Our Lady of the Forest

Our Lady of the Forest, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Sometimes, in the Pacific Northwest, after a hot sunny day (OK, 79* F) we have a cool cloudy and fogged-in morning. Which is actually kind of nice as long as you know the sun will eventually burn though. It sort of suits my lonely mood and solitary ways today. I have not decided on any plans today. Yesterday I indulged in some knitting at a tea shop. I might do that again if it clears up. Or I might just hide.

This is my latest painting. I am very happy with how it came out- especially her hair, the wings, and the colors.

Our Lady of the Forest
4 x 6 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on etsy.

Nested Origami Boxes

Nested Origami Boxes, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I've been playing more with making origami boxes (also see my post yesterday). I have a little hoard of scrapbook paper I bought because it was pretty but I don't scrapbook so.. well, this is a good use for it! The tutorial on how to fold the boxes is here. I just cut my squares of paper from 8x8" going down to 4x4" to make my nested boxes. And what can you do with them? Well, I've put some of my beaded jewelry in them.

Origami Business Card Holder

My creation, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I had a sudden urge to make origami. I guess this happens to everyone? Well, I made a few little boxes with lids, and then I decided I really needed one the perfect size to hold mini business cards. I was using this tutorial. With a little fussing I determined the correct size squares to make a box as wide as the mini cards was 7 & 7/8" for the box and 8" for the lid. Then I realized it actually made a nice desk top display to hold both my mini cards and my full sized business cards.

I just used some pretty recycled cardstock here. I am working on some boxes in various sizes using scrapbook paper. I'll show you those another day.

My mini-cards are from 123print. My full sized cards, which have raised ink, are from Design Your Own Card.

Gypsy

Gypsy, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I've been under the weather for the last week. I had a ruptured ovarian cyst. I hope this is not too much information but if you've had one before you know what I mean. This is my 4th and not nearly as bad as the 1st - just a small cyst --so I've just been taking it easy. I feel better now, just a bit tired. I know it's sweltering hot most places in the U.S. so I am glad Seattle remains cool but none of us would mind a bit more sunshine.

I've been reading more than painting. I read A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book - which I loved. It's almost 900 pages but I still did not want it to end. Parts of it were inspired by the Life of E. Nesbit, though she made a lot of changes too. Well, I loved E. Nesbit's books growing up (and still do.) So then I read a Nesbit bio: A Woman of Passion: The Life of E. Nesbit, 1858--1924 by Julia Briggs. I enjoyed that too, though I am not sure all readers would find it as approachable as the fictionalized version. I've always liked biographies so I found it approachable. Now I am re-reading Carol Goodman's The Lake of Dead Languages, about the dark misadventures of girls attending a boarding school with an emphasis on the classics. At the same time I am listening to another Goodman book, The Drowning Tree. I guess this might confuse me but I have read them both before. I like to listen to audio books while I knit and paint and things.

There seems to be a whole subset of literature about students of the classics going off the deep end. Maybe I will address that in my next post!

The painting:
Gypsy
5 x 7 inches
Watercolor and ink on paper
Available on Etsy.

Beauty Among Roses

Beauty Among Roses, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

this is my latest. i love painting hair. i actually love painting and drawing women but i don't do it as often as i'd like to because .. well, people are hard to paint or draw and while i am not necessarily frustrated with the results i'm afraid other people will look at them and roll their eyes and snicker. however i think i can make up for any lack of skill with faces with my love of painting flowing, twisting, curling hair. Also I love painting scenes from fairy tales.

Beauty Among Roses
4 x 6 inches
available on etsy.

Secret Garden

Secret Garden, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I had such an unexpectedly wonderful day yesterday. Some of my oldest dearest friends were in town - which I did not realize, possible due to having my head in the sand and my nose in a book? Had lunch with 2 lovely ladies and 2 funny imaginative wonderful children. Then spent a few hours in the park with this kids and touched base with their daddy, one of my oldest friends. Then I came home and finished this painting - which I just love. I am not always entirely happy with how my paintings come out, but I am quite happy about this one.

Secret Garden
5 x 7 inches
watercolor on paper
available on Etsy.

Bird in Paradise

Bird in Paradise, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I tried an experiment for this one. I tend to get carried away with color... so for this one I prepared a new pallet with just 5 colors. I used Daniel Smith watercolors in: Cascade Green, Rich Green Gold, Phthalo Turquoise, French Ultramarine, and Quinacridone Gold.

Bird in Paradise
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Luminous World

Luminous World, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I was really happy with how this painting turned out. I am not always entirely happy, sometimes i have to make myself push through and finish a painting. (And then I am almost always happier w/ it as finished.) Sometimes I don't even finish a painting, but I usually do. I want to paint some more today, after I find some more jobs to apply for. Today may be a green day, I think. Outside it is green and grey.


