Happy New year

A new year to create art. Good to be in the studio again. I love painting but the sewing machine calls  me too. Maybe I should use both is this series.

 Yesterday I added some more layers to my series.Felt good to be painting again.

 Note I covered the stove and cabinets in plastic. I get messy when I paint.

I never know what I will end up doing .Used some of my favorite mark makers to get started.

                                                               

This one really  turned out nice. I love the suggestion of the pine cones and branch.

 I am thinking a bird needs to play a part of this story.

                                                                     

 This is one of my favorite paintings. It is a rust dyed cotton velvet fabric. It is called atmospheric.

Getting a start on a new show. Walk through the woods with me.

 I have a solo show in May 2011 so I got busy yesterday.

Primed 24 bare canvases.

  with a mixture of blue, purple and black gesso.

 It makes a navy under-painting the shows through when I paint.

Gives a nice glow to the finished painting.

The  14 8"x10" canvases will be a series.

       I ordered 20 more 12" x 12" canvases
      from Blick to do another series.

                 This painting starts with  a Jasper red gesso.
                 I like using a color gesso  under-painting.
                 Adds another dimension to the painting.
                 The photograph of the Kankakee swamp is the subject.

                    This painting has the purple gesso under-painting.
                    The  finished painting will be spring tones.
                    The inspiration is the photo below I took in the 70's.

      I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with the leaves.
      My theme is "Walk through the woods with me"
     my favorite place to be.
      I just like the way they curled. Great shapes.



Close up and Quiet on Wednesday

Whats new at Cedar Ridge.

               Thought you might enjoy last years Christmas card. I made 10 different watercolors.

      The female Cardinal is back at the bird feeder my husband made  from a plastic saucer.
 
           The Junco, female Cardinal and the Downy Woodpecker enjoying the sunshine today,

            Another of my presents to me. two small art quilt collages from Virginia Spiegel.

           You would think I had enough of Christmas but my daughter
           and I went in search of next years Christmas presents at 75%  off.
           When you do 30 stockings you can never start too early.

The finish of the tote saga

While the totes have their home. Am I glad I let them choose

 because I would have picked wrong.

My daughter choose the mans suit tote

My sister choose the front one on the right

Betty got the front left one.

Amy choose the flower pocket  tote

Starla choose the African tribal tote

And that left Liz the collage art major

with the bright pink Fasset fabric tote.

SO

I will have to make myself one.

Now to choose fabric again.

SO at the end of Christmas day

with 30 people

30 stockings

Dirty Gerty game with gifts

after everyone left.

My supper was 2 cups of tea

and 3 Motrin.

But is was great fun.



My favorite birds

The pesky Blue Jays seem to dominate the feeders

  I switched to suet feeders making them work for food.

                                                 I love the brightness of the  Cardinals

                                              Our newest bird is the Carolina wren .

                                                       The tufted titmouse is a shy bird. 
                                                                                                             
                                                                                          

                 
                                    Love the view out the back. Great bird habitat

                             Give yourself a peaceful week-end. A great present.