CranberryCloud Laurel Martin

I finally got all five colours done! I'm quite happy with the result.  There are lots of imperfections on each print but I'm clinging to the Japanese  wabi-sabi asthetic that the beauty is found in imperfection.  I love that idea.  I do think that the fact that the colours don't line up perfectly creates movement. However,  I will try for better registration next time (that's lining up the plates).  I also did two prints on brown paper.  Which do you like better?

It is true that I haven't been blogging much lately.  This is due to the fact that I haven't done anything.  I suppose I've been suffering from post moving artists block.  Every time I sit down to create something I start thinking about how I should maybe put up another shelf or re-caulk the tub or walk the dog...Being in a different place physically seems to have put me in a different place mentally.  So I'm trying a new direction and I'm quite excited about it.  These are the first of some 5 colour linocut prints.  I've done linocuts before, but never quite like these.  I've been carving away...

It's so much fun to do something new!  However, as soon as I get the ink out, someone is at the door!  He is always on the wrong side of it!

There is lots of time while the ink is drying to let him in and out, but that is just not working with his schedule today. Now I'm off to apply the next color!

No sooner had I moved, but I had a chance to visit St John's Newfoundland.  I couldn't pass up  the opportunity.  This is a piece by artist Rachel Ryan, who was having an exhibition at the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador.  For a person who is crazy about mixed media, this was a mind blowing exhibit!  She manages to take all that junk that you find at the dollar store and that you have lying around in the bottom of your kids drawers and create the most fabulously intricate fantasy worlds.  I could have stared at her work all day.  She also creates amazing art quilts which have innumerable pieces of fabric, threads, marker, gesso... you name it.  The combinations of lines and colours were wonderful.  Having just moved, I got rid of most of my bits of "junk" ...or "treasures".  I'm now inspired to collect more! 
St John's was every bit as magical as I imagined it.  I hope I'll get to go back someday!

After two months of putting things in boxes and taking them out of boxes, I am finally moved.  I can now do most of the things I want to without spending half an hour searching so I suppose that means I am settled.  There is nothing like moving to make you wish you had less stuff and nothing like moving to make you wish you had that thing you just packed away!  This is a journal page that I did while in transition.  I scrapped some paint across several pages with a credit card before I packed the paint up and then just worked with markers, pens, scissors and a glue stick.  The quote is a tweet from Yoko Ono.  I love her random whimsical tweets!  They're so different from anything else I see on Twitter.
While I was moving, Anke van der Meer published her adorable girl planners.  One of my pictures is inside!  Check it out!!!  There are three covers to choose from and each page has a picture from a different Etsy artist.  Thanks Anke: )
As I venture back into this cyber world of blogging, tweeting and on-line sales, I feel a bit rusty. Hopefully I'll have my cyber legs again soon!

Sorry to have disappeared from the internet these past few weeks.  We found out quite suddenly and unexpectedly that we would have to move.  Moving house is something that I absolutely hate doing and it sent me into quite a panic because the market here has dried up and there is nothing for sale, unless you want a mansion!   Luckily, there was one cute little house for sale, and we managed to get it in the nick of time.  We are moving at the end of August so I will be busy packing and arranging and doing moving things.  YUK! However, I do like the little house we are moving to so I can't complain. 
The only art I've been doing is in my sketch book, where I blob paint and glue things in without thinking.  I do this usually to work out ideas and now mainly to releive stress.   It is a little odd that my last post here was about launching my kids into the world.  I didn't realize at the time that I would be launching myself as well!!

I was painting this last week and I wasn't really certain what it was about, but I have painted this girl leaving before.

I painted this picture a year ago or so, and in both pictures I intended to paint something totally different when I began painting.  So, I was scratching my head, wondering why I paint this over and over.  When I saw the Illustration word "launch", it occured to me that these paintings are about launching my kids into the world.  I've always thought of them as little boats that have to be sea worthy.  Perhaps a little bit of a strange idea, but I was carefull to try and fix their leaks and set them on the right course so  they could sail off successfully.  Time will tell whether I was successful.  I'm hoping they are all happy little boats!
If you are a father, Happy Fathers Day!

Here's my newest little ACEO!  It was inspired by this months challenge word for the Melange Etsy Team, "Growth".  The rocky looking background was created using Citra-Solv.  Once you do a National Geographic magazine with this product you have a great supply of very interesting paper.  See their web site for instructions if you want to try it.  The end result is worth the mess!

My latest ACEO was inspired by the Illustration Friday word, "Swept".  After thinking a lot about brooms, I began to think about being swept away.  What do we get swept away by? ...Love....Music...And making Art! 
Have a great weekend!

She looks like a little girl, but inside she believes that she is a bear.  You can tell by her shadow.
I used to think I was a horse, or a fish (if I was swimming).

I was delighted to find out this weekend that I have two peices published in the latest Somerset Studio Gallery publication.  It's quite an honor to be in with so many talented mixed media artists.  Many of my team mates from the Melange Etsy Team are featured.  In fact, it is because of them that I found out I was included.  Normally I devour these magazines.  However, having just paid some huge car repair bills and taxes, I thought I'd better stay out of the book store for a few weeks because I'm always prone to walk out with an armful of Stampington publications.  Luckily some pointed hints from my teamies sent me in and there I was on pages 134 and 156!  That will teach me to pay more attention!