Art in My World

Linda Kemp wrote a book on negative painting called: Painting Outside the Lines. It is a good selection of techniques and examples of her paintings that will inspire anyone who wants to add negative painting to their paintings. I have a hard time painting around objects. It takes a little forethought, planning and patience, but the results are just...nice. I hope to take some time and incorporate this more in my paintings, if only in just a small section, like the foreground grasses or distant trees. Instead of painting the grasses, you bring them out by painting around the blades. Instead of painting the trees, you create them by painting around them, and you do this in layers to create depth.  That is painting: a skill here, a brush stroke there, a bold color wash.... Painting Outside the Lines  

There was this cabin in the woods, that I have tried and tried to paint. It was tucked in front of all this bright light and shadows. There were oranges, yellows,  and reds all over. I never thought it would be so hard to capture all of this on white paper with color and water.  At the bottom of the post is the picture of what was there. The funny thing is the picture doesn't quite capture it, and the paintings do not either. But then paintings are not meant to be exact copies, that is not art. Art is shapes and colors and brushwork all put together in a such a way that it brings glory to the God who created it all. Now that is the a tall order to fill...

The first grand-baby  is only a couple of weeks away from entering into this world. I have been spending a little of my time learning how to knit booties and mittens and hats and my first sweater! I continue to love knitting. There is something very soothing working stitch after stitch and watching the pattern progress. I love working with the colorful wool, live wool. I can feel the difference in the garment when I work with wool as compared to acrylic. It sounds weird, but the garments seem dead-like when I use man-made yarns. The website WEBS has become my new best friend when it comes to finding something pretty and alive to work with. Now that I got my first sweater out of the way, albeit a small one, I can't wait to create one for me. There is a course I want to finish, one I found on Craftsy that teaches about how to knit and fit a sweater to a particular person. After that course, I will put my hand to creating a sweater for me...well, after a few more projects. Probably

This picture is an exercise in painting a French Harbor Scene. This group of painters has a challenge each month set out by Richard Robinson of the Complete Artist Website.  Several months ago, after cleaning out my office and trying to find room for all the paintings I had accumulated, I ordered a large roll of canvas to cut up and paint on instead of buying panels. I enjoyed painting on this canvas for the first time and I love the fact that, unless I want to frame it, it lies flat taking up little space.  It was a nice surface, so less expensive, portable...win, win. Painting this scene was fun too, following along with the video and learning...

It has been a very busy summer, but unfortunately not with much painting practice. As my life settles down, just a little, I am finding new times to fit in a little painting. Life never takes paths that you would expect, there are always curves and bumps and detours, but thankfully, you adjust, find new paths, and move forward. I hope to do that with my painting in the next few weeks...I hope to move forward with brush in hand.  In the painting above, a subject I hope to revisit, because there is much to explore, not only in re-adjusting the color, but in capturing the glow in the water, is a first attempt at some fall inspiration. This picture is a snippet of what is out my mom's back door in the month of November. I little swampy at times and a little rough and choppy at others, but the colors keep calling me back. One Fall I captured this scene all so beautiful in its bronze glory, but alas, I lost those pictures in a computer crash. It is the bane of the computer age, no n

Trying to get back into painting these past few weeks, before my husband and I head to Glacier National Park in August. I would like to take my paints with me, watercolor seems an easier choice than oils or acrylics. I will save them for studio work when I get back with all my source photos! So, I started back with this watercolor teacher from England, (yes, internet is great for this kind of thing) and the lesson I left off of , was painting sheep and rock walls. Now, down here in the south, we don't have sheep. Cows yes, but sheep and rock walls no, but again, the internet and all the pictures we have access too... I found some great pictures that I hope to turn into landscape abstracts one day and one of all these rolling hills and beautiful colors. It looked easy, but I could never quite get the looseness I wanted. I gave it a try though, and I think I got better? To the left was my third try, below are my first two attempts. One example of some wonderful watercolor pai

My sister started me buying this flour about a year ago. I had tried several homemade flour blends trying to achieve an easy sandwich bread for my son. For two years I kept trying to perfect a bread machine gluten free bread, but they never quite achieved the height I thought it should and they were too dense.  The bread flour for this company did say you can use it in a bread machine, but it never turned out like I felt it should: it didn't rise enough and again too dense. Then I bought some wonderful 8 by 4 inch bread pans from King Author flour. I had read, that if you used this size and created a foil collar to allow the bread to rise above the pans the bread would turn out beautifully. So I gave it a try...and it worked! So my method was this: I make the dough using the recipe on the bag. I don't use the mixer method, but I put all the ingredients in my bread machine and set it on the dough setting. So I let the bread machine do the work. I don't run it through

Several months back I painted the large middle part of this triptych, but thought, it needs something. I knew the wall I wanted to hang it on and it was a large wall. So, it was back to the drawing board to add two more parts to this colorful piece. Matching the colors and style was a bit difficult, but with a bit of trial and error it didn't turn out all that bad.  These type of paintings are all about the color of the paint. This style appeals to me, because it isn't about the exact replica of an object, but about the color and texture and movement of the paint. I want to pursue more of these this year, particularly some abstract landscape. Painting simply, with large blocks of color will be the goal.  Karen Hale is wonderful abstract artist who has some interesting landscapes. I enjoy her use of color, texture and simple shapes. The beauty of this type of work is worth the study, and study I hope to do in the near future. This type of painting catches my eye. I am no

