My mixed media journal

Here's one of my watercolors glued onto a cool background in my sketchbook.

Fun backgrounds, huh?

EASY! I used a white crayon and Colorations Liquid Watercolor.
  
Here's another background I've done, same technique.
  
I started with the white crayon, on this one, and added yellow and orange liquid watercolor (left), then let it dry, and added some red (right).
   


    
Then I doodled some flowers in permanent ink and painted the negative space with Violet liquid watercolor.

We'll play with watercolors and white crayons in the mixed media journal workshop I'm teaching at San Clemente Art Supply (with Linda Blinn!) on July 9 & 10 (register here). AND, I'll show you how to draw and paint a little watercolor similar to the green pepper...and a whole bunch of other cool stuff.

Prayer Flag # 3 for Christine Taylor

I'm making prayer flags and invite you to join me. All the details are on The Prayer Flag Project blog.

This flag is for the late Christine Taylor. She was a friend of mine from yoga class, and she died last year of breast cancer. She was 45 years old. At her memorial service, her brother described her as having "boundless warmth, humility and curiousity." That description soooo resonated with me, that I knew that I wanted to have my life guided by those qualities. (I now wear a bracelet, engraved with those words, to remind myself.)

 
For Christine.

  
I'm making these flags from gelatin monoprints on cloth. This one, I even stuffed with a bit of lavender. Christine would have loved it.
The Prayer Flag Project

Montecito Family Summer camp ~ the art

My version of the scene below.  I taught two classes every morning, with students from age 5-75.


  
Above are student's work, the dad's is on the left and his 7 year old daughters' is on the right.









  
That same delightful dad's work is on the left and his 7 year old daughters' is on the right. (of the scene above)



I also did some work in mixed media journal for the workshop I'm teaching (with the talented Linda Blinn)  in San Clemente, CA July 9 & 10, 10am-4pm. (It's a mixed media sketchbook class, and there's still time to sign up!)



A glorious week of drawing and painting on location.

Family Summer Camp gig continued

Montecito Family Summer camp continued. Husb and I went on the Boole Tree trail and this is what we saw.





The Boole Tree.
 
Sequoia cones, some of the smallest in the forest and the exotic snow plant.

Back at camp, tie dye t-shirts drying near the Arts & Crafts room.

I taught my sketching and watercolor class in the mornings. (I'll post the artwork tomorrow.)

Beach party on the lake

and of course, the best of all, spending time with my sweet husb.

just home

Just home from Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. That's me and husb in front of a giant sequoia. Details to come!

Hope ~ 2nd prayer flag

A second prayer flag. Hope.

 Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me
~ Emily Dickinson
The Prayer Flag Project

(I'm using monoprints that I've made in the past, for the base of my flags.)
Husb and I are off to Montecito Family Summer Camp in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. (I teach adults in the mornings, and we particpate in the million camp activities the rest of the time.) See you in a week!

Prayer Flag Project

My cyber friend, Vivika Hansen DeNegre has created The prayer flag project. And I'm joining in. 

My first flag is for my dear friend, Melanie Testa.
     
Melly is battling breast cancer. She's had chemo and she's going in for surgery on June 21. My first flag flutters in the wind in my backyard, spreading wishes of love and healing to Melly.

++++++++++++++
Here are the details, in Vivika's own words on the Prayer Flag Project. Join us.
"Prayer Flags are part of the ancient Buddhist tradition. My family has several strings hanging in our home... not because we are Buddhist or even know what the writing or symbols upon the colored fabrics mean, but because they are beautiful and a reverent reminder that our prayers are heard and answered. In a nutshell, it is believed that the prayers on the flags are lifted and spread throughout the universe as they flutter in the wind. Everyone who is touched by that wind, is touched by the prayers. The wind spreads the prayers through the world, extending happiness, good will, and peace. What a wonderful concept.
I started a new project - The Prayer Flag Project- with a new flag each day. Each flag is made in less than an hour, then hung outside for a while, its word and sentiment dissolving into the wind and being spread to all whom the wind touches. They are a living, breathing, kinetic journal."

The Prayer Flag Project... Join Vivika  if you'd like.
"Vivika is looking for artists to participate in this project. The process is simple: Just make a flag with your prayer as its theme, and hang it in the breeze for a while. You don’t need to make a flag a day, but you could if you wanted to.  She will eventually want to collect as many flags as possible to hang in an exhibition, and that would likely be an outside venue. She has created a group on Flickr for the photos (aptly named “Prayer Flag Project” – anyone can join), and will have a separate blog for the posts after July 1.

Mini Tutorial from VivikaThis is how she makes her flags, but feel free to be creative and change them to fit your own style. I would like to eventually find an exhibition venue for this series. If you would like to be part of this bigger project, please keep the 5”x8” dimension with a 3” hanging area as described below. And sign your work! Let Vivika know via email that you are “praying along” and include a photograph of your work or link to a blog so she can post about your flags as well.
1. Cut a piece of background fabric to approximately 5”x11”.
2. Create a place to thread a string by folding one short end over to the front by 3” and press, making a rectangle approximately 5”x8”. Sew a row of decorative stitching either by hand or machine along the raw edge.
3. Choose a theme for your prayer, and embellish your flag with paper, painting, stitch, embroidery, buttons, etc. You are only limited by your imagination and your stash.  
4. Use machine stitching to add free motion words and journaling to your flag. I always include the date, and usually add a word to the surface of the flag.
5. Journaling is important,  flags can have a small paper tag with snips of words cut from books relating to the prayer.
6. Lastly,  photograph the completed flag and write about the process and the prayer.