Mixed Media Artist

Painting

The Albino Girl

Another circus image.  Step right up and see  THE ALBINO GIRL!  I thought her ghost like appearance was fitting giving that it is almost Halloween.  I think she is beautiful, even if she is a little bit spooky.

SOLD


The Painted Lady

The painted lady.  My fascination with the circus continues.

This is a 8″x10″ mixed media painting on a wood stretcher.


Don’t Stray From The Path

Little red riding hood knew she shouldn’t have strayed from the path.  Her mother had told her not to.  It was just that she wanted her grandmother to feel better and  knew that the sight of wild flowers would put a smile on her face.  But now, it was getting dark and she had the strangest feeling.  You know that feeling.  Like she was no longer alone.  Like someone was watching her.

Little red riding hood stopped picking flowers and stood up straight. Standing silently she listened for movement in the dark woods  surrounding her.  She moved the freshly picked flowers up toward her face. ‘Maybe their sweet smell would calm her’, she thought to herself, but this feeble gesture did nothing to ease her increasing feeling of  dread.  The harder she tried to listen, the louder her heartbeat pounded in her ears.  She was all at once being taken over by a horrible sense of foreboding.  Like she was being  devoured,  body and soul, by fear itself.

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Scarlett Plays The Piano

I did this 8″x10″ mixed media painting today.  It is of Scarlett at the piano.  She really takes her playing quite seriously.  My five year also takes Scarlett’s playing quite seriously.  When Scarlett plays,  it SERIOUSLY bugs her!


Alice Spots The White Rabbit


The Green Corduroy Coat


I love this coat so much. I just took it out of Scarlett’s closet so I could pass it on. Most items of clothes go through this process with out much thought but this outfit (there are matching pants) was worn by both of my girls and is a reminder that they are growing up way too fast!

This is a 8″x10″ mixed media painting on a Paulowina Wood profile strecher frame.


Little Witch Casts A Spell

This is an original 3.5″x 7.5″ mixed media piece on 100% rag paper. Little Witch is a new character I am developing just in time for Halloween!

Little Witch, AKA Blossom Dearheart, can’t believe her luck! Who would ever take a witch with a name like Blossom seriously? What were her parents thinking!? Besides that, her magic spells always seem to go a little wrong … or rather right. Her black magic always turns out white, or rather pink with tiny polk-a-dots, sparkles or, heaven forbid, itsy bitsy flowers!
What is a witch with  a tender touch to do?

SOLD


Eating Watermelon In The Backyard

I eat my watermelon slice sitting under the apple tree

Sorry birdie

No seeds

The watermelon is so good

Sweet and cold

Juice dribbles down my chin

I squeal with delight

This an original mixed media piece on 100% rag paper.

SOLD


Now That I Have Your Attention

The meeting will now begin

What do two white ravens need to discuss?

The would like it to be noted in the records

They are not albino

They simply have some type of mutant gene

They like that they are symbolic of peace

And they really like the gold sequins on your hat

That is all

The meeting can now be adjourned

Hello everyone, now that I have your attention, I just wanted to let you know that I will be having a Etsy showcase in the Art section Aug10 starting at 12 am for 24 hours. All of my new stuff from the last week will be up. I’ve been working really hard and I hope that you enjoy it!

Thanks,

Maria


Eating Watermelon

Watermelon is such a great way to stay cool during the summer. My kids love watermelon but I have to be honest, this no seed business really kind of freaks me out. And besides, wasn’t spitting watermelon seeds all over the backyard part of the fun? Maybe it is just me.

This is an original mixed media ACEO on 100% rag paper.


Blowing Kisses 101

The title pretty much says it all. Both my girls love to blow kisses.

They especially love it when you catch the kisses they’ve blown to you.

This is an original mixed media ACEO on 100% rag paper.


Summer Grin

This is a new ACEO I did today.  Even in this heat I managed to get a little bit  of work done.  

I love this cheeky grin.  This summer, I feel like I have watched baby Scarlett turn into little girl Scarlett.


I See You

11.5″x15.5″, mixed media on 100% paper.


The Pear Tree

We have the most amazing pear tree growing in our back yard. I get real pleasure looking at this tree that we planted, only three years ago, in a yard that had nothing (and I mean NOTHING) in it. Not only has this tree tripled in size but it has fruit for the first time! This in EDMONTON! Truly amazing. This painting pays homage to our pear tree. The fruit hasn’t really made it to this size but one can dream.


Every Girl Needs A Big Hat

This is Scarlett looking less like a baby and more like a girl with attitude!

This is an original mixed media ACEO on 100% rag paper.


The Water Lilies Keep Me Cool

The water lilies keep me cool

They bob around my floating head

My hair mimicking pond weeds

I feel the little fish bump up against my legs

A dragonfly lands on me

Perhaps he thinks that I am a log or even a flower

I am so still

Maybe he is kissing me

So very gently

As I lay here

Drifting


The Orange Peeler 2

This is an original mixed media piece on 100% rag paper.

