think this 20"X20" mixed media is almost finished... just need a title and a few tweaks on thecolor of the lace and disk.
dropped off my 6 pieces at the WA State Fair this morning. Takes about two weeks to judge/respond.
working on my entry for Redux [finally] started around 9 tonight & stopped at 10:30, not bad for an hour and a half - will post the how-to/steps later.
worked a little on this tree as well... hard to photo at night. the flash always whites out the iridescent paint.
Have to wait for daylight to see if I like how the tree top looks. I started this last Friday during the Fundamentals of Acrylic class. When the paint was still tacky, I scraped into the layesr to leave an embossed design.
Sold another product on Zazzle from my photo shop - postage stamps with my orange tiger kitten photo.
tomorrow's goal - finish redux and the tree, 50 art-o-matmini Sumi-e paintings, new Sumi-e cards and printing some blocks for new blank note cards.
Shoreline Art Commission [The Gallery at Town Center 18560 1st Ave NE Shoreline WA 98155] asked for more Sumi-e and block print cards and I need to restock Traditions in Olympia.
That's it for me today...
Last weekend in July I had the pleasure of taking two jewelry workshops at Tacoma Metal Arts on 6th Ave...
http://www.tacomametalarts.com/
great workshops... soldering tips & tricks was on Saturday, July 27th. These aren't cleaned up yet.
a few have excess solder – my college jewelry teacher would have my head on a platter for such sloppy work.
4 have brass shapes and one is brass with copper on top but when you put them in the acid to take off the fire scale the brass gets coated in copper... three have PMC [Precious Metal Clay] pieces on them.
On Sunday, July 28th - I learned to set Cubic zirconia in a tube setting.
OK... again - please don't laugh at the solder all over the place. Obviously I need to get my skills back - plus the pieces will look better when cleaned and polished.
I was able to make 4 tube settings. Didn't get a chance to do the setting where you drill into the metal - then the stone fits flush but it's OK.
The square or round tubing will allow my rolled leather to slide into place for the necklace.
Picked up my art from Avanti Art & Design today...
not one of my thirty minis sold... was a little disappointed but love what I created and now I have 36 minis to sell at holiday sales. I did enter two of them into the WA State Fair... Japanese Maple Mandala and Autumnal Equinox Sunset. note - images in the gallery.
I just learned that six have just been accepted for "Divinity" an October exhibit at Krab Jab Studios in Seattle. Those minis include: Blue Enso Meditation, Moon Tranquility, Maple Seed Meditation, Zazen Under Azure Skies, Channeling Spirit, and Spirit Guide. The last two were from the extra 6 minis that I made.
Stopped off on the way home at Daniel Smith... I figured as long as I was up in Seattle.
They had a special if you purchased $79 of Golden products you received a free sample kit [five 1oz matte fluid acrylics].
Of course, it is so easy to purchase that amount...I bought four 4oz paint and an 8oz acrylic retarder, plus they
had water based printing ink on the discount table at $2 each so those 3 went into my basket...
they also were discontinuing the WC pencils that I love so I bought 8 of them...
Interesting that the D. Smith watercolors are in smaller tubes with a higher price. Also the golden products are
discontinuing the 4oz jars in favor of the BIG jars which cost $$$$$ hmmmm... Sign of the times, I guess. Reminds me of grocery shopping - smaller packages for more money and/or bigger packages that I wouldn't use in years for more $$$...
Never the less - keep arting folks!
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I was so tired that I kept forgetting to bring my camera to take photos of the the student's art during the acrylic class for 12-16 year old students. They were so quiet and focused - the 3 hours went by so fast with us all enjoying right brain!
The painting below mimics one I did in watercolor 2 years ago. A sprite "Catching a Ride" through the pond.
I also did a simple landscape for them to work with if they wanted to... two students did a great job painting wih this scene.
This is a tree painting that I was messing around with yesterday while the students were painting. I put
a thick layer of gel on and/or mixed it with the paint and used the end of a paint brush to emboss a design.
Ignore the yellow tree top - not finished with that. squooshed [technical term] a lot of yellow to empty a tube cause I wanted the texture on the top...
Keep arting it's good for the soul.
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I created this small [12X12"] mixed media for Proctor Fest which ends Sunday afternoon...
Labyrinth mixed media - I mailed it up to my friend Andrea. That's what are pals are great for helping one another deliver and pick up art pieces...
I used this design - Chakravyuha, a threefold seed pattern with a spiral at the centre
and this is the result...
I was thinking of the meditation aspect of walking a Labyrinth. Very sacred and valued exercise...
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Wow, is all I can say.There must be a way of bottling some og the 8-12 year olds energy....
It was a very busy week with Manga [12-16 year olds] in the morning. They were quite studious and drew some amazing characters in their sketchbooks.
The Art Sampler students worked with charcoal and pastel chalk on Monday; Sumi-e in and flair type pens to create designs on Tuesday; watercolors and watercolor pencils on Wednesday; block printing [styrofoam blocks], monoprints and stenciling on windsocks I made for them on Thursday and yesterday was acrylic painting where they interpreted van Gogh's Starry Night and Sunflower paintings.
Again - Wow, was too busy to take photos as it takes a lot of clean up during and after class.
Next week is Art from Around the World in the morning and Sketchbook Drawing in the afternoon. Least I have two days to regroup my energy levels. ^..^
Keep arting,
e
The Announcement:
The 5th Annual 30/30 challenge presents works by 30+ Artists, creating 30 pieces in 30 days of June, featuring over 1000 pieces; paintings & mixed media on canvas & paper, photography, 3D sculpture & more. July 12th – August 2nd Avanti Art and Design 7601 Greenwood Ave N. #101, Seattle, WA
Wow- it was a packed viewing last night - talked myself horse...
Most of the minis are hung on these big panels as well as solid wall. I had put screw eyes and wire on that backs of my minis which was a problem of sorts. Normally they have a precut mat that you line your art into, staple fish line to the back... but I had the screw eyes/wire in place so Wendy helped by nailing hooks up. I had to adjust the wire on almost every piece. However the staple gun has quite a kick and I'm afraid it would have broken some off my embellishments.
The image gallery now has all the thirty finished images,
Enjoy...
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OK… trimmed the rough edges and here are photos of the 36 before I go embellish… that is, if necessary.
and I even picked Kale this morning and quick watered as it’s going into the 80′s today.
Time to embellish after I chop Kale… singing Kale, Kale, the Gangs all here…
Maybe that staying up past 2 AM last night isn’t such a good idea!
OK, my bad 
, finally starting my 30 day challenge which will be more like...
a thirty hour challenge 
Ready, set, create:
dragged everything out of my Art/office studio. Just not enough flat surface. Studio/former deck
I knew would get too warm for this marathon - the sun came out around 11 from the morning cloud layer - the attic fan just kicked on and the house is deliciously cool.
Blocked out the background on these six mini canvases. 24 to go plus I have the extra ones I might as well do too.
I have an hour and a half before I pick up my son... should be able to block out another 8. 
OK, I'm going back into creative mode.... 
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