresh out of college.  I was managing a small branch office for an ad agency and she came in for an interview.  Her memory's better than mine and as she tells it I didn't hire her right away.  But when I had a position that filled her skill set I called her back.  From the moment we began to work together we both felt that connection of enduring friendship.  We've held each other up through many tough times, and danced during the good.  We've never questioned our devotion to each other.  It's always been there.  We live pretty far apart right now, I'm in Texas, she's in Maryland, but we talk to each other several times a month.  And when my husband asks who's on the phone I say, "It's my Julie."

Make an old friend smile today.  Send them an email, call them on the phone or send them this link.  Their response will make you smile too.

Holiday Journals

Doorway Doodle  11/6/13

It's the beginning of November and I already feel an ache in the pit of my stomach.  Stores are full of holiday decorations to tempt you into spending your money and time.  They're reminding you of all the things you'll need to do. Gift and grocery lists are becoming longer each day.  Time seems to speed up as the holidays approach.  And, if you're like me, tensions mount.

In my last post 101 Creative Ideas I gave you a list of things you could do to motivate, inspire and entertain you.  Anything you do on this list can help relieve some of the holiday stress you may be feeling.  It's a great resource for positive things to do with your time.

I've decided to create a new journal for the holidays.  I'm going to strive to work in it everyday.  Some days I'll write and some days I'll draw or paint.  Everyday I make an entry I'll try to focus on the important things in my abundant life.  And I'll let the troublesome and negative things be pushed aside.  I'll use this journal as my refuge when I feel overwhelmed with all the tasks that need to get done.  I'll also use this journal to reflect on the good things that are happening now or in the future.

I encourage you to find, or make, a journal and gather your supplies.

We'll get through this together!

Feeling the spark

Eclipse                  12 x 18
acrylic on canvas

Artists get stuck.  Sometimes we lose focus and need a new direction to go.  It happens to all of us.  No matter how experienced or accomplished we are.  But then a spark appears.  Inspiration when we least expected.  Kind of like getting a card in the mail from a long lost friend.

I was "sparked" about a week ago.  I was experimenting with color field painting to develop lessons for my students when I was illuminated.  What I was trying to do was get my acrylic paint to flow across the canvas the same way that the wet-on-wet watercolor technique works on paper. I was looking for a way to create the same luminous effect on canvas.  And I found it.

Orbs                            12 x 18
acrylic on canvas

Night Vision                          16 x 20
acrylic on canvas

 While my work is still in the experimental stages I thought I'd share a few of the pieces I created last week.  After I master this technique I will share my step by step approach.

For today I hope to just share a little color.

Whirlpool                                        18 x 20
acrylic on canvas

Everyone can practice meditation.

October Focus                      9 x 12
Watercolor on paper

Life is stressful.  Not that I have to remind anyone of this.  We all get overwhelmed with our daily tasks, what's going on in the news, finances, kids, etc.  If we let this stress overwhelm us it can effect our sleep, work, tempers and, most of all, our health. Today my sister sent me a very valuable link:

Eleven easy ways to meditate.

Numbers 6 & 7 are two of my favorite ways to meditate.  I wrote about using a journal and setting an artist date just the other day in my blog post about unlocking your creative spirit. Today I thought I'd share a little meditative painting technique I teach my students.  Gather your supplies, turn off you phone, put on some soft music and get ready to relax.

Meditation Mandalas

Supplies:

9 x 12 watercolor paper                  assorted watercolor paints

assorted brushes                                     water cup

 1.  Trace a large circle on your paper with a pencil.

2.  Wet your paints and your brushes with clear water.

3.  Pick up one brush and dip it in your first color.  Paint a stroke.

4.  Pick up a different brush and dip it in a different color.  Paint a second stroke. Feel free to overlap as you paint .

5.  Repeat this process changing brushes, colors and directions until you've painted 100 strokes inside your circle. That's right, I said 100!

 7.  Now paint a wet-on-wet background using either cool colors (blues, greens and purples) or warm colors (reds, yellows and oranges).  First wet the background with water then drop in colors.

