Those tiny Books!

Ciao!

My dear ones..

I have finished the tiny books..

and I thought you would like 

a little traipse through..

first from my 

Morning Garden book..

a few pages that I love..

and the bridal tulle

that obscures 

the 

collage..

My Little Italia Book

Below

I love the collage cover..

The plain fabric pages are yummy..

I am still in love with this 

tiny bit

from an old Antique album..

Leo's Lily..

representing new beginnings..

I added a tiny slice of script to the bottom

of the cancel..

The Florentine paper and painted lace scrap

was the opening page of the book..

and the last page was inspired..

by all the street shrines.. 

that live on every corner in Italy..

My tiny heartfelt tribute

to Italy..

Today

I am making painted papers

to use as inspiration for my next video..

I might even work on my March Art Journal pages..

or perhaps finish a painting..

but I will simply follow the inspiration

where it leads..

it is much easier that way!

C4N!

Tiny Fabric Book

Ciao, dear ones..

this little video is 

all about freedom..

which we so need right now..

the freedom to create a mini book and choose whatever topic we

want to express..

the freedom to release our perfectionistic tendencies 

and open to the flow of possibility

I will be finishing my little book this weekend

and I will share photos of my

Italia book

on Tuesday..

Have fun with it, create, create, create!

with all this time on our hands, 

make something

and enjoy being in the flow!

xox 

February Art Journal Pages

I think I was probably 40 years old when I realized

how very shallow my love was..

I really thought I was a lover

but I was not...

February 2020, Mixed Media Art Journal pages.. Falling in Love with Myself

 I was quite self critical..

I found fault with others ...

and my relationships suffered..

It's ironic that I really thought I had deep love for others, 

when I began to journal write about the things I loved about myself

I found it was a

 pretty short list

on the other hand, my list of self improvements were long..

So I decided to start some self improvement work..

It has been many years since I began my practice 

and each February ... 

as many of you know..

I write myself a 

little love letter.. 

often obscured and yet 

visible in some form..

"The Secret to attraction is to love yourself."

Deepak Chopra

this year after writing on the bare page.. 

and then on top of the painted page,

(yes, I have lots of things to love...)

I decided to use an image that I had 

which was a bit crumpled and ragged..

I blew it up to play with the proportion

and as a metaphor for the importance and the change

that has manifested in my life

in releasing my self criticism 

in favor of Self Love..

Ingredients: Antique ledger paper, antique image, paper ephemera, acrylic paint, satin glaze medium, pen, colored pencil.

In the studio this week..

I am prepping for 

a new video on Friday..

Still playing with Art Graf..
I finally figured out how to mono print with them..

painting and working on a new grouping of works...

collage and decollage

and painting.. mixed media floral paintings..

busy.. and happily creating..

see you soon!

Ciao, ciao!

Review of Art Graf

These are such fun..

and it made me want to start a new side bar list

of my favorite products ...

I don't work for any company...

I just want to share what I learn with all of you..

Wet, dry, painted, watered

or working wet into the paper,

they are fun...

If the video says that it is unavailable

then click on the link below that that says 

watch this video on YouTube

highly saturated with color and they play well with others.

on the next video, I will share the technique I found to

mono print with them,

it is unique and interesting..

Well my dear ones..

may your weekend be glorious and I wish you happy

hours art making..

xox

Roses at Dusk

I never set out to be a rich and famous artist...

What I wanted, 

when I decided to pursue an art career, 

at the ripe old age of 50..

was to create authentic work.

and

I wanted to follow the inspiration trail wherever it lead.

I chose to move from media to media

as the call came forward.

I had watched, as other artists, 

friends of mine

became trapped in whatever media,

whatever "style" they had developed 

and were unable to change

and grow ...

following the restrictions 

of both collectors and representation,

who were unwilling to see 

anything new..

I learned from that and chose a different path, 

my representation is so open and easy and Meg is always  fascinated by my new

creations, no matter how unorthodox they might seem to others. 

That is great representation, and I am so grateful.

Authentic work..

that phrase is annoyingly overused, 

and yet I cannot find another phrase that 

describes it..

being true to not only what I want, 

but where my focus moves ..

it affords me the luxury of being able to create what I feel in my heart

and express it with whatever media I choose that will impart it

in the best way possible. 

 that offers

complete freedom...

For me, every piece of work I create has a story.

and this one begins in loss.

The loss of one painting and the gift of another.

I worked this piece

 from my personal photo stash of roses captured at twilight..

that mysterious time that creeps up and silently 

and slowly spills darkness ... 

oddly..

It is, in my experience, 

a special time that fills with promise..

it brings the dream time..

and the awakening of changes..

of old patterns of behaviors.. changing old connections 

and the unfolding of new opportunities ..

the welcoming of gratitude.

This piece is a gift in more ways than one..
it seeks only to convey love..
and a promise of new beginnings
for both myself

and the recipient..



See you this Friday.. on YT 
 I promise a review of Art Graf Earth Colors
Tailor Shapes..

right now
 I am busy just trying not to get them all over everything..


xox

January Art Journal Pages

January is all about me..

I don't mean that in an arrogant kind of way..

and I think most of us tend to do a lot of soul searching in January

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that traditionally 

the end of the year was a scary time...

The old north wind and grim reaper were constantly in collaboration..

 I always create a self portrait in January

and I write about what is happening for me personally, spiritually and physically.

what I always find is that my thoughts always turn up

in my body and around it..

there is no escaping the fact that 

my thought manifests into form..

Ingredients: black gesso, colored pencil, Caran d' Ache, china marker, antique paper ephemera.

I suppose it has so much to do with watching my 

Father in Law 

in decline,

 that I am renewed in my

desire to create exactly what I want..

and thinking about my own mortality..

and though none of us knows how we will end up..

I believe that we can make better choices for ourselves and

for those around us..

There is nothing like contrast to create

great desire.

 I believe that hair has memory, 

therefore,

I am weaving my thoughts,

affirmations and desires in the tangled layers..

like a treasure map..

magnetizing my future..

I know it sounds so simple..

but it really is quite complex..

as there are a million potholes

to negotiate..

what am I working on?

Paintings..

the floral you always see in the background of my videos
and a small floral painting that will be a gift..

I have just started my February Art Journal pages..

writing a new love letter to myself..

and working on new pieces to take

to my class

in August 

at
  Way Art Yonder

in San Diego..

and then there is the garden..

calling to me..


xox

Paper Travel Folios

Ciao, dear ones! 

Since we are headed back to 

Europe in April,

I decided to make some little paper folios 

to keep all of my ephemera

organized..

These are so simple and easy to make..

but you could embellish them

with fun closures or ribbons...

and even stitch them if you wanted...

I have to decide on a book for my travel journal too..

but that is a video for another day!!

I will be posting her again on Tuesday with my finished

January art journal pages..

so until then...

C4N!