Entry for Nibblefest's February Theme 'Domestic Animals'

I did it....!

My February 2013 Nibblefest Art Contest Entry (8 x 6)

I got my Nibblefest Art Contest entry finished in time yesterday, and was able to upload and enter it into the contest last night as a 5 Day listing.  So glad the rules allow for some wiggle room, because sometimes you just need it....

 Auction Link HERE 

Speaking of 'wiggle', I think it's pretty clear the subject matter of my entry this time around -- not a lot of need for lengthy descriptions!  Though I will say, as usual, when this month's theme "Domestic Animals" didn't conjure up a lot of promising ideas for me otherwise, I went looking to my usual 'musical influences' default fall-back.  "Domestic Animals" made me naturally think of 'dogs'...... -- so, just how many 'dog' references can you think of in popular music?    Probably a good many, but the very first one to come to my mind was the classic early rock ditty, "Hound Dog".   Besides, I've been fishing for an excuse to paint Elvis -- always fun to tackle those much beloved, iconic historical faces.  And ayway I figure one just can't go wrong with The King.....

The following is my auction description:

"Ain't Nothin' But...."

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for February being 'Domestic Animals') is a 5-Day auction for an original acrylic painting on an 8 x 6 found, flat wooden plaque.  "Aint Nothin' But...." is signed and ready to hang.

..........

Regular bidders will know I love looking toward musical influences for inspiration when casting about for monthly Nibblefest theme ideas.  Reflecting upon "Domestic Animals" this month made me think of 'dogs'.  'Dogs' made me think of 'hounds'.  And 'hounds' naturally made me think of.... ELVIS!   (Really, how could I resist...???)

...........

Note that this also officially constitutes my Faces #13 and #14 of the '29 Faces' Challenge  -- never mind that I have fallen so hopelessly behind by now, I'm still aiming to catch up.  Or try to at least......!

Sick.....

.....and how.   

I've been waylaid by The Flu since last week, and ay carumba, has it ever been a doozy.  Fevers, chills, aches/pains, dizzy spells, congestion, the works....!  Fortunately though I see light at the end of the tunnel (and without too many spots before my eyes now, thank goodness) in that I can actually sit upright today for extended periods of time, so I guess that's progress.  Unfortunately it does however now mean I have fallen crazy behind in pretty much all areas of life.  It's amazing how just a few consecutive days of unplanned (and unwanted) 'rest' can throw everything out of whack!  I'm so woefully backlogged with the '29 Faces' Challenge by this point I'm wondering how I can ever catch up -- not to mention my beloved Nibblefest Art Contest starting tomorrow, the 20th (February's theme: 'Domestic Animals').  I haven't missed a month of the Contest in a very long time, but sadly this is one I might have to sit out.   Oh well, whatever the case, it's very good to be back among the land of the living again -- very grateful for that and for my good health in general!  Something I never want to take for granted.

Thanks so much everyone for all the comments and positive feedback that I've been receiving, I really and truly appreciate it!  Good luck with all your Faces, everyone -- hopefully I'll be returning soon to my regularly-scheduled 'same old, same old' routine, including more Faces of my own.....

Day 8 of the '29 Faces' Art Challenge: More Student Work

It's the 8th Day of the '29 Faces' February 2013 Art Blog Challenge, with the first week officially behind us (and let me tell you, if the next few weeks cruise as crazy quickly as this past one did, this month will FLY by).....

If you've been following my Challenge progress, you will know I started my 29 Faces exactly a week ago with a 'face' that wasn't actually my own, but was a self portrait by my private art student's.   As of this afternoon another student finished HER self portrait that she'd been working on under my instruction for the past number of weeks, which I am very pleased and proud to share today as 'my' #8 Face:

Another beautiful self-portrait by my art student, as completed today.

As with my student's portrait from last week, this student has been patiently painting her self portrait under my guidance for the past number of weeks, taking direction/suggestions thoughtfully, and approaching her project with consideration and care.....,

Self Portraits in Progress -- laying down color

.....resulting in another really lovely and expressive work of art.....!   

Very proud of my talented and capable young students....

Another lovely 11 x 14 Student Self Portrait....!

