Finished the embroidery hoop piece!
28 inches wide by 18 inches height

acrylic, ink, modeling paste

New Work!

GET SPARKED!!!!!

Check out the show at the Del Ray Artisans gallery!  I co-curated this show and we are super excited with the turn out!  We had a fabulous opening reception.  It will be showing until October 30th, so check it out if you have time!

DRA artists partnered with the SPARK Organization to showcase the Get Sparked process.  A call for artists went out in July for artists interested in participating.  Those who signed up received a piece of writing (poems and short stories) written by a member of the SPARK group.  Each artist was free to interpret the writing as they saw fit and create a piece of artwork in response.  The results were fantastic!  (PICTURE TO COME).  The show is grouped according to the inspiration writing piece, seeing all the different interpretations, how they differ and how they are similar is just awesome!  This idea can work in reverse as well, the artwork serving as an inspiration to the artist. 

I received this piece by Amy Souza, co-curator and the founder of SPARK.  

Every Angel

By Amy Souza


Every angel is terrible. They like to remind us who we are, who we’ve been, show us who we might become if we could muster the energy to try again. For this we hate them, because part of our nature is not wanting to know the truth even as we seek it.


Define them as you will: heavenly creatures, ghouls from the depths, figments of an imagination poisoned by church-fed guilt. Angels exist, and they’re out to get you.


Don’t believe me? What about that time walking toward the park, when you stepped right over the legs of a greasy man slumped along a painted wall? The kind of man you normally don’t notice, but the deep blue façade made you look. You thought, he’s drowning and he doesn’t even know how to swim. Remember the tiny pricks that crept up the nape of your neck as you kept walking? How your breath quickened and suddenly you felt transported to the room where, ten years earlier, you’d looked your withered father in the eye and said, No I did not come home to help you? You flinched at the sound of that girl’s voice, spiteful and small. Tried to erase the image as you jaywalked across the avenue. You wondered why the scene came to you, blamed randomly firing neurons, as if science could deliver all mystery to its rightful place.


Yes, I’m saying that man was one. What he looked like is incidental. You maintained stride, pushed away the unknowns, but he’ll return. They are quick to disguise, angels, which makes sense. They couldn’t do their work otherwise.

Copyright 2011 Amy Souza

http://www.getsparked.org/share/

My Response:

Angels in the Garden

Mixed Media

NEW WORK!

 Layering has become an obsession.  I have begun looking at everything in my world in a new light.  "Can I use this to print with?"  "How can I use that in a painting in an interesting way?"  I was waiting in the cutting line at the local art/craft store and caught a glimpse of this embroidery hoop. I was struck with the idea of using this as a stretcher for canvas.  I stretched it, added gesso and was off.  So far I'm very pleased with the results. 

  I started a few more pieces as well.  Trying to push the boundaries with materials, and not getting stuck in doing the same thing over and over is tough.  Not that there is anything wrong with doing the same thing over and over, I just need to stay interested and motivated.  The other question I keep coming back to,when working is to know "When is the work finished?" 

These are experiments with modeling paste, and using ink and pastels in the art making process.  And working with a more concrete image.  I'm very excited about this large flower piece!

Dyeing fabric! I use so much fabric in my work, it's time I start to dye my own, and figure out how to personalize it a bit more! This attempt was semi-successful. I used RIT dye powder, hot water and solo cups.  I experimented with white cotton broad cloth, unbleached muslin, and printed cotton quilting fabric.  I found the best results were on the muslin and printed fabrics.  Wear gloves! My hands and nails are still stained brown. 

Art Journaling

I'm trying to get back into the habit of using a visual journal, and incorporating it here on my blog. It's all a bit intimidating, as I'm not a writer but always feel awesome after I do write down something that is going on in my head.


I started today, Ash Wednesday by just writing down my goals. After talking with a good friend this morning about what to "give up". She told me about what a preacher she had listened to once said, instead of giving something up, add something positive to your day. So each day of lent I'm going to try and walk, do one thing creative, and write one good thing about life.

Weekend Inspiration

I started experimenting with tissue paper. Although I dyed my hands black last night at midnight by adhering the tissue paper with water and wet acrylic paint, I'm very excited about the texture it can create. I'm working on coming up with pieces that reflect a submission due in April for the Somerset Studio magazine. The theme is to be inspired by Alfred Hitchcock. I'm not sure where this is going but it is nice to have somthing to work for.

Back to work

Frustrated with having to go to work and not being able to stay home and work on my art, I used that energy to create a piece that was out of my comfort zone this evening. I'm so inspired and in awe of artists who use portraits in their work, and I have always avoided it, unless it was required for an assignment. I realized this is a bit ridiculous, considering I ask my students to self-portraits all the time. The older they get a bit of fear begins to show on their face. At some point as a child we lose that ability to just let loose and have fun! We talk about how things "don't have to be perfect" daily in my classroom, so I figured I should just take my own advice and "go for it!" and have fun.

I started going through a ton of scrapbook patterned paper I have, and found a sheet that was covered in inspirational quotes and sayings. I am thinking of adding text into this piece with a possible image transfer, or hand painted lettering. Here is where I am so far! Can't wait to return home from work tomorrow and continue working on it!

Creating something beautiful everyday!

My new work has been focusing on incorporating texture and image transfers. I have been using gel medium and creating multiple layers. These have been fun and free! After reading some books on different ways to create interesting background texture and images, I couldn't wait to begin trying them. For this piece I began with a blended green acrylic background. Then began adding other cool colors with a palette knife and various brushes. The birds in this piece were a "happy accident". I wanted to do an image transfer with a toner image copy, I had created using photo editing programs. The tranfer wasn't successful and I pulled the whole piece of paper off. What was left was the outline of the bird and I accented this using gel medium, and it became the inspiration for the rest of the piece.
Working on this 16x20 canvas I realized I want to work larger than this and begin experimenting with interesting shapes.
Maybe start stretching my own canvas again, and experiment with different gessos. These two pieces have also inspired me to begin working on blogging and sharing my work with others. It's so easy to get lost in the shuffle of everyday life. Finding a couple hours to work on my art, and create something beautiful is definilty a heart warming and fulfilling addition to my life.

Inspiration