This 'n' That

Life is moving at quite a nice clip and I am getting behind with my blogging. I snap pictures here and there and with this painting challenge haven't shown you any. So, this will be a mishmash sort of post.

The other day when it was so rainy and gray out, I loved this little spot of indoor sunshine on our table. Candles go such a long way in making me feel cozy inside.

This was my painting for yesterday, day 6 of the challenge. I picked out four colors and that's what came from it. I had fun just letting my imagination run wild. Can you spy the red alligator that appeared in the lower left?

Alligator Dreams
Acrylic painting on 8 x 10 inch canvas board

SOLD! Thank you!!

And then, lest you think I haven't been knitting, a few photos of scarves I finished lately and put in my knitting Etsy shop. Actually, the first one I haven't listed yet, but I will today. It's such fun yarn and great color!

And these two are nice and long and warm!

Now, this was fun. I knitted and then felted a pair of slipper socks for a friend of mine. The process of felting just fascinates me. They were so huge when I was done knitting and then the perfect size after the wash.  (Don't you love that little house candle holder? A friend gave that to us years ago and I think it's so pretty.)

And, last but not least, my painting for today. It's such a totally different style and I just adore it! I limited my color palette to cerulean blue deep, raw sienna, black and white. And I just started with the black marks and went from there. It was fun! Fun!

The Dance
Acrylic painting on 8 x 10 inch canvas

The Dance is available here.

I have so much more to share - lots of it revolving around food and recipes - you know me, always cooking and baking and especially in the winter! That'll have to wait for another post.

In the meantime, I hope you are all doing well and staying cozy and warm!!

❧ Silke

A Painting a Day for 10 Days ~ Day 5

This challenge has been better for me than I thought in the beginning. Not only am I in my studio every day painting one piece from beginning to end, but it has somehow given me permission to experiment and have fun with it. 

Every day I sit down without a plan and I paint what I feel.

I need to keep going like that. It does my soul a world of good...

Deep Inside
acrylic painting on 6 x 8 inch canvas board

Available here. 

On the weather front we have had stormy morning. Tornado sirens woke us up, but nothing actually happened. Another day of rain and then sunshine. As soon as the weather behaves "normally" again, I'll stop writing about it... I promise!

Wishing you all a beautiful and sunny Tuesday, and thanks for visiting!

❧ Silke

A Painting a Day for 10 Days ~ Day 4

The skies are heavy today and the rain plentiful. So, for my Day 4 painting of Jane Spakowsky's challenge, I painted something sunny and happy.

This is painted on a small cradled wood panel, which is great to paint on. I bought it probably four years ago at an art trade show and was never able to paint something on it I liked ... until now!

A Little Bit of Sunshine
acrylic painting on 4 x 6 inch cradled wood panel

Available here.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

❧ Silke

A Painting a Day for 10 Days ~ Day 3

Having to create a painting every day is an interesting endeavor. I never plan them ahead of time and try to paint as much from my intuition as I can.

I was sure today was another portrait day, but it wasn't meant to be.

As I was adding layers and layers to the background, I suddenly realized that the background had become the painting.

That's when I stopped and left it alone. It was done and I really like it. I'm not sure what it evokes in me, but somehow it makes me think of spring and hope and renewal.

The Promise
acrylic painting on 8 x 8 inch canvas

Available here.

Thank you for all your visits and comments here! I just love when you come by and take a peak. I hope you had a beautiful weekend. We had one very rainy day and then today it was gorgeous and sunny. More rain for tomorrow, but that's ok. The plants are loving it!

❧ Silke

A Painting a Day for 10 Days ~ Day 2

I'm very much enjoying this 10 paintings in 10 days challenge. It really forces me to sit in my studio for a few hours every day.

It's so easy to make other things a priority, but this way I'm actually painting every single day.

We are having the most dreary and rainy day today. Perfect for staying inside. After I finish this blog post, I'm heading down into the kitchen to start cooking. I have to roast a bunch of veggies for a delicious soup tonight.

I'll be there

acrylic painting on 11 x 14 inch canvas

Available here.

Are you having a good weekend? I hope your weather is better than ours! When the sun peaks out again, I'll have to go into Savannah and take some photos for you of all the flowers that are starting to bloom. Spring is definitely on its way here in the South!

Wishing you a sunny weekend!!

❧ Silke

A Painting a Day for 10 Days ~ Day 1

I decided yesterday on a whim to enter Jane Sparkowsky's (formerly Jane DeRosier) Facebook challenge of painting a painting a day for 10 days. Here's my first day's result.

I "saw" this woman in profile in the background yesterday, but couldn't quite bring her out. Today, it somehow happened with relative ease.

The colors in this piece are deep and rich and vibrant and were very hard to capture on camera. And the texture (if you love texture like I do) is amazing! I keep running my fingers of the canvas.

Being Present
acrylic painting on 11 x 14 inch canvas

We are enjoying a wonderfully gray and rainy day in Georgia. I think it'll be that way for a couple of days - perfect for staying inside and painting.

Wishing you all a relaxed and happy Friday!!

P.S. I listed her in my Etsy Shop.

❧ Silke

Work in Progress

As I was thinking about this blog post title, I thought how much it fits how I feel most days: a work in progress. And somehow that always feels slightly wrong to me. As though - if I really had my life figured out - I would have arrived already. But at what? And where?

I'm realizing more and more that my life is a work in progress. And whenever I think I have it figured out and things are going smoothly, "life" happens and suddenly everything is changed again and I find myself on a new platform from which to view everything and adjust.

