PPF and the Wright Brain e-Course...

What an assignment...to take a piece done by a master and recreate it as if the master had been influenced by another artist's style....hummmmmm....way outside my comfort zone!  Lisa had chosen as an example Vermeer's "girl with a pearl earring".  I won't give her lesson away but seriously - in the past I would have picked a floral by Van Gogh and done something BUT with new found vision and courage...I did Vermeer!  I decided to create this piece with the influence of an artist friend who's work I find fasinating, Mark Doepker.  He currently lives in Charlotte, N.C. and his work is in galleries around town.  So this is my Vermeer influenced by Doepker:

my Doepker-ized Vermeer

Here are a couple pieces of Mark's:

You can see more of his work on his flicker site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/markdoepker/Mark Doepker

www.flickr.com

auspicious EXHIBITS Folk Devils, Moral Panics & Pinups (group show)-Charlotte ...

I know for a fact that I would not have tried this if not for the last few months of taking Lisa's class and Natasha May's Cotton Candy Girl class.  I am amazed at how Lisa's class has given me new vision and has changed my thought process!  Natasha's class has given me courage to do faces!!!!  Thank you ladies' !!!!

Thanks to Kristin and Eva for hosting paint party Friday's and I can't wait to check out all the artists this week!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

Sunday Sketches and...

Okay - I finally sat outside and sketched then did quick color!  Just the simple watercolors that I give my grandkids...just sketch I tell myself and have never really been able to be comfortable with it.  It is just a journal page, its practice, its not anything but free flowing art....

yay, I did it!!!  It was weird.  I look at this sign everyday at work.  Playmakers is a running store, it is where I get my shoes and help with running form/injuries.  The staff there is great and over the years I have learned alot there.  The lady on the shopping cart is a landmake here in the E. Lansing area.  This location used to be a grocery store and everyone knows the shopping cart lady.  It was nice that years ago when the grocery store left - no one took down the sign!  So even though you are shopping for running gear here - you look for the lady in heels!!!!

I finished my #4 Cotton Candy Girl - she was supposed to be a rainbow girl and I had intended on doing a rainbow of blue's for background but, oh well, somehow I went in another direction.  She is done though - a practice mermaid for another project and I like it!  Natasha won't mind that I'm off track.  Now onto lesson 5 and the 2 BONUS lessons she shared!

and...for Lisa Wright...here is why I am always behind and in choas!!!  Hope this makes your mess look organized!



Please if you have a minute click on the sidebar to vote for my friend Joy's quilt!  unless, of course, you already have a friend entered.  She made it through round 1 - 148 entries and 15 chosen to move on.  They were given 3 weeks to create a piece involving an amish star...amazing!

AND, DRUM ROLL PLEASE....SUE BLEIWEISS's BOOK COMES OUT ON THE 26TH!!!!

can't wait - I'd hate to be my mailman - heavy delivery coming here for sure!!!!

page 27 can't wait to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!  Visit Sue's amazing blog - extraordinary artist in many mediums!!! http://suebleiweiss.com/

Thanks to Alexandra for hosting Sunday Sketches and bringing all this wonderful world of art to our day!!!!  Please visit all the participants, there is something to learn from each and every ONE!!!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

PPF and mermaids....

It has been non-stop busy here and NO time to really paint.  Still behind in Natasha's Cotton Candy Girl class and have two ATC trades due...ugh!  Need more time!  So, I decided to make my lesson 4 CCG a mermaid to help me out with getting ready to do 3 atc's due for Sirens of the Sea!!!  Here's where I am at in the process:

Sorry this pic is so blurry but in a hurry!!!  anyway she is supposed to be a rainbow CCG, I've decided to do a rainbow of blues behind her and that counts for two projects completed.  But now the challenge of doing the ATC's to finish.

CHECK HER OUT AT http://cripplepencil.blogspot.com/

I was also lucky enough to receive a BEAUTIFUL atc that I commented on.   Minniemie had posted this elephant that I just loved.  On her blog it looked incredible, in person it is even more so!!!  Then, added bonus, she sent it in a card that is another amazing piece of art!!!  When I inquired about the elephant she just offered to send it, I suggested a trade.  Now I am all intimidated at producing something that will be good enough.  It is like a rookie cook sending the chef a pastry!!!  I will work on that next week when the nuts schedule here settles a bit. 

(g-kids - one dance recital last night, one tonight, open house saturday and a baseball game on monday - see what I mean)
I won't even mention how far behind I am in Lisa's WrightBrain course,  I really can only work on her assignments when I am calm and settled to freely think about what she has asked or shared with us...it is a mind/eye opening experience!
Last but not least - two very important events:  (well, in my world anyways!)
Sue Bleiweiss's book comes out on the 26th!  I have a dozen copies on order because I have a sketch on page 27!!!!  Guess what all our kids are getting for christmas????  please check it out and visit Sue's site - amazing artist!!!
AND PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT - CLICK ON THE TOP SIDEBAR TO VOTE FOR MY FRIEND JOY!!!!!!!!!  A wonderful quilt artist that is stepping out of her comfort zone and sharing her amazing work.  This is her first competition effort!

