Don't Lose Loose

So exciting: even when I get to the finishing stages of my first post-playdate postcard, I don't lose loose!

They Dipped Their Toes in the Narrow Clattering Creek
4x6"; ink, collage, acrylic, oil pastels
abstract
2018

Spectacular Solstice

With daylight stretching out endlessly in both directions, I stepped out of time on the solstice two weeks ago for an art playdate with longtime friend Joan at her home.

Sharing a wish to get looser and less fussy in our creativity, we got right down to some laugh-out-loud fun with a whole bunch of commingled art supplies.

The hours flew by, and suddenly there we were with two paintings apiece stuck in rip-roaringly ugly and decidedly unfinished stages.

Our exit plan: (1) select one piece, cut it into quadrants, develop the quadrants into postcards, send the cards to each other by post; (2) get together for a repeat playdate in a few weeks to develop the second piece.

Random process photos:

Setting Up Just Now

Painting offers up entrée to snippets of freedom. Eckhart Tolle states, The only place where you can or need to be free is this moment. Not the rest of your life. Just now. I experience so many of those moments, so much of now, in my studio.

Today, a piece of 9x12" drawing paper, paints, a brush or two, collage papers, some pens, and an acrylic skin were the portal.

Eventually, I took that 9x12 to my paper trimmer. Now I have a start for a birthday card and eight other somethings.

Before letting the blade fall:

9x12" mixed media start

Trickster Art

I have a collection of bookmarks I've painted, and I love finding just the right one to go with the cover of whatever book I read. I moseyed into my studio about a week ago with the idea of painting one to go with the neutrals on this book cover:

Tricksters were waiting for my arrival.

trickster start, work in progress

trickster start detail

trickster start detail

trickster start detail

Laughing Her Head Off

Just Kidding is neither introspective nor deliberate. Neither cautious nor self-aware. Not a worrier. Not a planner.

She is totally in the moment, that minx.

While I stepped out to snap a photo of a snowfall late last week,

February in full color

JK took herself on a romp in my studio, laughing her head off the whole time. She got into crumpled-paper collage, matte medium, paints, catalyst blades, paint markers, palette knives, and ink markers before she ran out of steam.

Did she clean up after herself?

Hahahahahahaha!

Vova Has Company

I start a piece today that has the working title Vova II.

Brush on color in a free and easy manner to begin. Mix colors on my palette and on the painting itself. Then, once the base colors dry, play with a stencil and spray paint.

Having fun, having fun.

Vova II 21617 [working title]

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