Jen Bowles Design

Bloom True painting update

We finished up Flora Bowley's Bloom True e-course back in March.  I'd been in a holding pattern with my paintings ever since. 

Then a couple of things happened.

First, I realized the colors on my canvas were throwing me off.  For the course, I bought and borrowed Golden fluid acrylics along with some heavy body acrylics from Dick Blick.  Long story short, I didn't have the variety or the hues I favor when working with plain old acrylic craft paint.  So, I finally made the decision to just use my crafty acrylics.  Flora had said that would be ok :).

Next, I kept seeing paintings that people had creating during a class with artist Jennifer Mercede.  I was somewhat familiar with Jennifer's licensed work, and I love her whimsical, doodle-filled, colorful style.  Abstract, colorful...my wheels started turning.

With brush in hand the other afternoon, I set about transforming my first canvas.

So. much. better!

I liked it so much, I decided to bring it up from my studio and hang it on the wall (!).  

I haven't signed it yet, which means I'm not quite done tweaking it.  I may add some text and a few more details.  We'll see. 

For now though, it's totally making me happy!

Thanks for stopping by,

 

 

Art Journal Peek

Since filling up my Moleskine months ago, I've been a bit adrift in terms of working in any sort of an art journal.  A few weeks ago, armed with a 50% off coupon at ACM, I finally took the plunge and bought myself another book to play in. 

The pages are much larger than my Moleskine, which is good and bad but mostly just different. With the goal of just getting something started, I looked to one of my favorite children's book illustrators for inspiration.

Oh, Melissa Sweet.  I could look at your artwork all day long.  She's only in Maine, I wonder if she gives studio tours?? I can only imagine: all the paint, writing instruments and ephemera...swoon!

This first page is pretty much a complete "scraplift" of the green and haiku page in Carmine, with a few of my own touches.

I replaced the text with an Anne Frank quote and substituted letters cut from books and magazines for most of the handwriting. 
I used gouache (first time), watercolors, colored pencils and pens. Using the watercolors is particularly relaxing...

This next page is also heavily influenced by one of Sweet's illustrations, this time from the back cover of Carmine.

Again I added a few things to try to make it my own, at least a little bit.  The ABC letters are cut from magazines, the ruler paper tape is from Cavallini & Co., and the rub-ons are from my stash (by Karen Russell for Creative Imaginations I believe). 

I really enjoy looking through my shelves of old books for fun and quirky words and phrases to use.  The sentence at the top about festooning a pig is from a book of letters from Theodore Roosevelt to his children☺.

This striped and dotted page I did on my own--notice the drop off in detail!
  I used gouache to paint the stripes and then I was stumped.  I ended up adding numbers from another roll of Cavallini paper tape and book text along with the circles cut from assorted scrapbooking papers.  
I tried out an old fountain pen dipped in ink to write the words.  I had some puddling of ink and then turned the page, forgetting it wasn't dry.  Oops.  Ink blobs add character, right?

Finally, this page that is actually the first one in this new book.  This was quick and easy. 
Again, I used gouache for the background and spattered brown acrylic paint with a toothbrush (hard to see).  All of the words and the image are cut from magazines.  The central image is from a TIME magazine (January 2009) issue about the brain.  The words are from Woman's Day or a similar publication.
  It seemed fitting.

So there you have it, my new art journal/play book.  I'm underway and doing my best to experiment with some new materials & techniques and...enjoy the process!

Thanks for stopping by,

Doing It: Bloom True

I {finally} did it.  I signed up for an e-course.

Not just any e-course, a painting e-course.

And not just any painting e-course, the Bloom True e-course with Flora Bowley!

I'm counting the days until February 6th (which I was doing anyway...but that's another story), the first day of the class.

My mom recently attended a two day workshop with Flora in California.  I love the canvases she painted (pictured below) and can't wait to get started on a few of my own!

    

 

Fort Point Open Studios

Recently I made the trip into Boston to attend Open Studios at the Fort Points Arts Community.  As it is, I've barely been making it into my own studio space, so why not check out the spaces of some talented artists and soak up inspiration for the afternoon?