Amish Wind by Joy Tallman!!!!

GOOD LUCK JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be sure to stop by all the Paint Party Friday artists...not only is there incredible art but sooooooooo much inspiration. Thanks to Eva and Kristin for hosting and please help the featured artist make her dream come true, Jenny Wentworth!

SS and with my new found vision I continue to....

see what I  have been missing!!!!  My husband and I had a wedding to attend this weekend 200 miles away SO we rode our bikes!!!!  By far my longest ride to date!  AND, the challenge was to fit what I needed in the saddle bags only!!! WOW. I did it!!!!  So, only forgot the hairspray so my hair was alittle flat...  oh well.  The ride up was beautiful, managed a quick shower then off to the ceremony...outdoors for the service in 91 degree heat - pretty sweaty bunch!  Anyways, thanks to Lisa's Wright Brain e-Course I managed to see so much more than what was on the surface.  My husband thought I was nuts when I went out to talk to the carriage driver before the bride and groom were whisked about town.  But look at all I caught:

before I would have just seen these images, NOW I SEE THESE IMAGES

and the horse:

so my Sunday Sketches are just a quickie of the horse - will be doing more this week!-

BECAUSE NOW I LOOK AT THE HORSES EYE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!!

I plan on really working with this photo...you can see the carriage drivers hand and the people in the horses line of sight...just beautiful!  So thank you Lisa, again!  Even my husband was amazed when I showed him what was there and why I was taking these pics!  Oh, and just alittle something extra:



the tapper for Right Brain Brewery beer!!!



So, yes, I am out of control and loving it!!!!!!!!!!!  I haven't even moved onto the next lesson!!!! yikes, still behind on my Cotton Candy Girls - sooooooo much fun and when combined with Wright Brian e-course...yep, out of control!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, back from a 450 mile weekend and going to chill with my dad!!!!!!!!!  Happy Sunday Sketches, be sure to visit all the artists - great way to spend the day!  Thanks Alexandra for hosting with the mosting!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all art/photos are copyright of sinderella's studio and dana strickland, please do not reproduce.

SS and don't miss the moment...

My progress on Rodney is very slow...not alot of time right now BUT I am determined to let the paint dry with each layer...so  you have no idea how hard it is for me to not rush and just end up with another muddy painting....even if it is just in a journal.   Until I put this pic up I didn't even notice that I had blobbed a drop of green above the eye, hummmmmmmmm. Well, I'll work that into him!  The point of this exercise with Rodney from Lisa's class is to NOTICE detail, not just the panoramic view.  Look at his eye, his feathers, the crackles in his beek and so on!  Take that new found vision out into the world with you and you WILL find inspiration to create.... SOOOOOOOOO FREAKING TRUE......... ie:

The house next door had this old old tree which I loved because it partial hid our open stair well windows from the street.  Two years ago the new owner cut it down because with every storm some limbs would drop.  I was so bummed.  So this huge stump has been out there in my face everyday.  I would think he should put a pot of flowers on it or something BUT the other day with this new found sight - this stump is a thing of beauty!  I sat on the porch thinking....I should take a picture of that for my art folders, I'm sure I'll be able to apply some of that to Lisa's lessons as there is so much detail and beauty here....hummmm, I can do it tomorrow, I'm off.  But my inner voice screamed, GO GET THE CAMERA!!!"  So I went into the house, got the camera and took 2 pictures...

isn't it incredible!!!

I can't believe I never noticed these little fans coming off the trunk! Talk about only seeing the surface, not looking deeper you miss out on so much!  Open your eyes Dana, wow what else am I missing!  I was so excited the I took the pics, sitting there thinking of taking the picture I  hadn't even seen those little fans until I got close with my camera....SO IF I HAD WAITED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE ON MY DAY OFF...

gone!!!

So, thank you Lisa and your wright brain course that has helped open my eyes!  Moral of this post...DON'T WAIT!!!!  OPEN YOUR EYES AND HEAR YOUR INNER VOICE - MOST IMPORTANTLY, LISTEN TO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Alexandra for hosting such a wonderful Sunday Sketches start to the day!!!! 

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

PPF and more of my Cotton Candy Girls class!

