Art Happens

Photography that's my art for today.

I would have posted something else, but I was sitting at my bedroom window, looked up and yelled "SO PRETTY". The moon, the sun drenched branches.. I grabbed my camera snapped this quickly.

Art happens.

Stay Artsy & DFTBA

Sarah Bosserman



January Art Walk

So, those of you I met last night at Art Walk...it was FUN! Made me realize I don't come out of my cave nearly often enough. Y'all are characters.

And I'll be posting photos of my Art-A-Day pieces from the last couple of days probably this evening.

From Pat Fleming

This is a redo of Jerry Garcia. This is acrylic. I'm using acrylics like watercolor and I like it that way. B.B. King (stands for Blues Boy) has black paint. First time I've used black paint in years. "Joy" is of a Sudanese woman seeing a Chicago skycraper for the first time. The painting of her husband and son is entitled "Joy."

"EDM #6: Draw Your Favorite Well-Loved Object, or a Childhood Toy"

This isn't actually my old baseball mitt.  Mine disappeared about as long ago as the moon landing: maybe even before that.

The one you see here is one of the three I purchased at a yard-sale so when my grandsons come to visit we can go outside and play catch.  Those boys are growing up fast, the youngest is 7 and the oldest will be 11 on Valentine's Day.

My old mitt was something I dearly loved.  It was a three-fingered affair, and with my little and ring finger snuggled into the third finger of the mitt, it was a perfect fit.  If I close my eyes I can still feel how it hung on my hand, almost falling off, but still secure; and how a ball blazing off the smack of a bat and into the meshing brought no pain. Odd isn't it, how one can gain life-long attachment to an old piece of leather, and a dog?  But that's another story - the dog.

I loved baseball; and I guess I was pretty good at it until I decided in high school to run hurdles instead: big mistake.

sketching more

Back again with sketch #3, a mug.  I thought this should be easier, but no-o-o-o.  Symmetry and curves are much harder than the straighter lines of the lamp and purse!

I don't drink coffee or tea so had to resort to a holiday cup.  Tried adding some color and when I added water to the Inktense pencils I had a little smudging....ah well.  Proportions are hard on this too.....  So I moved on to something else.  A challenge site I regularly participate on is Inspiration Avenue and they provide weekly prompts - this week's is damask.  Coincidentally, Sketchbook Challenge's monthly theme is Doodling for January, so I combined the two and came up with this.

Symmetry is not my thing - in drawing, in hanging pictures, in jewelry, in anything....so, this again was a challenge to get the curves anywhere near the same shapes and sizes.  But, it was a fun challenge.  For those drawers, sketchers out there not familiar with the Sketchbook Challenge, it's worth a visit - either on Facebook, flickr or their site - lots of good tutorials, tips, different drawing styles represented, etc.

Thursday

Another busy day. Worked on two paintings (5 hours) looks like another 4 or 5 before I'm done, with these.

Raindrops and Dewdrops

It has been a busy week with 5 classes, but I'm lovin' it!

Yesterday, I prepared a dewdrop study for my students so they can learn to add a drop or two of water to their upcoming painting project. The droplets require only a few short, easy steps to create, but somehow have the power to elicit awe in the viewer. HOW did you DO that?

Water...powerful in so many ways.

Dragon Goggles

Well, here is my concept art for the Dragon's coloring.

I'm especially proud of the goggle-like patterning around his eyes, and the flag like appendages on his head make me smile. He literally can feel the wind in his flaggy-things.

More to come on this many colored beasty, and who knows this might not be the final design.

However, at the moment I'm quiet happy with it.

Stay Artsy & DFTBA

Sarah Bosserman

Quilting project done for January

Finished the last four blocks and tomorrow I'll move on to something else.

It's all about the light....

I took a nice walk along the Columbia River out towards Willow Pointe yesterday with my dog Finn and managed to capture some striking images. These are two of my favorites. Ya gotta love that magic afternoon light we get this time of year. In this first one I especially like the way the far shore is lit, while the foreground is in shadow. I'm always amazed by the ability of modern cameras to pick up so much detail in the shadows.

