How cool is THIS? I love it just as it is (again). Okay here's the low-down on where this one started: It started with the lovely Julianna who is kind of known for snagging old doors and such. She base coated it the lovely bronze color, and added the very cool patterned paper around the frame. She described the paper to me, but I had a hard time understanding it's origin. At any rate, it has this gauzy, almost cotton texture. It's lovely. Then she swapped the painting with our dear Laurelin--who added the graphic birds. Now I find my self intimidated once again, and think I will sit and live with this little beauty for a while so we can get to know each other. Serve it tea. Chat a bit. Watch t.v. together. Then maybe something will come to me! I have a feeling I will visit the internet again for inspiration of some sort. I do this often. I Just ramble around, looking at cool sites, artwork, etc. It always seems to jump start my creativity--maybe makes me look at composition, color, texture, style in a way I hadn't thought of before. 
Okay, remember where I started with the Indie Project as part of my art group, The Swell Sisters (http://www.swellsister.com)? Well as you know, mine started with the little house painting I made, then I gave it to the lovely and talented Olivia. She in turn gave me the beautiful start of the white peacock (view previous posts for reminder pictures of progress). I got lucky and managed to get a picture of what she did with mine! Isn't it cool? Remember: it isn't finished yet! More artists will add to it. Tonight is the night we will all trade and then I will have another work-in-progress to share with you! Very excited.
So here is the finished Painting! I took a second picture so you could see the scale of it. Ahh, it's amazing what you can get done when you are stuck at home with a sick kid! Does that make me a bad parent?
Thank you everyone for checking out my blog! Your support really does inspire me to keep doing art. Keeps me accountable.
Okay, so I traded the little house painting to my fellow artist Olivia so she can continue with the Indie project. She in turn gave me this little beauty! I have to admit, I'm a little stumped on how I am to add to this. It is so beautiful as it is.
Decoupaged the house. Tip I've learned about decoupage: I always had such severe wrinkles and bubbles when I had done it in the past. Googled for a solution, and the tip that has worked the best for me is to soak the pieces in water for about 5 minutes, then use your decoupage medium of choice. Only bad part is that sometimes certain papers (in particular ink jet prints) are not water safe, and the colors will run. 
Here we go again--painting is back where it was supposed to be. Now as usual, will need to let it sit and dry. I'm on a time crunch! Gotta get it to the next person! (Olivia M. are you reading this? Your next!) Hang in there--progress still happening.
Okay, decided to go back to original idea. Painted over the yellow marks with red. I plan to then go over it again with the green--I will just do it dry-brush style--I really like the idea of seeing peeks of red coming out of the green. Gonna give up on idea of squiggles. Looks weird now, but hang in there!
Bugger. Dang it. Okay, so today I was planning to paint in a loose interpretation of landscape and sky. Then intended to use end of paintbrush to sort of scratch squiggles in "grass" to reveal red underneath. Unfortunately, the paint scratched too much and the bright yellow undercoat was revealed. Now the question is: run with it and create something from that? Or paint over it when dry and try again? At the moment I'm irritated. Need to let it dry and will let myself think about it in the mean time. Maybe when I get back to it later I'll see something in it?
Hi all--
One half, inside view of wooden box. Red one is base-coat of new work I am doing for "Indie Project"
