Fall Art Hop | Downtown Bend

I am always talking about the varied, and wonderful artists we have in our locale so when I got the email regarding the latest Friday Fall Art Hop I thought I would bring it over to my blog so those of you who are interested could take a little sit down stroll and enjoy some of our wonderful local talent. For a town as small as Bend we are blessed to have so many talented hands....

Simply click on the "Fall Art Hop Downtown Bend " link below and you should be on your way....and no airline fare to purchase. Just a free, fun, little jaunt to my little corner of the world.
ENJOY.
Fall Art Hop Downtown Bend

WHAT IN THE WORLD? ( Part II)

This is what I discovered when I went to check out the mushrooms this morning.

Along the very edges of those which have opened up to resemble a toadstool, dripped a black substance.

I went in and got my husband and our decision was to remove this entire "family" to garbage by digging them up along with another bunch that was beginning so that no animal would be tempted to "partake".

These are like no other mushrooms I have seen. " The End"

PAINTING MAGAZINE WINTER 2010

Keep an eye out for the newest issue of Painting magazine. Inside you will find
another one of my handpainted necklace designs done on a distictive wood focal piece..... a pretty little wintery landscape.

The first of the year will be another design in Painting with a bit of a twist and then towards mid-year a favorite animal of mine will surface.

Hopefully in early 2011 other announcements will be forthcoming so "stay tuned".

Thanks again to everyone who visits my site in friendship and commradery. I appreciate each and every one of you...known and unknown.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Mushrooms. Interesting. The first I have ever seen on our property since we have lived here, and they
seem to have "appeared" within just a couple of days.

I enjoy finding mushrooms and living so close to "rainy areas" there are a lot to be seen. So much so that one of the classes offered for the community is
in mushroom identification I and II. It is a class I have been wanting to take and just never have.

Tonight my step-son sent me a photo of mushrooms which have mysteriously appeared in his yard, 3000 miles away. They are identical....except he has a black toadstool one amongst his like these.

I can see that around this "mound" of mine are several more which will be popping through probably as I sleep tonight.

Eventually my husband will have to mow this area so I have asked him to please wear a face mask when he does so as the powder that errupts which is black, will not be inhaled as he breathes. I am sure it cannot be "a good thing" and have asked my stepson to do the same thing.

Mushrooms grow and love to "hide". There are some waterfalls that are near us that are absolutely gorgeous and many go there about this time of the year for the many different types
of mushrooms which grow in the area. I went 2 years ago and when a snake reared it's little head when I moved some grass I made up my mind, mushrooms are NOT that interesting.

Fall Sunflower

I love sunflowers and bought a bouquet to set on our coffee table to enjoy. These are the brightest orange and I love to see the "elements" . The leaves on this particular bunch are a purple/brown which I don't think I have ever seen. This spring I am going to have to purchase some seeds and plant some as I did a couple of years ago. They definately make me

"feel good".... so enjoy the fruits of summer as fall is here.

SANDY UTAH VISITOR

Just thought I would give a little wave to SHARON TEAL CORAY a visitor to my sister and daughters Etsy sites as well as a weekly, frequent visitor to my blog. Sharon visits from Sandy, Utah. It is so good of you to visit and tag my site Sharon. Welcome.

Domino Home Decor Wall Hanging

This is a piece that was done for a Yahoo group I am a member of. It was to be a piece done with dominoes, and something made as a home decor item.

I don't know when I have enjoyed "playing" as much as I did with this. I think I am hooked on the many facets of dominoes and have found that they provide me the challenge I have been looking for in the mixed media/altered art field .

This design just evolved , developed easily, and is a "far cry" from the design idea I had decided upon. It "just happened" and it was neat looking for the "next element".

I am not sure if I will glue a metal sawtooth on the back or add some chain for hanging but I do know it will be a member of my studio so that I can enjoy it.

Now I will go back and do the piece that was "intended"... I am sure that it is going to be equally as much fun.

Sugar Skull / Day of the Dead / Halloween Necklace

A few weeks ago I posted a photo of the wooden skull focal piece I had painted. I just finished the necklace tonight and took a couple of photos to post. I used round ebony beads, Tierra Cast findings, (the silver skulls are Tierra Cast), 2 lampwork beads, delicas in black and ivory, 2 pieces of clear and black furnace glass, the white porcelain sugar skulls that I purchased in a store back East, and some silver chain. The right and left side of the necklace are different. I am one of those who doesn't care for uniformity of design. I used another Tierra Cast piece with the smiling skull charm that is hanging from the jump ring at the base of the skull. I am hoping that now that it is done it is a piece that will be more accepted. I think that it is a fun piece that will be sure to spark comments.

Day of the Dead and Halloween Painted Surface and Handmade Beads

On my daughters' Etsy site http://www.dragynsfyre.etsy.com she has listed some of my small wood skull designs and has made handmade lampwork beads which go with the painted piece for making your own necklace. Check it out....

YIPEE / Special Issue of CREATE and DECORATE

Yesterday I purchased the Special Edition of Create and Decorate from the local newstand. I saved it to browse through before I went to bed last night.

What a wonderful issues this is and I found a lot of interesting designs by some great artists. I find I am enjoying this type of art more and more....

But anyway , all of a sudden at the bottom of a page I saw something that "looked familiar"... How delighted I was so find one of my photos that I had submitted published. Another exciting first.

