Trauma, drama, illness and an artistic kick in the teeth

I have been away from Bloglandia for a VERY long time. What a lot of stuff has been going on. But thankfully it is mostly over and life can get back to normal.

First there was family trauma, which will happen from time to time, especially when the family is large like mine. And there is always drama to accompany the trauma.

Then I got to lose over a month to an illness which while it could have been fatal, wasn't.

Before all this stuff happened, I got a real artistic kick in the teeth. I had mentioned the show I was going to be in. I entered this piece 'Imaginary Friends'And this piece 'Warrior'

And this piece 'A Really Good Hair Day'

So I'm pretty happy with my work, I thought I had some very unusual and creative things. Then they had the judging and I got beat out by this! A knock-off of a lawn ornament that the guy who made it told me he threw together just to prove he could do whimsy. I don't expect to win every thing I enter. I know full well that there are many many artists out there who are better than me. I also know that it isn't always who's better, sometimes it's all about the judges taste. This judge was a man and I don't know what to say about his taste. The welds were sloppy and the painting was spotty. I was really confused.

Then I enter a jury show for the first time. I am again feeling pretty good about my work. I entered the big black beaded wing, the bone and jewel dragon sculpture and Miss Noteworthy. I feel these are some of the best work I have ever done. I didn't enter looking towards winning, because this is a big show with entries from all over the states. But I truly thought I would at least get in.

Wrong.

I got the form letter saying thank you but no.

So I guess I have been creatively pouting in the midst of all the trauma drama and illness.

But I'm over it now. So screw 'em if they don't like my work. I do.

Peace

Dancing Goddess And A New Mask

This is a new Goddess I just finished. Her word is Dance. I wanted to play with trying to make her look like she is moving. She is a little misshapen and her boob is where her waist should be, but all in all I am pleased with her. This is 'Warrior' a new mask I did for a show. I have to say I like her best of all the faces I have done. Her background color is copper, it just doesn't show up so well in these pics.

There is an art show at the Center where I had my gallery show last Dec. You can enter 3 pieces. They have to be made within the last 6 months and never shown at the Center before. I entered 'Imaginary Friends', 'A Good Hair Day aka Hannah' and this piece. There is judging and awards so fingers crossed.

This is a closeup of the top of her head. She is wearing a Fox head headress embellished with Wild Turkey feathers and Pheasant feathers and with curly dried vines.

This is a scrap of leather I had, I scraped the back of it with a knife and cut into the edges and then slightly burned them with a wood burner. More feathers and some bones finish her outfit.

Like always her eyes are doll/teddy bear eyes mounted in paper clay and glued into the back of the mask.

Peace

The Winner Is...

First my apologies for posting the winner so late. We have been in the middle of a family drama/trauma and it is causing all kinds of headaches including a migraine for me.

But the winner is Kathy from Pieces Of Me in my links list. Please E me your addy Kathy and I will send your Goddess to you.

I did my first cut and paste collage. I love collage and am a huge fan of Kathy from Pieces of Me and Peggy from Peggy's Mixed Up Art. They are both in my links list. I am lucky to own a piece from Peggy and it is beautiful.

So I wanted to try my hand at cut and paste. The idea is that the little girl is holding back a sunflower that has gotten too much Miracle Gro.
What was most fun to do, was the piecing together of 5 different garden pics to make one.

And I finished my rooster. I am happy it looks like a rooster. Since this is the first picture I have ever painted, and I didn't sketch it out first, I wasn't sure what it would turn out to be. I just did a rough pencil shape and started painting. The feet are kind of wonky, but feet usually are LOL!!

Peace

Changes

This is a piece meant to represent the changes in Japanese fashion/culture. From the old to the new. I googled Japanese street fashion and got these images.

The Geishas are from google and Art Chix. I did all the circles because I thought it looked kinda Asian.

The Kanji symbol says 'Changes'.

I have been experimenting with paints lately. I have never painted a picture before, so I'm kind of creating by the seat of my pants here.

My DH is fascinated with roosters. I don't know why. We don't have any. But he loves them. So I googled a pic and this is the start.

I'm using water colors.

Peace

A Really Good Hair Day

Yay, she's finished! I couldn't be happier with her. I have renamed 'Hannah' after my friend Marys, from Working Projects in my link list, granddaughter. I have seen her pic and she has hair just like this. Hers is all one color tho. And it doesn't have beads and stuff on the ends. I went round and round about jewelry for her. I toyed with the idea for a jewel in her navel. But in the end, I think this look suits. She has purple sequins around her arms and a little black pearl necklace.

This is a journal page I did. Not much writing on it, but I was so happy with the way the colors turned out, I didn't want to cover them.

See the post below to enter my giveaway.

Peace

A Goddess Give Away

This is to celebrate my 100th post! I can't believe I've posted so much. And it amazes me that people like what I do enough to follow my blog. So as a thank you I am giving away this Goddess.

She is about 6 1/2 inches hi. Her word is Peace. I chose her because my son will be going back to Iraq for his second tour in May, and peace is what I wish for us all.

She is made from copper wire and glass beads.

So leave me a comment and on May 1st I will pick a winner by having DH randomly pick a number.

Please make sure I have your E addy so I can let you know if you win.

I have been playing a lot with journal pages this week. Experimenting with paints which his something I never do much.

This came out looking like the view from my kitchen window, so I detailes the trees with a gel pen. You can't see it from the pic tho.

I am surprised by how this turned out, I just smudged paint around without a plan. I used these colors because they were the only tubes of water colors I had that hadn't dried out!

Peace

Starting A Journal

I started an art journal today. This is a big deal for me. I love journals. I am fascinated by other peoples journals. But I never did one because I was always afraid I would sound dorky. Seems like people write such beautiful, insightful and inspiring things. How do they do it?

A friend of mine pointed out that it doesn't matter if you're dorky or not, no one will see it if you don't want them to. She also told me to go to Suzi Blu on U Tube. Which I did and I loved. So I took the plunge and started.

I am NOT going to worry about sounding dorky, or what my handwriting looks like, or if I have anything important to say.

I am just going to play.

Peace