Category Archives: harvest

The Fruits of My Labors

October 1, 2008 By in acrylics, art, etsy, fall, harvest, journal, mixed media, zne 8 Comments
‘Labor’ would be an exaggeration. Painting is a labor of love. It is harder not to create, than it is to let it out. I start to get very antsy if I cannot get into my studio for any length of time. Even if I am not inspired, prepping a canvas, tidying up, or writing in my journal helps me to unwind. I have to admit, that I love the ‘smell’ of art supplies-lol! I guess that is an occupational hazard as my DH loves the smell of jet fuel. The smell of gesso, so pristine and white, and full of possibility, reminds me of long ago art rooms of my school days. I am preparing myself at the same time I am preparing a canvas. It is cleansing. It opens my mind. It allows me to leave problems at the door. It is the first step in the process of creating. I never feel like this is a ‘chore’, it is the anticipation of the next step in my artistic journey.
How do you prepare yourself for your next project? Do you have a favorite step in your process of creating art? I would love to hear from you, so if you want to share a bit of your artistic ritual, please do!
These are scans of part of my finished pieces, ‘Bounty’ and ‘Harvest’. You can see the works in their entirety in my etsy shop.

Bountiful Harvest

September 30, 2008 By in art, Bounty, harvest, mixed media, thatnksgiving, zne 4 Comments

Yesterday, after being sick for four long days, I finally got back into my studio. It was so peaceful. After participating in Michelle Wards GPP Street Team Challenge, ‘Clean your plate’, my studio has again become my haven. I have reclaimed my space, and I enter it now with anticipation and joy.
My muse visited me in my fevered state, and I made a couple of sketches in my art journal. With fall here, family talks have turned to ‘whose house will be hosting the Thanksgiving dinner?’ , and that is what inspired these two pieces, ‘Bounty’ and ‘Harvest’. Two words that hold an armful of meaning.
You can see one of my journal pages with the sketch for ‘Bounty’. My husband played hand model for me while I played with how I wanted to show her hands. Try that one with a remote control clicker-lol! You can also see a piece of paper that is my inspiration for the background colors. I like to start pieces simultaneously and work on them together up to a point. These are now at that point, and I will decide which one I want to finish today.
Another quick note, I am extremely excited that I will be able to attend ZNE’s Convenzione this may! I am going to teach a Regalo Per Me, make and take class. More information will be following shortly.