As your painting dries reflect on how you felt as you concentrated on painting and counting those 100 strokes.  Whenever I do this exercise I feel tense and obsessive in the beginning , keenly aware of colors mixing and deciding on new strokes in the middle, then relaxed and meditative towards the end.

Hang your Meditation Mandala near your work area or where ever you spend the majority of your day.  When you encounter tension or stress simply sit back, stare at your picture and count the strokes of color.  Enjoy your meditative moment!

Fields of Color

Helen Frankenthaler and her work

"What concerns me when I work is not whether the picture is a landscape or whether it's pastoral, or whether somebody will see a sunset in it.  What concerns me is - did I make a beautiful picture?"
                                                                                                    - Helen Frankenthaler

As I work on unlocking my own creative spirit I feel drawn towards non-objective, color field painting. This means I don't feel like painting anything in particular.  I just want to put colors on the surface and let them flow.  This method of painting was made famous in the 1950's by an artist named Helen Frankenthaler.

This abstract expressionist technique is one that offers you, as the artist, the opportunity to enjoy spontaneity.  It allows you to pour, mix, spray and experience colors as they mix themselves.  Your job is to add more paint, blot out areas, spray with water, tilt for the gravitational pull and enjoy the process.

Supplies:  unprimed canvas, stretcher frame (optional), acrylic paint, cups, spray bottle, paper towels and brushes.
1. I stapled my canvas to a 16x16 stretcher frame but could have left it unstretched.  Since I was practicing this technique I tried it both ways.
2.  I mixed acrylic paint with water to the consistency of cream.
3.  I spray the canvas with clear water.
4.  Then I began by pouring my lightest color first.

 5.  I sprayed more water to move the paint around. I also tilted the canvas to help the paint flow.

6.  I added more colors pouring, spraying, blotting and tilting.

Originally I thought this would
be the finished orientation.  But
I changed my mind after
I propped it and sprayed again.

 7.  As the colors are absorbed they would bleed and mix. I would continue to manipulate them  by tilting and spraying.

8.  I was close to declaring it done so I propped the canvas up and sprayed one last time.  I then left it alone to dry.

 9.  I  removed the canvas from the
stretcher and and trimmed it up.  I'm not sure how I'll mat, frame or otherwise
display it.  For now I'll just enjoy the fields of color.

Free Flow                    12 x 16
Acrylic on canvas

Unlocking your creative spirit

      Sometimes my creative spirit gets locked up.  Not because it's committed any crimes or gotten in trouble. I just don't have time to invite my creative spirit out to play.  It distracts me from all the things should be doing. Life gets in the way.  And my poor creative spirit gets locked away.

A few years ago I bought a wonderful book  "The Artist's Way" by Julie Cameron.  It was recommended to me by a writer friend as a way to unblock my creativity.  I read it and put into practice many of her theories. Then I put the book on a shelf and forgot about it.  A few weeks ago I was reviewing my list of blog topics and "how to unlock creativity" caught my attention. I remembered Julie's book and found it sitting on the shelf, right where I left it.  So I dusted off the cover and read it again.  The most important tools she recommends for the blocked artist are writing morning pages and setting weekly artist dates. The morning pages consist of sitting down first thing and writing 3 longhand pages of whatever comes into your head.   The artist date is simply setting aside a time every week where you feed your inner artist.   So I decided to put these theories back into practice. Sounds easy too, doesn't it? 

I get up at 5:00 am every morning so I have time to walk my dog, pack lunches, eat breakfast and get dressed before I have to leave at 6:30.  Julie Cameron's advice is to get up 30 minutes earlier.  Ha-ha.  I am not coherent enough to hold a pen at 4:30 am let alone remember how to use it. So I worked that 30 minutes of writing time into my morning schedule after I get to school, before the students arrive.  Sometimes I get interrupted by job demands and it may take me all day to get those 3 pages written.  But I'm enjoying that writing time.  It's like spending time with my best friend or mentor.  I unload my brain and make room for new ideas to enter.

