Mixed Media, Works in Progress

I know you know..

I have never been a fan of sharing my

works in progress..

Mixed media painting and photograph, Caterina Giglio

I suppose it is because

my vision for the piece and what you see, are so very different..

but there are times,

like now...

Photo, Caterina Giglio

when all I have to show for myself 

are a collection of pieces in process..

the photo above I shot of our pool.

right after a rainfall,

and I loved it so much, I decided to paint it

Large Canvas in process, Caterina Giglio

The canvas is large, 36 x 48

and will fit perfectly in my home..

I have a lot of work yet to do on it, 

but, I am excited about it..

and I am still working on a series of portraits of my 

dear friend, Gina St. Brigid 

I finished the small one below 9 x 12 

Mad Gina

which I love, 

both mixed media..

Mixed Media portrait of Gina St. Brigid, by Caterina Giglio

The large piece below is 16 x 20 both on cradled boards

The Rain Makes My Hair Curl..

is almost finished and I plan on doing several more..

Mixed Media portraits of Gina St. Brigid, Caterina Giglio

also in process is a cardboard book..

currently giving me fits..

Turmeric and Onion dyed pages, cardboard book in process, Caterina Giglio

while I adore the signatures (or pages if you are unfamiliar with

bookmaking)

stitching into the cardboard is extremely trying...

Turmeric and avocado dyed pages in cardboard book, Caterina Giglio

but you know me, 

I have already decided that I will do it again, because 

I will conquer it..

Cardboard book in process, Caterina Giglio

I am thoughtfully contemplating my art journal pages 

for this month and I am thinking

I need to use stitches to illustrate

the words below..

Art Journal page in process, Caterina Giglio

on the mixed media table are a few new works..

sneaky peeks..

Tissue Paper butterfly on mixed media, Caterina Giglio

tissue paper butterflies and dragonflies 

and the beginning of an article

for Somerset..

a proposal at least..

So ...

you may not see these for a while..

who knows?

so, there you have it, dear readers..

everything in process...

I cannot even begin to share with

you all the projects in my head and written in my notebooks..

so many ideas, 

I am truly blessed..

and I thank you as 

always

for stopping by..

Ciao, Ciao!

My Art Journaling Process -Part 2

It took me years...

to put my thoughts on paper..

because...

my Mother read everything..

and no matter what I wrote, it was always

used against me..

So I became an adult who kept it all tight

against my heart..

fortunately..

I had a great therapist...

and even though I am able to now write anything

down..

and I do write it all down..

I document ...

what happens, what doesn't, what I think and feel, I write my dreams and hopes,

and I work out my fears and concerns.. each month..

I obscure the text as a physical process..

a meditative process..

 that focuses 

the energy

and allows the images to be revealed to me..

Join me next week and I will 

share images and inspirations..

Have a beautiful weekend.. 

my gentle viewers..

xo

Art Blogs To Swoon Over

It is time to 

celebrate a few art blogs...

and hope I introduce you to some

new artists ..

new perhaps to you,

at any rate!!

so gentle reader..

put your feet up..

grab a libation and enjoy..

Judy's Journal

Irene Rafael

Colette Copeland

Ruth Andre

Von Leidenberg

I hope you enjoyed the blog tour..

if you stop by, please leave a comment and let them

know I sent you..

it is so nice to be validated isn't it?

off I am to the studio, playing today..

and we shall see what comes of that!!

Ciao, ciao!

June Art Journal Pages

I realized when I was writing

on my pages this month..

that I had a lot to say

about the color blue..

June was a lovely month

spent with family

cruising through the 

Caribbean..

Detail of June art journal pages, mixed media, Caterina Giglio

and although I wrote about our interactions..

and commented on the changes taking place in the grand kids..

I found that I kept going back to the

power of the ocean..

about the tranquility it provides ..

and the mesmerizing effect..

 that it has on me..

has on all of us, 

I imagine that I am not special..

since we are really water babies..

the water really does call us back

beckons us to travel inside ourselves to 

a deep spiritual place..

a place of connection rather than attachment..

or at least it feels like that to me,

I often have an idea in my head about 

how my pages 

"should" 

look..

each month I think I know where they are going to go..

and though my pages are little different 

than my original idea,

they still contain...

the basic idea..

the color of the Caribbean...

