what i'm working on

i have several canvasses in different stages of completion right now, so i thought i'd show them to you.

this is in it's background phase right now.  its a combination of acrylics, india inks, charcoal pencils and oil pastels.  i want the background to be full of fun colors and inspiring words.  the idea was about creating your story the way you want it to read.

this is being painted on a previous watercolor artwork of mine.  i had forgotten it was watercolor until it started to smear when i worked on top so i had to stop until i sprayed some fixative on it.  as i started painting her face, the eyebrows got away from me.  that, along with the mustache looking smudge on her upper lip, was when i knew that Frida had come out to play.  i'm excited to get back to work with her!

this is a fun one, and huge at 24" x 30"!  the background was intuitive painting, then when i found shapes and outlined them in charcoal pencil they reminded me of flowers and a butterfly, so i went with the playful feeling of it.    i'm feeling stuck with it at this point, wanting it to be perfect, and that is not how i want to feel when creating (especially this one), so it will sit until i can relax and just go with whatever comes out.

this is a shiny painting, with gold and purple acrylics in the background and gold wings.  i first collaged some decorative paper and old russian pages from a 1903 book that was falling apart at the seams.  the inspiration of this painting comes from a poem;

oh soul,
you worry too much.
you have seen your own strength.
you have seen your own beauty.
you have seen your golden wings.
of anything less,
why do you worry?
you are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul.
~ Rumi


i want my art to be inspiring, joyful, spiritual and meaningful.  i'm inspired by beauty.  my art creates something inside of me that i can't explain, but mark can usually tell if i have been creating.  and not just by the mess on my hands, face, hair and clothes, either!  even if i have cleaned myself up before he gets home, he can tell by the sparkle in my eyes and my bubbly mood that i had a good day of 'arting'.

until later,
jenny