- Published on
"Whisky Tango" - mixed media on aquabord, 16" x 20". Ready to frame or can be leaned upon a shelf. Available on Artfinder.
High in her tower,
She sits by the hour,
Maintaining her hair.
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
A lighthearted air:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
From "Agony", Into the Woods
Ahhhhhhh, yes! These next three days are complete cheats during this 30 and 30 challenge. Painted in advance, these pieces allow me to spend some precious time in a workshop learning new skills and hobnobbing with other creatives. Kind of ideal for the midpoint of a paint marathon - it will recharge my creative batteries.
Artists are like Rapunzel, high in our towers, isolated from others, frequently humming...and that's important for the creative process. But Julia Cameron (the creative whisperer) tells us to get out and have frequent "Artist Dates" to refill our reservoir of experiences. It is amusing to me how far I will go to actually avoid doing something fun, letting the work fill up the hours day after day instead. So I put this workshop on the schedule a month ago, knowing then I would need it now.
Think of it as "rut prevention". Like a vitamin for keeping the muse healthy and interesting. One of the best rut-preventions is to learn someone else's techniques and approach to creating. I try to take at least three workshops per year, and it never fails to boost me up in a way I could never accomplish on my own.
This piece, "Whisky Tango", is the finale from last week's demonstration. This was a background piece, to which the trees and characters were added later. But they were inspired by the storytellers in the audience, two of whom had cats in their tales. I don't paint a lot of cats (which is odd, given I am a big cat on the zodiac), but LOVED creating this guy, whose expression has given me fits of giggling. His rider is obviously wondering about the wisdom of cat-wrangling - I wonder if they will set off into the forest or end up in a tangle as the Tango tries to climb a tree?
She sits by the hour,
Maintaining her hair.
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
A lighthearted air:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
From "Agony", Into the Woods
Ahhhhhhh, yes! These next three days are complete cheats during this 30 and 30 challenge. Painted in advance, these pieces allow me to spend some precious time in a workshop learning new skills and hobnobbing with other creatives. Kind of ideal for the midpoint of a paint marathon - it will recharge my creative batteries.
Artists are like Rapunzel, high in our towers, isolated from others, frequently humming...and that's important for the creative process. But Julia Cameron (the creative whisperer) tells us to get out and have frequent "Artist Dates" to refill our reservoir of experiences. It is amusing to me how far I will go to actually avoid doing something fun, letting the work fill up the hours day after day instead. So I put this workshop on the schedule a month ago, knowing then I would need it now.
Think of it as "rut prevention". Like a vitamin for keeping the muse healthy and interesting. One of the best rut-preventions is to learn someone else's techniques and approach to creating. I try to take at least three workshops per year, and it never fails to boost me up in a way I could never accomplish on my own.
This piece, "Whisky Tango", is the finale from last week's demonstration. This was a background piece, to which the trees and characters were added later. But they were inspired by the storytellers in the audience, two of whom had cats in their tales. I don't paint a lot of cats (which is odd, given I am a big cat on the zodiac), but LOVED creating this guy, whose expression has given me fits of giggling. His rider is obviously wondering about the wisdom of cat-wrangling - I wonder if they will set off into the forest or end up in a tangle as the Tango tries to climb a tree?
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Carnival Bot", pen and ink on paper, 6" x 12". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $6.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
It"Interrupting Chicken of Love" - mixed media on aquabord, 9" x 12". Ready to frame, or can be leaned on a shelf. Available on etsy.
Now it's he and not you
Who'll be stuck with a shoe,
In a stew, in the goo.
And I've learned something, too,
Something I never knew,
On the steps of the palace.
From "On the Steps of the Palace", Into the Woods
Stuck with a shoe, in a stew, in the goo - oh yes, that was my day with art. This piece took ages and ages. I built it up, I scraped it down. I built it up again, and scraped it down again! There were at least three points where I was ready to chuck this in the trash and start a new board, believing this one to be cursed. And then, out of nowhere, it reached a point where I caught my breath a little and said "Oh!" and saw something magical taking place. I'm glad I stuck with it - it is now my all time favorite of my abstracts!
