Revisting the Art of Doll Making

 

 

Back in the 90's I explored doll making.  It was 15 years before I would discover my love for painting.  I was working in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit at a hospital at the time and I remember how relaxing it was to work with clay, paint and cloth. My job was very stressful and this offered such a respite.  I made 11 doll ornaments with matching hearts and bows to go on our Christmas tree.  It took two months to make them.  My husband kept commenting about how fixated I was during the process.   I should have known then that making art would be a good fit for me. 

Last March I had the desire to reexplore this art and found it to be just as satisfying as painting.  I don't think I will ever stop painting, but having other mediums to work with is a good thing because I have always liked variety.

These two have been listed in my Etsy shop.  

In October, I rearranged my workspace again.  Here it is as of yesterday.  It's already a mess, but that's a good thing, right?

I have been working on my bird photography.  I would like to buy a new lens for my camera to get clearer photos of them.  Birds are so beautiful in their markings, not to mention entertaining to watch!  I love this photo the most out of dozens I took recently.  It looks like he is casually taking in the scenery, though I am sure he is just keeping an eye out for predators.  I discovered a YouTube channel titled Leslie the Bird Nerd.  She lives in northeastern US and is so knowledgeable about birds. It is amazing how much they trust her, eating seed right from her hand.  Her videography is stunning also and I highly recommend her channel if you are a bird lover too.

                                                                                    

I am keeping this post short and sweet...Until next time!

Coffee Painting, Colorado Winters and Shrike

Still Life With Stone Setting
oil on paper 7 x 5 inch
available here

You could say coffee and still life are the themes this month.  I joked about naming the painting below  "Ugly Mug", but I went with a different name to keep it on the positive.  Poor little mug.

Mug With Circle Handle
oil on linen panel 4 x 6 inch
available here

 Of course there has to be figures too when I paint.  I am not sure I will ever stop painting them.

Brew
oil on paper 9 x 12 inch
available here

Here is a recent shot of my art studio.  It is a loft area at our house.  It has lots of southern light.  My poor guitar just sits there.  I quit lessons some time ago when I started working two jobs and would much rather paint in my spare time.  Learning an instrument is a bit comittment, but maybe I will pick it up again some day.

It has been a snowy winter here in Colorado.  I am getting my exercise for sure with all the shoveling.  Our bird feeders are quite busy.  At the Wild Birds store I work at people complain about the squirrels eating all their bird food.  We even sell foods with hot pepper in them to deter the squirrels.  They don't like the taste, but the birds can't taste it.  I don't really mind the squirrels, they have to eat too.

We also have these magnificent Magpies here in Colorado.  They are a large intelligent bird said to know how to mimic sounds.  I have never heard them do that though.  People also complain about these birds because they bully smaller birds at the feeders.  Our Magpies are nice, they don't misbehave.

Another Colorado bird I have really enjoyed seeing is the Northern Flicker.  It is a woodpecker and it has the most beautiful markings and color.  They are fun to watch at the feeders, hanging upside down and such.  How in the world they can eat that way is beyond me.

The trees behind our house often look like this - full of birds.  It is such a joy for me to watch them and photograph them.

Speaking of birds, I am obsessed with this song by Hozier.  He learned about a bird called a Shrike, which is actually a kind of vicious bird.  After hearing about the Shrike, he felt inspired to write a song about heartbreak.  It is such a beautiful and almost haunting song though and I will leave you with this video of him performing it.  Enjoy.

Until next time.  Take care.

Sunflowers, Kansas, Sketchbook Sweeties, and Birds

Detail of WIP
16 x 20 inch oil on paper

Slow progress is being made on the 16 x 20 inch oil on paper painting.  Above is some more detail.

Trail at Pawnee Prairie Nature Center
Wichita, Kansas

I have been hiking quite a bit at our Pawnee Prairie Nature Center.  Lots of beautiful Kansas scenery makes the senses go wild.  I am not sure what I do most of...hike or take pictures.  The above photo is very Kansas...fairly flat with lots of grasses, wildflowers and big open skies.

Our backyard this morning after a storm

We have had so much rain here in Kansas and everything is so green.  It sure does make it a lot easier to pull weeds.  I have been spending hours and hours in the backyard working.

sketchbook sweeties
graphite in a tiny moleskin

Of course no day would be complete without at least one little sketch.  The above sketches are from weeks ago....the crazy girl on the left is a favorite.

sketchbook sweetie
graphite in a tiny moleskin

 I've been doing a lot of bird watching too and this sketch was done last night.  

Oriole

 Kansas has gorgeous birds...Cardinals, Blue Jays, Orioles, Golden Finch, Purple Finch and if you're lucky, you might spot an owl from time to time.  I often stand at the widow waiting for that perfect picture.  This is an Oriole...a little blurry...but you get the idea of what a gorgeous bird this is.  Its song is about five notes long and sugary sweet-sounding.  What kinds of birds do you see where you live?

Until next time!  Have a beautiful week!