Category Archives: 30-Day Creative Gathering

September 2022, 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage

9.22, 30 Day Creative Gathering Collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Over 700 artworks were created in the group this month! 713, approximately. What a spectacular beginning for our fourth year of the The Gathering! Four years! I am so thrilled that the artists are still enjoying 30 days of creatively challenging themselves. We are still going strong! And the group has grown, with over a dozen new members this month. Welcome!

Personally, I think this was my best challenge ever. I am very happy with my results. There are only two that I wish had turned out better. Not a bad average! I shared two surface design starts. Funny, I did not use either of them in my final patterns. It’s very likely they will make an appearance somewhere down the road. 😉

I am always interested to know which, if any were your favorites. Some of you have already shared them with me in the group. 😄 You know me so well!

Here are my favorites. And I am grateful to say, it was hard for me to choose. I could have added most of the landscapes as well. I had the most fun those. With watercolor. I have missed painting with watercolor. And I really had fun with the abstracts in the last week.

9.22, 30 Day Creative Gathering Favorites Collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I started experimenting with digital collage on day 3. But I remember that one being more of a struggle. From day 20 on, I was really having fun playing with pattern. I think the pinks, the final week, were so fun because I started loose and fast, and without intention. I painted eight pieces, but only four were interesting at first.

Funny to think that only 3 of my favorites are actual, in real life paintings.

I was blessed this month. Blessed to have the energy to participate, to create. Blessed with restored health. Blessed to have so many friends & family follow along here, and in the group. And so very blessed to be in such fine company, in The Gathering. I learn so much from everyone. Something new each day. And I am consistently inspired and amazed.

In the next couple of days, I will share the group gallery with you.
It will be awe-inspiring. Every one really had a superb month!

Next week I will post a health update. I still am catching up on getting my annual postcards out. And I want to send a special “thank you” to all of you who kept me in your prayers, and sent well wishes while I was ill. Will you please leave a comment with your mailing address. I have to approve each comment, so they will not be posted for others to see. You can also email, or message me.

I have many already, but I’d like to be sure I include everyone. I am eternally grateful. My brain was so muddled, I’m fearful that I might forget. And I believe in my heart, the power of your prayers are what healed me. 🙏🙏🙏

Wishing you JOY!

When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive,
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Marcus Aurelius

Reflect upon your present blessings,
of which every man has many.
Not on your past misfortunes,
of which all men have some.
Charles Dickens

You have to participate relentlessly
in the manifestation of your own blessings.
Elizabeth Gilbert

Spoonflower 2023 Calendar Wall Hanging

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Serene Green. 2023 Wall Calendar, Spoonflower. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

This challenge was so much fun. As you can see, I recycled one of my paintings from this month. I used different patterns, to be sure the dates were legible. The full leaf is larger, to fill the space. I also added a digital border, outline, to the vase. To give it a crisp look. I left the planting raw, with rough edges and pencil marks.

Voting is now open, There are fewer entries this week. Lots of terrific designs, though. Thanks so much for taking the time! 🙏😄

This will be available as a wall hanging, and on a tea towel.

Serene Green. 2023 Wall Hanging Calendar, Spoonflower. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Serene Green. 2023 Calendar, Tea Towel, Spoonflower. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Spoonflower provides a template for the designers. I created a frame, to cover the areas that are out of bounds. It helped me to see only the area I had to work with. Gave me a “clean” canvas.

Fika Fine Close Up. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Fika Fine placed at 522 out of 770, with 20 votes. Thank you! I’m so grateful to you. 🙂

Days 21 Through 25 of The 30-Day Creative Gathering

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Day 21, CG 9 22. 8 x 8 inch. Watercolor, acrylics, & digital collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I had so much fun with this series. I painted first, with acrylics and/or watercolor. The first two have pots that were collaged by hand. I continued in Photoshop, adding collage with digital patterns. Some of which are just copies of paper patterns I have.

You might ask, “why not just collage the paper by hand?”. And that is a fair question. In photoshop I can change the color, stretch or shrink the pattern, change the direction. I can try everything. I can also change my mind in the final stages and rework the individual pieces.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. We are in the final week of the gathering now, and I have started a new series. But I will be revisiting this style in months to come.