NEW THINGS AFOOT!

It is an exciting day in my studio. I FINALLY opened my ETSY shop for all those things that just don't seem to fit on my website, and as I spoke about in earlier posts I am also putting up our little 4x4 contest choices for sale as well. The only thing that will change for my followers is they will have to compete with sales and choose what is available. But, it will also allow me to work on the 4x4 list of choices more, so it is a good thing! NOW you will have two opportunities to own a mini...either winning it, or if you don't want to wait or take a chance, purchase it! You can either scroll down my sidebar to get to my shop or click on this title link to get there. I will spend the next couple of days in my spare moments adding items that I already have in stock, so "bear" with me...(if you've followed for long you'll get the pun).

The other new item is the heart piece I've been working on the past couple of days (in my OTHER spare time). As this piece unfolded, what I wanted to do with it also unfolded. If you haven't guessed about me before now I have a LOT to say, so this feels like the beginning of a series where I do just that...speak through images AND words. This first is titled "The Heart Wants". You know the rest of the saying..."the heart wants what the heart wants"...Seems very appropriate for me right now! I've wanted to use my art in a variety of ways and with the ETSY shop and the classes and the added avenue of artistic expression these words and this title just came out naturally!As I suspected I would, I added some buttons for actual depth and visual interest. They are from my grandmothers button jar, so they mean a lot to me. AND, I took a chance and used wax as my adhesive agent and sealer. What I LOVE about this medium is it not only surprises you with the fact that SOME items seem to sink into the wax and become transparent...but it also FEELS awesome as well! I am happy to report the wax did not diminish the color of my underpainting, and it gives the whole piece a contemporary feel...both literally and figuratively! I'm saying YIPPEE as I may have found a place for my paper casts other than painting on them!! SUCCESS!!

The only thing I would caution is if anyone ever wants to purchase this item they might want to NOT hang it in a place where the sun is direct all day long. I've had these wax pieces in the back window of my car for hours at a time and no problem...but it IS wax, so the very nature would say..."treat me gently"...OH...and don't scratch stuff off with your nails...(thought that went without saying...but I said it anyway). It is STILL hard to get things off, but I'm sure if you manhandled it you would be sad!

So, new things afoot today and for the future...Wish me luck, and enjoy! I did!! PS...I already have the color scheme and title for my next piece...:)
PSS...I couldn't resist to send you another sunrise from this morning! I can't believe I am just as freshly amazed and awestruck every day when I come down my stairs and this is my wake up view!! HAPPY CREATING!! (that has to be my new mantra!!)

Snow Bird

"Snow Bird"
4x4 acrylic on fiberboard with texture

I could have called this snow beeper as it is the side view of the quirky little bird from yesterday's post, but settled on "Snow Bird" instead. This is one of our contest choices; done on a 4x4 fiberboard that I also added a bit of texture to as well.



Got up this morning and saw two completely different colors in the sunrise by just moving over a bit...Thought I would share the beauty!!

Tomorrow will be eating and cleaning and napping, so I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving today! And...for those of you who have time...Happy Painting!!

Nebraska Players in process and...you guessed it...another sunrise

I'm moving down with the Nebraska Players. I want to cover the canvas before I move in for perhaps more layer of color, defining the crowd just slightly as I think this piece will work nicely under the Memorial Stadium painting. I am playing with skin color and next will tackle their behinds...:) I think I need to work on the shape of the helmet in the center...it is just a little off, but that will be after I lay in my base colors. Damon didn't want player names on this so it would be more timeless, so I think just an impression of them will work fine.


I got up this morning and actually walked up the rocks behind my house. I am a little frustrated with my camera as it doesn't capture things exactly as they are, but it is close, so I had to share the beauty I woke up to today. Tomorrow we get more snow, so the scenery may be quite different.

Happy Day to you all!!

Nebraska Players detail and yep another sunrise!

I've begun the process of laying in value and playing with detail just to see how it can go. For two days I've been fighting a canvas that wasn't stretched properly apparently as it kept buckling! And I think I got this at one of our primo art stores here called Meiningers! Very dissapointed. I FINALLY think I've got it solved thanks to double the number of canvas strip pegs...So, I got to play with laying in some beginning color. My goal is to get as much paint on the canvas as possible and then go back and play with some amount of detail. But, I couldn't resist seeing how the helmets would look with numbers and playing with a bit of red with light and dark...FUN.




So, I am constantly amazed at the sunrises we have here...even though the scene is the same, I am blown away by the color! The first pic was early on, and then the beautiful blues show through...Had to share!

Son-in-Law challenge and another great sunrise!