In this second one, I am mostly enamored with the composition, the contrast in scale with the detail of the grass in the foreground set off by the majestic sky and the sweep of the much grander shoreline in the distance.

But this is just what was running through my head. I am actually more interested in what is running through your head right now as you see these images. I believe that we all create for an audience, real or imagined, and so I would really like to know how (if) these images affect you, so please leave a comment below, and don't worry, I have thick skin. In the end, I really only have to please myself and, at least with these two images, I am pleased...

Book Art Project (almost done)

Here she is in a long linear fashion, totally sketched and almost finished with the coloring. I opted for the white china marker (like a grease pencil) which looks so fabulous on a black background (just black gesso, by the way) and then I've colored it in colored pencils since they were within reach. It's actually quite subtle in color ... a departure from the others that were quite vibrant. Any suggestions whether she needs to be fully colored ... I sort of like the partially colored areas.

The ends have to be attached and then folded to become the "book" format ... I'm liking her so much at this point I don't want to fold her, but will do so to complete the book.

(bear with me on the photo - my cell takes low res photos ... so will take one with the other camera next time).

sketching: purse

Sketch #3 - my purse. Thank God I carry a smaller one than Jim's wife!  This was hard enough, thank you very much!

As I browse through everyone else's projects, I'm so inspired by the talent in this group!  It's fun to see the variety of art and projects!

The Blueish Square

Well didn't do much painting the past couple of days. I think one day I drew circles on the square blue one I started, then the next day I put some paint in the circles. I know it all looks slow but I know where I'm going with this one. Even if it is not evident to anyone else :))








Greg Ashby - Ashnmyst@aol.com -ashnmyst.blogspot.com

"EDM #5: Draw Your Bed"

Ok, this is the last of the first five I did two years ago.  Yes, it is my bed.  If you haven't figured it out yet, most of the people in the Everyday Matters Group are women....shoes, lamps, bags, beds. 

If us guys were doing this it would have been bolts, nuts, saws and jock straps...well, maybe not that last one. Anyway, there's plenty more to come where these come from and they're all just good practise anyway, so I'm not too worried about it.

I like to think that if I were to draw this again I wouldn't miss the perspective as badly on the bed as I did this on this one.

Hope you're enjoying these for a fraction as much as I am and remember, you can get the list of EDM Challenges at this link.

Posting "Labels"

When you compose a post - look to the bottom left of the box and see "Labels" beside a little dialog box.  Consider writing your name or words that reference your post.  It makes it possible and easy to search and find previous posts.  Very helpful, particularly years down the road!

Inside an alien's head

If you've wondered that I might be a bit off-the-wall, this ought to cinch it.
I had a few hours in the studio, tended a bit to a projects, ground off some rough parts of a broken mug for a friend and then simply couldn't pull together any kind of focus.
Next week, after Little Christmas, I hope to find focus.  For now,  lost into a glob of oozed glue...

Another China sketch

A little girl in a traditional hat.

Self Portrait III

Mother & Daughters (and other stuff)

This is one of the sketches I am playing with.

I have also worked this week on the creation of a professional development opportunity where I will be exploring the ideas in the following books:

• Art and Artist by Otto Rank
• The Story of Art by Gombrich
• The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe

I am doing this from the perspective of an educator and curriculum specialist, not an "artist" -- and I want to explore more ideas about art and why creative expression is oppressed in many of us. Taking on Bobi's challenge is a leap beyond my comfort zone, but I plan on making it fun.

Zelda Inspired Art

I've found wire for my Paper Mache Dragon wings!!

I've also covered the body and head. More exoskeleton must be made on the wings before I begin to paper mache them.

Now, since I'm halfway finished the body I had better plan a color pallet.

Hmm.. I'm considering a Pacific Coast Native American-ish combined with the legend of Zelda Wind Waker-ish style.

sort of like this (from Zelda)

(THIS IS NOT MY ART)

I'll have to work on some small paintings in order to figure out exactly what I want.

More to come!

Stay Artsy & DFTBA (Don't Forget To Be Awesome)

~Sarah Bosserman