All is bright...

...in the studio this week, albeit somewhat scrambled.

While working intermittently on the fabric spiral background,

I've gotten distracted by a screamingly bright pattern-in-process on canvas,

With some of the leftover black paint from that, I stenciled some tag blanks

which led to a yen for gel printing.

One can hardly gel print without wanting to audition some of those papers in a journal,

and one journal just naturally leads to another, doesn't it?

Being obsessed with colour play is obviously the life to live, don't you think? 

What about you - what's going on in your studio?

As we watch...

what is going on in the United States right now, I am reminded that learning to love others is an ongoing process, not only in the US, but around the world.  We are none of us free of the tyranny of racism, judgement, intolerance and injustice.

It seems to me that we could all pay attention to those traits in ourselves,

and if we'd

we could

The more we practice love, the more we understand that we are all one

 and that

How do you practice love - in your artwork, in your life?  Do you have some tips for eradicating racism, judgement, intolerance and injustice?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments below.

I never know...

what's going to happen in the creativity zone in any given day.

It might be more work on a piece of fabric that has morphed from a pandemic mask to something else entirely (a background for a painting, a mini wall hanging?).

A gel printing session might seize me by the throat and cause me to lose hours in the day.

I could pick up a journal (one of several on the go), and play with my inner self.

I may create a card for someone who has had a difficult diagnosis,

or one to welcome a new family member.

No matter what's going on, John is willing participant (read Impeccability Manager) in my craziness.

If there's anything challenging/persnickety/fastidious/picky/fussy that needs doing, he's definitely the man.  When he can spare time from his heritage tomato growing and volunteer work, he can often be found in the studio taking care of the detail stuff, bless his soul.

How about you?  Who aids and abets you in your creative life?  I'd love to hear in the comments below!  

Creativity in a pandemic...

...has somehow come to mean that the condo has become an extension of the studio.  There are piles of projects from one end of the place to the other, and John is concerned that eventually we'll have no place to live.

The dining room table sports a long-term butterfly project,

the coffee table in the living room is wearing a bit of fabric that requires some outrageous colour,

and the bedroom bureau has an even longer-term embroidery project that has been languishing for a couple of months (well, maybe more).

Naturally the studio is chock-a-block full, as well, with nearly a full table of paper in the process of being transformed.  It is, after a number of layers, starting to look interesting.  I wonder what the final colour scheme will be...

Another of the tables has an on-going art journal that sees some use nearly every day as I clean my brayers.  Please - don't judge me by the number of wine labels you see on this spread...I'm sure it took weeks to empty those bottles.  😋😋😋

There are piles of 'things' all over the studio, including some rec centre wristbands from the pre-Covid gym sessions (oh how I miss that gym!).

Another stash bemuses me with the things that 'might come in handy someday'.  Really, Win?  REALLY?

 The walls are covered - with tools from hand-cut stencils

 to shelves of paints and projects in various stages, and much, much more.

As I look around the condo at all the colour and texture and pattern and play opportunities, I wonder how in the world one could exist in this time without the joy of an active imagination and sense of playfulness.

I'm hoping that you're in the throes of your own creative bent; I'd love to hear what you're doing.  Feel free to add links in your comments below!    

With all the flowers outside...

...my mind turned to vases and vessels , and here's what happened.

This little vase measures about 3 inches in height (sans flower).  With the tail included, it's about five inches wide.

Created from a piece of painted cheesecloth (you'll find the tutorial video just below) it has been stiffened with Golden GAC400.  While wet, I wrapped the cheesecloth around a small plastic bottle which had been liberally (and I do mean liberally coated with Vaseline).

I let the GAC-stiffened cheesecloth dry overnight and then used my palette knife to free the bottle from the vase.  Both survived, although the bottle will take a lot of cleaning if it's to be reused.

I do love the look of the cheesecloth,

and rather suspect I'll be playing more with this technique.

Of course, I'll need to paint more, and larger, sheets of cheesecloth if that's going to happen.  And I'll need some more container shapes, and does anyone know where one can secure some bath sheet-sized bits of cheesecloth and gallon drums of Vaseline?   Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What's happening with you this week?  I look forward to hearing about it all.