Wordless Wednesday

A New Foster

This is Watson, our new foster. He is a little Maltese that was found dumped in the country with another Maltese, probably by a known puppy mill in the area. Right now he is very shy around people, but he has a little bit of attitude around other dogs. He and Mya will give each other a good run, while Zeke watches on the sidelines!

Mya in the Snow

Even though Mya is a year old, she is a puppy mill dog, and this is the first winter that she has been outside in snow. At first she didn't like it; then she went through a phase where she romped through it fearlessly; and now she is thinking that it is a bit overwhelming when it gets this deep!

Mya on the potty path that we shoveled for the dogs. The snow is taller than Zeke and Mya, so we shovel paths for them to go outside. Although the snow is pretty, it is a ton of extra work with little dogs!

Wordless Wednesday

Details

Recently I have been looking at some of the canvases that I have painted with new eyes. Instead of looking at the entire canvas, I am using a 55mm lens on my camera to see the details of certain areas of the canvas. These miniature detail shots are inspiring me to paint large canvases that are less "busy" than what I usually paint. It is an interesting exercise and has been consuming most of my studio time recently.

Wordless Wednesday

Beginning Stages of a New Mixed Media Book

I have been working on a new mixed media book about nature, that was inspired by my art retreat in a wooded area along the East Nishnabotna River. It was in the fall, yet the trees were barren, and the leaves were thick on the forest floor.

This is the base layer of the cover. It is mat board covered with a crumpled piece of painted paper. I used gel medium to adhere the paper to the mat board once the paint had dried.

Layer #2 --- I added a thermofax screen print of a tree. This is from a photo that I took at the retreat, and I love all the fine branches that radiate out from these tree trunks.

Layer #3 --- I have added some pieces of painted canvas to the cover. The strips on the left bring in some of the other colors that were present in this landscape, and the rectangle with writing in the center starts the narrative of the book.

Wordless Wednesday

A New Blog

As part of the new year in my studio, I am concentrating more on my photography --- as an art form on its own and as a component in my mixed media artwork. To keep me on track, I have started a second blog, "A Photographic Life", that is strictly photographs. I will try to post a new photo every day --- photos that really show the details that I am discovering in every day scenes. I hope you enjoy it!

A New Year

Today is the beginning of a new year --- a time when I look back at the year that just ended and appreciate all the blessings that I enjoyed, and a time when I look forward to the year that is beginning and make plans to enjoy it to the fullest. I plan to spend today with family and in my studio creating art. If what they say is true, and however you spend New Year's Day is how you spend the rest of the year, I will be happy.

Wishing you a brand new year filled with all that is important to you!