Angel Music #2 - SOLD

I have been working on several mixed media pieces.  This one is 24" x 48" on gallery wrapped canvas.  The process if very time consuming as mentioned in an earlier post and the canvas with additional materials attached just soak up the paint so I find that I might paint a particular area and come back to it in an hour or so and it is washed out because it has soaked into the canvas.  This leads to adding more paint and subtracting what pieces you want to modify.  All in all I like the effect that is created and I am amazed at what appears.

Marco- Polo - SOLD

This is a game that my children played at the pool years ago.  It is amazing how those years flew by.  I now sit by the pool, with much more sunscreen and hear one of my grandchildren shout out, "Marco?" and then a second one answers, "Polo".

Angel Baby - SOLD

I have been working on another mixed media piece - this one is a little angel resting from her music.  These pieces take so much time and effort but I enjoy the look of the burlap and modeling paste and the experience. 

 At the same time I am completing this angel series in mixed media, I am reading a book by Dan McCaw.  Everything this artist says resonates with me.  One quote I particularly love is; "Art is not something we learn to do but instead is a search to uncover and express that which already exists within all of us.  We are the art.  What we are searching for is our inner voice.  I believe that that most of us protect, deny or under-value this intrinsic voice, but we all have one. It's that part of us that, when touched, moves our emotions and tugs at our hearts.  It's that part of us that responds to a painting, a piece of music, a beautiful scene.  these things do not contain emotions, but only bring to the surface that which we already posses, both as the artist and as the art appreciator."

Love - SOLD

The connection these two have is so evident in this painting.  The reference photo was given to me by the man who said that it was one of his favorite pictures of him and his wife.    Even though his wife has died, I can just imagine that the connection between them lives on in his heart.    I found one definition of true love and that is "True Love" can be defined as how you act in a relationship with someone.  It was also said that when you are in a relationship with someone you truly love, you value that person enough to see things from their perspective.  These two make me want to make an effort to do that and cherish every day.

Angel Music - SOLD

 I love trying new things and trying to expand as an artist.  Recently I attended a demo at the Mountain Brook Art Association meeting where Rik Lazenby gave a demonstration.  Rik is an accomplished and inspired mixed media artist.  The process he taught was very time consuming to someone like me who usually paints wet on wet.  First you take burlap and paint it with plaster of paris then once it is dried you fold and crease to create wrinkles that are transformed into an old looking piece of cloth after you add a coat of polyurethane and finish off with a stain.  THEN you are ready to create the magic of what you will do with this canvas or surface you have created.  I could not wait to try the process because while I watched him I had an image in my mind that i wanted to create and that is where this angel creating music came about.  I have music playing in my studio every day when I paint and many times I feel like angels are all around.  (So does Max, he sleeps the minute I turn on the music).  

I recently came across a quote by Dan McCaw, "Art is a collaboration between the heart and mind in an effort to expose a piece of the artist's soul".  I so believe.

Wild Man - SOLD

I sometimes feel compelled to paint.  I have been studying about color theory so I am experimenting and creating a lot of items using color schemes that I would have never used.  With this painting I also tried to use limited strokes and no going back over strokes.  It is easy to get caught in doing that and mixing some great mud on your paintings.  

The Old Red Mill - NFS

I was recently given the honor of being one of the Alabama artists to paint one of the historic Marshall County locations to commemorate Alabama's Bicentennial and the year of Exploring Our Places.  My location was the Old Red Mill in Albertville, Alabama.  The mill was used for grinding corn about 100 years ago.  It is now about to fall down but definitely holds a lot of history for this area.

I went last Saturday to paint the site en plein air.  It was a very hot day with few clouds in the sky but no bugs which was a wonderful thing as every artist who paints outside knows what a challenge the bugs can be.  Not only do they bite but they land on your painting and  get stuck.  I had almost completed my block in when I returned to my car to grab some more paint.  I walked back to my easel and remembered I needed another brush from my car.  When I returned to the car I found it had locked with my keys and my phone inside!!  Now, this bridge is located in a very secluded, unfamiliar area.  I wanted to cry, loud slobbering cries BUT I knew that would not help.  I put my painting under my car, bundled up my expensive easel to carry with me and started out walking up a very steep hill to try and find civilization again.  I came to the highway.  I crossed the road, dripping wet with sweat, I walked up to the first house I came to.  A very nice man let me use his phone to call a locksmith (who told me he would need to charge weekend rates, as if I cared!)  The man then drove me back to my car and stayed with me until the locksmith arrived.  the locksmith was very interested in my painting and he told me that he enjoys drawing.  We had a nice conversation about that.  I hope he will continue to draw as he seemed someone who loves art and would do well.  The man

who helped me told me about the history of the the mill and how he remembers an old store was located nearby years ago.  All in all it was a very good day but I will tell you I questioned my future as a plein air artist.  

Me and Mama - SOLD

Mother's Day is quickly approaching and I could not pass up painting this little painting depicting a mother and child having a "Girls Day Out".  

6" x 6" on gessobord