October

Photography & Poem by Theresa Huse
I hear a knocking at my door today. Oh, October wants to play. Its brilliant colors shine through the door as I open it to my Autumn dreams. I make a place for you today to sit beside me and inspire me to create. Thank you October for the feast you bring on my pallet plate~ Theresa Huse



There is no season when such a pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

What colors are inspiring you as you open Octobers door? Do you get a renewal of inspiration from Autumn? I would love to know~

Illustrators EMagazine Interviews

Open publication - Free publishing - More swap

I came across this e magazine today when looking for inspiration. Just click on it to enlarge & to see in full view! There are pages of artists to flip through. It isn't hard to be inspired by illustration artists. What they create has a way of coming to life. I thought you might enjoy these artists and interviews. I have an artist I am truly inspired by right now that I have just found, but I will save that for another post! For me today, back to the drawing board~ Have you tried illustrating? What illustrators are inspiring you right now?

Simply Sunday " Free Journal Prompts"

Autumn / Halloween Inspiration Link up~

Warm days, crisp evening and the winds of change are upon us. Leaves rustling in the wind and falling from the trees. Colors that delight our senses. All these things conjure up that Autumn is here and Halloween is almost upon us. I have posted a tutorial for a journal page and created a link up for your creations & posts. I hope you can join in~


I thought I would show you how I came up with my Autumn journal page and hope it inspires you to create one of your own.
1. I colored a orange background with a black frame around it. I painted a leaf. Make sure they are not too try as they will crumble if they are.
2. Turn over your leaf and lay it on the dry painted page. Use a brayer or something else to rub over the unpainted side of the leaf.
3.Repeat this step as many times as you want. Change the colors on the leaf as you wish.
4. Dry with a blow dryer to speed up drying time. Then gesso your page with clear gesso.

Next steps I used was:
Looking at the photos here you will see that I wrote what delights me about Autumn in a teal blue pen. Then I decided to make a witch and you can see how I started her above over the writing. You can see that I covered up most of the writing with fall colors and focused on the witch and other Halloween elements. I took colored pencils and wrote about falling leaves on the right side and Autumn on the left side and various words related to items on the page.


You can see if you are not enjoying how a page looks that you have plenty of opportunity to change it. Just make sure you dry between layers or your paints can smear together and get quite muted and brownish looking. If you don't want to draw your own witch or Halloween characters you can always pick items up at the craft store. It is a great time to find anything to do with Halloween and Autumn. I hope to make a few more pages and share them with you.

Have you created any Autumn or Halloween inspired journal art yet? Mr. Linky is up so you can share your blog posts or art, creations & photography related to this topic.
I hope you join in ~

Angel of Love En caustic Mixed Media Painting

This is a mixed media acrylic painting that is waxed after it was completely dried. I has various layers to it. To view this painting on my blog see previous post~

To see an angel, you must see another's soul.
To feel an angel, you must touch another's heart.
To hear an angel you must listen to both.
-- Author Unknown

in reference to: Blogger: Welcome To Msartists Mixed Media Playground - Edit Post "Angel of Love" (view on Google Sidewiki)

Angel of Love

Determined to do some new work on canvas that I purchased I pulled the canvas out last week and this is what I have been working on. This angel of love is an acrylic paint, altered scrap paper, dried flowers, glitter and some embellishments. I am toying with adding more wax to certain areas to enhance area as if I was using paint. I love seeing how something evolves when you don't have a concrete plan of any sort. I must say I enjoy using blues and reds together with white. When I took the photograph the sun was shining on the painting like an arch. I didn't paint that in, although it would of been amazing to add it but this is after it is waxed that it appeared and I caught it. I might sell prints of it both ways. Sometimes things just happen and that was something I was in awe of in the moment and was so happy I was able to capture that ray of light! Has anything happened to you while creating that feels like a sign? Or that it was meant to be a certain way?


