It's finished!

Ok, I'm excited---I'm officially in business, have my website set up, and will be adding more paintings this week! If you get a chance, go take a peek, let me know what you think :) The website address is: www.peak.org/~jaybird
Thanks!

Inspired

Ok, not a fan, rarely even know the music, but was nudged to go watch this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRzYIZBEkGU&search=Black%20Sweat) and this is the result---first time I've paused a video to do a sketch! Amazing what technology can do. Loved the sideways glance, so had to capture it forever---what do you think?

Estate sale finds!

My brother was running an estate sale today and yesterday, so ran by this morning to see if there was anything left---found come cool things to use in art projects! A cash book that could be altered (and the ledger pages used for collage!), an old 1915 date book---with some amazing maps, writing, etc. and lastly an envelope full of letter rub-ons! Here's photos of the goodies---can't wait to start playing! Might use the cash book for my new "dream journal".

What inspires you?

Ok, this question was posted on another blog, and I just had to start making a list of what inspires me! Think about it for a few minutes, and let me know what inspires you---maybe some of the things you list will become inspiration to others too :)
Here's my list:

I'm easily inspired :),

*clouds---I love painting clouds, capturing their many faces
*seeing artwork I love, whether in a gallery, online, at friend's studios...
*my friends Scott and Lisa, they always seem to be just finishing up a home project, teaching project, woodworking project, or something that is so cool!
*other artists---photographers, fine artists, scrapbook artists...
*magazines
*books stores
*books
*photographs
*oak trees
*lighting---the glow of an evening; brightly lit trees with dark purple rain clouds behind; tree shadows falling on a sparkling stream; warm lamp lighting on a childs face reading...
*color
*silence
*traveling---seeing new things, places, architecture, people...
*unique shops
*greeting cards
*art galleries
*autumn
*the beach
*Ikea
*texture---old brick walls, multi-layers of peeling paint with flashes of different colors, mossy concrete...
*paper
*notebooks and journals
*sketchbooks
*new art supplies
*a finished painting
*people watching
*reading journaling on scrapbook pages
*love
*connecting with my husband and children
*flowers
*farmland...

Survived the weekend & two days off from school!

It's "Monday!" (yeah, I know, it's actually Wednesday, but feels like Monday since my youngest was out of school the last two days so they could have conferences...).

The funeral was sooooo sad, I've never seen so many grown men cry...it was positively painful! They had an open mike so people could come share their memories, and holy cow, so many people had to talk, cry, reminisce. It's so hard to maintain any semblance of composure when that much anguish is displayed! Especially tricky when your 17 yr. old daughter is sitting next to you totally dry eyed...Oh to be young and less sentimental! I just felt so bad for his wife and grown kids---such a sudden death---he was so young, seemingly fit, worked in the woods... *sigh. Sad day, but it was nice to see family we haven't for years. We took back-roads all the way home, and saw beautiful clouds, sunshine, storms---even drove thru a blizzard! Snow in April is so rare around here!

Finished my painting yesterday---working on textured claybord is a whole new process for me---like that the claybord is all set to hang once the piece is finished, varnished with a wire attached to the back! I'm thinking I'll stain the frame part tho, to match the colors of the painting better. Here's a link to see what the claybord looks like: http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supplies/5446_claybord-textured-inch-deep-cradle.asp

If I get a chance I'll post an image of the finished painting. Was a bit nervous about spraying a sealer on top of watercolor, but it seemed to go well. Was also unsure of using a gloss spray, but since it was what I had I just went for it!

I'll finish the frame and photograph it, then post the painting---time to go to work!

Good Friday, grateful for life

Free coffee at Borders (coupon if you become a borders member!), nice lunch with my husband, almost finished painting (maybe it is finished? Need to study it & see if it needs any fixes), so far "it's all good"!

A big cloud tho is the sad death a week ago of my dad's cousin's husband...she is closer in age to me, so she's more like my own cousin, and her husband was only a few years older than I am...his funeral is tomorrow. Not going to be easy. They never are, but this was a shock to everyone. Keep thinking of her, him, their family all week...

This is for you Rod, spring is a time of renewal, but it can also be a time of death...hope you're happy where you are...miss you.

giving it another try

Well, it seems to be working, but not sure if the actual site is able to be opened. Still working out glitches! Here are some Eastery photos from years ago when we had baby bunnies!

Art, Life, Love, Peace, Spring!

First message for this blog---hoping to enjoy a better experience, didn't like the ads that started showing up in the body of my previous blog, so am giving this a go. Hoping to share favorite paintings, photos, musings and life experiences as I go. I'll keep this short, but share a favorite image to kick this off. Enjoy!