Intuitive Painting

I have been reading - searching online - viewing art - dreaming of putting paint on the canvas - and then just starring at it. . .  for most of last year.  The age old dilemma of my work isn't that good so why do it?

Answer - because it makes ME HAPPY!!!!

So, with my book by Flora Bowleybraveintuitiveyou.com , I started  a large canvas for my granddaughters room - at the request of my daughter-in-law.  Dipping my fingers in the paint and with my new huge Sharpie marker that my husband had put in my Xmas stocking wrote the word Sisters on the canvas.  There, I started!  Then questioning myself I stared at it for quite awhile.  More inspiration and courage please.  Tracy Verdugo artoftracyverdugo.blogspot.com, more intuitive pushes.  I had no idea she started her work with words painted on the canvas.  Painted some more - put on my music, my art shirt my husband gave me, my fingerless gloves  my sister-in-law made me and my Harley bandanna!  Kooky but it works, puts me in a different place and the paint starts to flow.  Again, alittle stuck...sign up for Journal Soup with Kate Crane,
thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com, ahhhhh more paint goes down.  FINISHED. 

paint party friday

Anxiously awaiting Tracy Verdugo's book on Painting Mojo.  I am fasinated with her intuitive painting.  In following her blog & facebook postings from retreat participants, I think I am getting an understanding.  It is time to get my head out of the dark & my brushes out if their cupholders into my hands! CHEERS, dana

Celebrating Life with Tracey Fletcher King

Today we in blogland are celebrating a true friend, Tracey Fletcher King !!!

An artist and courageous woman who shares her talent and soul with many of us around the world! Tracey's artwork always makes me smile. Intense colors with soft subjects of everyday life. The contrast makes her paintings pop off the page. Her stories that go with her work make you think and many times laugh.

She shares her world and somehow it makes mine better!

Here's to health and happiness - many more cups of tea to be shared!!! Thanks for reminding me to look after myself! and not to be afraid to put paint on the paper!

Much love, prayers and cheers!

gettin my mammogram!

dana

sharing across the pond. . .

for that matter, around the world!  That is what I love about this artful blogging community.  For the last five years I have been learning about blogging and working on my art interests.  Sometimes I have obsessively blogged and then been MIA countless times.  Whether I am consistent or not this community still encourages and supports.  I wish the world could be like that!  Just imagine if everyone was supportive and encouraging...makes you wonder.

Anyways, in my meetings of artists', Joss has been a cosmic bond.  We share the same birth month - we are Aquarians (that does explain alot).  We are both mature - well, numerically anyway.  AND we both have a love of art.  She is an accomplished artist - showing and selling her passionate pieces of her soul.  Which leads us to the name of her blog, Soulbrush!

I am fortunate enough to have a piece of her work!  I am in search for the perfect frame!

She also has shared a piece of her spirit with me when my spirits were down and needed a hug.  So I wanted to say thank you and celebrate her new studio with some light!  Sent it across the waters to let her know that she reaches many!

your soul and your brush reach across the pond

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

all works copyright dana strickland/sinderella's studio 2013

Under the Sea swap complete!

Clare Lloyd received the tags I sent for my part in the swap.  So I will share them with you now!

I had "chicken of the sea" - a fortune telling mermaid and swimmers!  These were really fun to do!

                         this was an extra chicken of the sea I did...I was cracking myself up!!!!
For any of you that aren't in the states, chicken of the sea is a brand of canned tuna here.

Not much but hope it makes you smile.  Thanks to Kirstin McCulloch for hosting the tag swap!!!

Also sending a piece across the pond to Soulbrush! So, once it has arrived I will share!

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

copyright 2013 dana strickland - sinderella's studio

Yep, I am still alive!!!

Received my Under the Sea art tag today!!!!  It is soooooooooooo me!  It is funny how cosmic the art-blogland is!  People and art that are worlds away and have no knowledge of you send art that is YOU!!  I am always in amazement each time this happens.

I signed on with Kirstin McCulloch's art tag swap - Kirstin's Big Eyed girls are a favorite of mine. As I said, themed: Under the Sea.  I who love the ocean could not resist.
Kirsten paired me up to receive from Lillian Mederak.  COSMICALLY SPOOKY!!!  Lillian does an art retreat every year in the Keys!!!  Anyone that has read my blog knows I am a Key West loving girl!!!!  So how crazy I get to receive something from an artist that lives in Canadian but retreats in the Florida Keys every year. More cosmic.  I love green.  Now green is a color you either like or don't.  It is not usually an in-between color.  So my tag is SOOOOOOOOOO me - My fantasy Key West self.  The words Lillian has applied to the tag - I am sure are about her but seriously...it's me too.
"Have I dreamt I am a Mermaid -or- Am I a Mermaid dreaming I am Me?"
does it get any better???!!!  I think not.  The tag is absolutely a treasure!  Thank you Lillian!

My tags are off to the UK...I posted them five days late but they are well on their way.  I shall share them once I know that Clare Lloyd has received them.  Hope she enjoys opening her package as much as I have enjoyed mine!

I posted 2 weeks ago my side trip to Lake Michigan to help get me in the mood to create!  I did a sketch in my journal and worked a bit on it while floating and basking in the sun.  I finished the page and need to go back to do another.

cheers, dana
life is short, make sure you LIVE it!

all works copyright dana strickland, sinderella's studio 2013

water time on Tuesday

I am participating in an art tag swap and the theme is "under the sea".  For inspiration I went to the shores of Lake Michigan yesterday and floated about.  I had a bag of random art stuff along with a journal.  Packed a sandwich and my floaty.    Plopped my butt in the sand, took out my journal, dug through my bag to find out my tools were really random!  oh well, it is an adventure day anyway!  Just did a little sketch - then went out and bobbed around in the water for quite awhile - just soaking up the day!  Came back to my journal - added some colored pencil then some watercolor - using lake water, of course.

I am going to keep going with this - too much fun to just leave as is...then onto my tag project.

So as I was leaving town to head home...I had to get a photo of this incredible house...it is THE perfect Practical Magic house!  Don't you agree???

Once at home the sun was shining through the most beautiful spider web.  A day filled with beauty and inspiration!

cheers, dana

live is short, make sure you LIVE it

all work copyright Sinderella's Studio/ dana strickland 2013