Fairytale characters are like that...faced with insurmountable odds, dragons, beasts, trolls. But they keep going, long past the time when most of us would throw in the towel. And they win, they are transformed, the story ends and another begins. If it weren't for this month's theme and the forest of fairytale creatures camped in my studio, I would have given up on this painting. But a theme is a theme, and now I've learned a valuable lesson about art from fictional characters.
So it seemed only appropriate to let the universe name this piece of art in the same way it decided if and when it would actually become a painting. I began playing with an abstract title generator (you're going to love this - check it out here) just to see what would come up. When I saw "Interrupting Chicken of Love", I laughed out loud and knew it was the one! The universe has a weird sense of humor. :)
Now it's he and not you
Who'll be stuck with a shoe,
In a stew, in the goo.
And I've learned something, too,
Something I never knew,
On the steps of the palace.
From "On the Steps of the Palace", Into the Woods
Stuck with a shoe, in a stew, in the goo - oh yes, that was my day with art. This piece took ages and ages. I built it up, I scraped it down. I built it up again, and scraped it down again! There were at least three points where I was ready to chuck this in the trash and start a new board, believing this one to be cursed. And then, out of nowhere, it reached a point where I caught my breath a little and said "Oh!" and saw something magical taking place. I'm glad I stuck with it - it is now my all time favorite of my abstracts!
Fairytale characters are like that...faced with insurmountable odds, dragons, beasts, trolls. But they keep going, long past the time when most of us would throw in the towel. And they win, they are transformed, the story ends and another begins. If it weren't for this month's theme and the forest of fairytale creatures camped in my studio, I would have given up on this painting. But a theme is a theme, and now I've learned a valuable lesson about art from fictional characters.
So it seemed only appropriate to let the universe name this piece of art in the same way it decided if and when it would actually become a painting. I began playing with an abstract title generator (you're going to love this - check it out here) just to see what would come up. When I saw "Interrupting Chicken of Love", I laughed out loud and knew it was the one! The universe has a weird sense of humor. :)
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Sophie", watercolor crayon on paper, 6" x 8". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $6.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Into the Woods" - number 4 in a series of acrylic on aquabord, 6" x 6". Available on etsy.
Shiver and quiver, little tree,
Silver and gold throw down on me.
I'm off to get my wish...
From "Cinderella at the Grave", Into the Woods.
Half way through the 30 day challenge and our journey through the forest! I am on the final layers of a piece begun during the demonstration last week, so while it dries I have begun a new forest of trees, with more to reveal in the coming days. Part of the madness and fun of this challenge is the sheer number of pieces in progress at all times. Currently there are seven in various stages. I work well this way, but wonder if maybe it is because I don't know any better?
I'm reading the chapter in Tharp's book about skill. There was one sentence which jumped out and smacked me in the forehead: "Inexperience provides us with a childlike fearlessness...in its purest form, inexperience erases fear. You do not know what is and is not possible and therefore everything is possible." Wow. That's how I feel in my studio - everything is possible. The goal, says Tharp, quoting Hemingway, is "to become a master and in your old age to acquire the courage to do what children did when they knew nothing." I realize that's a lot of quoting, but these bits resonated with me so strongly as part of my own path, my own truth - it was like Tharp was in my own head.
The book goes on to list an inventory of skills, with a focus on those needed by dancers. But I think some apply to most creative pursuits: perseverance, discipline, a sense of humor, political skill, partnering. The final item on the list is called "forever the child" - a sense of innocence. I really never thought of it as a skill before reading this book.
The older I get, the more I want to capture and dwell in that space of childlike innocence and fearlessness. And that space is exactly what I'm finding so far along this adventure into the woods.
So, dear reader, I invite you to join me in imagining what you would do if you believed anything were possible?
Shiver and quiver, little tree,
Silver and gold throw down on me.
I'm off to get my wish...
From "Cinderella at the Grave", Into the Woods.
