Liquitex Acrylic Ink Landscape

Last week I was inspired to paint something for my wonderful husband as his birthday gift. The scene was inspired by photos I shot at a local park, but it came mostly from my imagination.

Earlier in that day I listened to water colorist, Sterling Edwards on a webinar. That influenced my decision to paint a landscape with water color techniques. I have been experimenting with Liquitex Acrylic Inks and decided to use them. I also used a bit of Golden Fluid Acrylic Titatium White since I don't have white ink.

The white paint was used to make tints for the highlights. The majority of white on the painting is the white paper. Leaving the whites unpainted was one of the techniques that Sterling Edwards talked about. It was a good reminder for me since I don't usually remember to do that.

Before framing the painting, I went to Staples and got a half-scale copy made on photographic paper. I used the print to make Hubby's birthday card. Happily, he was thrilled with both. The painting went right up on the wall. Need I say more.

Frozen Fog Creates Fantasy Landscape!

This is what happens after 2 days of fog, virtually no wind, and temperatures in the 20's.
I love this scene that I can see from our dining room that I use as my art studio. We placed finch feeders in the near flower bed. A large hopper style feeder is hanging in the Prairie Fire crab apple tree along with a smaller wire feeder. The junkos appear to enjoy the lilac hedge and the drift of snow that goes through it.

Earlier today I hid behind the burning bush just beside the dining room window. I caught a gold finch at the feeder. I had not seen them since fall and there appeared to be no activity at these niger thistle sacks all winter. I was delighted to see birds feeding there this weekend. When I grabbed the binoculars for a better look, I saw the familiar markings of the gold finch. They have their winter plummage now which blends in with the neutral landscape much better than their brilliant summer yellow. While composing this post, I've been glancing out the window. Several junkos have gathered under the tree where they glean the seeds fallen from the feeder. And there is a surprise guest in the tree. After a long absence, there is a mourning dove!

We have regular visits from cardinals and blue jays. Their color is spectacular against the snow.

On Saturday we awoke to a different kind of winter wonderland. The sun was shining brightly after a foggy night. Instead of a delicate layer of frost, there were spikes of frost on everything. I didn't get out until mid day and the sunshine was warming surfaces enough to cause the frost feathers to fall off and were scattered on the ground under the trees.

These are the heads of sunflowers that I am now calling "Feather Flowers".

Lakeside Retreat

Last Spring Mom discovered an antique oval frame complete with curved glass. I promised to paint something for her to go in it. This is what the completed painting looks like.
I took inspiration from a nearby lake where I find retreat. Using some reference shots of the local lake and my imagination, I sketched the scene and began the painting process working on illustration board that I prepared with gesso.

Grade A Sunset

I wish I could say I saw the "A" in the sky when I was shooting this pic! As hubby drove south on I-35 last Saturday, I loved all the texture created by the clouds, so I grabbed my digital camera and hoped for the best. While reviewing my shots, I saw that I had captured jet trails that formed an "A".
It was an "A" day after spending some great time with family for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Late December Views 2008

The weather provided much drama this Christmas week. Here's a glimpse of some of the variety of moods it provided.

On Sunday, blowing snow and frigid temperatures set up the atmosphere for this dramatic sight.

Later in the week I looked out the window to see this welcome visitor in our crabapple tree.

It was then that I turned to see this gorgeous Iowa sunset.

Yesterday the temperature rose well above freezing and fog formed over the land adding an air of mystery to the landscape.

The world appearred to go only as far as my own back yard.

Winter Landscape & Snowman Earrings AEDM2008

This is a quick post before I leave for the office. Yes, I do have a nice part-time job.

As promised, here's the landscape I started last night. I think I'll tweak it a bit tonight. It's acrylic on canvas (11 x 14).

Also posted are a pair of the new earrrings I made last night using glass pearls. I hope to get them in my Etsy store tonight.

Have a blessed day.

Glenwood Canyon Colorado and I-70

Hubby left for Glenwood Springs, Colorado today for another biz trip. It's hard to believe we were there just 2 weeks ago... and I was reminded that I have more pics to post.

I loved the colors and stratification of the different stones and soils we saw on our trip. Even though most of the vegetation was dormant, I appreciated its forms and colors. They are different from what I see daily in the midwest.

I decided to show you one of the shots I took along I-70 while we were still in eastern Utah. The sun reflecting off the distant peaks was stunning. There were red rock formations that literally glowed. I doubt I could have captured that even if I wasn't taking the shot thru the truck window going 80 mph!

We stayed at the Rodeway Inn in Glenwood Springs. On the right side of that shot, you can see a small shelter. That's where we enjoyed the outdoor hottub the night we stayed. It was so steamy that we almost couldn't see across the canyon where a lighted cross was on the top of the mountain. Christmas lights decorated the aspen tree by the shelter. It was beautiful and very refreshing.

Glenwood Springs is a very interesting town that I would love to return to. Amtrak has a stop there, but I think my next trip there will be by car.

Work Work Work

I'm taking a break from Nevada Uncorked preparations. The show is Oct. 6th, 1-7, THIS SATURDAY! Happily, I've had a flood of ideas to keep me moving ahead with new jewelry; however, time is running out. I still need to photograph & tag all the new items.

This past weekend, Todd & I made weights for the tent. I'm blessed to have such a clever & helpful husband. We filled 3" PVC tubing with concrete. Chain runs through the core for strength and a heavy eyelet is attached to the top of the column. We were getting set up to make them when a thunderstorm popped up. The lightning was pretty fierce, so we waited for the storm to pass before we completed the job.

The weather forecast for Saturday is showing rain, but I'm hoping and praying that will change. My prayer is for a dry, warm, and very gentle breezy day.... something like the day in the photo I posted today. This scene is taken on the road I where grew up (at the farm behind the trees on the right). I added the Irish Blessing for a special request last year.

If you're local, I hope to see you at the show Saturday.

Poppy Jasper & the Petrified Forest

Photography - I've been playing with different backgrounds behind my jewelry so my Etsy listings would have more color. "What if?" could be my motto. I paired a photo from the Petrified Forest with a Poppy Jasper necklace and was pleased with the results which you can see by clicking on my Etsy store to the right. Today's picture is what is behind the necklace. It's AMAZING to see all those colors in the petrified logs. Magnificent!

I still have problems to work out with my photo set-up. I'm getting a lot of hot spots on the polished stones. But I can't complain much, because my set-up was very inexpensive as compared to the commercial products available. It was fun brainstorming with hubby at Lowes & Hobby Lobby for what we could use to build it.

Petrified Forest

A friend emailed me plains/badlands photos that reminded me of the vast, wild spaces of Arizona's Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. Hubby & I were there in late May 2006, 24 years after our first time there. I LOVE this place. It's so different from the lush, moist, green of the Midwest. The soil is chalky white, purple, green, red, tan, and black. Simply amazing! We marvel at the imagination and diversity of God's creation. Photos just don't capture the atmosphere and mood of the place, but I've posted one anyway.
I have a set of Daniel Smith watercolors that are made from genuine earth pigments such as Lapis Lazuli, Minnesota Pipestone, Amazonite, Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, and Hematite. I use some of these same stone as beads in my jewelry. I found that many of these paints were perfect for rendering the Western landscape. So far, I've just played with some ideas, but hope to do a more detailed painting in the future.