One Thing at a Time

What a week it's been! I've been somewhat busy, but mostly I've been busy in my mind. Do you know the feeling? A million and one ideas buzzing about, ready to be started, continued or finished. And all of them want my attention at once.

Sometimes I can't believe that I have to do one thing at a time. Of course I can paint and listen to an audio book at the same time, but I have to work on one painting at a time.

Knit on one piece at a time. Cook one meal at a time. Do everything one at a time.

And sometimes that irritates me because it takes time. And I get the feeling that I won't have enough time for the other things. Until I remind myself that I won't get anything done if I don't just do what's in front of me.

No matter how excited I am about the countless ideas that are coming to me right now.

So, I've been making a list for every day. To help me stay focused. And so I won't forget my many ideas.  It seems to work. I've been able to start paintings, finish paintings, start a knitting project and finish it, make meals, write e-mails, work on our taxes, and do all the other things that need to get done.

Being a woman of a certain age, I am pretty sure that hormone fluctuations play a role in how focused or scattered I feel on any given day and that's ok. It's all part of the journey and so far I'm doing well.

Last weekend, we drove to Charleston to see the Toruk performance of Cirque du Soleil. It was a spectacular display of color and movement. I kept taking photos - not because I wanted to remember the show, but because I wanted color references for my paintings.

All that color was projected on the set they had built. It was amazing! It seemed magical how it changed from desert rocks to growing plants to flowing rivers to hot lava to ocean flooding and twinkling stars.

The story was based on the movie "Avatar," which I loved and now have to watch again.

A few days ago, I walked Winslow into a dark and blustery sky that was suddenly illuminated by the sun behind us. I had to snap a quick photo.  As well as of Peabody climbing our tree. Can you see him? He's pretty well camouflaged.

Besides making lists, the other thing that helps me organize my thoughts is knitting. Especially repeat patterns. So, I knit another dishcloth for our kitchen. It was a simple and soothing pattern. I think I might start another one...

I am linking to the always inspiring Paint Party Friday. Head on over for more amazing art and photos!!

In the meantime, I hope you will have a beautiful weekend and a wonderful week ahead.

With love, joy and many lists,

❧ Silke

A Little Messy?

Maybe. Inspiring? Definitely!!

We are having friends over tonight (the couple who got married yesterday) and so we have a busy day in the kitchen. I hope to remember to take photos to share pictures and recipes with you...

I did take an hour this morning though to spend in my studio and I noticed just what a happy creative mess surrounds me there. How do you like my pile of blank journals? Hey! Just because I'm no good at keeping journals doesn't mean I don't love blank books! (My friend Verena could tell you stories about my love for paper and pens that started when we were still in high school and has not changed!)

A collaged card with good wishes for 2011 from my good friend Beth,

a vintage image Beth sent me some years ago of a young woman looking very much like my sister, one of my very favorite spooky pastel paintings I created a while ago (must get it framed!), and photos of my sweet nephews in those fun frames they made themselves,

more of my paintings and other creative stuff,

my easel (ok, so it's really Daniel's easel) stacked with several paintings,

little pieces of art some of you, my blog friends, have made for me ... and more stuff (of course),

my favorite brushes,

some books and magazines -- all of those things inspire me to be creative right now!

And so I played with washes on a little canvas,

 a bigger canvas (don't know what I will do with that one...), and backgrounds for journal pages,

-- here a close up of some of the texture on one of the journal pages --

and a couple of very light washes on the canvas I had prepared with the papers.

Nothing is finished and with none of them I know where they are going to go in the end. One thing became clear to me though as I sat in my messy little studio looking at the women I have painted -- I miss them! I miss painting faces that then look at and speak to me. So... expect to see another woman soon!

But for now, it's back into the kitchen for me where Daniel is already very busy!

Wishing you all a beautiful Saturday! And thank you so much for your continued visits and comments! I always love hearing from you!! I hope to visit you all tomorrow...

A New Background

I started this background a while ago with some beautiful papers I had recently bought. After that it sat in the studio waiting for action.

Until the other day, that is, when I cut out a sewing pattern and right away decided to use some of the leftover pieces of that very fine tissue paper on this canvas. After I crumpled up the paper and then glued it on, I gave the whole canvas a wash in blues and oranges.

