The Basin and the Towel and Duke Divinity School.

I have posted several times about this painting, but I thought I would share some info about the latest way that is was used. I was contacted by Duke Divinity School about using it as the basis for a photo collage for their "2013 Convocation & Pastors’ School: Renewing the Church". I was delighted to give my permission and impressed with the results.

If you are interested in reading more; check out the link below.

Duke Divinity School

My painting, "on the cover of a magazine".

Just received this in the mail. The latest issue of "Ministry & Liturgy" magazine featuring my "Basin & Towel" watercolor painting on the cover. There is one more thing in the works for this painting. I am delighted that since I painted this in 2007 there has been some renewed life for it and that other people are getting to see and enjoy it.

“Bouquet of Art” Miniatures

Here are my two entries in the “Bouquet of Art” Miniature show at Washington Square Art Gallery. They be sponsoring an exhibit for all Holland Friends of Art members during the month of June, 2012. Both of these paintings are watercolors and approximately 3 x 4" in size. The Washington Square Art Gallery is located at 453 Washington Avenue here in Holland, Michigan.

Tulips!!!

Today is the final day of Tulip Time, 2012, here in Holland, Michigan or as everyone has dubbed it this year, "Stem Fest, 2012". The weather here in Michigan has been unseasonably warm all year and the tulips started blooming in March. Honestly, they lasted a lot longer than I thought they would and they were beautiful. Unfortunately, they were almost all gone by the time our festival started.

However, it is also the day before Mother's Day and I decided to paint some blank greeting cards for the moms. There are twenty tulip cards here, two of each ten designs. I hope they like them. I had to paint like a maniac since the cards didn't come in until Wednesday afternoon.

I thought if I grouped them all together like this, it would almost look like one of the tulip lanes here in town.

Happy Tulip Time and Happy Mother's Day to all mothers traditional and otherwise!

A new painting.

It's been a long time since I've painted anything. There, I said it. It's not like I'm not doing anything creative though. I've been reading and knitting (a lot) and making some cards, but I haven't been painting, unless you count painting my son's bedroom. So, about two weeks ago, I had motivation to finish a painting for the Holland Friends of Art Members show. I work better with a deadline, an empty frame complete with a mat already cut, a blank sheet of watercolor paper and no excuses. I must admit I was a little nervous. What was I going to paint? How would it turn out? Would it be done in time for the show? I selected a photo that I took several years ago near Asheville, North Carolina and dove in. I am happy with how it turned out. Not completey, but I am my worse critic. The best part is that I really enjoyed the process and am looking forward to the next piece. I might even have to place an order for more paper and a couple of more tubes of paint.

By the way, the Sky Scarf is going well and I'll post an update on or about February 1. Stay tuned.

On the First Day of Christmas...

I get together every few months or so with a few women that I took an ATC (Artist Trading Card) class with. A couple of years ago, we decided to exchange handmade ornaments of some sort for Christmas. This year, I decided to get back to making ATCs and make everyone a set of ATCs in a booklet of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It's not exactly an ornament, though I think you could hang them on a tree either individually or as a set. It was fun making them, but a lot of work.

The ATCs are based on a set of the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments I have. They are from the House of Hatten and designed by Denise Calla. My mom bought me several of them awhile back for Christmas when she was working at Miller Creek Folk Art gallery here in Holland. Sadly, that gallery closed and the ornaments are no longer made, so I've had to complete the set from purchases on Ebay.

I started by doing line drawings of each ornament and reducing them to ATC size (2 1/2 x 3 1/2). Then I copied them onto watercolor paper and painted them. Then I spray mounted them to a sheet of cover stock and cut them out. I put each one into a plastic protector and hole punched them in the corner. They are attached with colorful ball chain purchased from a hardware store with some colorful yarn.

December activity

It's been a LONG time since my last entry. I've just been so addicted to the rapid release of Facebook; but I really miss blogging, so here it is.

The right mitten to match the left that I started ages ago is almost done (see photo above). Gotta finish that before I start ANYTHING else. I hate unfinished projects! It may be done today at lunch or tonight at Jarod's Tae Kwon Do lesson.

On the subject of Jarod and Tae Kwon Do. Jarod will test on January 10 to be accepted to Black Belt camp classes at Chan's Martial Arts. He will then be taking Black Belt classes twice a week in addition to his regular twice a week class; that will make four classes a week! I'll keep you posted on this.

The Christmas cards are out and the presents are wrapped. Never did any projects out of that Christmas magazine; though I suppose there is still time. I may have to look that over tonight (yes, after the mitten knitting). There were some darling Candy Cane holders that I wanted to make. Still have four or five of the fabric hearts left that I may give out as small gifts. Not sure if I like them well enough anymore to gift them to anyone.

