Faces with Crayons

My friend convinced me to show it all. So, I had to edit it into 3 segments. Turn the sound up, you know I tend to mumble and listen for the birds.

Expect,

Sharon

Sunday visitors

through my kitchen window...

he looked at me
and then himself

and then back at me.

and then this guy....just chillin

...in the late afternoon.

My Apron

had to do it

A Queen's Apron

project finished

Muslin face painting

Just a quick check in this morning. If you took care of the freezer duty as I suggested, then today you get to play ART all day. I am.

The next element for my "fabric" project is this pretty thing I painted on muslin with my crayons early this morning.

I'll be back later,

Sharon

Get Happy

I told you I don't wish and wait for weekends. I just get HAPPY when they get here.

Look at this fabric. It is part of my fabric project.

This morning's major chore accomplished: I painted my toenails.

I uncovered the sewing machine and plugged it in and started. Only had about 20 minutes.

Expect the project this weekend,

Sharon

Morning Chores

An extra hour in my day works wonders for me. First thing this morning I checked Lady Cardinal and can report that all is well and maybe we will have babies this weekend or shortly thereafter. She was off the nest and so I took a quick look see to make sure there are still three eggs. Yes.

Then I cleaned a little mess I left in the kitchen last night. Fixed my to go lunch and while I was at it I removed that open package of frozen okra that has been there ForEVer and that I know I'm not cooking and also the package with only two frozen hush puppies. It's gone now and that was my major chore for this morning. Makes me feel so good to get these things done.
You probably need to go find something of the like in your freezer too. Let it go.

I knew what my morning art was going to be so I got ready for the office before starting. That way I can play right up until time to go. And yes, I painted in my best clothes.

I have a project in mind with fabric. It's something for me that I need.

It has been on my mind for a while and today was the day. I pulled out some fabric scraps and plastic doilies and acrylic paint and this is my altered project fabric. My day is so much richer when I start with ART

Real works calls,

Expect me back.....sharon

Mail and Me

My BBFF is not blogging at the moment but let me tell you, she is alive and well. I have the proof. I know you will recognize the ART on this artful mail I received yesterday.


Here is a clue. Her name starts with "Z". We are involved in a journal swap and she sent me her book so I can Play ART in it. You know I'll show when I do. And then, in July, I will take it to her.
Thought you might want to see the short hair "me". Unfortunately, all the sagging is still there.


Also, I have listed a new Castle Tower print that is now available. ........and

......don't forget this

*******

here ye.

here ye.

I have a special this week.

It is my own Etsy hide and seek game.

One of my listed prints is available with free shipping.

Find the listing and you will know which one.

It is the only listing with zero shipping.

It's a deal

And

If you want a second item,

I will refund the shipping after paypal confirmation.

recap: I chose the first item (you can find it) and you choose the second item (if you want it)

Thanks and expect,

Sharon

New Brushes

I ordered new brushes from Blick and received them yesterday. Painting with acrylic on canvas just wares out my brushes so quick it seems. I'm sure the fact that I leave them in my water doesn't have anything to do with it. Here is what it said that made me want them: "The brush head is stiffer than most synthetics, so it can handle thicker paint, yet it still holds a remarkable point." Also they are synthetic Mongoose! That made me want them too. I know. Crazy.

I barely used them last night just to see and have to say they don't seem "stiffer" to me. I will say the tiny liner brush worked beautiful.

Look at this nose. (the color is much better in real life) I think it is the best nose I have ever painted. For me, the nose is the hardest feature to paint. This one won't be available as it was a special order. But I had to show you the nose. And tell you that if you are interested in a special Castle Tower painting with your chosen words, email me. I think I can do it.

*******

here ye.

here ye.

I have a special this week.

It is my own Etsy hide and seek game.

One of my listed prints is available with free shipping.

Find the listing and you will know which one.

It is the only listing with zero shipping.

It's a deal

And

If you want a second item,

I will refund the shipping after paypal confirmation.

recap: I chose the first item (you can find it) and you choose the second item (if you want it)

Thanks and expect,

Sharon

Knob Village

I was cleaning my ART desk yesterday. At the bottom and under it all I found this hand full of castle tower scraps. You know how one thing leads to another. I couldn't throw them away. It's crazy.

Remember the Knob Angles?

Well I made a little Knob Village.

Side One
Side Two
(click to read)


And then there was time for making three ARTful envelopes.
Winging out tomorrow.

Have you made Artful mail recently?
I'm off to paint.
Expect,
Sharon

credit: the little corner stamp on the envelope is by Cory Celaya. She gifted me last year. Visit her here or here. Delightful!

