Art Show, Recent Paintings and Crows

Painting images, playing with paints, such a joy...

Art Show
The recent acrylic paintings above (5"x5") plus two more will be included in the annual by-invitation- only Kaewyn Gallery miniatures show.  Many talented local artists will display their small or miniature paintings which are ideal for gift giving this time of year.

 November 30, 2012 - January 8, 2013

"Miniature Masterpieces and More!"

Kaewyn Gallery

10101 Main St.

Bothell, WA

425-483-7385

Recent Paintings and Crows

"She Listened to the Soothing Songs of Her Friends"

Monoprint Mixed Media  12"x12",  Copyright Delorse Lovelady

The painting above recently was being shown at the Northwest Hospital Breast Center.  Earlier this year I was experimenting with monoprint techniques that I learned from local artist Lisa Snow Lady.  This one was difficult to photograph because of the shine of both the acrylics and gold leaf in the branch and circles.

 

While on another wonderful painting retreat in September on one of our NW islands, I painted the watercolors above.  I enjoyed trying out new shapes for the crows, trying to capture the gestures and behaviors I have observed.  Talented artist Bev Jozwiak shared some of her watercolor techniques, loose washy expressive painting. 

Retreat, Art Play and Sunday Meditation

Beautiful scenery, good company and blissfully painting...

Retreat

A retreat is a wonderful thing, good for renewing the spirit, getting away from the regular routines and events going on in life.  And so, that's what I was doing this last week in a beautiful corner of our Northwest.

I arrived a day late after recuperating from a three week trip to Texas followed by a short illness after returning.   I quickly immersed myself in the camp of good company of our painting club, and gave myself up to painting and experimenting as much as possible.  Our instructor was the talented Jennifer Bowman, a high energy acrylic painter.

Art Play and Experimenting
In 5 days I produced 12 small paintings, experiments in color, shape, lights/darks, subject matter, materials, and using a palette in a different way.  Jennifer showed me how to do the eye on a couple of the paintings and in two others showed me the use of dark and light passages.
Here are the results of my experiments with birds:

and pears, rooster and trees:

and tulips:

I chose this retreat in place of the Artfest retreat in March this year.  And as it turned out this was this last Artfest, so I did manage to go for one day only over to Port Townsend to take a great workshop from Lisa Bebi on painting and photography.  Here is a one sample from my several paintings in that workshop:

Sunday Meditation
The exquisite scenery of both retreat locations nurtured my soul.  Nature does that.  And the one day March workshop plus last weeks retreat will serve as inspiration for me as I try out  different things in my paintings.  I am going in the new directions as I wanted...and am seeing where it leads.

I wonder if every day, there isn't a "mini retreat" waiting to be found by me... an hour painting outside on our deck, meeting at a park with fellow plein air painters and sketchers, a museum visit, or just quietly studying and playing with the many photo's I've taken of places, examples.

Abstract Floral, Do Over, and Experimenting

Sometimes changing direction is just the best thing to do...
Do Over
Once in a great while I might wonder if a "do over" of a life situation might have been better. But not very often, as, I generally am content and consider myself blessed in many ways. Why am I talking about this? Well, I recently discovered what "do over" means on painting. Having used watercolors for so many years, I didn't see many opportunities for those. But, with acrylics, "do over" is a definite reality.

I was painting in my studio recently and I kept glancing at an annoying painting. It was a crane of some sort, and I really did NOT like it. The shape was wrong, too much of a certain color, wrong feel, you get the idea. I can't remember painting completely over a painting, but I decided to work with it. And I tried out a different style of painting for me. It came out great. So my lesson was, yes, "do over's" do exist, especially in the art world. And sometimes I need a little annoyance, like an unresolved painting, staring me in the face waiting for the fix and a fresh coat of paint.

Abstract Floral
I will show that painting in another post, as I have more to say about a different subject with that painting. But meanwhile, I remembered the painting below, an abstract floral, that also languished for a while in my studio. Until one day I took my pen out and doodled all over it, the finished (for now) version posted at the top, a very different look.
Experimenting
This week I continued my pantry experiments with fabric dyeing. Last week it was avocado skin. This week I have an earl grey tea muslin and a stunning tumeric yellow (canary color) fabric. I tore off a scrap and put it in a glass bowl with each, set it in the sun in a window overnight and voila! What's next? Maybe chili powder? Such a lot of fun. Pictures to come soon. I am getting ready to take a Jude Hill (Spirit Cloth in my sidebar) class on hand stitching soon. She uses natural fibers, many hand-dyed.

Today I painted the edges of 2 large bird canvases. And gessoed 3 small ones to add to the 3 mini bird canvases I already finished. These will be entered into a miniature show this weekend.

And looking about I found another "finished" canvas and started repainting it too. Now I've got my eyes looking for "do over" possibilities... let's see, what do I have sitting in a drawer, a back room somewhere with a sad look, that only needs a new look and fresh coat of paint...?

Sunday Meditation
This photo was shot out of the windshield at a stop light, I couldn't resist that luminous sky, always at the ready with the camera for possibilities.

May the direction you are going, be the one you consciously choose.

Fiber Fun, Peyote Beading, and Buttons

A stitch here, a bead or button there, creating with various media is fun...

