In and Around the Studio....

     The following images are some photos of various projects I've been working on.  The silver lined beads I am the most happy about.  I've always enjoyed using the glass beads in my designs but even more so now that I've taken the time to learn how to line them in silver and sometimes brass and copper.  The addition of embossed caps gives them a whole new look too and the opportunity to really get creative.  The image below is neither bracelet nor necklace but simply a few of my first beads waiting to be put together.  They fit all the European style bracelets such as Pandora, Chamilia and Troll.  (Gives me an excuse to buy the gorgeous silver beads to go with  my own).

     In the depth of winter, I love to knit whenever I can.  It's funny how flowers keep cropping up in my work no matter what materials I happen to be using.  The ones on the right are going to have the beaded centers as well.

My winter garden grows.....

These "scarflettes" are available at the new boutique on Main Rd., Hudson called Seconde Main.

I return to my blog with a heavy heart.  The passing of my mother the third week of January has left me with sadness.   I want to return here and continue posting but didn't feel I could forego mentioning that.  My blog is an extension of myself and to have glossed over that would have felt unrealistic.  As someone recently told me,  I should dedicate my creativity to her memory and her love will be my catalyst.  I will return to posting this week.

Welcome.....

visitors from The Altered Page!  A view of my work space and the sketch books I've worked on is pictured on Seth Apter's blog today.  If you haven't visited his site, make sure you do and bookmark it for future reference because he always has wonderful projects and people to showcase.

My  own sketchbook project for this month was to finish the moleskin book that will be submitted to the ....."Sketchbook Project"....   I started within my comfort zone which was to pick up my paintbrush rather than a pencil but once I had a few painted pages I gradually pushed myself to sketch more.  If I had an unlimited amount of time to work on this one, I'd have added color to each page to unify the project but I'm just happy I have something to submit within the deadline this week.  My theme was "In Flight" and on several pages I quoted from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Robert Louis Stephenson.  A nice side benefit from working on a project with a deadline is the research that leads to pleasant discoveries, in this case, a beautiful work of poetry I otherwise may never have read.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well I'm sitting here thinking that I should be writing something profound for my first post of the new year, and that seems intimidating so I will simply post two links.  The first one is an inspiring rendition of
Auld Lang Syne by Sissel
http://www.ine-pps.nl/
and the second is a link to an artist's website that I've just discovered and want to share with you.
I'll put the link in the column to the left too.
http://www.makingamark.blogspot.com/
Happy New Year everyone!

Latest Pieces to be added to Etsy

The dragonfly bracelet has a bit of beach history to it.  A beachcomber's bracelet with stones washed by the sea, green malachite for the seaweed, a wooden bead to represent the driftwood and a bit of crystal bling for the treasures beachcombers hope to find and finally the sterling silver dragonfly that is an ever present feature along the sandy beaches.

This one measures 7" with a lobster claw clasp. $45

A three-in-three sterling silver chain, a faceted
oval stone and a faceted quartz heart with a flurry
of crystals and pearls in between.  7" with a sterling silver lobster claw clasp. $60

Last Commissioned Piece of the Year...

Silver and crystal and pearls....faceted stones and embossed initials....

I couldn't help it.....

A Christmas package arrived and I was good for about two days....and then I caved.  I opened the cardboard box thinking there would be a wrapped Christmas package inside.  But the packaging gave me a hint as to what was inside. (A Jim Shore collectible)  Thinking it was a Christmas decoration I went ahead and opened it and staring back at me was this wonderful frog.  What was truly amazing was that I had

just this afternoon finished painting an adirondack chair to be auctioned off in the Spring in benefit of

the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses).  They belong together!  They couldn't have matched any more perfectly.  So now I either have to paint myself another chair just like this or bid on it myself!

Ahhh, Christmas shopping......

The problem with getting Christmas shopping done early is that you inevitably see improved versions of what you've already bought and probably already wrapped, which is what happened to me this week.

So back I went to return one package and buy another and pick up a few other gifts along the way.

But it wasn't all hardship!  Picked up my daughter for the weekend and passed by this Gelato counter

that is new at our mall.  I have to confess we didn't have any this time but took pictures instead.  Next time I will make time and budget my calorie intake for this!  

On the way home (adding to the sensory overload) was the winter scenery on our road leading into

Hudson....(a great place to live around Christmas time).

 

An Invitation.....

