new orleans

I randomly sketched out a crown the other day because there was one I saw in an ad that caught my eye.  I love when a small something becomes an entire painting.  That crown became this:

I love New Orleans...I've been twice and hope to one day visit again.  The smells, music, food (omg the food...especially Mother's for breakfast, yum!) and energy...it really is a world of its own. 

This piece encompasses some of that feeling of New Awlins....color, a magnolia flower, Louis Armstrong, sheet music, beads, metallic ink, dior....and a clipping of a Louisiana cookie recipe...to name a few.

measures 15" w x 6.5" h x 2" d  on burlap

dance

One of the things I love about my husband is his mad dancing skills.  The man has got rhythm that you wouldn't believe, or suspect, based on his love of history, traditionalism, accounting and his quirky sense of humor.  Writing about it actually really makes me miss it.  The night of our wedding we ended up at a local bar and on the dance floor with some of our family. Me and my new hubby managed to make K-7's 1993 hit "Come baby come" look relatively classy in a suit and full wedding gown.  And in our dating days, more than once before baby, we would end up dancing in our living room with the music I'm sure way too loud...sigh, those days have since retired but I'm sure one day his moves will make an appearance again.

Cut to the chase, I've been working on these completely carefree pieces.  While I worked they reminded me of the fun of dancing.  Not sure why, maybe it is the way the lines move or the glitter shines.  But they are happy...and they make me want to dance.  I think my painting may be moving in a new direction:

 

Life...it's a roller coaster.  Enjoy the ride

the middle one in progress

Oddly enough, my husband broke out Pandora this morning and started dancing with Leila in the kitchen.  Priceless.  Leila started twirling around and giggling like I have never heard her giggle before.

martha, martha, martha

Besides a few minor flaws, like how she pronounces water "wah-ter" and the fact that the mere thought of eating with her reminds me of inviting the Queen to tea or that apparently she was the torturous mother who kept the lights off and curtains drawn on Halloween to shun gitty children, well....I simply love her style.

And, with a gift card to Michaels from my mother-in-law, a great President's day sale and simply asking the clerk in the checkout line if he had any coupons he could give me, I got all of this for $0:

turn it around:

Now, Martha's never ending line of paints and supplies can make anyone a little excited about the most daunting of projects. You really can't beat the colors and styles she offers and the quality of her stuff is wayyyy better than most. But, they come with a price tag. That's why I was so stinkin' excited when I got this pack of 10 paints, which normally costs $19.99, for just $10.....I am not too proud to ask for a coupon and for the entire line behind me to hear. I got 50% off my highest priced item!

And these to add some embellishment to my work:

Meanwhile, I am working on the "swimsuit" painting (which I found fitting to call it) and I happened to go through and organize all of my recipes on Sunday and found some quirky cards I couldn't resist.  Is it just me or do you love going through your mother's, grandmother's (and so on) recipes and getting a giggle out of the advertising.  Case in point:

An early 80's ad for Weetabix.  If you are interested in purchasing this today you will have to go to England.

I found a use for some of these odds and ends though.  Here is a snippet of work in progress:

samples

Here are a few more samples of work that will be added to pinterest today.  It really is interesting to look at your portfolio from years past to present....I feel like my art (especially these samples) show how your style can change depending on where you are in your life.  pretty cool:

this chalk drawing was from my magnet high school class

 Pencil drawing of model from course taken in Italy

Ok, so when I was a junior (I think) in high school I was completely into buying fanchy schmancy drawing pens and doing these wild drawings of faces.  At some point I will take some pics of my sketchbook I kept back then....it is full of characters!  This is a HUGE drawing on thick paper and each shape has a pattern....maybe I should break it out and see what happens if I work on it 15 years later? hmmmmmm.

watercolor

custom piece created upon nephew's arrival

LOVE Jill Ricci

So, I finished the LOVE painting today and gave it to my dear friend Jenny for her home.  I was excited to make something special for her but as the piece progressed I was a little hesitant because it is not like my usual work.  However, she LOVED it.

(ignore the shine....there is a thick, glossy varnish on it)

 Voila...it incorporates the following:

2 good ole' Victoria Secret bra straps from a $50+ bra I purchased years ago and never bothered to wear because it was too fussy and frilly. (glad I could finally put it to use!)

The lace from the aforementioned bra which I spray painted and used as a pattern in the "painting" (see bottom corners)

Beads from when I was in junior high and have never parted with

Vintage trim

Puff paint

baubles from a bracelet which broke not too long ago

Gold and Silver metallic ink

The top and base from a lamp shade provided the circle shape

receipt from 1983

Art Digest clipping from the 1940's

The letter B (for her last name)

A vintage hanky

2 yo-yo circles from a YoYo quilt (popular in the 1920's-1940's)

a silk rose

Burlap

I love a good edge to paintings....adds a little sauce!

I can't help but think I was a bit inspired by my new favorite artist, Jill Ricci.  Her work is amazing and I love her approach...she doesn't have a final vision in mind when she works.  Rather, she lets her pieces develop and whatever happens, happens.  I want to study her pieces one by one.  Here is a taste:



Photo: jillricci.com

LOVE

I mentioned I was starting a piece using a whole bunch of odds and ends.  I love layers, texture, pattern and whimsy.  This piece is completely free-spirited with multiple layers of paint and eye candy.  One of the "newspaper" clippings actually came from an issue from the Art Foundation book published in the 1940's.  The receipt on the side is from 1983 that my husband found when going through his "box" of stuff.  I love old logos and advertising. 

 Anyway...........I am not done with this quite yet.  Tomorrow though.  In process:

Starting a new piece today which will also incorporate layers upon layers of "stuff." Here is the frame which I have already doused with paint and stretched it with that same shower curtain I used for this painting.  Love useful materials.....