Progress

Since my stroke there have been lots of adjustments and changes.  Some adjustments have been very very difficult while some have been welcomed.  For such a long time before the stroke I needed and wanted certain changes, unsure as to how to go about making this happen. After the stroke I had absolutely no choice but to make a change in my personal life.  I have always heard of a "silver lining" and have witnessed that in my life many times, the stroke being the most recent silver lining. 

The stroke forced me to completely surrender control for a while,  with that came a serenity and freedom allowing me to just trust the process.  Very suddenly things started happening beyond my control.  I will be the first to admit, when I moved out of the drivers seat and let God handle things, things worked out better than I ever could have imagined. 

Now very shortly I will be on my way to Phase II of my progress.  I am thankful for the opportunity to start a new career and very thankful for my family.

The journal above was an old journal from last year.  I took the entire journal and gessoed it....completely.  In it now contains hopes, dreams and plans for the future symbolizing a new focus and a beautiful serenity.

The purse

This piece was made for my daughters birthday.  Ashley is in nursing school and she loves fashion, so I put the two together and made this mixed media piece for her.  This piece is made as I have made past pieces in that I started with watercolor paper covered with dictionary pages from a 1948 dictionary.  The purse was drawn with pencil and outlined with a stabilo pencil,   Acrylic was used for the color.  Hope she likes it.

8x10" mixed media on watercolor paper

Shalom

Another painting for the grand.  

Acrylic on watercolor paper 22x30".

Teenage mutant ninja turtle

A painting for one of the grandkids.  His favorite, teenage mutant ninja turtles.

8x12" acrylic on watercolor paper

sp3

8x10" mixed media on watercolor paper

sp2

8x10" mixed media on watercolor paper

s/p Stroke

My last post was 6/15/14.  The day after that, I had a stroke.  On 6/16/14 I went to bed and woke up almost a week later.  I had difficulty walking, talking and writing.  It has been a long month, alot of changes have happened in the past month.  Today I painted my first painting since the stroke.  It felt awesome to create again, I have thought about it for a month.  Strange thing is while I was having the stroke and after, mentally, I was painting.  I dont know if that makes sense to anyone but it does me. Your mind protects you, and my mind protected me by painting.   The painting above was fairly easy, considering the fact that I have been painting her for a month.

The journey

12x18" acrylic on watercolor paper

Value study

Value study in art journal - acrylic

I got this

Acrylic/mixed media on 8x12" watercolor paper

Jackson rework

Have been reworking some pieces lately including this one of my grandson, Jackson.  Reworked with acrylics and oils probably 5 or more times.  There are still some adjustments I will make but for the most part I am at a stopping point.  It will be a very long time before I attempt a beach scene again.

  

Red balloon

A rocking chair sat beside my fathers recliner.   That rocking chair was mine when I was a little girl.  Hour upon hour were spent in this chair rocking beside my father as he sat in his recliner.  Just my dad and I, enjoying our rocking chairs.  Just my dad and I, bonding.  For years I sat beside my father.  We read together, watched football together, watched Hee-Haw, Dolly Parton, Cher and Billy Graham together. 

This was a good time to ask Daddy any questions about life in general that I had on my mind. 

As I got older, I would sit in Daddys chair and rock.  When he got home from work,  I would politely and gladly move over to my little chair. 

When I was sick I would sit in his chair and rock and miraculously I was better.  This little chair may look like just a chair to some, but to me it was my undivided connection with Daddy growing up and will always have a special place in my heart because of what it represents.

This piece was painted for my Dad which died three years ago.  The little chair which holds such special memories for me and a red balloon for his birthday.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

22x30" acrylic/oils/mixed media on watercolor paper

The tutu

The revision is complete!! Yeah!! 

Acrylics on 22x30" watercolor paper

Inspiration for the tutu was Karen Milstein's beautiful little tutu.    Karen is having a sale in her Etsy shop right now, worth checking out!

Inspiration for the mother/ballerina's pose  was found on Pinterest by Katya Grindneva.  Here is a link to her awesome work.

WIP - a revision

A couple of days ago I posted "A Mothers Love".  After looking at it awhile I decided I wasnt too happy with it, actually I wasnt happy with most of it.  About the only thing I was happy with was the little girls face. So, today I have been working very hard to revise it.  This is what I have come up with......the only thing that stayed intact was the little girls face, everything else was reworked.  Now, the little girl is in her tutu that mom makes her wear, but she has not given up her red and white stripe tights or her converse shoes.  Mom is not exactly pleased at this very moment.  Hopefully tomorrow I will finish this, but I am intentionally leaving everything kinda rough and muted as to highlight the little girl.

Have a good one!

A Mothers Love

22x30" acrylic/mixed media on watercolor paper  

Angel

To see an angel, you must see another's soul.

To feel an angel, you must touch another's heart.

To hear an angel you must listen to both.

-Unknown

Journal

Acrylics

Bent

12 x 12" Mixed media on watercolor paper

Inspiration for this piece:

Sort

15 x 22" Mixed media on watercolor paper

Trust and Believe

Mixed media on 22"x 30" watercolor paper.  This piece was painted with acrylics, shading and dimension added with oil pastels.  The journaling to the right was blurred to keep private.

Jackson

Decided to change my color palette a bit this week using more muted tones. I took this pic of my grandchild a few years back at the beach.  Loved his little shorts almost falling off and have wanted to paint it for a while.   My daughters birthday seemed like the perfect occassion. 

12" x 18" oil on canvas

What does X look like

I have a milestone birthday coming up on Thursday....the kinda birthday that makes you stop and reflect.  Am I where I want to be in life?  What have I accomplished in life?  What would I change if I could?  What are my goals for the future?

12"x18" watercolor, graphite and ink on hotpressed watercolor paper