Good Day Sunshine

Here is the sunshine of my mind.  It lights up all those strange little botanical imaginings that grow and crop up in my sketches and gives them the nutrients of fruition from concept to completion.  It, naturally, is a microscopic sun and changes colors at will, a very fickle sun, but consistent in its sunshine.  Sometimes I get art-burn, but there is no permanent damage.  She exists as pictured in my sketchbook, but tomorrow's sun will surely be different and surprising.

A Very Merry Microsopic Berry Spore

I am obsessed with all things microscopic and the idea that we live on a dust speck, think "Horton Hears a Who", has fascinated me since forever.  This teeny little organism is a berry spore, looking for a place in life to call her own blueberry, strawberry, or cranberry plant.  A berry spore within the plant will ensure that you are getting the very best-flavored berry, with pride.  She aims to please and stain all light-colored clothes (not intentional).  Most spores are happy-go-lucky, which is good, sour-puss spores make for very sour tasting berries.

An Elephant Water Sprite

Here's a rare glimpse into the world of the Elephant-styled water sprite.  This one lives within a waterfall and likes to mimic the body of water in which it lives.  This water sprite protects the underwater plantlife and aquatic creatures that live within the waterfall and the lagoon in which the waterfall splashes into.  On occasion, the water sprite will come across a human encountering it's domain.  If you cause any harm to it's domain, it will haunt the intruder until the danger retreats.  If you visit with no harmful intentions, you will benefit greatly from this encounter, sometimes healed of your afflictions as a form of thanksgiving from the sprite, which in reality is an angel, guardian of nature of its choice, some choose, forests, trees, gardens, etc..  They have been known to take up residence in cities and churches or church meditation gardens (they like the statues).  They are invisible unless they choose to show themselves to you, in your imagination, like the one above.

A Botanical Showgirl

Here's a spectacular Showgirl, in full bloom.  This is special blossom that coincides with a collection of several small plants cooperating to create this particular spectacle.  It is extraordinary because many species of small, even unknown plants will pull their resources to create a cascade of multiple blooms that will give you a show, so to speak.  No two Showgirls will ever be alike due to the plants combined that create the blossom.  Some Showgirls have been known to include trees and shrubs and even small animals, insects or birds  join the cooperative efforts given the benefits of strength in numbers and a shared base of nutrients for all involved.  They live right under our noses, parading about Showgirl style, usually in floral arrangements.  This particular Showgirl was spotted in the wild and recorded in my sketchbook.

   

Crown Jewels: A Rare Botanical Delight

This little gem is called  the Crown Jewels, it is also a microscopic organism that is nomadic in nature.  The Crown Jewels sort of migrate and take in the sights of the most beautiful blossoms and specimens of the plant kingdom, they might be small, but Crown Jewels are magnificent little creatures and considered royalty within the nano-culture.  They thrive best in botanical gardens, where other rare and beautiful specimens live together and treated like the treasures they are.  Crown Jewels are like visiting celebrities and live like rock stars, all are different, they pick up traits from the plants and gardens they live and migrate among.  No two Crown Jewels are alike and migratory patterns vary from individual to individual Crown Jewel. Their choice of travel is dependent of a variety hosts, such as gardeners, care-givers, birds, worms, etc.. They will piggy-back just about any viable transportation to their next destination, where they will be warmly invited to the next plant with a celebration of blooms upon their arrival, like I said, rock stars!

Elephant Tree Grove

Here's a strange and rare glimpse of the Elephant Tree  in a grove.  In reality, they are tiny, so the name Elephant Tree applies only because the second trunk that resembles that of an elephant's.  Otherwise, they are microscopic and are both a type of fungi and animal.  To observe these microorganisms is quite miraculous, if not impossible.  They are extremely loving in their family group, or rather, groves.  An Elephant Tree grove is self-sufficient and finds a spot in either a garden or an individual potted plant, like and orchid, African violet, and sometimes shamrocks.  They are attracted by strange and beautiful plants and will travel and live as nomads until they find a spot that will foster their grove where they will grow groovy colonies and assist the mother plant or their home of choice with the nutrients that only an microscopic and elegant Elephant Tree can provide to the host of their chosen grove.  The host, or mother plant will be abundant in blooms and growth as a result of the nutrients.  They are considered good luck, trunks-up or trunks-down, they are exceptional creatures.  This rare specimen exists as a painting in my sketchbook.

