The wonderful Amy at butterscape.blogspot.com is hosting a blog hop where we have to brag about ourselves and have a giveaway (the much easier part!). Amy's talent and unique personality are impossible to miss on her blog, so do yourself a favor and check it out if you never have...Oh, and prepare to laugh so hard you pee yourself just a little...
Okay, the bragging.....*squirm*.... well, I've only been at this art thing a few years... I always thought there were artists, and then the rest of us....the artists were the ones whose talent was obvious since they were young, the people who "could" paint or draw, as opposed to the rest of us who couldn't. I always managed to find creative outlets, which I didn't really consider "art". But a few years ago a fortunate set of circumstances caused me to buy a few stamps, and buy a copy of Stampers Sampler. This then lead me to buy an issue of Somerset Studios in which I discovered mixed media art, and I've never looked back. I have a full-time job, so my time is limited, but I try to make the most of it. And it's changed my life.
Oh yeah, the bragging... Well, I will pretty much try anything. If I see something that intrigues me, I will find a way to try it, even if I don't have the correct supplies. A piece covered in beeswax? Saw it, tried it, loved it. Actual encaustic painting? Saw it, tried it, loved it. .... Working with plaster? Drawing a face? Well, you get it... I'm always insecure about it, but there's just nothing to lose by trying...
Ummm....I am absolutely loyal to those I love, I don't judge, and I can make people laugh...
Okay, that's all I got....whew....
To me, joy is realizing that I really love a piece that I'm working on.... Here's a few I've made that I love, not necessarily for their technical perfection or anything, but because they represented a progression for me that made me happy...
Okay, the giveaway... it will be this cracked plaster on burlap on canvas piece below, and it's 10" x 8". The "A" is a wonderful vintage find that I found difficult actually using (always an isue for me). In order to win, just leave a comment, and either have come from Amy's blog, or go there (trust me...) And please let me know if you'd actually like to receive the giveaway - I don't want to send it to someone who already has more art than they know what to do with! I will pick the winner at random next week.
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, now go check out the rest!
me me me! I love your cracked plaster piece. not only would I like to hang it on my wall, I want to examine it from every angle and sniff it and touch it and figure out how the heck you did it. and i know what you mean about not wanting to use the awesome stuff in your stash. because if I use it I won't have it anymore. but if I don't use it it will just sit in the bottom of a big shoebox full of crap waiting for the "perfect piece" that never comes along. and of all the wonderful pieces you showed us, I am particularly smitten with the fourth one down - with the number 14 at the top and the winged guy with the doily on his head. good job bragging!
ReplyDeleteHey! I found you through Amy's blog hop. Your artwork is beautiful and I'd love to hang that artwork in my house!
ReplyDeleteWoo - you are too modest - I love both your art & your attitude to have a go at anything & everything - I'm following you now so prepare to be stalked! Yes PLEASE count me in Mr Randomizers draw - & the loyalty bit - that rocks :)
ReplyDeleteIt feels good to finally own up to your talents, doesn't it?! The day I started calling myself an artist was such a freeing one!
ReplyDeleteI think your work is just beautiful! I'm particularly smitten with the hot air balloon piece....and I would be honored to have your wonderfully crackled yumminess adorning my walls :)
I have more art than I know what to do with...but I still want yours :D Lovely to meet you Terri...and I'm also one of the people who loves to just jump in and have ago..'swhat arts all about right? I love the Elizabethan lady you made from the lace piece...awesome! :D XXX
ReplyDeleteYou are very talented and I adore your art. :) I would definitely love to win. :)
ReplyDeleteI believe your soul was leaving the best for last. Your art is magnificent ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour work is beautiful and for only doing it for a few years, very impressive. I would LOVE a piece to own! I have never tried wax or encaustic, i love texture but don't use it in my art much, not sure why really, scared i guess.
ReplyDeleteHi Terri
ReplyDeleteI visited Amy's blog......don't think I'll be joining in but I'd love to have your giveaway reside on my wall!
Karen
"I love, not necessarily for their technical perfection or anything, but because they represented a progression for me that made me happy"
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the single most important thing in art... that it makes you happy, technically perfect or not!
