If you’re curious why I’ve not blogged much this fall/winter well here is one reason – I was busy finishing the drawings for my second coloring book! I don’t have a firm date on when it will be published but it IS available for pre-sale on Amazon already!
I’ll post an update once I have all the details. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at a few of the pages inside:
Thanks for continuing to follow this blog!
Blessings,
Lynne
I thought I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind my readers that I have gift-priced artwork available for the holidays! To help you locate & purchase those items I’ve added a storefront to my website. All items are under $100, most under $50 and quite a few are available in the $20 range. Specifically created, smaller pieces that I’ve decided to call “Giftables”. You can view/shop right HERE. I thought I’d share a few images of items that are available too, just to tempt you a bit!
As an added temptation I’m sharing a coupon code with you that is valid through 12/10/14: ONLINE10 will get you a 10% discount on your order. Hopefully you also receive my newsletter, there will be another (even larger!) discount available in the edition that scheduled to be published in the next day or two. Click here to sign up! I’ll be adding too and changing the store inventory as items are sold so be sure to visit often!
Happy shopping!
Lynne
SO, by request, the Fall Tree Workshop has two one more dates coming up. The first is October 24th and the second is November 6th! Here are is the flyers for each the workshop, sign up by contacting the gallery that is hosting the workshop (click the flyer and it will take you to their webpage). Hope to see you at one (or both?) to get your creativity on! 10/29/2014 NOTE: The topic for the October 24th workshop has been changed from Fall Trees to Moon, Sun & Stars!
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Created in late winter/early spring as I was craving the warm weather and having my toes in the sand!
Similar in style to “Monochromatic” that was posted last week, this whimsical creation at least let me dream about being somewhere tropical! Here are some images taken during the creative process:
So, does it warm you up too? Lynne
Okay, so I know I’ve been trying to catch up with all the upcycled/recycled artwork from last year but in the meantime I’ve been doing some other fun art so I thought I’d take a little “time out” and share something new with you before we finish up with the last half-dozen or so pieces from last year. My obsession with trees continues, both in my art and at home. Both in the form of bonsai trees! I’ve adopted a little juniper bonsai tree and have two other types I’m trying to grow from seed (as I wait impatiently for sprouts!). I’ve always loved the “personality” of trees, how they branch this way and that, twist, lean and each just seem to have a story to tell us if we listen closely enough. With the way bonsai trees are pruned and trained into such interesting shapes I suppose it would be inevitable that I wouldn’t be able to resist them and, after trying for several years, I gave in. My sketch book is slowly filling up with trees from my imagination and now I am producing some in a more presentable manner. The first three started together with a (very) rough outline of the trucks and limbs.
From there I added some softly blended layers of color to the background areas.
After that dried I began adding the areas where the leaves would fill in the image.
I am always amazed at how much difference adding some shading can make in an image. Suddenly the tree has some dimension and looses that flat feeling!
If you know how I like to make art you might have guessed what happened next. Yes. Doodling, Zentangles, whatever you want to call it…lots of tiny detailed patterns!
After the patterns were all added then came the color! I’ve clumped together the rest of the progression shots, you can click on them to enlarge the images and scroll through at your leisure.
All of which leads us up to the finished image:
Since this is the first one that I finished I took lots of progress shots with my camera. When I share the other two finished pieces there is not near as much to see!
Look for them to be posted soon,
Lynne
I’m so excited about this show!
I’ve been busy selecting and creating works to bring. Here’s a peek at some of the “tiny” pieces I’ll have available that evening:
Little canvas pieces, with art created on old dictionary pages – only $20 each, including the tiny easels to display them on! Of course I’ll bring some medium and large size pieces as well. I hope you will be able to come and support the public library in Avon, Indiana while viewing/purchasing a wonderful variety of artwork.
Lynne
I finally got around to sending out a newsletter. You know, the newsletter I say I’ll send to you twice a month but haven’t sent since sometime in June. Yeah, that one. And, even though I’m embarrased that it’s been so long, I’m a bit proud to have gotten that much done! Right now my world consists of cramming my belongings and art life into boxes. Moving day is approaching FAST. I’ll be so happy to be done with packing, unpacking and arranging. I’ll be even happier when I get my new studio space set up but that’s going to be a while. In the meantime I am getting a bit of art finished in and around the moving confusion.
I’ve been working on these panels with trees on them…first a small “sample” piece (above) to see how I liked it and now several larger (1×4 foot) ones. All the backgrounds were spray painted with a mix of colors, then the branches were laid in using old dictonary pages. Some ink, charcoal and pencil finished it off.
