BUSY BUSY BUSY... COLD COLD COLD

It is hard to believe that a week ago Thursday I was out on my motorcycle for a ride!  Back to full winter gear this week - boo hiss...sooooooooooooo ready for spring.  I did have a quiet moment and sketched some umbrellas one morning while listening to the soft rain (before the sleet and ice hit) - I was so thinking spring!!!  Each day has had an agenda so no time to really focus - I decided to leave my journal open on my studio table and just dab some paint on it before hopping into the shower each day.   So here is my peek into a spring day that I am so waiting for!!!  Happy Paint Party Friday...I probably won't get to visit many until Sunday - I can't wait.  Thanks to Kristin and Eva for hosting!

getting ready for puddle jumping

I have a few projects going on the burners and hope to share them soon.  Happy Painting and Creating!!!
cheers, dana

Finished... thanks to all the encouraging comments!

I have not had time to try the techniques suggested or visit the websites offering tutorials on values yet.  I plan on using all the great insight that you have all shared with me.  With all the comments and encouragement though - I just sat down and starting adding paint.  No, it did not turn out like the masterpiece in my mind... but hey - as we've all discussed - it's about the doing!!!!  So I am posting it for Sunday Sketches!

the me I want to be

Watercolor on watercolor canvas... I do like working on paper better but this was interesting.  Please be sure to visit all the great work at Sunday Sketches - thanks soooooooooo much to Sophia for hosting!

Also, I wanted to share my snail mail this week - great gift from my friend Wendy over at Bliss Angels!  She did a pay it forward post and I am a lucky recipient... it is all about putting smiles for miles across blogland!  I am smiling - HUGE!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the dominios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS WENDY !!!

Make someone's week - send them a note, a poem, a small piece of art!  Life is short - make it a week of smiles for miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheers, dana

Paint Party Friday kick off...

and I, like Charlie Brown, missed the ball.  You know when Lucy tells Charlie - come on kick the football and then moves it!!!  Well I was all set and ready to really show something and the week got away from me.  I started the painting of the woman by the water and stalled... not because I don't know how I want it to look but because I am trying to conquer my "issues" with value to get it there.  I am trying to get depth in the painting and not have the same value throughout.  So, I have been staring at it, when I should have been applying paint.  I have only started the sky that will also turn partially into the water.  I know where I want the darks - I just need to have a little bit of time (and confidence) where I can actually suck it up and lay it down!!!  Do you hear my self-talk???  Sunday I will have time - my quiet time to really tackle this painting... so even though I am sort of embarassed to have this as my kick off to the paint party friday - I think it sort of signifies what this is all about ... the doing it regardless!!!  Right?

Anyways to help myself with value I have decided to pull out my mandela book and just color trying to achieve light - medium - and dark.  Even at that - my purple and orange are really the same value- or is it the green and purple are the same value - any thoughts????

So, any tips on learning value - please share!

It was St. Patty's Day yesterday -so instead of painting I was sharing time with my family...my Dad is of Irish descent and WE definitely recognize this day.

It was great fun, although alot of driving... we are all close enough to get together but far enough to make it take up a chunk of time in the car. We had yummy corned beef and cabbage - and yes green beer.

some of the Moran clan!

Okay - I also took my bike out for a short ride...it was in the mid-sixties here in Michigan - I couldn't believe all the bikes out on the road - it was great.  As, I am a rookie rider, I just had to get out there to start the season!  Need time in the seat!  Yes, I should have been painting but so little time, so much to do!  My day off of work is always jammed sunrise to sunset!!!  Can't wait to pop in on the Paint Party Friday...THANKS TO KRISTIN AND EVA FOR HOSTING!!!

cheers, dana

SUNDAY SKETCHES...

GOOD MORNING SUNDAY SKETCHES!!!  Well, I posted this journal page about 10 days ago - in process, then done but not - didn't really like it SO (and this is one of the things I LOVE ABOUT BEING AN ARTIST - you can throw it away, start over or just keep messing around with what you've got) I followed Darlene's suggestion from A Dancing Mango...

flight to freedom...

added color to the wings - glitter - and words that fit the journey.  I am at least satisfied enough to now turn the page and move on!!!  Thanks to Sophia (her dad still in our thoughts) for hosting Sunday Sketches, this site has had the BIGGEST impact on my motivation to keep striving to get better!!!  I love all the work that shows up here - a truly talented group of people that encourage and inspire!

I am also working on something new using watercolor canvas - not sure I like how the canvas takes the paint but here is the start...

I hope to have this completed by Friday - or will post its progress - for the kick off of Paint Party Friday hosted by Kristin Dudish and Eva (both Sunday Sketches participants) - check it out, should be fun!

For those of you that just stop in on Sunday's, I'd like to share a re-posting of my most recent depiction of "Spilling Over" for the March Sketchbook Challenge... this is another site that makes me think and stretch!

Democracy spilling over worldwide

I feel for all people fighting for human rights... I also am watching in shock with all that is happening in Japan.  People everywhere with struggles I can't imagine.  I am truly blessed and grateful.
Be sure to MAKE ART - MAKE FRIENDS / SHARE ART - SHARE SOULS this week!!!  Send someone you haven't talked to in awhile a piece you create... the idea is miles of smiles across our country!
cheers, dana

2011 pay it forward...

Make someone's (well 5 people specifically) day and PAY IT FORWARD...

