WHAT IS ART?

Art is the visual image of who you are.

Faith Ringgold

WATERCOLOR WEDNESDAY

Here is my watercolor study for this week. 

I began with a rough sketch

Here, I've layed down a light layer of primary yellow and yellow ochre for her skin.

I like to start light and go darker as I'm working.

Adding in the darker shades,  I believe this is Burnt Sienna.

At this point I wasn't sure if I was liking the direction that the painting was going.  I had a difficult time getting the darker tones right and, I began to wonder if I was over working it.
Her hair, which looked cute in the sketch was also a source of frustration for me.

Despite my challenges and doubts, I decided to keep working.  I added a flower to her hair which helped.  Her side afro puff reminds me of some of the hair do's that were popular in the 1970's.
 Yes, I'm old enough to remember the 70's.

Here she is all finished!  I've titled the piece "Lost In A Daydream"

 “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Harriet Tubman

WHAT IS BEAUTY

Here are the finished photos from my latest altered art journal painting entitled

"What Is Beauty". Of course, there are many answers to that question.  I believe that beauty is all around us and it has very little to do with ones outward appearance. 

I believe that you can find beauty in everyone, and in almost everything.  Sometimes you may have to dig deep to find it but, it's there. What is beauty to you?

View the process video for this painting on my YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaTyaYgxPMQ9UuJlYzNEnlQ

WATERCOLOR WEDNESDAY

When I first started painting about three years ago, the first medium that I experimented with was watercolor.  I felt like I did well with with them and, I even started selling my watercolor fashion illustrations in my Etsy shop.  In 2014 I switched over to acrylics and I fell in love!  Since then, it's been my medium of choice.  

My husband I and recently went on vacation and I knew that I wanted to pack a few art supplies to take with me.  I decided to take my watercolor palette as it was easy to travel with.  I sat down one evening after a day of hiking with my paper and palette and began to paint.  I quickly noticed that my rhythm was off,  I didn't feel as comfortable with the watercolors as I did before.  Needless to say, the painting turned out to be a horrible fail.  

When I returned home, I decided to dedicate more practice to watercolors.  So, I am pleased to introduce a new series which I am calling "Watercolor Wednesdays".  Each Wednesday I will post a watercolor study.  These studies will be in the form of process photos or videos.  Here is the first installment, "Girl In A Red Headband".

BEAUTIFUL BAVARIA

My husband and I recently traveled to Bavaria for a hiking vacation.  Bavaria is located in South Germany.  The countryside and the landscapes are breathtaking.  We hiked up, and down three mountains. It was a bit challenging but, the views from the top made it all worth it. I really felt like Julie Andrews in the Sound Of Music. Being in the mountains was the fulfillment of one of my childhood dreams.  I created an art journal page to commemorate my trip to Bavaria.  You can view the video entitled "Ode To Bavaria" on my Youtube channel.  Here are a few photos for you to enjoy as well.

I'M ON YOUTUBE!

 Hello everyone,

I am so excited to announce that I have a Youtube channel!  This is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time and I am having so much fun!

Come on over to my channel and watch me paint and, go behind the scenes in the studio. You'll even get a peek into my daily life here in Germany.

Thanks, and I hope to see you over on Youtube soon!

NEW WORK

Hi everyone!  It's been awhile since my last post.  I've been busy painting and creating new works of art.  Here's a quick look at a few of my new pieces.

"Map To Freedom"

"Still Life of White Flowers"

"Love Serenade"

I also have a couple of projects that are still in the "prototype" phase.  They still need a bit of refining but, I'm confident that I'll get everything just the way I want it.  I also completed my largest painting to date yesterday,  I'll post pictures soon.  Oh, and I made another doll, this time out of fabric.  Here's a link to a short video  on my Vimeo channel that I made featuring her.  What have you been up to?