In the Studio

Looking at my paint brushes in my little elephant vase makes me smile, I found this vase while out thrifting over 5 years ago, I think it makes a great artist addition to my studio. The girl in the painting that I'm working on was inspired by one of my children, Bell and I are currently growing her hair out naturally, from having had a relaxer.

Felt Flowers

As you know I am always working on many different projects at once, it keeps me from getting board and it allows my creative juices to flow freely, for instance when I feel that I am getting stuck creatively I go back and forth between the projects I am working on like from sewing to painting and painting to sculping... will have photos up soon of some small pieces I am in the rough stanges of. With my personality I need to work this way, I have found that the things I produce come to fruition a bit easier than if I just said I must finish one before I can start something else. But I have learned that if I don't limit the number of projects little gets completed. So through being honest with myself about my own character flow (when it comes to creating) I have been able to produce things in a timely manner.

Now back to the felt flowers these have been a joy to make overall the boring part is the cutting but seeing the flowers "bloom"into a group is so satisfying. What I am going to do with them will be revealed at a later post.




What do you think I could be doing with them??

Found Ladies

I found these ladies in my stash of paintings throw to the side... these were started a year ago... I don't know if I will ever finish them or that i even want to but I do know that subconsiously, they inspire the AFROBeauty Series. When you look at the things I am currently doing you can see the changes in my art... the development of new techniques.

To my artistic friends... What do you think, should I do more to them or leave them be? Be honest, I am not afraid of criticism.

Learning

I was blessed to recieved a new camera for my birthday and I got the Mac Pro Computer at the first of the year. I have been just using the computer's basic controls and not all the added benefits until now I played around last night and made a basic slide show for Zoe's 3 month post. My old computer is a DELL and I personally would not recommend it to anyone, but that's just me. I had entirely to many problems with it, I am keeping at least until I get all my information off of it.

My new camera is a Nikon D5000 which is a totally different level in the camera catagory, my old one is a little FUJI- F470, I still use it when I don't want to take my larger Nikon. The Nikon has been a pleasure to use and it has been rendering me some great pictures but I have not begun to scratch the surface when it comes to using it to it's full capacity. I have been enjoying playing around with both my computer and camera, I am the type that doesn't like to read the instructions but I am determined to get the most out of both of these items so I have been reading and watching the online videos pertaining to both of them.





Do you have a D5000 or a Mac Pro? Or even a DELL Inspiron or Fuji- F470? what's your opinion on either? Good or bad?

AFRObeauty Series

I've been Inspired by many of my YouTube natural hair girls, I am painting a series of black women with afro hair styles and here is one of many to come. She's almost finished.

Works in progress

These ladies are currently on my art table... they are in their beginning stage and the end results will most likely look totally different because I am not happy with their faces especially the lady in purple.

This is the final results of this flower painting that was started here but I realized I hadn't uploaded the final results (until now).


I'm excited about painting the single lady at the bottom, her background is combination of different acrylic pinks and purples that were applied with a dragging motion using a piece of card board ( a new technique for me) and I am very pleased so far, she was a quick sketch that came with ease.

Get out

and check out your surroundings, hit the highway. You just may find something new to do, something that just may inspire you on another level.

These photos were taken when I ventured to take a new way home and after driving through the mountains, all of the sudden this scene pops out unexpectedly, I couldn't resist taking this shot from on top of a cliff... breathtaking, huh.

Have a Great weekend.

In the Studio

I had fun painting this one on card board, all the whimsy and of course color, color, color, I do love color.Trying out new textures also using an old card board box and working out my AFRO series. Experimenting is alway fun to do, it frees you and opens you up to more possibilities.

Just for Fun

{one} what was your first pet and how did you come up with its name?
my first pet was a rabbit named Bobbie, he had that name when we got him were just kept it.

{two} do you like your ice crushed or cubed?
cubed.

{three} do you believe in love at first sight?
Yes, but I have never experienced it, I just believe it's possible.

{four} do you have any nicknames?
No

{five} what movie do you never get tired of watching?
I don't have a whole movie but I have a scene in a movie: Martin Larence, where he played a pizza delivery guy... the name of the movie escapes me at this moment, I'll add it when it comes to me.... but Hillarious scene... Laugh every time I see it. When my daughter is watching the movie she calls me in when it is coming to that part.

{six} how do you like your eggs cooked?
scrambled lightly

{seven} are you named after anyone in particular?
My middle name is after my aunt.

{eight} what are three things that you would like to do that you haven’t done yet?
show my art in a gallery, open a gift shop for handmade things, go to Paris

{nine} what one thing always brightens your mood?
a hug from my husband

{ten} what five things will you always find in your purse?
1.cell phone 2. keys 3. credit cards 4. pictures 5. I.D.

Time Flies

This was me 2 Months ago. It's crazy how time flies, although it did not feel that way during my last couple of months of pregnancy.... whew!! I didn't think I would make it, but I am glad I did .
My daughters happily welcomed the newest member of our family, Zoe. Yes ALL four girls are mine even the grown one.... I know, I know, what am I doing? LOL, the girls are so spaced out that I won't be freely enjoying my retirement days... but that's O.K. with me, Zoe will make me have to work hard to stay young, at least "young at heart."






I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. I did... we relaxed at home.

Crafting Accessories

I used colored felt to make my children some unique hair bows. I was inspired by baby Z, in hopes that she would have a lot of hair...didn't happen...LOL. But her big sisters enjoy wearing them. Oh and I will be adding some more like these to my Etsy store it's named after them, RennyBell Boutique, it will be ready for business soon but you can check out my oldest daughters Etsy shop, just click on the banner to the right.

And the broach on this jacket I made from crepe papers and feathers and a sprinkle of glitter. The flower is formed by bending wire into peddle shapes and after gluing the crepe paper onto the peddles and letting them dry, I then attached the feathers.

The method I used to make the broach was time consuming so until I get a quicker method, I don't know if broaches of this type will be for sale in the shop.

Exploring new techniques

Yes I have been away since last October and I have a lot of catching up to do. I wanted the first post in almost a year to be about what has been a steady source of comfort and joy and that is my ART and with a painting I had done for my sister's birthday. Well initially this painting to the left here, was for my final project in an art class I took at our community college where I am taking some classes. The idea for doing this technique did not come from the class though although I learned a lot while taking it, this technique was first introduced to me by Mystele, who is my favorite artist online right now. She conducts online classes that she calls "Gut Art," but I have not had the time to take one of her classes yet but I read her blog regularly and she gives out free tips and advice freely at Little Glimpses Studio.

Back to the painting of the lady in the hat, it is a mixed media acrylic painting with scrap book papers and charcoal pencil. I started out just putting down paint on the water color paper I used and then went on to glue down some designer papers that I tore then more paint and after I had let it dry and came back I began to see this figure in the collage of paper and color so I took a graphite pencil and traced what I was seeing to make it more clear. After adding more paint to the figure it was clear to me that the lady in this painting was my sister. My sister tells me she likes most anything I make paintor craft so I thought this was a great gift for her, she told me after she recieved it she loved it and took it over to my aunts house for all of them to see... braging on me... Thanks Sis.

The picture of the colorful faces above was an in-class art project where we had to work in groups to create a collage piece using only oil pastals, I only took a picture of the part I did.

The quilt is something I am finishing up for my baby "Z," whom you will soon meet, along with the finished project.
The bird is a sample-sewing, where I hand sew and embroider with some beading work.
Hope you enjoy.