It's so hard to stop...

 ...playing with colour.  I picked up a new Flame Red ink this week to use for the Abstract Mojo class I'm taking, and, of course, had to play with it a bit  a lot to see who it's best friends were going to be.

I've long been a fan of Manganese Blue and Hansa Yellow together, given that they make the most luscious green.  Turns out the addition of the Flame Red was a happy one, and I can see the three of them happily running off to the playground together pretty much every day for the next while.

The depth of the indigo instead of manganese made me think of the playground bully.  A little goes a long, long way.  😉

I tried several combinations of Teal, turquoise, the red ink and  hansa yellow, and found them somewhat subdued for my liking.  It's clear I have a preference for very noisy play indeed.

Surprisingly, I had a good deal of fun with the smooshing of leftover paints, finding one or two interesting compositions and combinations with my handy-dandy view finder.

I did manage to get one lesson done in the Abstract Mojo course - an interesting one painting emotions (quickly or slowly/deliberately) to music.  I did the frenzied style, and plan on doing the latter  another time.  It was an interesting exercise, as I found myself using colours and tones not normally in my painting vocabulary.

As always when painting, I found myself using leftovers for continued work on tags, and that's a good thing in my world.

Hope you've had a mouth-watering and colourful week.  Do please let me know in the comments what you've been up to!

Got the January doldrums?

 Then I hope you've got an artist friend who knows your love of colour.  This stunning card arrived in the mail this past week from Meg Nicks, just when I needed a rush of colour pick-me-up.

Isn't that just the juiciest?  

Purging is enough to give anyone the doldrums, I'd say.  I've been on a tear in the studio going through my supplies as I just knew there were a number of things I'd not used in a long time.  I've already got a couple of small boxes, and I'm barely started.  If I've not used it in two years, it's heading out the door.

That means that I've gotten a little less done in the studio than what is normal.  This 30-second abstract came from a prompt card requiring something transparent, something opaque, and something scribbled, which really had me giggling.  Right up my alley as to the quick and dirty.  I've set myself a goal this year to use a prompt card once a month (as if I don't have enough ideas of things to do)...I can see it's going to be really entertaining.

And I'm still working on the Abstract Mojo lesson two, cutting the painted watercolour into eight pieces,

rearranging them, 

and now working back into them.  I've barely started on the first three and have waaaaay too many ideas.

And I'm supposed to be moving onto lesson three this week - yikes.  Hope you've been creativity excited and are free of the doldrums this week.  I'll be popping by to say hello and check it out...happy January.   

Here we are...

 ...already into the second week of the new year.  I've managed to nail down my word for 2023 - how about you?

I've noticed as I move well and truly into my seventies that I am less inclined in this direction, and that's a no go for me.  

It's time to stop avoiding doing things because there may some risk involved.

I've no wish to curl up into a ball and wither away,

so fearless is my word for the year.

By the time I finish all these reminders, they'll be plastered from one end of the house to the other,

and I'll be unable to do anything but get out of my comfort zone.  

That's a darn good thing, too, because I've signed up for Tracy Verdugo's Abstract Mojo class.  I've done the first lesson on line and colour  in unit one 

and started on the second.  It may look like a dog's brekkie right now, but the playtime is fabulous!

So catch me up on what's happening in your corner of the artworld.  Do you have a word for the year yet?  Are you in the throes of new beginnings?  I'm excited to hear!

2023?

How did we get here already?  I was just getting used to writing 2022 and now have to learn a new one.  😀

As is normal this time of year, I've been taking a look at what the previous year's accomplishments were.  Given that my aim was to learn a number of book-making styles, I'm pretty happy with myself. 

    

 

Of course that's not all.  Between birthday paintings for the grandchildren (3), finally finishing the ensuite bathroom dryer sheet curtains, paintings on paper, large journal spreads, tags, tree ornaments by the dozens and cards by the bucket load, it's been a full year.  Creativity is such a great way to keep oneself out of trouble, don't you think?

I'm looking forward to being back in the swing of things again and seeing what you've all been up to!  Happy New Year - 2023!