Day 7 of the '29 Faces' February Challenge: "Frida"

My Face for Day 7 of the '29 Faces' February 2013 Art Blog Challenge:

"Frida" on a 3" x 4" wood plaque

Guess it was a 'Frida' sort of day today.  Using another one of those funny little, 2nd-hand wooden plaques that I've amassed over the years, I realized I really didn't feel like thinking too terribly much this afternoon.   Plus I figure you can never go wrong with Friday Kahlo (in fact I think it's safe to say you'll likely see more of lovely visage in here before the month is through).....

For size reference:

Photographed (in really bad lighting) with a quarter for size reference

'The Bronte Sisters': Day 6 of the '29 Faces' Feb 2013 Challenge

So it's been a couple of days since I last posted, but no worries -- with this post I'm all up to date with my Faces for the "29 Faces Challenge".  Since Monday I've been working on this piece with three figures for my Faces #4, #5, and #6.   And so we have here my own little tribute to the ever talented, but ever tragic, Bronte Sisters....:

Anne, Emily and Charlotte:  'The Bronte Sisters',  a 3.5 x 4 original painting

A little backstory..... years ago I picked up this funny wee wooden plaque at a charity sale.  As I've written before, I like to reuse the old frames, plaques, found wood and such like that cross my path from time to time.  This shapely little piece of wood, with its tantalizingly curvy contours, was actually originally painted in such a way as to suggest a rudimentary 'slice of bread'.  Can you see that in those indented sides...?  If I recall there was possibly even a quote on it -- maybe 'Give us this day our Daily Bread', or something like that.  In any event, I brought it home with me with the intention of recycling it for my own purposes.  But, the diminutive proportions.  And that odd shape...!   I was stumped for ideas.  And so I did what I always do when I'm stumped for ideas.  I set the funny little plaque aside.  Outta sight/outta mind....,

Photographed with a quarter, for size reference....

....that is, until I was assembling potential painting supports for this '29 Faces' Challenge.  Digging around, I pulled out the long-forgotten, oddly-shaped plaque, and was trying to figure how I might ever make use of it, when it occurred to me that I was actually seeing potential "necks" and "heads" in those curvy contours.  Why hadn't I realized that before?  Thinking on it further, I decided there was actually room on the plaque for THREE faces in all -- but..., of whom?  Just three random faces....?   Not terribly interesting.   Until it popped into my head:  3 faces.... 3 sisters.... but of course!  The Bronte girls: Anne, Emily and Charlotte -- sisters, poets and novelists, all.....

Left Side, with the painting continued onto the sides, as you can see.....

Anne Bronte:  (17 January, 1820 – 28 May, 1849), author of
'Agnes Grey' and 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'

Emily Bronte:  (30 July, 1818 – 19 December, 1848), author of
'Wuthering Heights'

Charlotte Bronte:  (21 April, 1816 – 31 March, 1855), author of
'Jane Eyre'

Right Side

The Brontes were a talented lot, but it wasn't an easy life.  Losing their mother at a very young age to disease, losing two elder sisters to disease, dealing with a troubled alcoholic brother, and enduring sexism galore (cultural norm at the time) in regards to their publishing, they then each went on to get sick in their 20's and 30's and enter early graves themselves.  But happily not before leaving behind a body of work that remains much beloved and classic reading to this day....

View from the Top

View from the Bottom

(My usual little blurbie about using recycled materials in my art:

I have recently begun painting almost exclusively on supports I create myself utilizing the old, salvaged wooden picture frames, found wood and plaques that cross my path from time to time (often for free). I feel good about giving these unwanted homeless items a second life, not only because trees were cut down at some point to produce them, but also because by the time I get my hands on them they are usually destined for the landfill.)

