Grateful!

I was simply overjoyed by your comments on my last blog post and all the good wishes for the new year. After such a long-ish break, I wasn't sure I was still on anyone's radar... I am grateful to all of you!

 

I've started making some fast and small art, a tag and a postcard in this case. Some people like to paint in their art journals, I like to make my art in a format that can leave home and live elsewhere.

Send me an e-mail (link is on my sidebar)  with your address if you'd like to get one of these small creations in the mail (snail mail that is) at some point. I will be making many more throughout the coming months. They'll all be different, so let yourself be surprised by the one you receive...

It's just a small token of my appreciation for your friendship!

It is a cold morning here (cold for Savannah, that is) and I know that many of you are dealing with winter weather and huge amounts of snow. Stay warm and cozy and safe! 

❧ Silke

As Promised, a New Art Tag

Another tag, painted on both sides. I love the colors I used here - they were sort of surprising, but I liked the woodsy feeling of the tag. The woman has a sort of stunned look on her face (lets call her serene), but I still love her. The face was a little difficult to paint because I had given the tag some wonderful texture with light molding paste.
The back, I painted with titan buff, then covered it with sap green hue and lifted the sap green out with stamps to reveal the titan buff underneath. I love that sort of weathered look. I then added some reddish and gold dots. What do you think?!

The tag is available in my little shop!

A New Tag

I am still fascinated by painting tags and especially painting my women portraits in that long format (2.625 x 5.25 inches). I covered the tag with two layers of gesso and then some loosely applied coarse molding paste (I love that stuff!) for a bit of gravelly texture for this pretty blond woman.

This time, I tried just painting one side so that the tag is actually useful as a gift tag, but I just couldn't stop myself and had to paint the other side as well... I guess, mine are art tags rather than gift tags.
"Live & grow" - a good motto! If I had had more space, I would have put "live, grow & have fun," because I think fun and joy are important ingredients in living our lives well.

This pretty girl with her inspiring message is available in my Etsy shop (I'm trying to keep it updated a little more regularly).

Thank you so much for all your encouraging comments on my last painting. You all are the best and kindest art critics ever!!

Illustration Friday - Ahead

Go ahead! Spread your wings and fly!

Tag (5.25" x 2.625") - front & back

Collage, image transfer, stamps, stencils, & acrylic paint.

I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was rainy both Saturday and Sunday with visions of the summer's humidity awaiting us...

Because of the rain, I did get to work on my art a good bit, and am almost done with another women's portrait. It just needs some background work. I hope I can show it to you tomorrow!

In the meantime, I wish you a great start to your week!

ATC - Time to Recharge

I decided to try another collage since they are a bit tricky for me. I remembered this little yawning girl I had printed out a long time ago - she just makes me laugh (and want to take a nap!). I had fun with this ATC and it came together very nicely. I find that if I go with my instincts rather than overthink it, I do much better!

Speaking of overthinking... I played a little more with this tag and I think I'm going to call it done. I didn't change a whole lot, just added a little contrast around the edge and actually took off some of the color on the newspaper collage element. It's not my favorite, but it's alright.

I'm working on a new tag as well, which is looking really nice! I like to paint both sides of my tags, so I still need to finish the back before I can show you. It sure felt great getting into my studio again.

And, yes, I have carpeting in my studio (I had a couple of questions about this), but I put down a thick drop cloth so I can sling paint around to my heart's content...

Wishing you an excellent Friday. I'm hoping to have time to visit you all this weekend!!

The Tag That Just Wouldn't...

Sometimes, an art project comes together easily, and sometimes it just refuses to. That's how it was with this tag. The side with the woman I painted quickly - her little face was done in a few minutes and I like how much it looks like a sketch. This side I love.

Then, there is the other side. Yikes! Can you say busy? Can you say cluttered? Can you say just not working? I started with some molding paste and stamped into it. So far so good. Then I thought I'd add a collage element ... and another ... and one more for good measure. Then, a stamp, another stamp, paint, more paint, and because it just wasn't working, I slapped on some more paint. AND outlined the big leaf stamp with a gold pen. I just couldn't help myself at that point!

Even now, as I look at the scan of it, I'm sort of stunned by what I did there... I almost didn't include it in this post, but when I first started this blog, I made the promise to show you the good, the bad AND the ugly, so here it is...

Sometimes I think it's funny that the portraits are so easy for me, but with collages or abstract forms, it can really take me a long time to have it all balanced and look cohesive. And sometimes it just doesn't happen at all.

I think I might just paint over that side and start again. If I do, I'll show you the results...

And now a great big thank you for all the good information on ATCs and ACEOs. Finally I know what they are all about!! And I know what goes on the backside. Not lovely thoughts, but information. Makes sense if you are collecting them! I'll have to check into the trading part of those cards. Do any of you do that?

A New Tag & A Postcard

I'm having so much fun painting these tags. Someone asked about their size - they are 2.625 x 5.25 inches, a good size to work with.

I love the colors on this one and the snippet from a poem. Months ago, I found a little old book of poetry at a thrift store. The book was in very poor shape, so I don't feel bad using it in my art (I'm funny about books and don't like to harm them in any way).

Here's the back of the tag. There's something so soothing and at the same time energizing about this blue.
I've been playing some more with molding paste, and here I applied it and then stamped a foam stamp into the wet paste - great texture!! And I love those colors!
Can you tell I'm having fun experimenting a little?

Wishing you all a beautiful day!

Kayaking & Painting My First Tag

On Sunday, Daniel went kayaking with a small group of local kayakers.
They left from Tybee Island and paddled over to Little Tybee, which is completely uninhabited and actually much larger than Tybee.
Once on Little Tybee, they walked around and explored the vast beaches and natural beauty of the island.



This was the little dog that came along in one of the kayaks!

Daniel had a wonderful time and I think next time I might go with them all...
Now, the other day at the craft store, I saw a package of tags and decided to grab it and try my hand at painting a tag. I had such fun!! I used some torn papers, and some image transfers I had lying around.
And then, for good measure, I painted the back side as well.
I painted a few other things as well, which I still have to scan and will show you later this week. Make sure you stop by for tomorrow Wordless Wednesday - it's a great photo Daniel took in Mississippi last year!

Wishing you all a most wonderful day! You certainly always add sparkle to mine Thank you for that!!