"Beginnings"

Interesting isn't it? Like hatching eggs, weird creatures have invaded my home and left their empty shells behind.

Okay, so it's only symbolic. Most of them have moved out, spreading themselves far afield to raise their own special broods.

I got a little creative. Between the staple gun and industial adhesive I did manage to keep all my apendages. Batting, muslin, orange peels, paper mache', clay, balloons, thread, cheesecloth, and white spray paint, who knew these things would end up looking like this?

I entitled this creation"Beginnings," as it represents some of the feelings I have had as a mother beginning my family. My beginnings were fragile and required a great deal of courage. I lost my own mother when I was 17 years old, she was such a meek quiet person, I wanted to be just like her. Anyone who knows me knows that didn't happen!

I have watched the circle of beginnings come back around...watching my children begin their own families. It's like a full circle event to watch a grandchild being born in to the world, knowing that somehow that significant moment has somehow completed me. What started out as me and my husband has grown to a family of 27 wonderful souls. And it won't end there.

A mother's nurturing arm reaches out all through the life span of her family, through the obstacles, seeking to sustain and nourish the hearts and spirits of her children and grandchildren. Her influence never ends.

There is so much represented in this piece, hopefully you will find a connection that speaks to where you are in your journey with your family.

Remnants from November

Here are some of my drawings from the past two weeks.

This 18 x 24 drawing was done in charcoal on the last day of class, my first time to draw an animal. This is a small dog (showing some of it's wolf ancestry) behind a chain link fence.


Okay, so this 18x 24 piece is one I did at home. It is very emotionally symbolic of my Christmas day when we lost our little granddaughter Natalie a few short years ago. Done is Charcoal and Pastel.


This charcoal and pastel 9 x 12 drawing is called "Miracles." On the day I drew this a meteorite hit Canada and I was attending the Temple and pondering on the miracles that are all around us that sometimes we miss.

This 9 x 12 drawing is titled "Bacon" and is a quick piece I drew in class in response to a website our professor showed us. Francis Bacon is an artist that distorts faces, etc. I used collage on this one with a piece of phone book and circled the name Bacon. That is me, looking up to the screen with a faceless profile and realizing that the face on the screen is me and the struggle I have had changing to understand myself as an artist.

So here is a self portrait (9x12) from my 15 day drawing journal done in charcoal, collage, and pastel.


This is another 9 x 12 drawing from my 15 day drawing journal entitled, "The Morning Stars Sang Together." I had read an article about the discovery of a new galaxy that is spinning out new stars at a phenominal rate. The galaxy itself is red, with tiny points of light. I collaged the song "Joseph, Guard Him," and then placed a bright star above the galaxy. Very symbolic to me!

This 18 x 24 drawing was done in class and is another landscape in charcoal and pastel.

Okay, so this is me at the Texas Art Alliance Center standing in front of the two drawings that were accepted in the Winter Open Exhibit. They are titled, "Peak," and "Tuesday."

"Descent"

Here is my drawing for yesterday......I titled it "Descent." I wish I could express in words what this drawing means to me...it is deeply personal. I can only say that I am truly grateful for his light in a world of darkness!

Forging On!

Okay, so I am going crazy trying to get a drawing done a day for my final outside project in drawing 2. Basically I am supposed to "draw" something in less than 15 minutes about my day. I don't know about you but to draw something in less than 15 minutes is a feat for me. I am in the practice stage but as of yesterday I began my 15 day drawing spree (15 days!!! .....I have an excedrin headache!)

Here are my first two attempts at creating a mood with something about my day. Each of these drawings is done in Charcoal in a 9x12 format.

From Saturday I drew the temple spire with the angel Moroni. I just felt I needed to share my feelings about our weekly service and the blessings of the temple...I call it "Out of the Darkness."

This next one is a piece inspired by the Lord's visit to the Nephites and my feelings about my granddaughter, Ivy. I call it "Behold Your Little Ones."

Charcoal and Ink

My drawing course final was a week long assignment to take an object and draw it from 9 different views, having each composition stand alone, and then having the combined composition also stand alone. I used a charcoal wash and then ink washes, using charcoal again to add details to the image. The object is a woven grass of two fish kissing which I made when visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii a couple of years ago. This piece is very symbolic of the way I feel about my relationship with my husband. In the large center composition, the stem that rises up from beneath flows up through one fish and then curls around to flow into the second fish and then back down below-the upward flow can begin with either fish....represents the total give and take between us. In the composition to the right, the tied knot on the two sticks represents our total commitment to one another through, the binding force of the covenants we have made with the Lord. In the upper right corner is a very hidden view of one of the stem circles, which represents each of our need for privacy. The upper mid area focuses on the important of keeping our love living and vibrant. The upper left composition represents our desire to go off and follow our dreams...we call it our ability to let each other fly! Each fish, one in the left white section and the one in the bottom dark section represent the differences between us. The bottom right composition in white is sensitive, almost sensual, and speaks to the affection and love that we have for one another. The right hand side composition is really focused in on the weave of the fish and represents our lives being woven together, each strand, every crack, wrinkle, that serves to teach us and make us strong. The overall composition suggests that though all these areas seem separate and distinct, all these, when balanced together create a strength of unity in our lives.

Pen and Ink

This still life was done over 2 days to learn how to use washes and pen nibs. I learned a lot on this one that helped me with my final composition of the class. In case you are wondering, that is a plaster bottle and fish combo sitting in a drawer!

Graphite and Ink

Okay, this is actually charcoal but I wanted to post it to show you a study I did to blow up an item that fits in your hand. This looks like a basket weave but is actually ti plant leaves that have been woven to make a headband (one we got in Hawaii). Cool, huh?

