Be Still...

So, I haven't been doing as much art lately as I would hope, but I did get a chance to paint a little bit about a week ago.  My new gecko friend is made of wood and lives on my wall, constantly reminding me that sometimes we just need to be still.  Sometimes it's OK to just hang around and stare at the mess of my room.  Sometimes, it's OK to just chill with mismatched skin (or clothes) and enjoy life, because the One who has created us has also commanded us to take the time to "Be still, and KNOW that He is God."  He can do all things, and sometimes I just need to accept that and let God take control.

So anyways, here is my newest art piece, the latest addition to my collection - my Gecko.

Summer of Altered Books

I mentioned many months ago that a group of artistic and crafty friends were getting together to "improve" some old books.  I am happy to report that the plan worked - mostly... and the love of altering books has stuck!  Our final swap was just last week (or was it two weeks ago? - I cannot be expected to remember, my brain is full!) and I can now post pictures of the books I worked in - that is those books I remembered to photograph before handing off to the next artist in the swap. 

 The following pages are from Dawn's book, entitled "Dinner in Paris."  Now, I love Paris, but artists were instructed to take a journey, to explore the world, and to stop for a snack along the way.  In this book I travelled to Alaska, where I enjoyed a lovely meal of the Baked Alaska (the recipe is the red, pearl lined paper tucked behind the eskimos).

Enjoy the fresh, icy air, some skating and snow carving, or perhaps watch a dog sled race...

Just be ready to move cuz I am yelling "Mush!"

I have no idea why blogger insists on making all of my photos sideways, but alas, I cannot figure out how to change these settings - if anyone knows what I am doing wrong, HELP PLEASE!

I seem to have misplaced the digital files for the other books I have worked in... I will be on a search and return later with updates.

~Peace!

It's been much too long...

It has been much too long since I have updated my blog.  It is an unfortunate situation, but as November approaches, and NaNoWrimo begins, I hope to update my blog daily with art, writing, and life... I am not entirely sure how I got roped into doing NaNoWrimo - but apparently all of the "cool" kids do it, and I want to be "cool"... or something. 

Anyways, NaNoWrimo looks pretty exciting, and it is an excuse to write that book I have been wanting to write about my life... hmmm.... and with a 40 page capstone paper to insert randomly in the middle of my "novel", 40,000 words shouldn't be that hard to accomplish.

Ah, randomness, the story of my life.

I'm the (friend of) the Bride

New art to be shared!

It's not entirely new, just new-ish.  A friend of mine was semi-recently married, and I presented her with this shirt at her bachelorette party... "I'm the Bride - can I get your number?"

A Board, Some Stuff, and Me

So, a while back a friend of mine had this crazy idea to paint words onto a Scrabble board.  Good words, things she wanted to remember, and I wanted to do the same, although I was lacking in a Scrabble board for myself.  So, copycat that I am, I found an old game of Balderdash (one of my favourites, although the board is really quite pointless), and have beautified it somewhat.  Below are some pictures of the board (start, progress, and finished); explanations will follow later, because it's getting late and I really should have been in bed an hour ago... But what can I say?  I'm practising for those all-nighters that are bound to happen once September rolls around again...

Anyways, enjoy the pictures!

In the Beginning, there was a board of the Balderdash variety...

My camera refuses to rotate this photo, so here is the board once I started painting...  I improved the colours of the pathway, added my name, and some 3D shoes and filled in the paint bucket with more beautiful colours...

A closer look at the left side reveals:

And zooming in on the right side we see:

Again, my computer and camera are working against me and refusing to accept the orientation of this photo, but if you tilt your head dramatically to the left you can see the finished Balderdash Board: The Bluffing Game of Life!

Zooming in to look at the left side we have:

~ Faith, Hope, and Love - Three of the most important elements in a happy life.

* Sunshine - because the world would be dark and scary without Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun...

~ and, a Pocket of Art Cards.  Now, these cards all represent some aspect of my life (and are featured up close nearer the bottom of this post...)

The trees in the centre of the board also bring a special meaning to the board of life.  The other evening I was having a lovely campfire in my backyard with the young adults group from my church.  We roasted hot dogs, toasted (and burned) marshmallows for s'mores, became addicted pyromaniacs, and had a Bible study.  We looked at the Supremacy of Christ passage in Paul's letter to the Colossians, more specifically how that passage reminds us of the power of the cross and our need to focus on Jesus, and I got thinking...  It's easy to say that we want to remain focused on Christ, but there are so many things in life that distract us from God's truth.  As I was laying in the grass, looking up into the trees above, a metaphor for life came to mind.  Life is kind of like looking through the trees, trying to catch a glimpse of the sky.  We can get caught up in the leaves, that is, the little, somewhat insignificant things of life, or we can focus on the bigger picture, and see how the leaves interact with the light from the sky above.  The campfire casts a beautiful red-orange glow on the leaves, mesmerizing me.

