Paint Party Friday- Week 36

This has been such a crazy, busy week for me that I sincerely feel lucky to be making it to 

Paint Party Friday even tho' I'm really, really late! 

I finally had a couple hours to work on my new painting.  I did add a little color to her face, and I feel like it was just the right amount- 

she's no longer "cadaver-ish" but still somewhat surreal...

 and got her to the point that I need to leave her alone somewhere that I can just study her and decide what needs to be done to call her "finished"  I think I might need to change her mouth a little, that's one of the things I want to think on.....I like the wrought iron the way it is between being realistic and a little abstracted, just need to decide if it needs any more to it!
Please feel free to share any constructive criticism- I'm always open to suggestions!
Happy Paint Party Friday!
Stephanie

Weekly Challenge at Inspiration Avenue: "Harlequin"

The weekly challenge at Inspiration Avenue was "Harlequin" (I should know this, since I was the one who set the challenge this week;))  Anyway, here's my Harlequin:

 It's another one of my little journals, in progress- I just need to glaze it, glue the inside cover in, drill the holes and bind it all together and it'll be done!  I have a show coming up the first weekend in December and I'm trying to get a nice little pile of these finished by then!
Be sure to stop by Inspiration Avenue this Sunday to see what everyone else came up with; it's sure to be a quite festive collection!

I'm also linking this with Tracey Potter  who just started a weekly blog party called Paint & Palette or P & P- great fun, you just share a photo of your palette and a painting if you like......FUN!

I used to buy disposable palettes but then came up with the idea of making my own as I go, so this is a piece of canvas and I wrap it with fresh plastic wrap each time I paint.  A little tacky, but quite economical!
See ya'll tomorrow for Paint Party Friday- I'll be sharing updates for on my new painting....
Stephanie

What's Going on in Art Class?

I'm so excited that I now have two art classes to talk about and the new one is with 5th graders.  I love every age group (except for perhaps teens in their prickly times ;)) so yesterday was great fun to get a new pair of students in and see the difference a few years makes- it was SO quiet!  My second and third (and now a couple of 4th graders too :D) class is very productive too, but they're always chatting along while we do work, and this is fine with me as long as they meet my time lines and get the projects done- I'm all for having fun in art class!
Anyhow, on to what we did- some of these are from last Thursday and some from yesterday, but you'll get an idea of what's what!
Both groups started with a color wheel, discussing the color families and talking abut which colors are cool versus warm and so on.....:

 the younger class got to mix colors with frosting....

and the older guys with water colors....

I'm saving scraps of our good paper for them to use as color testers and then later, well make something wonderful with them!

We then started on one of my all time favorite projects an illustrated poem where the letters and shapes between the letters become non objective art.  

Start with writing the letters reaching all the way to the top and touching so that there are shapes being created........

Once all the letters have been written out, the younger group traced leaves onto their papers- in this case the outline of the shape was what I was after, so I was fine with tracing.......then they "assigned" a color family to their backgrounds and to the leaves- cool for one and warm for the other......

Peri STRONGLY approves of art class

This is the one my daughter did in 5th grade (gah, was that REALLY 7 year ago?) it was the first year I taught and definitely one of my all time favorite projects!

That's all for now, I have to go prepare for today's class, and try to find some time to sling paint around 'cause I really want to do "Palette and Paint" today- and more on that later.....

Weekly Challenge at Inspiration Aveue: "Needlework"

The challenge at Inspiration Avenue was "Needlework" and at first, I didn't think I would have anything to share.  I'm definitely not talented when it comes to needle and thread!  But, then I remembered my journals and the fact that they are woven together or rather sewn together with a length of ribbon!  So here's my entry for this week's challenge:

These little books are so much fun to mke, and the sewing potion's so easy anyone could do it- even me!
Be sure to stop by Inspiration Avenue to see what everyone has has created- I can't wait!
Cheers,
Stephanie

Paint Party Friday- Week 35

Yay it's Paint Party Friday and I'm actually  little early for once- for me at least....

I've got a few more journal covers prepped for painting next week, 

but I've been missing working on canvases, so I started this one that I've wanted to do for a while.  

She's VERY mono chromatic; a lot more than my usual work and I'm having great fun being more painterly than usual and just playing with shape, color and a touch of the surreal.... - 

it's also one of the biggest paintings I've ever done measuring in at 16" x 20". 

So that's what I've been up to this week- be sure to stop by Paint Party Friday to see some great art and meet some wonderful artists!

On a final note; Happy Veteran's Day to my American friends!  My son had a band/chorus concert called "Lest We Forget" last night in honor of Veteran's Day and it was a wonderful homage to our Armed forces!  My favorite song was a march that included which included the official songs of the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.  The band director invited each veteran to stand when his/her particular song was played, and we gave each one a round of applause- it was truly moving!

My son Garrett is the one standing over the cymbals counting music....

Have a beautiful day!

Stephanie

Update- here she is after a little more work...

 

I'd wanted her to be pale- but as it often goes, now that she's up on the monitor, I think sbe needs a little more color, she a bit cadaverish......

It's the Little Things......

My friend and Creative Sistah, Andrea of Falling Ladies is having a giveaway- and all you have to do to be entered for one of her gorgeous prizes is do an interview of yourself!  So, here goes.....
 1. What should you be doing right now instead of sitting on the computer?