Half way through the 30 day challenge and our journey through the forest! I am on the final layers of a piece begun during the demonstration last week, so while it dries I have begun a new forest of trees, with more to reveal in the coming days. Part of the madness and fun of this challenge is the sheer number of pieces in progress at all times. Currently there are seven in various stages. I work well this way, but wonder if maybe it is because I don't know any better?
I'm reading the chapter in Tharp's book about skill. There was one sentence which jumped out and smacked me in the forehead: "Inexperience provides us with a childlike fearlessness...in its purest form, inexperience erases fear. You do not know what is and is not possible and therefore everything is possible." Wow. That's how I feel in my studio - everything is possible. The goal, says Tharp, quoting Hemingway, is "to become a master and in your old age to acquire the courage to do what children did when they knew nothing." I realize that's a lot of quoting, but these bits resonated with me so strongly as part of my own path, my own truth - it was like Tharp was in my own head.
The book goes on to list an inventory of skills, with a focus on those needed by dancers. But I think some apply to most creative pursuits: perseverance, discipline, a sense of humor, political skill, partnering. The final item on the list is called "forever the child" - a sense of innocence. I really never thought of it as a skill before reading this book.
The older I get, the more I want to capture and dwell in that space of childlike innocence and fearlessness. And that space is exactly what I'm finding so far along this adventure into the woods.
So, dear reader, I invite you to join me in imagining what you would do if you believed anything were possible?
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Love Bot", pen and ink on paper, 5" x 12". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $6.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Worry Bird and Coffee" - mixed media on reclaimed wood, 5" x 18". Ready to hang. Available on Artfinder.
How do you say to your child in the night?
Nothing's all black, but then nothing's all white
How do you say it will all be all right
When you know that it might not be true?
What do you do?
From "Children Will Listen", Into the Woods
Oh goodness. A full moon, a full week, a full head of thoughts. The worry birds have been fluttering about my hair, threatening to make a nest. I've shoo'd away all but this hummingbird, who seems determined to take up residence. I've asked him not to leave droppings in my coffee.
My inner child is very sensitive to what I tell her. If I get too tough on myself, she jumps on the worry train, which seems to run on a circular track. It is astounding to me how much a little positive self-talk will change my mood and my thought patterns. But I must admit to struggling to find the balance between intellectual honesty and optimism sometimes. Thus the hummingbird.
I am working on finishing the final piece from this week's demonstration. While waiting for layers to dry, this piece emerged from a piece of reclaimed wood. I have a large stash of it now, as my husband has been finding it everywhere and hauling it home for me. :) Some girls like diamonds, others like pieces of old lumber. This whimsical redhead is a good reminder of how important it is to have a good coffee klatch with a friend or two now and again, to share your worry birds and send them all off to new nesting grounds.
How do you say to your child in the night?
Nothing's all black, but then nothing's all white
How do you say it will all be all right
When you know that it might not be true?
What do you do?
From "Children Will Listen", Into the Woods
Oh goodness. A full moon, a full week, a full head of thoughts. The worry birds have been fluttering about my hair, threatening to make a nest. I've shoo'd away all but this hummingbird, who seems determined to take up residence. I've asked him not to leave droppings in my coffee.
My inner child is very sensitive to what I tell her. If I get too tough on myself, she jumps on the worry train, which seems to run on a circular track. It is astounding to me how much a little positive self-talk will change my mood and my thought patterns. But I must admit to struggling to find the balance between intellectual honesty and optimism sometimes. Thus the hummingbird.
I am working on finishing the final piece from this week's demonstration. While waiting for layers to dry, this piece emerged from a piece of reclaimed wood. I have a large stash of it now, as my husband has been finding it everywhere and hauling it home for me. :) Some girls like diamonds, others like pieces of old lumber. This whimsical redhead is a good reminder of how important it is to have a good coffee klatch with a friend or two now and again, to share your worry birds and send them all off to new nesting grounds.