This is from Wendy over at Bliss Angels... I have signed on... SO HOPE I GET 5 COMMENTS...
Here is the deal - the first 5 comments will receive a surprise handmade gift in the mail from me!  You know how I love snail mail.  Then YOU have to post the pay it forward 2011 on your blog and do the same to the first 5 comments YOU receive.  LET'S PUT SMILES ON MILES OF FACES and keep this going!!!
cheers, dana
make art - make friends / share art - share souls

Okay it's Tuesday... reporting in on 5 of 5 and more sketchbook challenge

This is my serious depiction of spilling over for the March theme at Sketchbook Challenge...

DEMOCRACY spilling over world wide!!!




This is a serious issue in our world, I believe in the freedoms we have as AMERICANS!!!  When I watch the news reports I THANK GOD I'M AN AMERICAN IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

I wish all these people, of the many different countries - safety and success!!!!

Now, I am not as happy with my dragonfly that I started last week... I think I shall leave it in the journal and actually write on it... what do you think?

flight to freedom

As I was working on my 5 daily committments... I fell slightly (sigh) short.  I managed four of four in four of seven days.  As I was working on this...I realized everyday is a big task.. but I managed four - the working on my piles daily kind of fell off the list.  BUT, I made up for it on Monday (I was off work - yay) and seriously tackled my studio (remember I am using artist terms so it is no longer my artroom).  It is amazing how much progress I made - I am very happy with some of my new organization and I think it counts toward the 5 of 5 seeing it took ALL DAY.  I am trying to get rid of things I keep hanging onto BUT I could NOT toss out my wine corks...

one of three boxes... I need them, I know I do

It is all about progress right?  Do you have something you just can't let go of???? Even though to others they appear useless! I need them is my battle cry!!!!

Have a great week - and yep, I am going to try to keep the 5 of 5 alive this week!

cheers, dana

Sunday Sketches / Sketchbook Challenge and MORE

Wow, what a week - so happy it is Sunday (although todays to-do list is lengthy).  Sopia is back for Sunday Sketches even though she has much going on.  Please visit and send a hug as her Dad continues to struggle with recovery.
Here is my sketch for Sunday and the challenge:

my sketchbook challenge of "spilling over"

do you see my little inch worm???  This was so much fun to do!  My brother Dan gave me these new Sharpie pens that do not bleed and are waterproof - love them!!!  Thanks Dan.  I have another one in the works with a more serious interpretation of SPILLING OVER... head on over to sketchbook challenge and see all the great work for this months theme.



isn't this the perfect card!


In the mailbox this week...great stuff!  Anyone that has been visiting with me for any length of time knows that I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN AND LOVE SNAIL MAIL!!!!  I received a wonderful thank you card from a friend and fellow artist Deb Drew Brown... she had read my post about "what color are you - and are you inside or outside the lines". 




Also, if you remember the week of February 16th, this year I had posted a button for :

ONE CAUSE - ONE WEDNESDAY - ONE HUNDRED COLLAGES... it was a group of super talented fiber artists raising money to fight cancer!  THEY RAISED $9817 IN JUST SIX HOURS.  What a huge success.  I received a screen printing kit as a winner of a drawing just for blogging about this event!  Yahoo!!!  Virginia Spiegel hosted the drawing and my wonderful prize is from Lynn Krawczyk!  Please visit their sites and check out their incredible work in many mediums!!!

I cannot wait to try using these silkscreens!  I have never done it and am really anxious... definitely watching the tutorial before jumping in!  She sent BANANA PEEL yellow, GRAPE JUICE purple and

NEW BLACK paint, all my favorite colors!!!!!!!!!

So, I will be checking out all the Sunday Sketch artists - along with Sketchbook Challenge on Flicker later today and  tomorrow - as I am now on the run with my to-do list in hand!!!  Thanks for visiting!!!

cheers, dana

ALWAYS inspired by others

As I hop around blogland - I am always in awe at the talent and willingness to share techniques!  I just received a print from Kristin Dudish and the package was a gift in and of itself.  The print is a gift so I can't share it because it is not being given for awhile yet.  Anyways, her note card envelope - the notecard, the stickers...I'm ordering again just for the extras I get to keep!!!  Her button is on my sidebar - please check her out if you haven't already.

Kristin and many others I check in on have been brave enough to take on the 30 days of painting...I'm not ready for that BUT have decided to produce a piece of artwork each week.  So today I have started a piece to complete by next Tuesday...that means I have to work on it at least a couple times throughout the week.  I am calling it flight to freedom...

using my moleskin journal - Sharpie permanent ink - then the next step is a watercolor wash after I have used maskit on my little critters of flight... we'll see how it goes.
So for March I am putting myself to the task of five for five... each day 5 things to complete... 1 mile on the bike, 1 mile on the treadmill, my physical therapy exercises for my legs, arms (my son is getting married in May and my dress is sleeveless - what was I thinking), tackle a process on an art piece; and OH YES, for my husband, I shall tackle a pile each day!  So, 5 of 5 for the next 31 days... WOW, talk about pressure.

 A couple more things to add - after visiting Jul's Art Niche (check out her altered metal necklace - oh-la-la) she announced a great giveaway at http://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com/  it is a MUST CHECK OUT.  I did not know you could blend markers like that!!! There are 3 different Promarker sets to choose from - I would pick the Vivid set to win!!!!  The demo video is super helpful!


Wish me luck! with all my projects -cheers - go color something!!!
dana