Before and After

 

A DAY TO CREATE!

Today was a cloudy day and I needed a little change of pace from painting...clear out those painting cobwebs so as to give me a fresh eye!  So, I pulled out an old yellow sweater that had nothing much going for it... I wanted to add some color and change it somehow from the old lady sweater to something a little different...so I threw in some color in the form of an old Daffy Duck tie I LOVE, but that I just had for just such an occasion!

I began by taking off the boring non color buttons and adding black buttons...Then I cut a flower from several pieces of Daffy (sorry little duck) and added a bit of netting and loose stitching and a button.  I stitched around the neck, sleeves and front and bottom with three randomish rows of black stitching...added the flower and then decided to tuck it in a bit by adding buttons on the front sides.....and one on the back for good measure...

After a few hours I came up with this end result...

Yellow Sweater Remake on a cloudy Saturday afternoon!  

In case anyone out there was wondering...I haven't forgotten that I PROMISED to put some paper casts in my ETSY shop...I HAVEN'T forgotten!!  What happened was THIS...I ran out of cotton linters...which is the stuff you make them out of...so I had to order more...(as there is NO STORE ANYWHERE IN TOWN that carries it!!)  My package of linters FINALLY came today...BUT, I did have enough to make some thin leaves and hearts that would be appropriate for cards and/or scrap booking and/or wax collage or regular collage...:)...So, I was thinkin I might make two separate thicknesses...in case they were to be used for different things...:) Just wanted you to know I haven't been idle!!...I've spent my time exploring the BEST way to ship these delicate items so they would be safe and think I've come up with the safest way...now to make sure it is the MOST cost effective! HA...did anyone out there think it was as easy as makin stuff and mailin it?? HA...I did...but not anymore!! :)

I'm leaving you with this...DARE to IMAGINE that you can...and you WILL!!

HAPPY SATURDAY CREATING!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY a little early!

 

"Pink Passion" © Saundra Lane Galloway Fine Art

4x4" wax collage

What better way to say HAPPY VALENTINES DAY than with a heart!  This is one of our contest give-aways...4x4" fiberboard acrylic, paper cast, wax collage! YEA!  I will also be adding this little one to my ETSY shop in the next day or so.  

The day started out awesome until I messed up the little heart I had already for this collage and had to make a new batch...And, a watch cast does NOT dry!!  But I FINALLY got it fixed and added a little bead bling to the top left and a little PASSION just off center and with the acrylic background with a bit of stamping and such and here she is..."Pink Passion" is ready just in time for the holiday...

Speaking of my paper cast wax collages...I was ordering supplies for my casting and saw on the Arnold Grummer website a little Valentine contest, so I entered "The Heart Wants" and was pleasantly surprised that they loved it and want me to write a lesson plan for their site and possibly the Dick Blick, and other art catalogs!!  AWESOME!!

FUN TIMES!!  HAPPY CREATING AND, again, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY a little early...:) 

My heart is still in process

Today is exciting for me! First of all my most handsome son's portrait has been posted on Carol Nelson's blog. You have to click over to see her fauvist rendition of a photo I sent to her. It is AWESOME!! This is part of Carol's personal challenge to do 100 fauvist style portraits in 100 days. Plus it is her birthday to boot! If you have not visited her site please do so by clicking the link above!

Secondly I am finally ready to begin offering classes at a couple local Hobby Lobby stores here in town. I've been working hard on class descriptions and flyers and today is delivery day on some of that! I absolutely LOVE teaching and this will be a fun avenue for me!

Thirdly I am continuing with my exploration of this piece as a workshop idea for the future. My goal is to combine several of the things I do, one being a proper place for my paper casts beyond the ones I paint on...so...this little heart is still in process, but as PROCESS is part of what this blog is about I am posting it in it's various stages.

I first coated this 6x6 gallery wrap canvas with a good uneven coat of molding paste and then painted a bit...next I stamped it and now have created a heart mold and made a paper cast to add to it. My next thinking spot will be what to add that doesn't take away from what I've already done...I don't know if I will play with my wax as an adhesive agent in order to preserve the paper cast in a more interesting way...I'm also thinking of stitching by hand...perhaps adding a tiny embellishment...hmmm...the thinking part is FUN!

I hope you have felt a little inspired to try something new or play again...and as always...HAPPY PAINTING and welcome to my newest followers!

