Mixed Media, Mixed Feelings: An Ode to Stubbornness :)

Happy Saturday!

This is a lovely nature prayer that always puts the beauty around me into perspective:

Earth our mother,

breathe forth life,

all night sleeping,


now awakening 
in the east,


now see the dawn.



Earth our mother,

breathe and waken,


leaves are stirring,


all things moving,


new day coming,


Life renewing.

It's the weekend - a time of rest, and a time to stop and see all the everyday wonders that surround us, constantly.

"I am comforted by life's stability, by earth's unchangeableness. What has seemed new and frightening assumes its place in the unfolding of knowledge. It is good to know our universe. What is new is only new to us."
- Pearl S. Buck

A mentor of mine gave me a beautiful book for my art reception last weekend.  Since she knows I love trees so much, I sure did appreciate this gorgeous eye candy in this magnificent photography.

Buy it (and you should!) here...

There were a few images that grabbed me right away. I took some pictures for later use...

In the Studio...

This morning I decided to put another magazine image that I had gessoed to use.  (See my blog post yesterday for how I did it!

 I decided that this old painting I had laying around might be nice to pair with what I had colored - they have a similar color palette, and fit nice spatially.

 The hard part is figuring out how to "embed" the image in the piece - to really incorporate it, rather than just slap it onto the canvas.

I decided to do that by layering the border with tissue paper, napkins, etc. to "blend it in."

Then I mixed together some gesso, matte medium, paints, glazes and water and just played around for an hour - just trying whatever works to make it more part of the painting - it's hard to judge when it is "successful" or incorporated "enough."  Sometimes it helps to step away for a bit...

 ...but of course I'm stubborn as heck.  So although one "should" step away to come back and see the paintings from a fresh perspective...I'm sort of an all or nothing kinda girl :)

 So it just took a lot of trial, error, and process.  Layering, paintings over, dabbing, banging, dripping, smushing, shmearing...you know, all the classic fine art terminology.  (See?  That's how you know I didn't go to art school!)

Still going...

I was thinking the piece might feel more unified if I darkened the outside of the picture with shadows, etc. bringing the focus more to the center.

And a bit more...

getting there...

not quite yet...

So that's what I did.  I like it, but I'm still a bit unsure.  Maybe I'll step away for the day and revisit it tomorrow.  Weekends aren't for work anyway!

My stubbornness can be my biggest strength and weakness.  By refusing to allow my medical limitations to define or limit me no matter what I was able to not just survive, but thrive - doing more several years than I have my whole life, and finding a deeper wisdom, joy and gratitude than I have ever before experienced.

(But sometimes, I can just be stubborn.)

So, just for the spirit of Saturday - I'll call it a day in the studio...for now :)

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" I have not failed . I've just found ten thousand  ways that won't work."

- Thomas Edison

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And, before I go, here are my (drum roll please...)

Saturday Awesomely Random Links!

This Gallery Plays Tricks On The Mind… And Makes Visitors Become Part Of The Art.

Apparently, everyone's going crazy over a churro-dog you can eat now.

For day-light savings time, these are 15 ways to improve your sleep right now.

And...in honor of one of my favorite veggies, make this Spaghetti Squash Pie...for two!  (Or just one if you eat like I do!)

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Have a great day everyone!!!