Good plan, because there was plenty of inspiration for the soaking.

The buildings we visited were working studios, most were actually working and living studios which made for some very cool spaces.  Wanna see?

Inspiration No. 1:  Greetings and Doors

Hello, kitty

Great "house" numbers

Atelier sign on a white beam.  So artsy, so lofty.

Of course even during Open Studios some spaces have to be kept...

Inspiration No. 2:  The tools of the trade

Brushes.  Paints.  Sigh.

Is it wrong to be enamored with a sink?  It has 3 faucets for goodness sake.  Awesome work sink.  Reminds me of elementary school and washing my hands with the powdered/granulated white soap from the dispenser and then drying with the brown paper towels that absorb pretty much nothing.  Good times.

Inspiration No. 3:  Collections

It's always fun to see what people collect and how they display their treasures.

Beautiful vignette with fall flowers and beach finds

Detail of an incredible wall of vintage tools at Laura Davidson's studio. 

She also collects tin toys.  So fun!

More beachcombing finds, this time displayed in a printer's drawer.

Inspiration No. 4:  Living Spaces

Not only did we get a glimpse into several working artists' studios, we also saw their homes (or at least their crash pads).

This whimsical seating area was tucked behind a screen of vintage doors and surrounded by book filled shelves.

Loved this detail:  a simple wooden board as growth chart

Bookcase in Lisa Knox's studio, fun see all her trinkets on display

Inspiration No. 5:  Artwork

Why, yes, we did actually see some artwork as well.

Tin chicken by Laura Davidson

Works in progress by Susan Anderson

Assemblage dolls

Inspiration No. 6:  Fort Point neighborhood

Authentic.  Urban. Interesting.       

Definitely a well-spent afternoon. 

And I made it home just in time to watch the Patriots game.  Art and sports--good priorities, right??

Urban Art: Boston's South End

One day in July Ebby and I spent the afternoon exploring Boston's South End.  We visited several shops, a bakery and an art gallery.  Along the way we saw a couple of great examples of colorful, outdoor, urban art. 

Painted by Japanese artist and current South End resident Yuko Adachi, this electric meter housing warranted a special trip across the street so I could inspect it up close. And photograph it.

The colors and patterns are at once whimsical and psychedlic.  Pretty rad combination.     

This mosaic wave wall is near a playground/dog park/ball field.  Love the quasi-ombre effect of the small square tiles.  

Finally, this amazing mixed media mosaic wall, otherwise known as the Betances Mural.  The project was a cooperative effort that involved artists, residents of the Villa Victoria housing complex in which it is located and local children.  The mural depicts Ramon Betances, 'father' of the Puerto Rican nationalism movement.  The collection of ceramic tiles is full of incredible details.  We could've spent all afternoon examining and enjoying the wall.     

I loved stumbling upon such great public art in one of my favorite cities.  And discovering it with Ebby?  Double bonus!

 

  

 

Bubbe's Handpainted Buffet

Last month my mom (a.k.a. Bubbe or Mrs. Blossom) donated her time and talents to the North Rivers Arts Society.  She painted a buffet that was part of a silent auction at their annual Arts Festival. 

Now, I'm no stranger to painting furniture.  Give me a gallon of Kilz and some Oops paint and I'm good to go.  But my mom, she's on a whole 'nother level.  When she paints furniture she turns it into a work of art.

I don't have any before pictures, but when this buffet was dropped off at her house it was fairly typical: brown and dingy wood covered in dust. Inspired by a piece of Amy Butler-esque fabric, Bubbe freehanded the entire design with pencil and then went to town with acrylic paints and a black Sharpie or two.

The result=a-mazing!

 

 

Awesome job Mom ♥!

Niki de Saint Phalle in Uptown Charlotte

When I read that the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art was showcasing the work of Niki de Saint Phalle and that the exhibition was going to be open while I was in town, I put it on my short list of things to do.  Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the Bechtler on Friday night, the museum itself was closed. 

{Photo of Niki de Saint Phalle via Charlotte Magazine}

No worries though, what I really came to see was the outdoor display of oversized mosaic sculptures.  And art on display in public places never closes.

