Fondness for Cats

I am partial to cats, circles, and half circles, when feeling sort of off or not quite right I always revert to areas of comfort such as painting what seems to come without frustration.  Nothing like having something started to work on, even several somethings now and then.

Gustav Klimt

Who doesn't like him?  Seems to me there is so much passion in his work, not just the amount of work, but what the paintings speak to the viewer.  So a piece of Klimt designed fabric and a bit of my own work and there is a feeling there, maybe not so much passion, but in a way yes there is passion also if only for compostion, and color.  If you feel that stirring in your mid section and it has to do with paint, then what else could it be but passion.

Maybe Lazy

I had this face painted, hadn't prepared a background, didn't know what to do so I let the computer do it for me, three times.

Bigger. Better

Rather than edit, I will do a new post. not much for explanation except I wanted bigger, bigger than the previous post.

There is a Difference

At least I am going to claim there is, the difference between excited and boasting. It isn't often that I do something I really like,  sort of like, or feel Ok, and I didn't really like this at first, but I like the faded face.
This is digital art, fabric, paintings, hand written words, in collage. So excitement and good feelings.

For the time being I also used it as my cover on Facebook.

You Would Think

AFter 47 years of painting that what I have in my head would translate unto paper. It doesn't, I am always surprised by what does.

Been gone a while, will put effort into being back. thanks for all your past visits, hope to see you here or there.

The Smudged Look, for some reason java script won't let me do a title,
will see when I do a preview.  Painting has been slow, working slowly, just fussing with the work a bit, mostly evening painting. trying to leave some old habits behind, noses and lips less defined is what I have thought about lately.  Also seems I have lost focus, art motivation is oneof the most fickle things.  Frequently I can regain some focus by attending art shows or visiting galleries and I did that but then that faded also.

Because blogger is not acting quite right this morning, I will post the photos and not write a lot.

Shadows On Our Faces

Today I was thinking about faces and people I know, thinking of how a shadow can cross the face without there actually being a reason for a shadow. I have noticed that they eyes seem to act as an awning. Seems like the eye lids are a shelter that protects our feelings. The face can actually darken just as it is when a cloud passes over the sun. So it is with this face, shelters and awnings that protect a vulnerable time. Acrylic with colored pencil and bits of paper.

Necks

While gardening I was thinking about the neck, mostly becaue I had just looked at my own and it seemed to need some pressing. Also I think of them because I am never sure how to paint them. Light and shadows have a way of confusing me, that is why I was looking in the mirror. Mirrors don't lie. I wonder why the neck shows signs of age, maybe not before legs, legs have a way of looking quilted. The neck has a lot of stress, gritted teeth, straining, giving you a stiff upper lip, and keeping your head straight. Maybe is it just telling me all that it has been through.

Time Marches On

Tracey Lawrence sings a woeful song about time, a story he must know something about or couldn't write such. We all have a story and a mere change of words and the song could ours, we cold hold on to the refrain for the stability or the uncertainy. The art work changs also and there are times I would like to capture what I did two years ago and it is gone. Days are also more complicated now, if you experience that you know about loving the change, but trying to find you're more settled self. The garden is an old thing but still complicates things as it ia have to being also a want to. I would think with an adult mind that doesn't alays feel very adult it would all work and it does, but time marches on.

Really a Test

Blogger won't let me post a photo so this is a test, dictionary pages so will try then do a bit more writing.

Trust level has risen an iota, these were quick ad not much fussing just osmething to do while bread, and cake bake, then a monitor of heavy load in washer. and I don't see a spell check.

Another bit of trust with this one at a time thing. I see that delayed gratification is a lot more practice and actuality, not just in reference to blogger but life. Now taking a risk because I can't remember which picture I posted, I had a rule about how to remember that when posting several, can't remember the rule either, I know you understand, and if you don't sometime you might.

When Old is New Again

The paintings of faces change a little or improve some, I like the same old compositions, faces that aren't real but still faces close, the flowers the birds the additions the surprise of transparency and the remembering of how accomplished.
That might be the second hardest is remembering how that happened, a lot of art can be accidental and I am not one for a plan but for more of a happening. Thinking like that can be a disappointment but the element of surprise out weighs disappointment.
I an not so fond of Picasso, but he said things that apply to me, and I have said this before but it sticks, he said, if he knew how his painting was going to turnout he wouldn't do it.

Easter, Wasn't it Just.

Seems to me I just thought about these things, struggling a year ago to work outside, now I can with great ease, therapy for the broken leg was great.
Now flowers are starting to bloom and next week quite cold at night below 30, always a trick in nature.

