Madonna and Child Roundels

Ciao gentle readers..

I am away with family as I write this post..

making it all the more poignant..

My 2019 holiday collection 
was inspired
 by the 
Della Robbia Roundels, 
they are Khadi paper shrines 
celebrating the art of Mothering and childhood. 
Mothering is often glued together with scraps and shreds that hold relationships in place, 
creating something from nothing.
 These shrines hide unseen stitches and feature antique etchings, prints, hand dyed fabric and gilded lace,
 that embellish the age old relationship
 of Mother and child.

I thought I would post a few details

from my Roundels

which are mixed media on handmade Khadi paper rounds..

If you are interested in seeing the rounds

just visit the galleria site..

142bis gallerie

xox

Mono Printing and Printing With Inktense

Well my dears,

I thought it would be fun to share some

Inktense mono printing and printing

techniques

with you...

I have been experimenting 

and came away with 

3 techniques that I thought you might want 

to play with..

great things come from 

play..

You can mix the colors, 

to create more subtlety

but I wanted to give you an idea of what

you can create with some very simple

things...

We are off again for another family trip..

but I finished my Holiday Collection

and 

I cannot wait to share it with you..

my

Madonna and Child Roundels..

and with so many trips..

I am behind in my studio work..

but I will catch up when I return home

next week..

I am so blessed to have you readers and viewers..

followers and lurkers..

thank you my gentle friends..

xox

Inktense Pencil and Block Techniques

So... 

my gentle readers 

and viewers..

we have one foot out the door..

on our way to

 a happy event..

but...

 I wanted to take the time to leave you with a new 

video

demonstration of my favorite techniques using 

Inktense Pencils and Blocks..

This was the suggestion of a dear viewer

and I had never thought to actually share this..

so...

 if you have an idea for a post..

please let me know..

just put it in the comments section..

looking forward to

all your ideas..

Ciao, ciao! 

Trip Inspiration Part 2

We both adore 

London..

there is never any end of things to see and do..

and one of my dear friends..

Joanne Archer

lives near London and always pops into town to meet up with us..

like my friend Kirsten

she knows all the best places to visit..

I met Jo eleven years ago, online.. 

we were both bloggers

and connected through our love of art and antiques..

If you are on Facebook you can follow her 

at The Crow Road

she is an amazing artist and has an Etsy shop too..

The front door of Dennis Severs House in Spitalfields

Jo and I also have a fondness for the slightly creepy and 

macabre

and so she took us to 

Dennis Severs House

Joanne Archer and Moi.. in Spitalfields, joyful in a dry moment..

If you are unfamiliar with it, 

do check out the link and there

are several YouTube videos that are quite entertaining

to view

Below are two photos that I took from 

Trip Advisor..

because photography is not allowed 

AND 

it is a SILENT tour..

which had us both pointing and miming ..

grinning and making faces of all kinds..

at the sheer wonder of it all..

I simply adored it..

no electricity and no heating, 

means that

candles and fireplace

 offer light and warmth

just as it once did..

and in the rainy and grey afternoon..

 the stairs were a little tricky..

it is wonderfully creepy

obsessive..

creative..

amazing ..

it truly IS like walking

into a 

painting..

Also..

Eleven years ago..

I became friends with Kirsten Löser

at the same time

and if you have not seen her beautiful home

and farm, simply scroll to the last post..

You can follow her on Facebook

La Vie Boheme

she is also a fabulous artist and I had such fun shopping in her

gorgeous store!

Kirsten and Cat,  enjoying cake and coffee on her birthday in Den Gamle By.

I meant to add the photo above to the last post..

so I am including it now.. 

Looking up at the Tate Britain.

One place that I missed on the last visit was

The Tate Britain

So this time,

I made it a point to stop by

because,

well..

Turner and Moore and Pre-Raphaelites

Oh My!

Turner at the Tate Britain..

There were artists of all ages

copying the masters and there were classes 
of youngsters lying on the floor

drawing..
just as I did as a kid..

it was simply lovely..

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

I cannot tell you how challenging it is to photograph paintings when they

hang from floor to ceiling..

and these are some of my best shots...

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

I have more favorite old dead artists 

than I can tell you about..

but certainly Turner, Rossetti and Sargent 

are in my mind 

very special ..

and it was remarkable to stand so close, 

to see paint lines and details and to 

be in awe of such

beauty..

John Singer Sargent, oil on canvas, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.

This is one of my favorites of John Singer Sargent..

such a beautiful study of children, but such a master piece of contrast..

and such a mystical work..