A Sea-Flower Family

This seaplant exists in the reef of my mind, none-the-less, it is a fascinating species, like coral and other animals parading around as plantlife in the sea, it is stationary.  The mother-plant is like the queen bee, the colony grows around her, and all the sea-blooms are her children and they share the nutrients as they are all connected.

More Botanical Delights

Here's a new little sketch, a little imaginary botanical drawing.  This is a underwater seaweed blossom from an imagined reef, of course.

Looking for Love…

Now that I have your attention AND got a song stuck in your head, I’d like to introduce you to the 3rd installment of Christmas Cheer.  This is a textural painting with the addition of crackle medium and fine, black mica flake medium, and thick string gel.  This is titled “Awaiting Love”, picturing a silly, love-sick albino peacock looking for the love that will fill his life in his future and waiting to give his love in return.  This painting went to my brother, Jack(ie) and his wife, Joanna.  They are still considered newlyweds, so I figured this painting would still apply.

a bit more of cheer…

This is an experimental painting that was given to my sister, Andrea.  It involves several layers starting with fabric being the base, then a 3D piece of art with yarn I created, and finally, alternating layers of paint and medium gloss and matte finishes used according to my whim.  It’s a friendly little bitty, full of vim and vigor, more spirit than matter….light-hearted, just like Andrea!

a little Christmas Cheer…

This is the detail of a painting given to my parents for Christmas.  I kept my color palette minimal, which is challenging (for me).  It is titled “Lurking Garden Angel”.  Every garden has it’s angels AND dragons, at least that is what I choose to believe!  This is a better look at a previously posted painting originally named a garden sprite, and later decided it is better suited as a garden angel.  This made sense because the background is golden and the painting in general has an angelic quality.  And, it was a Christmas present!

Garden of Love, Where LOVE is blind

Not only dragons in these family gardens!  Here are some big-headed love birds, they need the protection of the Garden Dragons, especially when in love...they are less able to see danger in the "love" state of mind...  There is a Love Dragon hiding in here somewhere, but did not wish to be included in this image.  I'll get the Love Dragon's portrait soon, they can be elusive and so shy sometimes!  This image was one of my attempts at adobe illustrator,  I enjoy using technology, but my first love is with traditional materials.  My training as an artist took place in the 80's, we used traditional art materials back then!!!   I do have my eye on some new technology, the Cintiq series, but it is costly.  It is on my wishlist:) These Love Birds could care less how their image came to be, love is blind.

Remember My Family Tree?

This is the original color sketch of the painting 'The Family Tree'.  Ripe fruits for the picking!  No worries when you have the Garden-Variety Dragons protecting us! 

Garden-Variety Dragon

This garden dragon, land variety, allowed me to paint her portrait! (I'll post later) This land species are like chameleons, they change their colors to suit their surroundings and their moods!  She's picky, like most of them.  I was pleasantly surprised when she asked about painting her portrait also!  This one's been roaming the land for centuries.  The older garden dragons will grow a single horn or antlers to add to their defenses.  Most garden-variety dragons are born with the ability to produce flames with laser-like precision, even under water.

 

A Water Dragon!

These dragons are generally sweet-natured. The underwater gardens they guard and dwell in are simply divine.  The flowers include some of the most bizarre blooms you  will ever set your eyes upon.  This particular Water Garden Dragon lives in the Chesapeake Bay.  And, in addition to protecting the beautiful blossoms in her garden, she fiercely guards the delectable blue crab eggs.  She ensures that their nests are undisturbed.  This is a special variety of the garden dragons, they have developed a  partnership with the female crabs to protect the babies. (more on these sweeties later) 

Dragon in Flight

This pretty in pink dragon insisted her portrait be depicted 'in flight'.  This makes sense because the gardens she protects are mysteriously shrouded in the skies, they are cloud gardens.  Few people ever get to spot one of these shrouded beauties or the gardens they defend, but if you do happen to see one, consider yourself blessed.  They are deviously clever and prefer to go unnoticed, I was lucky she let me sketch her.  I really have to get in this Sky Garden Dragon's good graces to actually paint her AND her gardens. (fingers crossed)

Here Be Dragons

I love to sketch dragons.  My dragons aren't exactly the fearsome kind, they are mostly the gentle garden-variety dragons.  They guard treasures, and they are mythical like their predecessors. The treasures they guard are the treasures and mystical gardens of the mind.  Dragons of the garden-variety are picky.  When I paint or draw one of the garden dragons I know, it better be just so....or it might just go up in flames...