A few weeks ago, while looking through several cookbooks, I came across one that looked interesting. Interesting because of my struggle with eating as clean as possible, without chemicals or preservatives.  My family has always loved tortillas, but I have always been bothered by something: what causes store bought tortillas to last months and months in their plastic bags? They never seem to grow mold or stale. And of course with my household trying to get rid of wheat, I saw a recipe cookbook: Against the Grain that basically uses just tapioca flour for making tortillas...so I bought the cookbook and a tortilla press. This recipe turned out wonderful and I now keep these in our freezer, ready to microwave for 10 seconds and fill. They are soft, stretchy and roll without cracking.  Flour Tortillas 2 3/4 tapioca starch {the original recipe called for only 1 3/4 cups of tapioca starch, but it was too runny and I could not make it work) 1/4 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon salt 3 lar

YES! I finally finished my first shawl! These are now my knitting obsession, not only because they are beautiful, fun to knit, but they are lovely to wear over sleeveless dresses at church or out to a dinner date. This was my fourth try. One of my shawls I got all the way to the end and I was trying a new binding off method, accidentally slipped a stitch, and the it all began to unravel. Oh the frustration!  I have bought some wonderful colors of yarn to try my hand at a few more designs. There are two books by Jen Lucas that have some easy to follow instructions on making what she calls Sock Yarn Shawls. All 15 shawls in each book are beautiful; I could spend the year making each one. These books are so worth the price if you are interested in the journey of knitting shawls. If it weren't for the fact that you have to block the shawl after washing it each time, I would love to give them as gifts. In the picture above I am blocking it on my carpeted floor in my office. It is a

It has been years since I have spent time trying to scan in the large amount of old slides that my mother has given me. Since then, I have have acquired a new computer, (just last week), a new scanner, (a few years back), and Photoshop has greatly improved.  So here is the thing. Now I need to go back and redo quite a few slides, because of course, now I can do them better. Take for example the bottom picture in this series: this is what the slide looks like right after it is scanned. The one above that is how I fixed it several years ago. The one above that is how I fixed it today...after learning my new scanner. Which only took half the day. Sigh. But now I think, well, the top picture looks more accurate right? Though, maybe not quite as accurate as it might if I spend a few more hours learning a bit more about color correction. So, before I fool around a bit more, it is off to Lynda.com to check out some of her videos on color restoration...and scanning. I miss my old sca

Here are my favorite jars again filled with, not almond milk, but my favorite green juice recipe. This juice has it all:    Pineapple juice Pineapple juice contains the enzyme bromelain, which is a natural anti-inflammatory agent and digestive enzyme. Bromelain helps reduce inflammation and pain following surgery and encourages the healing of bruises, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. It may also help reduce inflammation caused by sinusitis. As an enzyme, bromelain promotes good digestion by helping the body break down proteins. Green Apples   Apple juice is one of the best sources of malic acid that plays an important role in improving muscle performance, reversing muscle tiredness after exercise, prevent muscle stiffness, and generally reducing lethargy and increasing energy levels. This makes it a great help for people suffering from fibromyalgia.  Celery  Drinking fresh celery juice neutralizes acidity, alkalizes the body (a Standard A

I have been making almond milk for years with a metal strainer. It was very time consuming. Every now and then I have heard of these nut bags to use to strain the milk, but put off buying one.  Buy one! These things are so fast and leave no sentiments behind, and they give me so much more milk too. Buy Here If you make nut milks you will not regret the $6. They rinse easily and are tough! Also, if you are interested, these glass milk jugs can also be bought at Amazon Here . They are a bit pricey, they run a little less than $5 a bottle/$60 for a case of 12. They are high quality canning jars from Italy with replaceable lids for when they wear out. To make Almond Milk: Soak 1 cup of almonds overnight. Place almonds in blender with 4 cups of water, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 cup succunat or 4 dates. Sweetener is optional. Blend until smooth. Pour into nut bag over bowl and squeeze until all liquid is out. Store in glass container in refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.   Here i

An Italy Challenge I have this website that I belong to, that offers monthly painting challenges. This month it is to paint a scene from Italy. It has been almost a year, hard to believe, since I have done a challenge. I do believe it shows...but thankful for new beginnings. To help me keep up the painting I have also joined an art group that meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Right now, I will be only be going on Wednesdays, but maybe, if I can get my act together I will commit to Tuesdays as well. I really do want to keep this up. I have found though, that the more time I seem to have the more I waste. Accountability is a good thing.  I also completed a painting from Monument Valley. Pictures from my travels continue to inspire me. If only I can paint what I see in my head. Much, much to practice on the next several months!

I now own several parrots, and when the weather permits, I take out our large parrot and place him in his cage, and I also roll out another cage onto the patio. While working in the garden, fertilizing the herbs that have survived the winter thus far, I heard all the birds go crazy with their squawking and screaming. Running back there, I found this hawk, beating against the cage of my little conure parrots, Bert and Ernie.  He stayed the afternoon and into the early evening. I kept wondering if he was raised by people. He was so friendly and not at all scared of me, my cat or the dog.  Anyway, I grabbed my camera and spent about an hour taking pictures, a few videos and just enjoying having a hawk around.      Here is the hawk on top of one of the bird cages. He is looking into it, trying to figure out how to get that morsel of meat inside. You got to love hawks. They are beautiful birds!

This drink not only contains healthful probiotics for the gut it also contains fresh ginger for digestive health as well. For those who are looking for a replacement for real beer, this is a great alternative. Truly expensive in stores, this will give you a cheaper version. After buying a dozen or so bottles and some fresh ginger...well you're all set! Look here to buy the bottles: EZ Cap Clear Beer Bottles Ginger Beer Making ginger beer is a three-step process. We start by making a ginger bug, then ferment it using water, sugar and lemon juice, then bottle it and allow it to sit for secondary fermentation. Ingredients for the ginger bug: 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated, divided 3 tablespoons raw organic sugar, divided 2 cups water You also need: 1 quart glass jar or jug Paper towel Rubber band 1-gallon jug How to make ginger bug: 1.  To start your ginger bug, add 1 teaspo