Hello!
I apologize, my site is being transferred to a new server, and there have been issues that caused the site to be down. It may still be offline, on and off, for a few more days.
Here are the last two weeks of the Gathering.
I tried another new watercolor technique with the coneflowers, above. A looser style. I didn’t quite get it right, but I was happy with how they turned out. I will be trying that again. The last two florals are mixed media. I am really having fun mixing watercolor, collage and digital collage.
The final days are like a blur. Time was passing so quickly. I think that is a good sign. I was in the zone, and having fun. I tried a new style, inspired by Lucie Duclos. I signed up for Sketchbook Revival, and followed her session. She uses a clean, simplified style. Also a bit retro with a 60’s feel. Really a fun way to approach collage.
The large pink collage was also inspired by Lucie. I had so much fun with that, I did not want to stop. I painted the background. Some of the elements are hand panted as well. But the collage work is 100% digital.
Many of my favorites were from the final week. I am so thankful that my energy did not dwindle. In the next post, I will share my collage for the month, and also my favorites. The group gallery video will be up shortly as well.
Thanks again for following along. Happy day to you!
Day 24 and 25: I like the straightforwardness of these two pieces—the clear table + vase + background set-up, and the gentle living presence of the flora.
Day 26: LOVE the wonkiness and ‘irregularity’ of the branching sprigs who seem to have a lighthearted pranksterish energy that says go head, plop me in this vase, but don’t expect me to stand up straight!
Day 27-30: Looks like this is where you got into playing with new style elements in response to what Lucie Duclos had to offer in the Sketchbook Revival. Grand fun juxtaposing traditional still life elements with collage elements, creating a bit of ‘disruptive’ surprise! #27 especially caught my attention—love the graphic feel to that one.
Wow to your month of creating, Sheila!
I love your descriptions Dotty. You writing is such a joy, and a gift!
We have many of the same favorites. I think it is interesting that most of mine are at the end of the month.
Took me awhile to get in the groove I guess. Haha.
So glad you love the clean, the wonky, the disruptive, the graphic.
And I love the you used the word pranksterish. I have added that to my digital dictionary!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me, Dotty. See you on your blog soon! 🥰🙏
Sheila, I’d love to be hanging out in your art space watching you work, taking in all the supplies, all the new techniques, all the tools you bring to your creating! I think I’ll just mosey through Days 17-30, commenting a bit at a time.
Day 17: So lush and abundant! I’m fascinated by your use of dots in this piece—some as faint background, some as splatters that provide contrast and visual texture, and some highly patterned. I of course smile at the bloom of your signature tucked into the floral arrangement. Your use of drips fascinates me here—the drips make for a captivating and effective accent here, used with restraint.
Day 18: Drips again, again used with restraint to great effect. Are they computer generated? I am particularly taken by the treatment of the vase here—the density of dots anchors it, and the elegant curvilinear sweep of the demarcation midway up the vase contains that density and lifts the eye. Well done!
Day 19 and 20: By land and by sea! I like the simplicity of these two pieces, with their overall softness and touches of defining ‘linework.”
Day 21: Coneflowers! You’ve captured their identifying shape in the context of your experimenting with a looser style. Speaking of identifying, your mention of experimenting with greater looseness strikes a chord in me : )
Day 22: Fabulous use of a color family, excellent contrasts in value, appealing contrast of highly defined vase and loose splatters. Love the light and dark of the vase.
Day 23: I like the contrast here of the curvilinear flowy sprigs in the vase against the backdrop of rectilinear table, vase, and background.
WOW! Thank you so much, Dotty. For taking the time to go one by one, and share your impressions with me.
I’m so sorry I was not able to post more often, Commenting would not have been such a task.
Let’s See…
17: I make a conscious effort to find interesting ways to place my signature, solely because I know you will be searching for it.
I have to admit, that I think I made it too “invisible” a few times. I always worry about it distracting from the work.
18: I’m so glad you see all of that in the vase. I had fun with it. I did try several option, but this just felt right. And you captured why, exactly. The drips are digital. Open source (copyright free.) It is a full sheet, and I clip the ones that work for me. I love doing drips with paint, but this way I can change the color, the position, the amount. I think restraint is part of my basic personality. Haha. So nice to hear that you feel it works in these two pieces. Haha.
While they make look restrained in a way. There are actually dozens of layers working together. Working with each one is, (I know you know), fun, fun, fun.
19 & 20: 19 was an improvement on 16. Learning in progress. @0 was honestly, a quickie for a long day. I was so tired, but I did not want to break my stride. The collages take a lot of time.
21: Coneflowers are always fun, and you can never get them wrong. In my opinion. Anyway you paint them, they are pretty. LOL. 🙂 It seems I am , will be forever chasing loose. Haha. I see artists that do it with ease. I will keep trying, and trying…
Excited to see the compositions that chord leads to. 🙂
22: Thank you Dotty. 🙂 I love that vase. That process took some learning. And I am anxious to use it again. 🙂
23:I didn’t think about that, but you are right, Hmm. I just know it feels right, and I really love how it turned out.
Thanks again, Dotty! Have a super week! 🥰🙏
Wow – you had a great month Sheila with so many super pieces.
Thanks Val! So did you! I love your feathers, and quill piece. And I learned along with you, a little bit, on your sketches. Very interesting tidbits there! Happy creating and learning to you , Val! I’ll see you in February (and before, LOL.) Hugs, friend. 🥰🙏