Category Archives: Art Exchange

What Was I Doing?

Abstract, Terry Owenby. LYA 2017 Side Swap.

Received this wonderful side swap. Terry tells me this is an unfinished painting that she cropped digitally. She took a Jesse Reno class last year (Portland, OR), but was unable to finish during the class. She took the paintings home and they were forgotten.

In the swap we are always looking for the interesting cosmic connections, between the sender and the receiver. There is always something that binds us. Silly, but still.

I forgot to post Terry’s card. I even emailed to let her know I received it, and that I would be posting. DUH! It would still be forgotten, if Terry had not replied to my email. I’m trying to retrace my steps, useless I know. I put her card in the scanner, was interrupted, and that was that. The whole time I was writing yesterday’s post, I knew there was something I was forgetting.

I love this card. Love the colors, the wonky shapes and scratches. And the “stitch” stems. The deep blue-black is welcoming to me. And the bright berry reds are pure fun. I also really love the fact that Terry rescued an unfinished and forgotten piece.

Thanks so much Terry for sharing your art with me! Made my day!

Pouring and Postcards

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Pour #1, acrylic on 4 x 4 gallery wrapped canvas. 2017 Sheila Delgado

Previews of the pours I worked on today. Planned on doing only two in blue, but had enough paint to try a third. In this first pour, I did get some interesting cells. Microscopic, but they do look good in person.

Fingers crossed they survive the drying time. I used thicker paint this time, mixed with water and a few sprays of silicone (WD-40). I did not want huge cells, but I am guessing I could have made them larger by using more silicone. Perhaps the paint needs to be thinned more as well.

The experimenting is fun. I pour the paint from individual containers, and the “dirty pour” technique creates larger cells. I may try that next time. I used my heat gun to bring out the cells. Maybe could have done that longer. So many variables.

Pour #2, acrylic on 4 x 4 gallery wrapped canvas. 2017 Sheila Delgado

None of these from today resemble Angels. Still interesting, and I think I can make them work, with a slight change in focus. I will share them again after they have dried, and let you know what I come up with.

Pour #3, acrylic on 4 x 4 gallery wrapped canvas. 2017 Sheila Delgado

LYA SIDE SWAPS

With Butter and Syrup, Nan Johnson.

Doesn’t this card from Nan Johnson make your mouth water?! Nan’s work is amazing. She does fantastic, detailed “home” portraits, beautiful landscapes, and wonderful pet portraits.

Art – Food for the Soul!

I think so as well, and I very much enjoyed the visual feast on Nan’s site. Thanks so much Nan for sharing your art with me, so glad you participated in LYA this year! You are right, it is a fun swap!

Gems, Kat van Rooyen, CZT.

My good friend Kat surprised me with her Gems. I received her card as an official LYA postcard. Didn’t think I would get another as a side swap. This LYA has been full of surprises! Kat is a Certified Zentangle Teacher. She tells me these look better in person, but I think they look pretty real on the card. Lots of depth in the colors! Thanks Kat for surprising me with your colorful, wonderful art!

I just love that the LYA art swap is still going strong!

Birds and Flowers. Mixed media digital surface design. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

Voting continues in the Spoonflower design challenge. Wanna help me make the top ten? You can only vote once, but you can share the link with friends.

Read more about how this design was created, in yesterday’s post. Thanks for taking the time to vote!

Happy JOYFUL weekend to you!

Mingus Mail Art Museum

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PJ Lawrence, acrylic and oil pastel. LYA side swap 2017.

Seven postcards arrived today. Nine pieces of art in total.WOW, lucky day ‘ey? This first card is from PJ Lawrence in Tennessee. She tells me it is in an altered photography book. Oh my, that sounds like fun! The back of her card has some really cool graphics and a wish,

“Enjoy!”

Just love your card PJ! Gorgeous colors, shapes and textures! Thanks so much!! A reminder for me to mix my media and experiment more in my own abstracts!

Sherry Harmes, LYA side swap 2017

Sherry and I began talking about LYA months before it started. She didn’t say, but this piece almost looks like it is painted on wood. So much wonderful texture! I always look forward to Sherry’s cards, She often takes the most basic elements, and turns them into wonderful works of art. Never fails to surprise!

Conceive, Believe, Achieve!

Sherry’s message, she includes the date sent, current Larsen Bay Alaska temperature, Winds calm, and Seas at 4 feet. There is a sparkly family of Polar bear stickers. I can’t help but smile, thinking of them animated and perhaps enjoying an icy cold Coke! She also sends her trademark “Hugs!”

Love your card Sherry! The rustic, nautical, majestic feel. Thanks so much for always swapping with me!

Christine Brooks, San Francisco Mountains, Flagstaff. Watercolor. LYA side swap 2017

Christine Brooks shared her wonderful watercolor this year. Aren’t these mountains gorgeous?! On the back was a personal message, and a simple wish:

“Peace”

So love the simplified, loose look of this piece. Inspiring Christine! You are right – this is a fun swap! I am so glad to have met you, and I am sure we will meet in person one day soon!

Funny connection side note, my mothers maiden name is Francisco, and her name is Kristina.

Thanks Christine for sharing your lovely, wonderful art with me!

In the Thicket of Things, Suzette Rothlisberger. Side swap 2017

This soft photo is so lovely! Makes me think of fine Victorian women in all their splendor. Delicate, precious, regal. This thought came to mind. Even as beauty fades, strength endures. On the back Suzette included this sweetness:

Surely a star danced in Heaven on the day you were born
Flavia

Suzette included a link for flicker, but sadly I can not read enough of it to share. Suzette, if you read this, please share it in a comment so we can see more of your gorgeous work! Suzette was so creative with her post card displays this year. Very entertaining!

Thank you Suzette for sharing your work with me! And thank you for making the arrivals so much fun to see!

Houston Skyline, Lisa Comperry. LYA side swap 2017

Look at those clouds! Look closer and you can see that lightning is striking. This is a low res image, Lisa’s photo is so much better. I know Lisa is a true photographer. She tells me she took this from the parking garage at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Even Lisa’s stamp is stunning!

Historic Galveston Pleasure Pier. Lisa Comperry

She mentioned that it was 80 degrees. I suppose that is on the cool side for Houston. Lisa, we will be in the mid 70’s this week! Lisa is from Riverside California, a hop, skip and a jump from where I lived. Follow the links to see more of Lisa’s terrific work. This image is for sale in her Etsy Shop. You will also find her stunning work on Flicker. Got lost there for a bit. Stunning work Lisa! Those Texas sunsets are divine! Love the duckling photos too!

Thanks so much Lisa for sharing your vision with the world, and with me! Your work is filled with JOY!

Kate Lehman, LYA side swap 2017

Kate Lehman sent this wonderful image. Just love the textured, weathered, aged look. Her Flickr stream is filled with gorgeous images. Love the monkey shots Kate! (Yes, the little human monkeys too! So Sweet!) And Oh those flowers!

Thanks Kate for the swap and encouragement! Such a treasure!

Rooftops. Montreal Canada. Louise Mamet, LYA side swap 2017

This colorful card is from Louise Mamet and came all the way from Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, France. I didn’t notice in the Facebook group, how blue the tiles are. And that green just pops. So lovely, notice the pattern on the brick wall. All rooftops should look like this!

Louise sent a very encouraging message – thank you for that my friend. You can find Louise on Facebook, and at her website.

Louise Mamet

Louise also shared this ATC sized, business card photo. So wonderful, it even inspired some terrific sketching by one of the LYA participants. Wouldn’t I love to have that little room in the tower!

Thanks so much Louise for sharing your photos with me again this year! Treasures!