Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Girls

[caption id="attachment_1926" align="alignleft" width="300"]Art Journal Derby Girls Art Journal
Derby Girls[/caption]

I'm so glad you stopped by! I've been excited to share this piece with you. I began this piece by sketching and painting in my art journal. Honestly, I was playing with loose figures and watercolors and ended up with "the girls." I really fell in love with them and their personalities. I could hardly wait to bring them to life a little bigger and in oil.

I love working on a piece that I'm excited about. I spent about three days on this piece from start to finish. What that really means is, for three days I'm covered in paint running back and forth from my studio upstairs to my "mom jobs" downstairs. Laundry piles up and dinner is usually late, but thankfully having creative children means they enjoy being in the art room as much as I do. Having my children create along side me is one of my greatest joys. It also makes it easier and more fun to be in the studio for long periods of time.

I painted "the girls" on 1/4inch wood panel because I wasn't quite sure what my plan was when I started. For this piece, I think wood was the perfect choice. I created so many layers using knives, sponges, brushes, different mediums, paper, and paints. I forget sometimes how much prep goes into a painting like this; the planning, the layers, the drying , the waiting, and more layers. I have to constantly remind myself to be patient, and not get ahead of myself so I don't end up with big mud! Even though it takes a while, I do love the process. It's during the process that I discover new techniques, experiment with new ideas, and learn to recover from my mistakes. The process also makes me truly appreciate crossing the finish line. My plan this summer is to create a series of "Derby Girls" doing what they do best, wearing fabulous hats. I hope you fall as deeply in love with "the girls" as I have!

[caption id="attachment_1927" align="aligncenter" width="224"]Prepping wood panel Prepping wood panel[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1928" align="aligncenter" width="224"]More prep More prep[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1929" align="aligncenter" width="224"]Layers of paint and and papers Layers of paint and and papers[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1930" align="aligncenter" width="224"]More layers More layers[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1931" align="aligncenter" width="224"]Finally adding the fun stuff! Finally adding the fun stuff![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1932" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Final Photo. I added a little more paint as it dried. Is a piece ever finished? Sometimes you just have to put the brush down and step away from the painting! Final Photo. I added a little more paint as it dried. Is a piece ever finished? Sometimes you just have to put the brush down and step away from the painting![/caption]

As I was waiting on my pictures to load, I was thinking back over the process of my piece and what I learned. I was thinking what I might do differently or what I would do again. However, the most important part of the whole piece is preparing the board, the foundation. If the board is not prepped well, it will not support the layers of paint and paper. It might look good at first, but after time it will begin to crack and peel and eventually deteriorate. Our lives are like that painting. We can create for ourselves the most amazing resume layered with hundreds of honors and degrees, but if the foundation is weak it amounts to absolutely nothing. When we build our lives on Christ and seek Him first, no matter the circumstances, we will be able to withstand the storm. He promises in Matthew 7:24-25 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the Rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the Rock." I love that! How strong is your foundation? What are you building your life on? What are you trusting in? Give your life to Christ today and build your life in His hands. He is power. He is Love, and He wants you to trust Him to be your foundation.

love love love Ruthie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Go Create

I am so glad you stopped by! I have not dropped off the face of the earth, it's summertime at my house! I do love summer! It's busy but a fun busy. Packing suitcases, unpacking suitcases, staycations, day trips, no schedules, cooking, playing, hanging out...I love summer. My most favorite thing is making time for creating, which leads me to my next thought. My son and I had this long discussion about our blogs, and art, and creating and the direction we are heading. I tend not to focus on one thing for fear I will miss learning something new. So I feel, sometimes, my blog is all over the place. Fox feels the same. The question for me is do I focus on my art in my blog or not? Where do I want my blog to go?

[caption id="attachment_1918" align="alignleft" width="300"]Art Journal Derby Girls I will post Derby Girls in oil on canvas later in the week. Art Journal
Derby Girls
I will post Derby Girls in oil on canvas later in the week.[/caption]

What do I want to communicate? Fox and I went round and round on this topic and I'm not sure what I've decided long term. For me, painting full time is not an option right now. I am a wife and a mom full time and an artist in between. It is not my season to paint all day. One day I might. Today I create whenever I can, usually with my children and their friends. It fills my soul completely to teach them little things and watch their minds race into different directions. One day I might paint a huge canvas and the next day have girls over to paint fish. Either way I'm in heaven painting, teaching, glueing, drawing...whatever the day brings I love doing it in color with paint brushes and markers.

My blog? I'm not sure yet, but I love that you stop by and peek in my studio every now and then. I love sharing all my creative adventures and love, even more, hearing about yours. So feel free to hang out in my studio anytime and keep your comments coming. I love hearing from you.  Below are some pics of a few things we are doing in the studio.

[caption id="attachment_1919" align="aligncenter" width="224"]Precious girls came to paint fish and cupcakes. Precious girls came to paint fish and cupcakes.[/caption]

IMG_1756

[caption id="attachment_1921" align="aligncenter" width="224"]KK and I road tripped to Auburn and made necklaces at Perch bead studio. KK and I road tripped to Auburn and made necklaces at Perch bead studio.[/caption]

Thanks for stopping by! Go create something today! Even if it's with sidewalk chalk!            love love love Ruthie