Let's Try That Again

365 Sketch - Day 1 - May 16, 2008, originally uploaded by livefunky.

I decided to do 365 Sketch again, only this time the moment is right and I'm really ready to go for it! This piece is an ink and sharpie drawing on a recycled paper bag.

Change of Heart

Mixed media on 8" x 10" matboard.
Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

It was another productive day today. More art papers and I photographed this collage I made yesterday. This is my favorite piece right now. One of the materials I used was cut up pieces of the thick layers of dried acrylic paint I peel off of my palette.

As quoted from my Etsy listing...

"One of my little artsy joys is to peel away the dried layers of plastic like acrylic paint from one of my palettes (a glass pie plate and a frisbee!). I never knew what to do with it besides enjoy the feeling of the chunky texture on one side and admire the accidental beauty of swirls of color on the slick, shiny backside. Now that I've been on this recycling kick regarding my art, I am loving the effect of depth that this raw material creates on an otherwise two dimensional piece. I think you'll be seeing more of these "chunks" in my work in the future. No more tossing out ANYTHING! It all can be reused and manipulated to create new work :) "

Chipping away at the materials I already have has been a fun and gratifying challenge. I've been doing a lot of thinking about living green and what that means to an artist, or I should say, to me as an artist. I don't know where these thoughts will lead me in the long run, but I'm just working with ideas and projects in the moment and not worrying about grand implications. Will I stop working on canvas? Probably not, but you never know. Maybe I'll switch to stretching recycled fabric. Or painting on odd found surfaces. I won't make any promises, I just know what I feel right now is a good feeling and I'm going to try and keep this train of creative energy cruising as long as I can.

On a more personal note, this was my husband's first week working day shift! Our prayers were answered, and it's a real change for both of us - all for the best. Tonight we ate dinner together and I literally cried with joy. Jazz in the background, the sun setting, my love sitting across from me sharing a good meal - that's it. That's what I've been praying for all these years and I feel so lucky that someone was listening...

This evening all I can think and feel is LIFE IS GOOD.

Multi Purpose Art Paper

Tis the season for some serious creative energy! I've been a busy bee over here, and I worked on a few more collages as well as these handpainted art papers.

This is all inspired by the desire to find a purpose for every saved piece of art on paper I've collected over the years. Little drawings are great for my collages, but there are some paintings that are just such duds, they deserved to be painted over completely. Instead of painting over the surface with a new fine art painting (because I'd like to focus on canvas for my fine art work), I've been cutting these paintings up into 4" x 6" pieces (more sizes coming soon) and painting simple designs on them to be used as a supply for all sorts of art and craft projects. By working fast and recycling my materials, I'm able to keep the cost down and offer these original, one of a kind works of art at a very reasonable price. Great for scrapbooking, making greeting cards, decoupage - you name it!

Check them out in my Etsy shop - www.livefunky.etsy.com

New Collages on Etsy

Past Meets Present, originally uploaded by livefunky.

Through the years I have saved almost every sketch or painting on paper I've ever made and stored them in big tupperware bins. Some are works that never really worked out, or they are partially incomplete, some have some mark of damage - a corner bent, or a smudge/stain. For a variety of reasons, these artworks never made it to the "stage" on their own right. But instead of them hiding away in a storage unit, I decided to try and give them "new life" in the form of collage.

Check out this collage and others in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com!

Art Rocks!

Check out my new shop section for handpainted rocks. I'm starting with some that I painted a couple years ago, and I'd like to make some new ones soon. As a special promotion, I'm offering free shipping worldwide for the next week *until May 14th*
ART ROCKS ON ETSY

Revolution Money Exchange

This new site is going to give PayPal a run for it's money! Literally! They have NO FEES which makes anyone buying or selling things online very happy - yes? Yes.

Take advantage of this offer while it lasts (till May 15) - nothing better than free money, right!?

Enchanted Garden - finished!

I finished the painting I was working on and it's now listed in my Etsy shop http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/ - hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful spring weather!

The Ultimate Frisbee Champion

The Ultimate Frisbee Champion, originally uploaded by livefunky.

A happy day in the sun - lots of frisbee with Leo and some painting too. I'll post some art picks of new work tomorrow.

Pinpoint - The Moon

(If you aren't already checking out my other blog www.lookseesaw.blogspot.com you should be! There are two new artist interviews I think you'll enjoy.)

Lights, camera, action!

Natural light is ideal....


....but the urge to paint doesn't go down with the sun!

Let there be light in the studio!!!


Below is a work in progress - abstract, garden inspired - we'll see how much the garden concept translates literally in the finished painting.

This painting still has a ways to go. But I did do a bit of filming while I was painting it.

Promise of a New Day

This is a new painting on stretched canvas measuring 20" x 48". All available art at www.livefunky.etsy.com

More Sketch Painting

Today was a bit chilly so I stayed inside painting on paper. Here is one of them...

Maze Contained - acrylic on paper, 2008.

See my Etsy shop for more www.livefunky.etsy.com

Process of a Painting

What a glorious spring day it was today! My daffodils bloomed in celebration of the occasion. The sun was warm and the breeze sweet - shorts and a tshirt FINALLY!

Today I worked on a canvas I began when I was still at the Indian Orchard Mills studio. The picture below shows my starting point today.





I then went into it with black paint, accentuating certain lines of the original composition and adding more shapes and forms.




