Category Archives: Paintings

May 28, 2013 · 8:30 pm

“Awaiting a Cup of Coffee” and other ramblings…

DSCN1933

It’s like waiting for a cup of coffee.

And while I feel like I sit around waiting for the brew button to shut off, I am finding that the cup of coffee comes with preparation. I wake in the morning and come to the kitchen. Lights turn on and the cupboard to the stash opens. I place in the filter and measure the fine grind coffee, often adding an extra pinch for a strong cup. I add water, push the start button and watch the coffee begin. The smell enters my nose. I get excited as I pull out a mug, the creamers, the spoon to stir. Then I wait.

Most days, I feel like I too am just sitting around waiting for the signal to turn off so I can grab my cup and go. Do something meaningful, something big. But God is showing me that while I wait for His timing on a job, there is work to do. There is preparation. I need to let go of my expectations, impatience, doubts that form in my limitations.

Then it happened. This morning the light came on and the door to my heart opened. I filtered my thoughts and measured the cost of saying “Yes, I will wait for the Lord.”  I added in His promises and watched the day begin. And in seeking Him, the sweet aroma of peace started to fill my body.

And I wait.

Psalm 40:1-5, 16-17 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told…

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

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May 24, 2013 · 11:00 pm

Painting thru Psalm 19

Psalm 19

For the worship leader. A song of David.

The celestial realms announce God’s glory; the skies testify of His hands’ great work. Each day pours out more of their sayings; each night, more to hear and more to learn. Inaudible words are their manner of speech, and silence, their means to convey. Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voices have gone out; the whole world can hear what they say.

DSCN2039 Silver Moonlight. 8×10

God stretched out in these heavens a tent for the sun; And the sun is like a groom who, after leaving his room, arrives at the wedding in splendor; He is the strong runner who, favored to win in his race, is eager to face his challenge. He rises at one end of the skies and runs in an arc overhead; nothing can hide from his heat, from the swelter of his daily tread.

DSCN1901 Morning Light Praises. 10×10

The Eternal’s law is perfect, turning lives around. His words are reliable and true, instilling wisdom to open minds. The Eternal’s directions are correct, giving satisfaction to the heart. God’s commandments are clear, lending clarity to the eyes. The awe of the Eternal is clean, sustaining for all of eternity. The Eternal’s decisions are sound; they are right through and through. They are worth more than gold—even more than abundant, pure gold. They are sweeter to the tongue than honey or the drippings of the honeycomb.

DSCN2009 Ripples on the Ocean Floor. 12×12

In addition to all that has been said, Your servant will find, hidden in Your commandments, both a strong warning and a great reward for keeping them. Who could possibly know all that he has done wrong? Forgive my hidden and unknown faults. As I am Your servant, protect me from my bent toward pride, and keep sin from ruling my life. If You do this, I will be without blame, innocent of the great breach.

DSCN1842 Untitled. 8×10

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer.

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May 14, 2013 · 7:45 pm

Little Joys!

Have you ever stopped for a moment to listen to the water as it drips out of the faucet? What about the sound your sheets make when you ruffle them as you make your bed in the morning? The sound your fork or spoon makes against the dish; the taps your fingers make on the keys when you type; the brushstrokes when you paint on a canvas; the click of your eye shadow case as you finish getting reading in the morning; or the sound of pages turning as you read a book? Little joys!

Yesterday I got my hearing aids fixed! 😀 Funny is perception. It has only been a mere three weeks since they went from usable to unusable overnight. It seems much longer than that! The hearing aids currently are back to where I had them set before–I have them turned up all the way though, as we did not adjust any of the settings due to my last hearing test being in February. At that point in time, my left ear had gunky-dark fluid behind the ear drum and I received some medicine to see if that would clear out. I had my ears checked once and it seemed to be helping slowly. It was not until after the spring break that the tinnitus (insane ringing in both ears) became increasingly loud. So there is much difference in my hearing since February.

Changing the levels now seemed in wrong timing, because I have my MRI/hearing test next Thursday the 23rd. My regular doctor appointments are the following Thursday the 30th. As far as my hearing test goes, I am thinking my left ear has not improved any even if the gunky fluid is out from behind the ear drum. Even with my hearing aid in, I am not hearing much (though I placed it in first this morning and then shut the lid to the case and heard it clear as day…guess that is a good thing!) I do know, however, that I depend on my right ear/hearing aid the most. It used to be the opposite, but I can tell already that my hearing aids are helping…maybe n0t improving my balance but I have not run into as many walls today as I round the corner–little joys! And, after going three weeks with no hearing, I think I did improve my lip-reading and we started incorporating more sign language at home.