Henry Moore at the Tate Britain,

above was just amazing..

I only wish I had had a few hours longer to really view all of his sketches and sculptures...

The next day

we journeyed to

 Cornelissen's

which is the oldest art supply

in 

London

This place is magical for artists..

when I entered

I was greeted and told..

"feel free to open drawers"

open sesame!

It was established in 1855 and it is unchanged and simply incredible...

the selection is unparalleled and puts

our modern chain stores to 
absolute shame..

It was fantastic to shop and find such great service

and knowledge about product and techniques...

and did I mention that the floors

creaked merrily

as I walked around?

If you go, prepare to spend money!

I only wish I had spent more...

Suffering through the rain in London! 

Thank you always for stopping by,

I am ever so grateful to you..

my kind readers, viewers..

and collectors..

We will be filming this week

so you will have that..

while 

we are gone next week..

 for a very happy occasion..

a family wedding..

see you on 

Friday

C4N!

Trip Inspiration Part 1

You know me..

 gentle reader..

a glutton for beauty..

and I found it on our adventure ...

at the home of our friends

Kirsten and Bjarne

in Arhus..

Denmark

 I so admire a fine garden

 and they have a gorgeous

piece of property 

with a 100 year old farmhouse 

and all the animals you can imagine..

chickens, horses, ducks, rescue dogs, and a sweet rescue kitty..

Kirsten and I have been social media friends for many years and 

so it was lovely to finally meet her in person..

Autumn was a great time to visit..

the garden is just shutting down, but still dripping with color..

and fragrance..

Bjarne got us tickets to Aros, and we immersed ourselves in art

and the Rainbow Experience..

which is incredible and allows you to view the the cityscape

through a rainbow lens ...

Don contemplating the Rainbow Experience in Arhus.

We looked forward to London..

in spite of the rain..

well it ALWAYS rains in London..

and seriously

nothing would get done there if people let that stop them..

We stayed at an Airbnb with a view 

of Battersea Park 

and rain or shine the park was busy with runners,

and soccer players.. and people walking dogs ...

So out we went into the pouring rain..

Oyster card in hand and braved the weather to hop 

over to 

Shepherds

and I know I took you there last year...

but try to suffer through the awesomeness ..

ok?

and what did I buy?

Paper of course... 

Khadi, scrap paper, envelopes and book clips

and a 

New Bone Folder..

yippee..

and a few presents that I cannot share...

and 

cards for a little granddaughter 

who is not on 

social media..

Large Khadi rounds, scraps, envelopes, black wing erasers, and book clips..

and she certainly doesn't read blogs!!

so my dear ones, 

stay tuned and I will have part two of this post

for all of you not on social media..

and my visit to

L. Cornelissens

Which is a magical shop

for Artists...

Ciao, ciao!

Mini Antique Lap Book Flip Through

Ciao, dear ones..

I am back.. 

and settling in after an amazing trip

to 

Copenhagen, Arhus and London..

I simply loved working in my journal

and I hope you will make one too..

As you might imagine, 

I am behind in my studio work and will

be working long hours 

in order to 

try to catch up

but next Tuesday, 

I will have photos from my trip and 

pics of all the supplies I purchased..

C4N!

August Art Journal Pages

I suppose I don't need to tell you 

gentle reader..

that I am woefully late

on my Journal pages,

for August..

It is mid September after all..

but we have been dealing with a family issue

and it has taken

time and attention

as well as giving pause and consideration..

so I have not been in the studio as much as usual.

everyone deals with these things, 

and while I won't burden you with the situation..

I can at least let you know that it is at the root of my

August pages..

I recently wrote a little note to a friend who buried her husband 

a year ago... 

"without deep pain cutting a valley in the heart, 

true joy would simply wash and run off.

 The valley opens to receive a joyful soaking

 that is then transmuted into our being."

It doesn't matter what the situation

what the pain is like or about

situations do not matter

feelings 

matter

So I mindfully ripped old papers and painted

multiple layers..

this tree is something I look at 

daily 

I love the bony branches..

It seems to be an anchor for me.. 

slightly obscured 

by the other bigger and leafier trees

Ingredients: Acrylic paints, photo copies, old book pages, colored pencil, pencil,

but it stands like truth..

old and gnarled..

beautiful in age

and knowing it will not stand forever..

I appreciated it in

this

moment...

As you know, we are off again to travel

to far off places and visit dear

friends..

wherever you are and wherever you go

I wish you happy trails..

xox