In The Land of Butterflies and Fairies

I have been in the land of Butterflies and Fairies lately as I have been pretty much stuck in bed with this silly flu/cold. I don't know what it is and I hate it! My youngest is home with some sort of virus (not the swine flu - thank You God! as we got him checked out at the doctor). His eyes are red like pink eye and his throat is red and spotty like strep throat and yet he has neither. Strange business this is.
So being that I am confined to my bed I have managed to pull out my Twinkling H20's (which I simply cannot get enough of lately) and set myself up (like Frida) and have gone to work (when I am feeling good enough to do so).
I found this lovely little magazine called "Birds and Blooms" and the front cover had a gorgeous photo of a Monarch butterfly perched upon a burnt umber sunflower. I knew I had to give it a try and paint it. I was surprised it turned out so good as I had never before used the "China Black" Twinkling H20. I wasn't certain that it would be black like I needed it to be for the Monarch but 'low and behold' (whatever that means??) it turned out beautifully! I was extremely pleased with the outcome. I cannot recommend Luminarts Twinkling H20 watercolors enough! They are so smooth to work with and shimmer like you wouldn't believe!
I don't know why fairies have been on my mind so much... they are so mystical and beautiful... it must be that I have recently visited with my gorgeous little nieces (whom I already miss dearly!) and gifted them with some fairy crafts that have got me thinking about them. I am also reading the Twilight series (click on the list on the right to purchase from Amazon) (HIGHLY RECOMMEND AS WELL)... and the story is very mystical also, and romantic and nothing violently gross like most vampire stories! Anyway... off topic (shiny object!)... never mind... to continue...
fairies... right... I decided to draw this little beauty and name her "Autumn" (I know, original isn't it!) lol.
We have had such a fabulous September that fall has gently come upon us sweeping leaves through the parks... we have been able to enjoy the changing of season in the sunshine and abnormal high temperatures for Calgary. Our usual fall tends to happenstance upon us with a gigantic dump of snow which means we do not get to see the beautiful trees gently changing before us... it's summer then BAM! it's winter for six to eight months (depending upon the year)! Needless to say... this fall has thus far been beautiful and inspiring and the reason for my naming my new fairy "Autumn".
I hope you enjoy her!
Happy Creating Everyone!

Freedom

I have been working on this page for a few days now delighting in using my H20's by Luminart (metallic watercolor paints). I wanted to draw a whimsical drawing of a woman completely taken by freedom to let the wind blow through her hair, no worries or cares crowding her mind. I tried to get my families opinion on the drawing/painting - if I should add more to it ~ they had a hard time advising me as they are all "boys" afterall and this is a very "girlie" page! So... I am turning to YOU and requesting your advice. Should I add anything to this page... or should I leave it as it is????? I was thinking about adding words to it. My hubby says he would like me to leave some of my drawings blank (without words)... what do you think?
I would appreciate your comments.
Happy Creating Everyone.

Pure Bliss

Taking in as much sunshine as I can get today I began to sketch out the shape of a tree. I started with a "U" shape for the branches and what formed in my mind was a mother holding a baby resting on the branches. We see kids and teenagers climbing trees all the time but what you do not see are mothers climbing trees with their infants (probably because it is dangerous). However I looked beyond that point, to where it was no longer dangerous... to where a mother and babe could rest within the comfort of the branches and enjoy each others company. I wanted it to portray a lackadaisical day in the life of a mother and babe and this was the image that came to the forefront.
Becoming a mother for the first time was a dream "come true" for me. Pure bliss every morning I woke up carrying the child in the womb and pure bliss once I first set eyes upon my newborn son. The time that we were blessed with together will never be forgotten in my heart to be cherished forever.
In this painting I wanted to capture the peace, contentment and pure joy involved in sharing a moment like this with your child. Pure Bliss for sure.

Happy Creating everyone.

