Nature Expressed

Upon waking the other morning, an orange glow filtered through my bedroom blinds.  I decided to investigate and was amazed at the sky outside.

Catching The Sun Rise 2013The diagonals created by  power lines and the palm tree in silhouette, along with the horizonal color of the sunrise displayed a visual narrative defined by the co-mingling  of man-made innovation and nature.

Every Spring, I sow a variety of sunflower seeds and zinnias.  The sunflower represents so many things to me, they remind me of my father and Vincent Van Gogh.  I covet a book given to me by my daughter from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.  Along with their smiling faces, I grow sunflowers for the future health of our bee population.  The crop this year is exceptional!

Sunflowers 2013My garden is a sanctuary for bees, butterflies and birds.  Tucked away in a corner of my yard, I captured a hummingbird enjoying nectar.

Hummingbird 2013 #3

Yesterday, Sunday, June 23, 2013, I had an opportunity to attend a class, Nature Expressed taught by mixed-media artist, JoAnnA Pierotti. We all gathered at Chateau Grenzer, hosted by Shabby Calavera, Lexi Grenzer http://lexigrenzer.blogspot.com/Wood framed canvas, venetian plaster, clear gesso and encaustic wax mixed with fiber, vintage hardware and a recent photograph I captured of a peony applied to a 3″ x 4″ wood framed canvas surrounded by moss and persimmon branches held together with rusty wire and my imagination, creates a beautiful piece of art, which celebrates what I hold near and dear to my heart…nature.

Nature Expressed #5

Acrylic and Canvas

Today, I went to a book signing event at A Work of Heart Studio ttp://www.aworkofheart.com/in San Jose, CA.  Mixed media artist/author Roxanne Padgett of Acrylic Techniques in Mixed Media, discussed the techniques explored on various samples.  By playing with various techniques and materials, “your own personal style will emerge.”   Roxanne encouraged all of us to “fear no color.”

Here is my first attempt at layering and stenciling with acrylic on canvas:

Acrylic TechniquesAcrylic and Canvas

After the layering, I outlined a variety of shapes using a colored sharpie marker and a gold metallic pen.

Acrylic and Canvas #2

As I turned the sample, I noticed different shapes and patterns emerge.

Acrylic and Canvas #3

This was so much fun!

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