Thank God It's Friday!

This canvas board was painted with my favorite Golden acrylic paints, and the image transfers were made using Golden Acrylic Ground for Pastels and Golden Glass Bead Gel.

The image transfer of the sun was done with the bead gel. I found the bead gel difficult to work with in that the paper does not want to release easily from the beads once the transfer is made, I think I need more practice or... I need to ditch the medium. I'll give it a few more trys. I usually don't give up that easily.

I then took the image into Photoshop and added a posterize and film grain filter. I liked the results.

This has been one crazy week and I found that slaying dragons and doing good deeds can be hard work, so TGIF. I've been able to make my rounds and found most of you busily creating all week long and have thoroughly enjoyed my trip. Keep up the great work!

I'm off this weekend to pillage flea markets and search for more stuff to stockpile for future creative use and... to enjoy the SUN.


Here Comes the Sun-

"Little darling, it's been a long cold, lonely winter.."





See you soon! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Dream State

8x10 colored pencil/pencil/collage material/distress inks

"Twirl me about, and twirl me around
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground
And when I look up at you looking down,
Say it was only a dream"
- Mary Chapin Carpenter

I really should be cleaning up my studio, so that I can get back into that room and work. I have two work tables in there that have somehow been overcome by events. Events as in projects.

My workspace has now expanded to our x-large kitchen table, leaving my husband 1/3 of the table to enjoy his breakfast and read his paper. He doesn't seem to mind. I do check with him on occasion when things begin to look like they are getting out of control.

Note to self: things are out of control.

I'm going to do something about this chaos and clean up my act.

Dreamer!

I'll leave you with this thought:
"Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream"-Kahlil Gibran

Thanks for visiting! Don't forget to mosey on over to my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Old/New

My contribution to this week's 2thingsphotochallenge Old/New

Old/
Here's a photo of Yosemite Valley I took last time my dad came to visit from New York.

This is your first view of Yosemite, located on the lower western end of the valley as you enter the park. It's breathtaking. You can see the sheer granite face of El Capitan on the left, Cathedral Rocks on the right and just below Bridalveil Falls.
Click on image to get a closer look.

Most of the granite features of Yosemite Valley were created during the Cretaceous Period when intrusions of igneous rock comprised of solidified molten magna formed plutons beneath the earth's surface. The earliest of these granite intrusions appeared 114 million years ago.
Plutons, named after Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld.

New/

Here is a recent photo of the Roman Colosseum or Coliseum. One of the greatest works of Roman Architecture and the largest amphitheater ever built in the Roman Empire. It's relatively new in comparison to Yosemite Valley, as it was completed in 80 A.D. under the rule of the Roman Emperor Titus.

It was capable of seating 50,000 or so spectators for gladiator sports, animal hunts, mock sea battles and executions. Last recorded event was in the 6th century.

and another Old/ for old time sake.

my contribution Box/Car 2things challenge. I'm throwing in my image for Box/Car at the request of D.C. Confidential . I thought I was too late last Sunday, so I had deleted it. Might be worth a peek and now it's old.

This was actually a folded box car template that once assembled became a carrier for a child's hamburger.

Thanks for stopping by! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

"Standing on the water's edge...

reverse painting on acetate with alcohol inks, college ephemera
stamp by 100 Proof Press


standing on the water's edge,

reflecting,

some things seem larger than life.

All you have here my friends is merely a re-exploration of a medium I had forgotten about, alcohol inks. Some time ago I had worked with these inks on heavy glossy paper and really liked the results. This time around, I thought I try them on acetate and enjoyed the result. I didn't want to throw my test away, so I made a collage around it.

I leave you with this thought:
"Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."

I wish you all many experiences and that you will continue to grow and prosper through each one.

For you collage fanatics, blog to note here: Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz

Thank-you for your kind words and visits, as always- Andrea
My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

OnLy WhEn I Am fOuNd, CaN I bE Me

9x12x1.5 mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas
Golden Fluid and Heavy Body Acrylic, molding paste, collage material

My contribution to Illustration Friday's pick o'tha week "Theory"

My theory is "only when I am found, can I be me". so where am I? am I hiding from myself? or am I hiding in plain sight? These are the thoughts I ponder.

