meaning of art.

this is only part of a large canvas but it is the focal point. i love the written word and use book pages for my backgrounds in many of my mixed media pieces. i usually look for a word or phrase that i could create from. this one was a beauty and gave me all kinds of ideas. since i had just picked up the sweet paper lantern stamp in the dollar bin at michaels, i knew it would add instant charm to my dreamy vision. all the textures of the background just add layers of wonderment, a treat for the eyes really. but to me, they are the main delight because i love the challenge of making them work together as one. i used a charcoal pencil to give my title its spotlight but believe me, it would be up to you to discover it in the canvas. that's what it is about for me, making you see the details.

playful pieces.

i am on the hunt for vintage game pieces and came across this set up at old green shutters antiques. i loved the idea of the miscellaneous pieces being displayed in such a playful way, after all, cupcakes and games do go hand in hand :) 

i remember many hours of monopoly and to this day we play it and adjust the rules to make it a little more strategic. landlords that lend money and make you put up collateral, rent extended until you pass go, deals between people all written longhand and legally of course. isn't that what gaming is about, being inventive and using your imagination to unlock the what ifs in life. i often wonder what has become of my childhood friends and hope they look fondly at the hours we spent together stretching our minds with game playing. memories, we have them to treasure them don't you think? i know i appreciate mine each and every day. so grab your family and friends and make it game night once again!

love of the game.

i love games! love them! all games. big and small, long and short, easy or hard, there is not one favorite here. my love of games started on garfield street were the neighborhood gathered on a screened in porch to play for days on end. there was clue, sorry, monopoly, life and so much more and it shaped me into a person who thinks of the moves beforehand. now this is not always good because you can easily talk your way out of something. for me, it pushes me to see an outcome no matter what"s in store. i don't remember playing dominoes that much as a kid, but i love the game now. when was the last time you played a game, had some fun, shared some laughs and got strategic? hope it was yesterday!

make believe.

the words "make believe" remind me so much of the mr. rogers show and the little trolley car. am i showing my age right now or what? i always did love the adventures and playful worlds he took us to. i even wished for a puppet theatre like that, i would have been lost for hours on end - can you even imagine it yourself? so this little file card is in front of the stack today reminding me of its very important message - pretend, make believe and play. what more could you ask for? creativity, inspiration and the permission to be in the studio all day doing whatever you wanted. ahhh. thank you mr. rogers for letting my imagination run amuck for the hour you were on!

a skate.

the face in another place, really? i told you i love this stamp :)  since i couldn't think of a title i just used what i saw - "a" and a "skate" - thought it was clever for this piece of art. another file card and this one i wanted some color. the swirled paper was first, then the cutout skate and since it reminded me of childhood, the puzzle and a diecut letter. rip some edges, stamp my face then glue up the layers. all in all just about a 15 minute project but a lot of creative thinking for my artistic side and i love the way it came out. so, grab some scraps and get going, layer, cut, paste and smile - your studio will love having you!

textures.

textures are the first thing i think about when getting ready to paint or layer. how many can i put in and how will i make them? always a challenge but a favorite one of mine. this file card doesn't have many but it looks like it does, perfection in my book! the papers i used have many torn edges letting it look like more work than it really was. i distressed some of the papers with ink just to dull them down a bit in color. the dotted stripe under the "a" block is the backside of drywall paper tape. the "a" is a paper raised up by a glue dot to add a shadow. the bird and crown were left over from a calendar project i did. i also raised the bird to give him a little more importance than the crown. as you can see it doesn't take much to make a composition interesting, just a little thought and a lot of doing.

just bee.

i have an affinity for bees in any form. in fact, any insect on anything will make me stop for a closer look. this bee came from a deck of children's cards and i just cut it out to serve my purpose. the numbered paper and the bee was my inspiration for this file card, it just so happened that the dotted piece on the right was in my stash of scraps. wasn't it a great fit? i know right, couldn't have planned it any better. i like the dots on the tree and knew it would look charming right above the word so that's where i put it. fun and colorful, playing has its rewards and this one brought on a smile as a bonus. hope you are playing in the studio today!

muse tokens.

i have a library drawer filled with mini file folders decorated with pieces of art. there was no theme, just a box of stuff to use so my mind was free to just play. i fell in love with the words from a tim holtz package and knew it would have to be used. butterflies are a representation of my creative spirit and i love, love, love the rubber stamp of this face and use it all the time. i added splashes of color to bring the mostly neutral elements to life and i think i succeeded greatly. right now it is in the front of the drawer to remind me to persist and find my muse daily as a token to creativity. what would your inspiration look like?

one word.

deciding on just one word to represent the upcoming year has taken me on quite an exploration of pondering proportions. not only has every word i written down started with a "p" which is interesting enough. i also found myself really embracing its possibilities no matter where it took me showing production, promise and progress in my adventure as an artist. i want the journey to be purposeful, prosperous but also prideful for the new year so it can provide many growing years in my creative principles. so i give myself permission to persist no matter the obstacles.

persist - continue in a state or action in spite of obstacles or objections.

some thesaurus words for persist - be stubborn, endure, grind, hold on, insist, obtain, persevere, prevail, remain, repeat, strive.

so what does this image of a bucking cowboy have to do with me? do you know the belief, strength and endurance he has to have to stay on that horse for the allotted time frame? i do because as i head into the 17th year as an artist i am full of new ideas, new challenges but most of all the persistent attitude to hold on and meet each day with the permission to succeed.

my friend cindy shared this idea from the inspiring blog of quinn mcdonald at http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2011/
12/08/choosing-your-word/

please visit my fellow fly tribe members blogs as they celebrate their 2012 words.

hello 2012.

as a new year begins i am always wondering what adventures i will partake in for the upcoming year. i make my resolutions, set goals for myself as well as my business and hope my friends and family stay healthy and well. so what are you hoping 2012 will bring into your life? i'm hoping an artful year full of staying focused, rejuvenated and inspired so i can just do the kind of art i want to do, without limitations. i can dream, can't i? i know the reality of deadlines and traveling will happen soon enough but in the meantime i hope to just play, paint and explore with unabandoned wonderment. cheers to you and hello 2012!

steampunk girl button

trying out another button

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