Shadow Boxes and More ... Ideas I'm Sharing!

I've been getting ready for a craft show, so I made a few items to sell ...

Shadow boxes (one for Christmas):

Wall art, one of steampunk design and one entitled "Under the Sea:"

Then I found out that the craft show is off. But it's always to have finished art handy for the next event!

Thanks for stopping in!

Deb

WABI SABI ART ... AGAIN

Hello dear ones!

In my June post, I explained the concept of wabi sabi.
Whenever I can, I like to take photos of wabi sabi-like things.
Well, I did a painting based on the photo.

Here's the painting and the photo is below it:

You see, a wabi sabi painting is simply a representation of the photo, not an exact duplicate feature for feature. That's the fun o wabi sabi (and abstract art, too). It doesn't have to be perfect, and that's what wabi sabi is.

Thanks for dropping by!

Until next time ... Deb

Stained Glass Mosaics

Hello there!

It's the middle of summer and I haven't been to the pool even once. I just haven't been "up to" getting into a bathing suit, although my "old" one looks so much better on me than the new bathing suits that I tried on at Kohl's. I will get there soon, I think.

I'm getting ready for an arts and crafts show at my grandson's school in November, so I've been working on a lot of things. But this blog will only focus on my stained glass mosaic work. I'll show you one below, before and after grouting. The others can be viewed on my Pinterest board entitled "Mosaics."

Here goes:

Before grouting ...

After grouting ...

Grouting really does make a difference, doesn't it?

With mixed media art, there are so many choices of projects you can do. That's what I love about it.

All the best to you for now ... Deb

Wabi Sabi

I'm back again to talk about wabi sabi. In case you don't know what it is, here is an explanation that I got from Wikipedia:

Wabi-sabi (侘寂^?) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".^[1] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印 sanbōin^?), specifically impermanence (無常 mujō^?), the other two being suffering (苦 ku^?) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空 kū^?).

Here's an interesting explanation that I got from a Pinterest post:

There's a lot of information about wabi sabi on the web, if you want to look it up. You can also see more examples on my Pinterest board and other Pinterest posts.

As soon as I learned about wabi sabi, I was hooked on the concept. Below is a photo I took outside of my home. It is wabi sabi and it kind of looks like abstract art.

In fact, I just might use this photo to create a painting. If I do, I'll share it with you later!

Bye for now--Deb

More Fun with Photography

Hi there!

Just a short post with some of the photos I've taken over the past month or so.

Here's a better photo of the mosaic bookend than the one I posted last time:

And here are some photos from this spring:

I hope you've enjoyed them! Best wishes,
Deb

Back With a Few Scattered Things!

Hi my blog friends--I'm back again with a few items to show you.

Take a discarded block of wood. Cover 4 sides with a mosaic made from sea glass, small mirror pieces, other glass pieces, and whatever you choose, using glue to adhere them. Paint the side that doesn't have mosaic on it ... and you have a bookend! I really needed one and I'm using it now. I have to admit, though, the photo could be a little more clear (getting used to new camera).

 

Below is a mosaic made by a 5-year-old boy, my neighbor, inside of an instant coffee lid.

 

And ... below is one made by his 12-year-old sister. She also created the cool-looking artwork underneath it. I thought they would make a great photo together.

 

Bye for now!

 

Deb

MY FIRST TIME USING OIL PAINTS

Hey there!

 

I saw a small, inexpensive set of oil paints in a store called Ross (Dress for Less), so I decided to buy and try them. Previously, I always painted with acrylic paints.

 

 

This is a triptych on three 5" x 7" flat canvas panels.

 

 

I'm not finished yet. I'll show you the final product on my next blog.

 

 

 

 

The idea of doing this blog came to me as a way of sharing my creative journey with others.

 

I haven't shared much about myself, personally, but that will come soon!

Until then ... bye for now and be well ...
Deb



 

 

 

"ACCIDENTAL" ART

Hi there!

This is a short post about a piece of art that I "accidentally" made.

I was working with melted wax (crayons actually). I was using a piece of orange paper to dab off the excess wax from the tools I was using. This went on for several weeks until I looked at the way the miscellaneous wax marks looked on the paper and I just had to frame and hang it.

There's just something about it that I like, especially the colors.

Have you ever made accidental art?

Best for now,
Deb

HAPPY 2014!! ... and ... try looking at your mixed media art using 3D glasses!

Hi bloggers. I know I've been away a long time. The holidays just messed with my mind and I just couldn't motivate myself to do anything in the art area ... other than make one card for the chiropractor, follow my usual favorite artist blogs, and stuff like that. I'm hoping that the next Christmas season is much better at the end of 2014!

I don't have any new art to show you this time, but I discovered something really cool that you might want to try ...

You know how mixed media art is done with layers of colors and textures? Well ... recently the children next door came over with a couple of pairs of 3D glasses, so we decided to put them on and look at my art on my walls.

It is really cool that, with the 3D glasses, you can actually see the layering on your mixed media art. It proves that mixed media layering truly is a form of 3D art!

Try it and let me know what you think. I was really amazed!

************

Next time, I'll hopefully have some new art to show you. I've signed up for Creative Jump Start 2014 spearheaded by Natalie Kalbach (http://nathaliesstudio.com), so I should get my creative juices flowing again. It's not too late to sign up--for only $20! There are many hundreds of people from all over the globe participating. Check it out on Nathalie's website!

My best to you ... Deb