Blue Angel

'Why don't you have any new art listed for sale? Huh, what have you been doing?'

Let me tell you being retired is hard work. There's all that holding down the sofa happening. Late mornings and early to beds going on. Reading a Stephanie Plum book. Talking to my dogs and oh, ok, ok. I really have been hard at work, upping my products in Zazzle. Sculpting some new faces for spring fairy dolls.

But here is a new Christmas angel, done in blues and golds. Listed on eBay.

Hope you like her.

Clock Man

The Clock Man Cometh

Still rambling on in blue, 'Clock Man' somehow appeared in my thoughts and I felt him insisting on having his personality made visible in cloth and a round hand-sculpted face. Some figures almost ask to be made, and their details just are obvious to me. His 'watchworks' were a lot of fun to paint.

His boots are painted on in metallic gold. He's button jointed with vintage golden buttons. You have to supply your own tick-tock conversational noises.

Bless The Beasts

Blue is the color of heaven. Painted in blues, my work this week is a guardian angel for the animals. I've hand quilted the wings and made a small dog and open-eyed cat for her to carry. She hangs by a blue ribbon.

I've been in a rather blue mood lately. Not blue-sad, but the color blue motivated. I see blue everywhere. Blue sky, blue water, the last of a few straggly blue morning glories blooming, blue fabric, blue paint. Aqua blue, robin's egg blue, hydrangea blue, periwinkle blue. Living with blue is very serene, calm, and peaceful. Like taking a nap on a fall afternoon in the hazy sunshine.

I don't believe I'm thru with blue just yet.

While I think about that I'll go have a nice hot cuppa tea in my favorite blue teacup.

Ladybug Ladybug Fly Away Home

This week I took some time out to paint something for my great-niece Elizabeth who is having her bedroom redecorated. She lives in Tucson AZ and in preparation for a new baby coming into the family, she and her brother Alex's bedrooms are due for a new look. Can you tell she likes ladybugs? This painting was done in acrylic (yes, groan, the dreaded acrylics) on a 16x20 stretched canvas.

Someone told me that no good ever comes from giving family art. Heh heh.

Christmas is coming....

I know, it's not Halloween just yet - a few more days. But every year it seems there are fewer days between now and then. Remember when you were 9 years old and how slooooowly the days dragged by before the magic of the holidays? Now that I am so much older - oh creakily old! - time has changed it's rhythm. I can hear a whoosh go by my head and it's the sound of calendar pages turning.

I have listed (on eBay) a new Christmas primitive folk art doll. And a cheeky little elf on a stand too. I love making their heads and faces best.

Before time gets so crazy, take a little time out to look around at where a few dollars might make the holidays bright. Choose a place to put your pennies this year and do it! Your own celebrations will be that much sweeter. If you would like a suggestion - please go to the Art 4 Critters website and pick one of our featured animal charities, any one of them would truly appreciate the help.

Art 4 Critters

Christmas is coming,

The geese are getting fat,

Please put a penny

In the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,

A ha'penny will do,

If you haven't got a ha'penny,

Then God bless you.

Golders

The Seven Crow Princes

Grimm's fairytales were still incredibly true to the original versions when I was a child (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth!). I loved Adrienne Segur's illustrations. If you have a young daughter or granddaughter, find a copy or reprint of 'The Fairytale Book' with her illustrations (original issues will set you back $100-$300 depending on the condition.) Amazon sells a reprinted edition for about $20. To this day I haven't seen illustrations as magical. I believe the story of the seven crow princes is in that volume.

My ravens/crows done in fabric and paint and wood are not in the least like Segur's elegant renditions but they were inspired by hers.

Most of these fairytales have been sanatized for children today but in the original story, the seven princes who were turned into crows were eventually rescued by their youngest sister, who had to cut off her little finger to make the key that would release them.

I don't believe I was traumatized by all the old fairytales I read back then. But then I've always believed children are much more practical than adults anyway. I knew it was make-believe.

Corvids

The crow is a member of the Corvid family or Corvidae. They are generally thought to be the most intelligent bird. They have been seen taking rocks and using them as a tool to open nuts. Won't catch your chihuahua doing that.

This crow-witch seemed a natural combination. How often have you heard some woman described as an old crow? Anyway here she is for the Halloween season.

My crow art box is made of hardwood (weighty) and I painted all different crows on it. It seemed right that a lot of them are in silhouette since that is often how I see crows against the sky. So I also used sky blue backgrounds. I love these boxes, look for more of them with different themes. My friend, the Sultan of Woodworking, handcrafted these fine boxes.




I gotta crow!
Golders