People use to really dress up on Easter, the stores have all those pretty colors and clothes for kids, I didn't really look for me. It is a time to spend with those you love, even if all you love aren't there you can still think of them. Anyway I was
sparked to think of an old fashioned Easter parade, being so rural as a kid I never saw one of those. We used the Paas kit for colouring eggs, and I somehow felt let down by the outcome, of course I wanted a much more detailed design, the white wax crayon was not enough. Think now of the things to use. paper transfer would of been so fun, could of printed out your own art. Wishing you a day of all good things.

The Slipping

The slipping of days, the slipping of things learned, it is best to count the forwards and not the slips. I have done a lot of practice on faces the past two weeks hair but most significant practice on eyes and the ability to draw two the same, plus if they are the same size they are not at the same level. Even worked on previous paintings posted, a few of them have eyes that are colored pencil so they erase, like all art supplies, some have a staining quality. That is a whole education and a remembering of which is which.

The garden of perennials continues to emerge, I wish not, I am not quite eager and it is early in the north. I find that what I miss so much in the fall is not exactly what I want in the spring. Even the vocabulary of plants and terms has slipped unto
just the tip of my tongue. Photos soon of efforts.

Painting Faces Again

I have done a few landscapes lately, there is not the same feeling about doing that as I use to have, but I like to, enjoy watery sort of paintings. This was more fun and to do a swirl of hair was even more fun and rather brave for me. I thought what the heck, it is just so hard to have something completely fail. No one even needs to know, but I know and then to go back and start again....well you know. It is worse then painting a room a color I end up hating and having to do that over. A room is not as personal.
One thing the scanner seems to pick up these glued flowers so bright, I don't like that.
Thanks for your visits. Comment or no comment your appreciated. I don't always comment either, and I like everything I see.

Me, In A Way of Symbolism

Feels like me, reminds me of the 80s and me, thoughts that swirl around the head like that now and always, so it is about a feeling and not an actual. Isn't that what a painting is anyway, an impression of what is? An impression that reminds stirs more of one's being and says more, of course that is why we have a camera for the actual, then I have to change that also. It doesn't mean the actual isn't good enough, it only means that it was painted or altered for the sake of interest and even beauty. We alter ourselves everyday from the first look in the mirror until we leave the house, I have put lipstick on to garden or talk on the phone. Even exercise is altering, we are told to hold stomach in tight, a form of altering, even if it doesn't respond.

What? Simplicity

Trying this again, I have done this several times and the spell check and photo upload won't respond. After a refresh they do.

Now I have lost my train of thought decided what I said before was thought didn't really go with the painting, I do that, but I blog is for writing what you think.
I was thinking of time, how there are periods of time when I can get everything done,or so it looks like I have things done. It is called cosmetic housekeeping,
the outer looks fine but if you look the inner depths are not. I said to my husband once that I had the skill of putting alot of stuff in a small space, he said, that was the problem.

Anyway time and painting and planning, then not following the plan, I had some commissioned work and then I did stick to the plan. I will post those at a later date. This is what came out of another plan.

About Patterns

Papers for crafts are so pretty, I have some don't use them much, today after going to get new washer, and dryer which is really nice as mine are near to 30 yrs old and over that. Also outside calls as it is 80 degrees so we trimmed bushes and some perennials, and put up a new trellis. I wanted to paint and after a few days of careful painting which I can't show yet I wanted different. I drew the design, traced the parts on paper cut them out and drew them on scrap booking papers. Did other designs and then glued them down around the faces. Really a lot of fun.
measures around 15X8.

Always the struggle to have a face that doesn't look like my work, how can it look different?

Journal Page

Just a smallish painting because I didn't feel like straightening up the studio area.
I had been reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and found his words good for text, but didn't use any. He talked about the best holidays and the private anniversaries of the heart, then it suddenly took on the feeling of foolish so didn't snip any. Then I started doodling small faces and just continued with paper stencils and napkin cuttings. Now the mess remains and I have started something else at the art table.

The thing about Text on a painting someone always asks what that means or they say I can't see what the words are, I think that part is fun, there has to be some mystery there I think. Frequently I look at it and think, glad I got over that mood. Life holds a lot to get over. The personal spirit is quite smart in it's ability.

No Title, A lot of Fussing

So nice in the North, and did take a walk but fussed with this the eyes, the lips, and she seems a bit too serious. Have not showed anyone, well Richard and I new at first too dark around the eyes. Wish the common eraser worked for me, I used quite a lot of colored pencil and pieces of fabric scanned. There is a lot more I like then not. She does have a story, just like us all. I just didn't want her story to be ripping at her heart. And better hair not all covered, a big step for me.
Odd color for delphiniums. still they have a pleasing curve.