What about you? Are you lost or found?

Here's a cool site to see what other's have found while they were out looking:
www.foundmagazine.com created by Davy Rothbart and some of the great "Found" books by the same author here .

"Found is an uncommon tribute to and commentary on everyday life-- a collage of disparate "found" items sent by readers across the nation, ranging from love letters to doodles to shopping lists"

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh, at yourself"

Now quit lingering and go find yourself!
xoxox my other side "TheWay I See It"

on the road less travelled, I will choose ...

11x14 journal page

This week's contribution to Illustration Friday's challenge "Choose"

..the fork in the road.

I was on the road less travelled when I came upon a sign that read, "Fork in the Road ahead". The road meandered for some time past this sign, I'd say about 1/4 mile or so, when all of a sudden there was a fork in the road.

Now this was no ordinary fork in the road, like you read about...some diverging path. This was a real fork, the kind that would complete your table setting. What do you suppose this meant?

Was this fork a metaphor for something in my life? There it stood firmly planted in the ground with four shiny metal tines, were the tines representing the parts of my life I needed to acknowledge?

What would I see next, a spoon, or a knife? Was this to remind me that I am part of a set? Am I looking to complete myself, would I be made whole? Would finding a spoon feed my soul? Would the knife cut my journey short?

...so many questions on the road less travelled. I am a non-conventional thinker. I will continue on my journey, welcoming change, mixing things up, looking for new interpretations of the old . I will relish the opportunity to take more chances, for the only regrets in life we have, are the chances we never took.

I leave you with Robert Frost's poem c.1920

ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Happy Trails!

Thank-you one and all :
for your visits,
for your kind words,
for making me laugh,
for making me smile,
for making me cry,
for making me think, for this I am grateful.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

the JoY of PlaY:invitation response

My contribution to Sue O'Kieffe's : Invitation to Play at Sacred Circle Mandalas

Sue O'Kieffe and John Mora Typos.Daylight.Fate have recently begun to collaborate on some of their creative efforts.

John's original image "stay" can be viewed here where he sampled a lovely photo from Babaloo here. Sue's mandala, is a collaborative work with John can be seen is here .

Thank-you to Great Grannie Bobbie for suggesting this round robin challenge.

"No images have been hurt in this creative exercise, only my ego as I struggle to learn the tools"

All rights to these images belong to the original artists who are extremely talented and whom I am grateful to have met through this venue. Thank you for your permission to *play*

Have a wonderful day! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

The Year of the Rat ...*fink*

pre-gesso'd black journal paper, Golden Fluid Acrylics- Interference green and gold, Cobalt Blue,Quinacridone Magenta, and my favorite Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint on asian stamp for initial background texture.

The rats are cut out of paper towels I had used to clean my brushes and saved.
chinese coin stamp and asian lady stamped with Stazon black on acetate.

My contribution to Wednesday Stamper's theme for this week "Asia"

Happy Chinese New Year! "The Year of the Rat" note the years listed on the right on my collage are 'rat years', which occur every twelve years.

Are you a Rat?

Characteristics of Rat:
smart, magnetic, well-liked, problem solvers, self-sufficient, quick-witted, surreptitious, selfish, protective, calculating hmmm...

Right now I'm thinking my husband is a rat, but now he was born in '61.
Is it possible to be on the cusp of rat?

This city girl, (who now lives in the country) is pining for her husband who abandoned her early this week for another country, not another woman, but another country. Italy. 'Povero Bambino!" This is where the *fink* part comes in as in *rat fink*. and he took our good digital hence crappy photos.

I needed to drown my sorrows, so I decided to mosey on over to the Barrel Room a local vintage wine bar and bistro to meet some friends. Here I opted for the 'champagne and caviar dreams package' a.k.a. glass of "J" Cuvee from J Winery in Sonoma. We cracked some bread, peeled back some prosciutto, and nibbled on baby lamb chops. We laughed, we people watched, and we laughed some more and I still wasn't feeling like I was any where nearer to the Trevi Fountain. Another "J' please, and can I buy a vowel? Like a "U" for u rat fink.

I'm just joshing because I'm actually delighted my husband had a chance to get away to such a lovely place and have it paid for by the company.