Sing

I'm singing about Friday.

I learned not to let my self wish and wait for it.

Because I've discovered that it gets here very fast.

You'll discover that too when you get my age.

"Sing"
(original sold...prints available)
Here is another Castle Tower painting with a few short messages.

Sing

sparkle

play

dance

Expect is in the shop shortly.

Sharon

I Am About

The question is:

"What are you about right now?"
Linda is the one who put the question to me.

So, I'm going to try to tell you.

I am about.......

family

ART

painting

creating

reading

tread milling

bright colors

sharing

teaching

eggs

blue speckled eggs

short hair

turning the TV off

swirls

expect

day dreaming

Castle Towers

change

new directions

strawberries and cool whip

tread milling

canvas boards

new paint brushes

Gelly Roll pens

faces

friends

wishing

dreaming

sleeping

digging through old photos

inspiration

That's all I can think of just now.

Aren't they cute. My girl on the left and niece on the right. I pulled this out of the box because I like the pose and will have this propped on the ART desk for inspiration. This was a long time ago. I bet you've have some really cool inspiration boxed up at your house too.

Expect,

Sharon

ps... the one who started the I am about was Happy Day Art. Feel free to play and come tell us if you do.

pps..."Listen to your Whisper" is now available. Thank you again

Listen

Listen to your whisper......

There was something I wanted to tell you about

painting hair and bird watching.

Have you heard the expression,

"her hair looks like a bird's nest?"

The other day as I was watching Lady Cardinal's

magnificent nest building progress,

that expression came to mind.

It was during the painting of the first of this series

of Castle Towers.

And I was painting hair.

I thought about how Lady Cardinal first laid down a blanket of dried leaves. And how I had laid down a solid blanket of color as the first step. And then she added a layer of dried course plant stems of various varieties. I laid down some course strokes of other colors in the highlight area of her hair.

The next time I visited the nest, just before the first egg, and when the nest building was finished, there was a layer of very fine dried material. I was amazed to discover there is some blueprint somewhere that she was following. The layers were deliberate.

Then I added very fine strokes of the lightest and darkest colors where the hair was closest to me. (not all over) Then I knew I was finished.

And that is how I paint hair.

Like a bird's nest.

******

Listen to your whisper is another 8 x 10 on canvas board and I will be listing it soon as I can. Now, I have work to do.

Expect,

Sharon

ps...I think if you click on the picture you can better see the hair painting.

New Prints

WOW!!!! Thank you so much for scooping up my originals listed yesterday. It gave me joy in my heart and totally discombobulated my day. But in a good good way. One little original is still available.
I'm sure it will be swooped up when the right person sees it. You know how I am, nothing ever happens before it is time.



In case you didn't notice, I'm now offering 8 x 10 prints and they come with matte and ready to frame.

I just had to show some examples here today how great they look in the Target black frame.

Remember

Wall Flowers and the lovely poem:
.."they stood gazing
so tall
and still and silent
waiting
standing quiet shy as a bird
their wings like lace
whispered happy dreams."

and

Her Truth

.."as

though by magic

she walked

her own solitary path

round

and round

and round

dreaming

her memory"

Also, listed 8 x 10 prints of both of the "castle" paintings.


Slowly but surely, I will get more prints listed.

Thank you for pushing me along with your kind words.

Expect,
Sharon
PS Lady Cardinal still sits.

Mail Castles

I sent these castles in the mail last week. I tell you they are so fun to build. I used black gesso on the envelope first and then took the collage papers, scissors and pens to the couch. Yep, art-on-the-couch.

I managed to list my latest originals on etsy just now. Check it out and help your self. Thanks.

Lady Cardinal is definitely now setting the eggs. Today is day 2 and she only laid 3 eggs. Had to get this shot before leaving this morning because the flower was blooming. She is watching me. OK, no more bird pictures until the hatch. Promise.

Expect a great week,

Sharon

Castles

"I am Queen of my Castle"
"dare to be a princess"

I must tell you that I have been a "stretched canvas snob". By that I mean I would never think of painting any serious work of ART on a canvas board. No not me. I guess it goes back to my oil painting days when the bounce in the canvas felt so right with the brush and oil paint. And canvas boards were just too too ......cheap...and didn't bounce.

I may be a convert to canvas boards and I guess the first thing to admit would be to question whether or not these new little paintings are "serious works of ART".

They are on 8 x 10 cheap canvas boards.
I have discovered for acrylic, mixed media, multi layer collage, and stamping, they are perfect.
Because they don't bounce.

Besides that, this size fits in my scanner so nicely.