Now, if, metaphorically speaking, God is the sky, the leaves are all of the things going on in life, and the fire is Satan trying to get my attention, it seems pretty clear what I should be focusing on... If only those flames didn't cast such a (seemingly) beautiful glow on life...

And looking to the left we find a bunch of words.  Good words.  Things I need to remember.  And, I am reminded specifically of a favourite song of mine by Mark Schultz, called "Broken and Beautiful."  Because no matter how much I screw up, or how broken I am or feel, God is with me, and you, ALWAYS.

SMILE!  Cuz Chicks Rule!

Starbucks, my new job.  So excited!

The end.  That's it.  There ain't no more, folks.  Hope you enjoyed this little explanation of my life on a board.  It's all about bluffing, pretending you know what you're doing and talking about, and hoping someone out there has the right answer in the end!

Christmas is in December, NOT July!

So, anyone who got to enjoy the pleasure of my company over the holiday season last year would know how much I truly hate what Christmas (and Easter for that matter) have become.  Christian holidays were meant to be about the Gospel and the saving Grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Christmas did not begin with some fat old man riding a reindeer drawn sleigh, and Easter is not meant to be about a giant pink rabbit. 

Last year was the first point at which I grew truly frustrated with the secularization of Christian holidays - beginning with Christmas.  I became what many people would refer to as a scrooge.  With the exception of a simple miniature nativity set and my usual display of tea lights, I did not decorate my room with typical Christmas decorations at all.  I was, unfortunately subjected to all of the garland, santas, bells, and so-called "Christmas" trees in the common areas of my house, because unlike me, my roomates were great "fans" of this whole "Christmas thing."

I tried to avoid the "holiday spirit" and "Christmas contagion" to the best of my abilities this past Christmas and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus. 

So, you might be wondering where this year-old Christmas rant is coming from, am I right?  Well.  It's July 26.  A day or two ago I was shopping in Michael's art and craft store needing some random art materials.  I walked past those little displays they always have in the entrance, featuring sale items or seasonal decorations and whatnot...  and you guessed it.  The second display I passed was CHRISTMAS!  There were reindeer patterns and snowmen, red and white fun foam, a pattern for some candy cane something or other, and all sorts of Christmas colored glitter.  I was disgusted!  I used to think playing Christmas music before December 1 was outrageious, but this is JULY!  Apparently the store manager missed the memo that Christmas is in December!  Oh, and perhaps I should also let them know that Santa doesn't exist and reindeer can't really fly.  And toys are manufactured by full-grown people operating large metal machines, not elves in ridiculous costumes.  I just had to share this little rant of mine.  Sorry for all of you "Christmas" fans, feel free to sing carols, eat too much baking, buy tons of presents, and sit in some chubby man's lap and have your picture taken - just let me be in my cave this December (and July, please!).

Paint and Brush

The Cactus

July 2011

The Cactus is a quick project to use up leftover paint from another painting experience.  But, if I do say so myself, it turned out quite well.

Untitled

July 2011

Untitled

July 2011

This mountainous painting began as the backdrop for another project I am currently working on, however, it morphed into this beauty and I am not sure what I am going to do with it anymore.  Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Seeds of Faith

July 2011

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17.20)

Most days finding a mustard seed worth of faith is the most difficult task, but on "high-faith" days it helps to remember that God plants and waters that tiny bit of faith to grow, and all we really have to do is not resist the sun, air, and water.  Praise be to God!

I'm back!

Yes, it has been a while since my last update, but I have located my camera (apparently it had decided to hide in a photograph box buried deep in a box I have not yet unpacked) so new pictures can be shared!

My most recent project is the direct result of a trip to Re-use and a bowl belonging to a good friend.  Re-use is this wonderful little place where people take unwanted items and other people get new (to them) items.  Best part of it all, everything you get in one trip costs only $5!  Wonderful.  A recycled crafter's dream!  So, anyways, there was a bin of records, and records, being plastic and whatnot, tend to melt when stuck in the oven.  So, that's precisely what I did, and as a positive consequence, I have this super thrifty, super neat bowl/candle holder made from a hawaiian hits album! 

