Cleaning the art room.

Well I finally got a good start, tubs out, desk in, looks nice.  Now to clean the clutter, I have too much stuff. Good feeling.

ART O MAT

I was to the Art O Mat intro.  What a great concept to market your art.  I remember filling and taking the money out of the cigarette machines, now they are renovated to sell art!!! Wow!! I have to make a sample and be judged, if I pass, 50 have to be made to fill the machine.  Marketing can be fun.

Bamboo Capture

My Christmas gift to myself, I bought the Wacom Bamboo Capture drawing tablet. It is so much fun, just love to play. The animation site is a trial, but I'll learn it.

Christmas was great

The Christmas rush is over and now time to start creating, my painting "Pansy Four" was judged and accepted for the VSA TruBlue show, have to mail it out. February shows coming up.  Happy Holiday!!

Christmas in the way of creativity

Christmas cards, gift buying, cleaning for a party, are getting in the way of creativity.............. same every year, why do I wonder.

Play play play

As Anita Mills says, you have to play with your mediums, before you get serious.

I finally did it!!

I finally figured out how to get photos from my camera into my computer, that is so nice.

Art crawl

A beautiful nite for the crawl. I went alone, needed to pick up my painting of the tree. They called and said thry liked my piece, but they had to many entries to hang them all, the director liked my piece, but said the judge decides what goes, anyways I am glad how it turned out. The crawl didn't seem as good as the last one, less stores and less art, lots of jewelry, the Paramount was locked, someone bought all the seats for a private showing, so no reception. Bought a few cards from Joe, I just love his dolls. I was disappointed in Heidi's laundry show, I guess I expected more of her. My tree is hanging proud on the wall, we enjoy it.

Cleaning my art room.

I finally spent about 3 hours in my art room, threw out 2 garbage bags of papers, cleaned files and magazines out.  Feels good, A lot more to do, it's a start.

Earth Art Show

I turned in my painting for the show, I really like how it turned out, "CO2  Release", trees release CO2 to the earth and they are the Guardians. I worded it differently on my statement. Quite a few pieces were coming in, I saw a great piece that looked like the grand canyon in oranges and browns.  It will be judged tomorrow morning.

Earth Show

Finished my painting of an oak tree on black background, looks pretty good. Having a time finding a title. Trees Guardian of the night, A tree on the dark earth, Tree on guard, Night on earth........... 16"x 20", mixed media on canvas.

Tile Mural wall

Today was the day Bridget Riverspoon came to meet the group at Country Buffet, it was great.  The tiles she shared were just fantastic.  Everyone is thrilled about it, I took the info to Stacey, she really liked the concept and we are readfy to roll with it.

Sketchbook

Tonight was sketchbook at the Whitehorse. Lots of laughs, stories and of course drawing.
Glad I went.

The art of making bouja

On Halloween day, I decided to make Polish Bouja, making bouja is an art and this is my first attempt. I gathered meats, pork, beef, chicken, onion, green pepper, celery, rutabaga, carrots, cabbage,green beans. potatoes, frozen peas, diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Got out the paring knife  cleaned the veggies, diced, chopped, defatted the meats cooked them alone in the pot,  added the veggies and stirred with my wooden spoon, the potatoe masher ready to mash the bouja. I stirred and watched the pots slow cook for 12 hours, while passing out candy to the trick and treaters.  A very tasty batch of bouja is now in the freezer and will be waiting for the cold days of winter to warm up the tummy.

Life

Sometimes personal life issues and fatigue get in the way of art, I create in my mind..................

A Learning Renaisssance Fundraiser

ATTENDED THE FUNDRAISER, WITH MY TABLE RECEIVING A $50.00 BID. GOOD FOOD AND WINE. ITALIAN, GREEK AND MEDITERARIAN, I REALLY LIKED THE WALDORF SALAD.  SAT WITH ART FRIENDS AND THE PIANO PLAYER. NICE TIME.  ANNOUNCER MADE A BIG MISTAKE, CALLED BELLA PHALOE A SHE.

Finally, another Girty postcard.

Well, I took the time to make another Girty postcard, this time I introduced a new character with Girty, Pat!!
Pat is a stuffed pillow from Sponge Bob cartoons.  We had so many acorns this year and I did a stint of  them shoveling acorns in the driveway. I think it's pretty good.