WINNIE! 

For those of you who have visited, you have met Winnie!  She is our snarky little yorkie-poo(dle).  Winnie is more poo, than yorkie.  Her coat is champagne, or cream in coloration and her ears fold down like that of a poodle rather than point upwards like a yorkie.  She is spunky and demanding.  Winnie likes to be a part of everything.  And so it would be natural to include her in my portfolio:)  This is a painting for my husband, Larry.  His birthday is fast approaching...and he is always asking me to paint our pup, Winnie!  Due to health-related issues, we were not blessed with children, however, we have been blessed with the company of Winnie.  And believe me when I tell you, she is in every way, a part of the family.  She is the inspiration for many of my onerous and mischievous characters I paint and draw.  We love her dearly, and she deserves a painting.  Here is the pre-painting sketch.  I'll post the painting when complete.  

Cutie-Pie

I really can not wait to start on this little cutie-pie.  I think I am moving her near the top of the list!!!  The thing I love about sketches is the energy, it's so frustrating to work on a painting and somehow leave the energy of the original sketch behind.  I will make sure not to allow that to happen with this sketch-to-painting transformation!

A New Submergency?

Just like an artist, we are never happy are we?  But, there is always room to improve on a theme.  I've done it before and I will do so in the future.  There is nothing wrong with re-doing the a theme, isn't that what series are for?  I like it, this one has a sprite-like quality to it. Sketch, sketch, sketch...

New Ideas are in Bloom

More family tree paintings are in bloom, we will see how this turns out.  I like adding lots of patterning and line work.  I sometimes go a bit crazy with it, but it makes me HAPPY:)

Newest Additions

This is one of my latest sketches, where ideas are born into paintings. We will see what comes of this little ditty.  I like it, I think I will develop this one.

She Hoo Is

She Hoo Is, is an older painting.  I painted this about ten years ago.  She Hoo Is is one of the earlier version of an girl-faced owl that I would paint or draw again and again over the years.  She is always alone and in the trees, engaging the viewer, straight on.  There is little that gets past this one, she's always on the watch. Look out!

Flight of Fancy

This is a sketch from my current sketchbook.  You will see lots of fanciful and imagined fauna with my flora.  Birds fascinate the imagination, both realistically and symbolically.  Birds are one of those creatures can appear angelic and mechanical at the same time.  They are created with such precision, each feather has a purpose, every color, or movement has a meaning ( for another one of it's kind ) and their flight is masterful.  Humankind has been copying the bird for purposes of flight, mythology and religion has many uses for the symbol of the bird.  The bird is a valued, graceful, balanced, accomplished, practical and resourceful little critters.  I know this color sketch is partially complete, but I fully intend upon completing this scenario one day.  This little blue bird is at rest for now.

The Marsh Dragon of the Chesapeake ( a color sketch)

This is one of my husband's favorites.  He 'claims' that if he weren't so afraid of needles, this dragon would grace his body in the form of a tattoo.  He thinks I'm kinda kooky, because everything I draw has a story, or rather, a scenario and this little guy is no different.  Scenario:  This is a marsh dragon, they are small, like a squirrel.  Their flames have a magical quality.  Where ever they blow their flames, a new plant begins to grow in its ashes.  This only happens in marshes, otherwise there would be the problem of uncontrollable wildfires.  Marshes surround the Chesapeake Bay area where we live, I could of sworn I saw one of these little marsh dragons, they are quick and elusive and their services help in keeping the Bay healthy and full of blue crabs, because they like to eat them too;)