I think this decoration would make lovely and cheap centerpieces at my wedding.  No, don't worry, no engagement as of yet, but a girl can dream.  When you reach early twenties and all of your friends start gettting married it's hard not to think about weddings and babies and such things.  So, this is one of those lovely wedding thoughts, an idea on the back burner until "Mr. Right" or "Prince Charming" come along . . .

It's about time...

To all of my adoring fans: "I apologize.  I have been keeping myself occuppied with many things, art and blogging at the bottom of the list, unfortunately for all of you.  But, tonight I picked up the paintbrush again, and as soon as I locate my camera (I am sad to report it has run away with my pretty teal shirt and favorite pen) I will post pictures.  I have transformed one of my lovely green and blue background paintings into some abstract work of art named... you guessed it - Untitled!  I have also created two paintings quite similar in style to my very first painting ("A Little Bit of Faith) which I am quite pleased with.  And, finally, an attempt to use the extra paint on my palette turned into a lovely cactus scene.... Not sure where the cactus came from, I am not a fan of the desert or the heat or prickly things... but it's a cactus none the less.  Anywho, I am rambling, and my constant sneezing has made it hard to concentrate on anything for too long, so I will continue to watch tv while laying on the floor . . . I mean, while I look frantically for my camera so that new pictures can be posted for you... Later!"

Pizza can be Artsy too!

So, I had a friend over the other day and we decided to make pizza for dinner... Turns out that we will never be pizza chefs!  These moments gave us many laughs that evening, hopefully they will make you smile too.  Next time we will order in!

So, it was really lumpy, it shrunk, and burned through in a section. . . but it tasted alright!

Ah, toppings!  We had enough to make 2 pizzas, but we only had dough enough for one... So we had a super loaded pizza with fresh mushrooms (cuz we're just too good for the canned ones), pepperoni sticks, red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and cheese (white cheddar, because reading labels at the grocery store is over-rated - white cheese is obviously mozza right?)

And, the appetizers we ate during the pizza cooking process.  Spinach salad with strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries, almonds, and strawberry vinaigrette for me, vegetable spring rolls for Ali.  Tasty!  (and filling!)  China met Italy and it was delicious!

I'm Not Really Sure What to Think

So, this is another one of those I don't really know what to think about it paintings.  I wanted to paint, I wanted to use red/pink/purple.  Turn my brain off let the art speak for itself, and this is what happens.  It's nothing special - it looks like I combined pieces of old paintings.  It's not bad, I just don't want to read too much into this, my subconscious may be telling me something I don't want to hear.

I Don't Really Know!

I wanted to paint.  So I painted.  But I have no idea what these are.  Any suggestions or somments are appreciated!  Enjoy!

The Beginning of a New Story!

I'M SO EXCITED! 

So, a lovely group of ladies, myself included of course, have started another creative venture.  We are crossing limits, examining boundaries, and testing our attachment to those old, beloved books which have been collecting dust for far too long.  Time for these old lovelies to be put to good use.  So . . .

First, we start by ripping out pages, attacking the book with scissors, rulers, duct tape, paint, and whatever else our little hearts desire, and, ON FRIDAY WE SWITCH!  Friday will begin the wonderful alterations of these old, dusty, time-worn books and a grand adventure.  An art swap - and only time will tell how beautifully our little group can transform these old literary works into masterpieces!

So, here are some starter photos after preliminary alterations to my book (OK, OK!  I know, it was much to hard to actually attack a real book the first time, I am using an old coil-bound daytimer - but it's got words and pages and pictures and that makes it a book!)

My cover - "Art Exchange 2011"

The theme - "A Place in Time"

The pocket watch, hanging from small metal rings intertwined says then, now, later and has 3 hands- because life and art don't have to make sense. 

This is my first page, a kind of "pre-instruction" panel . . . it encourages my fellow artists to - be creative!  be unique!  make this book beautiful!  stay away from pages marked with sticky notes (those are MINE!) and incorporate any elements of reality, fantasy, the past, the present, or the possible future.  There are no limits.

This is the "real" instruction page, followed by a series of folded papers on the other

side for people to sign their names.

There will be plenty more posts about this book as time progresses and I begin reconstructing the pages of my fellow artists . . . Barely on the road with this one and I can't wait to start the next!

Signing off with a swoosh!

~S

A new craft for a crafty lady . . .

