Adventures in collage

The cool weather, in Florida that means weather under 90 degrees, arrived this week.

Yesterday I think it was only 74 degrees so work on the lanai will be much more enjoyable.

This week I decided to explore collage a bit more.  Rather than just adding bits, I 

wanted to do something that was all collage.

This one, I started it upside down from what you see.  When I got to the "tree space" I

turned it around and saw the mountain scene and added the trees and called it done.

The second one is in the style of something I saw on Pinterest and had been planning it in 

my mind for a while.  

These were fun to do.  My fingers got awfully sticky with matt medium.

And then I returned to my comfort zone.

This guy was a doodle from many of my notebooks in highschool days.

I had covered an old painting I didn't like with black gesso and just like in school

he emerged on the paper.

Wishing everyone a happy Halloween.

And last but not least (for me anyway) I have a new bloom on my orchids.

I think the excessive heat and rain have slowed down their blooming.

Anyway, here is a cattleya (that someone has been nibbling on).

Wishing everyone a Happy PPF!

Where did this week go???

I can't believe it is Friday.

Where did this week go??

I remember Wednesday.  We were having fun at the art center.

This week "fun" was in my head.

I think I am starting to understand this abstract thing but it has taken almost

a year to start to have a grasp.

I think I need to give these a rest under the bed and then have another look at them.

Wishing all a very Happy PPF

P.S. Still no orchid blooms...

And Again...

I am still rummaging around in old stuff that just doesn't make it, yet.

This week I thought of one and had to really hunt for it as it wasn't under the bed in the 

usual location but had been moved into my portfolio of signed work.

Don't know why it was signed.  I have never been happy with it.

So here it was.  And here is the background that I loved.

This was created with transparent paint and lots of stamps.

And here it is today.

So, I promise, this next week I will try something NEW but I have really 

enjoyed this journey through old paintings.

Wishing all a Happy PPF

Rework, revisited

Last week I shared a painting I had reworked until that little voice said "It is done."

This week I tackled another one.

This one never worked for me  so decided to give it a coat of gesso and start over.

The flower was still raised in the original gesso so I figured I was stuck with it.

I cannot tell you how many layers of paint are on this.  There are a LOT.

It got busier before I quieted it down.

I think I will call this done.  The thing I love about this is the center of the flower is
made from a paint "skin" pulled off of my plastic work surface.
I like this better.  What do you think?

I also played around with collage this week.  I am experimenting and still not comfortable
with the process but I did like this one.

And the best news of all is my very favorite orchid is blooming on the lanai.
It is cattleya, Chocolate Drop and is not only gorgeous but has a wonderful mild scent.

Some more good news, I entered two of my paintings in the local art center show
and both got selected.  One of them had not been chosen in a previous show but decided
to see if this judge might like it and they did!

The moral here is never take one person's opinion
as the absolute.

Another side note, the one on the right was
ANOTHER REWORK!


Wishing all a Happy PPF