So city girl heads back home to country, tired and lonely for her traveling man. Now mind you it has been raining alot up here this past weekend, it's been frigid cold in the a.m. 27 degrees with frost all around. Our yard backs up to the Cleveland National Forest, (no we don't live in Ohio) and the wildlife is restless. Our little birds are tapping on the bedroom windows, I'm feeling like Tippi Hendren in "The Birds". There are the frogs, what sounds like meeeelllions of frogs, croaking away, pining for bug bites, coyotes pining for the moon, and the barn owls that nest in our trees pining for the rats! So I cozy on up to the sounds of my wildlife friends and ring in the New Year.

P.S. Here's a real pic of Rat Fink (anyone remember this hot-rod character by Ed Roth) from Kustom Kulture. My husband used to have these trading cards.



Thank you for visiting and your kind words, as always-

"Enjoy yourself it's later than you think"
My other blogspot: The Way I See It"

Buddha in the Northern Light

My contribution to this weeks 2things challenge Night/Light.

"Enlightment must come little by little---- or it will overwhelm us."

Namaste.

("salutatory gesture," 1948, from Hindi, from Sanskrit namas "bowing" + te, dat. of tuam "you" (sing.). Used as a word of greeting from 1967. )

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

WS-Charms

single pendant charm- each side
asst'd. collage snippets, 7gypsies rub-ons, Stamper's Anonymous cube stamp

My contribution to this weeks Wednesday Stamper challenge "Charms"

"No man is useless, while he is a friend" Thanks for stopping by!

My other blog: "The Way I See It"

more ALteReD SLiDeS

"Fire" coldpress watercolor paper, acrylics, oil pastels

As with most projects I start, I did not have a notion about where I was headed. Once I assembled this piece , the thought of fire resurrected, the fire we experienced here in our own backyard this past October during the San Diego firestorm. It is reminscent of the glow I stared at just before we evacuated.


"Take 3" altered slide, cut original transparency and reworked with stamps and markers, interference acrylic paint and watercolor paper.

Thought for today:
" When you have developed the ability to do the small jobs well, greater jobs will come to you"

Enjoy your day! My otherblogspot: "The Way I See It"

Sally's New Bustier

I took an old slide, dismantled the innards and created a minature collage. Painted small piece of watercolor paper with twinkling H2O's and Golden Interference Green. Half stamped/half drawn image, piece of mica and a broken piece of sea shell to represent a bustier.

I must say, that it is not as easy as you would think- to confine yourself to such a miniscule space, so here in lies the challenge.

"I've Gotta Hand it To Ya"

Cold pressed (rough) watercolor paper, oil pastels, funky patina'd charm and scrap text in black slide frame.

I leave you with the following thought:
"If we can go deep into ourselves we will find that we possess exactly what we desire"

(though it wouldn't hurt to have have a bustier as tough as Sally's)

Thanks for visiting. My other blogspot is here: "The Way I See It"

Altered Fractal

I was in the mood for PS today...note the "M" is missing. This is good thing for all you folks out there in the blogosphere. What?! no sillies, "M" stands for manipulation, oh... and PS stands for Photoshop. I had created a fractal awhile back and decided to throw a couple of PS filters at it like motion blur, liquefy, and colored pencil. Also manipulating each filters individual tools. Now it looks like a lovely knitted chenille blanket. No, I'm not drinking or on drugs and yes I do know how to knit. It's just me in my usual state of happy.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, or not... still love ya anyway.

Don't forget to mosey on by my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

My UpSiDe DoWn WoRld

When you're feeling like your world is upside down, why fight it?! This is what I saw when I looked out the window. I immediately grabbed the camera and ran outside to capture this reflection in our swimming pool. It was a sign... of the times... and a forecast for the weather.

me and my upside down shadow


Nothing like a different perspective to stir things up.



Remember this song, "Signs" circa 1971 from "The Five Man Electrical Band"



Things will be looking up soon. Thanks for stopping!

