My 7 Year-Old-Self Has Taken Over

If you have been wondering where I have been, well rest assured it has been in the studio! I have been consumed by this wonderful online e-course called, "Paint Your Story" taught by the talented Mindy Lacefield aka Tim's Sally.

This course has been about connecting with your 

7 year old self, and just letting go. 

As a child your art of symbols and scribbles doesn't have to 

make sense and yet, you were able to create things

you (and probably others) enjoyed.

They were uniquely YOU.

Just letting go and doing what 'feels good' versus what 

'seems right' can be scary. 

I've been working on NOT painting like I am 7 for a while

and now I am embracing that pig-tailed girl.

As a child I was a perfectionist and so I joke and say I am connecting

with my "inner-inner child", the non-perfect 

girl I sometimes really wanted to be. 

You can imagine some pretty emotional stuff can rise to the surface 

when digging deep.

I seem to be resonating with my "creepy people" as I loving call them.

They have scars that are visible, but slowly healing.

Sometimes just a word can set the mood for a great work of art. 

Sometimes a word can take you far away or make you laugh.

A whole mess of words can give you a glimpse into the crevasses of the brain.

I used to think, "I need to take art classes if I am going to be any

good at this." 

Now I am seeing that learning about My-Self, is far more 

rewarding and artistically beneficial!

Remember, "Little Bunny Foo-Foo"

Well I had always remembered the "Good Fairy saying if he 

didn't stop scooping up field mice and boppin' em' on the head

she would bop HIM. 

Well, no matter the words, that still little song of my childhood

played a part in this. 

Some have suggested (upon seeing this drawing) he was just loved a lot. 

Or maybe he really is wearing the Scarlet Letter of mice boppin'!

Each day I create new Characters and unearth parts of my

7 year old self. 

There is still a couple of weeks left and so please stay tuned to see

what my final creations will be. 

Happy Creating. 

Child of Earth: she does not conform FINISHED

"A Child of Earth does not conform, from the ground she wears a cloak of moss, a pair of wings and a set of horns."

I'm not sure how she came to me, maybe in a dream? Or the place where my imagination is alive and well?
She defined herself and didn't want me to limit her or place her among reality where things are just as they are. Her world and mine dance and sing together ... she showed me that.

In the beginning I thought she would be an angel, or a butterfly

None of that suited her well

She bears no titles, or expectations

Created from all kinds of mediums, she certainly doesn't conform

nor does she need to. 

She is her own, and she is my hero. 

If someone would have told me 6 months ago when I begin painting

that I would be able to create things like this, I would have thought them

 a fool.

I'm not sure what form she will take next, but I'm already getting vibes!

Have your painted your hero? Have you painted your inner critic, the one who fills your head with 

doubt? What would he/she/it look like? 

WIP Progress: Child of Earth Series

I am loving this "Child of Earth"series that came to me ... who would have guessed some vintage music sitting on my painting table would sparked such concept. 

Anyhow this is the second one in the series and the full name and poem have not been created yet, but then again the painting is not yet finished. 

This painting had some humble beginnings that is for sure. I just wasn't sure where she wanted to go.

I originally wanted her to wear a cape, but she really wanted to be more covered. I also thought "bird" wings would be fantastic, but after the green cloak butterfly wings were more fitting. 

I liked the wings, but I thought of the "Lunesta" commercial and so I completely changed the background hoping that would help. I liked the new color, but the wings had to be changed. I don't have a picture when there were monarch wings, but I hated those the most.

Finally I tapped into what being a  true mixed-media artist is, and remembered this awesome paper I had. Instantly I was happy ... 

I wanted some of the blue in there and then added  Adirondack Alcohol inks on the blue/white to mute it. I've played around with the inks before and when applied on the paint the ink pretty much stays within the bounds of it so I don't run the risk of it bleeding over the rest of my work. I also use black India ink which seems to be a barrier for the Adirondack inks too. 

After adding some trees and getting the desired look of the wings I felt something was missing. 

  

The addition of some blonde hair made her really come to life ... There is still work to be done, but I am loving this so far. I hope its good to love your own work, because I am loving how this is developing. I feel like I have grown so much artistically in the last few weeks. Yes, weeks ... I'm so much more open to the process and less on the product. Don't get me wrong, I love the finished piece too, but I am much more engaged in the present when I work and I think that shows.

There is still work to do, but she has really come to life this week. 

Just for fun, here is a picture of my two Italian Greyhounds Luigi (the blue)

and Tulip (red/white)

Enjoying the bed I made them this afternoon. They have another doughnut bed that they 

fight over, but they liked this one so much they laid in it together which NEVER happens :)

 Thanks mom for making our new bed, we like it!

I hope you are having a good, creative weekend!

Child of Earth

After finding myself in a slump and no inspiration in sight I was able to create a little angel. I didn't see her as a "happy" angel and that was creating a conflict in me. Yet, I didn't want to change it.
I let it sit with me over night and this morning I was on edge about it ... got ready for the day and was going to head to Target before work but decided to look at this little character.  She seemed to be troubled and she seemed accepting of that trouble  (yes, she said ALL of that to me).
I thought I'd add a little paint here and there with my finger because I was after all heading to the store!
Well suddenly things started flowing ... my eyes were drawn to a vintage piece of sheet music that I hadn't put away with the other pages and the words just JUMPED OUT!!

CHILD. OF. EARTH.

Child of earth?? What does that mean?? I wasn't sure, and somewhat un-committed I added the words "of Earth" to the dress .... and then after some more paint the shapes appeared. I realized I definitely wanted the word "Child" in there as well.

In 25 min I had a vision and a poem to go with the painting and a plan to create a series of "Child of Earth" paintings each with a poem attached!!

This is still NOT finished, but I love where it is headed!

As of  last night ...

As of this afternoon

Its still not completed yet, I need to finish the background and do something more with the wings ... I added a smirk, but I think I might get rid of it. Her arms melt into the grass  ... I like the direction this is taking.

The poem that will go around the edge: A Child of Earth has wings tho she cannot fly, for they bear the weight of the world and all the tears that you cry.

I have images of her with animal type wings ... arms of birch trees and hair of moss ... on and on ...
A poem to go with each one!

Needless to say I did not make it to Target before work. I instead headed to Barnes and Noble after work and saw/bought this magnet :

Had I never decided to paint before work I would have gone to Target (I need a hair magazine) and completely missed this at the Barnes and Noble check out!  I think this is a sign I'm on the right track ...

STAY TUNED!!