Now it is waiting for just the right woman portrait to appear on it...

Remember Her?

I call her my dippy woman, because I entered her in Illustration Friday's challenge for the word "dip." Well, yesterday, I was playing around with some paints and stamps and stencils. Suddenly I saw her laying there, just begging me to give her some stamped beauty!

She didn't have to ask me twice. I got out my brayer and some beautiful paints and created some haphazard smudges all over the background. After that, I added some stamped and stenciled loveliness and... Voila!

I can't say she looks any happier (somehow I was at least expecting a smile), but I like her new background!! What do you think?

More Experiments...

Thanks for all your great comments on my little experiments. Here are a couple more. I'm having fun to just play with patterns, texture and color. This one has the most scrumptious colors, even richer than this scan.

This next little painting features mostly colors that I usually don't paint with. I tried out some new stamps I got and like the sort of weathered look I achieved when it was finished. The ink smudged a bit and I like it!
Do any of you work with distress inks? I haven't yet and I wonder if I'd like them. Any thoughts?

Illustration Friday - Dip

After she made the decision to live her authentic life, she acknowledged the slight dip in her courage and leaped with a brave heart!

Finally, I am finding time to paint again. I am moving furniture in my studio and it looks very crowded with piles of paper and books, but this morning, I ignored all that, made a little space for myself and painted for a couple of hours. Bliss!!

I'll have more art to show you in the next few days, as well as a few awards to recognize. I'm so behind in that! In the meantime, if you'd like to check out other entries for this week's Illustration Friday theme, simply click here.

P.S. My dad was very touched by your sweet comments on his market photos!! Thank you all!

Painting, Flowers and Yoga

This is going to be a mish mash sort of post - it's been a mish mash sort of day yesterday, busy with lots of little things and one big thing: tax return! That will be ongoing through the rest of the week...

I did make a little progress on my latest painting and am pleased to see that a sweet young woman is emerging. I like her kind eyes. We'll see how she develops!

Now some pretties from the garden. Daniel planted these for me this year and they are blooming already. Bleeding hearts are some of my favorite plants!
It seems to be a good spring for violets this year. They are blooming in abundance. So small and so very pretty!
Now, I have to explain about the last picture. This morning, I decided to do some yoga and thought I would be safe in the living room. Winslow was in deep sleep in the bedroom and Ramses was sleeping upstairs. Within five minutes, this is what happened:
Ramses comfy on my pillow prop and Winslow taking up half the mat and trying to lick my fingers and toes every time they came near, making me laugh. My poses were less than perfect, but the fun factor made up for it...

I feel like I still have to make up for lost time and visit you all. Plus, I have some awards to pass on. I guess it'll all happen in good time. In the meantime, thank you all for your many visits and wonderful comments! It means so much to me!!

Work in Progress

This is a smaller part of a larger painting. I showed it to Daniel the other night and he told me he couldn't wait to see what I was going to do with it. Well, I have no idea! It's sort of a study of five women's faces and I don't know at all if at the end it will look in any way cohesive. We'll all find out, I guess...

In the meantime, we still have family visiting and I am nursing a cold, which is the reason I haven't been visiting you as much lately! Next week, I should have a little more time and energy again. I have missed you all!! It's amazing how much you have become an important part of my daily life. Thank you!!

Another Sketch

Here's the second sketch I did a couple of days ago, again only 15 minutes of painting on a prepared background (5 x 7 piece of acrylic paper with collage papers and tissue paper). I really like working this way - there is a lack of control and therefore every time some beautiful surprises I couldn't have planned for.

P.S. Kiki asked how I photograph my art. When the pieces are small like this, I scan them, which really makes them look their best. When they are large, I photograph them and then work on the photograph in Adobe Photoshop until it looks like the original. I hope that helps!

A Sketch

Yesterday, I had a tiny bit of time to paint, so I took a 5 x 7 piece of acrylic paper, which I had previously prepared with some collage papers and some tissue paper, and painted this 15-minute sketch with very thin acrylic washes.

It's really interesting working that fast. No over-working, and no over-thinking, and no going back to change anything. I liked it so much I did another sketch right away. I'll show you that one on Thursday.