So, I realize I have been off for a while, working full time and getting fully absorbed in teen fiction takes a lot out of me . . . but I am back, temporarily anyways . . .

So, I started a new craft - the oh so wonderful Accordian Book!  It's like a folding scrapbook that I can stick in my pocket.  I have made a couple so far, but the only completely finished one is my Girl Guide Memory Book.  The front and back are cookie boxes with the inside full of badges, photos, and other little memories.  I miss my guiding days.

Enjoy!  "Be Prepared"

Front Cover

Discovery 2004 - Provincial Camp in Saskatchewan.  We spent a few days at the campground with other guides all around the World.  We split up into all sorts of other interest groups - I went to Saskatoon on an Arts Journey - go figure!

We ran around Saskatoon dancing, watching Shakespeare on the Lake, learning to puppeteer, and paint with watercolours.  Oh the memories, how I would love to return to the simplicity . . . On second thought, a tornado destroyed our campsite while we were on our short interest journeys . . . maybe life wasn't so simple after all, I was just younger and had less responsibility then.

This photo was taken in Jasper many moons ago . . . My first train ride (and only train ride now that I think about it) was on this trip.  I think we ended up in Barkerville later on . . .

Ah, TREX.  Our motto was "Mud Washes Off" for good reason.  Shortly after this photo was taken, we decided to hike across a "dried up" lake to eat lunch on the island.  The lake turned out to be not so dried up after all, and all of the older girls and leaders (me included) ended up sinking great distances in muck that smelled like rotting eggs.  We lost a walking stick and a shoe if memory serves me right.  After the smaller girls realized that we were actually sinking and not just pretending, they retrieved us and we all took a "shower" with water bottles and baby wipes . . . Mud washes off (but we still smelled terrible!)

Some traders from various camps I went to.  "Our Cabana" is an international guidehouse in Mexico, and this particular trader was hand stitched by one of my guide leaders - such talent!

So, this has been my latest project, although I hope to paint some more soon, I miss the paint and brushes and the messiness of it all!  Alas, there are only 24 hours in a day . . .



Happy Engagement!

Love is Patient

March 2011

Love is patient,

Love is kind,

Love means slowly losing your mind!

To celebrate my soul sister's engagement, I was inspired to paint this picture.  It began as a heart held tenderly by God's hands, but it morphed into a beautiful combination of colours featuring a heart of true love.  This painting reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13, when Paul explains what true love is:

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.



Chapel Paintings

I did a series of paintings for one of Concordia's Lenten Chapel services.  The following paintings are based on the Old and New Testament readings, and the idea that God is dwelling with us.

Moses and the Ten Commandments

Exodus 24

March 2011

The Mount of Transfiguation

Matthew 17.1-9

March 2011

Untitled

March 2011



God dwells within each of us always, but it is nice to think that He is with us in ordinary life events too.  Like the picture of the tent on the mountains, one of the best places to connect with God is the peace and quite of the wilderness.  His majesty is reflected in the moon and stars, the sparkles in the rocks, and the intricacies of the plants and animals.  What a privilege we have to see God's in everything we see.

Just a Sunflower

February 2011



Untitled

February 2011

Another Untitled One

April 5, 2011



Untitled (for now)

April 5, 2011

I love to paint sunsets, sunrises, and moonscapes, and this painting is no different.  The photo doesn't really do the image justice though, in real life it's shiny and more pink . . . 

Majesty

Majesty

March 30, 2011

This painting is based off of Psalm 8, and brings me tremendous comfort.

 ¹ LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

   You have set your glory
   in the heavens.
² Through the praise of children and infants
   you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
   to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens,
   the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
   which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
   human beings that you care for them?

 ⁵ You have made them a little lower than the angels
   and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
   you put everything under their feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds,
   and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
   and the fish in the sea,
   all that swim the paths of the seas.

 ⁹ LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

"Majesty" incorporates God's hands in creation of the moon and stars, and the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, with the saving grace of Jesus Christ through the cross.  As I lay my life at the cross and look up at the love that is so obvious through that image, I am reminded of the Creator of the universe and His majesty.

Peaceful Night

Peaceful Night

February 13, 2011

This painting has so muc more meaning for me than anyone could ever know, but mainly it is a reflection of one of my favourite past-times.  Looking out on a starry night, breathing in the fresh air and finding patters in the stars.  It's a place to be alone, with God, and reflect on life.  There is nothing better.

February 2011

February 2011