Auditions...

 

Ciao gentle readers..

I am back in the studio and have 5 works in progress

This is a tiny stitchery

a mixed media, narrative piece I have just started..

it takes a while to get all the components together..

and I auditioned several papers..

but finally I settled on this antique French Cheque..

I love the circle..and the old writing..

is just yummy...

I love the tea dyed bits that I cut into pieces for 

this work..

and if you want to tea dye this way

go to

YouTube

So I am stitching tiny things together 

and getting pieces ready to 

piece them all on my substrate .. 

which is a white cotton piece

of fabric.. and I have stretcher bars that I am thinking of stapling 

my piece to the wood and stitching the piece from there..

Makes sense? 

well... I will have photos soon...

Demeter is getting close to done.. Don thinks she IS done..

but I see a few things that still need work..

You should see her soon...

I also want to start another floral painting soon...

So that's it..

Our world is crazy right now and art keeps me sane..

hope all is well with you..

dear readers...

xox

Back In The Studio..

Ciao my gentle readers..

I have been working in the studio.. and my jet lag is gone..

I had started this sketch before we left for our

European adventure...

using Blackwing Pencils and Fabriano paper..

I love her smudgy look and as it is Autumn.. 

obviously that old cold 

North wind is blowing!

Sketching keeps me attentive.. I notice more things,

tiny bits that matter..

because details always matter..

and I am still working on 

Demeter 

above and below...

I am getting some details defined and making decisions 

about how I want her to look...

I wanted some kind of detail on her chemise beneath her coat..

tiny dots on her chemise

 

but I don't want to distract from the Pomegranate..

I have also started work on my new 

Diana 

painting and it won't be long before 

I will share her progress with you..

I have also been sorting thru my fabrics and making decisions about

a new mixed media stitchery..

Work keeps me from focusing too much on the 

terrible things facing us right now..

we feel so grateful to have arrived home safely.. travel is coming to 

a standstill...

&

As always I am grateful for you dear readers and viewers!!

C4N!!

Home..

 

Ciao dears!!

Travel is wonderful but its true, 

there is no place like home

I snapped this Sunrise.. as we are both Jet lagged

and we are up before birds...

it's a perfect Autumnal Sunrise ..  orange and bright..

and so very cold!!

We had a very cold morning today and most of my garden is now

off to sleep.. 

but it's ok since we all need a long winter's nap.

unfinished sketch

I took a Moleskin sketch book with me.. only to find that it was lined.. 

and not really suitable for drawing.. 

but I drew anyway...

We went to Paris last and did not spend enough time there..

Shakespeare was gorging with tourists..

The weather was glorious

and the food at Lou Lou's was amazing as always

if you have gluten issues it is a must go...

The Seine river, in the Marais

Notre Dame is not finished but it is looking so stately and beautiful...

Notre Dame

We also spent a couple of days in Porto...

With family who are expats..

Which was pretty grey.. rainy and wet...

but we had an incomperable dinner at a French restaurant there..

Our accommodations in Porto back door..

We traveled to many places...

but Italy was fabulous of course...

Door knocker in Rome

we loved Capri below...

It was stunning and still quite summery..

So these are the highlights.. we had some misses.. but 

we felt that our trip was enchanting..

I will say this.. travel is different now.. there are so many people traveling in 

shoulder season

 and that is uncomfortable.. but travel was harder..

flights delayed and hiccups... so be prepared..

but as they say..

Paris always a good idea!!

and for me... its back to the studio...

C4N!!

My Goddess Painting and Vacation!

 

Ciao dear ones!!

I have been working on my Goddess Painting.. Demeter..

she keeps morphing on me..

changing from my original plans...

 I love the butterflies.. they are a tiara of transformation

she is pining for her daughter..

Symbolist art has always fascinated me and I am comfortable taking my tine

with her...

I shot a tiny video so you could get a sense of her size and how she looks

I know she will change before she is finished

but this gives you a good idea of where she is headed...

We are headed to Europe and spending a few days in Roma.. I plan on going to

the Porta Pese Flea Market..

and then we will take a Mediterranean cruise...

we will go to several countries and one place I have wanted to visit is Malta

and at the end of the cruise we will go to

Porto

and stay with family for a couple of days..

...

So I will be closing my galleries

for sales until November 1, 2025

until my return..

and I will be posting only to 

Social.. so follow me there..

Thank you for stopping by and viewing, reading, and supporting my work!

I am very grateful to you!!

xox

Art Work Failure

 

Ciao gentle readers

This has been a very tough month for me..

Don and I have been planning our trip to 

Europe in October..

it is a month long trip and there is much to consider.. beyond the

flights, trains and travel detail..

so we had our covid boosters.. and responded as I usually do

with a reaction... 

but later I had an intense reaction.

if you are thinking of having the Moderna vaccine,

google moderna Covid 19 vaccine side effects 

just an FYI

I have had at least 5 other boosters and none affected me

as this one..

left over bits from my Textile piece..

But the other difficult part of this month is that

I had a failure that I wanted to share.. I don't usually have failures

but this one was spectacular..

I was working on the textile piece and as I was attaching it to

the board to secure it, the papers crumpled as

I pulled it back to edge it..

so above you see the two pieces that I salvaged..

and my intention is to make another work 

using those elements.

its devastating to loose all that time and energy..

but

I know now what 

WON'T WORK!!

C4N!!

Black Iris

Ciao my gentle viewers...

I made a tiny video of my 

New painting...

Black Iris..

its always nice to see at least part of 

an artists studio ..

isn't it?

and here is the photo of the 

arrangement

below..

Black Iris 12 x 16 on canvas

 

It is the only floral painting that I have done that 

has a white background...

the Iris are from my garden of courser..

and the arrangement was in my Kitchen..

it's a nice contrast thought...

I think that flower is so abstract in form..

not easy to paint...

but I am pleased with the way it turned out..

My Floral gallerie is 

in 

Representational Art

thank you so much dear readers!!

xox

The Garden in Autumn

Ciao, gentle readers..

It was chilly when we started our walk this morning 

and it was a perfect morning

to do some weeding

so I murdered some grass 

and cut a few things back...

Most of my gardens are doing well..

but I have had trouble with

Mildew

this year..

my peonies were completely covered and I cut them

down to the ground..

now my Zucchini 

are slowly dying of it and I will have to yank it out

before it contaminates anything else...

the garden with the troubles is West facing and 

is in shade most of the morning..

so it is susceptible to mildew with all the rain we have had..

we shut off the sprinklers..

even in 80 degree heat...

things are molding... ugh.

but seriously.. I can't complain when I still have these 

Hydrangeas blooming so gorgeously...

below...

I am off to the studio..

I want to finish my Iris painting...

concentrating of that today...

Black Iris 

is the title, I have decided!!

thank you for stopping by the 

Lily Cottage.. 

we so appreciate your readership...

you viewers, readers, fans and lurkers..

Ciao! Ciao!!