Each year, the Portland Audubon Society sponsors a Wild Arts Festival. Local artists create and donate 6x6 inch canvases with a bird theme to benefit Portland's wildlife. My contribution is entitled Frost Moon.
The 2011 Wild Arts Festival is November 19th & 20th at Montgomery Park. It's a wonderful opportunity to see nature-themed work by Northwest and nationally known artists and writers.
At ArtFest last spring, I took a workshop from Orly Avineri called Roots and Shoots. The two collaged paintings that I created can be seen HERE. They measure 11x14 inches.
Using the same techniques, I made these four 6x6 inch botanical paintings. I like the combination of loose abstract lines with finely detailed collaged and drawn lines.
The mixed media paintings include acrylics, inks and paper collage.
All of these paintings will be for sale at the December Portland Art Collective 'Open Doors' Show and Sale.
I made more word keys for our Portland Art Collective Show and Sale in December. Last year, they were very popular. The safety deposit keys are flooded with solder with metal stamped words, hand soldered silver jump rings, beads and a bit of fiber.
Words become keys to life, a reminder to dream or play. Many artists choose a word for the New Year to guide them in their artwork. Selecting one can be a powerful affirmation and tool for change for anyone.
I used the skills that I learned in Stephanie Lee's Homesteaders Metalsmithing online class
Completing projects for our December Portland Art Collective Show is keeping me busy. The brooches are now finished. The pin back has a bail so they may be worn as a pendant.
Last summer, I took Stephanie Lee's Homesteaders Metalsmithing online course. These brooches were inspired by her class. They are soldered bezels with my drawings, resin, sterling silver branches and wire wraps. In the coming weeks, I'll share more of my artwork for the show.
Last week, I started an online class with Katie Kendrick entitled "Layered Impressions". Many of her techniques are based on her upcoming book with the same name- a mixed media approach to painting and poetry. I've always admired the story telling style in her artwork. I'm just scratching the surface here in practicing some of the lessons. We drew several faces with our non-dominant hand and selected ones to paint.
I like the mix of watercolors with gesso. This face reminds me of Colette in Les Misérables. I can see how some of Katie's ideas will improve my drawing and painting skills. It may take me awhile to get through all of the workshop exercises and to practice them. It's always exciting to learn new techniques and see how other artists interpret them. I'll share more in future posts. I took a class from Katie in 2009 called "Spontaneous Haiku Painting". You can see the book that I made HERE.
This week, I was fortunate to play with my watercolors and sketch twice with two different groups of friends. In the watercolor above, I played with stencils, textured items, a little tissue paper collage and drawing. I am attracted to art with the combination of solid colors and line drawings. Knowing when to stop and let some white paper, negative space show in the background is a challenge for me.
Earlier in the week, my regular sketching group visited Hughes Water Gardens. I wanted to work freer and capture the spirit of the fuschia without pen and ink. It reminds me of Chinese brush painting.
It was a cloudy day and the flowers' bright colors really popped.
Koi filled a large pond.
Waterlily blossom on reflected grid, floating flower of spirit and rebirth. Speak to us.