Scheduling the artist date was even harder.  Because I forget.  It doesn't seem as important as the million other tasks I should get done.  But last week I decided I had to make this date.  So I sat on my porch at the scheduled time for an undisturbed hour (I left my cell phone in the house) and looked through a book of art by Picasso.  A cheap, yet enriching, date that gave me visual satisfaction.

Sometimes I get stuck on what to write about.  So I created my own list.  Feel free to borrow any of these for your own inspiration.  Give the Morning Pages and Artist Date a try.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised as your creativity unlocks itself.

Mini Sketchbook Covers
8 x 10        Watercolor 

1.   What do I like about myself and my life?
2.   Who are my heroes? Why?
3.   Where is my place to go for renewal?  Why?
4.   If I could spend one more day with someone I loved who would it be and what would we do?
5.   When I was a child I had the most wonderful day.  Here’s what happened.
6.   If I could have a perfect room or space for being creative what would it be like?
7.   If I had one super power what would it be and how would I use it?
8.   If I just won the lottery how would I spend the money?
9.   If I could go back in history when would I like to spend a day and who would I like to spend it with?
10.  If I could start again what profession would I choose?
11.  Create a list of songs that describe my life at different stages from birth to now.
12.  Who is my spiritual guide and how do I connect with that guide?

I wish I had more time.

I wish I had more time to write.
I wish I had more time to create.
I wish I had more time to meditate.
I wish I had more time to spend with my husband.
I wish I had more time to spend with my parents.
I wish I had more time to spend with my kids.
I wish I had more time to hang out with my friends.
I wish I had eaten better today.
I wish I had more time to exercise.
I wish I had more time to . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . and the list goes on and on.

I find that I spend every day wishing I had more time to do more things.  Is this because I have too many things to do? Is this because I waste time goofing around?  Or is it a little of both?

Instead of wishing for more time I believe I'm going to change my approach.  I will set my goals to accomplish these things I'm wishing for.  I will be more productive and satisfied at the end of the day and stop wishing for what I haven't done.  Jim Bunch at The Ultimate Game of Life suggests setting 3 goals for your happiness, health and wealth.  Then create a list of actions that are going to get your closer to these goals.  And plan your day the night before with an action scheduled for each of your goals.  So at the end of the day instead of wishing you'd done more you can check off all that you've done.

So today:

1.  Happy - I will fly to DC and spend time with my son and his new bride tonight.

2.  Healthy - I will eat only healthy foods and drink lots of water.

3.  Wealthy - I will write a blog post with a meditation mandala.

I can check off #3 now and work on tomorrows actions while I'm on the plane!

The music of words.

I had just begun writing a series about finding your artistic voice when my friend Jenessa Paige sent me her most recent work.  I was blown away by her artistry and decided to share her work on my blog because it's the perfect starting point for my series.  In her work titled "True Love" she speaks about self love and acceptance.

Enjoy!

Artists are the most vulnerable creatures I know.  We put ourselves out there for the world to critique.  We share our ideas, words and images in public for the others to experience.  Sometimes we're praised.  Other times we're not.  But we keep creating no matter what.  Because making art feeds our souls.

If you write, sew, sing, dance, paint, draw, cook, or just doodle you're an artist.  Don't be timid.  Share your work with others and enjoy the response.

Coming into the Light

"Turn your face to the sun and shadows fall behind you."

                                                                                             - Maori Proverb

When I was a little girl I was terrified of the dark.  I didn't have a nightlight in my room so I would carefully prop my bedroom door open so the light from the hallway would give me comfort. Light brightened my world, warmed me and made me feel safe.

Light and the effects of it are so often used as metaphors to describe how someone can become illuminated, awakened or saved.  Going toward the light and its warmth you will become happier, safer or just simply at peace.  Once you're bathed in that light you will be in that perfect place.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." 

                                                                                                                                                          -Aristotle Onasis

Coming into the light is another way to describe how you can overcome challenges.  It may be that it finally "dawns" on you that you've been following the wrong path.  Or "in the light of day" your troubles may not seem as bad as they did in the "dark of night."

Focus on that positive future.  Create that list of things you'd like to do with your life and start doing them.  As Paul McCartney says, " . . .follow the sun."