Soul Collage class...

I taught a soul collage class yesterday, and it was fabulous!  Everyone made great collages, which I knew they would.  We began with a short meditation to get in touch with our inner flow and off they went into a creative wave that did not end until the last layer of varnish had been applied.  I always hear "I'm not creative" or "I could never make" or "I don't know how to draw."  EVERYONE is creative; it's only a matter of getting in touch with that creative flow and someone to help you get past the first daunting hurdle of a blank canvas.  Here are some pictures of the event.

 Ann-Gayl with her sunny creation.

Spring feelings with JoAnne.

Happy place made by Monica.

Spiritual by Kari.

Lots of fun by Bonnie.

Tom had lots of fun too.  

Filled with ideas by Patty/

Shannon the gracious hostess!  She gave us spring feelings as well. :)

Three little birdies...

Since we last "spoke" we've had the Invasion of the Catepillers here.  They denuded lots of trees of all their leaves except for tufts on the highest branches.  I had thousands (not exaggerating) on my front porch, around the front door and in the ceiling.  I swept them away and two hours later a new batch would fill the space.  This went on for two weeks, but now they have abated.  Whew...  No critter ate these things.  I guess they become some type of moth.  We get them every year, but this year was like the locust swarm in the Bible.  Nature trying to balance herself??  Toyed with the idea of taking some pictures of them, but I don't want to gross you out.
Instead I'm posting a picture of my latest art work, The Birds.  No, not the 60s band, but some fantasy birds that had their origin in my twisted mind.  This is mixed media with lots of layers that don't show up well in the picture.

Spring and silly fun in my backyard...

I don't have that great of a camera, but it's okay on a good day, and it takes great close-ups.  The other day the sun was shining brightly through the spring leaves, so I took some pictures.  I love the bright green color of spring leaves!  In my spare time I've been working on a book cover for a fantasy novel that I wrote.  The manuscript is now being copy-edited, so I won't share the finished cover until it's uploaded to the Amazon Kindle.  It'll be a while, but here are some pictures of weird vines and roots that I took and manipulated, and of course a sword...  I was after a mysterious and slightly creepy look....

Vines

Old potato vine pod and lots of twisted dead leaves

Fairy abode....

Dead potato vine smothering a group of bushes.

                                                            Roots from a fallen giant...

Goddess or Angel of Creativity....

You choose the name for my latest painting!  She doesn't have wings, but she is an angel ... or goddess.
36X24" acrylic painting on canvas.  It evolved intuitively as I had an abstract that I'd thrown paint at before.  The face and the symbols came out of the initial spatters.  A fun way to create.... :)  Of course there are lots of dots!

Dreamworld with a heart...

I painted this intuitively seeing the figures emerging out of random color application.  I love it when I can see things in the paint and then enhance them to mean something.  One of the figures has a heart, and I added the word peace, since that's something we're all looking for, right?  I think I have a different style of painting emerging! 

I sold a painting at the exhibit at Easy Street and I painted Dreamworld to hang in that spot.  Looks great there.  It'll be up on etsy shortly. 

 

The first azaleas of the season are in bloom!  I love Florida... 

 

And the lone red bud tree in the yard is blooming.  At least I think it's a red bud.

 

The neighbors have a horse paddock back there, but the horse was in her stall eating, so no photogenic picture of her--Sara.  I will take one though; she's adorable.  She likes me because I spoil her with treats.  Speaking of horses, check out this Youtube video about a really smart horse.

Crazy lots of detail....

I just finished a painting/mixed media that I've been working on for a couple of years, a bit doodling  here and there.  I could never make up my mind if I liked it or not, and I still can't...  I do love my white birds that appear a lot in my art, and I love bumble bees.  These "B52" size bumblers somehow fly by divine grace. :-D  Monarch butterflies are so pretty so I had to have one in there too, and a heart on the tree because everyone knows that trees have heart.  There's an inspirational saying on the trunk that goes: "Sow the seed of Love, and you will be rewarded with the most incredible feeling of love dancing in your heart."  Those pearls of wisdom are by my spiritual inspiration Maharaji, wopg.org  The ultimate law is love, and everything in nature goes by that law (even predators.)  Maybe we're taking a page from them?  Things may be getting worse, but REALLY, they are getting better!  My cup is definitely half full...  :)

 

Below is an older painting but also with lots of detail.  I don't recall posting this one, but I had a similar painting, a larger one that sold for good money!  This is inspired by Island art, especially Haitian.  I love using the bright colors with the turquoises and the pinks. Wear sunglasses while viewing!

Keep on creating!  xoxo

February 12...Mom turned 93 today!