Fast Food Frenzy!

I love fast food. I love coffee and donuts and cookies and chicken fingers and french fries and all kinds of yummy quick bites. Recently, I loved it so much, I created a bit of an imbalance in my gut... which forced me to make some temporary dietary changes to mend my little belly. But before doing so, I went on an all-out-fast-food-binge of ages. Like an alcoholic knowing they had to go into rehab, I devoured everything I could and enjoyed every single second of it. Okay, so maybe my McRib Sandwich came with a side of guilt, but it was still delicious!

As I ordered each of my offending foods, I couldn't help but notice the brightly colored graphics, supple paper bags and interesting text on some of the containers. So I started collecting them. They ended up in a mixed media collage and I have to say that it was worth every morsel!

The Starbucks Siren in the corner ended up as the inspiration for my girl's coffee cup... kind of like she's making an offering to the sinfully sweet mermaid of caffeine!

This adorably swirly sugar packet I've had in my arsenal for quite some time. It fit in with the green theme that was popping up in my piece... so I was happy to finally paste it onto a collage.

This sticker was actually from a package of chicken breasts — something a little more healthy as I began to change my diet — and it intrigued me and grossed me out all at once! Chicken. All Natural? Well, I certainly hope so!

The best part about the piece is that I didn't really plan for it to be a fast food collage per se, but that's how it ended up. A yellowy-blueish-pinky-beige theme evolved and it's one of my favorite so far. I look forward to using more fast food ephemera in future collages. As well as being able to eat more of it in the near future!

Valentines: Painting My Little Heart Out!

It's funny that hearts seem to keep blooming in my artwork. Perhaps there is a little love in the air this February? Love of painting that is! I've had such a wonderful time taking Mindy Lacefield's True Free Spirit online workshop and the February project was such a blast!

Quirky Girl Collage was the theme and torn up magazine pages were the basis of this mixed media exercise.

Cute little elements added a whimsical touch, like the bunny. I tried to make him look like a little ragamuffin of a stuffed toy. Kind of floppy and cute.

Her head turned out... well... a little more gigantic than I realized (until I was finished!). But I did mention the theme was "quirky" right?

I really enjoyed the process of creating this mixed media collage... (click here for a short video)... it was fun and relaxing! Something I love about making this kind of art. Art from the heart should be fun.

On Safari... A Ticket To Adventure...

You know, sometimes my life isn't about making art... it's about making graphic art! Yes, my actual background is in Graphic Design and although I don't talk about it much... it definitely has had a tremendous impact on my art.

Recently, I designed this logo for Art & Soul Mixed Media Art Retreats, showcasing their 2013 theme of "On Safari". The challenge arose when I was asked to create tickets for each class that will take place at the retreat. I wanted to utilize the animals and other elements from the original logo... but how? Well, in this digital age it takes only seconds to Google the words "jungle + safari" and get fodder for all kinds of ideas! Gone are the days of scouring hoarded copies of Print and Design magazines for just the right "look". Ahhhh, technology.

So I took my ideas and created a look-book on Pinterest and then tried a few for myself. The silhouettes of the animals had the best effect and a sunset-style graduated background color topped it off quite nicely. I love using elements as text and so I borrowed the Acadia Tree to use as the "I" in SAFARI. I created 4 different tickets with each of the animals I used in the original logo to create diversity and collectibility.

I just love a good theme and I'm very happy with the way these tickets turned out. Playing around with graphics is always an adventure for me. What can I say... sometimes work is fun!

True Free Spirit...

I know... I know! I keep mentioning Mindy Lacefield and her online workshops that I've been taking. But that's because PLAY is my word for 2013, and they are just so darn fun, and...  I'm "trying on" lots of new styles in an effort to discover my own. Wheeee!

I had made a practice sketch in my notebook (before putting paint to canvas), but had decided to turn her into a wood burning instead! I love burning wood and it had been awhile. So I transferred my drawing to a wood panel and started my adventure!

Mmmmmm... can you smell the burning wood? Smells just like a campfire! I was totally in my element.

The flowers came about on their own, and the stars were made with a special attachment that came with my wood burning tool. A nice balanced composition was shaping up. Now for some color.

The magic really happened as I started to paint. She began to come alive! I took my time and made a point to enjoy the process, as my perfectionist side does not like to get paint on the wood burnt outlines! So I painted slowly and methodically, choosing colors carefully.

Did someone say pink and teal?

I wanted to add details and embellish the piece and torn vintage music sheets really fit that bill. I aged it a bit using Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distress Inks.

I also added a moon using the music paper, but the print really took away from the composition. So I painted a light wash of white over top to tone it down and that made it blend in much better. A pink ribbon bow on top of her head and she was complete! I love her so much and can't stop looking at her. Creating this piece really brought out my true free spirit! Hooray!

Seeing Stars (and Rainbows, and Cupcakes)!

Still finding time to play these days and so I'm catching up on another online workshop I took with Mindy Lacefield called... Frolic! Even the name sounds delightful, doesn't it?

I'm still having a blast creating these wonderfully colorful, lusciously layered backgrounds. Rain drops seem to be a common symbol for me. Not sure why.

 Maybe because raindrops make rainbows?

And rainbows grow cupcakes (just kidding!). I just wanted to say cupcake!

But really I'm just happy to be brave enough to put paintbrush, pastel and pieces of ephemera to paper (or in this case... cardboard). Sometimes the scariest part is just to begin. Remembering how to play is hard for me at times... but frolicking sounds like so much fun!

Holiday Distress, Cupcakes & Knock Downs!

Boy, oh, boy... were your holidays distressing? Because mine sure were. In a good way of course! It was so nice to take some time off just to play and make things (including messes!). I spent a lot of my time working on a few rag dolls. Distressing. Stuffing. Sewing. And it was all very, very relaxing and fun. A winning combination that got me through the holiday season.

The cupcake trio turned out to be some of my favorites. Each with a different color scheme... and personality! I had to experiment a bit with the cherries on top and making them look, well... cherry-ish. I tried putting a small styrofoam ball into the doll as a rotund support system, but many of them turned out looking like baseball caps up close anyway. Tee-hee! Who ever heard of a baseball cap-wearing cupcake?

Sometimes the dolls evolve as I go along and this little red firecracker was no exception. When I first chose her monochromatic color palette and put her together, I loved the idea of her... but I wasn't in love just yet. I thought maybe after I distressed her... but no. Maybe after I stuffed  her? Well, that did bring about some changes, because I ended up turning her into a knock down doll (like my Tillies), but, still... there was something missing. So I took some extra striped fabric, ripped her some new arms and a bow for her hair, and.... voilà! She won my heart!

After all that clowning around, I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to play lots more! I realized that I got so busy last year, I hadn't given myself enough time for fun. So for 2013, there's going to be a lot more playing going on around here. Because, well... I deserve it.

Happy New Year everybody... and Happy Making!

xoxo

Taking a Little Blogcation...

Whew! This kitty kat needs a little Blogcation! After Hurricane Sandy kicked our butt, catching up with my workload while simultaneously trying to get house repairs done, search for a (good) full time job, and get ready for the Holidays is quite a set of tasks to accomplish!

Needless to say, I haven't had much time left over for art (or cleaning or food shopping for that matter!), and so there's not much to show or tell. Rather than bore you with the everyday goings-on of the non-creative part of my life, I'm just going to take a little time away from this blog... get some important things done... replenish my soul... reconnect with family... and take some time to reflect. And what better time to reflect than the end of a very long year!

I'll be back in a short while, and until then... stay creative, have fun and take some time for yourselves as well!

Love,
Michelle xoxo