My dad is sneaky. He found this website where you can look up words you need and they give you a video of the sign. Last weekend, we had company and at Sunday’s lunch we had the typical tuna sandwiches, chips and salsa, carrots and grapes and cookies for dessert. I see my dad pull out his phone as the others at the table are in conversation. Not thinking anything of it, I return my attention back to lip-reading but sort of just sit in a daze. (I get bad at that. I stare like I am lip-reading but I am not paying attention at all in my mind! I need to work on staying focused!) Anyway, dad never waved for my attention or anything, he just moved his hands. I knew it was a sign, but since he did not mouth the word, I had no idea what it was. Instead of guessing or pointing aimlessly at the table, I just said, “I don’t know what that sign is.” It was grapes!!!

I should have remembered. I learned it in ASL I. Although dad was trying to be sneaky and not ruin the conversation at hand (I think I did 🙂 ), our table then erupted in sign–from discussion of ASL vs. ESL or SEE to guessing the word being signed (as my dad passed on his phone to my sister who put the website and my memory to good use!) Sometimes these conversations are awkward for me as I feel I should be the one to know all the signs (I don’t), but because our guests both had reference and previous experience to sign language, we were able to work through and remember words with sign together.

During these past three weeks, I now have experienced both sides of the spectrum in terms of hearing and hearing loss. Just the other day I read this quote. I think it sums up my thoughts the best way possible: “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard, are sweeter.” ~J0hn Keats.

I am happy to hear, thankful to hear, liking to hear…and I think it is because I had none–that I appreciate it more! Little J0ys!!

PS. This s0ng came to mind this morning:

Carolyn Arends, “I Can Hear You”

Leaky faucet dripping in the kitchen
Rubber squealing — watch out in the alley
Mr. Marley’s probably late for work again.
Birdie singing — telling me to get up
Such a soothing sound floating on the wind
I just keep listening

Funny how You speak to me
In such mysterious ways

Chorus:
I can hear You
I can hear You
It’s so amazing how Your voice keeps breaking through
I can hear You

There’s a church bell ringing out the hour
Like an old friend calling through my window
With the laughter of the children playing down below
You’ve got a way of getting my attention
In the rhythm of life, everywhere I go
Somehow You let me know

If I’ll only stop to listen
You’re in everything

I can hear You
I can hear You
I can hear You
I can hear You

Music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtsWtNS-3Og

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May 10, 2013 · 8:29 pm

In the Kitchen

I think my sister was right: “It is so weird to see you put black olives on your sandwich.” We were at Subway and I was loading my turkey melt with veggies (might I add avocado!!! Yum!) It is a little strange, considering that I spent my childhood trying every possible way to get out eating my veggies at dinner. “They are getting cold,” Mom would say. Truth is, I did that on purpose. They tasted more tolerable when cold.

It was not until after college that I started to eat more outside my normal eating habits–maybe partial roommate influence (positive peer pressure if such an oxymoron exists) and the tumor growing on the 5th nerve causing a decrease in my smell–my view of food changed. No more “plug your nose while you eat…you won’t taste it” sort of fun. This is now my reality. Having no sense of smell changes your eating habits.

Strange though, I can still smell coffee and can tell when there is BBQ cooking. I can taste the seasoning of Mrs. Dash and sea salt if large portions are applied to the food. I noticed I still tasted the ketchup on my potatoes tonight at dinner and the blueberries in my muffin this morning. So not all is lost.

Growing up there were a few vegetables that I disliked the most: beets, asparagus, peas, and acorn squash–but especially asparagus!! We did not eat it often but when we did, it was awful! Fast forward to the year 2010, my roommate was having a birthday potluck/game night at our apartment. I had to work a late night shift, so by the time I got there, food was already served and the game was about to start. I remember walking in and smelling bacon (this is a few months prior tumor growth, so I still had regular smell at this point.) As I get my plate full of food, a friend asks if I want some of what he cooked: asparagus wrapped in bacon. I agree, but winced because I knew I did not like asparagus. As I ate it, I realized the bacon took most of the flavor. If I were a food critic, I would have starred it with a 4 out of 5 stars–only because the taste of asparagus was still not the greatest. That was the last time I had eaten the vegetable.

