50 by 50 Weeks 6 and 7

Well, I got a little behind in my posts. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes. The flu hit me a couple of weeks ago and I have been trying to catch up ever since. So, today I am posting two weeks of the 50 by 50 post cards. Artemis reminded me that it is OK to be sick and to give myself time to recuperate rather than berating myself for getting behind. I took her advice and feel much better. I have been working on some other art projects as well and will post again in the next few days. For now, here are weeks six and seven.

Endymion 1

A THING of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
--John Keats

These are the first lines of the poem Endymion by Keats. I picked up an old paperback of poetry by Keats, mostly because it was 10 cents, and I liked the yellowing of the pages. Then I began to read the poetry, especially Endymion. It tells the story of Endymion, a mortal, in love with Cynthia (the Greek goddess of the moon Selene). The poem is about Endymion's love for Cynthia and his search for her in the underworld. One Wikipedia listing mentions that Keats changed the name Selene to Cynthia and that Selene is another name for Artemis. Well, of course, this piqued my interest. I will continue to read Endymion and investigate the meaning of the poem and of the Greek story of Endymion. Here is my first collage based on the poem.

I took a vintage photo, acrylic paint, ink, collage paper, and stamps to create a kind of Steampunk/Dr. Who quality about it. It was a lot of fun.

50 by 50 Week 5

This seems appropriate given that it is Superbowl Sunday.





I especially needed reminding of this bit of wisdom this weekend. I was getting down about the way in which I never seem to achieve what I desire in my life. I know I just need to be patient and persistent. Not my best qualities :)

50 by 50 Week 4

On this Saturday morning I am happily listening to the dripping of the rain outside my windows. Only a light mist, the rain hangs on the tips of the bare bushes, waiting for just enough moisture to collect to take the plunge and drop to the ground.

This week's postcard is about just that, enjoying the simple moments each day. Like most people, I can get caught up in the hectic daily schedule of work and family, forgetting to stop and notice the beauty of each day. I also have had a habit of spending my time planning for the future while failing to notice how happy I am in the present. With regard to that habit, I have gradually changed over the last few years to notice more by bringing myself fully present in my mind and body and then appreciating whatever that moment brings into my awareness. I find that the more I am able to bring my awareness into the present and feel a sense of gratitude for that moment, the happier I become, and the more these moments occur. What a delicious cycle!



For the background of this image I used Adironcack Alcohol Inks and JudiKins Mica Gloss on a glossy paper. The image is cut from a magazine and painted over with acrylic paint. I have also used pan pastels for the shadows and Smooch acrylic paint on border.



I finally loaded a new typewriter ribbon into my vintage Remington 5 typewriter for my message from Artemis.

50 by 50 Week 3

It was fun playing with a baby photo - seeing the determination in my eyes, the defiance mixed with uncertainty. I was reaching for a Christmas ornament on a tree, and not sure whether I was going to get scolded.





For part of my life I did forget that I had a mind of my own and that I was capable of making my own decisions. I forgot that I was very good at taking care of myself. I forgot for quite a long time actually. I thought that others knew better than I did; that they had more knowledge or experience. I was wrong. I always know better what is best for myself. We all do.

Are those wings I feel beginning to unfurl?

Color Wash Experiments

I spent part of my long weekend creating more color wash experiments from the Michael deMeng online workshop that I am taking.

Here is 'Blue Barnacles':




'Cold Stone':




'Salty Sea':




'Green Goblin':




'Verdigris Crunch':



Then I used Photoshop to overlay 'Salty Sea' on a photo I took a few years ago in Colorado. Here is the result:



I am very pleased with the combination. I will play more with Photoshop - overlaying photos and artwork. I also want to play with masks and place people from my collection of vintage photos into these images. Still so much to learn...

50 by 50 Week 2

I felt like using glitter this week. I think it is fun to get gaudy once in awhile! Here is my postcard this week from my wiser self, Artemis, using glittery embossing powder on the swirl stamp patterns:



And the note she wrote me:



I have also started an online workshop on "Color Washes" with Michael deMeng. The first color wash I tried is what he calls "The Uszhhh!!!" - meaning his 'usual'. He makes wondrous assemblages. He ties the elements together using paint. You would never know that some of his elements are plastic, others are metal and others wood. He gives his work a lovely patina showing layers of age. His recipes can be found in the Color Wash workshop, or in his book, Dusty Diablos.

I used three surfaces:
1) the suggested Golden Molding Paste


2) Golden Fiber Paste


3) watercolor cold press paper


I am making a series of these washes and will keep the cards for reference when I create my own work. It is a lot of fun mixing and playing with paint washes.