My granddaughter watching the tub fill with bubbles.  

Self Portrait02182014

Self Portrait.  11X14 Acrylic.   I have more wrinkles, my teeth are not that white and my nose is not that long.  Oh, well, I look happy so what else can I say!

 These are art projects I brought home from NSAA in Grafton where I have been volunteering as a teacher's aide.  The kids range from 4-13 years old.  I have been learning more than the kids!  The spoon project was to make a "Totem Spoon".  Mine has Karen and my initials and a wine glass, not that I am that big a wine drinker.  The glazes were ones that someone Kari(the teacher) knows who was going to throw them away.  They worked perfectly and were beautiful!

This little coil pot was my second attempt at a coil pot and if I do say so, it is a big improvement over the first one!  The secret is in using the palms of your hands to roll the coils so they are consistently sized.  The actual color is more purplish, but it turned pink with the flash. 

 

 

My favorite little project is these wire people.  It was fun to do and made a happy little sculpture.  The kids had trouble with this project, the wires were hard for little hands to manipulate and the instructions were geared for an older class.  The little 4 year old kept looking at me in puzzlement when I was giving her directions.  Finally she said "what is divided in half mean?"  Luckily one of the other helpers was there to save me from failure!

This is the view of Green Bay from the Landmark in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.  I have been volunteering as a teacher's aide for 2 art classes for children at the North Shore Arts Academy in Grafton, WI.  The teacher is great and I am learning right along with the kids.  This is acrylic on canvas.  I did it for the 24 hour art show at the Grafton Arts Mill.  No one took it home so it I hanging on my wall instead.  I like the contrast between the still gray waters of the lake and the wilder sky. I don't like the trees and the tree trunks especially. 

This is Kari.  The main reason I like this one is because it is Kari.  A pretty good likeness.  I don't like the green stuff going round the bottom of her shirt.  I should have done that differently and I think I will go back and fix that a bit.  More detail for the hair is needed.  Will report if it comes out better.

Art Day- a day to practise and socialize.

My friend Kathy spent the afternoon with me
working on some art.  First time in a long time we had the chance.  I really enjoy having company when I work! 

The first piece is done with pastels. It pictures my son and his kids several years ago on the first day they were all together after they had been separated from each other for about 6 months. They were in a very crowded restaurant and yet they built a separate private space apart from their surroundings.  Some parts of it I really think came out well, others--well that's why we practice! 

This beautiful, colorful young lady is my step-daughter.  You never know what color her hair will be, red, blue, purple, lavender.  This was done using acrylics-the kind that come in an arts and crafts bottle!  If anyone has any idea why some of my uploads are sideways, please let me know!

Art practice, experimentation and happy accidents

I am practicing using my new acrylics and brushes and so I thought I would add my efforts to my blog.  Why did all of these upload, upside down or sideways?  I can't figure it out.  At first I was a little unhappy with the upside downness, but the more I look at it the more I realize it doesn't even matter!








It does make looking at Kari kind of weird.
















This one is a beach scene that I actually like better upside down.

 

Non traditional colors

My niece is having a baby.  She and her husband have decided to be surprised by the baby's gender so I very quickly finished a baby quilt I had already started using non gender specific colors.  It was quite a hit.  But then I am faced with what to do next.  I decided to take the non traditional color theme a step farther.  Here are some cute little bears with a more modern take on color.  Here are the 6 I have done.  2 more to go and then I will put the quilt together. I think I will save the mama bear and baby for a different time-too much pink and purple!



Bear with baby bear backpack, eating an Oreo cookie.

Bear graduate of Iowa State for the Cyclone fans in my family!



Mama bear and baby. I am not sure if this one will be in the same quilt as the rest.



Little bear with balloons.



Bear musician with scarf.  Yes, it has fringe!

Bear with Star.  He is warm and toasty in his sweater.