Posts Tagged ‘Graphite’
Monday, February 21st, 2011
 As part of my “Dread” Series, I’ve created another painting which has an iconic presence. Icons in general culture is more like a symbol — for example, a name, face, picture, or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known significance or embodying certain qualities or maybe that represents something of greater significance, usually associated with religious, cultural, political, or economic standing.
The painting began as a graphite drawing, layered with color, then layered with more color…again and again! The whole process of creating is a layered project, which begins as an idea sparked from a creative well from my mind, soul or spirit.
This weekend, it’s dreads, presence and color. What iconic presence resonates with you? In peace.
Tags: acrylic paint, Dreads, enamel, Graphite, Icon, Illustration Friday, Indigene, Indigeneart, Layers, mixed media, Process, symbolism, watercolor
Posted in Art, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 18 Comments »
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
While doing some cleaning and dusting, I came across a bag of pretty autumn leaves. I love the colors of autumn. I remember taking these leaves from a beautiful tree. So of course I stopped cleaning and looked for the photos of the tree it came from.
I’m one of those people that look at trees and always see people or some sort of magical creature, so I usually stop and snap a photo, since it’s usually on the road and I don’t get a chance to sketch and explore it until I get home. I find trees fascinating. Here’s a reference photo:
Well, to make a long story short, I never finished the dusting (the cleaning is ongoing)! My creative flow took over and I spent the next few days working on this image. Here she is, a dryad, a tree spirit, I’ve named her “Autumn Leaves”. Autumn is a part of the “Goddess Series”.
January is an ideal month for getting your office together, since it is after the holidays and everyone seems to be in recovery mode. It also helps that it is (7) seven degrees Fahrenheit outdoors! My creative flow is up 1000%.
Perfect hot chocolate weather, that’s where I am, indoors, warm, snugly, creating and happy!
Define your happiness today. Always in peace.
Tags: acrylic paint, Arches paper, Autumn, Autumn Leaves, clean, color pencil, creating, creative flow, Dryad, dust, goddess series, Graphite, green, Happy, Indigene, Indigeneart.com, January, office, Orange, Peace, red, snuggly, spirit, Tree, watercolor
Posted in Art, General, Studio Time, Work | 17 Comments »
Monday, January 10th, 2011
In rearranging my studio nook and painting, life was chaotic! When you’re working on a new painting, that you have to stop and start, there is that feeling of deja-vu! Yet, you know it’s all real…lol!
This is the beginning of the painting. I put several different symbols around the main part of the painting…and then…I changed my mind…and erased the symbols.
I’m feeling the main character, but the symbols are eluding me.
I was rearranging the studio as I painted, you know trying to multi-task and get as much done in the window of time I had.
But, back to the painting…
I erased all the surrounding symbols and redid some others things and finally, it felt like it was flowing.
I’m still in the preliminary stages, but I think she and I are feeling the flow on this.
There was a mad dash by me to get everything in order before the new year. I’m superstitious like that, whatever state your home and business is in, is how it’s going to be for the new year. So for me, the control freak that I sometimes am, everything was straightened up, dusted, cleaned, reordered and finished!
No…everything was not completed, but there a sweetness in what was completed, and you know life goes on.
Deja-vu is now reality and chaos to order! Now that’s a great beginning!
 Peace to you from the nook.
Tags: Ala, chaos, color pencil, deja-vu, Goauche, goddess, Graphite, Ibo, Illustration Friday, Indigene, Indigeneart.com, mixed media, old wives tales, order, studio nook, superstition, symbols, watercolor
Posted in Art, General, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 16 Comments »
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010
After some surgery, I’ve been at home resting and looking out of my living room window. I happened to see a cardinal eating from the bird feeder in my neighbor’s yard. I always see cardinals as the seasons changed, and they always whisk me to another dreamy zone. I am captivated by their color and songs. I love cardinals and hummingbirds, they continually rescue me from the mundane and add a natural sparkle to my surroundings.
I dipped into some of the work I’ve done in the last couple of weeks, and this little darling came to the rescue! Color enriches life and this Cardinal Goddess has given way to spring time happiness! Just what a girl needs to perk her up!
Dip into and Enjoy the Spring, it’s finally here and in color!
Always in peace.
(Note: I removed the actual Cardinal Goddess picture, because it may have been infected with malware, and Google reported indigeneart as suspicious; the site is currently under review for the warning to be removed, and I will re-upload the image at a later time. Thanks for all the comments!)
