Sister Mary "Lotus"

Mike just loves to tease his sister because she teaches at a Catholic school and they were all raised in the Catholic church with nuns, some of whom he was not overly fond. Every year for Virginia's birthday he has to come up with something new. This year it was dress up Lotus as a nun. He loved this picture because it reminded him of some of the nuns who were less than agreeable? So meet Sister Mary "Lotus" of the Ascension. That's what he calls her in this picture. I made a card with Sister Mary "Lotus" on the front. Everyone got a huge laugh out of this. I'm always worried someone in the family will be offended but they never are. Besides, who could be offended at our beautiful Lotus. I don't think the convent would accept her though.

Waterworld

9 x 9 mixed media acrylic. I just love Golden fluid acrylics. I wanted to do something with this color palette, and it turned out better than I expected. It seems these paintings just take on their own life. I have since found some wonderful stencils but I used what I had for this piece. Also a bit of cheesecloth for the stringiness. And I always have to have a little metallic. Too bad it doesn't scan well.

Lace and Roses

Arttechniques monthly challenge was use of lace and/or tulle. Since it is June, I think of weddings, and my bride is decked out in a lace headdress. Her dress or bouquet, whichever you prefer, is white roses. Yum, I do love roses. Just thinking about weddings makes me shudder at the cost, but the brides are always beautiful!!! I was fortunate to take a class from Lynne Perella and I've always liked her enormous variety of styles. This work reminds me of her.

Heart Failure

Some of you may remember this disaster! I used shredder paper and mixed with glue to form the heart. I then added the black fluid acrylic across the heart. Let's just say it was not the effect I was looking for. Since I had "ruined" my painting, I then began to experiment all over the painting -- I used self leveling gel in one corner. I used tar gel in another corner. I made another heart using strips of funnies from the paper. I experimented with more black dribbles - inks and paints - to achieve this masterpiece. I made a new painting for my husband, but I could not throw this canvas away. Someone suggested sanding it down. But the glue was so hardened I would have needed an electric sander. Probably would have destroyed the canvas. What to do? Well, just paint over it and make another painting. Somehow I had to cover the bumpy heart as I did not want that same image. I coated with black gesso. Still too much texture in the shape of a heart. I coated with Venetian plaster fairly thick and waited for it to dry. Voila! I began a new painting which is posted below "Illusion". So never throw away a disaster. It can always be fixed.

Illusion

Heart Failure Redo

Here is the new painting I did to replace the disaster above.