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Basquiat", acrylic on aquabord, 5" x 7". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $6.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Leola" - mixed media on aquabord, 16" x 20". Ready to frame, or can be leaned on a shelf. Available on Artfinder.
But slow, little girl,
Hark and hush-
The birds are singing sweetly.
You'll miss the birds completely,
You're traveling so fleetly.
From "Hello Little Girl", Into the Woods
Friday the 13th, mysterious and macabre. The perfect day to venture a little further into the woods. We're nearly halfway through our journey, so we will leave the village behind and set off to see what new adventures await.
Leola, which means "deer", is the next piece begun during the demonstration this week. You might recall my mentioning a queen with her drawers in a bunch? Well this was her! But as I slowed down and spent some time with her, she emerged, transformed, into a woodland spirit and bird whisperer. This lady did not want to be rushed into being. She asked for time, background music, tea and a soft approach to painting. Once I set the mood, she sweetly revealed herself. How perfect she is for today's lyric! And a reminder to me not to race through the journey. I don't want to miss the birds singing sweetly.
Aren't we all like the frustrated queen at times? When rushed, our ugly selves emerge, all covered in bitchy-resting-face (you know the look, squinty eyes and pursed lips, furrowed brow) and tight shoulders due to the stress monster riding piggy back through our day. And, if given a little time and a pause in our day, our faces relax, our smiles return and we are beautiful once again.
Today I will hark and hush, listen to sounds of Friday and perhaps sit a spell under the trees in the forest.
But slow, little girl,
Hark and hush-
The birds are singing sweetly.
You'll miss the birds completely,
You're traveling so fleetly.
From "Hello Little Girl", Into the Woods
Friday the 13th, mysterious and macabre. The perfect day to venture a little further into the woods. We're nearly halfway through our journey, so we will leave the village behind and set off to see what new adventures await.
Leola, which means "deer", is the next piece begun during the demonstration this week. You might recall my mentioning a queen with her drawers in a bunch? Well this was her! But as I slowed down and spent some time with her, she emerged, transformed, into a woodland spirit and bird whisperer. This lady did not want to be rushed into being. She asked for time, background music, tea and a soft approach to painting. Once I set the mood, she sweetly revealed herself. How perfect she is for today's lyric! And a reminder to me not to race through the journey. I don't want to miss the birds singing sweetly.
Aren't we all like the frustrated queen at times? When rushed, our ugly selves emerge, all covered in bitchy-resting-face (you know the look, squinty eyes and pursed lips, furrowed brow) and tight shoulders due to the stress monster riding piggy back through our day. And, if given a little time and a pause in our day, our faces relax, our smiles return and we are beautiful once again.
Today I will hark and hush, listen to sounds of Friday and perhaps sit a spell under the trees in the forest.
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Willow", acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Penelope and Arianna" - mixed media on aquabord, 16" x 20". SOLD
And I know things now,
Many valuable things,
That I hadn't known before:
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood,
They will not protect you
The way that they should.
From "I Know Things Now", Into the Woods
I'm continuing in the Twyla Tharp book, this time the chapter called Spine. Spine is the next step after scratching. You scratch to find ideas of any kind - good or bad. Scratching is wild and passionate and uncensored. The spine is a good idea - one good, strong idea. Identifying the spine requires focus, careful thought, emotional connection...and secrecy. Tharp advises we keep the spine behind any project to ourselves. It might be apparent to the viewer or reader, and it might not. But the spine best serves the art when unannounced.
I spent a lot of time mulling over this idea, and re-reading the chapter. But I couldn't get away from the word spine, so that's where my trail through the forest is leading today. Let's follow those breadcrumbs...
You may know that my own spine was compromised when I was hit by a car last year. Something about a ton of metal hitting a body and a body hitting the pavement head-first causes irreparable damage to fragile bone structures. And sure, sure, there are lots of things I do to support myself now that I never had to do before, but I get mentally hung up on the whole thing when I'm told nothing will make it better. Sigh.