Won't you please visit my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Replenish the Coffers

8 x 11.5 Mixed Media Collage on pre-painted watercolor paper,
assorted fibers, german foil, Golden fluid acrylic

Mandala: [Sanskrit maṇḍalam, circle.]
-in Jungian psychology a symbol representing the effort to reunify the self.
-any of various geometric designs (usually circular) symbolizing the universe; used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism, as an aid to meditation

This collage was to be 'MY' aid in meditation. My attempt at filling the coffers. The coffers = to my depleted spirit and deported demeanor. Now, I for one have never been able to sit still and meditate for more than 5 minutes before my mind goes off reeling in a million different directions. So I found that cutting pieces of paper, many pieces of paper for hours on end will serve this purpose.

Peacefully cutting, meandering in non-linear thought, merrily I go, snip-snip-snip in my euphoric state when all of a sudden in my zoned out overzealous cutting spree I took a chunk of my finger. Luckily for me, I was in that state where people can walk over hot coals and don't feel a thing. Hee..same idea, the pain didn't come but the blood did and in great amounts. Barbie bandaid to the rescue as evidenced by this pic below: (forgive me while this is not my index fingers best side)


I restored my sense of peace and resumed... snip-snip-snip. Now, my next step in mindfulness training was to randomly, incohesively fashion these snippets of colorful papers, asst. cut up greeting cards, wrapping paper, vintage text and fibers into a circle utilizing a watercolor painting I had done awhile back but was not fond of (never throw this stuff away). Now I admit, the one thought that did cross my mind was that I wanted the background of this colorful circle to eventually be black so the color would vibrantly stand out.

I stayed with this process quietly, delicately placing snippet over snippet until my circle was complete. I was now ready for the finale, the layer of black paint to cover the existing watercolor. As I began randomly, splashing black paint over exposed color I noticed what appeared to be a bird emerging in the bottom left hand corner. My 'aha' moment, so I worked around the color in black and my bird came to be.

My zen state is just about resonating to an end when my container of Golden Carbon Black paint launches out of my hand and in sssllloooowww motioooon finds it's way to the white stone tile floor exploding all over my walls, face and clothing. Now let me say that for a short moment I was back in that "hot coal walking state" when I got up and decided to take a paper towel the size of a postage stamp to clean up this mess...then fight or flight kicked in and I realized I'm in trouble and need more Brawny.

Now this is a sure fire way to crack the meditative code. Let me now tell you as a sidenote: WARNING! do not let Golden Carbon Black Paint sit for ANY length of time on any surface especially white stone floors as this paint does not move as quickly as it does when you squeeze it out of the bottle.

Next meditation aid: clean floors on hands and knees scrubbing with scouring pad to get black out of grout and off of tile. Oh, grasshopper!

I learned patience.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

CoMiC StRiPs

8 x 11.5 mixed media collage

comic strip

many layers of acrylic paint over black gesso

distressed embossing

As a child I was a dreamer, well I'm still a dreamer.  I liked comic books like Archie , Betty and Veronica, Jughead, Richie Rich, Little Lulu, Krazy Kat and Nancy to name a few.  I liked to take long leisurely strolls.  I'd kick a few stones, wave to the neighbors on their stoops and pluck a dandelion or two and make a wish-- while on my way to the corner fountain shop where I grew up in Brooklyn, New York.   It was here I would capitalize on my $1, release the stronghold grip on my coin purse and score a handful of delectable treats.

I could buy an Archie comic book for .12 cents and a brown paper bag fulled with penny candies and a Yoo Hoo or a chocolate egg cream and still have change left over.  I couldn't wait for Sundays because the New York Times had the best funnies section and the colors were so vibrant.  I'd launch my Silly Putty from it's molded egg plastic case, smell it, stretch it and start capturing the images of the comics, distorting them and changing the way they looked.  Those were the days.  

As I grew older, I took a liking to Snoopy and Charlie Brown,  Ziggy and Mad magazine, remember Alfred E. Neuman?   My taste grew to "Calvin and Hobbes" and "The Far Side" and "Dilbert"  in my travels to Italy and France at the local newspaper stands, I'd stumble upon copies of Gato Felix (Felix the Cat), Occhi Bracchio di Ferro(Popeye the Sailorman), Picchiarello(Woody Woodpecker), Topolino(Mickey Mouse) and "The Adventures of TinTin".  I have always admired the work of the great Winsor McCay,  late 19th century, American cartoonist and animator.  One of my favorites compilations  "Little Nemo in Slumberland"   

Today, I still own Silly Putty, I like the smell ( it's probably toxic)  I no longer enjoy reading the comics and I choose to manipulate things in a different way.  Don't forget to laugh!

