Under the Ginkgo Tree [drawing challenge70]

This week the theme is 'cross stitch' which was chosen by our friend and host, Nadine.

My contribution is a collage using a ginkgo leaf, a leaf skeleton from a silver dollar plant, a clipping from an old book, a used tea bag leaf of paper, and gold metallic thread: all held together with a cross stitch solely.

To see more delicious contributions to this challenge, click on Nadine above to see the beautiful and interesting collection of visuals.

Thanks for dropping in; I hope to see you soon, *smiles* Norma

Mad Tea Party 2012 and a giveaway

Hello! Hello! I see you are all here. It's time for the Mad Tea Party - 2012. This fantastic fete is hosted by the lovely Miss Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist and I am just one of many taking part in this magical event to celebrate all things Alice. I hope that you'll take some time to visit all the other party pals who have created magical posts just for you. Just click on to 'A Fanciful Twist' which is highlighted above and you will be directed to a list of players. There you just click away to your heart's content. Believe me, this is eye candy galore. See you there!!

In honour of this whacky mad fun, I've made a brooch to give away to one player who has left a comment on this post. I'll be drawing from a hat (a mad hatter's hat) next Saturday. The brooch is painted on to primed canvas and edged in crochet cotton. I'll be attaching the clasp at the back, but for this photo I've only the front shot for you.

My tea party this year is all about the mushroom. I'm baking a mushroom quiche with special mushrooms from the fairy forest. And I'll be putting the tea on shortly so if you want to just come on over, it'll be ready for you when you arrive. The table is set with white table linens and shined up old silver. Fine bone china has been cleaned to look like new. I know you will enjoy your quiche made of these...

Thanks for dropping in everyone! See you again soon, I hope, *smiles* Norma

Bird coming along...and (WOYWW164)

On my desk today is watercolor, watercolor, and more watercolor. And flowers when I can get them. Today are some funny looking daisies. I've never seen these before; their petals are curled like crazy. They are awesome.

Here, my Alaska Peep is coming along. I am learning to paint with watercolor. This is the first attempt with this bird. I'm discovering paint strokes and how this paper takes watercolor.

When I'm finished this painting, I'm going to turn right around and paint it again, using the strokes I'm learning (or trying to learn). See that egg. I made it years ago in papier mache. Recently I found the mold and am thinking that I should make a new batch of eggs. This one is keeping bird company while it waits for its' feet to be put on.

Thanks for dropping in today. To see more wonderful desks from a great group of folk who play along with the one and only Julia on her blog 'Stamping Ground' just click her name. See you soon I hope. *smiles* Norma

An Alaskan Peep

My heart soars to learn that there are birds in this world called 'peeps' so I just had to draw one of them. I've started on 'Rufous-Necked Stint' who is in summer attire.

This is the preliminary sketch that I will draw upon for the finished painting. Now I'm starting to put down color.

I'd wanted to join in on the Tag Tuesday fun as this week the theme was water birds, but I fear I may not complete this bird in time for a post there. We shall see. Here's a closer view. I've given it a very black beak indeed.

Well, time to get back to the drawing board. I've not seen you for awhile so just wanted to pop in to say hello to everyone. Hope everything is good with you. *smiles* Norma

Welcome to My Studio

Every studio needs a fern I say (or at least something green and growing.) Here's mine:

Welcome to my studio, as I participate in the "Where Bloggers Create 2012." I've not been paying close attention so just grabbed this event by the coattails. No time to clean. What you see is what you get. Here's my storage system for the important stuff: ironed and ready to go used tea bag paper, Chinese joss paper, Japanese origami paper and all of the bits and pieces that would otherwise get lost. They're all in the drawers. Used, thrown out, rusted, mismatched metal index card file drawers rock my world. The 'crew' which I won at auction watch me from their high perch as I work.

Two gal pals hang out on the drawer handles. These flat paper dolls are among my favorites. One is made by me (*holding my hand over my mouth*).

The most important corner of my studio is the place where work gets done in my head before I put hand to anything. It is where my soul gets nourished, my jets get fired up, and where my muse is invited to play. It's where I meditate. I have the lanterns' tea lights going pretty much always.

A tier of acrylic paint bottles. They are all used. I get bags of these from the one, the only, Value Village! These come in handy when I need just a dab on something and don't want to take the time to custom mix color as I normally do. My steadfast supply of paint comes from 125ml glass jars of artist's acrylic from KROMA. I couldn't live without these.

My calligraphy station. A glass table where I set up a fluorescent lamp underneath close to the table top surface and directed to where I am working. The best light table I've ever had. I also use this table for dining. On top is a triptych by one of my favourite artists, and a friend, Kim Henkel.