Domino Book

This domino book was made using PaiGow Dominos which are oriental. They are longer and thinner than a regular domino and these particular ones are a shiny black resin type plastic of some sort. Once again I did the front of the domino with encaustics and FINALLY found a
finish brand that works great and dries quickly. These little books of art are a lot of fun to design
and put together. This one will be going (I think) to my exchange partner. The ribbon is glued to the back of the book domino and I added handmade lampwork beads in black to the ribbon ends. The colors are black, white and pastel colors for the inside letters.

Domino Book

I am in a mixed media Yahoo group and one of the swaps/exchanges I have entered is to do a domino book....I love dominoes so I was excited to begin my project. I did the domino front with encaustic medium, sealed it and then began the inside. Once finished I glued a piece of ribbon (pale pink) to the back domino, made a bow and then attached initial beads to the ribbons. This particular piece is going to a dear friend of mine in California. I hope she will be surprised and will like the little piece of art.

I just read a recent article on "artistic slumps" and the author stated that one of the best ways to re-emerge is to play and that mixed media/altered art is the best way to become more creative .... to return to childhood and play which this artform most certainly allows as there are no restrictions, no right or wrong way,

and no critics.

My journey has been a ball and I love to play....

Feather Edge / Comb/ Rake Brush

The slide show hopefully will help those who are struggling with using these super specialty brushes by Langnickle. The filbert comb/rake brush is a 7930 and a good size is the 3/8.

These brushes do an excellent job of painting hair, feathers, furry feathery animals, beards, grasses, grain work in barns, and a number of other areas where fine line work will make the difference.

The advantage of this brush is painting several lines with the sweep of the brush vs just one or two lines which are fat and do not end off with these perfect thin lines like you see here.

To use this brush:
1. Your paint should be of an inky consistancy.
2. Load your brush well so that you have a resivoir of paint in the ferrel area of the brush
a. All of the line work that you see I have painted was done with a single load of paint and
I still had a supply to go further
3. Hold the brush in the top 1/4 area of the handle so that you have more freedom of movement and it will force you to paint just with the tips of this brush for a light touch.

Successful painting results have a lot to do with the right brush, but know how to use the brush is of greater importance.

New Student......

I am having a lot of shoulder pain and haven't been able to do much "creative work" this past week so I guess it will be "photo share" until medication kicks in and I am able to lift and move my right arm around.


This is the area where I paint in my studio.
One day I had a feeling someone was watching me. Imagine my "scare" as I glanced up and this good sized buck was looking at me, watching me. When I jumped I didn't seem to scare him one bit, and he stayed long enough for me to snap this photo of him. We love our resident deer....I had just never seen one outside my window...this close...

Fall

Where did summer go? Seems as if it was just yesterday we were celebrating our first warm day after a long, cold winter and my Japanese maple in my hubby's ole' truck is telling me fall is here and it won't be long till winter. I love it when the leaves turn here in Oregon. We have 2 more Japanese maples but they are both new and small so next year they will grace us with their beauty. When I left Penna. last week the foliage was just beginning....and when I got here I loved seeing the change in our scenery also.

New Paints

I have been experimenting with some new metallic paints and patinas that I received this week. I don't mean to gross anyone out but since I was painting skulls I just decided to try the process on one of them. It was really amazing at how well they work and I love the effect that is obtained. This particular "trial" was done with a dark undercoat of Raw Umber from DecoArt, Gold Metallic with a Green Patina.... Guess I will turn this skull into a Halloween piece. It is much to "disturbing" to be used for my other pieces. Email me what you think.

My Sisters Shop

Cindy is a wife, mother, sister, friend and seamstress. She designs jackets, vests, hoodies, messenger bags, purses, lampshades, check book covers, hats, sun visors, wallets, market totes,
decorative pillow shams , Christmas tree skirts, Christmas stockings, etc. using vintage tablecloths, chenille bedspreads, and dresser scarves that are torn or ripped but still able to be recycled into one of her awesome creations. She also enjoys doing the faux stained glass using Gallery Glass by Plaid on old, vintage, windows or new pretty frames. If you look close you will see some of her pieces.

She also has antiques of hers and mine, as well as others who rent space. I send many of
my jewelry design pieces to her to sell as they are small and can be easily sent since she is on one side of the US and me on the other, which is the pits.

You can see her handmade items on her Etsy site: http://www.recycledmemories.etsy.com/ and some of her smaller vintage and antique items at http://www.retroemporium.etsy.com/

Skull

Day of the Dead is celebrated by many different "religious" faiths. It is to honor our dead and originated many years ago.

I just finished painting this wood lazer cut black skull that is approximately 3" x 2". I purchased some black and white porcelain skull beads in a store back in Ellicottville, NY. called Kazoo II so I will use them with this handpainted skull and fashion into a necklace. (A completed necklace photo will follow later). Kazoo II's window display for the month of October will be honoring deceased family and loved ones and adorned with many Day of the Dead art forms.

My daughter is also going to be making lampwork beads to go with the different skulls I paint, or I will be painting skulls to go with the beads she makes....a joint endeavor that will be fun.

My next one will be done with Halloween fall colors....yellow, orange, red, etc.

Nebo

This church is located in Mt. Jewett, PA and is an octogonal church which was built in 1887 designed after Ersta Kykra in Danirken, Sweden.

The church is only used on major holidays and for weddings and funerals.

The Swedish Lutheran church is called Nebo and it sets on top of a hill that is lined with trees right off of route #6. Behind the church is a large, attractive well kept cemetary. The setting is very serene and absolutely gorgeous with the sun and shadows.

Little Red Church

This quaint, rural church is in the process of "remodel" as it goes from church to home and just "trumpets" eclectic.

My sister is in the process of doing "faux stained glass windows" for this delightful home. I can only imagine how unique the inside is based on what is apparent from the outside.