Watercolors

I hate to be all me, me,me, me this week but I honestly don't have the brain power for more. My four year-old has been holding her hand on her eye fussing and squealing since last night. The remainder of my day will be spent in various doctors' offices.

After everyone went to bed last night I had a little fun with watercolors.

I was originally intending to paint things for more fabric designs but I soon went off on another tangent.

Its a great way to unwind in the evening for me.

These are all on Etsy and I think I will do a few more this weekend.

What's your weekend looking like?

fabric love

This tablecloth is happening at my house on Thanksgiving. It arrived yesterday and I am in love with it.

Way to go Target.

I hope I can come up with a picture worthy tablescape.

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen one of my new fabric designs,

I had some random watercolor flowers that I painted last year just to play with the watercolors. Nothing really equaled a composition, just floating blooms. That happened to translate nicely into this floral fabric.

I would like to do more. Any ideas?

Giveaways coming next week!

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Inspiration lately

This gorgeous photo was brought to my attention by the one and only Mary McDonald on Facebook.

I tweeted about it and she mentioned me and its creator in a tweet.  The divine Ms. MM tweeted again that she would love to see my ranunculus painting. No pressure...Aaaaah!  After my heart attack, I looked a little closer at this photographer's work.

Check it out HERE her name is Jessica Nichols and its inspiring to say the least.

I managed to finish my painting over the weekend.

I wish the texture showed up better in the photos like they do in this progress shot.

I took this picture of a very pretty sky the other day. My neighbor had just given birth to a daughter minutes before so I am using it a inspiration for a painting that will be a baby gift.

This is such a fun photo. Its coming to a canvas near me soon.

Very pretty.

I think I am on a floral kick lately.

What's inspiring you?

What were you pinning last year?

One of my first pins

I was in search of a pin recently and noticed a trend or two in my boards. The things I was pinning a year or two ago are different, for the most part, than what I am pinning now.

I don't pin much that is not art related these days and there is a decided edge to my choices.

Sometimes I don't even like the elements of a room that I pin.

I am chalking it up to desensitization of my eyes. Yeah, its pretty but if it doesn't get my attention, I don't pin.

What are your criteria for pinning?

The reveal-ORC linking participant

 Linda, from Calling it Home is the brainchild of this endeavor.
 Oh Linda! what a six weeks it has been! Thank you for hosting and giving everyone a chance to delve into the fun of the ORC
Let's recap.

I wanted to create a dual use room that is an inviting guest room, when needed and a personalized space for my 18 year old son who is away at college majoring in music business . The look needed to be masculine with an eclectic mix of mid-century modern and boho elements yet cohesive.

Two inspiration pics

I also wanted a kickin' gallery wall.

The challenges for me were to avoid anything feminine or ridiculously out of place. I kept reaching for candle holders and Chinoiserie elements or a plant (even funnier if you know me). Most 18 year old guys aren't into candles and/or blue and white porcelain and he will be using this room most.

One of the most fun aspects for me, after the artwork (highlighted in week 5), was choosing the lighting. I got really lucky and that story is in week 4.

Walmart pillow...who knew!?

Week 3 was all about panic but I showed off my happy vintage goodies in week 2

Without further ado...

Ideally, this will be a place for guitars and playing

Little glass tray for his guitar picks

Mmmmm...sleepy.

 I am in love with this desk and chair.

Each area contains a reference to music or music studies.

You might recognize this hat from the painting of my son.

The gallery wall.

I did manage one sort of last minute DIY.

 I took this 20 year-old Ikea bookshelf and AS chalk painted it in Paris gray

I used a mini foam roller to save time and it worked brilliantly.

Then I fell into styling hell and prayed to Sherry, the goddess of shelf styling but as you can see she did not come to help. LOL!

I must say, I am thrilled with this room and it turned out more 18 year-old son than guest room but that's OK.
Now I think I will christen this room with a cozy nap.
Below is my source list if its not on here I already had it or its vintage.

Source list

Kantha quilt--Etsy

Duvet cover--Overstock.com

Navy shams--Homegoods

Round pillow on bed-- eBay

Bedskirt--eBay

Desk and Shagreen nightstand--Target

Gray lacquer tray--JcPenney

Chrome and Lucite lamp--Homegoods

Vintage lamp--Etsy

Custom portrait by Sam Kimura--Etsy
Large abstract--Kerry Steele

Linen curtains--Ikea

Bamboo shades--Lowes

Round cushion for stool--Target.com

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Why blue and white?

The Pink Pagoda

I am linking up on The Pink Pagoda today for the blue and white bash.

I have always wondered why blue and white? Why not green and white or black and white or some other color in Chinese porcelain?

Early Chinese porcelain is most often decorated in blue and white that came from Persian cobalt, a valuable commodity about twice the value of gold at the time and highly prized.

Each time you look at blue and white porcelain imagine the diminished visual impact that gold would have. Bling just isn't the same.

In reading about the history of blue and white porcelain, I learned that it fell out of favor for a time during the Early Ming dynasty.

The Seattle museum of art explains the red: Late fourteenth-century porcelain decorated in underglaze copper red outnumbered wares with underglaze cobalt blue. The shift to copper-red pigment for underglaze painting appears to have been motivated by multiple factors, including the desire of the first Ming emperor to break with the immediate past and assert the Chinese character of the new dynasty. Other factors are the auspicious associations of the color red and the fact that the emperor's family name, Zhu, signifies 'red.' 

I am so glad that trend did not take hold. The export trade that began in the early 14th century continued to drive demand for blue and white.

Porcelain decorated only in blue pigment painted under the glaze dominated the export trade until the very end of the seventeenth century.

 By the late nineteenth century, Chinese export porcelains, especially blue-and-white ware, had achieved a status in this country above the merely utilitarian. Looked upon with nostalgia, they became emblematic of the colonial era.

More artwork

I have lots of new artwork on the docket today, which seems odd to me as it feels like I have had little time to paint. Apparently its been enough.

"Penny Mac" 24 x 48 oil and charcoal on canvas

I finished this abstract floral that I made mostly with a series of glazes and sheer layers.

I am really happy with the scale.

Quite a few 5 x 7 canvases got made.

I have also begun a collaborative work with my friend, artist Kenneth Moore. It is a planned donation to the Fredericksburg Area Service League.

Yesterday we put a wash over the brightness.

It is a very foreign experience for me to work with someone else in this manner but not at all bad.

Perhaps you read yesterday's post about my crazy late night portrait adventure.

Last one... "The view from here" 11 x 14 oil on canvas.

I have decided to add select canvases back to my Etsy shop including some of these.

Have a great weekend!