Rest in Peace, Anne, Emily and Charlotte

Faces #2 and #3 of the '29 Faces' February Art Challenge

Faces #2 and #3 of the '29 Faces' February Art Blog Challenge

A guest art journal entry I painted in the 9 x 13 art journal of one of my students,
featuring Faces #2 and #3 of the Challenge

Celestial Art in general, and anthropomorphic celestial bodies in particular, has long been among my favorite subject matter.   In winter time especially, when we here in the Midwest are subjected to endless days of cold and gray, there is little I find more stimulating and optimistic than painting a cheerful and bright Sunny face.  And so when I sat down last night to create a one-page guest entry in the personal art journal of one of my art students (a project I've blogged about before), while hearing the icy wind whipping around the corners of the house and blowing the powdery snow around, I couldn't resist 'whipping' up a warm and happy sun of my own.  Plus it appears a Moon sneaked in there as well (being as that it was night time I couldn't very well leave him out) -- fun times!  Such a hoot in fact that you will likely be seeing more Celestial faces from me before this month-long Challenge is through.  In any event, in addition to catching myself up with Faces, here's hoping I managed to create a memorable piece of art as a keepsake for my young student to always remember me by....

29 Faces Art Challenge -- The February 2013 Edition

The "29 Faces Art Challenge" for February 2013

Who remembers when I participated in this internet-wide art blog Challenge last year....?

I actually did so twice.  The first was exactly a year ago, in February.  Being a Leap Year, Ayala, of Ayala's Art, proposed marking the event with a Challenge to the art blogging world....to create a Face for every day of the month.   It was an appealing concept -- and so I did it: 29 Faces, in 29 days (whew!).  The schedule was tight at times, and I do recall a lot of late nights.  But it was a great exercise for me, not to mention how pleasant it was to cruise the Challenge blogs and meet new and interesting folks.  So much so in fact, I even managed to talk myself into participating a 2nd time, when, by popular demand, thanks to the the success of the first Challenge, Ayala instigated a repeat of the 29 Faces Challenge for the month of May -- and I couldn't resist signing on (again). 

For last February's Challenge, I blogged extensively about the personal focus of mine at the time -- the intention to properly finish up a whole gaggle of partially completed art projects that were piled up around here collecting dust (goal met!).  For last May's Challenge, my time was primarily focused on a large art journal project I was working on, whereby I painted guest entries into the homemade art journals of my private art students (goal met!). Despite all the time it took to paint/photograph/upload/blog every single day (and it was indeed VERY time consuming), both February and May were productive months, and the effort well spent.

This time around....?   No particular plans.  Instead, I intend to keep my approach and participation for this round decidedly more casual.  The whole point of this exercise is supposed to be light-hearted and fun, so I'll try to keep it so -- doing my best to keep up of course (but also knowing that falling behind here and there wont spell the end of the world), and with no over-thinking (as my friends know I am wont to do), and no pressure.... 

So stay tuned -- and let the 29 Faces begin....!

A Front Page Feature on EBSQ's Website.....

A Screenshot of the EBSQ webpage, featuring my 'To Kill a Mockingbird' guest art journal entry as their Book Arts gallery cover image.....

I was so pleasantly surprised today, when making my daily visit to the EBSQ website, to discover a piece of mine being featured on their front page....! Regular readers may recall my participation in the internet-wide '29 Faces' artist's challenge this past May, and how a goodly chunk of my own challenge Faces were guest entries I painted within the journals of my private art students as inspired by classic literature we had read.  And so it appears that EBSQ is highlighting their Book Arts gallery this month, with a cropped pic of the journal entry I painted based upon the characters Scout and Calpurnia in 'To Kill a Mockingbird") as the cover/link image.  Cool...! 

I'm grateful to be included -- lovely of them to do so, plus I'm appreciating how nicely the warm tones of my piece on the far right and the other two displayed paintings all complement each other on the page.  In any case I definitely did a double take when I spied it there -- thank you kindly, EBSQ.....!

Faces #28 and #29 of '29 Faces' -- WIP, But Challenge Completed!

WIP Art Journal Entry, as based on the story, 'Babette's Feast'

My Faces #28 and #29 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.  Yay, I did it -- another whole month of Faces.....!

