Some Inspiration from the Stars

Art Journal 52 2014. For the inspiration from the stars prompt page I wanted to look into space. A favorite web page I love to visit is Astronomy Picture of the Day http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/  Each day there is something interesting posted.  With the influence of the universe I did the background painting using acrylics. A few fun ready made silver star stickers were added.  The lyrics from Les Miserables entitled Stars written on an overlay completed the project,  Adding words to art is a difficult thing for me. Since I did not want to mess the surface of the painting I used the clear overlay with the lyrics written in gold paint. The effect was what I wanted. See both below.

The background painting with the stick-on stars above.

The final presentation with gold lettering.

What do you think?  I think I may do a larger painting with just a view into space. I welcome comments!

Have I made it_where I wanted to be when I grow up?

Another Art Journal 52 2014 prompt "When I grow up." Since I am long in tooth I wonder if I arrived. My dream, my hope, one of my important reasons for living, that which has sustained me is my art and my faith. ART! Making things, drawing, painting, printing, going to art museums, art shows, reading books about artists and how they work. Yes that is art. Sharing ideas and talking to other artists, continuing to experiment, standing in awe when a work is completed by my own hands to my expectations and beyond, loving it when viewers respond. That is art.  Trying new things like the art journal, foraging into mixed media and experimenting with ideas, adding words, using techniques from other disciplines all in one place. Now how cool is all that. It inspires me and others. That is art. 

Brushes, tubes of paint, an apron and palette. There is a canvas on the
easel. Painting is one of my favorite art media. Follow the link to Carbonmade at the top
of the page to see a few portfolios of other work. Check past blog posts
too.  

I wanted to be an artist as soon as I knew what an artist was I knew that was me. Art is a way of life. An artist is a problem solver and that is a characteristic that translates into many other aspects of life. Art can be a path to the divine producing a  meditation-like place in the mind. I go into a magic zone when I am working on my art. Time seems to stand still and all things seem possible. My mantra has been to paint beautiful things or to paint all things beautifully! The Art Journal 52 prompts are to inspire ideas or a direction for work and that is sustaining my connection to the world of art.

I would like to hear from you. Please leave comments below. Watch for posts of more pages soon.

Way Out of Comfort Zone

This prompt from Journal 52 2014 has pushed me a bit further from my normal execution of subject matter. The prompt: "Inspired by Abstract Art."

This abstract piece has a noticeable X to the composition. Much of my work has this. There are also hidden images, also in many of my pieces. I pushed or pulled some flowers and butterflies into recognizable shapes. That was to satisfy my little voice saying it is only a beginning!

The abstract is where my work begins My initial ideas are put on the board in a very abstract manner. Then those of  you who know my work  or as you look back at older posts will see samples of finished products. I always say I keep slowly resolving my images or tuning them in until my eye and sensibility are satisfied. For myself abstract work has not been complete. Like a lot of my work there are areas I might follow into other compositions. The mama painting can be allowed to birth her children which nurtured and coaxed become  stand-alone individuals in time. A fitting thought for a MOTHER'S DAY! That just came to me. Enjoy. Feel free to leave comments. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there.

Bit O' Whimsey

This evening I have been researching  pictures of Fairies and Elves (Some call them Gnomes) and adding them to my Fairies board on Pinterest. These creatures have been with me for a long time. As a little kid my Grandma gave me Wee Wisdom,, a magazine that had fairies and elves in stories, games and drawings. The beginning of my inspiration, a very long time ago.Above are a few of my 3 D collection done by other artists.

 I have added some of my 2 D collection to the wall above the elf figures you see above. My original painting (18" X 24" oil on canvas board) titled "Musical Elf" is above the elf grouping. The textile printed mushrooms to the left are trapunto embroidery that is also my handiwork.

The little mushroom picture to the far left is painted glass with a foil and white enameled back ground. The covered bridge is another trapunto piece. These two items were gifts from my Grandmother Rose V. Minarik

.

Here is a little closer view of the elf figures from another angle. The two large fellows are playing checkers. One is riding on a turtle. The library elf is reading his book to the little sleeping fellow. Gepetto with the striped stockings is working on a puppet. Then Santa, the jolly old elf himself, is pulling on gloves getting ready to load his bag.

                                                     Below: My "Musical Elf" close-up.

"The Sunflowers Three" is making progress.

The blue sky is underpainted.

The under painting is complete with the blue sky and yellow flowers.

