Hello Beautiful You - mixed media painting

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 16:24

Wouldn't you like to hear your inner voice say "hello beautiful you"?  My inner voice isn't always kind and gentle but it should be.  I pray each night for God to help me use my words to uplift and enlighten my girls.  Maybe I should include myself.

Just a bit of trivia... the penny in the corner is from Greta.  She gives me little thoughtful trinkets all the time.  It makes my day.  She also like to drop money on the ground in hopes that whoever finds it will have a brighter day.  I found this penny in front of my closet door.  It might have fallen out of a pocket but I chose to believe the good, that it came from Greta.  She wouldn't admit to anything when I asked her about it.  She just smiled.  And now I smile every time I see it.

Roll Tide - Alabama Message Boards

Football season is almost here and I can feel the excitement in the sweet home Alabama air.  I was asked to make a few message boards similar to the Auburn message boards in my previous post.  Knowing how fanatical dedicated the Alabama fans are to their team, I made a a couple extra and I'm pretty certain they will quickly find a loving home.

These are one of my favorite mixed media paintings to create.  They have a practical purpose, they can function as a message board to hang notes/pictures or you can remove the clips and string and enjoy the painting by itself.  Painting these gives me an opportunity to try different applications and really have fun.  If I don't like what I see, I put a new coat of paint over the previous work and start again.  That's how the red board and the vintage board (my favorite) was created.  They were originally black and very busy... too busy.

I hope my Alabama fan friends enjoy these.  Roll Tide!

Auburn Message Boards

There is a battle going on in Alabama and you are expected to pick on side or the other.  Are you Roll Tide or War Eagle?  The battle is revving up as football season is getting ready to begin.  I was asked to to paint an Auburn message board.  Not to worry, there are some University of Alabama paintings right around the corner.

 So, the big question here is do I greet people with a Roll Tide or a War Eagle hello?   I'm neutral.  GASP!!!  See, I went to college at University of Louisville, not that other school in Kentucky that some people know about.  Even worse, I am a basketball fan living in football country so during basketball season you will find me wearing the Louisville Cardinals  Red Shirt.  During football season, you will find me enjoying all the food at the game parties.

Message Boards and quotes

My memory is awful.  There, I said it.  I don't remember faces, names, movies, actors, songs, and I frequently read books twice before I realize I've read it before.  A poor memory does not go well with someone who loves quotes.  Inspirational quotes and Bible verses often help me stay focused and not become the guest of honor at my pity party.  I write them down on scraps of paper and in notebooks, which I have scattered all over.  The downfall to this is that the quote or verse that I want to focus on isn't in plain sight.  So, I decided to try my hand at making a message board that is fun and beautiful so it can do double duty as a piece of art.

These have a lot of layers and texture.  You can reach out and touch them.  The cords/ribbons/strings are removable.  I have one that I think I will hang up as a picture for a while and then transform it back into a message board.

With or without a quote or picture, this is fun.

Count The Happies!  I will be using this sentiment on other paintings.  Just reading it makes me happy.

How often does the daily chores take over life?  Sometimes I forget to do just what this message board says - Take Time To Relax & Enjoy Life.

The Oak Sleeps In The Acorn

The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.
James Allen

 Pursue your dreams.

Mixed Media Paintings and the military home.

This sentiment is so true - "Where We Love Is Home"

The majority of military families move A LOT.  People who aren't military (we call them civilians) ask me all the time how I do it.  These two paintings are the formula of a successful military family... we make where ever we are in that moment our home.  There is a familiar saying - "Home Is Where The Army Sends Us"

The little houses in a row represent military housing.  I hadn't added the words when I took this picture.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't been completely satisfied at every single duty station.  I can think of only two out of nine or so different addresses (I lose track sometimes) that I didn't love.  I am not saying that I didn't like them - there is always something positive in each place and that is usually the great friendships that develop.  The first place we were only there for 6 months but our youngest was born during that time so it has wonderful and exhausting memories.  The second place had a lot of old memories connected with it.  It was a place for personal growth and we made fantastic friends.  I never forget the places we lived when Gene was deployed... talk about spiritual and personal growth.  I couldn't watch a single redeployment commercial during the Super Bowl this year without crying.  It gets me every time.

I will probably add a sentiment to help complete the thought/meaning.