The above is my WIP guest art journal entry, as per my Student Art Journal Project.   I began this earlier in the month as a two-page horizontal spread as inspired by the story, 'Babette's Feast', but had only gotten as far as the portrait of Babette, on the left.  I have now included her two employers, an elderly pair of sisters, Martine and Philippa, on the right.  Martine and Philippa are Danish spinsters who are surprised to find the Frenchwoman, Babette, arrive on their doorstep one night.  A refugee from the French revolution, Babette seeks safe harbor.  The sisters, who live in simplicity in a remote village, are at first reluctant to take on a domestic servant, especially a stranger.  And yet over the years they grow to depend on Babette, while never asking questions about her mysterious past.  After many years they discover Babette's secret, that she is a chef of rare talent, when she uses her winnings in a lottery to put on a full-on French repast the likes of which the staid and conservative villagers have never before seen.  Here we see the sisters as they wait with some worry and trepidation about what they have agreed to accept -- just what exactly will this feast that Babette wishes to present to them entail....?  (I plan to add more detail later, so as of yet it's still a WIP -- but I'm posting it as is for now).....

Faces #26 and #27 of the Challenge: A Guest Art Journal Entry inspired by the book, 'A Passage to India'.....

Guest Art Journal Entry, as based on the book, 'A Passage to India'....

My Faces #26 and #27 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.  Almost there...!

As per my Student Art Journal Project, we have here the finished  journal entry that I began earlier this month, that was inspired by the book, 'A Passage to India'.  In the book, the character 'Adela', a young Englishwoman, travels to India during the era of British colonization, in order to visit her potential fiance who is working as an officer in the British government there.  Excited by the trip and itching to explore, she is disappointed to discover upon her arrival that most of her time is expected to be spent with her fellow English ex-pats within the confines of the little piece of England-within-India they have managed to recreate for themselves in their segregated compound, and which she finds terribly boring and dull.  She longs to see the 'real India', so she says.  A lawn party is arranged between the British ex-pats and some of the higher-up Indian officials and their wives -- but despite her efforts to be friendly she finds the cultural and social gap remains uncomfortably and awkwardly wide.  And yet Adela continues to lament her lack of 'adventure'.  That is, until she finally does get her much requested 'Indian adventure', only to have it all go really rather badly (to put it mildly).  Guess one needs to be careful about what one wishes for.....!

Faces #24 and #25 of 29 Faces: Another Guest Art Journal Entry Based on 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.....

Guest art journal entry, "Calpurnia and Scout", as inspired by the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird"

Today is the 29th of May.  As such, we are already at the end of the '29 Faces' May Challenge!  I am reeling to think of how quickly the month flew by.  Still, despite all the busy-ness, I am happy to report that I have mostly kept up with the challenge -- if not daily, at least in 'chunks'.  I will be posting the last of my 29 Faces tonight, and declaring my end of the Challenge officially at a close. 

And so above we have my Faces #24 and #25, as painted in another one of my student's art journals, as per my Student Art Journal Project.  For this student I painted a two page horizontal spread, my second guest entry based on the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (my first one for a different student was here)....

As I've mentioned before, "To Kill a Mockingbird" has to be one of my favorite books ever. Of the things that have always attracted me to the story, in addition to its absorbing plot, are its rich characters.  Among these include the youthful main protagonist, Jean Louise Finch, also known as 'Scout, and Calpurnia, her father's hired African American housekeeper (a la, 'The Help').  Her own mother having died when she was very young, Scout's primary mother figure is Calpurnia, known affectionately as 'Cal' to Scout and her brother, Jem.  Being raised by a sensitive and loving yet somewhat distracted single father, Calpurnia provides much guidance, discipline and authority to the children.  She does punish when she feels she has to, such as the time Jem invites an underprivileged classmate of Scout's home for lunch.  When Scout audibly expresses her disgust at this boy, who, in his enthusiasm at being presented a jar of syrup at the table, an apparently rare and delicious treat for him, proceeds to pour it all over his plate of food, Calpurnia gives Scout the the sound scolding she ddeserves  for having been rude to her guest.  And yet there is a very strong and lasting bond between the two.....

Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "Air", A Painting entilted "Wash Day" (And My #22 & #23 Faces of the '29 Faces' Challenge)....

Nibblefest Art Contest:  3.5 x 8 painting: 'Wash Day".....