Oh boy...here I go again with another challenge for my son-in-law for Christmas. This one isn't linear like the Memorial Stadium, but a challenge none the less. This is from another pic I posted some time back of Nebraska players. Damon doesn't want names so it will remain timeless. I have "zoomed" in on the players so the painting will be a bit custom. I've also moved them around a bit...I decided that you all were so helpful and supportive on my last big challenge that I would bring you in from the beginning! This sketch is merely a beginning so I can see where I need to adjust things...I already see a problem with sizes...but I'm telling you...some of these guys necks are SO big I'm having a hard time really showing it...ha...I'm sure I'll get over it and begin to see them as shapes so I'm not tempted to make things smaller...even those shoulders! WHEW! So...hopefully I will knock this out way quicker than my last challenge...but I'm sure I'll do my best...You may have to click on this drawing to see it...and, as always...thoughts are always welcome!

I couldn't leave you with a drawing beginning, so thought I'd share my latest sunrise...BEAUTIFUL skies we have here in Colorado!!

Happy Painting to you all!!

"September Sunrise" "completed"...and night activities...

When I got up this morning I put a few minor changes to this little 4x4 (that is part of our contest give-away). Yesterday it had some texture to the clouds, but since there was really no texture in another part of the piece I took it out and added a bit of sun flecks to the tops of some of the trees, and played with the clouds a bit to have them match the piece. I sanded it a bit yesterday. Sometimes I wonder if I don't just give myself a reason to sand...I like roughing things up sometimes if I am not working in collage. Call me Saundra...cuz that's just me I guess...Now, it is off to find some zippers to finish those bags I was telling you about...and back to Damon's Memorial Stadium at some point.

SO, I freaked myself out last night. My husband went to see his son for the weekend and I drove him to the airport so I could spend a couple extra hours with him. That put me home after dark. Before I go further I have to explain that I have a VERY vivid imagination! All I have to do is think a thing and I can make it (in my mind) as if it really happened. WHEW (don't know if it is a super power or a nutso thing!)...I am quite aware it isn't real, but my imagination is so strong as I replay it in my mind it is LIKE it was real! SO...on the way up the mountain I thought to myself "What if a mountain lion was waiting by my back door?" (remember stuff happens to me when my hubby is out of town) That made it a spooky walk from the garage...but of course, no mountain lion.

Things were fine until about midnight. I had watched all the new shows and had fallen asleep all happy with myself (probably partly due to the fact I'd snacked on a little of everything) (and partly because there was NO mountain lion).

I hadn't been asleep more than a few minutes when I jolted awake POSITIVE there was a noise. In my mind it sounded just like the back door shutting loudly. I laid there for a couple minutes, my heart beating so loudly I couldn't hear any possible murderer/bear/mountain lion/ghost footfalls (is that even a word?). I FINALLY got up and tip toed to the top of the stairs and peered over the banister to see what I might see. Nothing...SO I creep downstairs one flight of stairs to the kitchen level to get a BIG knife and...DRAT...peanut butter sandwich pops in my head...Here I am, my heart beating in my ears and I'm making a peanut butter sandwich!

I decide NOT to go to the lower level to see if the murderer/bear/mountain lion/ghost is down there, so I just sneak back upstairs with my sandwich and BIG knife and to bed. By then I am WIDE awake, so I eat my sandwich and turn on the tv, again, avoiding shows that have words in the title like "scariest, maniac, dead, killer or Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (well...Texas is OK). I finally settled on one of the Klump movies...

Yep, I'm still here...no murderer/bear/mountain lion/ghost. At least for LAST night...I still have two more nights to go...Sheesh!

Happy Painting to you all!! Hey...we only need 3 more followers!! I'm itchin to give away another thank you!!

September Sunrise

I had to do a little quickie this morning before I'm off to teach. It is a little rough around the edges, but at least I got to paint a bit. I absolutely LOVE the sunrises here on the mountain! I've got a big file of all of last years' sunrises, and am starting one for this year. I started painting before the sun came up, so my light wasn't the best...(sounds a bit like the kid that didn't catch a baseball and said it was because the sun was in his eyes!)...I noticed in the pic I have some rough areas...So, perhaps I will sand it a bit and play some more on it when I get home...:)

I worked a bit more on Memorial Stadium last night, but it isn't enough to post another pic yet...so it is still in process.

Today I take hubby dear to the airport to fly off to Minnesota to see his son for the weekend. I thought about going, but this dirty house and some sewing I need to do is calling LOUDLY! I told my sweetie last night that I really have about 3 or 4 jobs now...Painting, house stuff, teaching, and the church bulletin I took on. Sounds really good huh?! It isn't all THAT bad, but it does take a little juggling...and I've learned...the things we love, or the things we do for those we love...usually get done! So, I'm not worried.

Happy Painting to you all!! And...oh yes...welcome to my newest follower...and HEY...we only have 3 to go before the next give-away...I'm ready!!