November 2011

I was reminded this evening about November being a special month in which art, blogging, and art journaling are all encouraged as a daily activity. I have participated in Art Eevryday Month a number of times but have not been involved with the other two projects previously. While art is almost an everyday piece throughout the year, I have decided to try to share more of my projects with you this month. I might even try to show you some of the activities from the past few months just because I have not yet shared them.


Today's art involved further prepararion for a small trade show I will be participating in on November third in our local senior citizen's home. Some of the newer things I am working on is more tags. A few are for Christmas and others are just something lovely. The butterfly tags need to be cut out yet. Hopefully there will be some time tomorrow.

trying though

Occasionally I don't actually do art some days in November. Even so, I am almost always creative every day. Sometimes that involves thought and much creative problem solving.


At times, too, I get bored as I mentioned here. Then I tread on the wild side.
A journal page on which I had applied black gesso then stuck a magazine page between two before they were dry enough. Consequently I've got quite a lot of magazine page showing. That's all right. I like it. It's talking about "oot camp". I definitely saw the young lady and chose the page to use conte crayons on. It was tricky doing the eyes on the glossy part so didn't quite turn out as it could have but for a journal page - I was pleased.


I also completed this canvas, which had been nearly complete for quite some time. I needed to paint the face better as first it was done very roughly. I think this painted face was the first I did in somewhat proper colours on a canvas. She's looking a bit pale here but that's how copied images sometimes turn out.

These two journal pages were mostly done in September - the right one particularly. The left was started at the same time with words and the face just drawn with ink. I painted her face today. I'm not positive this page is totally complete, I think probably. I might add a bird sometime.

I've also been doing some bits of creative sewing this month. This is one of the pieces on which I was practicing free motion stitching. 
"just be"

I hope fun has been a part of your art everyday month.
Angels be with you dear friends.

November in my life

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."
Elizabeth Lawrence

As this month of November goes crunching past, blending through,



I take pause to give thanks for the opportunities I have to be outdoors, midst the sunshine, walking with my dog.



I contemplate the many tasks to be done. I treasure any moment that I have for peaceful moments .

Our November this year is unusual. Typically I refer to November as "the candle month".










This year we seemed to have our more grey, more coool sullies



in October. November has brought us glorious weather to allow for completion of the harvest.



While the days are growing shorter,



the sun wants to shine gloriously. The birds want to be atwitter.



Christmas



is approaching and I look forward to the preparations with great joy.

And in this typically grey, rushed month of November, I have chosen once again to participate in Art Everyday Month. I have mainly been taking scads of photographs for using with Visual Poetry. I have decided to do a slideshow which depicts most of the creations from my first two weeks of Art Everyday Month.

Wishing you a very happy November.

dancing into dreamland

looking up
within the sky
spirits ~
dancing
into dreamland

Visual Poetry

What kind of picture evolves in your brain when you hear the words visual poetry? In my mind, there is a dance, a romancing with my taste buds, my spirit, my sense of being grounded. Winn, my spirit guide, allows my mind to float higher and yet higher, while yet even gaining strength and the need to stand tall, stand free, exist in the presence of me. Yes, I am wondering what picture evolves in your brain when you hear the words visual poetry.

A few months ago, I was invited by Susan Tuttle to join her group called Visual Poetry. While I had no idea, truly, what Visual Poetry was about, I chose to join. I absolutely adore the art and words of Susan. At first, because of time and resources, I thought the course Susan was offering online, was not a possibility for me. I did not spend any moments even really looking at what Visual Poetry was about. Not until Susan offered part one again did I start to investigate further, to discover that learning Susan's secrets was truly a possibility.


I had been following Susan's creative path since I was a participant in "artwords" and was so excited to purchase the publication in which Susan's art - "Blue Heart" - first appeared on page 100. I was very proud to be able to say, "I know this artist."


When Susan had her first book published I had to have that as well.


Visits to Susan's blog were always precious moments and I regretted not visiting more often.


And now, thoughts of "a dance, a romancing with my taste buds, my spirit, my sense of being grounded" entertain my being. "Winn, my spirit guide, allows my mind to float higher and yet higher, while yet even gaining strength and the need to stand tall, stand free", as I am encountering and practicing Susan's Visual Poetry through my very own perceptions.