It is hard to believe this was the last week of Natasha May's Cotton Candy Girl class!  It flew by & I just finished the girl for week 3 - that darn job thing just takes up so much time!  I had some trouble getting my free wheeling mojo up - lots of outside stuff going on!  Anyways, early in the week I was in the zone.... here is a pic of work in process - one for Natasha's class and one for Lisa Wright's class (yes, I am behind there also) -

I am really happy with the sketch of the Parrot, Rodney from a photo Lisa posted in our class!  I want to do him pure watercolor...I have avoided that for sometime now because of making muddy paintings...long story for another post.  Anyways, working on two totally different assignments FORCED me to let things dry.  I would do one part of the bird and move back to the CCG with the acrylics...wow, look how much better my watercolors work when I let each layer/color dry BEFORE I apply the next one:

I seriously have some value in the bird!!!!  I am sooooooooo excited....so now, back to my girl...I had to stop here and didn't get back to it for a couple days...lots had gone on with the family and my mojo magic was snuffed out!  I continued - not with Rodney...I have decided to be patient and come back to him but for my girl I ended up with a background I really didn't like, it totally flattened out the journal page!  She was blah! and had started out so much better than that, felt like I let her down.

I really was okay with trying something else BECAUSE in Lisa's Messy Book Group - mistakes are okay!  I decided to try nail polish remover to pull up some of the background paint to let all my sheet music show back through as it was supposed to had I done it right to begin with....I was okay with it if it totally wrecked the page...this isn't my Picasso so here it goes............

Nope, she is not what I had in my head when I started but I learned alot in the process...isn't that the point?! and, I do like her better now.
Enjoy your visits through Paint Party Friday, thanks to Eva and Kristin for hosting....featured artist this week is: Kat Sloma -another insightful interview!
AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SUE BLEIWEISS BLOG!!!!  CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF HER NEW BOOK, SKETCHBOOK CHALLENGE!!!  I have a sketch on page 27!!!
She is hosting a bloghop with over $1200 in giveaways!  A must see!


cheers, dana
make art, make frineds - share art, share souls

Monday DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLLL......

I want everyone check out Sue Bleiweiss's blog.  EXCITING NEWS, her book, SKETCHBOOK CHALLENGE is being released this month!!!!  I had the wonderful opportunity to send her a sketch that was used in her book!  Of course, I have a dozen copies that I've pre-ordered!!!!  Her work is beautiful, she is super inspirational and I can't wait to REALLY READ THE BOOK.  I am sure I will immediately turn to page 27 and stare in amazement for awhile before beginning.  I can't believe I'm in it!    She sent me a prompt and I had to create a sketch from there.  So, hope you like it.  I won't be showing it until the book comes out!  Check her site out!  She is having a HUGE BLOGHOP with INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAYS to celebrate!  Don't miss out!!!! click now!!! Sue Bleiweiss !!!! 

I am on page 27 - can you believe it!!!

Wow, didn't get my art-time but had so much fun with 2 of the g-kids!

Posting a pic of a watercolor sketch I did last year. I posted in July of 2011....but the sketch book challenge for June is urban sketches!!!! Last July 3rd I posted on facebook trying to creat a "Fl-art", Flash Art Mob. For those of us hanging in town for the holiday weekend I posted...let's meet in old town and do some arting!!! Well, I arted alone but chatted with many passerby's. I think we bloggers should make a national Flart Day and all of us post a Flart - knowing that we each may be sitting on a corner alone but collectively we'd have lots of company!!! So here is my urban sketch.

Come join the challenge this month....find a corner and create your Urban Art and if you want to campaign to generate a nationwide "FL-ART"...let's make it happen!!!

 

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls!





Paint Party Friday and eyes.....

Here is the finished journal page of Lolita, the Sexy Salsa Senorita...she evolved out of Natasha's Cotton Candy Girls class...so much fun and inspiration!  I am behind on the actual assignments and haven't had a chance to view the EXTRA BONUS videos so looking forward to some Sunday time (although I will have 2 or maybe 5 of the grandkids sooooooo I might not).  Anyways loving these girls!!!

This week I have had additonal insight through comments left by my fellow artists out here in blogland based on my new found vision.  I am looking at things differently and my brain is ticking beyond my wishful artful dreaming...I am starting to see more than the obvious!  Thank you Lisa!!!!  It must be that my "W"right brain is kicking in!!!!  YAHOO!!!!!!!!  Can't wait to sit down and spend some time with this weeks assignment.  We are studying detail within the obvious!!!  Looking at eyes and more!!! I love the photos I have gone through to come up with my research for the assignment!  I am behind -no surprise - but feel I have learned so much already and want to soak it all in!!!! Please check out my sidebar and come join the adventure!!!

Also, thanks for hosting Paint Party Friday Eva and Kristin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Smiles to start the weekend!!!

This weeks featured artist is Sigga Dis - very inspiring as she did not go back to school to become a teacher until she was 42!!!  It's never too late....

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

ps my son is home and doing well...bacterial infection that ate an ulcer in his intestines was final diagnosis, thanks for all the well wishes!!!!