I will be adding these originals to my etsy and hopefully before the day is over.
I have already made prints and they are beautiful too.


Lady Cardinal update: This morning I kept checking to see if she was on the nest or if I had missed her. At 7am, I ran to check again and just as I approached the window, she flew in an landed on a little branch. She peered in as though counting her eggs. I was sure she saw me because she flew to a nearby branch. I slithered into the corner out of her sight and waited. Sure enough, she returned. I stood in hiding and watched for 25 minutes. A couple of times I was sure she had laid number three but she didn't leave. Finally, I left for my camera and when I returned, she saw me and flew.
I have just checked and she is back on the nest............
Expect,
Sharon

Glorious Saturday

As I often do on weekends,

I jumped out of bed just after five O this morning.

I had wiggled my allotted time and had to jump.

I wasn't up too long and found myself cutting these fun little stamps.

I'll be using them today, I'm sure.

When I noticed the time, I ran to the back door window.

Yes, there she was on the nest. It was 6:25.

Again, we quietly watched each other.

Then, at 6:35 she flew.

Glorious!

Here is the journal page I told you about starting in this post. As you can see, I broke up the symmetry well enough. I wanted to show since I was "just telling" the other day.

Isn't it the craziest thing, I have so much to blog about and am energized to do it. I'll be back because I'm just dying to show you the painting I finished. You're gonna love it.

Expect a glorious weekend,

Sharon

Eggs

My morning house chore today was to wash eggs and turn on the dishwasher.
I don't know why, I thought you needed to see the eggs. Aren't they are grand!Yesterday when I got home I ran to the nest to see what progress had been made. I saw thin, fine nesting material had been added and thought to myself, "it must be the finishing touches". I had noticed the evening before she had added a coarse material over the leaves that lined the bottom.

This morning before starting my chores, I looked but did not see her at the nest. Then while standing at the sink washing eggs, I saw her dart around the corner. I ran to watch out my window being very still and just watching as she did a sort of slow dance. She slowly squatted into the nest cup and then stood and turned a little bit. Then, she squatted and stood and turned and squatted and stood and turned and squatted and stood and turned. I watched her slow dance in wonder. This must be how they make the nest cup so perfectly rounded, I thought. I left her dancing but did see her fly past my window again.

I reported her slow dance to dear husband and then went back to see if she was back. I'm a stalker. She was there sitting quietly in her nest cup. The dance was over. I watched. We were both still and silent. She saw me but turned away. She opened her beak a couple of time which was curious and then she hopped out and flew.

I thought to myself, "could she have possibly just laid her first egg?" and "could I have possibly just witnessed it?" I quickly opened the door, taking the five steps in two leaps and there it was at 6:48 am, the first pale blue speckled beautiful gift.

I left knowing she was finished for today. I did have time for morning art and will share that later.

Expect more eggs,

Sharon

Morning Art

Bounced out this morning and filled the bird feeders and noticed that Lady Cardinal is still working. Then I chose one house chore and that was to throw away a little stack of junk mail that was on the table near my bird watching chair.

I was anxious to go to my art desk and jump that hurdle I told you about. Well I didn't tell you what the hurdle was, just that there was one. I saw something yesterday that sparked me and so I jumped.

I never intended to show you any of these while in progress. Oh, sure. You know me if I paint I just must share it. It could be a sickness.

But anyway here is my art desk this morning after I have painted a bit and am running late for my 9am new office hour. This is the fourth canvas counting from the bottom of the picture in this post. At the moment she looks a little diabolical glaring at me with a happy-mean face. But later she won't.

When I don't have time to finish a painting, I bring it to my office and study it all day. I also do that when I finish a painting. Today, I will be thinking about how I will incorporate her into this silly little village. I have some thoughts already. And I think you will like them.

Another thing, thank you all so much for sharing your words with me. It really means so much. And at the moment, I am into blogging again. I believe that would be thanks to you and Lady Cardinal.
Expect,
Sharon

Surprise

Imagine my surprise this morning when I stepped out my back door during my extra hour of the day and frightened a Mama red bird. She has just started this nest which is eye level and five feet from my back door. She chose a Rose of Sharon that volunteered in this wrong place. For three years now I have needed to move it. For three years now I have been doing ART instead.

Below is a side view of the nest and I hope you can see the stalk of dead flowers that hang down at the bottom. And can you see the little swirl of twisted vine right there above the leaf that I have documented on? This is ART.