Their finish vs. moving day happening first? It’s anyone’s guess! I’ve moved them to the living room hoping that as I sit on the couch, exhausted from packing, I’ll pick them up and work on them. It hasn’t happened yet but I can still hope, right? 🙂
I have a feeling that as much as I enjoy making art with trees in it, once we move I’ll be even more inspired. This is a peek at part of our new property – it has several acres of beautiful rolling wooded terrain like this.
As I look at it I’m reminded why it will be worth all this upheaval and effort! Not a subdivision in sight. 🙂
Next time I post it’ll be from my new home, we start moving things in there in less than a week. Until that time, love & peace to you!
Lynne
I’ve been having fun playing with a couple of new computer programs lately! One of them has a kaleidoscope feature that’s I’ve enjoyed exploring. If you’ve read my blog over the last year you know my fondness for mandala-type images, no wonder I am enjoying these! Kaleidoscope #4 (above) was created using an image of stained glass windows. This image had an extra layer added to the top with a curly effect in it:
Here’s a sample of before and after images that shows the original photo used:
This last image was created by using two images (both created from the same photo) that were then layered together:
Do you have a favorite?
Here are some more images from my trip to Brown County State Park two weeks ago!
I hope you’ve enjoyed a little bit of a photo tour, I haven’t featured any photography for a while.
What’s next? I really don’t know! I’ve not worked on anything new for over a week, I’ve been laying low trying to recuperate from both a sinus infection and bronchitis. Blech! Just now getting around to feel human again. 🙂
So, stay tuned and we’ll just see what I get into next. You just never know!
Lynne
As I mentioned in Monday’s post, I don’t make formal “resolutions” but the New Year is a time when I examine and re-direct my efforts. One change I’ve made is having two days, back-to-back to spend working on, dreaming of and reading about art. I’m really excited about this change and plan to dig my heels in to protect these days from intrusions! Tuesday was my first day in the studio for the new year and I seemed to ease back into it slowly and thoughtfully. The room had managed to collect a variety of things during some cleaning I had recently done elsewhere in the house, so my first efforts were to put the room back in order. Glue & adhesives in one space, brushes, palette knives and sponges in another, and on it went. My Christmas gift this year was a cordless drill and set of bits so I found a space to keep that stored as well. I uncovered a lot of “in progress” work (doesn’t that sound better than “half finished”?) while I was cleaning up. I have several thoughts and ideas for new work, some that I want to start immediately so it will be ready for an upcoming show and other that are still just ideas in the “someday” file in my head. The works I found that are already in progress will be great to work on while I wait for the newer pieces to dry.
One piece that I started prior to the holidays has been on my mind for several weeks as I debated the orientation for it. I made up my mind earlier this week that I was going to be a vertical piece so after I’d gotten most of the clean up done I took some time to add more texture and dimension to it. I know I’ve mentioned my love of trees before and decided that for this piece it would be fun to create one using some crackle paste.
I’m hoping the crackled texture will really enhance the “bark” on this tree and make it interesting. Previously I had laid down some thin layers of paste as well as some tar gel for texture. I have a basic idea of the color scheme I want to use but am excited to see what the textured background does to the overall look of the piece. I won’t be able to work on it again until next week because the paste will need several days to dry. Oh the anticipation!!
Something else I’d been looking forward to was delving into several new books once the new year arrived. They’d been waiting patiently in the studio and today I was able to crack them open and get a feel for each of them. My favorite so far is “The Creative Edge” by Mary Todd Beam. This is her second book, I bought the previous one over the summer and devoured it. I love her style, the way she shows the steps but leaves projects open to your own creativity. She also fills the pages with many, many examples of other artists works – it’s a feast for your eyes! I’m anxious to try some of the techniques and ideas. One chapter, in particular, talks about “redeeming a painting” – I have some of those that just never got where I wanted them to go. I’ll be sure to take some before & after photos to share!
Other art books that I am currently reading are on expressive drawing, design, digital art and watercolor. Add that to the two new murder/mystery books I recently purchased and my reading plate is full! I love having lots of good books this time of year. The days seem short and the nights long and there is something comforting about having good reading materials to curl up with each evening.
One other thing I found while cleaning was a half-finished mandala.
Finishing it was a nice, relaxing way to end my quiet day. There are days, like this one, I enjoy spending in silence. Wednesday I’ll be back in the studio but anticipate it being a noisy, joyous and fun day and I continue my explorations with a dear artist friend. I know the music, conversation and laughter will be flowing along with the art!
More happiness!
Lynne
A Randomly Creative Blog 