The Year's Review

I keep a record of all the art I create and at the end of every year I update my file on the computer. This gives me a good overview of what I have accomplished and it gives me an idea of my income for the year.

I started the year with a 30 paintings in 30 days challenge and used the time to improve my skill at Oriental Brush Painting.

I switched gears and, after taking a card making class featuring flowers, I started making cards. I taught myself quilling (thanks Youtube) using my own painted papers and added that and some of my own drawings to the cards I made. I even put together some 'Color Me' cards to sell.

As well as learning new things (and, I have to be honest, playing), I was also busy organizing some art displays as a volunteer with the local Arts Council.

Art in the Chamber

Creston is lucky to have two great venues where artists can display and sell their work. For 2016 we will have four 3 month long displays instead of six 2 month displays as we have had in the past.

From January until October I am also busy with my garden flowers; starting bedding plants, transplanting, watering and pruning, planting out, watering and dead-heading, harvesting seed and finally clearing everything up before winter. And, of course, continuing to create.

The Protector

I did a color painting challenge in the spring and followed that with the September 30 paintings challenge, this time focusing on doing pen & ink cards.

Lighthouse card

I used many of the cards in lieu of Christmas cards this year adding one of my crocheted ornaments as a nod to the season.

Altogether I painted around 75 pieces this year plus the cards (around 50), plus the quilled critters (about 80).

Quilled Critter

 I have opened a store at Handmade at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/handmade/Mellowood-Studio?ref=hnd_dp_smp
I have displayed my art in a number of shows and venues, participated in a self-guided art tour, and taught art to some beginner artists. All in all it has been a busy and moderately successful year. While I will not likely ever make enough money with my art to do much more than pay for my supplies, I will continue to ply my brushes and other tools, learning and playing as each new year unfolds.

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for checking in!

Summer of Color #2

The second week of the Summer of Color got off to a much better start - I got the color choice on Monday so I had lots of time to plan. Here is what I came up with:

The Protector

Sticking with the fantasy theme, I decided on a Unicorn. The painting is a 7 x 10 unframed watercolor with acrylic ink.

The colors for this week were 2 pinks and an orange. After looking at other people's work from last week and a few from this week, I judged that it was permitted to use ink and that it wouldn't be classed in the color selection. Many people use stamps, words and sometimes drawings, so I thought it would be OK to draw a scene in ink.

I had my sketch done quite quickly but spent a few days deciding on an ink color. Some of the inks I used where not water-proof and the effects when I added the watercolor paint are interesting.

Solitary Fir

On Mountain Slopes

I did four examples  - little 5 x 7 sketches - and it is a good thing that only two turned out to be worth framing because I painted on both sides of the paper. I should know better as you never know when something is going to turn out; even if you are just playing. Here are the reverse paintings:

This last piece helped me decide to use the blue ink. If I had used the brown ink it would have been more in keeping with the colors I was supposed to use, as diluted it was very orangy but I liked the contrast the blue provided.

I can't wait to see what next week brings - On With the Challenge!