Venetian Arch Postcard

This is my entry for the Gothic Arches challenge this week where the theme is "Correspondence".

Schools of Thought

Phrenology. Hum... I definately had to look this up. This subject being the theme for this week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge ; I had no idea what it was- so learning something new was great! Phrenology is a belief that personality traits of a person can be derived from the shape of the skull. Considered a fringe or pseudo-science, believers contend that the mind has a set of different mental faculties, with each particular faculty represented in a different area of the brain (hence the numbering) . My digital collage postcard is blended with antique map images and human figure (flickr -free) with added artistic filters in Photoshop.

Fire and Ice - Imbolc

This is my entry for the 4x4 Friday Challenge which focuses on the midwinter sabbat of Imbolc. This is a time of turning ; the season turning from ice to the slow warming of the sun- renewing life and new growth. My image (Dover) represents Brigid dreaming of the returning sun while signs of winter (ice crystals) are still present.

The Journey

This is my entry for The Three Muses Challenge this week (Quotes and Quips) which required that we create art around one of our favorite quotes. I am not sure who originally coined the phrase "It is not the destination but the journey" and it has been rephrased in numerous ways- but I like what it says. Isn't it truly what we learn and experience along our path (metaphorically and real) that really matters. If and when we do reach our "destination" we are bigger and better than when we set out-having grown from the experience.
I created this piece using a personal photo I took (from a road trip 30 years ago to the Grand Canyon) symbolizing someone young , inexperienced and with an open road ahead. Looking back I remember wondering where the Canyon was; (as it was we fell into it at the end of this road) and we had in fact been "there" the whole time. Good times.

Games People Play

This is my entry for the Mixed Media Monday Challenge " Games People Play" theme. This is a digital collage using a rubber stamp image (Lost Coast Designs) game board background, chess and domino images (personal photos cropped , colored and layered). Artistic brushes in Photoshop.

Weathered Beauty

This is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge where the theme is "Time". This digital collage represents age worn beauty in art and architecture that actually captures a (timeless) sense of beauty and story. Generations past and present relate to the visual impact of a piece transcending the years of weathering. Through time art becomes "relevant" for the observer.

A Day With the Gulls

When I saw the theme for this week's 4x4 Friday (A Boy and a Bird) I right away thought of a photo I had taken of my son who was 2 at the time and some seagulls and how he was fascinated by them. I overlayed the photo after cropping onto a background (artist papers - Christine Adolph) and added fresco and paint daubs filters. A sort of digital scrapbooking.

If I Could Fly

If I could fly...

I would leave this broken body behind

I would soar where boredom would not find me.

I would follow my muse and paint only with colors of sea and sky

wind and rain.

I would let my heart rise and let my mind fall, my thoughts tucked neatly away in the clouds

If I could fly...

This is my entry for the Mixed Media Monday challenge where the theme is "wings". Digital composition in black and white, dictionary clipping, Frida image Flicker free and Dover Tattoo and wing images. Artistic filters in Photoshop.

Primal Sight

This is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge where the theme this week is "Eyes". I wanted to create a primal or feral look to this image ; a blending of human and botanica. I used a fashion clipping, scanned flowers, feathers, raffia and artist papers for the effect. Multiple layers of artistic filters in Photoshop.

Amore

A little digital fun for the Theme Thursday Challenge "Hearts". Artist papers from Stampington

(Deandra Berry , Susan Lugg, Christine Adolf) blended and layered in Photoshop.

Elemental

Water. An element of life that possesses the ability to carve out rock, move mountains, generate energy and create storms; can at the same time be a source of renewal, sustainability, rhythm and flow. We can learn from the nature of water. "Go with the flow"- that's my phrase for this year. Flowing water always follows the path of least resistance finding its way back home to the sea. It is always moving, bending, curving as it needs; to accomplish its goal. I like that principle- why resist when you can go around or over or under. Being an earth sign (Capricorn)

that's not easy for me but I will let the element of water be my guide for a while.

This is my digital entry for the Three Muses Challenge this week (Water). I used a personal photo of a waterfall from a Yosemite trip a few years back, zoomed in to create the background and multiplied the layer for depth. Mermaid is from Dover (Rackham) and from her scales I made some rock-like elements . Gradient filters added in Photoshop.

Secret Garden Window

This is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge where the theme is "windows". This is a digital postcard I made from a scanned photo I took of a stained glass window that we built into our home in Mill Valley many years ago. When we sold the house the window stayed of course but I have always missed it. It was a vintage window from England- we could barely afford it but it was very special with a lot of clear light and beautiful panels. The image is from Dover and I wanted to create a little mystery -looking from the outside in.

Damask Rose

This is my digital entry for the 4x4Friday challenge where the theme is "scent". Rose is one of my favorites! Personal photo, Dover image (Waterhouse), rose patterned tissue paper all layered in photoshop.

Angels In the Architecture

This is my entry for The Three Muses challenge this week where the theme is "Angels". This is a digital collage made from a photo of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco that I took last year (this photo serves as the background element); over layed with a rubber stamped image of an angel. I erased out the white background from the stamped image leaving a hint of her form and layered her over the photo reducing opacity. Several layers of gradient filters were added.
A real dream vacation for me would be to travel through Europe and visit and photograph the amazing cathedrals and look for all of the hidden (and not so hidden) angels and symbols built into the architecture.

Celebrate 2010

I got carried away with the theme for this week's Sunday Postcard Art Challenge (Top Hats and Tails) and made two 4x6 digital postcards - as I figured the fancy dressed Gentleman must have a lovely Lady to accompany him to the celebration! I used Dover images, artist papers (Christine Adolph) and personal photos (champagne flute and bottle) to add to the gaiety! Layers of artistic filters added in Photoshop. I wanted to re-create the look of Art Nouveau posters of the early '20's.

Blue Moon Dreaming

This is my entry for the 4x4 Friday challenge where the theme is 'Renewal, Blue Moons and Dreams'. This is a digital 4x4 made from a paperdoll that I made, background artist paper from K&Company, rubber stamped blue moon image, digitially made balloon images and artistic filters in Photoshop. (Not to mention a little creative wackiness from last night's Blue Moon! )I wanted to start off the New Year with a little fun, color and fantasy (on this very gray and drizzly day!). Wishes for a prosperous, creative and healthy New Year to all !