The fourth of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"

(click for auction link)

We have here a painting entitled, "Faith in a Seed" and my entry for "Air".  It also happens to be my Faces #22 and #23 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.   (YESSSSS!!!  I am officially caught up!!!  Only 6 more Faces to go!)

The following is my auction description:

".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Wash Day' is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction.

This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Air'.

We don't own a working dryer.  By choice.  Years ago, when the heating element of our old, second hand dryer burned out, we just never bothered to get it fixed, or replaced.  I didn't use it that often anyway, preferring as I always have an old-fashioned clothesline.  Air drying clothes saves money and energy, besides the fact that you just can't beat that fresh, air-dried smell.  And so we have here a busy Mama and her little helper, on 'Wash Day' (unfortunately my own 'little helper' isn't nearly this cheerful when it comes to our clothesline.  She wants our dryer back.....!)

Nibblefest Art Contest entry, for 'Water': a painting called "Faith in a Seed" (Plus my #20 and #21 Faces of the '29 Faces' Challenge)

NIbblefest Art Contest: 3.5 x 8 painting, "Faith in a Seed"

The third of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"

(click for auction link)

This is a painting entitled, "Faith in a Seed",  and my entry for "Earth".  It also happens to be my Faces #20 and #21 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.

The following is my auction description:

"Faith in a Seed"**

".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Faith in a Seed' is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction.

This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Earth'.

I am a gardener, from a long line of gardeners.  Flowers, veggies, herbs, houseplants -- I can't say I'm the best at it, but digging in the dirt has been a source of enjoyment and satisfaction for me for much of my life.  Over the years I've tried to lovingly instill a passion for gardening within my own children (the planting of 'seeds', both literal and figurative), as my parents did with me .  Time will tell to see if it actually 'sticks', but I'm hopeful...."

_________

(**Some might recognize the title from the book by Henry D. Thoreau)

 

Nibblefest Art Contest Entry AND Face #19, "Bird Bath".....

Nibblefest Art Contest: 3.5 x 8 "Bird Bath".....

My second of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"
(click for auction link).

This is a painting entitled, "Bird Bath",  and is my entry for "Water".  It also happens to be my Face #19 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge (and no, I am not counting the bird faces, though I'll admit I was mighty tempted to...!).  So yes, plenty of overlap-age here, and to come.....

The following is my auction description: 

"....Bird Bath...."

".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Bird Bath is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction. 

This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Water'.

When contemplating 'Water', I happened to look outside my window to observe the bird bath in my yard.  It's always a hip-happening neighborhood spot in the Spring....." 
_________

So as mentioned in my previous post, I admit I struggled a bit with this month's theme, 'The Elements'. Ordinarily I adore working with themes, and having looked ahead and knowing this one was coming up, I had no reason to assume it would be any more challenging than any other month's theme.  In fact I at first figured it might even be easier.  However when it finally came down to the brass tacks, and I was trying to rustle up my concepts, the fact that there was sort of a "theme within a theme" thing happening here threw me off a bit.  Obviously, something like "The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air" was just asking for all four entries to be a cohesive 'set' in some way.  Being as that I do like to relate my subject matter to myself in personal and meaningful ways, I was having issues coming up with four interchangeable concepts that all could all somehow relate to one another.  It was easy enough to conjure up four very random ideas, which I initially did at first -- but conceptualizing the four 'separate but equal' ideas proved...a little harder.  And yet I managed -- a little late perhaps (5 Day auctions instead of 7), but hopefully not a dollar short as they say (being as that the bidding starts at just a buck, heh.....!).....

NIbblefest Art Contest: My Faces #17 & #18, "Moths to Flame"

"Moths to Flame", 3.5 x 8 painting

One of my four Nibblefest entries, entitled "Moths to Flame".....

The Nibblefest Art Contest rolls around yet again!  (Nibblefest being the fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition hosted via Ebay).  I got all hung up regarding the theme this month, indecisively puttering and plodding along, and ending up missing the official start day on the 20th.  I kept on working though, and have since been able to join the contest with 5 day auctions (thank goodness for that 2nd chance option!). The following is my "Moths to Flame" auction description:

"....This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Fire'.

