Saturday, January 31, 2015

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Turn your Butterfly back into a Caterpillar - Art Journal


“Dare to be yourself. No pretending. 
The truth is we never grow up. We just act like we did.”
~ Sarah Lee @ ShareMy World.org



There was a time I would wear my hair in pigtails with ribbons.
There was a time I would roll down the grassy hills.
There was a time I would run through a sprinkler on a hot muggy day.
There was a time I would dance on the beach in my underwear.

I remember being young. Being the caterpillar. When play was the center of my life. Before growing up took it all away. Before I turned into a butterfly. Don’t get me wrong – wings are fabulous. But at this stage in my life – flying is not enough. I want to play again. I want to be that caterpillar I once was.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Victorian Good Luck Symbol - Tomato Pincushion



The red tomato pin cushion. For many of us it brings up fond memories of childhood. Remember when you first learned to sew, when your Mom thought you were old enough to use the sharp needle. She showed you how to run the thread thru the hole and how to twist and twirl the thread off the end of your finger to make a knot. Remember the joy of running the thread through the colorful scrap of fabric your Mom gave you. I remember the first clothes I sewed for my dolls and the dresses I made for my trousseau.
 The memory of creating. 



Tomatoes were used as a Victorian Good Luck Symbol, The tomato was put on the mantel of a new home, guaranteeing to keep away evil spirits and bring good luck to the new owners. If tomatoes were out of season, a fabric tomato was created out of red cloth and filled with sand. This stuffed tomato eventually was used as a “pin-pillow”.







The pin-pillow became the pin-cushion.

The pin-cushion brings to mind the red tomato with the red strawberry and the memory of creating.  
















The faces and the colors and the textures are all happy to me. To me, these are my memories  of happy times – the times of creating.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Pin cushion Art Journal painting



As always, the painting never looks like the image I carry in my head. 
As always it has a mind of its own.
 This worries me. This image on my canvas is alien to me.
 I don’t know where it came from. But, I am committed to follow.
 I must own it.  


I must own the happy faces that are not as dramatic as I planned.
 I must own the quilted background that is too overwhelming. 
 There is so much I want to add to the painting, but already it is busy busy busy. 
I am not surprised. Busy has become my signature.
 I have no control.
 I must own busy busy busy. 
It is a perfect representation of what is in my head.
 Too many ideas. Expectations. Dreams.
 All fighting to be heard and hoping for a spot on the canvas.


 I pine for simplicity. I envy the uncomplicated. 
But that is not me.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Pin Cushion Art Journal Painting






December. The ultimate holiday month. Time spent Shopping. 
Decorating. Wrapping. Cooking. Cleaning. Family and Friends. 
It’s futile to think I can squeeze any studio time into this hectic schedule. 
But the plans for my painting and other art projects are still in my head.



Swirling around and growing like bread dough in a bowl. 
Frustrating that I can’t take the time to knead the dough. Savor the baking. Enjoy the aroma. 
Instead I settle for the 15 minutes I can steal during each day to work on the canvas.


The layers slowly add up. The under-painting.
the quilted fabric squares.
The garish primary colors that make me wish
 I had more time to paint the many layers that will get me closer to the finished product

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The end of 2014


The year is finally over. Christmas decorations put away.
 I miss the tree and the lights. My collection of ornaments. 
Thanks to Tamara Stickler for this little gem. 
Sitting happily in my tree this year along with the star that says DREAM! 
Visit Pinterest and search for Tamara's other amazing works.

2022

   Merry Christmas