Hello,

New SALE in my SHOP from Aug 31 - Sept 7th midnight. Save 20% with code FIRSTSALE.

So thank you for visiting, and hope you enjoy the many art tips in my BLOG, and paintings in my SHOP and just feel blessed while you hang around awhile.

Joanie

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INK, Incredible INK!

Ok, Artsy Folks, We have a new theme on the horizon for April, and this is one of my all-time favorite media, Ink. I always think of black ink first and foremost, but really any color imaginable is available to us artists.  We are also slowing down a bit so we can take a deep dive into the various ways ink has been used by artists from around the world.  And try a few ourselves. Cool! As most of you know, I lean toward a more minimalistic, loose and expressive form of art, so even my portraits shown below are fairly quick and minimal, but as you can see, full of expression. Each artist will have a chance to figure out just how much detail is their own particular sweet spot. And each way of expressing is blessedly Right! Ain't that great? Ahh, Art.....as many artists as there are - as many ways to express ourselves. So join us and find your sweet spot! Here are a few of my ink drawings done with a bamboo pen or one of my own drawing sticks: ink and washes walnut ink and cut out eyes

Wall Art - Threads as Paint, Stitches as Brushstroke

I most definitely approach my new stitching hobby as I do my paintings. That's my orientation, the way i SEE, the way i DO art. Composition, Values, Shapes, Texture and Color. And so much more. Hmmm, Slow Stitchery from a Painter's Point of View . That sounds right. Here are a few pieces of Wall Art I have finished. I take a lot of process pictures.....This one I started out by painting my own fabric. Then chopped it up, reassembled it, created a composition out of the concept/story I was feeling from it, then proceeded to put it back together as a whole composition.  I call it  From Fragmentation (the many small pieces) to Wholeness (represented by the Sun at top right) This piece was where I realized this IS not something other than my ART, it is yet another mixed media which I love so much. It is ALL ART! All forms of creation..... **I took an intro to Slow Stitching c-course from here:  Fiber Arts Take Two . Check it out. I binded the edges with bias tape and added a linin

Stitchery - "A Little Bit of This and That" Bag

I did NOT have a bag in mind when i began this piece. I was at a friends house showing her a few basics of slow stitching. Opened my boxes and bags of goodies I brought over, took out some Blues, and started composing something simple. We both did. After I got my piece home and continued to stitch, I thought....hey, I think I like this. How about I make it into a larger piece, then I can actually DO something with it. So back to those little english paper piecing, as my talented friend Laura the Quilter suggested, and this time they were only 1" squares. Teeny tiny!  But again, as fun as can be to make. Once I had enough of those I added strips of denim around the edges to enlarge, then appliqued the little squares on. Did my stitchery thing....and then another friend brought me a pair of jeans she was no longer wearing...and behold, another purse idea was born.  Once again I used my sewing machine for the seams, thank goodness! I have learned very few embroidery stitches.....have

Slow Stitchery - a Japanese Knot Bag

How much wall art does one need? I have no walls left from all my paintings and now, stichery. So, let's get practical!  How about some purses or bags? Here's a Japanese Knot Bag I made. The handles just look "wrong", don't they? But there's cleverness in this design. Fold the long handle into the short one and hold the bag on your wrist. Genius!  to force me to UP my skills, I tried a new technique - English Paper Piecing. Very slow going, but fun!!! I kept making more little squares until I had enough to make the pattern front side. Then I used denim for the purse back. And just had a heyday using a wandering and random Sashiko stitch in white thread. The pocket is the cut out from the front pieced side. for me, a purse is not a purse without an inside pocket, and my last little mini square found a home. back funny handles until it all makes sense front I actually used my sewing machine for the side seams and then finished everything else by hand. I prefer h

Stitchery - I am obsessed! LOL

Here are some progress pics.....not much explanation needed. Just look and see! A little purse for my daughter..... the layout, just like composing a painting on to the basting down of all those little bits now comes the bling..... and the finishing touches If you enjoyed this post, please share it with an artsy friend. Be Creative. It's Good for the Soul! Blessings, Joanie To subscribe to this newsletter, Simply click here !
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Design out of the FlyBird's Box.