14.1.14

A Bit of Antiquing

One little known fact about my art path, has been the many years I spent painting decorative furniture, faux finishes and murals.  Those were great years, met so many wonderful people, worked in homes that were ten steps above what we lived in, immensely adaptable and made me dig deep for new ideas and inspirations.
Eventually age, the ladders, hauling tons of supplies with me and the long days got the best of me.
By the time we moved to Maryland, those days were left behind and I began working more diligently on canvas. 
There was a period of time when "antiquing" furniture was all the rage.  After the work of refinishing, painting and decorating a piece I would coat it with a black-brown oil paint, medium concoction  creating a thick, black smeary mixture. Yes, paint the piece totally black. The tricky part was the timing and the slow removal of the antiquing mixture.  It had to be completed in one step in a window of time, thus, disruptions like: a child saying could they please go to bed; a phone call from a mega-millionaire wanting some murals painted, could cause problems of annoying magnitude. 

I had forgotten about antiquing furniture until I went to apply some textures to photos I had taken before the holidays.  I wanted a heavier, more "antiqued" look, like an old world painting. 
Ah, so much easier....no smelly oil, no paint stuck under fingernails, product instantly "dry" and could be redone over and over.  Let the interruptions come on!  Now this was the way to go.

So I share two images that have had multiple textures laid over them to  achieve a darker, more mysterious look....hmmm, that sounds a bit dramatic.




I used Kim Klassen's textures, four of them, to create the moody, mysterious appearance. It was an adventure trying to see how far I could push the "button."  Well actually keyboard.
In no particular order I used Noise, Kristen, Organic, Pumpkin Grunge....played with saturation, clarity and masking to remove parts of the antiquing. 
Good bye days of painting furniture and walls, time to sit in front of a computer!

Texture Tuesday

11.1.14

A Day Well Lived

I have wanted to rejoin Kat Sloma's
Photo-Heart connection, where at the 
 beginning of each month, we post our favorite photograph from the past month.
You would think that choosing a favorite in the month of December would be fun and spontaneous.
But this year, December was different.
Yes, always a few too many things to attend to.
Yes, shopping, wrapping, gifting.
Yes, decorating and baking.
Yes, making time for service to others.
But then the unexpected occurs, drops in like an unwanted
visitor.
Eight out of Ten Women
Breast Cancer.
The unwanted visitor with its fearful shadow: two friends, diagnosed within a few weeks of one another. 
This placed a pall, a deep shadow over the golden holiday.
Rejoicing turned to Earnest Prayer.

And this is why the photograph I share is the most meaningful to me.


Each day becomes important that it is well-lived; makes every yesterday a dream of happiness; and each tomorrow a blessing of HOPE
My friend created this simple, wooden, vessel for me.
It is simple. It is lovely to feel. It gleams with good intentions. It sits on my desk.
Each day, as she awaited tests and surgery
she thought of others, living in the moment, with a positive attitude and a desire to serve others.

Hearts are Vessels.

We each have one to fill
 to overflowing with 
Love-Compassion-Joy-Attitude-Inspiration-Insights-Memories
tightly encircled with a Pink Ribbon of Love. 

Both of my friends are doing well. I believe that because they have hearts filled with positive gifts they will return to Tomorrow, better than they were Yesterday.
Much love, Sharon

10.1.14

Polar What?

Hi and Welcome Back....I should say, I welcome myself BACK!
My husband and I went to Chicago, that is crazy-correct, Chicago right after Christmas.
If you followed any news you might have an  idea of what happened:
POLAR VORTEX or something like that.
No matter what you call it, all I know is it was dog gone FRIGID.
We once lived in Chicago and I don't recall anything like this past week.  After four days of cancelled flights and no ability to navigate the highways, we are now home. Bless you brave, bold, stalwarts who got the flights going, the roads semi cleared, trains moving and schools and businesses opened.
 So I start out the New Year feeling might GRATEFUL to all who made it possible to get home in one piece !
I hope you had a lovely holiday, no matter how you celebrate it. And now we start with a clean, new calendar....well, mine was already marked up a bit, but that is okay. At least it is not all wrinkled and dog-eared. 

SHHHH news: I have almost completed two paintings I started last November. Nothing slow about me.  I keep thinking "tortoise-tortoise." 
If NO ONE requests me to do something for them, and I get this blog posted, I just might have two paintings to post, with step by step photos....but I better think Monday not Saturday. A Grammy needs a little leeway when she lives around the corner from three adorable Funny Bunnies.

Have  you been blog hopping?  If so you maybe have encountered:
Word for the Year
Lists and Lists
Resolutions
On line classes without number
Exercise, Exercise, no Sugar, no Gluten
Well it got the best of me as I hopped around from one blog to another, especially since we don't have decorations put away. 
Sharon's Intentions

 JANUARY, 2014, SUGAR HIGH


Feeling the High yet?

(Maybe I should reconsider something a bit less drastic????)


SALTY ANYONE !!

Take Joy in the New Year !
Until next time, Smiles: Sharon