"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. "
Georgia O'Keeffe

The Painting:
Luminous World
9 x 12 inches
watercolor on paper
Available on Etsy.

art sketch book page

art sketch book page, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This is my latest finished page. I've been painting a bit - working on a 9 x 12" drawing which you know is big for me. At least I am learning to work bigger. I have also been knitting some. There are so many things I want to do and not enough time, and of course trying to find a job has to take priority.

But I think I need to take it easy for at least part of today - so tired!

"I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could."

--Georgia O'Keeffe

Dove and Moth Grey hat and scarf / shawl

Dove and Moth Grey hat and scarf / shawl, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

In the interest in trying to finish projects I've been knitting warm clothing in summer. Though actually summer nights can get nippy in the NW so I may get some use of these things before fall. This a wide scarf / shawl I've knitted and a matching hat. The hat is trimmed with Hanah silk velvet ribbon. Now if I can get some sewing projects finished...

Birds!

Birds!, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Good Morning! It's a beautiful day in Ballard and I am trying to decide if I want to venture out or not. It's the Seafood Festival so my neighborhood is bound to be brimming with people. I am surprised I can't smell salmon from where I am. There is also a Lutefisk eating contest, of course, but I won't be going to that! A relative of mine who was visiting from Norway won it one year. He just thought it was lunch!

I've got 2 new jaunty little birds listed on Etsy. River Bird, and Red Bird, they are each 5 x 5"

Anemone Forest

Anemone Forest, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I had a job interview and I think it went ok. At least it did not go badly! We will see if I make it to round 2. There was no point in going home right after since I had a doctor's appointment later, so I leisurely wandered through the bookstore / art supply store. I got a few brushes and 2 new watercolor trays but I am pleased to say I did not feel a desire to cling hoard art supplies because really I have a lot of them!

Later I came home and finished this painting and read. I am reading a book called The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman. It's quite good. An original quirky fantasy that sort of reminds me of a cross between Warehouse 13 and the Sisters Grimm series - but really is quite original.

Anemone Forest
8 x 10 inches
watercolor on paper
available on Etsy

Sunset Deer

Sunset Deer, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Well, it was Independence Day in the US yesterday but I did not do much. Traditionally it is the day to BBQ and blow things up. I am ok with BBQ but blowing things up does not especially interest me. I felt bad for all the firefighters and rescue workers who had a VERY busy day yesterday (not only fireworks related issues but water rescues as well, it being boating season.)

So I just went to the park with a blanket and lay around and read a bit. Then I came home and started painting. This is my latest. I am not sure where the moody sort of 70s-ish color schemes are coming from. Even if I plan a specific color scheme it seems my brush goes where it will on my pallet and the ending is sometimes a surprise!

What colors are you drawn to right now? What colors do you think will be "popular" in the coming months? I am seeing a lot of grey and yellow together recently.

Sunset Deer
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on etsy.

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Happy Independence Day, if you live in the United States. Though really given how the US was colonized and all the sorrow that came about back then AND my dislike of loud exploding things I can't say it's my favorite holiday. I know I sound like a grumpy old lady! Fireworks are illegal in the city limits of Seattle but of course people set them off anyway and the last few evenings have been punctuated by bangs and sirens.

Ok, I will stop being grumpy now. For the record I FULLY support of 4th of July picnics - especially if there are cupcakes and lemonade - though I have not been invited to any, so I might just go to the park on my own in a little while.

This is my most recent painting:
Kaleidoscope
5 by 7 inches
Watercolor on paper
Available on etsy

I should also mention that my new favorite thing over on the internet is Pinterest. Here are my Pin Boards if you would like to see them. If you would like an invite to Pinterest, let me know, I have a few!

Plant Dreaming Deep

plant dreaming deep, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This painting was inspired by the title of the poet May Sarton's memoirs. Actually she wrote several memoirs, I recommend reading them all if you are so inclined. I think my favorite is Journal of a Solitude.

And I leave you with a May Sarton quote:

"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be. "

Plant Dreaming Deep
8 x 10"
Watercolor on paper
Available on Etsy.

Little Bird

Little Bird, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I've been trying to tie up some loose ends this week. Why does that always take so long? Well, among other things I've reorganizes some of my art supplies and finished a skirt I've been knitting for almost a year (off and on). I need to enlist someone to take a picture of me wearing it! It's all earthy greens. It's merino and silk but sadly you actually can get away with wearing merino in Seattle during the summer - not every day, but often enough!

This little fellow sort of looks like a Chickadee, though I was not actually looking at one or a photo of one when I painted it so I am sure I applied plenty of artistic license, as usual.

Little Bird
4 x 4 inches
watercolor and ink on Arches Aquarelle paper (300 lb, cold press) using Daniel Smith watercolors and a Faber-Castell Pitt pen, size S.