Here's My Cousin Laura with Firebird, her new 18 foot tall friend, in front of the Bechtler. 

Across the street on The Green, several other Niki sculptures were on display.  And by 'several' I mean four.  Nothing like the 'Niki in the Garden' exhibition we were treated to when I visited the Atlanta Botanical Garden with the kids in 2006.  But still, it was fun to see and explore the sculptures in an urban setting.

My favorite among the ones here was La Cabeza.  Many of St. Phalle's sculptures are interactive and encourage exploration including this Mexican-inspired giant skull.  I loved the view from the inside looking through the teeth.  Laura was enchanted by the celestial 'ceiling' of the skull.  Very peaceful.

Also on display here, Miles Davis, 2001 and Golf Player, 2001 (I wonder who the inspiration for this piece could've been).     And I mustn't forget Cat--though I wasn't particularly thrilled with it in this setting.  I must admit, I think a garden setting enhances these wonderful sculptures far more than a city park. Or it could be that I just think Ebby, Will & Cuyler looked really sweet back in the day ☺.       

Whatever the setting, Niki's work is too cool to miss.  If you have the opportunity to visit an exhibition, definitely check it out!

Art Around the House: Main Floor

I'm going to ignore the fact that it's the first day of Spring and it's snowing outside.  I know it won't last, but still.  It's bringing back bad memories of April 1, 1997 and the 16" of snow we got that day that was no April Fool's joke.

Yep, ignoring the snow, showcasing the art.

The other day when I took photos of the Hall of Woof, I thought it might be fun to take pictures of some of the other artwork we have on the main floor of our home.  As I look around, it makes me happy that much of the artwork we have is handmade and/or from etsy artists.  Hooray for affordable, unique, personal, meaningful art!

Let's start the tour...

In the dining room/library I have 3 different art vignettes.  The first is on top of my 15 year old $20 painted hutch. 

Old globe found at a  yard sale, flower still life by Ebby, age 5 and mosaic birdhouse by my mom.

I recently (finally) painted the frame around this piece, it had been the wrong shade of green--too minty--for years.  It took all of 10 minutes and 2 coats of paint to make it pop with this dark turquoise-y color.  Ebby drew this piece during a summer art workshop that took place in a beautiful garden.  It was taught by a friend of my mom's, artist Lynn Rizzotto.  Seems like a long time ago now. Sigh...

I also broke out the blue paint for this oak shelf, found in the dump swap pile.  The vintage binoculars belonged to my grandfather (I think) and the globe is from another yard sale.  The little bear was a cute Christmas Tree Shop find.  I've shown this By The Sea assemblage/collage before.  Inspired by the Gridlocked class my mom took with Lisa Kaus, I really love this piece.

Speaking of Lisa Kaus, this Eat Cake print is her work and looks great in the dining room.

Also in the dining room, this ART window.  I keep meaning to paint the letters some different colors and add more kid artwork but the one watercolor sunflower painted by one of Ebby's friends is all I have for now.  I love it just the same, old window turned art gallery.

In my office I have this milk bottle print that I love.  It's not from etsy, but it is meaningful.  I first saw this print when Bobby Law and I went to Sanibel Island for our 10th anniversary.  It was among the brightly colored decor at the Island Cow restaurant.  I even took a picture of it.  Five years later, I found the exact print at the Pottery Barn Kids outlet in Gaffney, SC for $10.  I scooped it right up!

Today's final vignette is this spot in our (sort of small to call it a) Great Room.  This dresser was formerly off-white and partnered with a very ornate, Victorian gingerbread looking mirror.  With our lower ceilings here, the piece wouldn't fit intact.  So I painted both pieces this great green color and split them up.  The mirror is in the basement family room.  The bureau is home to a yard sale find vintage Underwood typewriter and a handmade (not by me) beach treasure photo holder.  Hanging over everything is the first print I bought after we moved here, Our House by Catherine Thursby of Red Shoes.  It worked out nicely that there's a 5 on the print and there are 5 of us (plus now 5 assorted pets...).