Now we come to the main activity area where most of the work gets done. It's a library table that stands in the middle of the room and where I stand to work. Pencils and brushes all get used...eventually.

I've started a drawing but this poor fellow has been soooooo neglected. He's patient though thank goodness. He knows I'll get back to him one of these days.

So there you have it. Thanks for dropping by. Be sure to click the link above for the 'Where Bloggers Create 2012' event to view studios from all over the world. Are we having fun yet? *big smiles and best wishes to you all* Norma

When the Dust Settles...[drawing challenge]

I knew immediately that I'd be headed for the acrylic paint drawer which is in my desk, and pulling out the "yellow iron oxide" jar first, followed close upon by "iridescent gold" and placing "iron violet" at the ready...when I read that our theme this week for the drawing challenge would be finger painting. Carole, our host for this one chose such a gloriously freeing exercise that I couldn't wait one second to get started. For some time now my head has been swimming with painting ideas done on used tea bag paper with acrylics using palette knives solely. I see organic shapes swimming by in my mind's eye and am just itching to get around to them. Well thanks to Carole, I have. Okay so I started with the finger painting. I'd dipped my finger right into the jar to capture blobs of saturated color, and applied the paint. Yellow first, then gold. But I just could not help myself. I had to use the palette knife and so I dipped that into "pearlescent white" and drew lines with the knife. Then did the same with gold. Then I stopped. I knew the painting was finished. But that I needed to encircle a few blob shapes with hand stitched gold metallic thread. I did that...and so here is the painting entitled "WHEN THE DUST SETTLES YOU'LL SEE THE GOLD"

For a few weeks now the song "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young has been weaving its magic through my thoughts. I hear the lyrics:

'It's these expressions I never give That keeps me searching for a heart of gold And I'm getting old.'

And this has been the inspiration for this painting. The organic shapes have a cycle. They come up from below, ripen, age, pop, float, and sink back to below. Throughout this whole cycle there is gold in various forms. Just like life. Thanks for dropping in. I'll see you soon I hope! *smiles* Norma

Have a look at the delicious variety offered here in the drawing challenge. To see work for this week's theme of 'finger painting' click on to Carole which I've linked above. You'll have fun here. I've posted a day ahead of time this week so drop in to see the others' work during the weekend. Ciao!

BURIED TREASURE

Welcome to Buried Treasure: an online, collaborative project that invites art bloggers to go into the depths of their blogs and dig for buried treasure. Each participant was asked to repost one (or more) or their favorite posts from their own blog. There are so many brilliant artists out there but so little time to explore all their work fully. This gives us all an opportunity to see highlights from posts we may have missed from so many of our favorite bloggers!

When I go back in time to view my body of work I cringe a little...but we all get better as we go along right? In the end, I decided to re-post this for the 'Buried Treasure' blog hop created by the one and only Seth.

BE PROTECTED OF THE GODS We're nearing the end of one period of time and just about to enter a new period. I've been thinking of beginnings and how a different or 'new' attitude to a same thing, a thing known, can transform it into a new thing, a thing unknown. Like a new period of time, or a new life in fact.

This post inspired me very much this day and so I found myself digging out an egg I'd made years ago from papier mache (I made the mold from plaster of paris from a hand sculpted egg shape) and painted with a coating of gesso and then splattered with a toothbrush with acrylics in lilac, pale and dark brown and a whisper of grey. I'd applied lettering in a phrase in french which I've long forgotten the meaning of and so when I went to google for translation it gave me this: "Be protected of the Gods." So I'm going with that.


May all of you have a pretty fantastic New Years' celebration however you do it. Be safe. Be loved. See you in the new year!

Thanks for dropping by today; to see many more re-posts for this wonderful event, click on to Seth where he is highlighted above and you'll go to the list of linked artists participating.

See you soon I hope, *smiles* Norma

Teahouse Treehouse

Drawing Challenge: tree house This week our host is the fabulous Rachel who chose this wonderful theme. My offering is a paper cutting using Japanese hand made paper and origami paper, and Chinese joss paper in a silvered gold leaf. These are cut and mounted on to used tea bag paper. My glue stick is a gooey mess due to years of laying unused. So I could only tack it in places:

I'm planning a tea party later and you are welcome to come join in the fun. We'll be serving tea and perfectly aged fruitcake and freshly made sugared plums. Then we're going to tell each other's fortunes and tell ghost stories. We might have to talk a bit louder than usual though because 'Wolfsong' is communing with nature again.

Thanks for dropping by and we'll see you at the tea party I hope. See you soon! *smiles* Norma