Plants and Projects are Springing Up All Over

Well this winter has been a mother...and I don't mean that in a kind, devoted, and loving way. Didn't get much painting done. I felt like I was hibernating in my studio-gathering ideas and images-but little else. Then over the last week, the snow has melted, the sun has come out and plants are bursting through the surface. Now it's a race to get the garden cleaned up before the plants get too tall. In the meantime, I've got several projects I've been working on in the studio too.

Started working on this piece a couple weeks ago and have been gathering and testing materials on it. I want to kind of weave a sky between the two branches. Discovered wire won't work-not enough tension. Trying embroidery thread next.

Then I started cleaning up the frames I've been collecting from friends, the dump and wherever. I think I can stop for a while...

Don't know where I'm going with this one below. Just playing with some colors, drips, and splotches.

Again with colors and plant shapes. We all know they won't end up looking like this...

This one is based on a photo I took of the swamp in the woods last fall. Still needs lots of work, but the colors are in the right places...

 Hopefully I will be able to keep up with it all. I feel like I'm in a race but I don't know who I'm competing with... I would like this to be a calm creative summer. There is no wedding to plan. No guests scheduled. Just a lot of painting and gardening.

What I'm Working On Wednesday...

This project got a bit of an update the other day and was finally completed. When I last blogged about it, it was at this stage and I didn't know what to make of it:

I used the extra gessoed boards I had from my Glass Ceiling project, some light modeling paste (I LOVE playing with that stuff!), acrylics, and Radiant Rain's Shimmering mist spray for kicks. I was kind of stuck on where to go next when a friend suggested it needed little white flowers. At first I thought I would try an eye dropper and some fluid acrylics, but that was a fail. I ended up adding dots and flowers with a small brush.

At this stage I'm always afraid of ruining something and wondering whether or not to stop so of course I didn't. I added some more detail with a black micron pen and these were the finished paintings:

Daughter #4 has claimed them for her apartment next year. I guess that's a seal of approval...

A Little of This and a Little of That...

I got myself downstairs today finally and went into my studio to work. Only felt mild guilt for not being outside gardening. True, it was sunny, but there was a cool breeze blowing and that was enough to send me into the studio with no regrets. I did check on the new plants and there was some attrition. Two basil plants have left this earth. I don't think I will be ordering easily found herbs from that company anymore. Also the bird netting that I used to cover my new strawberry plants, seems to have deterred whomever was using that bed for their personal toilet. I have my suspicions....

Not me...

I am above such actions...

Finally inside, I set about trying to organize myself and attempting to tie up some loose ends. I have five paintings that are in various stages of completion. My one lady needed some more stars and a little shine one her hair. I think she actually might need another layer...

Then I added some excellent Japanese calligraphy to my Fern Geisha....Just kidding. I used a stamp.

Moving on I fiddled with my other project and decided to give that one a miss until tomorrow. Too many moving pieces...

And then I found another discounted frame during my travels today. I think it looks good on this painting.

Hmmm...Looking at all the pictures I have posted, I realize I have quite the thing for gold paint. Lucky for my husband, it is just paint. Lol.