So there you have it, a little glimpse at some of the artwork around our home.  I still have so many blank walls to fill, I'm making that a goal as spring rolls around.  In the meantime, I've been gathering ideas for art and display on my Pinterest boards.  Lucky for me, walls never fill up in the virtual world!

Art Around the House: Hall of Woof

Today I thought I show off one of the fun spots in our home:  the Hall of Woof.  When I showed this space before, back in the summer of 2009, is was known as the Wall of Woof.

Since then, we've gained and lost a dog and gained a dog again.  We've also added a whole bunch of doggie artwork.

Here is the right side of the current Hall of Woof, looking toward the front of the house.

Here it is again, looking toward the back of the house. 

Our new dog, who isn't at all new anymore, is Maisy.

Jake is our older Golden Retriever.  So he gets a bigger picture on the wall.

For Christmas 2010 I had two 5x7 custom pet portraits painted for my hubby.     Denise of Mothball Charlie did a wonderful job and was easy to work with.  I love how the portraits turned out (complete with customized wording) and think they look great on the wall.

Another addition to the wall is this greyhound canvas.  I bought it at a fundraising pet fair.  I must admit that I painted over the original background colors and enhanced the polka dots with charcoal pencil.  I liked it before but after tinkering with it I liked it enough to hang on the wall☺.

I did create one original piece of artwork for the Hall of Woof.  This collage started with a vintage flashcard.  For a long time I couldn't decide whether I should coat the whole thing in beeswax.  Finally I just glued the star jewel on and put it on display.  I do have two more dog flashcards though...

The dog that we lost (in 2008) was Daisy.  She was actually Maisy's sister and littermate.  We got her as a puppy and had her for a month before she got quickly and fatally ill.  It was horrible.  Fortunately I had taken pictures of each of the kids with Daisy soon after we got her. 

Also in memory of Daisy, this print that my husband bought...at a diner in Arkansas or Tennessee.  Art is everywhere, right?? Originally it had an ornate gold frame and ivory mat that I just didn't like.  When I finally swapped it out and placed it in a white IKEA frame like the rest of the artwork, I was much happier. Relatively speaking.

This print and one other hang on the left side of the Hall of Woof.  Or Bob's side as I like to think of it.

The latest addition to the Hall of Woof is this framed photo/poster that Bobby Law (hubby) got at LL Bean last summer.  I wasn't there, because I'm sure I would've vetoed the purchase for budgetary reasons.  However I really like it so it all worked out.

We still have plenty of room in the Hall of Woof, so who knows what may be popping up on the walls in the future.  I'd love to add some beadboard with a mosaic chair rail (inspired by what Catherine did at her Red Shoes shop) and put this Dash & Albert wool runner down the center. 

It's called Cat's Paw.  How purr-fect would that be for the Hall of Woof?  ;-)

MIxed media elephant collage

I've been trying to do more creating down in my studio, more playing.  To that end, a few weeks ago I whipped out my Kelly Rae Roberts book, Taking Flight and decided to actually do one of the projects.

Of course my project turned out much differently than Kelly's project in the book.  I did find it very helpful to build up the background of my piece per the instructions.  However, when it came time to draw a girl and make a plaster covered heart, I veered off☺.  From what I know of KRR from her blog, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind at all--and in fact that was probably her intention all along.  To get artists to play with their materials, learn techniques and make the finished product their own.

I daresay, mission accomplished.

Introducing 'When Zooville Met Farmville'

Yes, I cut those words and letters out of a thrifted book.  Several in fact.

The butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

The animals and the farmer are illustrations from a vintage children's book that I casually pulled out of one of my neighbor's recycling bins.  He's an older gentleman and there was a stack of vintage Whitman children's books along with several paperback volumes in Italian.  In his recycling bin.  At the curb.  I had to save them.

The inspiration for the elephant came from a drawing in my sketchbook that was inspired by Polly Dunbar's illustrations in Down the Back of the Chair.  The idea for the butterflies coming out of the elephants trunk came from the children's game Elefun.  Obviously.

The title idea came from the illustrations and watching my husband play Farmville constantly on his iPad. 

Personally I think 'When Zooville Met Farmville' would be a great app.  Right? ;-)