It might just be that time of year–the garden recipes, grilling tips for your patio parties, fresh “make in minute salads”–and I don’t know how or where asparagus fits in all that, but it has been a reoccurring word ever since I discovered a simple recipe in a book that I finished last week. “I can cook this!!” I said: asparagus, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Asparagus was on my next shopping list. And it was weird. 🙂

Tonight we decided to put it with dinner: tilapia and potatoes and the asparagus. As I am trying to cut off the end, I am getting frustrated at their stems. “It is like bamboo!!!” Not that I have ever tried bamboo before but I was making a point. Mom suggested the food scissors instead of a knife. Brilliant. This is why I cook with her present in the kitchen! I start spreading the olive oil on with a brush that you use for applying barbecue sauce to your grill meat, while offering my next statement with a laugh: “Painting asparagus!” I had just come from the basement where I had been painting. Guess it was still fresh on my mind.

I add the sea salt and pepper, then it was ready for the oven:

DSCN1818

Dinner turned out to be a delicious meal! Best part is, I can now add asparagus to my list of “veggie likes.” I think in part, because I did not taste the “asparagus” taste that had caused me to give a 4 out of 5 stars during the last experience. I chewed and looked outside thinking. “Hmmm, it tastes like green beans to me.” Then I add that I have a list of other vegetables I want to test–first up is eggplant. I cannot guarantee the same positive experience, but it is worth a try. Maybe that is the blessing of losing my sense of smell and altering taste: it takes me out of my eating comfort zone and into a kitchen full of possibilities.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8

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May 4, 2013 · 10:04 pm

Freshly Painted

I finished a very random, colorful, spunky (not my style usually) sort of painting. It was messy (literally, my hands were caked with paint). Want to know the secret to this fun texture? I used toilet paper rolls for the big circles and bubble wrap for the smaller circles. Thank you Pinterest for the toilet paper roll idea and the birthday party art class for the bubble wrap idea. It was one of those paintings in which I had no set goal in mind as far as placement of colors or circles. Purely spontaneous. I thought it deserved a title, so I set out to make one.

DSCN1811 8×10

I am really bad with titles. I even struggle with titles for my blog most often. This painting was no exception. My initial thought was “Candy buttons.” Have you ever tried those candies? Little clumps of sugar on paper:

candy-house-candy-buttonstimelesscandy.com

You lick the back of the paper until the droplet falls off. It is like mastering an art really–too much saliva and you get a soggy paper mess that stains your hands; and too little saliva means you eat the paper and it does not taste good. I remember first being introduced to Candy Buttons when I was in the fourth grade. We were on a family vacation and stopped into a huge candy store in Chicago. I thought they were the coolest thing! I did not see them again until I was a college graduate shopping at Hobby Lobby for painting supplies.

“Oh wow! Candy Buttons!!!” I remember being so excited that I bought a few bags. Spontaneous. Then I bought more with the purpose of sharing my candy joy with the kids at the after-school street church I volunteered for on Thursday evenings. As I demonstrated the process of how to eat them, I was a bit timid about how the kids would react. Their faces were priceless. So eager to try this new candy. We rationed out all the Candy Buttons within minutes.

~

Something about this painting also reminds me of cotton candy ice cream (which is one of my favorites, probably because I can actually taste the flavor.) Almost all other flavors, besides chocolate, taste like vanilla to me. That gets bland. Cotton candy ice cream has a taste of its own. It is unique. And it leaves your tongue blue.

cotton candy exhibit b

I think this painting creates a fun theme, but felt stuck in the “candy box” of boring titles. I thought of all these bright-colored and fruity flavored candies coming together: Skittles, Nerds, Starbursts, Gummie Bears (plus the Candy Buttons and cotton candy flavor) and my title said what I was thinking: Candy Fusion. 🙂

Not all my canvases get titles, but it is an interesting process when they do get titles. I am finding that abstract art often does not need a title. Maybe that is me being too practical. “It is not a painting of anything,” I often say; “Anything” meaning concrete form. And yet, how is it that art at museums have the best fitting titles on abstract pieces that leave you looking deeper into the canvas in search of how the title was formed? It is as if the title should grasp in one profound statement, the essence of the work and still leave a window of opportunity for the mind to expand upon. I don’t think like this. I find that I sit stumped…at a loss for being able to group words together.

