A new teleclass

You know I am a big fan of SARK.  Starting April 14, 2010
SARK is presenting her very first live teleclass series, called Dream Boogie with SARK: Dancing Your Way from DREAming to DOing!
So if you are a dreamer check it out! 

This kid really inspires me

Do you remember the days of free painting you did as a child? This is my son having so much fun! We have been reading The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown. My kids just love it. In case you don't know it the color kittens (Brush and Hush) mix all the colors in the world and have wonderful dreams in color. My son loves to mix colors and goes about it with such excitement. "Mom, what color will it make if I mix this one with this one?". I think it is so great to see him in action. He got a bit upset once the paper was thoroughly soaked and ripped. I told him I love it and I think it looks pretty cool with the rip in it and I will add it to the memory box.

He totally inspires me to be more free. To just try things. I love that about kids. They are pretty fearless sometimes!

Nathalie Lete Live Painting

I saw this video awhile back and I am still so inspired by it. Nathalie Lete Live Painting.

My Creative Space

It is a mess today! Working on a new painting and going to finish the larger one. Having fun though. The crocuses and the daffodils and some small blue purple flowers have bloomed. I feel like I want to paint purples. Purple was my favorite color for a long time. And at times it still is. Mine seems to change from day to day. What is your favorite color?

And don't forget to go over to kootoyoo to check out other creative spaces and to add yours!

A peek into yesterday

Outside sketching with my son...
And photo taken by him as well...
Blowing bubbles...

Simple Blogging

I read about simple blogging from Susan Tuttle in the Wishstudio. A short list of your day with a simple photo or two. I love it! I decided to give it a try.

morning pages, coffee, meditate, exercise, learning to ride a bike, swinging, feeling the warm sun, more coffee, cleaning, it's mine!, hugging, quick sketching, kisses, laughing, long walk, bath, book, snuggles, sleep

So far

So this is where I am at with my painting. It has been great getting used to the paints again. I think I may go back into it a bit and adjust some but I don't want to over work the thing and lose it. I am trying to not think to much when painting. I really liked working with these bright colors but yesterday I looked through a home decor magazine and fell in love with a soothing blue/green/white palette so I am feeling like I need to paint in that palette next.

I have a stack load of books on request from the library, some on creativity and some on techniques. I don't feel like I am adhering to any particular technique with my painting just going with the flow. Trying different things. I figure if I don't like it I can always gesso over it. I listened to this Craftcast podcast recently. It is with Mary Todd Beam. I really enjoyed her views about painting. Now her books are on my wish list. They didn't have them at the library.


In other news.. the sun is shining today and the temp is 67 F. The snow has just about melted and they are calling for much of the same through Sunday!! See you later winter. Hello Spring!

I hope your week has been great so far!

xo,
dana

My Creative Space

I am joining in the fun over on kootoyoo
with my creative space. Here is my beginnings of my acrylic painting. It feels a bit unsettling to share this and I debated over it. But here it is. It was a great way to end the day yesterday. I relaxed, played, and was free with the paint. I can't wait to go back to work on it!

I hope you will consider joining in the fun of My Creative Space and check out all of the links of all of the other creative spaces.

xo,
dana

Be kind. This painting was one of my first acrylic paintings. Most likely my first painting on a canvas. I did it back in either my sophomore or junior year of high school. We had just studied Georgia O'Keefe and our assignment was to paint a part of a flower as Georgia did, in a similar style. So I used the acrylic with a watercolor effect to simulate her beautiful blending of color. I remember that I loved painting this piece. I loved mixing the color and applying the paint. The way the brush felt on the canvas.
This one was done the same year. I didn't enjoy this one as much. Figures and faces aren't my thing. But even still there were some things about it that I did enjoy. I am not even sure why I had to have these paintings back and why I needed to show them here. Except that I said I would and maybe it is a full circle moment for me.
Acrylics are kind. In the way that if you "mess up" you can always paint over them. Oils do that, probably better since the drying time is so much slower and you just wipe it off. Watercolors aren't so forgiving.

I stretched my canvas and primed it over the weekend. It was staring at me so today I applied a very watery mix of burnt umber and cadmium yellow with a brush and took a wet paper towel and removed some of it. I have an idea of what I will do next but I don't want to have too much of an idea if you know what I mean.

I hope you had a great weekend! We spotted our bulbs we planted in the fall peeking up through the dirt and surrounded by snow. I couldn't have been more excited!

Stretching

All of my supplies I need to start stretching the canvas and painting have arrived!
My husband is going to pick up my easel from my parents house this weekend. I may just end up using a table top one. It may be easier. Today I asked my mom for some of my first acrylic paintings from high school. They were pretty neat to see after all of these years. I will share them soon.





Before the storm I borrowed a few books from the library on painting. I have been practicing techniques in my art book. I will share those soon too.


I am really, really loving the art created by Line Juhl Hansen. I love her blog and her new site. Her studio and home were recently featured on Decor8. Truly lovely and inspiring!! Here is the link to the Decor8 piece. Please check it out and tell me how much you would love to create in that space??

And talented artist Louise Gale is having a solo show that opens tonight in NYC at the Klimat showing her new art series, Grey life or Green life? Check this blog post to read more and see her video she made while creating one of her favorite pieces from the show! It is a great video and a great piece of art.

Just

Photo taken last spring

For YOU, as well as myself.

*If you are striving, just for today stop.
*If you feel less than, just know you are enough.
*If you are stressed, just let go.
*If you made a mistake, just forgive yourself.
*If you feel lonely, just know you are not alone.
*If you feel helpless, just know you are doing all you can.
*If you feel uninspired, just know it will pass.
*If you feel outdated, just....well, I am not sure about this one.

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***Please stop by HEARTWINGSISTERS and offer a kind word or prayer, a family member is missing.

***Concetta from Glittering Shards is going to run a race to raise money for children. Read more here.