Bold and Beautiful...

I created a Treasury on etsy, and tried to post a link here.  It doesn't work.  Blogger is giving me more and more grievances, can't link, can't comment on friends' posts.  Aargh!  But you can check out the treasury on Morna Crites Moore's fantastic  blog, or go to etsy directly.  Bold and Beautiful...

Mermaid at Home, mixed media collage... how to...

A friend of mine, Marla, asked me to do a commission for her.  She makes beautiful dolls and other kinds of art, a truly creative soul.  She sent me a box of things I might put into it, but I only ended up using some of the background papers.  I knew she likes mermaids, so I thought I couldn't go wrong with that!  :)  So I made a how to post with this project.

This collage is smaller than the usual sizes I work with, about 9x8" so the design got a bit more challenging since the elements have to fit the format.  I tore pieces of decorative papers and glued them on good with medium. Make sure the edges are glued down. The shells are from wallpaper border remnants, the butterfly from wrapping paper, and the others are decorative papers from the craft store.  I have gazillion in every color you can imagine...

When it's really dry, I like to smear on acrylic paints with a paper towel.  I like soft blended edges.  If you want bolder lines, use an old credit card.  Torn paper edges lend themselves well to smeared paint. 

When the paint was dry, I added on elements and blended them into the background with more layers of paint.

I added on more elements and some stamped images with permanent ink, and I outlined the mermaid and painted her tail with paint pens, also permanent.

More detail, and I worked on her hair.  Wasn't all that thrilled, but I kept on going.

 

I ended up adding more details with some inspirational words and two women who are friends at the bottom, symbolizing our friendship that has lasted for many years.   I fiddled a lot with her hair and face, and painted some fish, plus added some fish pictures I found, which were tiny!  Then I let it all dry before I varnished it.  The acrylic varnish really deepens the colors and the details. 

I took the last picture outside, and also captured a picture of my "rioting" mum on the front step.

Art reception at the City Hall...

Had a great time at the art reception, and my art was very well received.  I even heard some people talking about it without knowing that I was the artist.  At least you know they meant it!  :)  As the weather is cooling I'm having more inspiration to work, and my cat is getting friskier.  He ran around like a "mad person" this morning.  My neighbor's cat came in and ate Bailey's food, and then left...  A cat's life. :) 
Here are some pictures from the reception, most of them of local friends, artists mostly. 

 Rhonda Hancock and I.  Rhonda is the director of the City Hall art gallery.   She's also a great watercolor artist.

 Brian Brjibag, photographer.  These pictures were from a mission to Equador.

Jana, Larry, and Diane, and a fantastic quilt.  There's is an ongoing quilt exhibit at the City Hall.

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The spread!  OMG!  Supplied by the Brooksville Junior Service League and the drinks and service ware by Hernando Fine Arts Council.

Angles of the mezzanine.  I like angles.  :)  One of my pictures at the very end of the corridor.
 

"Balance." 
 

Mermaid.  Mixed media collage with polymer clay tiles on the tail.
 

Karen and Joey.  Karen is a fine watercolorist.
 

 "Moon Goddess."

 I'm wondering what Lynne was saying. :)  Pastel artist extraordinaire!

"Rainbow Rose." 
 

"Before the oil spill..."

A great time was had by all, and I'd do it again for sure.  Some of these are going up on etsy for sale.  

 Sitting down....

Mosaics galore!

There are many ways to skin a cat as they say (what a nasty saying anyway...)  There are many ways to put together a mosaic.  I'm a "controlled" addict of mosaics. :)  Some will mosaic anything as long as it doesn't move.  Christmas is coming so I've been making boxes after a long hiatus, and also some mosaic mirrors.  Some are with stained glass, some with broken china.  The boxes are going to a local shop, and the mirrors are going up on etsy.  Not easy to ship mirrors since they are both heavy and fragile, but maybe?  I need to make more boxes to put on etsy and artfire, but I have to say I've been lazy keeping new things in the shops, due to the writing frenzy that I went through lately.  Well, rewrites are A LOT easier, so I'm on the home stretch with those, and I'm really happy with the story. 
The weather finally "broke" here in Florida and the evenings are cool.  Yay!  It's weird to wear pants again.  It was so nice today that I washed my car and detailed it, yessiree.  I deserve a medal or something. :)  It's something that doesn't happen often enough--car washing.  Never ever received a medal, but I remember a few gold stars.
It was a gold star kind of a day today, no procrastination, no excuses, no whining or swearing, a "just do it" attitude.  Aren't those days great?  They should happen a lot more often.  By the way, my car looks like new!

What a deal!  The small boxes are only $32.  Can be personalized.

Smoky blue....

Live from the heart!

Follow your heart!  The only way to live...