10 mini collages today -
here's the latest four... it's 10:30, day has cooled down to a delicious temperature and the moon is 3/4s. stunning day, stunning night....
I'll have to start photographing these tomorrow. some will not show the subtle concepts. I hold Zen concepts in mind whwn I create these pieces despite being a bit flighty and cranky at times, I love the balance that shows up in my work.
keep arting,
e
trying not to complain but this unusual heat in PNW and it's slowing me down... not used to 80 +
I'm more a 70-75 with a nice breeze from Puget Sound person...
that said, I have 6 more minis finished this afternoon out of 44 mini canvasses - only 24 to go! I know I only need a total of 30 for Friday but this gives me more choice of what to hang at Avanti Art & Design.
still working with Zen concepts - mini meditation collages
back to arting!
e
First eight of the 30X30 challenge for Avanti Art & Design/Co-Op in Seattle WA...
I have 36 more 4x4" mini canvasses... I bought extra as I love the small format.
this year I did paint the canvass backgrounds with acrylic but I am adding some paper/collage besides the embellishments.
Still trying to figure out the best way to "write" phrases around the deep edge. Most "pens" tend to spread the letters and make them hard to read plus the canvass is tricky to write on. 
back to work.... play is more like it!
e
Six more almost finished - takes a long time to make these minis...
6pm and time for nibbles...
Update on my 6X6 donations - #328-333
five of my mini collage have sold! Just 333 is left to purchase! 
http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014.php?artwork_id=333
Sold Out Artists' Names Now Live!
Sold Out Artists' names are now visible next to their artworks. If an artist entered 3 artworks and only two have sold, the artist's name will appear under ALL of their artworks when their final artwork is purchased: roco6x6.org
6X6" annual ROCO fundraiser = Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14604
worked on 4X4" mini canvass today...
painted the tops now to collage/add other design elements....
During the last Design Elements class, the participants and I worked on a metal embossing project and also added line work to out "bubble" project from the week before.
Mine ended up being very whimsical - cats, mice, flowers, moon and hippy woman with flowers in her hair...
Bubble Whimsy
© 6/26/2014 Nine Lives Studio
Back to the 4"X4" minis!
e
Thanks to all who have purchased my images on products from my various shops.
Here's Zazzle 4th of July promo ---17.76% Off all orders | USE CODE:INDEPENDENCE
Here's an article on The Nearsighted Narwhal... I have cards & mini art there and am offering art classes.
http://www.northwestmilitary.com/music-and-culture/arts-features/2014/07/Hometown-lit-at-The-Nearsighted-Narwhal-in-Tacoma/
after napping today - the last two weeks, I really wore myself out not being used to teaching and also the Auburn Artrageous with 6 hours on my feet with no break... so naps are necessary to get my body back to balance.
I was too tired to paint although I worked out some design ideas.
I think I need to ship these paintings tomorrow because of July 4th... they're due next Tuesday and I don't want to drive to drop them off as I would hit gobs of traffic.
I did decide to paint the canvass and then adhered the paper with the Enso and the Sumi horse. the background paint showing through the paper made the horse looked "pink" - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I coated the horse with silver... I may touch it up again tomorrow.
Arianrhad © 6/2014 Nine Lives Studio
it does look better in person - it's late and the flash messes with the results...
second painting - Cerridwen © 6/29/2014 Nine Lives Studio
I did paint the underneath an ocher color and attached a piece of Sumi-e paper that I had printed maple leaves onto last year.
I had prepared the four horses four years ago but never framed them. I glued them under the leaf print paper but they disappeared so I scraped the top paper away. glazed with iridescent bright gold [golden acrylic paint] I also attached three silk leaves... this painting really glows.
Received a call from Wendy at Avanti Art & Design checking on my 30 day 30 pieces of art due on the 11th - guess what I'm working on all week! I have five backgrounds started... 
so here they are - five 4x4" painted in my last acrylic class.... only 25 more to begin! I wrote some phrases to go around the edges while the kids were busy drawing in the comic book class........ I decided this year to paint the backgrounds and then collage or add embellishments. I am thinking of printing the phrases on ribbon to make them easy to read. Sometimes writing on the canvass makes for difficult calligraphy mishaps.
Time for more Zzzzzzzz
Keep arting
e
Finally started one piece for the Equine Art 2014 - at Emerald Downs, Auburn WA
Arianrhad
© 6/25/2014 Nine Lives Studio
I'm experimenting - I painted the Sumi-e enso with acrylic and the horse with sumi ink. I have gold sumi ink but it does move when adhering.
I also painted on a very textured paper that I will adhere to the blank canvass thus avoiding a frame! It's a museum wrap two inch deep stretched canvass.
trying to decide if I should paint the "underneath" with a color before adhering the paper....
In the Design Elements class tonight, I introduced them to Notan designs...
I seem to be thinking allot about trees and roots, sky and earth lately...
Notan tree
© 6/18/2014 Nine Lives Studio
crazy week of back to back classes from 9 to 3pm and two evening adult classes...
but lots of creativity going on!
I made tomorrow's art sampler class some windsocks to stencil. I need some Zzzzzzzzzzzz 
Keep arting!
e