Category Archives: Art Exchange

A Postcard And A Plant

Small Blue Pot. 6 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

This was just a bit of fun before bed. I placed Linda’s postcard in this plant for show and tell on the LYA Facbook page. Gave me the idea to paint the pot. I used a sea sponge and some yellow to create the plant shapes. Next I used my waterbrush and added some blues to the wet paint, letting them mingle on the paper.

LYA Postcard #4 has arrived. This came to me from Linda Yeatman in Reston Virginia. Linda is a mixed media artist. I just love the intricate details. This butterfly looks as if it is made out of jewels. I really love Linda’s use of white space as well. I’m not sure, but I think this card is an original.

LYA 2017 #4, Linda Yeatman, Butterfly.

Linda included this on the back:

Art enables us to find ourselves
and lose ourselves at the same time.

So true.
Linda, your card was such a nice surprise!
I am so glad you liberated your art!
Thank you!

While we have the gift of life,
it seems to me the only tragedy
is to allow part of us to die
– whether it is our spirit,
our creativity
or our glorious uniqueness.
Gilda Radner

More LYA Goodness

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Mingus in March.

This view of Mingus was taken a few days ago. I looked up, and was blown away at the sight of that humongous cloud crowning the mountains. Glorious!

One side swap card, and one regular LYA postcard arrived. I love them both! Kat Sloma suggested we get creative with our postcard placement, when showing them in the Facebook group. My placement isn’t grand, but it is very fitting for both postcards.

The first arrival is a sweet and sparkly sea scene. This side swap is handmade by Trang Kang in Texas. I know you can’t see the pearlescent glitter, but it looks as if the water is glistening. magical! When Trang and I agreed to side swap, she asked me what sorts of things I like. I had no idea that I was going to get a hand-made card. I have another shell to add to my collection Trang! Thank you!

LYA #3, Black and White Meditations #1, David Wolanski. Seashells and Pearls, Trang Kang 2017

Trang included this beautiful message, written in sparkling turquoise on the back of the card:

May your spirit always be bathed in oceans of sunshine and may your soul contain treasures of peace, love and joy glimmering brighter than all the seashells and pearls.

Now how can you not smile while reading that! Thank you Trang for this beautiful reminder of why I love San Diego, the sea, the sand, and sea shells! And I love the recycled gift wrap envelope. A present! It looked like spring at first glance to me!

Part of the fun of this postcard swap is finding connections between senders and recipients. My connection with Trang is that I was born in Abilene Texas. I love Texas, even though I have only been there a few times. I lived there until I was 6 months old, but I can’t really tell you too much about it. LOL.

The photo card is from David Wolanksi. This is #3, and the third card I have received from David during this swap! (You can see the first two here.) It is a signed and numbered, Black and White Meditations #1 Limited Edition Postcard series, 7 of 25. Now I have a Wolanski Trio!

David explains:

” I love this photo! I did down in the Mississippi Delta. In a restaurant that was at least 50 years old! Flaws and all!”

Thank you David for sharing your fabulous photography with me! Again! I can just make out the old dining chairs, trimmed with metal brads. I love old things! Places, buildings, homes, trees, books, history.

Midget Dictionaries, Burgess & Bowes, LTD., London. Printed in Belgium.

This was my inspiration for my postcard placement. Something old. I tried to think of the oldest thing I own. What came to mind was my vanity table. About 50 years old, when I bought it in 1984. And a set of travel translation dictionaries I found in an antique shop in Santa Barbara.

I am a sucker for old books. And these are in prime condition.

I think of someone like rose Dawson (Titanic) carrying them with her as she traveled the world in style. There is no publish date in the books. But I did find some online that are similar from 1933. A set in a box close to this is for sale on Ebay for £70!! ( I paid less than $20.)

These little books are roughly the size of an ATC. The pages have decorative edges, resembling cow hide. Each volume has 25,000 to 30,000 words and “dialogues for all occasions.” They also include photographic terms!

Thank you David, for sending me on this short journey to learn more about my books. I confess, I had not looked them up before. Now I have visions of Antique Roadshow running through my head! They might be worth hundreds! But no matter. They are not for sale. I might need them on my next world cruise!

Believe it or not, the second time I opened the book, it was to the page above. “Photography”

As you can see, changes are afoot here on my site. I have put in about 40 hours in the last few days. Long overdue. Seemed like for every item I crossed off the list, I wrote down two more. I added galleries, cleaned up the sidebar. Created widgets. “Freshened” just about everything.

Still a few details to take care of. But Whew! I think I might take a break for today!

L.Y.A. #2 And A Sunny Saguaro

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Saguero. 6 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

This was my second attempt. I am happy with the result. Managed to loosen up. Also, I did not kill the light with too many layers. There are things I will do different the next time. Learned from this, so all is well.

Painting a Saguaro, SMDelgado

The first painting was solid areas of flat color. My white pen gave out, so I switched to paint and a brush. Wasn’t liking it, so I stopped and set it aside. Today it does not look as bad to me, I plan on going back to finish that one.

L.Y.A. Postcard #2

I was late in posting card #1. I did not receive these back to back. This fun Zentangle art is from my good friend Kat van Rooyen. We have swapped for several years. Kat lives in Tazewell Virginia. In years past, she has shared her wonderful photos of the Appalachian Mountains.

L.Y.A #2 2017 Kat van Rooyen. Tazewell VA

Kat is a Certified Zentangle Teacher. Her classes are popular and she often gets requests to add more. She is inspiring. Health issues could have stopped her in her tracks. But she keeps on going!

Kat’s message on the back:

Encouraging your inner Artist to surface, polish and SHINE!

And this reminder:

It’s all possible one stroke at a time!

Thanks so much Kat for this awesome card. I love your work! My collection just keeps growing! It arrived in pristine condition! You can see more of Kat’s cool tangles at heartsuntangled.com. Her gorgeous photos are there as well. Be sure to visit!