I had this little painting taped down for ages. I needed the the drawing board so I decided to finish it and I am glad I did. Poor little neglected painting.

This painting is of Scarlett peeling oranges. I have done several versions of this subject and am working on a large canvas of 5 Scarletts peeling oranges in a row. I call it The Orange Peelers or The Orange Peeler Factory. It all started when I discovered that by giving Scarlett a bowl of tiny oranges to peel I could buy myself at least 20 – 30 minutes of free time. This was an event to remember and to even document! HA!


Wishful

This is a 2.5″x3.5″ original mixed media painting on 100% rag paper.

We had to make a hard choice today. We’ve decided to not go to Victoria for Christmas. I know it is the smart choice but it makes me a little sad. This painting is of Imogen who is already thinking about what she wants for Christmas and even warned Scarlett (the two year old) about Santa’s ever watchful gaze during a melt down she had today about getting dressed!
What is Imogen she wishing for? A basket for the front of her bike. Decorative and practical.

It is only mid summer so I am sure there will be plenty more wishes by December. Geesh.


Another Still Moment

I did this ACEO today of Scarlett. It is another study of a moment when my two year old was unusually still and contemplative. A moment to celebrate.


Nanny Makes It All Better

I did this mixed media ACEO today. It is of my daughter Imogen having dirt brushed away from her face. I just love this image. It really illustrates the love between a child and a caring adult. We don’t get to see Nanny as often as we would like but when we do, she really can make it all better. ( That goes for me too!)


A Still Moment

This is a painting that I just completed of Scarlett sitting at the dining room table. She is so still and at peace, not at all like her normal two year old self. There was just a beautiful stillness at that moment that I wanted to try to capture.


Wishing

There is nothing wrong with a little wish now and then.  There is the star wish, the fountain wish, the birthday wish and of course, we can’t forget the wishbone wish.  I’ve wished for plenty of things in my life.  The only problem with wishing is that we are always to the future,  which kind of implies that  we aren’t enjoying the right now.  I think that my next wish will be that I don’t wish anymore because I am just enjoying right now too much to even care.


Singing The Blue Pencil Blues

OK, I admit it. My attachment to my blue pencil is a bit on the fanatical side. It could be even considered a crutch that I should just let go of. Perhaps, but I want to let go of it at my own pace, not be forced into it. OK, OK, I have had this pencil for several years… OK, more than several, probably about twenty. Did I hear a gasp? Yes, I have had this pencil for over twenty years, but let me explain.

When I was about twenty I found this amazing set of coloured indelible pencils, in the box at a second hand store. They were so beautiful! They were old when I bought them. I’d say from the 50’s. I used them a little then. Once in awhile. I was in college and University during this time and was more into ink, conte and charcoal for my drawing class and acrylics for painting, so they just sat in my old tin box of art stuff. Over the years I did occasionally use the light blue for preliminary sketches but the rest just sat untouched for the last twenty years.

Flash forward twenty years and I’ve been doing this mixed media stuff like crazy and using this blue pencil in every single piece. A couple of weeks ago I was sharpening it and I forced myself to face the fact that I was going to need to find a replacement pencil, knowing full well that it was going to be pretty much impossible.

Did I tell you about the colour blue that this pencil is? The most beautiful peacock blue you have ever seen. When I was sixteen I had a friend that dyed her hair this colour. Amazing while it lasted. (Not unlike my pencil). When I wet it, it becomes the perfect shadow on skin. I looks so beautiful as a line drawing. It doesn’t even need anything else. It is perfect in the nude. And Because it is indelible it comes through when you paint over it. It is Perfect. It is perfection. Why, oh why do they not make it anymore?

I did look on the web and I found these vintage pencils for sale at $2.50 each (not including shipping). ACT NOW! LIMITED STOCK! So, of course I bought 12! I know. Freak. I couldn’t draw every day for the rest of my life and use up all 12 of these pencils. What was I thinking? They came the other day and they are not the same blue. Not even close. I am so sad. I guess I better suck it up and figure out some new technique to try to get the effect that I like but I don’t think I will be able to walk into another second hand store or pass a garage sale sign without my heart fluttering with the hope of finding replacement for my beloved blue pencil.


The Orange Peeler

My orange peeler.
One day I handed Scarlett a bowl of tiny oranges and was surprised to see how long it kept her busy. As I watched her I had this weird vision in my head of rows of toddlers peeling oranges. An orange peeling factory. I am still working on a large 2’x5′ canvas of six Scarletts, all peeling away. Meanwhile, I have painted two other versions of just a single Scarlett.
Anyway, all that aside, this is a great way to keep a two year old busy when you are working in the kitchen.