Thanks for stopping by.  My other blogspot: "The Way I See It" 

"F" Street ala Peter Max

While my friend Julie and I were meandering through the streets of Little Italy, making our way to Dick Blick's for more art supplies, I decided I would hold my camera out the window and rapid fire.

Who did I think I was kidding? I am. just. not. that. good at utilizing the 'rapido' fire button on my camera and... especially since I kept accidently closing the lens instead of shooting the picture, leaving me with some 'not so' interesting subjects, like this street light on F.

So, I decided to give it an extreme photo makeover ala Peter Max utilizing PS's neon glow filter, manipulating the brightness levels and enhancing the image.

Hey, I'm a child of the 60's, I love Peter Max. Learn more about him here .

My other blogspot "The Way I See It" Thanks for stopping by!

WS-Fortuna

Found a new  3X5 card surface from which to embellish upon last evening at R. O'Sullivans Irish Pub and Steakhouse in Escondido, CA... known to me for the longest time as the NIB (Neighborhood Irish Bar) long story for another day.

The waitress came to the table and threw down a slew of these sturdy 3x5 coasters that had really neat photos of California surfers and on the backside they were postcards, ready for mailing.   They were actually made to support a Fat Tire Beer.   My mind was reeling...while everyone was placing their drink orders I was calculating how I could abscond a few of these for the sake of art without looking too obvious.  I'll take a Grey Goose Lemon drop martini, please... before she returned I started to slowly shuffle a few of these in my direction leaving behind a token few.

Now mind you in addition to drink coasters, this place has wonderful Shepard's Pie, Bangers and Mash, Guinness Stew and plenty of good 'ole Guinness Stout.   It's 9p.m.-- no cover charge- Andy Walo Blues/Rock guitarist.  We had seen this guy here before and he is one talented guitarist he can play a mean Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Cash, John Lee Hooker, J.J. Cale to name a few.   I'll have another Grey Goose Lemon Drop Martini, please...   

So here is my reincarnated coaster titled "Fortuna" il "Patrono San di acquisto  domestico" "The Patron Saint of Homebuyers"   My contribution to this weeks Wednesday Stamper challenge

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to mosey on over to my other blogspot "The Way I See It"

Our Backyard Friend

I'd like to introduce you to our backyard friend who came to visit this past summer. We couldn't be anything but in the moment for this little fellow to stop by, as it is most unusual for these wild finches to ever come close to a human. My husband and I decided to stand absolutely motionless, watching about 15 of these guys feed off of a thistle bag I have hanging on a shepard's hook in my yard.

We placed a small amount of thistle seed in our hands and stood, motionless, like statues with our hands extended to see any one of our feathered friends which venture into unknown territory, when all of a sudden this little one took a liking-- first to my husband.

He clung to his shirt and then slowly made his way to his hand for some feed. My husband then gently picked him up and placed him on my hand for this photo op. Everyday for approximately 12 or so days, as soon as one of us stepped outside he would fly to us, land on our shoulder, shorts, arms. He'd sit with us on the patio swing, keeping us company, feed and visit for as long as we'd have him and then one day I think one of his fine feathered friends convinced him it was best to move on. This intimate interaction with our little friend was one of life's simple joys. It reminded me of being in the moment and how good it felt. It reminded me of the warm summer days.

Thanks for stopping by. "The Way I See It"

It wAs A CoLd and StoRmY NiGhT

8 1/2 X 11 journal page

"Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."- Susan Ertz

It was a "CoLd and StoRmY NiGhT", indeed. We have finally received the much needed rain that we have missed for so long. Rain is good, the earth needs a drink, our coffers need replenishing. I for one have plenty to do on this rainy Sunday afternoon. What about you?

What will you do today? I hope that whether the sun is basking your space in warmth, or the winter's snow lay at your feet that you will do what is necessary to feed your soul. After all...immortality is 'an endless life' in our mind.

Thank you for your kind words. My other blogspot "The Way I See It"