 Adventures in Making Mosaics

I made this last year around Easter.  So, not intending

to do so, I made an Easter Egg Tree.  Really, they are birds, not eggs.  Just birds, with really big faces and little stick legs.  This was a labor of love.  It was all trial and error that happened to turn out OK, kinda like life.  There are no traditional mosaic materials in this piece, which by the way, is titled "The Easter Egg Bird Tree".  The sky is made of hand-cut polymer clay tiles. The 'birds' are initially ink-jet prints of various paintings made by a technique too Involved even for me to describe.  And the tree is made with fabric paint on felt and candy foil covered in thick gel medium.  I ate a lot of chocolates in the making of this piece. The grout was black polymer, squished into and between the spaces, then heat-set with an hot air crafting tool that surprisingly worked! When it was all said and done, my mother instantly fell in love with it, and it hangs with pride in the home of my parents.  It is in good company, their home is essentially a gallery of items made by myself or my sister and various family members over the years.  How could I not give this labor of love to my mother, she labored in love to bring me into this world:) Thanks MOM!

A Garden Nymph:

Here is a recent painting of a garden nymph.  There are truly some flowers and blooms that exist in our world that are extraordinary and exquisite.  When I see something of that nature, I can't help but sense the soul of that creation.  Something of an aura surrounds that beauty, and this painting is my interpretation of that unearthly presence.  This is a poor reproduction of the original painting.  This is painted on super smooth sanded maple board, the background in painted in a satin finished antique gold and the image is light and dark variations of one color, a very, very light pale lemon yellow.  It has a three dimensional quality and is very tactile.  There is a shiny, thick medium placed over the pale lemon.  It is like a painting the blind could feel.  I really find it hard to restrict my use of color, but I was quite happy with the results of that self-imposed restriction.  I have had many compliments on this particular painting.  I will have to get a better image, and post later.  This is one of those paintings I find difficult to discuss in terms of content.  It is part visual poem and part prayer, it is like a tribute to William Blake.

 Sketch for Angel in Blue:

One of my favorite fairy tales is written by Hans Christian Anderson, Thumbelina.  This and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll have simply flooded my mind with images of imaginary gardens with flowers that exist in imagination alone.  It has been an endless wellspring of page after page in my sketchbooks, paintings,  and sculptures.  In this case, it is an angel in blue that emerges from a flower in a woodland garden space.  Angels have many duties, they are guardians, messengers, comforters, etc..  In this case, the angel in blue protects and guards this small garden, to ensure that it continues to blossom and bring beauty in a sometimes confusing and scary world.  She is a messenger of love through the fragile beauty of a simple blossom.   Sometimes, that's all we need to move forward.

Add caption

The end result of the The Angel in Blue:

I painted her on a smooth, sanded piece of: maple.  Angels are in prayer, always.  Prayer is not only words, they are any form of communication.  I have painted a lot of prayers over the years.                                 

 

Color Sketch for Desert Bloom

I love sharpies, more recently, I've been using Copic markers, but I still secretly desire the simplicity of the sharpie marker.  They are cheap, accessible and permanent, how can you go wrong?  In this sketch, I made her in a wooded setting, and she is more or less a wood nymph petrified, encased in wood.  But NOT a coffin, God forbid!  She's still alive, just a little afraid to move at the moment.  Think of it like a cocoon, she will emerge a beautiful version, a mere shadow of her former self.  She will be glorious and transformed!

Desert Night Bloom or Dark Night of the Soul?  This is from my current sketchbook.  I sometimes don't process art for a long time after creating it.  This is one of my attempts at Illustrator, I'll post the sketch next.   The family tree can be a faulty tree, as demonstrated by my own flawed health.  Our battles, both physical and emotional are ones we essentially fight alone.  The beauty is, we grow and get stronger.  If a plant, dependent upon water to grow, can grow in a desert and even bloom, then so can we.  Sick or not, we are genetically coded to survive, like the desert night bloom;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Compilation of Eyes....yes, the eyes are the window to the soul.  And I do love to draw and paint eyes!!!  My husband has lovingly dubbed my art "BIG EYE - little eye"  because most of the time, the eyes are different sizes;)  I've never given this much thought.  Maybe it's a result of being symmetrically-challenged, aren't we all a bit off?  The eyes have it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It Takes a Forest....Well, despite our efforts of individuation and independence throughout our youth and early adulthood, we are ever so connected.  It's is nice to find the comfort in the familiarity of heritage in the family tree.  This is a sibling portrait of sorts.  The saplings have grown and started their own little forests, we will always be connected.