Then I came in with some bold warm tones - bright orange, pink, red and yellow.

I enjoyed some of the drippy effects of the underpainting, and at this point, things were getting too "locked in" so I brought back some drips and splatters in a light color.




Then came some white....



More white, more drips...



Now the canvas was looking pretty close to finished...

The final stage was adding a bit more black to make some parts of the lines stand out. And here is the finished product.



Why Not - Acrylic on 30" x 40" canvas

Now available at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Arte y Pico

I'd like to thank Elis Cooke of Into the Blystic at www.intotheblystic.blogspot.com for giving me the Arte y Pico award. If I could, I'd give it right back to her because I am such a fan of her work and blog!

The following 5 rules are attached to this award:

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and that also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award itself.

4. The Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte Y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules.

The blogs I would like to award this honour to are:
Angela at http://www.angelasartdiary.blogspot.com/
Meghan at http://www.meghanhenley.blogspot.com/
Paula at http://manninglewisstudios.blogspot.com/
Martha at http://artistsjournal.blogspot.com/
Lisa at http://blog.lisacall.com/index.php

Lots of New Paintings

Soul Eruption



Testing Limits

Improvisation

Conversation With The Unknown

Change Direction

Celebrate The Now

Awkward Bird in Flight

Each of these acrylic paintings is on 8 x 10 stretched canvas and they are all available in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Some older work

This diptych was created in NH when I was still living there in acrylic and watersoluable crayons on two 16 x 20 canvases. You can find this and a selection of other older work I rediscovered since moving out of my old studio in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Art Video

I've been having a ton of fun making little short videos at www.animoto.com - it's easy, free and addicting! I've got more on my youtube link - check them out here!
www.youtube.com/livefunky

More painterly sketches

Happy Day
Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008

Tempted

Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008.

Face of a Friend
Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008

Alternate Landscape
Acrylic and oil pastel on watercolor paper, 2008.

All available original art and prints at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Sketching in paint

You Can Call It Impossible
Acrylic paint on watercolor paper, 2008.

Pile Up
Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008.

Rise Up (SOLD)
Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008.

Out to In Focus
Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008.

Once all blank canvases were painted on last night, I turned to some watercolor paper to keep the inspiration flowing. I ended up doing a few painterly sketches that I have listed in my Etsy shop for a very reasonable price. As I plan on expanding my shop to include larger and pricier work, I still want to have some original art that is within a "real world" budget. These are great because they lend themselves to taking chances, learning new things, and maybe stumbling upon a composition that will work on a larger scale.


See all available art for purchase at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

More original art

Windows and Doors
Acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas panel, 2008

The Quilts of My Youth
Mixed media on 5 x 7 canvas panel, 2008

I can't express how happy I am to be painting again. It's been since before I left for Florida when I was working on the big commission - that was the last time I held a brush in my hand. In this past month or so I've focused more on digital illustrations and product development as well as designing my website (which still isn't exactly what I want, but it will do for now). That's all fine, and I guess for whatever reason I needed this time away (otherwise I would have been painting!) but the point is I feel REALLY good right NOW.

I am exploring these compositions with bold black lines - something I've been working with for years - instead of my more recent "boxy" paintings or drip paintings. Each style is "me", just in a slightly different voice or approach.

So anyway, Thank you to the gods of paint for removing this painter's block and freeing my hand and heart to do what I love to do most!

ALL AVAILABLE ART CAN BE FOUND AT http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Back on Track

What Are You Thinking?
Original acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas panel, 2008.

Bits and Pieces and The Path

Original acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas panel, 2008.

After a long break from painting, I'm back to the brush. The colors in these two paintings are inspired by this spring feeling I have inside (not quite outside yet, but it's coming). Even just seeing the tips of green from my irises starting to poke up makes my soul sing. I'll be painting for the rest of the day, so hopefully I'll have more to share by this evening.

All available artwork at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Update on Updates

The front page and overall layout was changed again today. This is much more what I had in mind for the vision/look/approach for my website, http://www.livefunky.com/

What are your thoughts on the design... yes please or no thank you? If you notice a whoopsie moment anywhere, don't hesitate to bring it to my attention. Thanks!

Updating Website

Your honest critiques are greatly appreciated! http://www.livefunky.com/

I still have to add the about me section (always the hardest).

Beautiful Sunset

Illustrator version of photo below. Part of a new gallery of images at www.zazzle.com/naturalmystic

I punched up the contrast on this picture I ran outside to take just before the sun set over the hill. There is no way to capture the briliant purples of the hillside and the way the sky looks like it's fire red. Still I think it's cool that this orb formed in the picture around the sun.

Spring IS on it's way. I have a hard time believing it, because around here we usually get all excited by a few warms days then - BAM - we get ten inches of snow or something. I can't wait for those bits of green to start popping up, the birds to return, and the sun to shine warm on my coatless back!

Patience..... Reminding myself not to wish my life away, live in the moment. Be happy here and now.

Just as an aside, what are other artists thoughts on Alchemy returning to Etsy? Anyone have any luck so far? And then there is the link in our shops to do custom orders - anyone not very happy about that? For those that are going for it, are you thinking about pricing or do you already have a system all worked out for custom orders? I've been kind of all over the map as far as past orders. I think I need to get something more solid worked out for the future.

Anyway, hope everyone is having a great day!