And yet other times, the title is what inspires the painting:

DSCN1774Fire and Ice (16×20)

Then there are those that I just leave as No Title:

DSCN1791 8×10

DSCN1804 11×14

DSCN1779 16×20

I am currently working on my smaller canvases for the month of June’s display at Beans-n-Cream. But I also have big ideas forming in my mind for my BIG canvases!! I am excited and can’t wait to get started on a few of those as well. In brainstorming, I realized that I need to branch out by creating or trying new abstract techniques. It is a challenge; I think that is why as silly as Candy Fusion may seem…it was different and I enjoyed trying something new.

I entered an “art moment in thought” while at my grandparent’s house. It caused me to stop and really question my motive for painting. When I first started painting, I painted gifts. Gift giving is my passion; it brings me sincere joy and my beginning paintings reflected this. I think over the past year, I have lost sight of that until now. I may not be painting with a specific person in mind, but I get to share my paintings with you here on my blog; to those who dine at Beans-n-Cream or the art show in Yellow Springs. I looked at the painting I did for my grandparents and I resolved that I can still paint like that–with thoughts of gift giving and joy. I was given a gift…to paint…and share my story. That brings me sincere joy. And that is why I will keep painting. 🙂

More to come…

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April 30, 2013 · 7:24 pm

Possibilities Endless

Possibilities. It is what makes you stop and marvel at the tiny flowers emerging from the cracks in the sidewalk. How is it that they grow?

DSCN1763

Today was a day of possibilities. Two more doors opened this summer for my paintings. They are set for late summer, but it gives me time to work on the bigger canvases. (And big as in 48×36 sizes!!) My paintings will also be in Beans-n-Cream the month of June. That sounds far off, but considering that tomorrow is May 1st, it only gives me the rest of the month to finish my fresh batch of canvases. 🙂

Similar to coming out of a long winter…the ideas for what to paint have just been frozen in my mind. A few weeks ago, I looked at last year’s art show pictures and wondered how it was that I had so many ideas. I remember them just flowing and I would go from one painting to the next. Then I just experienced this lull. This writer’s block in art form.

Now that possibilities have begun to open, the ideas for paintings are beginning to blossom through the cracks in the sidewalk. They are small, but they are rooted in thankfulness for yet more opportunities to share my passion and my paintings. Best part is, I get to paint…all summer long.

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” ~Mr. Rogers

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April 25, 2013 · 3:22 pm

All around the world

DSCN1145Love the Earth

This morning I wrote a short document for my friend about how knowing others with NF2 has impacted my life. This circumferences the “knowing on a personal level” along with “knowing [having knowledge of] others with NF2.” While I did not take much time for argument in my case, I did propose that personally knowing others with NF2 has had a greater impact in my life.

However, there is this branch (like a sublet category) in the “knowing [knowledge of] others with NF2” that I had not contemplated until this morning. The thought came: I did not know there were others around the world who lived with the same disease. It was not until I started this blog last year that these facts surfaced. How did I go almost ten years not having any thoughts that there could be others around the world who are impacted in similar struggles/disease that I face every day? The thought just blew me away. I feel almost embarrased to be so honest to say that!

A fellow blogger wrote this morning, “Choose to look at something differently, and you could just get something extraordinary,” (Kelsey Reinhart.)* I am not implying that NF2 is extraordinary (just rare)…but when I look at the world–how big it feels–knowing that there are others with NF2 around the globe who live each day just like me, suddenly makes the world seem a bit smaller. I am no longer in my mind saying, “I am the only person in the world who faces these challenges.” Granted, every NF2 patient is affected differently by the tumors, treatments, surgeries and side effects, but we have a common understanding. And that makes facing the daily challenges in my life with NF2 a bit more of an extraordinary experience.

*http://kelseyreinhart.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/perception-is-everything/

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April 18, 2013 · 8:34 pm

The Bigger Picture

You know today was different. It was great. I think Miss Stacey had something going there when she told Anne, “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it,” (Lucy Maud Montgmery.) I am pretty sure my day has had a few mistakes in it already, but it is fresh. It started so fresh and just seems to keep flowing with a good theme. Even now, it is a beautiful evening!