Minutes later while at the kitchen window, I saw her dart around the corner. Oh gracious! My heart leaped knowing I was going to get to witness this house building. And oh gracious, could I possibly get a photo of her! First I had to run get the Windex and clean the windows. There are two. One in the door and one in the storm door. Mind you I didn't clean the whole window, just the little area my camera would look through.

Just after I was all focused and waiting, she came back with more house building supplies. I think she sees me. Oh how I wish I could stay and watch the whole event. I'm sure she will be finished today as fast as she is progressing. This is so exciting.

I Hope you have a surprise today.

Sharon

Just Telling

I was talking to you in the shower this morning all about confusion and direction. And so I decided to try and tell you what I was saying. Know now, there will be no showing, just telling.

First, I will say that my feeling this way is not new. "What way is that" you ask? I don't know that I can describe it except to say I feel my passion changing. All is well in my life and home and family. At times I need change. And that is what I have been thinking about. Change. New ways. New things. Revisiting old passions. New directions.

This is very hard as now I can't remember all the random things that were spewing forth just like the shower head that I lingered under. I suppose I don't have to tell you that this has been simmering for a while now. Here are some of the changes that I share with you.

The first that comes to mind is the fact that I am compelled to blog less. By that I mean, I have slowed with posting as well as reading other blogs. I think we all need a break some times. But the fact is I feel lazy about it. Not as much ART to show and too lazy to post about anything else.

I see a little change in my ART. But that is not unusual. I don't think. If we grow with our ART, then one's ART is an evolution. It's just that I am not satisfying myself. Even though, I'm always happy with my latest painting and know it has merit, I'm left with the strangest question of "what's the purpose?". And that is when, why and where I seem to bog down.

The table shot from my last post is just exactly where every thing still sits in my studio, except a little something I did this morning which I will tell about later. Someone ask if I always worked with multiples and the answer is no. Never. But I was trying a new direction. I was excited to build these little house and wanted to do six at one time. And then offer them to you. I got them to this place and stopped. There in front of me was a hurdle to high to jump. But I will. Soon.

I miss reading books, an old passion. So I went to the library on my way home Friday and checked out Angels and Demons. It consumed me just as I remember all of my passions do. I finished it Sunday afternoon. A fabulous read.

Now this is really personal. I was in dire need of new undergarments. I bet many of you are too. So, last week I found myself in Victoria's Secret. Definitely a new direction in the bra department for me.
"What size?" she said.
"I don't know."
"Would you like a fitting?" she ask.
"Sure." and then she measured. And then I told her there was no way! I would not, could not buy that size. But I did. Change.




I have changed my office hours. I am now on the job at 9am rather than 8am. Mornings are my best time. I feel so energetic and accomplish so much in that one hour. Just doing little house chores that have patiently waited for me. You know, things like picking up that yellow headed straight pin that has been on the window seal by my chair for ages and taking it to its cushion home. Or spot cleaning that little accident on the carpet. Or reading the Sunday paper. Or filling the bird baths. Or folding underwear. Or polishing a silver tray. Or playing in an ART journal.



That's what I did this morning. I dared to start a journal page that I fully intend to mostly write on. And here is a challenge from me to you. I will tell you exactly what I did and then you can do it too. This particular journal is a book; so, first I put some color all over the page. There was a big butterfly that I had stamped onto the inside of a used security envelope using several acrylic colors. It was cut out and waiting. I picked it up and glued it right in the very middle of the page spread. I heard a whisper about symmetry. And listened. I placed it a little closer to the top so it was not actually in the very middle. I started wondering what's next and happened across some black and white prints of some of the original sister angels. I had mirror images of several of them. I heard the symmetry whisper again. "Oh, I get it, she is challenging me to make a page that is symmetrical." So, I took mirror images of one face and cut the face down the middle of the nose and mouth. The same face. I wanted to use both left sides and place them along the right and left edge of my journal page. Now what? Maybe it is a house in the making. I found some of my collage papers from the last project and found a spot that I could cut mirror images of. I cut a 2 blocks and 2 triangles. Now, each side my my journal spread has a house built of a block, a face, and a triangle roof. It is all very symmetrical except the butterfly is a little toward the top. I brought it to work for maybe some art-at-desk today. Mostly writing and doodling on the spread about from my house to your house. Ha, then it won't be symmetrical.



Oh my goodness! This is the weirdest thing and happens to me often. It is when I know I'm in the flow of things when after I have done something I realize the why of it. Have you read Angels and Demons? I have wondered in what direction that book would send me. If you have read the book then you know what symmetry has to do with it. I cannot believe that not until I typed the above sentence about the writing on the page and thinking how that would break the symmetry did I realize the connection.



With that I leave you.

New directions,

Sharon