Sketchbook

Attended sketchbook tonite, sad thing though, I'm only sketching at sketchbook, gotto change that, good company of artists, good sketches in the making.

Navigating the aftermath

What a great show, I enjoyed being a part of it. My Camouflage of Peace looked good on the wall, our group meeting went well, we painted with Golden Paints and mediums, Fun!! After the meeting we all went to the theatre to watch the movie of the effect on the people of Iraq, very powerful, we Americans have it too good.

Artist Roster program

What a great program, presentwers, Jill Dubbeldee Kuhn, Lee Ann Goerss, Marrienne Kreitlow, Jeremy Schriefels, Willicey Tynes. Learning in and thru the arts.  Deb Vander Eyk and Stacey O'Connell attended with me.

fold crumple crush

beautiful concept wall hangings made from bottle tops, by El Anatsui in Africa.

Taking in painting to be shown

I took in my mixed media collage of the face titled "Camouflage of Peace"  It was so great of Heidi  Steadman to put my piece in the Navigating the Aftermath Summer Tour event at the Paramount Theatre from Sept 23 - October 6 2011. A traveling show, the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project.  Such great stuff was being placed on the wall. Eight years into an ongoing war in Iraq: Where do we go from here.
Americans and Iraquis explore the effects of the Iraq War to chart a course towards healing and reconciliation.

Fire

What color would you paint fire if there was no red and yellow???

Art show at Atwood,

Tooka stroll to Atwood came upon the art show with Sharon Farrah, Jodo Ligerios and more, so much crativity and expression.................. a great time and great cookies.......

Art class at the nursing home.

Had a nice class of watercolor and crayon resist on watercolor paper.  The residents stayed interested and were very active, selecting colors, trying new things, the men were really working hard, I had  a John Deere tractor from the 50's foer them to work with, the ladies all selected to create flowers.  A good evening activity.

Color changes

Leaves from green to brown........................

Photography today

Taking photos along the river, ducks trees, water rocks, so fun!!!  Roland had a camera too, he takes some great shots.

All my art projects are finished!!!

Wow what a funny feeling, I am on my own to do any art project I choose, such a freedom, I don't know how to handle it........ no deadlines..................

LAST DAY OF MUSIC IN THE PARK

Today was the last of the season, music at Lake George, the Receders played and the camaro was given away, we all had our regrets, fall is coming, it was a great community event. I met old friends and family each week and sat with many. a good time for Jodi and I.

Finished the table

The Leaf foundation should like my table, titled, Unmask and size the Opportubity" Live your Fantasy.  Now to deliver it,

Changes

I started out creating a table representing mythology in the rennisance period.  Well looking at it again I get a brainstorm, I will change it to "Unmask the Fantasy". I have a water  effect around the castle of knights and wizardd, Books from my shelves dealing with the arts, art, music, writing, creativity, literature, poetry. The table is for special ed money for programs ect, I am including the tools for creativity, pens crayon erasers, rulers ect.  Should look grand, especially the black mask.

Crayola Colored pencils

Preferred by teachers as listed on the label, I like the part that states "One tree used, One tree planted!!

Art Group

Wonderful meeting, we made paint skins on glass, which will be used at our next meeting for placement on painted canvas.  We had baked potatoes, we created a meal with all the fixings.  What can be better than painting and eating wit fellow artists??  Nothing...................... maybe Mom's fried chicken...............

Working on Art!!

I have all the good intention to create, but find it hard to start....................

Productive Art Day!!

Worked on  Girty photos, got them printed, laminated and ready to mail.
Made two birthday cards, used skins for added texture.
Put my face collage from the workshop on facebook, got good reviews.
Printed up tree images for Wed Art meeting.
Best run of art projects in a long time.  Feels good.

Golden Paints Class!!

Fantastic Class!! Bonnie Cutts sso good, flowing from project to project, I ended up with a finished product, I just may put in a show, I am so pleased.  I was very tired that eve, but I managed to create another piece and make some skins for more.  I feel so creative!!!

Acrylic Worshop

I'm excited to be a part of Bonnie Cutts Golden paints acrylic worshop, she's teaching transfers, Collage, mixed media using acrylics, I have my laser copies ready!!! Saturday August 20th, White Bear MN, from 10:00am -4:00pm.  Deb Vander Eyk and I will attend together, it will be good to ride together.............

Why?

Why is it, when you look for a product you used for an art project last year, is not to be seen or sold again
this year?

