Gypsy Flower

This is my entry for the Take a Word challenge this week where the theme is "Vintage". I created the above collage from my collection of vintage images (this one from Magic Moonlight) overlayed onto a digital fabric background (from scrapbookgraphics). I added botanical imagery and script and then printed the collage from Photoshop out onto organza fabric (fabric-backed printer sheets from Jacquard). This gave me inspiration for a new Journal which I have entitled "Pilgrimage". I hope to fill its pages with other collage and mixed paper and fabric ephemera all using vintage photography as a base for story and inspiration. The journal I found a few years ago at Cost Plus and I gave it a bit of a tea-stained wash and then added leather, dried flowers, beads and silver embellishments.

Freya's Return

In Fall Freya left us
travelling southward.
Now she returns again,
bringing soft words.

Out of her golden hair
spring flowers fall
tumbling like melodies,
sounding the call.
------Scandinavian song

After a couple of beautiful sunny days here I am beginning to feel the whispers of Spring emerging. This is that turning point in mid-winter when we are getting a little tired of the dark, the cold, the gray. This is when we need to listen and look for small signs of the muse awakening. If you stay open to the sights and sounds around you ; you will find her. Follow her when you do!

Quiescent

In continuing in the botanical mode I played around last night with a beautiful vintage image here from E-vint.com and overlayed some personal floral photos to create this collage. Reducing the opacity and blending the imagery added a lot of depth and a painterly texture to the original photo.

Flora and Fauna

This is my entry for the Take A Word challenge this week where the theme is "Botanical". I created the background to this piece from vintage botanical clippings and text from the Hortus Eystettensis. I cropped, colored and layered flower faeries and frog from a beautiful new set of artist papers from Graphics 45 to create a fun enchanted garden setting. Soft and pin light filters were added in Photoshop.

Inner Landscape

The theme at The Three Muses this week (Artist Of Choice) is a theme I could go on all year for inspiration - my list is endless! But time after time I come back to Frida Kahlo; her story expressed through her art encompassing both the beauty and darkness of her days. As a (woman) artist she broke through barriers largely dominated by men and was not afraid to tell her story through often shocking and somewhat morbid themes- but she did so with honesty and heart. I admire her ability to show the darker side (something I need to work on in my art) without fear of criticism or rejection. I also find it fascinating that a large amount of her paintings are self portraits- perhaps her searching the inner landscape for both her beauty and shortcomings. Truly an eye-opening artist. This piece is a collage of images from (google, Holliewood at deviant art and Frida's journal clippings.

Ode To Spring

We have had a couple of lovely sunny days here and I found myself longing for Spring! This is my entry for the Take A Word challenge this week where the theme is "Butterflies". I used a lovely image from Dover and altered her with the Fresco filter for a painterly look. I digitally colored her eyes, florals and skin tones. Butterflies are from Holliewood at Deviantart.

Birds Of A Feather

This is my entry for the Three Muses challenge this week "Nature's Creatures". I created the digital background out of several layers of blended artist papers (Mara Johnson- Creative imaginations) and imagery from Holliewood at deviantartscraps. Soft light filters and digital painting in Photoshop. Too fun!

Beauty

The Beauty
you craved in
things was
always my
face seen
through a veil.

Turn Around.

See now where
Beauty comes
from.
....Rumi



A powerful word Beauty. Its definition is of course different for everyone. Artists share their visions. Nature stuns us. A kind word or gesture completes us. It's all in how we perceive Beauty that matters and gives the word its meaning. Beauty likes to hide and we need to seek it out. All of our senses detect beauty and are often left abandoned in its wake. As they say ,try to find a little beauty each day- that's my goal for this year.
This is my entry for the Take A Word Challenge this week. Imagery credits go to Dover, Holliewood at Deviantart scraps, assorted artist papers.

Imaginarium

Yesterday I celebrated my 56th birthday! It was a beautiful clear day and I got to spend it creating some art, taking a walk with the dog and a lovely dinner out with Hubby in the evening. A perfect day. I treated myself to a new digital kit from Finecrafted at the Deviantart Store and made this digital collage. Quite a watery wonderland for a Capricorn (earth sign) but had fun with the new imagery.

The Zetti Garden

I wanted to start off the New Year in full color and fantasy ( despite the dreadful winter weather we are having of late). Stuck inside all day but had fun with this "Zetti" piece for the upcoming Take A Word Challenge. Zetti style is always a challenge for me but I do enjoy it and try to let go a bit. One of the many things that I would like to try to do more of this year is to really branch out into some new directions in digital art and revisit some old (sewing and journal work) art room projects as well. The artroom projects take longer but are satisfying in a very tactile way and I like getting my hands messy a bit!

The imagery credits for this piece go to Dover books, graphic 45 art papers and Holliewood at deviant art . Artistic filters and digital painting in Photoshop.