Ivy and Cat Naps

Today was so lovely out! A warm 60 degrees and clear skies!
The whole of my town was out enjoying the break from winter weather.
In fact my family was so thrilled, we grabbed a tiny TV and spent the day watching European soccer matches and sunbathing on our back deck. At one point I actually fell asleep in the warm sunshine. hmmm.. it was a break we all needed.
Taken with the taste of coming spring I began to work on this sharpie drawing of Ivy.
I so enjoyed feeling out the organic leaflets, curves and sprouts!

Tonight as I watch the Grammys I plan to fill up the whole page. I'm starting to think small objects caught up in the web of vines would be interesting. Tea cups, keys, feathers, small bugs.. etc. It feels so good to just jump right in with little forethought on the whole picture. This Monday I plan to re-focus on my attention on the Green House Painting. That blasted huge monster! As with every big piece I create it's a joy and a pain to paint. Hopefully the end result will pay off. until then,
Stay Artsy,
~Sarah Bosserman

Crazy Cactus

In the art classes I co-teach, the project for our kindergartners is "Crazy Cactuses".
We're teaching the kids about line, pattern and color. To make it fun my boss decided to have them apply these elements to cactuses. Of course the students are having a marvelous time exaggerating this botanical specimen to the limits. Some of them are hardly recognizable, but all the better for the bursts of color and random pattern!
I was so inspired by my students that I couldn't help but try my hand at the project!
Here is my "Crazy Cactus"!

My cactus before the water is added

The first step is to draw the body and branches outline with black sharpie. Then, add loads of pattern with colored sharpies. Next, color over the patterns with watercolor pencils. Later, add water with a paintbrush and presto! A Crazy Cactus to grace your fridge or mantel!

After the watercolor pencils have been activated

Next week the students (and I) will add the stickers/pokers with cutout colored construction paper. Like a few of my students, I added wolfish grin. After all, cactuses aren't exactly cuddly are they?

Stay Artsy,
~Sarah Bosserman