If I think of my spine as the base of my own creativity, my own big idea, then I have to find a better way to conceptualize disability and injury, or I will paint nothing but crying girls from now on. Who wants that? Not me! So one day at a time, I am thinking about the things I know now, many valuable things, that I hadn't known before. Like Little Red Riding Hood, I won't put my faith in a cape and a hood (or a helmet or stop signs or traffic laws), but I can delight in the new things I know, the joy pockets in the journey and the other types of strength that develop when physical strength is compromised.
I will keep scratching at this subject until I find the one great big idea that makes my spine, as it is now, strong and central. And as Tharp advises, I will keep that big idea to myself and protect its magic. But perhaps the idea will come through in my art - you might catch a glimpse now and then.
In the meantime, meet Penelope and her feathered friend, Arianna. Both were conceived and named in this week's art demonstration and finished yesterday. These two found their kindred spirit sister during the demonstration, and were adopted before they were even completed! I am so happy to know they are flying away to the home of a sweet artist whose sense of humor never fails to delight...and don't you think Penny must have a really strong spine to support that tower of hair? Just sayin'.
And I know things now,
Many valuable things,
That I hadn't known before:
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood,
They will not protect you
The way that they should.
From "I Know Things Now", Into the Woods
I'm continuing in the Twyla Tharp book, this time the chapter called Spine. Spine is the next step after scratching. You scratch to find ideas of any kind - good or bad. Scratching is wild and passionate and uncensored. The spine is a good idea - one good, strong idea. Identifying the spine requires focus, careful thought, emotional connection...and secrecy. Tharp advises we keep the spine behind any project to ourselves. It might be apparent to the viewer or reader, and it might not. But the spine best serves the art when unannounced.
I spent a lot of time mulling over this idea, and re-reading the chapter. But I couldn't get away from the word spine, so that's where my trail through the forest is leading today. Let's follow those breadcrumbs...
You may know that my own spine was compromised when I was hit by a car last year. Something about a ton of metal hitting a body and a body hitting the pavement head-first causes irreparable damage to fragile bone structures. And sure, sure, there are lots of things I do to support myself now that I never had to do before, but I get mentally hung up on the whole thing when I'm told nothing will make it better. Sigh.
If I think of my spine as the base of my own creativity, my own big idea, then I have to find a better way to conceptualize disability and injury, or I will paint nothing but crying girls from now on. Who wants that? Not me! So one day at a time, I am thinking about the things I know now, many valuable things, that I hadn't known before. Like Little Red Riding Hood, I won't put my faith in a cape and a hood (or a helmet or stop signs or traffic laws), but I can delight in the new things I know, the joy pockets in the journey and the other types of strength that develop when physical strength is compromised.
I will keep scratching at this subject until I find the one great big idea that makes my spine, as it is now, strong and central. And as Tharp advises, I will keep that big idea to myself and protect its magic. But perhaps the idea will come through in my art - you might catch a glimpse now and then.
In the meantime, meet Penelope and her feathered friend, Arianna. Both were conceived and named in this week's art demonstration and finished yesterday. These two found their kindred spirit sister during the demonstration, and were adopted before they were even completed! I am so happy to know they are flying away to the home of a sweet artist whose sense of humor never fails to delight...and don't you think Penny must have a really strong spine to support that tower of hair? Just sayin'.
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Sad Girl", acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Queen Ingrid" - mixed media on aquabord, 16" x 20". SOLD.
[FLORINDA]
Never wear mauve at a ball...
[LUCINDA]
Or pink...
[STEPMOTHER]
Or open your mouth...
From the song "First Midnight", Into the Woods
Meet Queen Ingrid, who was banished from her kingdom to the land of Textile with Tim Gunn. She is one of the characters created in a collaborative story-telling demonstration earlier this week, and she has stolen my heart. :) The village women named her and told me her story as she was emerging from the board. Magical!