Hope you are all doing well! And thank you so much on all your comments on my last couple of posts! You warm my heart every day!!!

Inspiration and Illustration Friday - Perspective

Most people didn't understand, but from her own perspective, her life made perfect sense.

This is the piece I painted after my last pastel painting. I had this 8 x 10 inch canvas, which I had prepared with gel medium for texture and already two women sketched on it. I didn't like them, so I plastered over them with papers and tissue paper, then covered the whole thing with a layer of deep teal soft pastel ... and there it sat ... for days and days!

After I finished the pastel from my last post, I suddenly looked at this canvas and decided to paint a face on it with very thin acrylic washes. I only used three colors of Golden fluid acrylics - Green Gold, Quinacridone Magenta, and Phthalo Turquoise. Why those three? Because those are the only fluid acrylics I have.

The rest of the colors you see on the painting (with the exception of the white in the eyes), are either those three colors mixed or the colors of the papers shining through. If you remember, I use rubbing alcohol to lift off some of the acrylic paint in some areas.

I worked in very thin washes, fairly quickly and loved working this way! The washes were very unpredictable, and I really liked that lack of control. And I am quite enamoured by the final outcome!!

P.S. I am sorry I haven't been by your blogs in awhile - with Daniel's brother visiting, I just don't have much computer time. But I'll be back soon! In the meantime, thank you for continuing to visit here!!

Illustration Friday - Adrift

adrift in her own thoughts

Yesterday, I discovered this piece of acrylic paper (6 x 6 inches), I had prepared with a background collage of pretty papers and a layer of tissue paper. So, I took it and painted another girl with head in hand. Love her!!

I worked fairly transparently so you can still see some of the papers showing through. After all the pastel paintings, it was fun picking up acrylics again. But then, right after I finished her, I started on another pastel. Can you tell I am hooked?

Thank you all so much for your comments on our Charleston photo. It's so much fun to share our adventures with you!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!

Finished Painting AND Illustration Friday - Focused

Focused on her Dreams

Yesterday, I finished her. After thinking for quite a while that this time I may have to start the painting over, everything came together and now I really like her! In fact, I am a little enchanted by this woman...

I managed to keep some of the background peaking through, like in the area between her eyes and on her chin. I love how she has words showing through on her forehead. (You can click on any of the images to see them bigger.)

You can see some of the background in her neck and her shirt as well.

And here, I even went in with rubbing alcohol after the fact and took off the acrylic wash I had put on so you can really see some of the beautiful papers. I actually use rubbing alcohol quite frequently to take off paint and let the background shine through. I use paper towels for large areas and q-tips for small ones. It works great for me!

Thank you all for sticking with me from beginning to the end on this one! I hope you like her as much as I do!!

P.S. Click here if you want to see how others have illustrated this week's topic of focused.

Painting Progress

This is where I had left off last time and I spent two days just looking at the background to see what was next. I turned it every which way and finally, when I turned it upside down once more, I saw her. Just the outline of the right side of her face and everything flowed from there.
I added just a little bit of color and then sketched her in a little bit more before letting it sit again to know how to proceed. I am in new waters here - I am working much more transparently than I ever have. I loved this background to much that I want it to be visible through her.
So far so good, don't you think?

Adding Color - Painting Background continued

Well, I started adding the first layer of color, which I did in one afternoon. I looked at the colors of the paper collage and decided to add a very light wash of pink and blue acrylic paint and see what that looked like.

Not bad, but...... I decided to spray the painting with water from a spray bottle and blot off some of the color, simply because I like to work that way. That's when I ended up with this. Pretty good, but...
...it still needed something, and I decided to add a little gold in spots. I know many shy away from metallics, but I like them in moderation. And this needed a little sparkle.
That looked and felt good and finished to me (for now) and created some really pretty areas.




Now, what to do next? I don't have any idea. So, in the meantime, I go and stare at it and turn it upside down and sideways and even touch it - the texture is great! I'm not sure if should apply more color, this time more opaquely, or if I sketch in my subject. I don't know how you work, but when I'm not sure, I wait until I have a thought as to what's next. I hope it comes soon...