Painting or prepping for art class- both are on my list for today......

2. What's the messiest area of your house? and dare you to show us...

I had to stand on the toilet to get the general scope of the awfulness of the space.....

Easily my Laundry Room- it doubles as a storage space for cleaning supplies, art supplies, our file cabinet and all the other @#$$%^ that can't seem to find a home.....and then there are one or two "hot spots" in every room that haven't made their way to the Laundry Room yet......
oh and we also have a "temporary " half bath in there.....someday, it will become three spaces divided with walls and doors- an entrance to my studio, a separate laundry room and a half bath.

3. 5 simple things that make you happy right now, above and beyond the obvious like your family and your health...

1. The Autumn colors- SO beautiful this year!
2. Painting

3. Blogging
4. Visiting my Bloggity friends- you guys make my days so amazing!
5. Teaching children art- if I could bottle up those imaginations........

4. When did you last cry?

I'll copy Andrea here, because it's true for me too-  I cry often and easily.  The last time I cried was yesterday after a spat with one of my teenage children, but I also can cry from watching a commercial, reading something moving.....being overwhelmingly happy, or sad- the emotions rise (good OR bad) and I cry- it's just who I am!

5. Favorite book...

I have a LOT of favorite books- it really depends on what mood I"m in.... the last book I bought was "The Son of Neptune" from a series my kids and I are reading, very FUN series.  On my bedside table, I have a stack of  "go to's" which include; I always have something by Diana Gabaldon (my favorite author- but that wasn't the question, was it?) and "What Remains of Heaven" by J.S. Harris...I tend towards books with a touch of magic woven into the story- I reread the Harry Potter series at least once a year.  I LOVE rereading books- to me, it's like visiting an old friend!

  
6. How many pets...
5 Cats:

Lilly

Peri

Spiderman

Latte

Mojo

and yes, folks do call me the crazy cat lady....

we also have 3 Koi and several frogs in our pond

7. 2 Goals... one huge and unrealistic one,  and one achievable one...

I'd live to be a bohemian artist living in Paris along with all the impressionists when they were fighting for their style to be accepted.....
I want to be an artist  and a teacher and be successful at both- and it's coming, maybe in baby steps, but it is coming!

8. 5 things in your purse besides money and a cell phone...
Burt's Bees- that stuff is addictive!
Grocery Lists- old and new
Nicotine Gum- I've been off cigarettes for more than 3 months now :D
Eye Drops
Coupons

9. The emotion or feeling you hate the most...

Depression-it's something I am constantly fighting

10. If you could have 50 pounds of anything except money or gold what would you want?
Plants for the garden.....

So, why don't you do a self imposed interview as well?  To be entered in Andrea's giveaway, just leave a link to your post here.

That's all for now!
Stephanie

Finishing up with Halloween Stuff.....

In my art classes, we just finished our last Halloween Projects- the Halloween Trees, Acrostics and an art experimentation with oil pastel and glue.....

Halloween Trees......like Klimt with the swirling, curling limbs and filled with all sorts of Halloween beasties......

Then exercising freedom of artistic expression with words and colors in these Halloween Acrostics.....

 

And then we played "Simon Says" and created a series of different lines with white oil pastel and glue and created a non objective painting- again, with colors of their choice.....

This week, we'll begin our November projects- and I'm really excited about doing one of my favorite color theory projects.....I'll tell you about it next time!
TTFN,
Stephanie

Weekly Challenge at Inspiration Avenue: "Art Nouveau"

Here's my finished painting inspired by one of my favorite artists; Mucha- I love how he combined two of my favorite subject matters; women and flowers and stylized their surroundings into pattern.  I had so much fun with this!

 Please excuse the glare; I didn't think to photograph this before I'd glazed it.  I just have to attach the inside papers. drill the holes and weave it together and then it will be my newest journal.  I'm really enjoying doing these little paintings- it feels so GOOD to be able to finish a painting in a few hours- definitely not a normal occurrence for me ;)
Be sure to stop by to see the gorgeous gallery of art at Inspiration Avenue- as always, it will be an amazing experience- I promise!
Stephanie

Paint Party Friday- Week 34

Yay, it's Paint Party Friday- can you believe it's been 34 weeks?  I can't, but I'm so grateful to Eva and Kristin for starting this group.  It's always an amazing collection of artists and their art along with a huge motivation to get work done each week!
For this week, I'm sharing a WIP I'm almost finished with for this week's challenge at Inspiration Avenue- the theme is Art Nouveau, one of my favorite styles of art and it's another cover for the journals I've been making.

Be sure to stop by Paint Party Friday- or better yet, submit some of your own work!  You have all day today!
Have a blessed Friday!
Stephanie

On Halloween night...

No words- I'll just let the pictures and captions speak......

 two of my babies.....my other daughter was away at a Halloween ball posing as Sherlock Holmes

 BOO!

even a ghoul's gotta eat...

Happy Halloween!

Art Class- Halloween Trees.....

For our last Halloween project, I had the kids draw trees in the style of Gustav Klimt and then fill them with all sorts of spooky things.......

 

 

And one of our "shortie" projects; a Halloween Acrostic....

Happy Halloween and (wow I can't believe I'm saying this ;)) Happy November!
Stephanie