Inconsistant Moods

How is that for a red flag? Well the painting mood varies. The whole problem is I don't know right now what I want. I can't go by what people choose as favorite or want, that isn't what I always want. Reaching for a deeper skill, always reaching.
The woman in gray, I showed her to Richard, he said she looked tired, nothing wrong with that, tired is a woman's plight. I wanted her more sensuous, for most women there is a difference. (You can laugh) I am.

The pale is not really me either, but Ok fun could have a place on the wall. Sometimes one can feel about their own art I love this I can't stop looking and thinking what was the magic of that day? Sometimes it just falls right, the brush can't miss, the next day that brush seems like junk.

Well that is how it is and always will be not hard to dispose of paper and paint.

For The Love of Dogs

Just the reason for this is the love of dogs, a dog never looks at you and thinks, Geeze your getting old, or what happened to your hair, or that right eye has a bag, a dog just looks and wags is is so thankful that your there. Not that family does these things but we do them to ourselves. I need a dog, but this is the first summer that we don't have one in a long time and it would be nice to go someplace and not have that kennel run, I hate those eyes as we leave the dog for the stay.
Except a dog is handy if you want to leave someplace, you can always say we have a dog that will be wanting out. Ok this is not a dog blog.

Transparency

Don't you love it, a suggestion of and not quite I love that also. this is collage and acrylic. Not a struggle as some paintings become, sometimes fresh out of ideas of how to or where to find something for my additions and who would think glass candle holders. Things that you use in this sort of art that are glass take a weak blush of color so well.

We have a snow day here schools closed for miles the storm was not horrible, just wet and wide. a painting day for certain.

Women and Cats

have painted a lot, I love to see paintings of other artists do,people with cats, I never can decide which I like better cats or dogs. I have a cat that listens, a little slipery cat that weasels out of and into things. I have said this before but she came the day we put our dog down which was hard of course as that dog was also a pet that understood most of what I said. That comes from repetition. Ir maybe it comes from being simple. (not the dog) My husband would always say to her, go see the dog boss, and she would look to me. I ramble.

I need the garden, outside work, dirt, mindless tending of an area I know so well.
We have a pending storm of up to 12 inches of snow, and really we need this but the bleakness of morning light on new snow that is heavy, hard to move stuff is not pleasant. Yet, it is another mindless job that gets me outside.

So I listen so sad songs of lost things and paint. Really the train of thought here is vague.

Too full of scattered thought. Like my faces the cats too look alike, maybe from the same litter.

There Was A Crooked Little House

This painting didn't start out that way it just happened that orange things worked, I worked on this a couple weeks off and on. I did some transfers and how I can manage crooked is a great gift to have.:>) Sometimes straight things look crooked to me. Martha Stewart Mags have offered great collage things found some old ones.
Never find old glamour magazines.

I have phases of trouble, eyes often, now lips, sometimes chins, just have work through them, bless the product gesso. Walmart has large jars of it.

I am so amused, the jockey on the radio just said, that the gift that keeps on giving is a pregnant cat. This was not a classical station.

Hope I can upload blogger is giving me a bit of trouble this morning. I always fear it is me not them. Please dismiss that finch, good grief.

Expirmenting , Add Heres

Add Heres that is what they are called you can go Add Heres to look at them there are 87 or so choices not all appropriate for me but some are. I got them at Walmart a few months ago.

When I had the face done the face was too smooth for all that texture in the work on the Add Here, so I had to distress it with an emery board. Have to be careful because the scratching can't be repaired very well. I don't think I would do a lot of these maybe one more, there are 4 in a package and they are all different, but coordinated. I also cut out parts of one of the other sheets for addtional design for example the birds, her dress, a leaf or two. There is a photo of one that is not cut up, they measure 12X12 1/2

Robin Return

This may be some sort of a trick, but I did see at least 20 Robins on Wednesday, a very warm day, and I don't really know how a trick would come about anyway. I haven't see any since. However seeing them was an inspiration, a strong inspiration at first then it sort of faded into the fog. If you are an artist and most likely you are if your reading this.... when doing a painting starts to feel the same as scrubbing the floor you know inspiration has weakened. Still except for the spatters on her face this is Ok. Just OK.

Thinking of the spatters, I remember at an art fair a time ago I had this painting
framed and ready on the rack for sale. There was a tiny spot in some pale background
very tiny, The buyer asked me to take it apart and remove that tiny spot, and I did.