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

This is an image title

This is an image title
This is an image caption

This is an image title

This is an image title
This is an image caption

This is an image title

This is an image title
This is an image caption, this is an image caption, this is an image caption, this is an image caption.

June 2023 Theme: Flowers, of course!

It's that time of year that many of us find ourselves in absolute Awe of the blooming beauty to be found everywhere we turn. And many of us hear the call to spend time out of doors, in our gardens or any nature path. Ahhh, it's healing for the mind and heart, too. So doesn't this sound like the perfect time of year to paint FLOWERS? I've got a few ideas up my sleeve, but this month requires that each of us treat ourselves to a fresh bouquet of flowers. You deserve it. And get your phone cameras ready....and i will lead you into taking some photos that will become your repertoire for paintings all month, and beyond. Care to join us? Get in touch . Classes begin next week: Monday Jun 5, Wed Jun 7. Learn more about my classes here .  The above photos are of a little rose from my garden (David Austin Celebration) in a stitched vessel that I made. More of these are in the works. In fact here is my line up of glassware to cover with stitch and embroidery..... Morandi, anyone?

Now, Let's Add COLOR!

We spent April experimenting with ink... creating our own ink tools playing around with bamboo pens (one of my all time faves!) trying out watersoluble, permanent and waterproof, and india and acrylic inks, and everything inbetween being mentored by VanGogh himself and his amazing marks making dilutions of our ink and creating value-full drawings introducing the ever versatile fude nib pen and playing with a pop of color here and there  but now it's time for all color, all the time!  For the month of May we will be adding COLOR - watercolor, gouache, acrylic... and even other mixed media that is not so Wet. (i.e. oil pastels, dry pastels, colored pencils....anything goes!) If you want to play with ink and color - a most amazing sketching-on-the-go medium as well as one for beautifully detailed (as you wish) fine art... please join us. We start up again this coming week. Classes Offered Monday Mornings 10am - noon (California time) Monday Afternoons 1:30 - 3:30pm Wednesday Mornings

"Pretty in Pink" - a Japanese Rice Bag

The Japanese have the most interesting designs, I consider them minimal, practical and charming.  Here's the prettiest bag I have made to date.....in fact, it's so special i don't even dare use it. Sheesh, reminds me of my grandmother. My grandfather bought her so many "pretties" in her life and after she passed and we were cleaning up her home, we discovered so very many pretty things, all in their original tissue and boxes. Kind of a shame, really. But i get it!!! There are a lot of process pics here...and believe me, I am only showing you some of them!  But thought you would appreciate seeing the pics from composing on my ironing board to completion.  The Beginnings The Lining gets its own flourishes Now its time to work on the outer bag itself. And finally, the finishing touches. She deserved a name as pretty as she is!  I am seriously considering offering a little workshop on getting started with Slow Stitching. Get in touch if you are interested.  If you en

A Happy Easter Bunny

NOTE: Two blog posts posted on same day last week, in case you missed the one that nested under INK post, be sure to read it. It's another stitchery piece, painted first then stitched into wall art. Don't miss it . First of all, a huge shout out to my special friends, Debby S and Becky and Betty. They blessed me with boxes and pillowcases full of fabric scraps. To say I feel like I died and went to Heaven is so true!!!!  I wanted to paint a little painting on fabric and incorporate my stitching....and here is the first result.  I used Inktense pencils, which i LOVE LOVE LOVE, with a bit of texture medium.  Then i stitched and stitched and ending up adding a garden. Now that was fun, and totally unexpected.  Ahh, the joys of creating.  I don't often know where I am going when I start a project.....it takes me for a ride! i just love "painting" the eyes in.....it comes alive! What is time anyway? No embroidery hoop needed, just cozy up on the couch and stitch away.

Stitchery - Vessel or Vase - What shall i call it?

A friend brought me a vase, with a crack at the neck, and asked me if I wanted it. I saw the crack and said No. Then I thought again..... there are few things I like more than upcycling and creating something new out of something old. Looks like an egyptian mummy! As for this cool fabric, I picked it up at an estate sale shop. I think it's silk, but I don't know my fabrics well. It's reversible and beautiful, that I know. Wasnt sure how i was going to embroider this piece, so i gathered up all the ribbons in the house, and found this pretty ribbon in my book binding supplies. That was the winner! Didn't this turn out so pretty, elegant even???? 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 !
Copyright © ART for the SOUL of it
Design out of the FlyBird's Box.