These two paintings represent that feeling of the military home.  It's not about the house we are living in or the weather or the stores or the schools (all these things can help) but it is about the people we surround ourselves with.  I grew up in the same little town on a cattle farm.  We made a lot of memories and learned how to work hard but I have loved the adventures the Army has sent us on.  So, these paintings have special meaning to me.  One has already gone home to another military family.  They are sweet reminders of our way of life that might be a bit different from others but loved none the less.

Quality materials are a must - don't be cheap like me.

A big sigh...

I have a habit of being thrifty.  I always try to go the less expensive route and more than once, I have paid the price.  My lesson I have learned is to always use quality art material where it matters most - the foundation.


See the slightly messed up lower left corner?

I had a slightly warped and inexpensive canvas I had been saving.  I thought it would be good for an experiment in mixed media.  I mean, what would it matter?  If the painting was a total pile of yuck then I didn't lose much money on my canvas.  It never crossed my mind that I might love the painting.  I have learned my lesson.























I started painting on my wobbly warped canvas, ignoring that it was bouncing all over the table.  It was just a little warped.  I didn't know that the paint would eventually make it worse.  So, now I have this experiment that I love, that is hanging on my wall for everyone to see right when you enter my home, and it drives me crazy.






















Moral of the story... use quality material.  The canvas matters.  Oh, and be careful if you bump up against the painting that is meant to be touched.  It is hanging a bit precariously and may jump off the wall.

Christmas Mixed Media Paintings

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted.  We moved into our new house six months ago and I finally found my camera battery but I am still missing my SD cards.  I'm really wishing I had been more diligent about backing up my pictures.  boo hoo

Christmas is around the corner and I had a great time painting these mixed media paintings.  My husband has been in the Army for over 20 years.  This Christmas I was inspired by all my military friends who have endured and tried to enjoy Christmas during deployments.  It is an unbelievably emotional time.

I always try to add a ton of texture to my paintings.  I want the viewer to pick them up and touch them.  My favorite part of this group of paintings is the snow.  It is molding paste that is swirled, painted, and then sparkled.  That's how I imagine snow looks like when it is fresh and the sun makes it sparkle.  I normally add a saying to my paintings, which are normally inspired by scripture or a song, but this time I left two blank so they could be personalized.  The fireplace painting and the Christmas tree painting now have personal messages.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

... and the fire is so delightful

Goodwill towards men

Joy

Peace & Joy

Peace

Winter Cabin

Mountains and Fireflies

Before my dear friend Jen moved to Utah she asked me to paint her a picture with mountains and fireflies, her two favorite things.  I had never painted a firefly picture before so I was excited about the challenge and wanted the picture to be extra special for her. 

Jen is so vibrant and fun that I decided to make the painting bright and colorful like her.  I normally age my paintings but this time I went for all the joy and wonder I could create.  Gosh, I'll miss this girl.

Late For Class

July is more than half way through and I still have some late June-early July posts yet to write.  I started this post before we moved in early July and have since lost the draft.  No surprise there.  I've lost multiple things in the past few weeks during our move. 

Some wonderful ladies came over for a mixed media painting class.  Their paintings turned out beautifully and we had such a great time laughing.

I am a messy free spirited painter and reminded them several times to PUT DOWN YOUR PAINTBRUSH (Gina).  I wanted them to feel their art... literally.  Paint washes off eventually.

Beautiful paintings ladies. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painting Smalls - Mixed Media

We are in the middle of moving and can you guess what I am obsessed with?  All I want to do is paint 6x6 mixed media paintings.  This size of canvas is one of my favorite.  I can finish a simple painting in a day or two and since it is a "deep" canvas, the sides become part of the painting.

Maybe I am enjoying painting these so much because I packed up my sewing machine and already shipped it to our new home a few states away - or - maybe it is because I am avoiding the never ending cleaning that needs to be done to move from our rental house.  Either way, I am loving my time in my art studio. 

Believe The Best

Know In Your Heart

Breathe

Crocus in the Snow

Have you ever stopped and really taken in the beauty of a crocus?  I am always amazed by its strength and beauty.  The gorgeous delicate petals are unbelievably bright and seem so fragile but have an amazing inner strength. They are the first sign of Spring and a new beginning, even when snow is still on the ground.

 

 

I have a dear friend who is like the crocus... strong, beautiful and has a gentle soul.  I painted her this painting  to remind her of the times we have spent together.  Kammy is moving to start a new chapter of her life.  I am so proud of her  but I am sad that she is leaving and will miss her.  She has become part of our family. Psalm 16:9