Tags: acrylic paint, Art, bird goddess, Cardinals, color, color pencil, dip, Dreams, goddess series, Graphite, Illustration Friday, Indigene, Indigene Art Forms, Indigeneart.com, mixed media, Myths, red, rescue, Season, song, Spring, watercolor
Posted in Art, Studio Time | 18 Comments »
Friday, March 19th, 2010
 Another painting in my Goddess Series is Spider Woman. I’m not doing the goddess series in any order, other than they way that they come to me; nor do I have any idea how many paintings will complete the series, I’ll let them determine that. This is a great educational process and fantastic artistic journey!
Spider Woman is an important goddess among many southwestern Native American tribes. Spider Woman is responsible for bringing fire to the Pueblo, Tewa and Kiwa tribes.
For the Hopi tribes, Spider Woman is a creator of the moon, and their emergence into the world. Spider Woman has the power to give and take life, and is connected to hunting and agriculture.
Cherokee Grandmother Spider brought people the sun and fire. She taught them pottery, weaving, and how to make ceremonial blessings.
The great blessings and history of Spider Woman will not “expire“ and will continue to be a wonderful tradition in Native American culture. Remember to pass on your cultural and family traditions so that they will live on for generations to come!
Work-In-Progress: The Spider Woman painting started out as a graphite sketch, proceeding to mix media including: ink,  watercolor, acrylic and finally a light glaze of oil paint! It was a timely process, but so worth the luminosity that cannot be seen on any screen version!
Tags: acrylic, agriculture, Blessings, ceremonial, Cherokee, culture, emergence, fire, grandmother, Graphite, Hopi, http://indigeneart.com, hunting, Indigene, ink, Kiwa, mixed media, moon, Native American, oil paint, Paula Gunn Allen, pottery making, Pueblo, Southwestern, spider, Spider Woman, spinning, sun, Tewa, Tradition, tribes, watercolor, weaving, web, Work-In-Progress
Posted in Art, General, Handmade Gifts, Illustration Friday, Work | 20 Comments »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Much of the folklore regarding women was subterranean, to the mainstream for many generations; but they were and continue to be very much alive in the cultures from which they came.
In the Native American (Navajo) culture, “Changing Woman – “Estsanatlehi” comes closest to being the personification of the Earth and of the natural order of the Universe as to any other brief way of describing her. She represents the cyclical path of the Seasons, Birth (Spring), Maturing (Summer), Growing old (Fall) and Dying (Winter), only to be reborn again in the Spring.”
To learn more about the Native American Changing Woman:
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Changing_Woman-Navajo.html
I’m happy that these great stories are not lost! Discovering these stories continues to be an amazing and educational process for me.
Please remember, this is my artistic attempt in the imagery of Changing Woman. Native Americans carry the true image in their culture, hearts and souls.
WORK PROCESS:
 I knew the image would be woman-centered, and exploring the great folklore of goddesses. I always start out tentatively with a light graphite sketch and then strengthen my line work as I progress. This image started with (3) circles. I’m partial to circles (hmmm…I should probably explore that more!) :)
The first woman in the process of creating this art, was the elder woman, in the center. I am fascinated by elder women because of their experiences, wisdom and their life choices, (and/or how life chooses them). Then from that point on, the image led me. I’m not sure where this goddess series is leading me, but I am following the artistic muse.
Tags: 100% Rag Content/Cotton Paper, acrylic/gouache, Acylic medium, artistic, Changing Woman, Creator of Blessingway, Earth, Estsanatlehi, Fall, Folklore, gesso, Goddess; Spiritual, Graphite, history, http://indigeneart.com, Illustration Friday, Indigene, Interpretation, Life circle, Myths, Native American, Navajo, Oil, pen/ink, Spring, Subterranean, Summer, watercolor, Winter, Work Process
Posted in Art, General, Handmade Gifts, Studio Time, Work | 30 Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
When I think of bravery, women always come to mind.
Women are brave in caring for their loved ones; brave in how they carry out their work; brave in love and war; brave in transitioning the end of life. Women are the greatest creation in humanity.
Celebrate all women in your life! Learn about how Women’s History Month came into existence (click on link) and Happy Women’s History Month!
Work in Progress is shown below: part of the small and large scale goddesses I’m working on.
