Exploring More 3 Dimensional Wild Flowers

I am continuing to explore different flowers while still providing a soft sculpted 3 dimensional aspect. It is a place my art is taking me these days and I am really enjoying the ride. This piece was completed in May 2011 for an upcoming In Stitches Emagazine article. The background is a painted piece of muslin from a demo in my Artful Coloring class. The leaves are made from layered materials I had previously assembled at the Misty Fuse booth in Houston last fall. I love having leaves on hand for different projects. Since cleaning my studios, I have reorganized everything such that I have a drawer dedicated solely to leaves, one for stems, another one for flowers, etc... This has really helped me to explore different ideas without fully having to commit to any particular design. And best of all, when I feel like putting a garden together, it is so much easier and it also helps provide diversity to my work.

I really love the idea of painting and stamping/stencilling backgrounds to have on demand. As the amount and types of finished leaves continue to grow, I find myself engaged in trying to put together different flowers to accompany them. I have decided to use paper as a model for my flowers before transferring them to fiber. This had helped me tremendously. I currently have a 3D iris modelled in paper that needs to be transferred to fiber and I am hoping to get back in the studio soon to put that plan in motion. Still there's the little scrub jay that I need to finish... So many ideas, so little time! 

Dream Studio

I am so excited to get my painting studio up and going. Everything in place and lots of room to spread out! It is still a work in progress but at this point, it is pretty much down to cosmetic changes that need to be implemented. Hanging artwork, maybe some shelves, new lighting and perhaps that new light table from Ikea.... Can't stop thinking about it!!! For Mother's Day, I bought myself these two sets of rolling drawers. I absolutely love them! They hold all my paints, inks and fun stuff. My grandmother happened upon an estate sale and purchased the really cool paint brush holder. I finally have most of my brushes organized and in one place. So cool! Aside from what you see here, I have a walk in closet with shelves and lots of storage for extra paints, dyes, gel mediums and bolts of raw fabric. And with a sink at hand, who could ask for anything more? There is another easel in the corner of the room and a day bed for relaxing at the end of the day. And remember the color swatches from my dear sister in law? They look pretty fabulicious here! I have only had a chanceto paint some 3dimensional flowers and leaves thus far but I am hoping that as my dream studio continues to evolve, I will spend lots of time in here having fun and creating art! I have some ideas for pieces I would like to get started on and am so looking forward to new adventures! Lots of room for having friends over for play days! My sewing studio is also getting a facelift and I am finding it so much easier to work with everything where it should be! Yeah!!!!!!!!