art journal inspiration

I love to sit down with my journal and just be inspired by whatever comes along.  Without pressure to achieve anything.   I've made a real effort this week to keep a space on my art desk desk, where the journal can sit, open and ready, with all my basic supplies within arms reach.

I was inspired to create these two pages in my journal the other night from a red gum leaf my husband brought home from school.

I love the freedom art journaling offers.    I maintain a 'it doesn't matter' approach to this side of being creative - there are plenty of other areas I work hard at, so when it comes to creative play I make sure it stays playful!  But I am often amazed by the results.  I love the end results of these two.

Current inspiration sources: colour, leaves, flowers.

What do you use for inspiration?  What gets your creative juices really flowing?

Apple Blossom oil painting

We finally got the fruit trees we dug up and potted last December, planted into their new hedgerow position 2 weeks ago.   They all seem very happy, and the apple is in blossom!  We love apple blossom - so pretty with the faintest blush of pink.

Although an afternoons snooze was very tempting, I resisted and instead opted to attempt a small oil painting.   Requirements: 1 coffee, 1 tea, 1 bowl of porridge, some photos I took of our apple blossom yesterday, some oil paints, and a lot of determination!  It took me two goes to get it to this point.   Now it just has to dry :-)

Apple blossom. 6" x 6" oil painting on stretched canvas

One thing I discovered: I don't like painting flowers! Have a great weekend everyone.

Just be

Finished!  I added acrylic paints, artists inks, pencil, and a touch of lace to finish off...

A closeup of the bottom right corner shows the many layers.   I also went through all the library book tags I have collected, and cut out any dates that had meaning for me.

As she peeks around the corner of her life, 

through the puddles,

and muddles

lifes light and dark.

She breathes.

When life gets too busy, find a space to just be, and breathe. 

Using collage elements

The start of a new work, using the collage sheet from previous post, and some original ephemera, and own artwork...

I'm not finished yet... but this is a good start!

Steps so far:
- tear collage sheet into strips as you feel
- assemble other collage papers - I used old library tags, old book text, mulberry paper
- add your own drawing - I like drawing over watercolour or acrylic, then tearing that up
- arrange, then glue down using gel medium.   I liked gluing straight edges to the straight edge of the board today - but sometimes I leave it ragged too.

I love the freedom of being creative in a 'go with the flow' moment.  I have some cool ideas to use the dates from the library tags - those details will come in the next post!

Free Vintage collage downloads

Something I've been meaning to do for ages, is to start scanning various vintage ephemera, lace and embroidery.  I want to use them in original art, but I also want to both save them, and share them.


Here are two images that are free for you to use in your own artwork, journal or collage.  I'm currently playing around with the first collage sheet - I'll let you know what the end result is! 

Just click to go to google docs, then File & download.  You won't need a google account :-)

Vintage Lace 1

Collage page 1



The collage page has: the 'A' page from a old illustrated french dictionary,  an illustration from an old Oliver Twist book, a transport tag, a recycled library book tag, and part of one of my altered pages to fill in the empty corner.

Please come back and share how you used these - I think they'd be great cut up as borders, backgrounds, or just interest elements on a page... what do you think?

Work In progress " I wish..."

Ever wondered what a painting looked like, 1/2 finished?

Work In Progress: "I Wish..."

Come and Visit!

Well in the process of tryng to find the best ways of using social media, and agonising over do I continue to use Etsy, or try some other web page, I had to weigh up the time and cost factors.  I hate being tied for hours to the computer.  Especially when there are 3 unfinished paintings waiting for me!
So I discovered that you can create a page, linked to your facebook profile, for a designated purpose i.e. art, business, community etc.    Seems to make sense.  Everything there will link back to here, or the gallery.   Come and visit me there and remember to like me, maybe something wonderfull will happen!

https://www.facebook.com/brightwingsofsummer

No nice pics - I've been on the co!mputer all day - remember!

VIntage girls With Buttons

Two new girls - this time with vintage, handmade lace, a couple of buttons, and some vintage text.

Girl with Button.  6 x 12" on board. Mixed media with vintage lace, button, and text from 'What Katy Did'.  $120 signed original.

Whispered. 6 x 12" on board. Mixed media with vintage lace, button, and text from 'What Katy Did'.  $120 signed original

Cheeky Galahs

These cheeky and jolly galahs visit the park adjacent to our home every afternoon.  I love their colours!  Such an iconic Australian native bird.

Galah. 5 x 7" pastel, on pastel card. $55.00 signed with mat.

Studio Cat

 

Meet Charlie: a cream 8 month old, ragdoll x   - Who loves to laze in the sun.

I always thought it would be great to have a cat again.  And then I thought it would be nice to have a studio cat.  You know who keeps me amused while I contemplate the next arty thing to do.

They have no respect for anything, arty or otherwise, and they love to visit me on my work desk.
But at least they are nimble!

For Ellie

A new, commissioned, work found a new home today.

For Ellie. 11 x 113/4".  Mixed media and vintage linen on hardboard.  SOLD.

Ellie was a commission piece by a loving father for his daughter - may the real Ellie be carried through life by heart shaped balloons, filled with love, through pink coloured skies- just like this little vintage linen Ellie!

This was really fun to do :-)   I enjoyed the challenge of knowing that I had a customer waiting for a specific painting. 

I am reminded to make every day matter, and may every day be filled with art and joy.

What can I do with?

Whilst sorting out a HUGE stack of old books I came across a old paperback copy of Oliver Twist that was falling apart.  As I went to toss it out I noticed it had lovely line drawings all throughout.  SO naturally I had to tear them out.  Now I just need to decide what to do with them?  Collage?  Use in a Junk Journal? Paint over? Altered page?  decisions, decisions!

Any ideas, anyone?

Joyness

Another girl is added to the Vintage Series.  She is rather sweet just tip toeing through the meadow of flowers...

Joy. Mixed media & vintage lace on board.  8 x 113/4".  $140

I really need to take the time to add in the Paypal buttons etc.  But until I get around to that technical stuff you'll have to contact me instead  - lindarichardson68@gmail.com :-)

I love coming into the studio to sit and ponder and start new works.  But completing something is very satisfying indeed!  I have a small box of items (including Joy) getting ready to take to display (& hopefully sell on commission) at a local gift shop, which is very exciting!   Yesterday I received my first commission also - very, VERY exciting!

So while I keep experimenting, and developing as an artist, I won't neglect my little happy, vintage girls - and I still have a pile of old linens and lace to use up too!

Tea or Wine?

Oil on board.  Tea or Wine?

Not the best photo, so I'll have to re-do tomorrow in better light.    I keep experimenting with oils and paiting.  It is slick & slippery,, but I love the colour intensity, and the way the finished paintings just seem to glow and really 'carry' across a room.   I've been told maybe this has too much empty space?

Christmas in July

 
 Christmas in July table - last Sunday in July.  Crystal. White linen. Flowers.  Prawns with pistachio. Roast lamb.  Christmas pudding with custard. Bliss.

Abstract flower