Naturalists' Notebook-New Work

Sometimes 

a series, just lives in my heart..

it takes over and I find ways..

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, The Eternality of Life, 5 x 5

to continually create,

using the same series as a vehicle for self expression

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, A Petition to Time.

in just a slightly and subtly different way..

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, Waiting for the Rain.

all of these mixed media paintings were featured in 

the Jan/Feb issue of 

Somerset Studio...

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, The Similarities of Life.

The butterflies and dragonfly are all tissue paper

hand painted with watercolor..

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media painting, Love in a Mist.

They are now listed and reside in the gallery

142 Bis..

to view the details and check prices, please

click on the link above

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, The Shape of Things.

In the studio this week, I am

working on a new YT Vlog post..

talking about criticism and rejection..

which seems to be a timely topic on social media..

and I have been working on my 

Ripped and Torn series and my small flower journal..

juggling many paintbrushes,

 dear reader ..

thanks always

 for your kind remarks and your most generous attention..

I so appreciate you...

C4N!

Mixed Media-Notes on a Dream

Notes on a Dream

was the title of my article in 

Somerset Studio

in the January/February issue

of this year..

Detail, Caterina Giglio, Waiting for the Rain.

and referred to the whole body of work

that I created for 

my last show...

The Naturalists' Notebook

Mixed Media, Caterina Giglio, 8 x 8 on cradled board, Waiting for the Rain.

as well as all the new pieces that you see here..

Mixed Media, Caterina Giglio, 8 x 8, cradled board, The Similarities of Life 

it isn't unusual dear reader for me to create

several more pieces in a particular series..

especially if the 

series

idea

haunts me..

Detail from Love in a Mist, Caterina Giglio

as this one did..

the idea came to me in a dream..

and it would not let me go..

Love in a Mist, Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media, 8 x 8, cradled board.

each piece represents to me the 

the beautiful imperfection

of life and the ephemeral quality of nature.. 

The Eternality of Life, Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media, 5 x 5 cradled board.

but even more than that

they remind me to

A detail from The Eternality of Life, Caterina Giglio.

persevere..

to get up and resurface in joy..

my time may be short..

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media on cradled board, 8 x 8, A Petition To Time.

my life, 

may be just a quick season long..

The Shape of Things, Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media, 5 x 7 cradled board.

but I can focus on the beauty 

around us, and as an artist,

I must..

it is simply my calling to

celebrate..

and to pass it on..

xox

My Tissue Paper Technique

As promised,

here is my vlog post

on 

YouTube

where I share my tissue paper technique to make 

butterflies and dragonflies..

and 

really anything else you want

to create that looks like a transparency..

I began this quest into using tissue paper, 

because I did not like the look of transparencies 

on boards..

they were difficult to adhere and were too shiny,

and I wanted something softer...

so after much experimentation, 

I came up with this technique

and 

I hope you enjoy it

let me know what you think..

and as always,

I will be glad to answer 

any questions..

Have a beautiful weekend!!

xox

2018 Brings Changes!

Happiest New Year..

dearhearts...

I am slowly getting back to my studio..

and working on a couple of 

deadlines..

and speaking of deadlines...

I met this one a while back

and will be sharing the art with you when it returns...

I hope you will pick up a copy of 

Somerset Studio

My work and article are featured

in the January issue..

Naturalists' Notebook article and technique, featured in Jan/Feb. issue of Somerset Studio

and I have used my holiday break wisely..

thinking and chewing 

on the possibilities of the 

New Year

and what I want to do and create

and most of the changes for me... 

and 

ultimately you...

dear viewers and readers..

center on 

Time

1. While I love creating videos for you all, and I adore being able to offer you techniques and projects as a gift from me to you and to use for your own personal enjoyment, I have to admit that they take a lot of time, energy, and money.. so I will be producing fewer Vlog posts on YouTube, but I hope they will be even better. 31 videos was a lot and I thought I would try to film around 24 this year.
2. While I know many of you have asked for classes and I have chewed on the idea, endlessly, I have decided NOT TO TEACH. I have been an instructor for most of my adult life, from a training co-ordinator in retail and as an artist, I have taught everything from bow-making to life drawing and mixed media, and while I love sharing what I know, I love CREATING even more, and I want to spend more time in my studio, "Just making cool stuff" to quote a dear friend.
3. I know that blogs are considered dead, and many people just don't take the time to read, but I am recommitting to my blog, "beautiful old dinosaur" that she is.. and I will be taking more time to share about the things that give me fits in the studio.. what works and what doesn't.. while trying not to moan on endlessly about it all and perhaps I can put into words what I am really trying to convey as I work. I used to look for something finished or accomplished to share and now I am going to just share where I am... if it is boring, let me know!

