Raven

This is my entry for this week's Take a Word challenge "Raven". A bit inspired by the great "Poe" poem  and my own personal attraction to this bird of mystery and symbolism, this insightful image (Dover Books) and her familiar share quiet thoughts and a  foretelling.  Although Ravens are totally black I painted this bird with a touch of whimsy to correspond with  the woman and show their connection of spirit.Other imagery from Finecrafted designs ,Veronica at Scrapbookgraphics and Downunder Studios.

Big Year

This is my third entry for my own 'calendar' challenge  (Book of Days) entitled The Big Year which is really an amazing event that quite a few people try to accomplish.  If you haven't read the book or seen the movie (by the same name) try and do so. The goal is to try and spot , photograph and document as many bird species that you can in one year's time.  Not an easy thing to do based on the fact that birds migrate and are often rarely seen when or where they are supposed to be! It takes money, time and patience and of course a love of birds of all kinds.  Imagery used in this digital piece are from Dover books, DCWV artist papers and Rosie Posie at Scrapbookgraphics.

Flower Power

This is my entry for The Three Muses challenge  "Word Art"- to create a piece inspired by a quote, poem or word.. I found this wonderful quote from Luther Burbank (1849-1926) a well known Botanist from my neck of the woods in Santa Rosa California where he set up a 40 acre science garden to produce new strains and varieties of fruits flowers and vegetables. A true horticultural pioneer for his time. Imagery for this digital journal style piece is from DCWV quote stacks, K and Company artist papers and digital painting in PSE.

Beautiful Blue

Beautiful blue
we hear your sighs...
we feel your bones shift from bearing our weight
we see your rhythms change from our collective songs.

From your core we came,
through your oceans we live
to your soil we return.
Beautiful blue.

It is once again Earth Day and as always a time to cherish our swirling home and vow to do better with her care. Not just this day but hopefully every day.  There is so much to be said about our impact on the planet and I feel that good strides are being made; not only through education and awareness but through actual change and implementation of programs worldwide.  We still have along way to go however.  It is mind boggling how recuperative this planet is,  and I would like to keep this Earth Day in a positive light; taking the lessons learned from nature at how it adapts, recovers and renews.  Earth's own energy is at times very violent and destructive (not always our doing) and reminds us that we live  in a delicate balance; not to take things for granted.
  I hope everyone today has a chance to get "back to the garden"  to connect, renew and plant the seeds for the future.

Of Heaven and Earth

Earth Day is approaching and this is the first of several pieces that I have made in honor of the day. The wonderful Victoria at Enchanting the Invisible has asked us to share our earth inspired art. Please stop by her site to see all of the beautiful entries.  This was made with my own blended background, photos of earth (Google) and imagery from Dover books all painted in PSE.

Release

Albert Einstein said "Time is an illusion".  After I made this piece and was coming up with a title ( sometimes the hardest part ) I realized that the figure could either be releasing time or trying to capture it. I like the idea of releasing time rather than trying to hold on, capture or contain it. The harder you try to capture time the more it slips away and the less of it you have. If we release time and are not aware of it  we find ourselves more deeply involved  with the present moment ; as all sages agree- the only time to be concerned with.
This is my entry for this week's Take A Word challenge.  Imagery credits go to Dover books, Rosie Posey and Bo Bunny art papers.

Foliate

Tiny seed
hidden underside.
The earthen floor awaits
your primordial story.

My wandering tread
stirs your memory.
Mother frond scatters
the forest floor with
echoes of the past,
songs of the present
a blueprint of the future.

Breathe your tale again
rich with foliate prose,
I am here for the telling......

This is my entry for the Inspiration Avenue challenge "Foliage".

The Adventurist

This is my Steampunk entry for The Three Muses challenge this week. I always have a bit of a challenge with this theme but I keep trying!  Vintage imagery from ArtChix Studio along with image details from Deviant Scrap and Scrapbookgraphics all blended and recolored in PSE.

Bramblewood

Warm Easter greetings for this upcoming Sunday to all!

Imagery credits for this vintage digital card go to Magic Moonlight images, googled botanica, imagery from Finecrafted designs and Holliewood at deviant Scrap.   Keep your eyes open for  the magic!!

Anima

This is my first entry for the Inspiration Avenue challenge site where the theme is Frida Kahlo. I decided to recreate her wonderous portrait in a sort of "Frida" setting complete with monkey, antlers and some of her  own journal words. Her "Anima" or inner spirit was often depicted in her paintings with organic imagery from nature; some very beautiful and other imagery was often strangling or entwined lending to her thoughts of being trapped or in pain or despair. Truly an artist who spoke with her brush; the good the bad and the ugly.  Imagery credits go to PaperWhimsy, Veronica Spriggs and Holliewood and Finecrafted designs at Deviant Scrap.

April Showers

This is my "journal" style entry for the Three Muses challenge this week- the theme is Umbrella.  Definately haven't put mine away for the year yet! A lot of rain lately here in California but hey with it comes the flowers and green hills! Imagery credits go to Paper Whimsy, Google, Finecrafted Designs and Holliewood (Deviant scrap) all blended and painted in PSE.  Just click on the picture for more detail.

Happy Spring and  celebrations on Passover and Easter to all!

April Days

This is my entry for the TAW challenge this week.  The theme in keeping with all of this Spring Fever lately is "All about the Eggs". This is also my second entry for my own Book of Days calendar art. The dancer is from Graphics Fairy, eggs from Dover and all other imagery from google images all blended and artistic filters added in Photoshop elements.