My post 700 BUT

Even though this is post number 700 I have no time to celebrate. Actually, I AM celebrating in a way by trying to look with positive thoughts on this new month of November, which it still is here though probably not for most of my friends. I have started my first online workshop with Susan Tuttle today, visual poetry, but will not go into detail cause of time. I have also started Art Everyday month with Leah Piken Kolidas. While I have a number of other things on the go will just share a couple of sky pictures taken today. Most of the others will need more attention.



So celebrate along with me by leaving a comment here. If I get very many people commenting I may choose to do a surprise give away.

Angels be with you!

wintery clematis:
I didn't quite have time to finish either of the projects I was working on today so will share one of the photographs I took.

feeling dreadful while excited - near to the point of exhilarated:
I feel dreadful because I've not taken time, had time, to comment on so many friends blogs. But there has been so much happening. I am "this close" to being ready to open my etsy shop. I may not have lots in it to start with but I'll see how it goes. EVERYTHING takes so much time. YAAH, so what else is new Wendy!
I'm also near ecstatic because I finally felt comfortable to try doing something on canvas. I was terrified for the longest time. Fran said to me once it's not a big deal. Then I was very much the mixed -up media artist. I think I still am, but I'm finding much comfort in that place.
Between suziblu's inspiring videos and the creating in my journal I feel like I'm really finding my place. Now if some fairy, some fairy god-mother, any fairy, particularly my daughter, would decide to help a bit with the laundry, I'd be dancing my way to the stars. Wouldn't you think a 16 year old girl might like to do her own laundry? NOT this one - I guess we'll rationalize for her and say she has issues (which she really does) but that's not a suitable response LOL.
We'll proceed on the dance regardless.
This is a picture from Wednesday. It shows a couple of the canvases I'd splashed paint on. There are also a number of fabric pieces with pictures and words printed on them. Some day I might try to do a tiny tutorial on how I do that. I'd also printed parts from some of my poems which I'd translated to french with babel on some recycled paper. That would be the one that says confidential. tee- hee - really confidential. Actually I'll really miss all that recycle paper when it runs out, which it nearly has, WAHHHH!
These are some mini quilts in progress. The fabric with the gold is my own design done with permanent ink and the gold which is shiva paintstik. I love this fabric.
I'm also showing a flat canvas of 8x10 inches which I painted on and then applied some of those french words. Sometime if I remember I'll share the words as I wrote them. Don't hold your breath though.
I believe I forgot to show this journal quilt which I think I finished on Tuesday night.



In order to see the details of it, which you really must, please click on it and then do the view on black at my flickr.

I'm off to the big city again for some more tuning up.
Angels be with you dear angel friends,
Wendy

journal quilt for autumn: This is the first of a number of these autumn quilts. I have so many photos to use and so much fabric, so many trims and so many ideas. I'll try to tell you more about it next week when I can get to it. I've shown it in very large size so you can see the details.

Oh yes, it might not be finished. The time is very late, almost time for Suze to be waking already in the UK LOL, so will be all for today. Not sure how much I'll be able to post over the next days for AEM - will see what I can do.

Thursday: At least I think it's Thursday. The days seem to blend together at times. I realized I would not be able to complete the journal page or the quilt. I'm trying to check enlargements of some of my photos. It's quite frightening. One of them turned out very well but Greg is picking up four more this evening. I was kind of upset when I realized the double rainbow picture did not quite cut it. Oh well.
I'm preparing a number of projects to take along to the farm for the long weekend. We have an extra day holiday because Sunday is Remembrance Day in Canada. Tomorrow we have to go to Saskatoon for appointments. That seems to use pretty much the whole day.
So I'll just show you this photo which I worked with on photoshop. I won't tell you what I have planned for it. That would spoil the surprise.That's all for AEM this day.

A quotation I've been wanting to share for awhile which arrived from Inspiration Peak:
"Anything you do from the soulful self will help lighten the burdens of
the world. Anything. You have no idea what the smallest word, the
tiniest generosity can cause to be set in motion. Be outrageous in
forgiving. Be dramatic in reconciling. Mistakes? Back up and make them
as right as you can, then move on. Be off the charts in kindness. In
whatever you are called to, strive to be devoted to it in all aspects
large and small. Fall short? Try again. Mastery is made in increments,
not in leaps. Be brave, be fierce, be visionary. Mend the parts of the
world that are within your reach. To strive to live this way is the most
dramatic gift you can ever give to the world."

Clarissa Pinkola Estes
American Author, Poet and Psychologist

Angels be with you,
Wendy