Mixed Media Lotus Minis

Ok, back to showing you more from the 30 Paintings in 30 Days I did last year. This piece above, "Content" is number SIX. I had actually worked on another piece that night for hours but it was not cooperating. Or I wasn't. Either way I wanted to toss it to the coyotes. I gave up and cleaned up because it was late, and I was tired. I was bummed that I didn't finish one. As I was cleaning up I saw my little 4"x4" canvases. I grabbed one and went for it. I returned to a favorite subject and colors and the next thing I know this lil' happy piece was done! Yay! I felt so much better!

This next one, "Transparent",  is number SEVEN. I was trying out different colors than I normally use and a different style. I like how it turned out!

"Absorb" is number EIGHT. Absorb and learn what you need to from this beautiful life so you can nurture yourself and those who surround you.

These were all done in a similar way. I started by glueing down antique French book pages then painting and drawing over them. On this last one above I also glued down blue hand-painted paper and a strip of natural fiber. 

Ok, you know what... even though it's not part of the 30in30, I'm going to add one more mixed media lotus to this post because it was done around the same time and has a similar feel.

This is "Silent Beauty", because often silence can be a beautiful thing. 

Ok, that's enough for now. These are all done on small 4" x 4" x 1.5" gallery-wrapped canvases and are all available for purchase.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a creative day!

xoE

Three New Paintings!

Hi there!  I've been a busy little bee lately!  Recently I took part in a challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days.  This one above was the very first one that I painted for the challenge.  Not bad #1, not bad!  It's on a 8" x 10"x 1/2" canvas. I love Koi and waterlilies so I figured why not paint both!

This is the second one, "I AM here".  This one was much easier than the first one.  It seemed to flow out fairly easily and tell me exactly what it wanted.  I love when that happens!  It's also on 8" x 10" x 1/2" canvas.

close up of "I AM here"

"Island Of Dreams" was the third painting that I did.  Don't you want to take a boat out on that water and just float?  This one was done on 11" x 14" canvas board. 

 I like how the first three paintings all have water and seem to go together.  I think it was a great way to start off the challenge!  

Just for fun here's a photo of "Island Of Dreams" while it was still in progress.  This can almost be a finished painting itself!

So there's the first 3 out of 30!  I only have 27 more to show you!  ;-)  

They're all done now so if you can't wait you can see them all on my Facebook Art Page or Instagram 

Thanks for visiting!  See you soon!

Two More Water Lily Paintings!

Hiya!  

In the last post I told you I started an "accidental" series of water lilies/lotuses.  I wasn't kidding!  Here's 2 more paintings that I did a few months ago.  Both of these paintings came together fairly quickly and easily.  I love when that happens. 

 I started this first one on a day when I wasn't feeling well, but I had a few hours to myself so I was bent on painting... at least for a few minutes.  So I decided that I would just "start a background" then call it a day.  I grabbed some papers and started to glue them down, and next thing I knew, I was painting over them before the glue even had a chance to dry!  

Then I glued more stuff down and painted straight over it, then painted more, scraped, drew with charcoal, dripped, painted some more...etc....  Then once I stopped and took a step back, the day was almost gone and I had a mostly finished painting (I finished it a few days later) AND I was feeling much better too.  Art therapy!! 

A bit of a different style and different colors for me, and that's I love about it... I was more loose and free with it.  That's one of the things I've been trying to work on with my art is to loosen up more and get more messy and free.  That's hard for a perfectionist, but I'm working on it!

My next painting was started soon after.  This one was modeled after my art journal cover that I showed you a few posts back... right HERE.

For this one I used my beloved Heavy Gel Medium to create all the texture, then added layers of paint and glazes, and gold-leafed the outside edges.

Hopefully you're not sick of waterlilies yet, because more are coming!   I do also have a door painting to finish up, among others too, if I feel a need to change things up, BUT I really am enjoying exploring the beauty and peacefulness of waterlilies.  Heck, if it was good enough for Monet... then why not?

So what subjects are you exploring lately?  Do tell!

One Lotus Painting

After doing the front of my art journal with a lotus (in previous post), I HAD to do more like it, so I did two 8"x10" paintings inspired by it.  This is one, and I'll show the other one in another post.  

This photo above shows the beginning stage of it.  First I painted the base colors, then I smeared on a thick coat of Heavy Gel Medium and drew into it while wet.  After letting that dry overnight I started to paint it.

As you can see it looked quite different at this stage.  I liked it but it didn't feel quite right to me, so I put it aside for a week or so.  When I went back to it, I just kept adding layer after layer of paints and glazes until I finally liked it.  

To finish it off I gold-leafed and antiqued the sides of the canvas, then put a few coats of sealer over the whole thing.

So now I think I'm addicted to painting water lilies/lotuses!  I'm planning on doing some bigger ones like this too.  I think it'll be fun!  And I still have a couple more finished ones to share with you.  

For a while now I had been wanting to do a series of some kind, and realized that's what this is... my accidental waterlily series!  There's nothing like a good "Happy Accident" is there?

"Be Still" Textured Journal Cover

Hi there!

Here's my art journal cover that I showed you a quick peek of in the last post.  It kept bugging me that the inside of my journal was filled with lots of purdy art, but that the front of it was so drab.  So I decided to give it a nice facelift one day while another waterlily painting was drying.  

I started by gluing down a vintage dictionary page, then painted it with a coral color.  Next I cut and glued down various scrapbook papers in a waterlily shape.  Yes, I know that you can BARELY see any of that in the finished piece, but I think that every little layer gives it just that much more "something" when it's done... even if you hardly notice that it's there.  Art is kind of like us in that respect... all of our past experiences, no matter how slight, can influence who we are and the beautiful creatures that we can become.  

Wow, ok back to the process... I did think that all the base layers would be showing through more, but that's not what happened.  I try to let the art go where it wants to... sometimes I'm just along for the ride!

  So after the initial layers, I put a heavy coat of Golden's Heavy Gel Medium on, and drew into it while it was still wet.  I also added a painted crocheted 1/2 circle to the top and a ribbon across the bottom.

After letting it dry overnight, I painted it, then antiqued it with a raw umber glaze to get the grooves and  ridges to really stand out.  When it was finished I sealed it good since it's on the front of my art journal... which means it has to stand up to plenty of abuse as I drag it around with me most of the time.















There... so much better than a plain, drab, brown cover.  Now it represents what the journal is all about... artwork, creativity, becoming.  And layers... lots of layers.

And "Be Still"?  A reminder I need often in our busy hectic world.  You too I'm sure.  Be still, close your eyes, and just breathe, you beautiful creature you.