It's so exciting...

...to welcome a new baby into the family, and the arrival this past week of a grand niece was no exception.  Of course, it meant that her first piece of art needed to be created last minute (because that's just the way it goes, right?).

I started with a gessoed 16 x 16" panel, and loosely laid out cheesecloth and dried botanicals to ensure I had room for the photo I wanted to include.

I glued them (and my fingers, toes, armpits and walls) to the panel surface and sides before I put the first coat of gesso over it all.  I always love the look of the technique at this point - the ghostly shadows are so subtle.  Yes, I know that's not my style at all!

It was time for the first coat of colour; using thin washes of quinacridone gold, Van Dyke brown, burnt umber and sap green, I loved watching the paint seep into the crevices created by the cheesecloth and textural organics. 

Before deepening the colours, I added the photo and surrounded it with poppy seed heads, pods, and a variety of other natural dried items.

 Another layer of colour,

and more yet was added before I incorporated some polished stones (created by this sweetie's father when he was a child) to finish the piece.

 I'm so fascinated by the beautiful texture here.

Welcome, Esmae - we're just delighted to have you join our family!  xoxox

Another signature...

...is completed (well, we all know one could keep adding don't we?), this time in shades of rich fall colour.

I was amused to find a story of a wood sprite emerging.  Where did she come from?

The signature is filled with secret pockets for extra photos, tags, and ephemera.

Dried ferns and vegetation abound.

The Gelli prints used throughout are rich with colour and texture that complement the greenery

and I've used John's marvellous photos from a stash he gifted me with some time ago.

There are feathers everywhere (mostly culled by animal-health-technologists-in-training - thank you Rochelle!)

that add to the visual of a wood sprite's habitat.  Whatever this sprite's intent, I'm glad she popped in for a visit!