When contemplating 'Fire', it brought to mind my own children.  When my kids were small, they were absolutely fascinated with fire.  Camp fires, cookouts, the gas stove, birthday candles -- ALL of it attracted my children, as I used to say, 'like moths to flame'.  And they could never seem to resist 'experimenting'.  For years  I would be given nice scented candles as gifts, but never felt comfortable burning them around the house because I knew in short order my kids would show up....to huff and puff upon the flame, to poke their little fingers into the melted wax, or tilt the candle to make the wax run or the flame flicker.  It was enough to drive me bananas!  I was just afraid they might hurt themselves.  Happily nowadays they are WELL over that particular stage in life, but I will never forget those long years of my own two little "moths"....."

It's true -- my dear son especially was a little (ok, a lot!) obsessed with fire when he was a youngster.  Not in an pathologically unhealthy way necessary...., but definitely in a drive-your-mama-crazy sort of way.  Let's just say that an ordinary campfire could keep him occupied and entertained for HOURS, heh.  (And I was always so bemused and jealous when I went to friends' homes and they had their scented candles lit and glowing while their own kids remained blissfully disinterested....!)....

In any case, I did streamline things this month by overlapping '29 May Faces', with 'Elements'.  Works for me....! 

(To see the four of MY Nibblefest entries, click here.  To see ALL of the Nibblefest 'Element' entries as entered this month, click here.  Nibblefest Art Contest: fine art starting at just .99 cents!)...

State of the Challenge: A Pile of Projects....

Faces in Progress

When I signed on to participate in the '29 Faces' May Challenge this month, I figured it had the potential to be dicey because I knew full well May was going to be a busy one.  And... I was right!  Community bike rides, back-to-back graduation parties, activities, never ending spring yard work and garden set up.  The month is FLYING by, and somehow I've managed to fall behind in the posting of my Faces yet again.  But oh well, it's not as though it's a competition in any way, and there are no 'rules'.  I just figure as long as I have all my 29 Faces painted and posted in some shape or form by the end of the month it will all  'count'....

The last time I blogged regarding the Challenge, I was on Face #16.  Today is the 22nd, so that's technically 5 Faces behind.  The photo above displays all kinds of Faces I currently have in progress (for a total of 12 to be exact) so happily I'm not behind in the painting of my Faces, only in the posting of my Faces.  Therefore when I blog later again today with some of my Nibblefest Art Contest entries (it officially began on the 20th, but thank goodness for 5-day auctions...!) I'll once again be all caught up (if not even a little ahead)....

Face #16 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge:

Art Journal Entry:  Mixed Media inspired by 'Great Expectations':  Pip and Miss Haversham

For my Face for Day 16 of the '29 Faces' Challenge, I am featuring here my completed tribute, as painted in my art student's art journal, to Charles Dickens' famous story, 'Great Expectations'.....

When I uploaded this previously, I had the portrait of Pip sorted out, but still had not made up my mind as to whether the female was the character of 'Miss Haversham', or that of her adopted daughter, 'Estella'.   Well, as anyone familiar with the story should be able to make out by now, 'Miss Haversham' turned out the victor....

Poor Pip.  An orphan raised in poverty by his abusive older sister, he falls under the influence of the neurotic but wealthy spinster, Miss Haversham.  Jilted by her fiance on her wedding day many years earlier, Miss Haversham never got over the trauma of being abandoned at the alter.  An eccentric recluse who refuses to wear anything other than her ancient, lacy wedding dress (or indeed to even clean up the decades-old, mouse-riddled remains of her uneaten wedding feast), Miss Haversham plots to get her revenge against all men by meticulously raising her beautiful adopted daughter, Estella, to become a reptilian-hearted man-hater.  Her evil grooming works.  Sadly, the befuddled Pip falls hopelessly in love with Estella, but goes on to have his heart pulverized when he realizes both  that (#1) Miss Haversham is NOT behind the anonymous funds he receives from a mysterious benefactor, as he had initially assumed (and she had allowed him to believe), and (#2) that Estella can't and will never return his affections.  Ouch!  Poor, poor Pip...!

And so I tried to portray the characters here by expression -- plus as you can see I had lots of fun with the mixed media (lots and lots of lace!)....