This still life was drawn with graphite. There is a white sheet under the blcck sheet which I thought was awesome to capture.....I do love drawing now but it sure takes a lot more time with the graphite!

Just finished a composition in class in ink and will post soon. Ink is harder than graphite, and certainly takes a lot more time. I have a greater respect for artists. They have so much patience!

More Drawings

Here's another charcoal piece I worked on at home. I love charcoal! I am really having fun learning how to bring out the shadows and shapes of things!

This is my first graphite drawing. I ran out of time before I could finish the bottom portion. Graphite is to much more time consuming than charcoal. But I like what I am learning. My perspective is a little off on the table top but all in all I am happy with the composition.

And here is my last Charcoal that I did for a grade. I love how I was able to get my flute to look almost realistic! And I really enjoy drawing out the fabric in my pictures. We are working in ink washes this week so hopefully I'll have something to post this coming weekend. Everyone have a great 4th of July!!!!

Summer School Projects

There is so much going on these days around here. Jenny and I are in a summer drawing class at San Jac and so I am posting one of my charcoal drawings. It has been a lot of fun but it takes 5 hours a day in studio! We are sore after each session but happy with what we are learning.

Here is a picture I took yesterday of the underbelly of a portabela mushroom on a lazy susan. I think I may take it into photoshop to see what I can do with it! This is an untouched photo! Cool huh?

Barbara's Final Pieces!

Here are my final two projects for Design 1. I am so going to miss this class. Besides having the best teacher I 've ever had....the students in this class are awesome and supportive as well. I felt like I learned so much. Theresa, thank you so much for all you have done to help us!

I am posting my last two projects below. The one on the left is my analogous with anomaly and the one on the right is my muted color with texture. I loved learning to do these two. I found out I like geometric shapes more than organic ones but I am still trying to work with organic shapes so the last piece in the middle is one of my experiments. Don't you just love how one shape looks like it is trying to speed out of the composition? LOL!!!!! That would reflect the PANIC I sometimes feel when I am trying to get these design principles down!!! I am doing better though and finding myself able to come up with designs that are not subjective!!

Two More Projects Done!

Here are two more projects.....one is a Monochrome blue that was designed to create a mood and the other is my Gestalt Print (yellow and violet) which is supposed to set your eyes to jiving!!

More Design Work!

Thought I would post my last few weeks of design projects.
The one on the left is my grayscale gradation paint project.

The gradation design on the right was created out of different gray papers laying around the house (and yes, the papers are gray-the pink looking colors are warm grays) ....

The next design on the left is my spray paint gray gradations project . The second one down on the right is a lino block design that I made and cut out on a linoleum stamp and printed in different gradations.

The last two projects are the ones I have worked on for the past two weeks painting every single day....whew!!! My fingers are more nimble that's for sure! I have learned so much doing these two projects. The one on the left is my chromatic grayscale perspective design and the one on the right is my color wheel design. Notice the tertiary colors (intermediate colors between the primary and secondary colors) look transparent!

The End

Here is the last illustration for Harry the Octopus.

Harry the Octopus #3

Okay, I realize that some of you kids are worried about Jolene.....Hi Maile and Ivy.......so here's the next installment (mind you, this is a short story as it is a school project...hopefully I can do a longer one this summer.) By the way, I am painting TONS to finish up my chromatic grayscale perspective......I finished the color wheel so I will post that this weekend. I feel like I am going crosseyes trying to figure out all the grays....Jen has been painting her swatches all week....and poor Dad just comes home and heads to the work room in the back since the entire family area is covered with paint projects. Even though this has been a lot of work this semester I am grateful for what I've learned. Who knew there could be so many colors of gray? Well, here's Harry......

Harry the Octopus #2

Here's the next installment of "Harry the Octopus Saves the Day."

Harry the Octopus Saves the Day

Here is my attempt to put the beginning of this book project on the blog! This is a paint project in my digital imaging class. I took some ideas that Christy had given us for a puppet show and decided to write a story and used it to do my 4 illustrations. It's only taken me 4 weeks to finish most of it. The first illustrations are small (down below) because I've already posted one of them, but I'll make the next post larger. The storyboards are on the right. More to come!!

Harry the Octopus

I have started a new project in my digital imaging class. I will probably put the whole thing on the blog once I get it done....I took some of the ideas that Christine had for a story and created a storyboard we could use for a book, animated sequence, or a puppet show. In this illustration (which I am doing in photoshop) Harry is mopping in the background and humming to himself. Jolene Jelly is practing a song with the Jellie Babies and Shelly Starfish tells her they need to break to rest up for the night show....more story to come as the illustrations unfold!

Radial Symmetry

Here is my latest design from Design 1, a piece on radial symmetry. I call it Explosion! For this I studied mandalas. I searched online for radial designs in nature and decided to push the envelope a bit and have it break apart as it moved from the center.

Midterms!

This is my midterm project! I had to do a piece in the manner of another artist so I choose Miwa Yanagi. She uses a lot of symmetry in her work and some of her images represent the restricted roles of women in Japan, so I did a piece showing the openness of women in other parts of the world: some even taking on the role of men......Notice there is no ceiling and the windows are open. There are lots of layers in this photoshopped piece. If you want to see a contrast of Yanagi's work, just google her name and look at some of her images from the Elevator Girls series. This was fun ....I still have more to go on three other projects!

Learning the Ropes

Well, our class played a Photoshop tennis match in our digital imaging class this week and this was the image I created and then lobbed over to another artist. The Perfect Match. I have not included his additions as I don't have his permission to place it on the blog yet.

This next image was created two weeks ago for our second project of the semester. We were to put together a compilation of images that represented our favorite song. So here is my interpretation of Rob Thomas's "Little Wonders."