So now we have a journey into the woods where queens are banished to Project Runway episodes. I believe she was banished for daring to dress however she darn well pleased, and likely she is quite happy to hang out with Tim and play with fabric instead of handling the adminstrative duties of the realm. I think part of our forest adventure has got to be to come closer to who we are inside, bring that girl to the outside and then let her shine brightly even when we return to civilization (well, if we ever return. I am quite happy here in the woods).
Ingrid was adopted by one of the most charming ladies in the village, someone with a twinkle in her eye and a kind word for everyone. Thank you, sweet collector!
Yesterday, I was thrilled to have tea with a new friend, artist Lynda Sauls. And a kind of nudge nudge wink wink from the universe, I learned she is also a person who ventures into the woods, with a studio space in an untamed part of Florida, nestled in the Wild Flamingo nursery. Read about her journey here. And take a peek at her incredible artwork here.
Now then, it's time to get back into the studio. There is a delightful girl in the forest clamoring to be painted. :)
[FLORINDA]
Never wear mauve at a ball...
[LUCINDA]
Or pink...
[STEPMOTHER]
Or open your mouth...
From the song "First Midnight", Into the Woods
Meet Queen Ingrid, who was banished from her kingdom to the land of Textile with Tim Gunn. She is one of the characters created in a collaborative story-telling demonstration earlier this week, and she has stolen my heart. :) The village women named her and told me her story as she was emerging from the board. Magical!
So now we have a journey into the woods where queens are banished to Project Runway episodes. I believe she was banished for daring to dress however she darn well pleased, and likely she is quite happy to hang out with Tim and play with fabric instead of handling the adminstrative duties of the realm. I think part of our forest adventure has got to be to come closer to who we are inside, bring that girl to the outside and then let her shine brightly even when we return to civilization (well, if we ever return. I am quite happy here in the woods).
Ingrid was adopted by one of the most charming ladies in the village, someone with a twinkle in her eye and a kind word for everyone. Thank you, sweet collector!
Yesterday, I was thrilled to have tea with a new friend, artist Lynda Sauls. And a kind of nudge nudge wink wink from the universe, I learned she is also a person who ventures into the woods, with a studio space in an untamed part of Florida, nestled in the Wild Flamingo nursery. Read about her journey here. And take a peek at her incredible artwork here.
Now then, it's time to get back into the studio. There is a delightful girl in the forest clamoring to be painted. :)
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Esmerelda", acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Esmerelda", acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Princess Susanna" - mixed media on reclaimed wood, 5" x 18" x 1". Ready to hang. Available on Artfinder.
You go into the woods where nothing's clear
Where witches, ghosts and wolves appear
Into the woods and through the fear
You have to take the journey
From the song "Ever After" - Into the Woods
Yesterday was the most amazing thing. A group of enthusiastic, creative spirits ran headlong into the woods with me. We gathered around the table, inventing fairytales and bringing our inner children out to play! There is something special and sacred about a gathering of creatives - the energy is vibrant and ripe with possibilities. Tales of alligators, frogs, dogs, cats, orchids and God, even. All beginning with once upon a time.
Over the next few days, I will finish the pieces begun during this forest party (a demonstration of primitive portraiture and storytelling for a local art guild) and post them here. There is Queen Ingrid, Princess Penelope and her bird, Arianna, and a queen yet unnamed who seems to have her drawers in a bunch. We'll see if she can get sorted out by week's end. :)
Today's woodland princess is inspired by a sweet and generous lady who gave me a chicken yesterday. It wasn't a real chicken (thank goodness because our HOA would pitch a fit) but how perfect the gift - I walked into the village and was given a chicken. Sounds like a fairytale, right?
You go into the woods where nothing's clear
Where witches, ghosts and wolves appear
Into the woods and through the fear
You have to take the journey
From the song "Ever After" - Into the Woods
Yesterday was the most amazing thing. A group of enthusiastic, creative spirits ran headlong into the woods with me. We gathered around the table, inventing fairytales and bringing our inner children out to play! There is something special and sacred about a gathering of creatives - the energy is vibrant and ripe with possibilities. Tales of alligators, frogs, dogs, cats, orchids and God, even. All beginning with once upon a time.