A new year always brings change..

and as we know, it is the only constant in our lives..

so embracing change is the only way to stay sane..

like a willow bending in the wind..

I intend to bend to the pull of my creative direction..

and follow my muse where she

leads..

In the studio, besides my deadlines, I am working on

my art Journal and I am trying to decide what to do with the cover..

I want to have that finished for my year end reveal..

so if I finish that, you will see it ALL ..

and if not, you will see December pages

next Tuesday, 

at least..

My first video will be on my 2016-2017

Art Journal

and I will share techniques and what was happening in my life

to inspire the pages for each month.. 

I send you all my kindest 

New Year wishes..

may it be a good one,

without any tears..

xox

Mixed Media- Life is in the Details

The little conversation..

I have said it before..

it is really all in the details..

I call it the little conversation..

The big conversation..

for me is always about love

In my work, texture represents 

the layers of complexity in relationship..

with myself, and others.

and in light of what happened in 

Charlottesville

I wanted to express to you

my feelings about my art 

..

every piece I create has a thought about someone ..

or a feeling about myself or others..

each layer is a devotion to working out

issues, inconsistencies, or simply documenting

what is..

my intention is to be a witness..

documenting the holiness of life

It all ties together perfectly..

I love what I create and I create love..

love of nature..

these are sneaky peeks 

that I am sending to Somerset Studio..

love of relationships

love of creation..

in addition to the layers

I wanted to create..

love of beauty..

Love of life...

the fragility of winged creatures..

and to show

Love 

of kindness..

and mirror our own fragility..

to see through the wings..

Which is a religion to me...

kindness..

Never let anyone tell you that kindness is not enough..

to the layers below..

the words, 

the issues,

the trauma,

that love does not conquer evil..

 love is more powerful than hate..

Love always wins..

Love will find a way..

and reveals

a bigger picture..

of freedom..

and flight,

of 

life, 

eternally 

playing out in the

details..

as we go about our week,

simply,

lovingly,

speaking kindness,

cheering on others,

celebrating successes,

opening doors for people with strollers,

buying a coffee for the next person in line..

and feeling our hearts expanding in love of life..

know without a doubt,

dear reader,

 that your loving kindness

is the stuff that wears down mountains of hate,

builds bridges..

and changes 

subtly, softly..

but change, 

it does.

xo 

March Pages

my mother died a few weeks ago...

gentle reader..

and

Immediately following the news, I sprained my wrist.. 

Yes, THAT wrist and so ...

unable to write, legibly ..draw with dexterity or type quickly,

 I was forced to sit and marinate in my feelings..

many of you know that my mother was an alcoholic..

 before you get all boo hoo-y on me, 

let me tell you, that

My mother and I had been estranged since 1994

It was my choice..
to simply hang up on her..
disconnecting from the chaos of alcoholism ...

a truth for me is that it is always easier to love someone unconditionally
when they are not in your physical experience..

My maternal family had a bipolar and alcoholic history..

Fortunately

My father's family was our sanctuary, 

they still, to this day do not understand what a haven, (a heaven really) they provided.. 

Safety, security, food, play and above all ...love. 

Without them, I am sure I would be a very different person than the woman I am today. 

the other thing that they provided us with was

 contrast... 

 we understood at least unconsciously that not all mothers forgot to feed children,

  beat them, verbally abused them or failed to protect them.

It was years ago in therapy that I realized
that I intensely disliked butterflies and dragonflies..
I thought they were..
creepy
when a memory resurfaced...


the grade school science lab that I attended

 had several butterfly and bug specimens
and I remember just hating those collections...

you see...
  I identified with those tiny winged creatures
pinned to boards..
 their lack of freedom..
such fragile beings..

ingredients: paper ephemera, pencil, walnut ink, acrylic paint, colored pencils, tissue paper, safety pins, pen and ink, gel medium, gold leaf 

note: butterfly wings are hand drawn on tissue paper, with colored pencil, pen and ink and gold leaf.

If you have read my blog for any length of time,
you will know that
 freedom is often a reoccurring theme in my work... 

for me,
freedom and forgiveness are linked..

Forgiveness is a verb,
 it is active in my life.. because memories are triggered by the most insignificant things..
smells, words, sayings..
and forgiveness
it is a gift
 I give to myself.........
 It heals from the inside out

and I believe it is imperative in order to live a healthy life...
I think that without forgiveness, one cannot truly know freedom...


As always I am heartily grateful
 to you for your kind readership..

xo