First Snowdrop Sighting of 2023

 

The first snowdrop sighting is always a highlight of January.  I commemorated this year's first sighting in an older teeny tiny journal I found on the shelf.  I made this journal in one of Joanne Sharpe's classes and I added a little collage before painting the snowdrops.  Lots of fun!

Mixed Media Play

Time to do a Little Finger Painting!

Gelatos, Acrylic Paint, Watercolor Pencils and Stabilo Pencil on Canvas Paper

Toto the Toilet

Graphite and Watercolor on Gesso
Calligraphy - Pointed Pen and Walnut Ink

Meet Toto, my new toilet.  I've learned more about toilets in the last week than I care to, but at least I've not been so preoccupied with the pandemic!  We didn't have our pick of toilets - our house is so old that my tub and sink are almond/beige.  It's a little hard to find toilets in that color, apparently. 

And yes, I will draw anything, including mops and toilets.  Whatever I'm thinking about!

Silver Linings

Watercolor on Gesso
Calligraphy - Walnut Ink with Pointed Pen

During these difficult times, I find it useful to look for the silver linings that are found in every cloud.  I belong to an ethnic United Church in my neighbourhood; our English congregation is quite small.  Larger churches are recording their services and broadcasting the videos.  We are small enough to meet on Zoom and the participation and interaction is so much better than just passively watching a video.

"Was I deceived? or did a sable cloud

Turn forth her silver lining on the night?" 

- John Milton, Comus, 1634

Spring in the Sixteen Page Journal

The only thing I don't like about the book we made at the calligraphy society meeting is the paper.  I had to gesso the pages to stop wet media from bleeding through the paper.

As long as I was applying gesso, I decided to turn it into a mixed media journal.  You can see I've added some tissue paper sewing pattern for fun.

The Rainforest

Much of my art is inspired by the luscious rainforest where I live, in British Columbia, Canada.

These were done following the restrictions from Lesson Four of the Find Your Joy taster course I did recently.  And, once again, I enjoyed myself immensely. 

Part of the fun was stumbling across these little collage pieces from my stash.

Find Your Joy - Lesson Four

These were all done as part of the free taster course Find Your Joy with the wonderful artist and teacher Louise Fletcher.

This lesson was about limitations - there were instructions about which media to use in which order.

I enjoyed this lesson immensely.  Knowing that I was going to make four pieces freed me up to experiment and make mistakes.  I can see myself coming back to this exercise again and again.

Busy Finishing Up Journals

Mostly my journals are a private affair, but lest the odd person who cares thinks I've been snoozing, I'm trying to finish up many odd journals so that I can begin again.

I'm still planning to consolidate into a single handmade journal of mixed media paper.  I've been busy hunting down papers.  My theory is that mixed media paper will be lighter for binding and not so precious that I'll be afraid to use it for lettering or dry media.  My choices locally are limited, and I don't want to break the bank on a paper that I haven't tested.  I want to bind my own so that I can make journals of a single signature allowing me to change sizes as my whims dictate.

But I'm homing in on a solution and looking forward to the next adventure! 

In Joined Hands There is Hope

ATC, Rubber Stamps, Inktense, Pen

This is a real mixed media extravaganza!  First I stamped various stamps on white cardstock, dripped Inktense Blocks, and collaged dyed napkin for a background.  

The focal point is stamped on tissue paper and the script added with a Platinum Carbon Ink Fountain Pen.  

I'm using gel medium for collage now and loving it!  Note to self:  Let delicate materials like napkins and tissue paper dry after using the first layer of gel medium to glue them down.  When they are dry, more layers can be added.

The Crowed Went Wild

And so begins my series of mixed media artist trading cards.... 

It All Started With Napkins

I've reentered the world of mixed media.  It all started with napkins, and I think my sister, Dianne, was the original instigator of this expedition.  That sand dollar you see on the journal page above is cut from a napkin.

The last time I dabbled in mixed media I didn't quite understand the whole napkin craze.  Now I'm hooked on them.  I love their translucency.

Before I knew it I'd organized a napkin swap at the local ATC group, bought gel medium and a few more tubes of acrylic paint and I'm slopping it all around with wild abandon.

Stay tuned - I'm working on some Artist Trading Cards...