Santa Monica Mountains

I have been painting this week and stitching a little also.  Lately, the Santa Monica Mountains have been appearing in my work.  They come and go in my work weaving their magic into my life.  I have painted them in watercolor, oil, fabric and thread, and now I am painting them in acrylic.  I have not thought about them recurring in my work until recently. It just happens.  It's no wonder that they are appearing.  I end most of my days with a walk at the beach and look at these beautiful mountains for half of my walk.  For the past 23 years I have hiked them with my husband, son and friends.  They are important in my life.

This is a painting I started last night.  I could not decide what to work on so I pulled out three unfinished mostly forgotten canvases and panels.  This canvas had a painting from my night series, a half way finished moon.  I did not like it but thought I would work on the moon.  Something came over me and I flipped the painting around and painted Santa Monica Mountains from what I could remember from my walk. Not sure where I will go with this but it felt good.

While you were Sleeping

Have I mentioned that much of my creating is done between the hours of 11:00 pm and 3:00 am?
The quiet hours of the night feed my creativity.  That is not to say I do not create during the day.  I do... but not as intensely as the night time hours.  Plus during the day I have my part time teaching job, errands, family and daily life things.  Then the night comes and I have four uninterrupted hours of bliss.

This is what I worked on last night.  I am working on a quilt.  I did a pencil sketch, so I thought I would do a color sketch with watersoluble Neocolor crayons.  The buildings are a little wonky but I liked the mountains and ocean part.  I think it looks better cropped with just the tops of the buildings.  What do you think?

Woke up to an earthquake today!

Today we woke up with a good shaker around 6:30 this morning.  I did not stay up but it has set me on edge  for today.  A reminder to check our earthquake supplies, and to read  how to be prepared as a refresher!
http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

26 Years

This is my latest painting, "26 Years",  just finished it the weekend before drop off for the Santa Monica Artwalk show.  I am working on some small pastel and watercolor pieces, several fiber art pieces, and a couple of small quilts.  I really want to do mixed media piece.  Waiting and thinking, the wheels are turning in my head.  Too bad I have to sleep.  Lucky I have Mondays off work for awhile...back to teaching on Tuesday.

Back to a little fiber

I am back to this fiber landscape that keeps whispering... "finish me,finish me."  I have been looking at it for awhile now.  I had some woven linen at the bottom but have decided it was too much and I want the painted landscape to be the focus. This piece has linen, painted fabric, painted silk, painted paper and a bit of yarn.  Tonight I plan on adding more stitching. We'll see...is it possible to finish this piece this week?

Santa Monica Airport ARTWALK 2014

It was nice walking in and seeing my mixed media work on the wall.  It looks much better here than in my house with the chaos of all of my other artwork.  My husband Jay is the photographer;  he did an excellent job taking pictures during the four hours we were there for the show.  Thanks to my husband and all of my friends who came to enjoy the day.

On the way to the ARTWALK

                                    Headed to the show!

Show's tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the ARTWALK.  Wish me luck!  Hope to see my local friends.  I will post some pics tomorrow.

Hawaiian Quilt

Learning how to make a Hawaiian quilt with Nancy Chong.  Pinned it last night, hope to baste it tonight!

Late Night Stitching

This is what I have been working on late at night.  I love the quiet of the night, no interruptions, just me and my thoughts.  When my husband is asleep, my son is studying (he stays up later than I do!) I turn on the TV and stitch away.  Just caught up with the Shameless series.  The bias I made is 1/4 inch.  Now that I have mastered this technique, probably should say am comfortable with not mastered, I want to create my own drawings with bias.

Story has been told

I am getting old!  I told the story of this painting in a post in November.  I am working on a final painting for the show March 15.  If it is to be in the show, I have to finish it before Thursday.  I think it is almost there...

I have 6 pieces in this show.  The title of this piece is, "Last Day."  It has a very personal story and I will tell it at a later date, as it is getting very late.  Good Night:)