I am learning things in my daily readings, though they seem more like puzzle pieces at the time. I cannot see the whole picture yet, but start to get a faint glimpse of something..the bigger picture. I have several devotional books I am going through simultaneously. This morning they all related to each other…they all discussed forgiveness and kindness. They discussed unity. They all mentioned the passage from Ephesians 4:31-32,

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I start getting ready for the day thinking mostly about kindness. Who can I show extra kindness to today? In my mind I envisioned an opportunity would somehow be presented during the day…an open door to extend kindness. Little did I realize that I would not be giving kindness, but receiving it.

I spent the day in the town of Yellow Springs. It is a great little town. Full of shops that sell mostly handmade items and lots of artwork!!! Different aspiring musicians will play on the street corners and my favorite part is that the public restrooms are located in the old renovated train station. 🙂 The town is adorned in bright colors, funky store names that you remember and at this time of year–loads of spring blossoms (which also means huge bees!)

My goal was going to a pizza parlor to discuss a possibility of displaying my paintings. I had missed my contact, so I just decided to eat there for lunch and read. The man who took my order was very kind. He explained and re-explained things when I could not understand. He showed me to the salad bar and caught my book as I clumsily dropped it while asking more questions out of curiosity about the pizzas and toppings. I found a booth and sat down. I noticed while I was reading/eating that the man who took my order was the only waiter there. He also took the orders up front for carry out and ran the cash register. Then I remembered only seeing one chef too. I had come in right when they opened at 11:30 a.m. By noon, they had a full house. These guys had every reason in the book to be grumpy if they wanted. But instead they were kind and full of energy, resulting in a positive mood throughout the room. I enjoyed my meal and after paying, thanked them on my way out. I don’t think they heard me as the line had piled up behind me at the register.

My friend came to Yellow Springs a bit later. We walked around, going into different shops and enjoying the nice day (windy, but nice!) We stopped in this store that had just about everything. It was almost set up like a half antique store/half Charming Charlie store. The merchandise was organized by colors and themes. Towards the back, we found the craft section. I found a few pieces of fabric for my paintings, so we headed back to the front to pay. I was a few dollars short in cash and there was a $10 minimum for swiping your card. I was just about to say something like, “Let me keep looking.” Or, “Let me look at the candy section.” (They had fudge!) I figured I could just get myself to the $10 limit and then use my card. (Note to self: carry cash next time.) The lady placed my few fabrics and post card in a bag and handed it to me. I took it and started open my mouth to say something about continuing shopping when she said, “It’s ok. Take it and have a great day!” It was genuine. She was not mad I did not have the cash. In fact, she was smiling. I questioned to be sure and she confirmed. All I could say was, “Wow. Thanks so much!” Then proceeded to the door where my friend was waiting outside and I told her about the kindness I had just received.

Aesop said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” I experienced this today. When I observed the kind attitudes in the pizza parlor and experienced the gift of kindness in the craft shop, I think that I started to see the bigger picture from my “puzzle pieces” this morning. I should not go around expecting to give kindness. It should flow–it should just be part of me. It should be in my words, deeds, thoughts. I should not be expecting to receive kindness either. When I do receive it, it should be taken in with a heart of gratitude, thankfulness, praise. It leaves me humble.

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April 3, 2013 · 12:45 pm

Honest thoughts.

Praise Him for the unexpected and the unlikely, for the daily and the difficult. The more you count, the more gifts you will see.

~Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

My initial blog intentions for today’s post was to write a “follow-up” from my last post about painting. I was going to write why I love painting versus writing with a pen or even typing…leading into the new struggles with my physical conditions in my hands. I have a few blog posts that I have been putting off for a few weeks now, because I was a bit upset by a comment I received about my blog posts. In a way, the comment made me think of my writings…as a form of “checks and balances” to see if what they were saying about my blog were true; but it left me with more wounded thoughts than anything else. I don’t even think it wounded my pride. It just hurt.

There are times when writing a blog about your physical conditons is emotionally difficult. Ok, maybe not–“at times”–it is hard to write about my physical conditions. I desire to be honest about what I experience and try to relate to the readers the best I can what I live with everyday. I cannot write all details or even describe fully how my days are filled, because some are just inappropriate to write about for a blog and others are just unexplainable. I even have a hard time describing different pains to my doctors. I have to get creative–if you will–to describe something. Like this new obnoxious ringing in my ears. I finally started describing to my family what the different simutaniously ringing noises sounded like by describing them in terms of instruments and rhythms. Then the annoyance seemed more light-hearted and I laughed at a few that I described.

