Day 4981: Eastside Prep & The Crane Fly.

"Four easy pieces": junk collage. watercolor, digital.

   

                                                                       

  

Want music?

    Click: Hall & Oates, Sara Smiles.

2GN2S

I am lucky to belong to Eastside, a group of artists that meet once a month on the second Tuesday in Orange County, to do art and enjoy being together. We take turns teaching an art project each month, and the next artist to teach the future, upcoming month brings the morning snacks. We all bring our own lunch. I am guessing we have been at it for about eleven years, but stand to be corrected if needed. Anyway, Tuesday, April 14th is my turn again, and I will be doing various kinds of faces. I have been compiling various papers and had originally planned that we might do a simple binding into a journal. However I tried a sample today and it was so horrible, that we will have a folder of various papers and techniques.

We will be making contour faces, postcard faces, collage faces, graphite faces, scribble faces and more. I have three bags of stuff to play with. 

Pencil cup by Libby Williamson

collage scraps

graphite and glue sticks

watercolor/ collage postcard samples

Hopefully I will remember to take a few photos to share on Wednesday. See you then?

 

  

 

A  2+ minute video, Dog & Hummingbird,  here.

 

 

Just because ...

Golden Pheasant

This bird looks like it stepped out of a painting — a blaze of gold, crimson, and electric blue woven into living feathers. In the dense mountain forests of western China, Golden Pheasants move quietly along the forest floor, their brilliance hidden beneath shadow and leaf litter.

They feed on seeds, berries, and insects, foraging with calm precision. But when the male displays, everything changes — he fans out his golden crest and striped cape, transforming into a radiant, almost unreal vision. What makes it extraordinary is this contrast — a shy ground bird that becomes a burst of color when the moment calls. A hidden jewel of the forest, yet a spectacle of pure nature’s artistry.

Tuesday's Smiles ... 

 

Hoping you feel all the good things in your day.

  

 

 

Day 4980: Linda's Celebration & Baby Beavers.

   

:Star": photo, junk collage, digital.

  

Want music?

    Click: Jackson 5, Show You the Way 

2GN2S

The Best Birthday Party in Eons!

Saturday, April 11th was Linda's Birthday, and she didn't want a birthday party per se, she wanted a celebration of her friends. She, with the help of her two beautiful daughters and two gorgeous granddaughters facilitated exactly what Linda wanted.

 

We arrived at noon sharp, to a stunningly decorated outdoor party. Sunny blue skies! Even though it was supposed to rain, however, even the weather Gods would not dare ruin Linda's plans.

(Red Vine Studio licorice)

Sixteen ladies arrived and mingled, then were welcomed by Linda's touching mini speech that included all of her friends and how much they have meant to her.

A lovely leisurely lunch, with time to visit and catch up with each other. All of Linda's friends are artists, in many varies kinds of art, textile artist, jewelry makers, painters and more. Linda named them all.

And then we were put to work doing a rip-roaring collage on a 9X12" canvas board. We were to collage ourselves, and the results were lots of laughs and amazing creative fun. All supplies were ready for us including magazines to tear up and  liquid paste, brush etc. I do apologize that I didn't't get  more pictures of the great canvases, but I hadn't planned on doing this for the blog. In fact, I may end up getting in trouble for it?

I only knew seven of the group, but soon met and was so charmed by the warmth and wonderful personalities that all shared our love of Linda. I felt I had made some really good new friends. Why I didn't take pictures of the artist pallet cookies with a pretzel brush, or the delicious demi-cakes, for dessert, but I was too busy enjoying?

(a few friends had to leave earlier,Linda's family was facilitating)

Four plus hours later, I found myself smiling on my drive home.  What a wonderful event with so much love it was palpable. What we celebrated for Linda, was also a gift she gave to us.

 

  

 

A 5+ minute video, Brazil Cicada,  here.

 

 

Just because ...

 

Blond-crested woodpecker

Monday's Smiles ... 

 

Hoping you feel all the good things in your day.