Face #15 for the '29 Faces' May Challenge: Another Art Journal Entry

Art Journal Entry: "Owlie"

My Face Number 15 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge (never mind that it is actually Day 17!  I'll get caught up by the end of the day, hopefully).....

Here we have another guest art journal entry, as per my personal project of creating a piece of art in the art journals of my students.   This particular piece was for a the journal of a 10 or 11 year old girl, and was just really painted all in good fun.  In seeking out something that could connect me personally with this student, I recalled one of her previous projects earlier in the year when I introduced the art of papier mache to the kids.  She had sculpted a cute little bird in a cartoony, caricature-like style.  I decided to follow her lead and create in her journal a funny little anthropomorphic bird of my own.  Meet "Owlie".....

Face #14 of the '29 Faces' Challenge -- Art Journal Entry Based on '1984': Finished!

Student Art Journal Guest Entry, as Inspired by the book, 1984

#14 Face for the '29 Faces' May Challenge (still catching up from recent computer issues!)......

For Face Number 14 we are revisiting my "1984" art journal guest entry once again ("1984" by George Orwell being a book that was read and very much liked by this student, as part of my literature class).  The first time I featured this page was back on Day 9, when I uploaded my work in progress at the time, the beginnings of a portrait of Winston Smith, the fellow on the right and main protagonist of the book.  Then it was featured again, for Face # 10, upon starting the portrait of 'Julia' (on the left),  political rebel and Winston's love interest.  Finally, we have the Face in the middle, my 14th.... featuring the icon known universally as 'Big Brother' within the repressive totalitarian society in which Winston and Julia live.  'Big Brother' is their dictatorial leader, all encompassing -- in fact one of the most prevalent party slogans that is constantly jammed down their throats is that "Big Brother is watching YOU....".  Nice, eh?

'Big Brother' appears here upon what's known in the book as a 'Telescreen', which, in the vaguely futuristic era in which they live, is sort of a combination of television and Skype.  The Telescreens are set up everywhere for citizens to receive non-stop political messages from the government, while they in turn are themselves watched and overheard via these ever-present monitors.  Everyone's behavior is being constantly observed, and noted.  There is no such thing as privacy, and no one is safe.

This last portrait was challenging to paint, only because of how I composed this two-page horizontal spread -- in that the fold of the book was EXACTLY smack in the middle of 'Big Brother's' face (oops!).  Made things sort of tricky mechanically -- but still, I think it somehow works.....

My progress pics:

Winston Smith, in progress....

Winston and Julia, in progress....

Face #13 of '29 Faces': A Mixed Media Art Journal Entry, Featuring 'Scheherazod'....

Face #13: A Guest Art Journal Entry for a student, featuring the heroine of 1001 Nights, the creatively intrepid 'Scheherazod'....

My Face #13 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge (though it is officially Day 16 -- just catching up here on my posting after falling behind thanks to computer dysfunctions)....

Continuing along regarding my project of creating guest entries in the art journals of my students, we have here a two-page, vertical spread featuring a colorful mixed media piece.  For this particular student, a middle school-aged girl who happens to be a hijab-wearing Muslim, I wanted to be sure to paint something for her that would be both respectful and culturally sensitive.  Being as that she and her mother were both taken with a Rock Person I once painted as an entry for an EBSQ exhibit, the theme of which was '1001 Nights', an idea popped into my head.  I had entered a little portrait of the famous "Scheherazod", painted on a wee rock that had been sitting about my studio for years (which went on to receive 'Patron's Mention' in the show) -- and later brought to art class to show my students.  Remembering what a hit it was with this particular student and her family, I decided to create a vibrant, mixed media art journal entry for her based on my little rock portrait....

My 'Scheherazod' painted rock:

Scheherazod, Wee Painted Rock Person

My 'Scheherazod' mixed media art journal portrait:

Scheherazod, art journal tribute portrait, her eyes lighting up as she spins yet another entertainingly complex tale....

I had a lot of fun with this one, adding as I did scraps of silver foil to her scarf in order to approximate the silver painted design that I used on my original painted rock:

Scheherazod's Back

(Too see more posts regarding my painted Rock People, click here....).