While perhaps not...

...the most productive week in the studio, it has been an interesting one in my creative mind.  I watched a video called Powers of Ten which set my mind racing.

Taking some time to photograph things around the house, I put the concept to the test, and came up with these series of photos.  Each series of three is a zoom-in to a specific area, and the third would make an interesting abstract in my opinion.

If I were a painter of realism, I'd love to paint this one of my Grandfather's cane hanging from the Bentwood rack.

And further cropping would make this a fun abstract to do.

A pile of embroidery-work-to-be-done has few possibilities in any direction.

However, it gets more interesting as one moves in though.

And I'm loving the abstracted possibilities here!

I did manage to get an 14" x 11" painting done for my eldest grandson's birthday, so that will get off in the mail this week, one hopes.

And he even gets a card to colour to go along with it because colouring is a favourite thing of his.

My visionary mind is on over-stimulation now, so I hope it spurs me back to the 3 x 4, or something just as much fun.

May your week have been filled with the thrill of creative revelations from the muse, and may they spring effortlessly into reality!

It's been a mixed bag this week...

...but a fun one, nonetheless.

With friends in the studio for a morning, we got our playtime on.  Laura was working on inking a painting as she readies for The Square Foot Show.

Eileen was playing with a small series of abstract pieces which, of course, had me yearning to do the same.

As a consequence, I threw some paint at a journal spread

in a trio of colours that was well out of my usual range.  Lavender, warm yellow and burnt sienna were the suggestions for my September art prompt, and I had fun with them.  More to come on this spread once it truly dries, I suspect.

As I looked through this journal after our playdate, I was struck by the range of luscious colour and texture in some of the spreads, and thought you might enjoy a peek at some of them. 

Now that I've got my abstract appetite whetted once again, I think I'd better get back to the studio.  Have a happy September week, my friends!  

The stacks are getting higher...

...and it's very colourful in here.  One of the large tables is covered with works in progress that require 'something other than paint'.

Another table is massed with bottles, tubes and pots of paint, along with works that are crying out for new applications.

The middle table is a catch-all for projects that await decisions, cutting, or inspiration.

I've got a journal signature in progress somewhere (it will go in the traveller's journal) that has a start of colour on the spreads ranging from turquoise to hot pink to red and a green 'sludge' paint gifted from a friend.

With sixteen spreads in the signature, it's going to be colourful to the max, even before I start adding Posca pens, ink and whatever else comes to hand when I'm out 'in the wilds' sketching with friends.

One of the larger pieces in the works has some interesting sections,

that have me wondering how many layers

are really on there? 

The whole looks like a dog's 3-day old brekkie,

but I'm determined to keep adding to it until I reach a cohesive whole.  It's possible it will weigh 20 pounds by then.  😖😉🤣

How's your week been going?  I hope that in your part of the world spring is peeking out from every corner, the days are warming up and Mother Nature is starting to sing.  

Practice, practice...

...and more practice.  I'm still on a huge learning curve, and this week I've been painting with eye droppers and dried vegetation.  The former is with inks, and frustrating enough. 

The latter is so beyond frustrating (it's supposed to be with freshly picked flora and fauna which is hard to find in our late-winter landscape, so dried was the closest substitute) that I deleted the only photo.  I'll continue this one with other techniques until Mother Nature cooperates, with thanks! 

I consoled myself with tearing the edges of the book-in-progress which was most satisfying.

I auditioned some beads without success, and need to hunt down my jewelry findings in order to put together some more options.

After reviewing last week's test run, I added yet another layer of (darker) grey, and still feel like it could go darker yet.

I worked on a graffiti piece and have to tell you that the scribbling part was great fun, so much so that I think I'll try it with some ink and eye dropper.  😉

Meanwhile, the pile of in-progress pieces grows by leaps and bounds, and my studio cries out for a tidying.  Will it get done this week?  Doubtful!

In our family...

,,,Christmas is all about family connections, and puzzling it all out.  John chose a great puzzle to work on this year, and I couldn't help but take some close-ups of some of these intriguing pieces.

As we move into 2018, I'm sure we're all wondering about this!

I wish for you a compass that always points to true north.

May your direction follow a clear path,

with interesting diversions as needed.

Here's to hitting the jackpot every. single.  time. ,

in a world filled with glorious colour.

May your life be rich with extraordinary texture,

 and pattern,

 and may you always be considered the epitome of Dudedom.

 May you remain strong

 in your own personal Game of Thrones,

 and may every enticing portion of the universe be shown to you.

May you be aware of each of these,

 and share them with beloved friends and family.

And in the end, may all the pieces

 come together to make a beautiful artwork.

May 2018 be all your wishes come true.