The photo above and directly below are random compositions made of recycled fabric, threads, metals that I did within a machine embroidery group that I below to. These were done earlier this year. Every month we get together and experiment with new techniques on our sewing machines, and perhaps also add some hand stitching later. The top photo continues my interest in seascapes in an abstract kind of way. Both have lots of stitching in gold thread which may not show up well in the pictures. I'm anticipating framing them as mixed media art pieces.
And below are three more peyote stitch bracelets. The bottom two were taken apart and redone in April, because the first time I beaded them, they were rather "wonky" and would not lay flat. I like them better and have learned how to get the rhythm of the beading and how to get a nice flat band without the puckering. Now they need the clasps. I suppose learning new art forms is like that, keeping at it, til you get the rhythm of whatever it is, without having to think so much about each step.
And lastly, I took a button bracelet class with some sewing buddies, and here is my creation. I believe I completed this one in March, and of course, have plans to stitch up more. It's a great way to use those old or colorful buttons, if you collect them like I do...

Peyote, Dreams and Breath of Life

"What orbit of the planets has put you and me in this place, at this moment? Where time takes a breath, and we dance on the edge of our dreams?" Anonmyous
Time seems to have flown by in a whirlwind this month. A trip to the sea, reconnecting with old friends, a couple of workshops, learning new stitchery things, sketching and painting, museums, walking,and now... resting, as the latest cold bug has gotten hold of me to slow me down. But not for long, as the gleam on the horizon is calling to me, and there are more trips to plan, and national parks to see and much to do...

Peyote
The picture above is of peyote stitch band bracelets I made this month. It doesn't do justice to the lovely shimmer and pattern of the beads. Thanks to my friend Wilma, in one of my sewing groups, who taught us how to do it. I started one in our meeting, went home and finished it, and loved the process so much, made three more. Now I am in process of making another, blue and white, I find it rather zen-like to sit and stitch slowly in the pattern. The first two thinner bands are a bit "wonky", they don't lay perfectly flat, as I was stitching too tightly, but I've learned to loosen up the threads making the whole piece more flexible. Hmm, there's a metaphor in there. And I wonder how the stitch got it's name...

Dreams
I spent a day in a Jungian dream analysis workshop with a long time friend. My formal education and studies included some former training in this subject, and I always found it so fascinating. I haven't tracked those nocturnal stories in the theatre of my mind for a long time, but I have been lately. Process work, it can be heady stuff, where do those strange little vignettes come from... that raw archetypal material that floats up, hidden in our own personal symbols. Pay attention, see if you can decipher them.

Breath of Life
And I spent a day taking an Adult 1st Aid/CPR class from the Red Cross too with my instructor husband. The class is well worth taking, and I urge you to do it and keep your skills up. Did you know that with every 1 minute of delay, there is a corresponding 10% less chance of survival. And if you are lucky it might take the 911 Aid response 5 minutes to arrive on the scene. Think about that. SO, your CPR efforts for a few minutes might save your loved one, or a friend, or even a stranger...

Here are the new CPR models we had to practice on. Red Cross replaced the pink "Resussa Annie's" with these blue models called "Actar" (interesting, I kept thinking of them as "avatars", by the way, we saw the movie this month too, it was terrific!). They are kind of strange looking. And I took a couple minutes to quick sketch one. They aren't too scary. Do check out the Red Cross and either donate for Haiti or consider taking a class (take your spouse or a friend too).Meanwhile, take some deep breathes and concentrate on them, in/out... the little miracles that sustain us in life, just breathing. What could be more important...

Sunday Meditation - Purple Lavender Farms, Sketches, and Drawing Class

I wandered through the fields of purple lavender, an ecstasy of colors, sweet scent, and natural beauty everywhere... heaven.
Shades of Purple - Lavender Farms
A couple of days ago we took a ferry and headed over to Sequim, which I thought was the NW capitol of lavender, but turns out to be the North American lavender producing capitol. There are at least a dozen farms to visit, and over the years we have found most of them as we do this trip every year. Sequim has a festival, which we now skip, because it is less crowded and thus more quiet and relaxing without the festival. The farms are open a couple of months for visitors, and our very favorites are: Purple Haze (love the name), Cedarbrooke, and Jardin du Soleil. We also never miss The Cutting Garden flower farm, which has exquisite gardens and grounds surrounding a large beautiful home-like center which are also open to visitors.
Drawing and Mini-Booklet Class
I'm excited about offering some new classes! Below are a couple of examples of the type of pen line drawing I will be teaching at an upcoming class at Everett Artist's Supply. If you are local and interested, here is more info.

Zen Drawing 2 hours $25 Aug 11 10am-12
Come learn a fun simple method of pen line drawing that requires no artistic background or ability. This type of line drawing can become addictive, but in a good way. It’s very relaxing, and no mistakes! This method of drawing can be incorporated into your art projects or be framed as is. You will produce at least 2 small beautiful art pieces in this class to take with you and learn a portable drawing technique you can use anywhere as an instant path to relaxation.

Mini Booklet and Portfolio 2.5 hours $25 Aug 11 1pm-3:30
Now that you’ve seen how fun it is to make the “zen drawings”, join me in creating a small easy booklet with blank pages and a simple stitched binding. The portfolio is made to hold the mini booklet, pen and pencil, everything in one place. It’s perfect to take along with you, so when you want to take a few moments and relax, you can take it out and draw.
Aromatherapy for the Soul
I wish the computer had a scent button that you could press and have a sample of the wonderful aroma of lavender flowers. They are supposed to be therapeutic and the scent is said to slow your nervous system, destress and mellow you out. I certainly felt good after wandering around all day with all that purple scent, then brought some home and am still smiling... And I have some bundles to play with and make things with, culinary and sachet. I'm thinking, scent does play large in our lives, and just the hint of something in the air can bring back all kinds of memories... Wishing you a fragrant day, whether it's enjoying lavender, or roses, or fresh roasted coffee, baked pies or chickens, or whatever you relish. Lavish in the wonderful ability to catch those tiny microns of scent that take us to a quiet or pleasant place or memory.