"The Sunflowers Three" is making progress. The under painting is complete. Now to get on with applying the glazes. I love doing this layering of color. It wakes up the painting and wonderful things begin to happen. To me this is part of the magic of art.

A glaze is a thin transparent veil of color applied over the under painting or over another glaze. The purpose is to enhance the color creating jewel like tones and it can make the colors brilliant.

A glaze can be used to tone down a color patch that is popping or too noticeable. A glaze will enhance and add depth and life to shadow areas and push colors further into the background.

Warm colors are applied to bring an element forward on the picture plain. To push a color toward the background cool tones are glazed over an area. The complementary color grays down the color beneath it. To add luminescence a veil of a transparent white is applied over a highlighted area then more color is glazed over that.

In this stage of my work there may be from 5 to 15 or more layers of glazes applied. I keep adding glazes until the effect is pleasing to my eye. After that happens I will refine the the painting, possibly adding yet more glazes. I will get the glazes resolved and take another picture to post for that stage.

Add Artifacts to Bonsai

Somehow I did not think about posting without pictures.....I have felt I must have something to show. That is probably because I am such a visual person. If I try only words it may help me reach the goal to post more this year. Another goal is to increase the number of people who watch my blog. I need ideas about how to expand the viewer base.


I was very proud that the Bonsai Series mentioned in my last post is finally materializing. I have more than 200 plus reference pictures as source material from a trip to the Chicago Botanical Garden. When I enlarge the compositions to 11" X 14" or 16"X 20" I am thinking of including an artifact along with the post. One of the images from my MA show had a little insence burner that has popped up in some work from time to time. I think that will be one artifact to use.












My art is slow going as I work full time and art time is hard to come by. However,I have another sketch for the sunflower series that I started a while ago. I guess that deserves a post. :-) The sketch is for Sunflowers 4 (working title) and I have "Sunflowers 3" (title) sketched, a little watercolor pencil study and the drawing on the canvas ready to paint.

I started with one then two and now three and four are in progress. I am not sure if the number pattern will continue, but I do love sunflowers.

Laura Lein-Svencner, Collage artist, has inspired me to try collage. http://www.lonecrowart.blogspot.com/ I think the sunflower 3 wc pencil study will be a part of my first one. I just need to prep my papers.

The telesummit I did with Creative Souls Unleashed run by Tamra Fleming http://www.creativesoulstelesummit.com/ gave me a boost too. The Creative Souls Unleashed facebook page is still up and continues to give great creative avenues to follow. Some nuts and boltsstuff, but with a creative bent, and then pure fun art stuff and creative people. I
encourage my creative soul friends to look it up on Facebook.

Where Have the Postings Been?

I have not posted in quite a while. No posting here was due to a health issue. A little mishap in November got blown into a full fledged problem for me in the spring. First my right foot was in a space age looking boot. It protected my ankle which had 2 fractured bones and a slight tear in a tendon on the inside ankle. I have been in therapy for the months of April & May getting strength back and limbering up the muscles. I have traded the boot for a brace.

I have missed putting my art work in several KVAL shows, but the barren streak has ended with the KVAL show at The Last Picture Show Gallery in Dixon, IL the past month. The "Bonsai Series" is represented by three compositions each 5" X7" done in acrylic. The red maple above and the two pines below.

I still participated in the KVAL traveling show with "Sunflower from Sue" and "Two Sunflowers from Sue" on display with several other pieces at Northern Illinois Open MRI located in the complex on the corner of Sycamore and Bethany Roads in Sycamore, IL.

Lots of good feedback for both shows. This has cheered me up and I hope to be back on track.

Showing at Next Picture Show Dixon Illinois

Artwork by Sherry Lee Sadilek Patterson.
The "Orchid Lady" Oil/Acrylic on board 9 1/2" X 13" and "Poppies on Purple" Acrylic on canvas 11"X 14" will be at the Kishwaukee Valley Art League Exhibit being held in the lower gallery space at Next Picture Show Gallery in Dixon IL. An opening reception will be May 8, 2010 at 6 PM.

Two pieces at the Egyptian Theatre

The house project is still in progress. Art work has taken a back burner for a time, but I currently have two paintings in the KVAL exhibit at Egyptian Theatre DeKalb, IL. Both are studies for larger works to be done in the Lilac Flower series. (Lilacs on Mint [10"x10"] Small Bunch on Orange [9"x7"]. The larger bouquet study has been sold. I have been working on the Bonsai trees mentioned in my last post. I will get a new post up soon.