I am taking part in a group show at Galerie Viva Vida in Pointe Claire Village of small format works.

I have two paintings at this gallery.

The first one is a 14" square oil painting, finished on all sides to be hung frameless (or framed if you prefer) of a bowl of pears on my favorite black floral fabric.  And the second image is a 8" x 24" mixed media acrylic painting on wood panel with a depth of 1.5".  I enjoy including paintings within paintings and this one features a mini interpretation of one of Bougeureau's....one of my favorite artists.  The teacup in the front of that image is of one of my Lilly of the Valley teacups and the reason I titled this one "Lillies of the Valley" to include the two young girls in the image.

This exhibit will run until the end of January. 

I LOVE Color.....

Sat at my torch this week for the first time in months and made these simple beads.  I had a tendency to
overwork each bead with various techniques but when it comes right down to it, simple is good.  The glass speaks for itself.

A Fall Still Life

I love this season - just before the leaves fall, everything is golden.  The richness and warmth of the colors are inspiring.   I tried to bring a little bit of that indoors with this photo.

New Paintings for Fall

This is really why I haven't posted.  I've been painting........

Each of these paintings measure 14" square and are on stretched canvas, finished on all edges meant to be displayed frameless but would look great framed as well.   With this size, I like the idea of having a

wall of a grid of paintings, for example nine paintings hung 3 x 3.  Either with color or subject matter

as a unifying theme.

They will be on exhibit at the local Hudson Artists Association Fall Show at the Steven Shaar Community Center on Main Road, Hudson, October 15th through the 17th.

The second painting of the pears and yellow daisy is a small version of the 40" painting that I did late this summer.

Wow! October?.......really?

Time flies when you're having fun....I can't believe I haven't posted for October yet!

I received an email from Seth Apter of The Altered Page (a wonderfully inspiring site for those interested in mixed media, especially book arts) to tell me that my contribution to his on line compilation of mixed media artists in a section called The Pulse will be viewable on Monday, October 17th.  Sorry I think that

was a rather long winded sentence.  But do check in on Monday to have a look at my contribution as well as other artists.  Make sure you're comfortable and have a coffee close by.  You're going to want to stay awhile!

Virtual Painting through Google

Just when I thought the iPhone/iTouch had something amazing to offer artists with the amazing apps
available I come across this website of paintings done of views found through Google Street Maps (Virtual Paintout).
I have only started to explore the resulting paintings but stopped to admire Anne Campbell's
paintings.   Her paintings are of images taken of famous department stores in New York and her version
of these are slightly abstracted.  They were absolutely wonderful so I picked Saks Fifth Avenue to explore.
This is the screen shot I took of the result of this search.  Can you imagine the street scenes available to us now?

Studio Tour 2010

A steady stream of visitors today and the weather turned out to be quite nice too.

This is a sneak peak....
You can't miss the place, this is parked out front!

10:00 a.m. until 4:00 Sunday too.

Painting and soldering, painting and hammering.....

....blissfully I might add.   This weekend is the Studio tour from which I had taken a hiatus for the last two years but now I'm happy to say I will open my door to those interested in having a visit, sharing some hot spiced apple juice and talking shop.

Here are some of the handcrafted chainmaille bracelets I've just recently completed.

More Cameron Street Blossoms

Part of a series of these flowering branches....this one is still on my easel and seeing the photo helps me

decide what needs to be improved.  This one measures 24" x 36".  

Here is the one from last Spring (sold).

Looking for Sunsets...

Tonight had some spectacular views for sunsets.  Unfortunately I left the house a little late but did

manage to capture this one.   A little tweaking in Photoshop to view the tractor and barn a little better

and this may become a painting.

Progress

...and this is how it's progressing.  Still work to be done all over.

More work was done on the central pear and the yellow daisies.  The daisy on the left will be the focus of my painting next.  For reference the smaller image at the bottom of the easel of the pear measures

8"x10".

Here Comes the Next One...

I started the tulips painting and finished it inside of a week because I used acrylics.  This one however
will take a little longer because I had planned on using oils.  I wanted a more painterly look for this one with juicier brush strokes.  It too measures 40" square.

I've just begun the color mapping here letting my drawing show through.  I'll add the darkest darks next for reference.  It should be interesting getting the texture of the dish cloth at this size.  I made sure to crop out

the ironing board just to the right of my easel :>)