Tree of Life workshop, yesterday

 The Tree of Life workshop at the Mingei Museum yesterday went really well. Eighteen fabulous students who really 'got' the concept and created wonderful, original, beautiful paintings. You can see all their work (in progress) here. At home, they're finish painting, and add the collage elements and hopefully send me some finished photos! Great time!

yesterday's workshop

 Here's the students at work, with the "Viva Mexico" exhibition just a few steps from us, that inspired our Trees of Life artwork.

my feet

 I added a second tatoo for the workshop! Soooo stylish!
 

oh WOW!

Cloth Paper Scissors has announced their first every mixed media retreat CREATE and oh WOW! Yes, I'm teaching, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning, so of course, you'll want those to be your first choice, but check out the line up! All my personal faves, that's for sure! See you there!

And look, they used my image in the header for my Collage 101 class on Saturday, August 28.

best foot forward

 I'm REALLY get prepared from my workshop tomorrow, fake tatoo and everything!
Question, dear readers. I like doing tutorials on my blog, I've done three so far and plan to do another next month. What would you like to know how to do? Of course, it's got to be something I know how to do! Give me some suggestions, please.
 

buttons and blues

 Buttons & Blues. Completed adaption of Recycled Circles, but this time with wool felt.This is 12x12" and was created in separate quarters, then reassembled. Waay fun to hand stitch.
 

buttons and blues detail

buttons and blues detail

another palm

 A pencil drawing from last Saturday in Balboa Park.

flower fields

 Yesterday, Alisa Burke had a great painting on her blog. It just grabbed me and I had to put aside all my deadlines, and paint my version right away! This is smaller than Alisa's, about 6x11" but it was totally fun. 

flower fields detail

 Detail shot. I did this very quickly, with just red, yellow and blue acrylic paint, and white gesso and a marker. (I had the spray painted background.)

tree of life: farm ~ in progress

 Another 9x12" Tree of Life-in progress- for my upcoming workshop on Saturday.This one incorporate imagery from Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico, a Dover book. The workshop is geared to ages 12 and up, artists and non artists, so I'm supplying some images they can trace.
 

buttons and

 Yesterday was my monthly Art Quilt class, in Escondido. Ileen had requested my Recycled Circles project as one of our lessons, and yesterday was the day. I've done this process in paper, and this time, I used wool felt. Waay fun and easy too! I've got two/fourths done, with two more to go, and I'll post the whole thing. Meanwhile, I am teaching this process in paper at Art Unraveled this year, and the paper version is more complex but equally fun, and frankly satisfying and always successful. We like success.

and blues

geraniums

 I spent Friday afternoon, at Bernardo Winery, teaching the delightful Toni how to Sketch & Watercolor: Journal Style.

palm tree in pencil

 I took a workshop today, with the very talented pencil artist, Irina Gronborg.A gorgeous day, spent in Balboa Park drawing trees~ can't get much better than that!  
 

I'm a detail kinda gal

 Some detail shots of my latest Tree of Life: Birds & Flowers.
 

details details

 That's a milagro and a coin. The coin has flowers on it, even though it appears to be a Korean coin!

of course, sewing is involved

 A lotteria card, hand sewn and a rose milagro
 

tree of life:birds and flowers

 Tree of Life: Birds and Flowers. 9x12" on watercolor paper. watercolor, collage, color pencil, hand sewing. For the workshop that I'm teaching on May 1 at the Mingei Museum that is going to be very fun.