Over the next few days, I will finish the pieces begun during this forest party (a demonstration of primitive portraiture and storytelling for a local art guild) and post them here. There is Queen Ingrid, Princess Penelope and her bird, Arianna, and a queen yet unnamed who seems to have her drawers in a bunch. We'll see if she can get sorted out by week's end. :)
Today's woodland princess is inspired by a sweet and generous lady who gave me a chicken yesterday. It wasn't a real chicken (thank goodness because our HOA would pitch a fit) but how perfect the gift - I walked into the village and was given a chicken. Sounds like a fairytale, right?
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Eleanor", mixed media on aquabord, 6" x 6". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $6.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Queen Aislin Makes a Wish" - mixed media on cradled board, 9" x 12" x 1". Ready to hang. Available on Artfinder.
[NARRATOR]
Once upon a time
In a far-off kingdom
There lay a small village
At the edge of the woods
[CINDERELLA]
I wish...
A brisk Monday morning in the studio finds me wishing for a glimpse of snow. An unlikely thing here in south Florida, but a wish nonetheless. I was born in the frosty north (Minnesota) and raised in the blustery midwest (Ohio) so a winter without snow is still an odd creature to me. In the meantime, I am enjoying windows open, a little chill in the air and the option to wear long sleeves without breaking into a sweat. :)
Monday also finds us peering out from the trees to see a small village at the edge of the woods. Our metaphorical village (the people we are surrounded by) has a profound impact on our experience in the forest. They are both the thing that lifts us up and also the thing that can destroy us, creatively at least. There is nothing like a sincere word of encouragement to embolden us when we're heading in a new direction. And nothing quite like a discouraging comment to stop us from taking a creative leap.
Still reading the Twyla Tharp book, in which she says "what you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read." Aha! Well, books are like people to me, so I resonated with that sentence right away. And a huge factor in where I am today is the people I've met along the way. My village is extraodinary - compassionate, fierce, jubilant and fearless creative people. They stoke my creative fires and give me wings when I jump into something new.
With books, I am careful to read subjects and authors which uplift, expand, delight and educate me. My brain is like a four-year-old that way - it needs some censoring of what goes in there. And with the village people, I listen to my gut and try to spend the most time with the kind, compassionate and brave among them, because my inner child is tender-hearted and easily bruised.
Queen Aislin is a multi-paint over. There are two paintings underneath her, each adding to the richness of texture and a depth of meaning to her introspective gaze. One of the underpaintings is a piece on meditation and breathing; the other a piece about sisterhood and community. Unlike many of the bossy queens in my studio, this lady is soft-spoken and calm. Maybe she will have a positive influence over the others in the studio village. :)
[NARRATOR]
Once upon a time
In a far-off kingdom
There lay a small village
At the edge of the woods
[CINDERELLA]
I wish...
A brisk Monday morning in the studio finds me wishing for a glimpse of snow. An unlikely thing here in south Florida, but a wish nonetheless. I was born in the frosty north (Minnesota) and raised in the blustery midwest (Ohio) so a winter without snow is still an odd creature to me. In the meantime, I am enjoying windows open, a little chill in the air and the option to wear long sleeves without breaking into a sweat. :)
Monday also finds us peering out from the trees to see a small village at the edge of the woods. Our metaphorical village (the people we are surrounded by) has a profound impact on our experience in the forest. They are both the thing that lifts us up and also the thing that can destroy us, creatively at least. There is nothing like a sincere word of encouragement to embolden us when we're heading in a new direction. And nothing quite like a discouraging comment to stop us from taking a creative leap.
Still reading the Twyla Tharp book, in which she says "what you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read." Aha! Well, books are like people to me, so I resonated with that sentence right away. And a huge factor in where I am today is the people I've met along the way. My village is extraodinary - compassionate, fierce, jubilant and fearless creative people. They stoke my creative fires and give me wings when I jump into something new.
