Holiday card for 2014

I'm posting my finished art for this year's holiday season early.  I went back to watercolor for this one - and left plenty of room at the top and bottom for text to be added later.

Another New One...

This is my cat, Honey Bee, sleeping away on MY sweater.  I was able to get an excellent photo to work from; and once again, this is acrylic - iridescent acrylic - and sparkle acrylic. 

New Acrylic

This painting is just a small one - "Flight".  Going for the action concept.  The iridescent paint is mostly in the areas that look white in the photo - the motion brush strokes.

New acrylic

More of the work with regular acrylic, interference acrylic and glitter.  Unfortunately, this type of work is very difficult to photograph.  This is about the best I'm going to get. 

"NewNouveau"















The inspiration for this is the Art Nouveau period.  I've always liked that style.  (example:  Alphonse Mucha)  The Mucha example is one of his more subdued paintings; and I prefer more brilliant colors.

New project

This one will take a bit of explaining.  There is a group in Seattle, WA that publishes a newspaper called "Real Change".  http://www.realchangenews.org/ 
The focus of the paper is issues related to the homeless.  The paper is printed and sold to homeless people for about $.60 which they can resell on the street for $2.00 - as a way for them to earn some income.  To raise awareness for the paper and homelessness in general, there is a traveling portrait show  being displayed around the Seattle area.  I thought it was a great idea and wanted to be involved.  The portraits are of the various homeless vendors; and my contribution is a watercolor of a gentleman called Richard. 

Yeah, finished!

Finally, the last of the flower paintings.  Remind me to never take on an extended project.  Toward the end I was getting really tired of this.  So, the plan was to frame these together in two panels; and use the digital images as separate cards.
Ursinia - Viola - Wisteria - Xeranthermum - Yucca - Zinnia

More flower paintings

I haven't forgotten about the flower series I've been working on 'forever'.  Here is another batch - and - I have the last six in progress.

Orchid - Pansy - Quisqualis - Rose - Symphyandra - Trillium

What a great idea!

I've received my gift from my Global Art Project partner.  She sent a wonderful recipe for "World Peace Cookies" and a slideshow of her art group friends enjoying them as well.  Baking IS an art form, as well as putting together a PowerPoint show for me to "meet" her artist friends.  The cookies are "to die for" - yum. 

I took a large batch to share with my art league group - and gave them a short talk about the project. 

Global Art Project 2014

I've mentioned that I take part in the Global Art Project (for peace) that takes place every two years.  This is my seventh year, I believe.  This year my partner is a lady in Australia. 

I am using the acrylic techniques that I've been working on lately.  I should also explain that there are two parts to this work.  The first is the plain canvas.  The second part is a small clear plastic "puzzle piece" that can be put in place - and then removed again.  Sort of an interactive idea. 
Without the puzzle piece.



And with the puzzle piece in place.

"First Bloom" - watercolor

I mentioned I was working on a watercolor version of this compared to the acrylic version I posted last.  Here 'tis:

More acrylic work

Here's the latest:  "First Bloom"
This is in the same acrylic style used for the last three underwater scenes - and using specialty paints.  I'm also working on a watercolor version - to be posted later.

And...third undersea acrylic

I think this will be the last underwater acrylic.  I am moving on to different subject matter.

New acrylic

Not much to say here, except that I am really enjoying this experimental work I am doing with the iridescent and interference pigments - and added clear glitter.
Oh yes, I should mention that last weekend I attended a demo of Golden (brand) acrylics at a local art supply store.  I've always been a fan of their products; but the demo was very informative about their newer things.  Gives a person lots of ideas!
Newest acrylic:

February 2014 already!

I realize I've been away for a while; however, I DO have a lot to add at this point.  Continuing the flower paintings...

 Gladiola

Hyacinth

 Iris

 Jasmine

 Kalimeris

 Lobelia

 Mimosa

 Narcissus









I've also started to experiment with acrylics again.  I've been away from them for a while - and when I was working with them before, it was with airbrush.  In this project, I am trying for depth and brilliant color using regular acrylics, the newer iridescent acrylics and believe it or not, glitter.  Oh, and many layers of clear gloss medium.  I have plans on doing at least a few of these.

It's difficult to see the glitter in a photograph, but you can see it in the dark areas of the top right.