"SPRING" is back

"Spring" is my newest addition to my collage pieces. Did we have a spring in Colorado this year?? Ok...I guess the spring I remember is what we will lovingly call from now on...the rainy season! 10+ days in a ROW with tornados! Ahhh Spring in the Rockies. (this year anyway) What makes this collage different is the addition of paper cast leaves. I've been wanting to do something different with my paper casts for awhile, so this came from that desire. "Spring" is a 12"x6" cradled panel that is 3/4" deep. I've stained the sides of this one as well, but I think it would look great with a floater frame! I think I will seal with with a gloss medium to protect the leaves and give a bit of a contemporary look. This collage is available on my website.

My friend Jane Hunt is the latest to accept my painting challenge contest. Her interpretation of the past photograph I posted is so wonderful. She has named it "Lone Pine with Mountains" I love the way she added her own spin with the addition of the mountains! Beautiful work Jane! Her name has been added to the list for the 4x4 give away contest that will end on July 19. For anyone who wishes to join in all you have to do is paint from one of my posted photos and send it to my e-mail. Oh, and be a follower...:) art4life44@hotmail.com

Welsome to my 2 newest followers! It's always great to have you stop by when you have an extra minute!

Casting and Thinking

Over the weekend I made a new mold of an a small aspen leaf. (sorry the pic is blurry) This little baby is probably less than 2". I made a couple of casts and actually painted one, but it was a flop in the way I presented it and the colors I used, so here is my little blank slate...It will become something...maybe on it's own; part of a collage, or several in different colors all together...hmmm...still deciding.

BUT, what is really on my mind is a couple of things I've read lately on a couple of blogs I've been following. It has me sad. One artist supports herself solely through internet, and so I understand on one hand what she is saying, but on the other hand it has really stuck in my craw. (Is craw a word?? I've always wondered, but I digress) Basically she is fed up with the artists who she feels just take advantage. And by that she means asks for information on things she knows how to do, not enough thanks from the folks, etc. She no longer is going to have her blog up where she has apparently for some time given helpful hints and tips. She stated very harshly that she needs to focus on those who she can sell to. I SO agree that we need to work hard, and focus on how we can get sales...but I am sad at the attitude that seems to filter through...Another blogger yelled at everyone that didn't send things correctly to her. It has me wondering...are we all stretched too thin? Is it so thin that we need to lash out, that we need to close up and not share? I'm not sure I have the answer. But, I know the tone of one blog made it seem the worst thing we could do is to have other artists on our blog...other work. I think the word crazy was used...

I haven't been doing this so long that I am burned out on trying to help as many along my way as I can so perhaps I cannot speak to this with any validity. But, in a time for our country when things are so harsh and scary and tough, I am just not ready to grab all my toys and go home and not share.(I'm definately NOT saying these people are bad or wrong) The teacher in me is probably saying that, and I am definately not the best at marketing, but it gives me SUCH pleasure to help someone or send a thank you in the mail or write about a process...I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around, so I want to still share and help and give voice to others from time to time. At the same time I'm speaking of one who has not been slammed with too much..

And for the one who yelled at everyone for not sending things correctly...what about just holding to the rules that person set and just not posting the pic like she said in the first place. Perhaps she needs a hug!

I don't know, am I the only one that feels this way? We are all in this country together, we are all trying our best to do SOMETHING...I say let's all play nice and try to help, and remember that if we are too selfish or harsh it will reflect that way to our collectors as well. (I'm pretty sure they can read, and we never know they haven't read something on our blogs!)

Something new yet familiar

"Winter Oak" © Saundra Lane Galloway Fine Art

Whenever I find myself in a rut with my painting; which can be easy at times since I love to paint trees so much, but want to keep things fresh, I try something new. This paper cast came after creating a mold from copper. I spent some time experimenting with surfaces to make it possible to paint on the cast and have it come out like I wanted. First I just painted with my acrylics directly on the surface and it came out a bit too wet on wet looking for what I was going for. I then applied some gesso to the surface and was able to paint on top of that. I like the way it turned out, so plan to do more casts. I encourage you to try something new from time to time...it keeps things fresh and exciting! The pictures are from my old camera...yes still learning about my new one, so the colors didn't come out as strong as they are in life, but I wanted to share this anyway, and hope it inspires you to reach a bit from time to time, in whatever way that works for you!