Considering how long this has been happening (all the years I've been alive) and how life continues to change around me, it makes me laugh to even think about arriving somewhere where everything is set. Change is part of life. And it's good! And to be honest, it keeps life interesting.

The way I am painting right now reminds me of that. My paintings go through many layers. Each one is important and adds to the one before, but they are not the final stage. Some of them I like and others make me want to paint over them immediately. But then I add a little something somewhere, and suddenly everything looks different to me.

The final painting, when it feels done to me, is the sum of all the layers. Even the ones you can't see anymore are still there. And somehow they contribute even if it's only for some extra texture.

This painting is far from finished, but I wanted to share this stage with you because of the color. I love how it peaks out - like sunshine under storm clouds.

I hope you are all doing well!! I love that you keep visiting and commenting! I'm hoping to come by your blogs tonight...

❧ Silke

Serenity ~ New Painting

Last week I was reading somewhere something about giving your soul wings and making your heart sing and I caught myself doing a little eye roll. Just because that isn't really the language I use. The sentiment I like a lot!

In fact, I am noticing more and more how important it is that we each allow ourselves to express what is uniquely ours. In ways that go beyond the goals we have set for ourselves and he things we want in life.

For me that has become painting. It is uniquely mine. I am not trying to imitate anyone, I'm not trying to live up to anyone, all I am trying to do is go inward and listen and allow myself to express whatever it is on canvas.

I was realizing the other day just how extremely personal that process and the result are. And I think that's why it feels so awful when I compare myself to others. I can never create their vision of life - and to try would be to deny my own vision.

I've often wondered how it is for people who, for example, put their soul and many years into writing a book and then have to submit it to critics and the public.

Anyway, enough deep thinking for today. I loved working on this painting. I took my time and it took many layers before it felt complete to me.

I call it Serenity because she looks so calm in the midst of all that movement around her.

Serenity
Acrylic Painting on 12 x 24 inch canvas

Available here. 

Wishing you a beautiful Tuesday! And thanks as always for visiting!

❧ Silke

Longing ~ New Painting

Sometimes a new painting just comes together like magic. That's how it was with this one!

I was in the flow of creativity and enjoyed every minute of it! 

Longing
acrylic painting on 12 x 24 inch canvas

Available here in my Etsy shop.

Linking to the beautiful artists at Paint Party Friday! Head on over there to see more amazing art!

Happy Friday, everyone!!

❧ Silke

Happy Valentine's Day!

From my ♥ to yours, thank you for always being there for and with me!

I couldn't resist putting the little Besame Mucho art up that Daniel got me years ago for Valentine's Day in Oaxaca, Mexico. It makes me smile every time I walk past it...

Wishing you a heartfelt and beautiful day!

P.S. The Winner for my Valentine's scarf is Kay G. from Georgia Girl with an English Heart! Congratulations!!

❧ Silke

Quiet & True ~ Painting Finished

I have to say when I first did the sketch of the woman a couple of posts ago, I wasn't going to keep it. I thought I'd play with it some more and then paint over it.

But it wouldn't let go of me and now that it's finished, I just love her face! And the whole painting.

Quiet & True
acrylic painting on 5 x 5 inch wrapped canvas

I put her in my etsy shop (link is on my sidebar), but if nobody buys her, I'll be happy to keep her. I won't paint over her any time soon.

Wishing you all a beautiful Wednesday from rainy and stormy Savannah!

❧ Silke

Painting some more

Today was a day for baking and painting - it's rainy and so dreary out! I played some more with the sketch from my previous post. It's still in progress and I'm going to keep going until it feels more finished to me.

So far I think she has a very sweet face. And I can't tell you how good it feels to get paint on my fingers again on a fairly regular basis.

Now I'm going to see what some of you have been up to. It's been so long since I visited your blogs...

❧ Silke

Sketching with Paint

Here's something I haven't done in a long time - a sketch done entirely in paint. Last night, in about 45 minutes, I took a small canvas, a couple of paint brushes, titanium white, naphthol red and paynes gray and painted this woman's face.

No previous outline, no pencil sketch first, just paint and brushes. It felt good. I'm not sure what I'll do with her. Maybe develop her further, maybe paint over her. We'll see.

For now ~ from rainy Savannah ~ I wish you a cozy and peaceful Tuesday!

❧ Silke

A Little Valentine's Day Giveaway

First of all a big thank you for all your sweet comments on my last painting. It does my heart good to read all the kind things you had to say!

As I was just sitting down to knit some more on this pretty scarf in shades of pink, red, and lavender, it made me think of Valentine's Day. And then I thought I want to give it away because I appreciate all the love and affection you send my way!

Simply leave me a comment and I'll announce the winner on Valentine's Day. If you feel like spreading the word, let me know for an extra entry. And I will mail anywhere in the world. 

P.S. I should say that while this yarn looks soft, it is wool boucle, which means that it is a warm winter scarf that you'll probably (if you are sensitive to wool at all) want to wear on top of your coat or a sweater. It is so pretty though! 

❧ Silke

Facing the Storm ~ Painting Finally Finished!

First of all thank you for all your helpful comments on my last post - keep 'em coming! It's nice to know I am not alone on this strange journey called life...

But for now to a painting I finally finished early this morning! It had been sitting for a good long time, but then it came together quite nicely.

I painted with acrylic paints and layered it with some handmade (not by me) paper.

I love her little companion, a pretty white mink. 

Facing the Storm
mixed media painting on 11 x 14 in canvas

And because it was so much fun last week, I am linking to both, the fabulous Paint Party Friday and Illustration Friday. 

Wishing you a fantastic Friday and thanks again for continuing to visit!! 

❧ Silke