Creative Art Studio and Gallery Night

       A lot, a lot, a lot has happened lately. Life has been full of distractions. Just when I felt I had some focus with my art...boom, life gets in the way. I was so excited a couple of months ago when I discovered "Pickle Ball"....it's played on an indoor court and is a cross between ping pong and tennis. I really hate exercising but love sports...the Texas heat makes it really hard to play some of my favorite outdoor sports...soccer, golf and tennis. This seemed a perfect way to get a little exercise, relieve a little stress and enjoy myself.... I even got my "super golfer" husband involved.  Great, we can spend a little fun time together. Then it happened, he was going for a shot and fell like a plank....broke his hip and had to have it replaced.  It's a tough recovery time so we are still working on it...slowly.

                                                             Nick Nack Paddy Whack
                                                        "Moustachio House" on Canvas

     In the meantime I had been helping friend and fellow artist Suzanne McNeill-Sparks open her new Art Gallery and Studio of Creative Arts in Arlington, Texas. The goal was to host her grand-opening in conjunction with Fall Gallery Night , a wonderful art evening involving galleries in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Suzanne had invited me to include my "Moustachio Houses" in the gallery opening....really exciting but I needed to get some more work done on them. Luckily, I have a home studio...so I did a little art work and went to check on the hubby...then back to a little art work. It's finally done and I am ready for the opening.

                                                                    "Holy Moly"
                                        "Moustachio House" on Watercolor Paper with Collage

                                                                        "Wesley"
                                                   "Moustachio House" on Watercolor Paper

     Suzanne's studio will also be home to some great classes and workshops taught by Suzanne, myself and some fabulous artists. There will be open studio days and art journal days too, where you can come and learn as well as share with fellow artists. I am really excited about this new art venue in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and hope to see some of you in classes and hopefully on September 7th for the grand-opening. Here is a link to the list of classes and workshops offered. Come have fun with us!!

Moustachio Houses in Somerset Gallery

     I adore the Somerset publications...I subscribe to several and purchase individual copies of many of the others. Wish I could afford to subscribe to everyone!! So I was thrilled when they accepted some of my art for one of their publications. Two of my "Moustachio Houses" were included in the Summer issue of Somerset Studio Gallery. By the way ...page 138 "Ooh La La" and page 139 "Zany Tears" for those who have this issue. I sent the art for a "whimsical challenge" and they decided to use it in the Gallery instead. Somerset has tons of requests for art.....take a big leap and go for it. You never know when you will be accepted...and it's so much fun to see your work in a popular magazine.

 

                                                                      "Ooh La La"

     I will also being showing "Moustachio Houses" on Gallery Night here in Fort Worth...so I am frantically working on more...more...more. Never been much of one to focus on one subject but I am having lots of fun with these little guys.

  

                                                                       "Zany Tears"

     These are on approx. 11"x 15" watercolor paper...collage, paint, mark making...love paint pens for a really glossy black. I have also done a few on canvas and smaller watercolor paper...as well as canvas made from recycled, gessoed envelopes....one of my favorite surfaces. Since I have had rubber stamps made from some of the images I am going to do some cards as well....just need to come up with some funny sentiments. I'm not so good at that!! Even my journals are more visual than wordy.

More Zentangle Mustache Love

     I have lots and lots of the Strathmore Visual Journals, my favorite is the 5 1/2" x 8" Mixed Media Journal. A perfect carry around size, works great for my Zentangle® art, Inktense pencils, colored pencils or simply sketching. The Strathmore Visual Journals are also available in 90lb and 140lb watercolor paper. Both papers are a little thicker and great for watercolors, I don't like them as much for Zentangle drawings because the Micron pens I use don't seem to hold up as well on the rougher paper.

 

Preliminary sketch with circles, mustaches, eyes and eyebrow. 

 

 This is a fun exercise I did in my Strathmore Mixed Media Journal using circle templates and hand-drawn Zentangle mustaches.