Little Fish in a Very Big Ocean

What a long strange trip this has been... I suppose that's not unusual, considering the changes my life has taken over the past couple of years. Life as I knew it is gone. I've left my home in Michigan, and started a new life in Florida. 


It's hard to believe I've been here seven months already.  The transition has been filled with fear, anxiety, longing for the past - yet at the same time, I'm experiencing joy, excitement, and anticipation as I watch my new life unfold. 

Life is full of unexpected moments. Treasures each day. Sights and sounds are different. People are different. Life is different. 

One thing remains. 

Creativity. 

Taking trash and turning it into art has always been a love of mine.

My new surroundings has provided me with a plethora of trash to play with. 

My neighbors don't seem to mind that I pick their palm trash up and drag it home with me. I think I've seen a few peeking through their curtains wondering what this crazy woman is doing. lol

They are filling up space in my house and it won't be long and I'll have enough to do a show. 

It's only fitting I started making fish... 

since I have felt like a fish out of water myself.

Has Anyone Seen My Muse?

Oh my - how time flies. I lost my muse back in December. I'd really love to get it back - so if you happen to come across my missing muse - will you please send it on home to me?


It was before Christmas since I had done my last painting. A gift for my brother - I had done a reverse painted cutting board for his kitchen island.  And for as much as I loved the way it turned out, and the possibilities of creating these functional pieces of art - I just couldn't seem to pick up a paintbrush. And oh how I love the idea of selling these to cool little niche markets - wineries, specialty stores and art markets. But the muse was gone... 
Then someone saw a photo of the one I had done and ordered one to give as a gift. So I forced myself and here it is. 

I really do love how these turn out. I think the best part of creating these is that I pick up these glass cutting boards at thrift stores. Clean them up, add artwork, place new rubber feet on them - and a piece of junk has become something truly lovely. :~)

EVOLUTION

Back in June (Father's Day) I started my first reverse painting on an old window. Dad had just passed away a few months before. He had Alzheimers. It's such a terrible disease and I was here in Michigan unable to help my mom with him down in Florida. That was killing me, but I can only imagine the pain she was enduring as she watched her husband of 60 years fade away. I'm so thankful that when he did go - it was relatively fast. And so very thankful that he still knew who I was, and most importantly that he knew I was there when he passed. 

They say that you can help ward off that disease by improving and exercising your brain. And so with that thought in mind I challenged myself to paint in reverse. Kind of fitting that I started on Father's Day. 


I haven't done anything with pastels since then. Am I evolving to this new art? I don't know. But I am enjoying it. I've painted quite a few windows and although I generally paint each one for myself - someone sees it, wants it, and I sell it. No, I'm not complaining. I'm enjoying learning this new artform, and I am excited to see how each one turns out. One thing I realized though. I don't think I can make prints of these. With the reflection of the glass - I cannot get a decent image to make reproductions. Until I can figure that out - each one is most definitely, and without a doubt, one-of-a-kind.






WORK IN PROGRESS: Birches 

Saturday:
Large two paned window. I start with a pencil sketch of my idea. This one being a stand of birch trees blanketed by fresh snow.

WORKING ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE WINDOW:

At this point here, my foreground is nearly complete on the right pane of glass. (your left) Before this painting is done, I will have painted another 35 or so trees, and then last I will paint the background.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

 

 As seen from the front - Right side foreground nearly complete. 




















It's Monday evening now... and more progress done on this window. Tomorrow the paint will be hard enough that I will be able to clean the glass before painting in the background.

Tuesday.. and ready to put in the background. I didn't want any brushstrokes.

 

Yep - you got it - finger painting!

A close up of an area that is not meant to be very prominent - yet it is there. A message. 

My heart and soul is literally in this painting. It has deep meaning to me and it's my hope is that it touches someone out there.

Painting complete.

"The Forest for the Trees"

54 1/2" x 26"

600.00

Upcycled - Repurposed - Window Art

After painting the window on Sunday, I've been thinking about doing more. Last night I jumped on another and painted some birch trees. This window is in a bit more disrepair, so I will be giving it a new coat or two of paint before installing the hanging system. 

Call It A Whim

It's been quite a while since I've posted here. Life sometimes takes us on journeys we're not quite prepared for. That's not all bad though. These twists and turns in life can be full of fun and adventure. I guess it's all just in the way you look at it. So wow... it was March the last time I posted. Goodness how time flies!

I have painted a few new pastels, but I feel a change coming. I'm not sure what that is, or what direction I will take. Guess I'll just see where the path leads. In the meantime - I've taken to taking junk and found materials and transforming this stuff into some new life. It's amazing what you can do with virtually nothing.

One thing I really love about this - is that everyone is happy to help you out and provide you with new "canvases" for you to have. 

(Spring cleaning just got a whole lot more fun!)  This would probably be a great place to mention.. before you go tossing everything out (and into the landfill), consider posting your "trash" on craig's list in any one of these sections: FREE, ARTISTS, or MATERIALS. I'll just betcha there's a lot more of us cruising Craig's List looking for your trash. Another place you can post this junk would be on your local Freenet site.   "Think Green" people...  and make an artist happy, too!

Just keep an open mind, because virtually anything can be a canvas. 

Wine bottles are big fun - painting, decorating, drilling, cutting....  and become hummingbird feeders, wind chimes, lamps... the possibilities are as endless as the imagination will allow.

Leftover ceramic tiles - what great little canvases! These were painted to be individual works - but I have a few other ideas brewing in the back of my head too.