Music, the blues!!

Music in the park tonite was great. Blues, Jimmie West from New Orleans sang, Love it!!

Humidty!!!

This humidity is slowing my progress, paint is drying to slow............... hope I make the deadline Sept 1.

Just talking art

Had a  long conversation with my girlfriend about art, painting and playing with acrylic paints.......... Fun

No art time

It has been a busyweek, my uncle is in the hospital, his wife, my aunt is home alone in the countryside. I worry as she doesn't drive, is over 80 and has trouble walking. Of course they have the big garden, animals outside to care for and the mailbox down the road.  I went to visit the uncle at the hospital and then went to visit my aunt home alone. She was having trouble getting around the house, using chairs and furniture to support herself. I stayed and gave her a hand, I was picking vegetables, cleaning the garden, taking out house garbage, feeding the animals, she has the cutest kittens, the young beef stock and flowers blooming all over the yard. We had a great visit. She was so happy to see me, of course she attempted to make a lunch, she gave me the biggest smile when I discovered her cane, in the backseat of her car, uncle was using it when he went to the hospital for a hip replacement surgery and it was forgotten there. I left with a good feeling and have a feeling I will be back next week, I'll be worrying about my aunt and uncle, both having trouble walking in the house. Who will feed the animals, pick the vegetables and get the mail?

Big Brushes

Big brush, Big strokes!! No intimidation, capture the essence.

Classic cars, muscles cars!!

Went on a road trip today and enjoyed viewing the cars of old, muscle cars from the late 60's an 70's are my favorite, feels like I'm in the parking lot at my high school days, so much color, style and great music. Car arts!!!

Have to clean the studio!!

I just have to make it a point to start organizing the studio, it's so hard to get started, maybe seeing this in print will help!!

Starting to decorate the occasional table

I finally got a cooler day to start refinishing and decorating the table for the LEAF fundraiser, the garage has cooled down........ a nice location to start creating.

Images

We are all awash with images, try not to get seduced by the computer.

Creative Block!!!

It's been  while since I blogged, wow the creative block is still inforce, I look at the occasional table I need to decorate, just no energy to play with the paints.............  Sept 1 will be here in no time.

Rick Pas

I really enjoy Rick Pas "Iris with the Bumble Bee",  acrylic on board. he is so talented.

Collage

What's exciting about collage?  Well collage is a wideopen art. I can use anything I want to, gluing bits and pieces of things, maybe metal, rusted things, paper sting, paints, just anything I want and I can put it anywhere I please.

The belly dancers and fishermen.

What an enjoyful afternoon, during the Rapids City Festival a troop of Belly dancers entertained the audience. Colorful gowns, scarves and barefoot as they danced. It's an art to do the dance, I tried it about 2 years ago, liked it, only thing was the MS acted up during the time I was in class so had to stop.

 Earlier in the day I had the opportunity to walk along the edge of theMississippi river and was able to get some great shots of young men fishing under the bridge of Hope, and their hopes of catching fish were granted, they caught 3 nice bass, I am so jealous I wasn't on the boat with them.

Art workshop and great lite outside this morning.

I attended a wonderful acrylic mediums workshop last nite, my mind is full of ideas, now to get the ideas down on  a surface.  I love the texture mediums, now I can build a painting........  The workshop was conducted by Bonnie Cutts an artist and works for Golden paints.

Took a walk this morning searching for pebbles and moss, building a terrarium from things in the woods, the lite after the rains makes such beautiful greens.

It would have been a pretty picture!!

Driving along Riverside Ave in a rainstorm and under the bridge noticed a wet and weary canoer, wearing a yellow rain coat, sitting next to her yellow canoe, waiting for the rain to stop. No camera of course, would have been a pretty picture.

Color

It was a great morning for a photo, after a rain the colors are so vibrant.

Where does it start?

Art is from the soul, doesn't matter what type of art, it all is comforting and necessary for the world.

Jackson Pollock

A saying from Jackson, "Every good painter paints what he is."   What do you think?

A walk with a camera and the dog

I got that leash and camera ready to go and get some inspiration, Stormy my Golden retriever was ready in a second.  Well, the eagles were soaring and the crows were on the chase, my camera and arms were on the slow, it all would have been a pretty picture.........  Tree tops were not in mind when I left the house, but why not try an eagle nest landscape...........

Hi It's Me Sheri the artist