If you seek an angel with an open heart, you shall always find one.-- Author Unknown

To see an angel, you must see an other's soul.
To feel an angel, you must touch an other's heart.
To hear an angel you must listen to both.
-- Author Unknown

Folk Art Mixed Media

This is a folk art mixed media that I waxed. So I am showing a photo collage of before and after.I had gotten 5"x5" size canvas and this is what I came up with. A few hearts are strung through a small clip and then the rest are glued as if she is dropping them to brighten someone's day. The words are the definition of the word "brighten". I kind of went glitter crazy, but it did say brighten. She was painted in acrylics, I used glitter and flakes and there is tissue paper glued and painted over. Dear readers I hope she brightens your day~

How Blessings brighten as they take flight ~Edward Young

Simply Sunday "Free Journal Prompt"

Validity in logic, determining whether a statement is true. Today our journal prompt is for you to Validate yourself~ Make a list of who you are: Whether an artist, musician, sculptor, painter, creative, writer, mom......You get the point. The essence of who you are or want to become. You can draw a illustration of yourself or representation as I did. But the purpose of this is to reinforce who you are no matter where you are on your journey to your goal of being that person. What are you proud of? Write down some advice for yourself; such as not to be so hard on yourself, a note to yourself to have have courage or to love yourself better. Today count your own blessings & validate who you are!

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. ~Vincent Van Gogh

Its not who you are that holds you back, its who you think your not. ~Author Unknown

Today I am validating myself "I am an artist"~ Who are you? Please let me know~ Are you an artist too? or a photographer, writer, blogger.........

Magic

A bit of magic,Finite~
Humble beginnings~

A dash of drama~
Needing better exposure~

Honestly I didn't know where this was going to go when I started it. I made this little drawing of the character holding a magic book and wand with the fairy on a stool next to it. So I decided to paint and let it flow and with a little magic this is where I ended up. Sorry these aren't the greatest photos of the painting but maybe later I can get it outdoors and with the right lighting a better capture.

Has anyone else had trouble with blogger lately? Honestly it is doing wonky things when I am trying to make a post which is very frustrating. Like putting the underline on the sentence and not letting me remove it. Grrrr~
PS. Going to take some pictures of my inspiration board and post those soon, I promise.
What have you been working on? Is anyone taking any classes? Have you come across anything fun or inspiring to drive your art or photo shop skills? I really want to sign up for something this fall. Let me know~

Inspiration Board Inspiration

sew your own



Lari Washburn



hellololla


Kurberry



Yarnandtea


giddy giddy

I thought I would share some inspiration boards I came across and loved viewing. There can be so many takes, tastes and preferences. It is inspiring to look at other peoples inspiration boards. It is such an individual thing~ That is what is fun about making them. It can be a creative muse to you. You can have words or sayings to remind you what is important, paint samples to inspire color, designs and images representing line and forms, samples of your work, or samples and images from others that inspire you. You can create them from things you have or create them from images from magazines, post cards, you name it. What ever you choose if you have never tried making one you should. They are easy, fun and if you tire of your board you can change the board around easily.
Inspiration boards, vision boards or dream boards they are very different. They are created for different reasons, but in the end they are all very personal. Here is a link for how to make a vision board and from the previous post I have a link for dream boards. When you make your board Mr. Linky*(*is in previous post) is up and I would love to see what you have created~ Until next time have a creative day or evening.
Have you created an inspiration board lately? What is your favorite item you have on your inspiration board?
All that we are is the result of what we have thought. ~Buddha

Simply Sunday Free Journal Prompt "Harvest"

Today I am sharing with you some of my summer's harvest, having planted the seeds in spring and nurtured these plants I am able to receive a bounty of goodness from the fruits of our labor.Fall Equinox is in a few weeks on September 23. I hope to make a full moon dream board on September 19Th to prepare what I wish to harvest for myself this fall. I will use words and images to help clarify my goals for this fall. I am going to journal a "harvest" list. I feel like I haven't been focused this summer with so much going on. I really want to pin point area's of focus and desires for the rest of my year. This way I can look at this list in winter and see what I have accomplished after planting these seeds of thought.
So I invite you to make a list of what you wish to "harvest" for yourself this fall~ Plant your seeds and see them come to fruition. You might also want to write down or paste some photographs in your journal of your summer's harvest. You may draw or paint those thoughts there is no limit to your creativity in your journal.

What things have you harvested this summer? What plans do you have for your fall? What do you want to harvest for yourself? Have you made a dream board or inspiration board? If so please post a link I would love to see it and have you share your inspiration to encourage others to make one! If you make a dream board for the 19th of September drop by and post your link as I am leaving it open until September 23rd for submissions.