Tags: acrylic/gouache, Arches watercolor paper, Athena, Bear, Brave, creative energy, Diana, divine, Endurance, Feminine, goddess, Graphite, http://indigeneart.com, Ilustration Friday, Indigene, Lamb, March, Metaphysical, Minerva, mixed media, oil paint, Passion, Strength, Warrior, watercolor, women, Women's History Month, Work-In-Progress
Posted in Art, Family, Friends, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 26 Comments »
Friday, February 12th, 2010
 It is done! What began as night pacing (see my December 6, 2009 blog post); has culminated into the finale.
I am now in that stage where the crescendo has ended. I have the feeling of not being anchored; I am adrift, until I delve into the next project. Of course, I’ll sketch and create, but it is a different energy than being possessed by a painting screaming to get out!
Sometimes the best way to describe the creative zone, would be mania, crescendo, then an anti-climatic feeling sets in, finally a sadness that it’s over; and then peace,
but…then it starts all over again.
Remember to nurture your body, mind and spirit and being adrift may mean letting go of control.
I want to thank you all who continue to support me, I feel loved. Peace to everyone.
(Mixed-Media/paper – “O’s Totem” – 22″x30″ Copyright 2010 Indigene)
Tags: "O" Totem, 22x30 inches, acrylic, acrylic ink, adrift, anti-climatic, Arches paper, blue, brown, charms, color pencil, copyright, creative zone, crescendo, divinity, dreamscapes, enamel, Fantasy, feminine energy, gold, Gouache, Graphite, green, http://indigeneart.com, Illustration Friday, Indigene, mania, Metaphysical, mixed media, moonscapes, mystical, Orange, Peace, pen/ink, pink, purple, red, sadness, silver, Snakes, symbolism, turquoise, turtles, watercolor, white
Posted in Art, Family, Featured Artist, Friends, General, Handmade Gifts, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 33 Comments »
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
I was in the “zone”, (which is the preoccupation of obsessively creating an image), becoming so strong in my mind’s eye, that I am only freed from the zone by completing the actual work. I worked days, excessively on this image.
I know that I feel exposed when I show any part of the process to anyone outside the zone of my head. I am aware that I am exposed.
I took breaks, but it is the night of another day of obsessing over every little piece of it, adding, subtracting, pacing around the work, only stopping to take nature’s breaks, which can be a nuisance when in the creative zone.
It is only when the image is getting near the final stages that I feel I have revealed my subject or an aspect of them in an honest approach.
Tags: "O", 22x30 inches, acrylic, Arches paper, bracelet, charms, color pencil, Creative, day, easel, enamel, expose, Graphite, Indigene, Indigeneart.com, mixed media, moon, moonscapes, night, obsession, pen/ink, portrait, Snakes, spirit, spirituality, Studio, turtles, vulnerability, watercolor, Work-In-Progress, Zone
Posted in Art, General, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 2 Comments »
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Some of the details of my Work-In-Progress contain various symbols and snakes are one of them.
Some cultures hold snakes in high esteem while other cultures despised them. There are cultures that associated snakes with medicinal powers or rebirth, such as the modern medical symbol of two snakes wrapped around a staff.
The Judeo-Christian culture does not hold snakes or serpent in a kind light. The biblical tales of the Garden of Eden and the serpent’s role in “tempting woman to trick man into the fall from God’s grace” have contributed to the negative images of snakes in western culture. This deep rooted cultural biases accounts in part for the widespread of fear and disdain of snakes. Myths, legends, and folk tales contribute to the misinformation and add to the snake’s negative imagery.
Cultures are as valid as the people who come from them and as with all living entities, there are positive and negative aspects, snakes are no different.
The imagery of the snakes in the details of this portrait embrace the concept of healer, rebirth and revitalization.
I’m sure that this spiritual portrait will be serve as a conversation piece, dependent upon the view or viewers!
Tags: "O", 22x30 inches, acrylic, Arches paper, culture, divine, enamel, energy, fear, forbidden, gold, Graphite, green, health, hidden, Illustration Friday, Indigene, Indigeneart.com, Judeo-Christian, medical symbol, medicinal, mixed media, mythology, Orange, pen/ink, purple, rebirth, red, religious, Snakes, spiritual, Symbol, Totem, turquoise, watercolor, Work-In-Progress
Posted in Art, Family, Featured Artist, Friends, Illustration Friday, Studio Time, Work | 8 Comments »
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