I originally intended to paint directly on the page..

and then I suddenly found myself painting sheets of paper..

in vibrant blues and greens..

and then I tore them into pieces and began to fit together the 

image that I saw in my head..

close 

not identical..

is it ever? identical?

not in my experience..

but I am pleased with it..

peace. tranquility. serenity. 

pure and simple...

Ingredients: gesso, pencil, hand painted papers, acrylic paints, Adirondack Color Wash,

June Art Journal pages, mixed media, Caterina Giglio

so gentle readers..

I am off to the studio..

and sorry to report no video this weekend..

my director/videographer/film editor

was called out of town..

so I will be spending a lot 

of time creating..

and starting July pages of course!

Ciao, ciao!

My Art Journaling Process

Well dear readers and viewers..

I decided I wanted to 

film about 

art journaling again..

but as you know 

it is a 

HUGE 

topic..

so I thought it would be fun to do

several

quick videos

the first one is about my process

which I will expand upon in

the next few videos..

next week

we will 

start working on the page..

 upcoming topics:

working with images

writing prompts

ideas and inspiration

journaling blocks

abstract pages

the list goes on!

Have a glorious weekend...

xo

Hand Dyed Paper for Mixed Media

play..

is highly underrated

in the studio..

I think the best obsessions

begin with play..

and this one, 

started so innocently.. 

with a little

bottle of 

Turmeric..

Turmeric dye on a variety of papers, hand dyed with natural dyes.

I was interested in writing with the Turmeric dye..

and used an applicator bottle and a nib..

Turmeric dye on tracing paper, with hand dyed turmeric papers underneath.

which turned out well,

and then I experimented 

in dying the papers twice.

Tracing paper dyed twice using the first dye bath and a day later using the dye saved from the day before.

to do that,

I made the dye baths on one day.. 

The strength of the dye bath, vibrant yellow orange..

and then dyed the paper,

in this case I used tracing paper..

Tissue paper with dye bath, using a brush.

and let it dry..

while resting the bath overnight in my refrigerator...

Turmeric twice dyed on sketch paper using a brush and applicator bottle.

the next day

I used an applicator bottle to re-dye

the papers..

and I adore the way they turned out...

and then I read about 

avocado skins and pits..

the article said they 

  made a beautiful shade of pink..

so I HAD to try that right?

Assorted papers dyed with avocado skins and pits, yummy pinks!

I love the assortment of pinks..

and the more skins and pits you have

the darker the pink...

Mixed media paper hand dyed with avocado skins and pits.

you can save those skins and pits

put them in a baggie and freeze them...

to use when you want...

and 

from there I used red onion skins..

I did use the dye bath on some papers,

but the most interesting thing..

were the prints I made using the skins

which look a lot like wings on some of the prints...

Red onion dye on tracing paper.

The dye bath on the red onion skins

changed color when I used 

different papers..

which was thrilling...

Red onion skin dye bath on tracing paper.

it was greenish on the tracing paper,

Red onion skin dye bath on sketch paper

and brown on sketch paper..

above which I adore..

Red onion prints on wrapping paper.

 but I think pressing the prints was even more fun..

and I am going to play with this a bit more..

I am a little obsessed now..

they are so fast and easy and very cool..

If you have not seen my 

YouTube video

on how I created these,

just scroll down to the last post..

and ...

I am off to the studio to work

on June Journal pages

as I am woefully

behind..

Ciao, ciao!

Hand Dyed Paper with Natural Dyes Part 2

This week..

I got "stuck"

in the studio..

Whenever I feel frustrated

in the studio..

I turn to making beautiful 

papers..

either by mono printing, painting papers or dying them..

sewing on paper and fabric 

will also free the mind..

actually any meditative process will help..

and that includes naps and exercise..

running or walking, 

so since I was making papers

 I decided to film part two of this video

to include a few more fun

techniques..

Next week I will share the photos

from the segment, since I kept making papers after the 

camera was turned off..

mad scientist 

that 

I 

am!

Have a safe and sparkly 4th!

xo