Artist Date - Taking a Peek at Nature

This morning I woke with great purpose in mind... I needed to find my 'happy place'! I asked hubbub how his day looked to which he replied, "I'm spending it with you!" (bonus). Picking up the phone I asked my girlfriend if I could borrow her Digital SLR and sent hubbub to pick it up. The weather looking somewhat questionable, I dressed in capris a t-shirt and long sweater and we set off for our adventure by vehicle. Twenty minutes later we were at our destination "Inglewood Bird Sanctuary". It is inconceivable to me that we have never been to this beautiful place! Living in this city almost eight years and not knowing what this 'Inglewood Bird Sanctuary' really was. I plan to make this a regular spot on my artist dates!
Working our way through serene paths we craned our necks up and down as we scanned tall trees for bird life (not exactly knowing what we were doing). Hands softly joined together by a couple of fingers, enjoying the peace we were encountering, wondering why we do not make more time like this to do what we were doing...
Ahead of us a gentleman pointing his gigantic lens to the top of rather tall tree my heart started to patter the closer we got... what was he so consumed with? Looking high above us I said to hubbub, "It's a bird, it's a large bird!!!", seeing only the bottom half of its body. Maneuvering this way and that to peer through the leaves the full picture came into view and what it beheld filled me with great joy! Not only one, but two gorgeous bald headed eagles perched high above us sitting regally beside one another. I zoomed in with girlfriends camera and was able to capture these lovelies in what seemed like such a miracle-moment for me. 'Thank you God for giving me this' I gently spoke. This was most certainly my 'Happy Place'.
Reluctant to leave the eagles, but knowing there was much more to see in this sanctuary I headed forward through the paths with hubbub pulling me away step by tiny step from my prized possessions (but I did have beautiful photos). With only the sound of my flip flops breaking through the silence we walked through the trees smelling the fresh crisp air, I chided myself for all the busyness I have placed into my life... for not taking more time to 'smell the fresh crisp air!' Why do we do that? We create so many things in this life that take us away from peace, joy and love... seriously, we do it to ourselves! Bad Kelly! Bad Kelly!
Feeling much more aware of what I wanted out of life... (more of this!) I thought I spotted another large bird on a tree across the river. I wasn't sure at first that it was even a bird due to its stealth-like stillness... I zoomed in and to my amazement I was met with a bird I had never seen wild before - a beautiful blue heron. I would have never thought to look high in a tree for this bird ~ I had always imagined it the shore of a river, but there it was in all its glory.
The entire time spent seeking my 'Happy Place' trying to take a peek at nature, and upon loading my photo's I realized nature was taking a peek at me!
Enjoy the photos, I hope they bring you as much joy as they brought me.
Happy Creating everyone!

My Safe Places - Journal Entry

My safe places page came from a journal prompt in one of my art journaling books called 'We Dare You' by Kristina Contes, Meghan Heath Dymock, Genevieve Simmonds and Nisa Fiin. This book is fabulous and fun with intriguing challenges that really make you not only think but be real and true to yourself. I think the book is geared more to scrapbookers, however, when you take the challenges and use them as art journaling challenges the impact is just the same if not better because it personalizes each challenge. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for new challenges.
This page took me a few days which is not common for me. I really had to think about what my 'Safe Places' were in my life. The first image I drew were the wings because that is my most 'safe place' ~ in the shadow of my Saviors wings. He comforts and protects me always. I'm not certain if it shows in the picture but I painted a light layer of 'irredescent blue' and 'heavenly white' Twinkling H20's by Luminart, over the wings. This gives the wings a great shimmer.
My Hubby, what a 'godsend'! He has been there for me through both rough and awesome times and I am truly blessed by him. We are meant to have a companion to grow old with, to experience and share our lives with. I pray that everyone in the world can experience the love that I have with my husband.
Movies and books have always been able to take me to another place as I immerse myself into each storyline and character. I worked in a video store in my late teen years and there found my love of movies! I blame this for my addiction now - lol. As a child I was one of those kids who always had my nose in a book. Discussing with a girlfriend just the other day and reminiscing about 'Judy Bloom', V.C. Andrews' and 'Sweet-Valley-High' books we were taken back to our teen years giggling over the sappy story lines. Good times, good times! Hee-hee.
My art is my 'happy place' and my 'safe place'. My passion comes forth into vision and transformed onto page or canvas. I have always drawn. I remember having a sticker collection as a young girl and I would draw my stickers, then I would draw images I would see in magazines... this bloomed into a love and passion for anything 'ART'!
I am blessed by great peace as I look upon this page.
Happy creating everyone! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Free To Fly

My Hubby cut out these boards that are approximately 8 1/2 x 11 in his workshop and I saw them and nabbed them. Hee-hee. I have been experimenting some with Gesso and I figured I would try it on these boards and see what I would come up with. Well this is my first piece. It is called "Free To Fly". I am debating wether or not to glaze over it. What do you think? I found the image of the woman in a stack of scrapbooking paper I have had for awhile now. I cut out the wings from some scraps and the hearts from other scraps. I didn't place any words on it because it didn't feel right to do so.
Hope you like it.
Happy Creating Everyone.