With books, I am careful to read subjects and authors which uplift, expand, delight and educate me. My brain is like a four-year-old that way - it needs some censoring of what goes in there. And with the village people, I listen to my gut and try to spend the most time with the kind, compassionate and brave among them, because my inner child is tender-hearted and easily bruised.
Queen Aislin is a multi-paint over. There are two paintings underneath her, each adding to the richness of texture and a depth of meaning to her introspective gaze. One of the underpaintings is a piece on meditation and breathing; the other a piece about sisterhood and community. Unlike many of the bossy queens in my studio, this lady is soft-spoken and calm. Maybe she will have a positive influence over the others in the studio village. :)
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Surly Ballerina", mixed media on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
- Published on
"Queen of Arts" - mixed media on aquabord, 18" x 24". Ready to frame, or can be leaned on a shelf. Available on Artfinder.
The beginning of the second week of this challenge finds me hanging out with royalty. These bossy queens are quite demanding of my studio time, but they are excellent conversationalists. And this particular queen is most at home in the forest with her paintbrushes ready.
You've changed.
You're thriving.
There's something about the woods.
Not just
Surviving.
You're blossoming in the woods.
from the song "It Takes Two", Into the Woods
I realize this month's journey into the woods is metaphorical, but there is something about daily imagining a forest adventure that is giving me a real mental boost. In the studio, it is truly now a woodland setting, with a dozen forested pieces in progress. And I feel more adventurous outside of the studio, too.
Yesterday, my husband and I set out for a gastronomical adventure at Chillbar in Hollywood, FL. I am not brave when it comes to food - too many sensitivities and allergies. But this day felt different, so off we went. It was a cross between a Jimmy Buffet song and a visit to crunchy granola-ville. When the hostess came out in a tiara, dress and chuck taylor's with lacey socks, I knew we were at the right place. So yeah yeah, the food was great and the ambiance was fun. But what made me truly smile was when one of the owners (at least, I think he was?) assumed we were regulars, because we seemed like "Okomos". Now I had never heard that term before, so had to look it up.
OKOMO: "A person that is beautiful inside and out. Someone you can always rely on for a good laugh and to talk about everything..."
Only one week into our woodland adventure and I've already been transformed into an Okomo! Now I am off to find a tiara so maybe the bossy queens in the studio will give me a little more respect. :)
The beginning of the second week of this challenge finds me hanging out with royalty. These bossy queens are quite demanding of my studio time, but they are excellent conversationalists. And this particular queen is most at home in the forest with her paintbrushes ready.
You've changed.
You're thriving.
There's something about the woods.
Not just
Surviving.
You're blossoming in the woods.
from the song "It Takes Two", Into the Woods
I realize this month's journey into the woods is metaphorical, but there is something about daily imagining a forest adventure that is giving me a real mental boost. In the studio, it is truly now a woodland setting, with a dozen forested pieces in progress. And I feel more adventurous outside of the studio, too.
Yesterday, my husband and I set out for a gastronomical adventure at Chillbar in Hollywood, FL. I am not brave when it comes to food - too many sensitivities and allergies. But this day felt different, so off we went. It was a cross between a Jimmy Buffet song and a visit to crunchy granola-ville. When the hostess came out in a tiara, dress and chuck taylor's with lacey socks, I knew we were at the right place. So yeah yeah, the food was great and the ambiance was fun. But what made me truly smile was when one of the owners (at least, I think he was?) assumed we were regulars, because we seemed like "Okomos". Now I had never heard that term before, so had to look it up.
OKOMO: "A person that is beautiful inside and out. Someone you can always rely on for a good laugh and to talk about everything..."
Only one week into our woodland adventure and I've already been transformed into an Okomo! Now I am off to find a tiara so maybe the bossy queens in the studio will give me a little more respect. :)
Today's "Pay What You Can" piece is "Holding Still", acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 16". This piece will be shipped flat. Shipping is anticipated to be around $10.
Email me at imajenation@gmail.com with how much (or how little) you'd like to pay for this cutie (shipping will be added). The winner will be selected at random and notified via email in 24 hours.
