Trouble with color

It's not what you are that's holding you back,

it's who you think you're not.

I'm so frustrated with my ability to present this painting correctly... The above image is scanned (which usually works really well); the bellow one is a photo. Both are wrong. My painting definitely has warm tones, as the scan shows, but not as much crazy color. On the other hand - I used a lovely gold-toned color... not metallic gold, more like a gold shimmer (in the hair and on the face) and it doesn't show at all.

I guess the best I can do is to invite you all to come and visit me and see it in person.... Wouldn't that be fun?

Follow your heart

Do you have a bird in your heart?

Birds, butterflies, wings of all sorts.... transformation, flying, growing.... I guess those things are on my mind.

A piece of distressed wood, with an opening just in the right place, some paint and inks, two glass birds and a thick layer of beeswax...
that's what I've been playing with for the last two days.

Is it possible that Saturday is almost over? Why can't weekends last longer?

I hope you're having a good one.

xo

Playing with paint

This is what happens when I'm too tired to really think about what I'm painting:

I pick up pieces of cardboard, paper, several colors, 2 brushes and dirty water...

I turn on the TV in the next room and watch reruns of NCIS (which I never watched before and don't understand my current fascination with it)...

And I paint.... The tv keeps me from thinking, planing, judging...

Suddenly these characters emerge and I feel totally happy and relaxed.

You should try it. Maybe NCIS is not your thing (wasn't mine either before this week), but something that will quiet the side of the brain that wants to control what we do. I really enjoy it!

Happy October! xo

Pink Roses

From time to time I have to paint roses. My angle brush starts calling my name and I can see only pinkish/red and white tones.

So I don't resist it. I paint roses.

And then I decide who will carry the rose.

Or who will stand on the rose.

I used a 12.5"x14" piece of weathered wood and painted both sides. Why waste a perfectly good surface, right? This way it can be turned from one side to the other... two paintings in one. I liked that idea. And I also love the crackle finish. Look at the details.... so many patterns to explore.

- offered on etsy -

Something different

Did I ever mention how my very protective husband gets worried if I don't paint pretty faces, flowers and butterflies? It is very sweet and funny at the same time. He saw this painting in process and got all worried about the girl in it... Why is she scared and cold? How am I feeling? What can he do?

 When I assured him that I am fine, but just needed to paint this he asked if I can add something that will help the girl in the painting; someone who is waiting to guide her. So I did. And the little fairy on the right side is doing just that.... waiting to help her.

Somehow it made me feel better too. It's good knowing that there is hope. And that you first have to be scared in order to be brave. As always, I enjoyed pulling out colors and textured details from the painting.

I love tiny birds!

Can you see it?

I was typing emails in my backyard Monday afternoon, enjoying the perfect weather and the quiet company of my husband (who was also typing something on his computer). And then the little one came, had a drink on the feeder and sat on a tiny branch of our lemon tree to rest.

And it stayed there a very long time... maybe over 10 minutes. It was there long enough that my dh was able to go to the house, take a camera, get back out and snap photos. I couldn't take my eyes of him. I think they are magical creatures and was just amazed that it was there, undisturbed by our presence and that we can share such a pleasant late summer afternoon.

So, I quick journal page emerged. Something interesting happened as I layered colors and mediums, it got a glassy or plastic-y look, like my writing is under a thick layer of resin or something... I wish knew how I did that so that I can repeat it on another painting.

Feeling safe

You blink and the weekend is gone... This is what I was working on:

I think it looks a bit darker than it should. Maybe it's just my monitor...

As always, it's so much fun to look at different cropped details of a painting. So often I like them more than the whole thing. I loved painting these ladies. I guess I should go and clean my studio now if I want to be able to paint again. Bye...