Summer Thoughts

This collage was inspired by a visit to one of our state parks here in Ohio...the humidity had finally lessened and the temperature was less than scorching. I always enjoy time beside a lake, the breeze and shade trees...our son and grandson were with us, so we enjoyed watching our grandson throw stones into the water, hearing the satisfying "plop-kerplunk" of the splashes...being aware of the delight of small things is something I try to do...and grandchildren seem to help us remember that delight..."Sunshine sparkling on the water...stones splashing...thrown by a small boy...swings and slides and butterflies~"

This week, Lisa Vollrath's challenge for Make It Mondays on her Go Make Something site was "Summer" so this is my attempt to capture the joy of blue skies, cotton-candy clouds, and diamonds on the lake...

Creativity

Creativity is an attitude, a willingness to try new things or new ways of expression. It can be as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store, or trying a new way of organizing your desk or studio...Creativity is defined as "originality of thought or expression" --to facilitate the process one must research and experiment!

~Study other artists and their work
~Read about current events & history--be curious
~Research subjects that interest you
~Associate with fun & interesting people who are creative
~Meet people who are different from you
~Spend some time enjoying & appreciating nature
~Surround yourself with things of interest and/or beauty...seek a stimulating environment
~Learn about the art created by other artists-read art magazines and be aware of trends
~Draw every day!
~Have fun and keep your sense of humor!

This list has been garnered from various sources, and from experience...

I am a creature of habit, and I struggle to keep creativity alive...I tend to do more reading than doing--the hardest but most important thing is to practice and DO IT!

Wheat Stubble

An Ohio landscape after the wheat has been harvested...an ink and watercolor in one of my art journals.

Pink Art Doll

This doll is created from muslin fabric painted with acrylic, hand-carved stamps and beading. There are seed beads, bugle beads and some glitter paint added for sparkle. The face is hand-drawn with permanent marker. She is about 6 inches long, not including tassel and hanger. She hangs on the wall and watches me create...

Absurd Idea

Here are a few more quotes from one of my art journals...this is a small format, about 8 1/2" x 5 1/2". The artwork is done in ballpoint pen and colored pencils...I especially like the quote from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron:
" Some of the best creative work gets done on the days when you feel that everything you're doing is just plain junk."

The Medium is the Message

This is a collage that I did in my Art Journal in 2004. It was not intended to be any kind of political statement at the time. I just used pictures from magazines that I found interesting; colors, symbols and drawings that I felt made a good combination. Now when I look at it, I can see how it could be interpreted in a political way, and that is not usually my style. Some old interviews with artists that I have read have made me smile, because the interviewer or art critic wants to read a heavy meaning into the artwork, but that was not necessarily the intention of the artist. (Georgia O'Keeffe was pretty indignant about the sexual meanings attributed to her flower paintings.) I suspect that quite a few artists just went along with the interpretations so as to seem to have more depth...

"Don't everlastingly read messages into paintings," commanded John Marin, a contemporary of Georgia O'Keeffe's, "--- there's the daisy --- you don't rave over or read messages into it---you just look at that bully little flower---isn't that enough!"

The Seven Da Vincian Principles

This is a scan of a Leonardo Da Vinci drawing. It is from a wonderful desk calendar with a Da Vinci work on each page. I love his drawings!

The Seven Da Vincian Principles:
1. Curiosity
2. Test Knowledge through experience
3. Refining the senses, especially sight
4. Embrace ambiguity and uncertainty
5. Balance between Art and Science
6. Cultivate fitness
7. Recognize and appreciate the inter-connectedness of all things

Even though Michelangelo has always been one of my favorite artists, his contemporary, and sometimes rival, Leonardo da Vinci was certainly a genius, inspired artist and scientist. Both were supreme draftsmen of the human figure. These principles gave me a lot to think about and motivation to try to follow them. However, I'm not sure about the "embracing ambiguity" part...maybe that means not having to decide if something is "right" or "wrong" in art...

Wildflowers

"Perhaps color is impossible to talk about...color is like a scent indescribable; or like a chord struck on a harp in the darkness."
Alan Davie, 1961, Scottish painter

Transform and Grow

Another Art Journal page, this one in watercolor.

Art Journal Page

"Pink Lady"- Layers of craft acrylic paint were painted on with a paintbrush, stamped with hand-carved stamps, then more paint applied with a sponge.The face is hand-painted. Fabric, cardstock scraps, a bit of postcard, and a sticker complete the page.

Do What You Are Afraid to Do

These quotes are part of what has motivated me to start a Blog..." Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." -St. Francis of Assisi...fear of the unknown and not knowing how to do something can be paralyzing! But if I can learn to do this, anyone can! I am looking forward to sharing many more posts with everyone. And because of my Blog Name, I will have to get busy and take photos or make art featuring the Cottonwood trees in my yard!

Art Journal

A recent Art Journal entry..."can you
point me in the right direction...?"
Acrylic paint, hand-painted paper, fabric,
drawing and hand-carved stamps,
with a bit of copper artist's acrylic for
sparkle.
One of my favorite artists is Kandinsky,
and some of his visual imagery shows
up in my work.