So this morning as I started to think of how to start writing these posts of “updates” on my physical health, my thoughts took a turn when I read Ann Voskamp’s quote; then I finished reading my friend’s non-profit blog about their trip to Rio, the work they did there and the people they grew to love; then I read a bit of updates on what Bethany Hamilton is doing in Morocco and that Nick Vujicic has a new devotional book out (his first book, Life without Limits, is an inspiring read; I recommend it!) I started to think about my looming blog entry I had not even started yet and decided, “Today I am not going to write about my physical conditons…my limitations. Today I am going to count my blessings.”

I think it is easier to count your trials more than your blessings. Indeed, our trials can be our blessings should we choose to persevere through them. I still desire to write about my life with NF2. Afterall, it is the biggest aspect of my life in every way. As I ate lunch with my dad on Friday, I said, “My life would be boring without it.” I try not to focus on the negative aspects, but I am human and in all honesty…there are days when persevering takes all the effort of my energy. There are some days that I do not feel like counting my blessings and just mope around the house. But today is not that day. As I finish my Matcha Madness Green tea and step out from my favorite coffee shop back into the daily routines in life, I am a humbled. God continues to show me that yes, I go through rare physical conditons that leave me with accumulating limitations, but He is greater than my limitations. He shows me through others who have persevered through their own physical limitations that God can still use me right where I am. And for that, I truly can count my blessings.

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April 1, 2013 · 9:53 pm

My first art class!!

In the basement, we have a room that is peach-colored. It is both the guest bedroom and what we term…”the craft room.” It is where we do our projects of all sorts and be creative. I was working at the sewing machine last week and noticed a picture frame sitting propped against the wall in the corner. The picture is a quote that reads, “The ‘earth’ without ‘art’ is just ‘eh.'” As I continued to try not to sew the back of my shirt to the front, I thought, “How true.”

Just think of the earth…how even now with green grass emerging and soon to be blossoms and flowers…what lovely artwork. If earth were just a painting, then God truly is the master-painter.

I am so thankful for art–creativity.

Friday evening, I attended my friend’s birthday party. What a unique and enjoyable birthday celebration! I think I might just steal the idea and have a party like this for my own birthday next year–that might be too far ahead–maybe I will just plan a tea party and then host the painting party then.

Yep, you read that right! A painting party! We paid our fee and then all the supplies were provided. The lady (who knew my friend as a personal friend) was also an artist and she “taught” a little art class. We–I say, “we” because it was a whole new experience of technique for me that I felt as if I had never painted before!–all painted our own canvases in the techniques she showed us…and I think each painting reflected the artist! In art there is no limits on creativity. Best part is, there is always room for improvement! 😀

Here is my painting:

DSCN1584

Like I stated before, my night was about learning the techniques–the “how-to’s”–of mixed media. I have already used book pages, buttons, and other add-on fixtures to my paintings before but I learned even more about using the paints (and saving paint!)

For the background, I chose to do a one color theme but we also had the choice to paint with several colors. We used old gift cards or rewards cards that she had there (like the credit card style of card.) You put down the paint in small quantities and then use the card to smear the paint. This makes it smooth and if you don’t want to paint the sides then it helps keep that clean too. Genius! When I got home, I went through my wallet to see if I had any cards I could possibly use. Lucky me, I found two.

Then we used bubble wrap (who would have known?) and you put the paint on the side where the bubbles are and smear it. I learned that less is more. Too much paint makes big blotches. We added the dictionary script with mod podge and then I added a few more bubble wrap lines in the darker purple and a bit of extra effect around the edges using the “sea-foam green.”

I also discovered that my fabric was thick and one should always use fabric scissors, which I did not know we had until I had finished cutting shredding mine. But, I think it still turned out well, thanks to the idea from the lady who suggested adding greens to my vase and I went ahead and outlined the vase as well. This is my biggest area of improvement for next time. Skinnier fabric, bigger vase.

The flowers were the best part. We were told to always start with white on the bottom first, then add the color. Swirl, swirl, swirl. I added some yellow dots on my flowers; other ladies added different types of leaves or had multi-colored flowers. All painted in their own way.

Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” I think we just might have solved that problem Friday night. 🙂

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