Love the textures and colors on the cracked plaster piece... going to have to try that myself!
YAY! You did it! AND YES PLEASE!!!! I would be honored to have this in my home!
ReplyDeleteLove the pieces you showed us - and your portrait is gorgeous! xoxo!
Cracked burlap on plaster *LOVE*!!! I would ADORE this in my home. I enjoyed your squirmy bragging :o)
ReplyDeleteI'm off to Amy now.............
xxx
Ooh I love love love your pieces (especially that scrummy giveaway). The Queen with the bird's nest on her head gave rise to most thought though. How did it happen? Did she sit so long that they built it there thinking she was a tree? Or, did she threaten to chop off their heads unless they moved in? Was she trying to cover up a bald patch??
ReplyDeleteLove your art, love your post, love the cracking you did. Thanks for sharing your story, bragging can be so much fun !
ReplyDeletecount me in and stop at my blog when you find a minute :)
YEA! Let's hear it for "see it, try it, love it" girls!!! I'm glad I'm one of them, too. Makes life so much more interesting, doesn't it? Yes, yes, yes, I want your art. All of it.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. I've always envied artists for their creativity and talents. But I'm like you: I like trying new things. And I started drawing... a little shaky in the beginning, but now I'm happy about what I have reached. I always thought I wasn't able to draw... :))
ReplyDeleteYour works are amazing!
I was impressed with your art journey. It is similar to mine, since I will also try anything, even though I OFTEN don't have the right supplies. Of course, I love how you describe yourself, too. My kind of "friend."
ReplyDeleteYes, please DO enter me in the giveaway. I am in total AWE of your art. I can't draw for anything, so you are a breath of fresh air.
I know how you feel! I always thought that in order to be an artist you had to be born with the ability to draw. It wasn't until recently that I too found multi-media and art journaling. I fell in love and the rest is history! I am now an assistant at an art school and the owner has taught me so much. He's the one that told me art is learned and that anyone can do it with the right training. Anyways, I love your piece for the giveaway. Both of my girls names begin with A, so it would be a wonderful piece for me to win....plus it's just beautiful! Definitely want to win this one!
ReplyDeleteWhat stunning art! I know what you mean about loving a piece of your work because of its journey- that journey can be pure magic for me. It's a great bonus if I like the finished piece too. Please count me in for the giveaway -that is one incredible piece of art!
ReplyDeletewait. whoa. after looking at your art i'm amazed that you'd have any trouble bragging. it's amazing.
ReplyDeletei mean that.
i have to nod along with what you wrote - i always marvel at the artists who have always been artists or have that natural confidence in what they do.
i am like you - i sort of stumbled onto things and had to convince myself i'd do okay at this.
i guess stamping sort of eases a lot of us into mixed media art, doesn't it? i don't normally buy sommerset studios, but i did this month and i read an article on how so many of us start out with stamps and then see a blurb or an article in with our stamping blogs or magazines and then...
well, you know the rest.
your work is really something.
i really like that you'll try nearly anything. that's not always easy is it?
but sometimes i guess it's way harder Not to try anything.
okay. frankly i'd totally die to have your plaster piece. i'm so freaking over the moon about it that i'll stop short of begging you.
forgive me for being late to visit around. my weekend went to shit!
xxa
this is gorgeous..have not tried many technique's like you have..I would love to try them..hopefully some day I can ..I would love to learn encaustic or beeswax
ReplyDeleteYES, I would love a chance to win..I don't have enough art..I never do..I'm an art hoarder! LOL
Thanks for having me on your blogsite.
Wow, Terri - I haven't stopped by recently as my computer has been away to the computer hospital being fixed - I've had to fight for every minute I've been given on my husbands computer! You've been so busy since I last popped by - these art works are fabulous - I am so in love with the one with butterflies, and I love the one with the watch parts and the one with the cracked plaster background is stunning. Really great work and I love the interesting techniques you use.
ReplyDeleteThank you for you lovely comments when you visit my blog - they are always so appreciated.