Cut Paper Portrait
Wow! I love the way the paper-cut portrait turned out.
I want to try this sometime!
How to Make a Cut-Paper Portrait by Haya Ainu
Kuan Yin Collage
Here’s my latest creation.
I created the digital collage above using Photoshop and Painter IX.
I started by taking a photo of one of my Kuan Yin statues with a digital camera. Then I loaded it into Photoshop and tweaked it a bit.
Next I created the background using Painter IX. I played around with color and texture until I came up with the image above, then I merged all the layers together, and added text to the image in Photoshop.
Kuan Yin is not generally regarded as a goddess, but rather a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva, is a being destined for full enlightenment and nirvana who, out of compassion for the suffering of other beings, has taken a vow to postpone his or her entry into nirvana in order to remain in the world to help other beings. She who hears the cries of the world represents the virtues of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and faith.
“True compassion is not forged at a distance from pain but in its fires. We do not always have a solution for suffering. We cannot always fix pain. However, we can find the commitment to stay connected and to listen deeply. Compassion does not always demand heroic acts or great words. In the times of darkest distress, what is most deeply needed is the fearless presence of a person who can be wholeheartedly receptive.” She Who Hears the Cries of the World, by Christina Feldman,.
Raining Rabbits
It was hard to get started this morning. It was cold and dank and a slow drizzle of rain greeted me as I stepped out the back door. I quickly went back inside and slipped into some warm fuzzy socks and my boots before going out again. Brrr
I worked some more on Jack the rabbit but other than that I didn’t get much done except for cleaning out my closet a bit.
Work in progress – the rabbit for the “Jack Rabbit Moon”, painting. Mixed Media – 11 x 14 inches
The Cracked Pot
Cracked Water Pot – Mixed Media – 10 x 10 inches
The Cracked Pot
Once upon a time there was a man whose job was to bring water from the stream to his Master’s house. The man carried the water from the stream in two clay pots. He hung the pots on each end of a pole, which he carried across his shoulders, to and from the stream many times a day.
One of the clay pots was perfect in every way for its purpose. The other pot was exactly like the first one, but it had a crack in it and it leaked. When the water bearer reached his Master’s house, the perfect pot was always full, and the cracked pot was always half full.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, and it boasted loudly. It criticized the cracked pot for its failures, and reminded it that despite his efforts, the water bearer could only deliver half a pot of water due to his cracks. The poor cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfections, and was miserable that it could only accomplish half of what it was supposed to do.
One day the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer. “I want to apologize to you. Because of my cracked side I’ve only been able to deliver half of the water to your Master’s home, and you don’t get the full value from your efforts.”
The water bearer smiled on the cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the Master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
Indeed as they climbed the path from the river to the Master’s mansion the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful flowers along one side of the path, and it felt somewhat brighter. But when they reached their destination and the water in the half-empty pot was poured out, his sadness returned. “Thank you for trying to cheer me up with the beautiful flowers, water bearer,” The pot spoke. ” But I still must apologize for my failure.”
The water bearer said, “Dear pot, you haven’t understood what I was trying to show you. Did you notice that the flowers only grew on your side of the path? That’s because of your crack. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and everyday as we walked from the stream the water that leaks from your pot has watered them. I could have got a new pot, but I preferred to gather the flowers, and with them to bless many tables.”
– Author Unknown
Paper Art
Jen Stark’s paper art is amazing and very inspiring. Her medium is construction paper. Wow!
Jen Stark’s Paper Art
“Creativity is the ability of a person to respond to visual and other sensory stimuli in an original way, and then to share this response with passion, individuality and spirit.” – Gerald Brommer
When Angels Dream
I wanted to be productive today and paint something so I created the abstract painting below. I am still working on this one.
I need to work some more on the angels and the background. I am thinking of adding some touches of ink and metallic paint to spice it up a bit.
This afternoon, I prepped several sheets of watercolor paper with gesso and tissue paper for a project I want to do and they are drying as I type this.
Tomorrow I plan on letting my spirit out to play!
When Angels Dream – Acrylic/Watercolor – 8 x 10 inches on Watercolor Paper
“In order for my work to continue to evolve, I become involved in playfulness and take the opportunity to look at the ‘what – ifs.’ Whatever the result, it expands my vision by letting go of who I think I am and discovering the spirit within.” – Jean Deemer
Thursday
Beatriz Mihazes – Video portrait of artist Beatriz Milhazes
A Wandering mind
Sketches – Etc …
Today, I had a hard time focusing on anything but the gorgeous weather just outside my window. I did do a couple of sketches from a magazine I got in the mail this morning, but that was it.
As hard as I tried, my mind kept wandering so I finally gave up and surrendered to the sunshine that kept inviting me out to play. It was a beautiful day to be out in the fresh air!
“What fire could ever equal the sunshine of a winter’s day?” —Henry David Thoreau
Work In Progress
Visions – Mixed Media/Collage – 10 x 12 inches
I spent most of the day working on the collage/painting above, and I will post my progress in the coming weeks.
The woman represents the visionary, the healer, the medicine woman, the shaman…
She is the one who interacts directly with helping spirits to address the spiritual aspects of illness, perform soul retrievals, help the spirits of the deceased cross over and performs a variety of ceremonies for her community.
Art & The Human Soul
Hieroglyph of the Human Soul : The art of Leigh J. McCloskey
“Leigh is a visionary painter and philosopher who has transformed his home into an evolving canvas. His environmental painting, Hieroglyph of the Human Soul, crawls up bookshelves, across the floor, ceiling, and furniture of his studio. Filled with archetypal symbolism and alchemical imagery, Leigh’s work is unlike anything the modern art world has to offer. It is an honor to know him, for In my opinion, he is simply one of the great painters of all time; I have no doubt that in years to come his work will be discussed in the same breath as any of the great masters.”