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. ~Og Mandino

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. ~Robert
Louis Stevenson

Circus Hat

Illustrated Design by TopsyTurvyDesign
Ring Leader Top Hat by TopsyTurvyDesign

I am in love with her hats! I used to collect hats and at one time applied for a job at a Millinery in Sebastopol, CA. but they wanted someone with experience~ I only had some sewing skills which wasn't enough for them, but it has always been a fascination of mine. I never gave up on my love of hats. The history, styling, fabrics, netting, buttons and laces. When I had to start moving around I gave up my hat collection as much as I loved it. I only kept one of my grandma's hats and a hat my mom made for my older girls. When I saw this video and that she made circus hats I had to share~ A girl after my own heart. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Have you ever had a fascination with something, or started a collection? What led you to where you are creatively?

Superhero

Today I chose the Superhero. I could use one right about now. Other terms for superhero include Mystery Men and Costumed Crime Fighters. Did you know that Superheroes are authentically from the United States created in the Great Depression Era~ And that "Super-Hero" is a trademark crowned by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.
I went to high school with kids that created characters and air crafts like in this Rock music video~ Makes me wonder if they made a career out of animating and selling their images. I will have to ask my brother who is still in touch with a few old high school chums~ I am still fascinated with animation and comic characters and the art involved with creating these other worlds and Superheros~
I think one day I will have to elaborate on my Superhero creations and just put them in all one journal instead of sporadically creating them. I can't believe when I was researching I found sites where you could create Superheroes with a HeroMachine~ I can see my daughter loving this for inspiration. She loves drawing Pokemon and cartoon figures.
Well, I better get back to reality & finish my other paintings.

What are you doing today to make your life extraordinary? Could you use a Superhero today? Peter Parker *Spiderman Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.

Simply Sunday "loss of a pet"

Who ever knew a bird could be so sweet~
He loved to whistle and dance to music~
Mr. Big Stuff loved being held and petted by everyone~

Today our lovely Cockatiel bird passed away~ This was a big shock as yesterday everything was fine & no signs of sickness or problems. It is a sad day for us, but I was thankful to be there in his last few moments. Hubby found him in the morning at the bottom of his cage and he died in hubby's hands while being held. Mr. Big Stuff was with us thirteen years (* they can live up words of 15-20yr.) and he had a close encounter with being lost over 9 years ago when his cage door dropped open by accident and the dog scared him and he flew off, but he was found and returned. He had been given to me by my son as a gift one Mother's Day. Who knew you could love such a little creature so much. His feathers were the most beautiful white and he would make you laugh with his cat calls, songs and dance~ I may have to create a journal page just for his memory.
Did you ever lose a pet who meant something to you? Did you get a pet for your child not thinking you would get attached and somehow it just grew on you? And when it passed you grieved as much as your child did?
For this weeks journal prompt dedicated to Mr. Big Stuff write about a time you or your child lost a pet or create a page dedicated to your pet~
I am sure I will be in better spirits soon. Until next time I hope you are able to keep your day simple and enjoy all it holds for you.

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language." Martin Buber

"Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief. " Swedish Proverb

Vintage Circus Clowns & Circus Wagons

Here is a painting I did that is second to the one I haven't shown you yet~ I was inspired by the vintage clown but changed it to have a futuristic styled hair and air about it~
It is quite different from the other one I have been doing lately but I needed to paint with a more free styled brush stroke~ I would love to hear what you think.
Here's a little Vintage Circus History/Entertainment for you~







Circus Wagons

I came across these Vintage Videos of the Circus and a little history and had to share. I just found them interesting and am hoping you might too~
Happy Weekend to you all, Theresa

Vintage Circus Cabaret Trio

Here is my Vintage Circus Cabaret Trio~ All done is in Acrylics with pastel type hues. For my own purposes I looked up the true definition of Cabaret:

1. A restaurant or nightclub providing short programs of live entertainment.
2. The floor show presented by such a restaurant or nightclub.

So for me whether you call it Circus, Cabaret, Performing Arts it is all subjective as I have created my own Vintage Circus Cabaret Trio~

The Cabaret is said to have originated in France around 1880~ If you want to know more you can visit the link above. Below is a Vintage poster reproduction that is for sale by following the link~

Le Frou-Frou

Seeing the image above may put a new spin on my direction of Vintage Circus to Cabaret~ But not just yet, you see before I go there I have my two new paintings done to show you very soon! In a bolder and I think more futuristic or modern style~
What have you been painting lately? Has there been a theme or series you are or have worked on? I would love to know what you are working on, do tell~
Oh, and I found some cool old circus videos that I am going to share too!

"They are creating a circus atmosphere." ~ David Scheffer