(Hanna, Don't read this next part if you haven't received and opened my gift.)

Finished the knitted leg warmers for the Free People swap. They turned out super cute! Gonna have to make myself a pair; just cast on five stitches for one of them this morning. I'm going to knit both at once again; that worked out really good. You don't get one done and then still have to knit the other. I want to knit one or two more pairs of wristlets; one for me one for a friend. I want to add thumbs to at least one of them; so the fit will have to be more exact. Ooh ooh ooh and I still want to knit that shawl out of Noro Silk Garden. Yes, even with my stash I may have to buy some more yarn. Online though, since the local store that sells Noro is staffed with screamin' meanies.

Got a commission yesterday to paint three dalmations for someone I did a dog painting for several years ago (See "Dusty" above.). But I really have to clean up my studio in preparation for that. Not sure when I'll get the photos to start. Does God have to speak so loudly to me sometimes?

Here it is!

I think I mentioned awhile back that my new watercolor painting was going to be of a scene at Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia; but I ended up doing this one first, which I believe is "Woods Island" on Prince Edward Island. I know for sure it's Prince Edward Island and it's right by where the ferry docks, but I'm not 100% sure of the name of the place, that just sticks in my head.

A quick check in...

I dropped all of my paintings off at the RCA office in Grand Rapids this past Tuesday morning. Feels nice to have them out of my basement and up someplace where someone will see and maybe enjoy them. There were six large pieces and three small ones.

The scales at Weight Watchers yesterday said that I have lost one more pound. Not as great as I would like; but it's one more gone and after eating all that great food on Friday night, I should be thankful that it was a one pound loss.

We are getting ready for our vacation next week. I'm trying to do some "mental rehearsing" for what I'm going to eat while I'm there and how I'm going to get through two weeks until a weigh in and still have a loss. Appears I'm going to have to psych myself up...

Like I said, we are getting ready for our vacation next week. We have rented a cottage on Beaver Island. We will be taking the bikes. We all have paniers and will be loading them up with our clothes etc. We are also each taking a small backpack.

Check back on Monday, August 11. I'll be back to work and should have pictures and more up then.

Wooden Bracelet

I bought this wood bracelet at Michael's the other day. They had them in their ad. I wood burned the design on it and filled it in with watercolor then coated it with some kind of triple thick, clear coating. I thought it turned out pretty well.

"New post" day and other news.

I haven't posted anything is quite awhile, so instead of spreading all these posts out over several days, I decided to share everything at once.

Please check out my "other" blog for a couple of new paintings too. There is an ATC sized one from a beach on PEI and one of "Lulu" that was done for a gift. I've started painting again since I've got a lot of photo reference material from our trip last summer to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. I have a piece of 300# watercolor paper stretched on a board and will start the preliminary drawing soon. The photo I'm working from is the one from an earlier post of these lobster shacks on PEI (Prince Edward Island).

And...This Saturday, June 7 is DRAWING DAY! See the link to the right for more details. I'll be drawing in a Moleskine that I bought months ago and haven't touched because it's all nice and new and clean. But now I have this new idea (new to me at least) that I'm not going to save my sketchbooks, I'm going to USE them! What good are they if they are kept on the shelf?

Coffee cozies and current projects

I came across this pattern for felted coffee cozies a little while back and with the help in the form of donated scrap wool yarn from a co-worker friend, I now have three done. They are so cute and the colors are great! Can't wait to use them myself. No burnt fingers from too hot cups and sometimes my coffee shop doesn't give them out. I really like the feel good idea of reusing these instead of throwing out the paper ones all the time too.

On a side note, I finally got my scrapbooking done! Last night! Current through May 16 too! Projects are finishing up. I've still got two scarfs in the works and would love to have mittens done before winter hits again; but I really have to start painting again. I seem to have lots of excuses to keep from starting again. It's just been a long time and maybe I'm a little afraid to see how rusty I've gotten with the paint brush. I really would love to show some new work too. If you want inspiration check out Suzi Blu's videos on youtube or her blog.

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

I haven't posted in awhile and was feeling like I wanted to get something new out there. These are a couple of pictures from Peggy's Cove, NS. Last summer (August, 2007), we drove to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It was an incredible trip! I was there when I was seven years old with my family and it was great to take my husband and nine year old son and see it all again. We hit a lot of the same places and took lots of pictures. This is a trip I would do again in a heart beat!

Currently, I'm trying to get two and a half years worth of photos into an album. When I'm done with that chore; I use some of these Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island photos for a new series of watercolor paintings. I haven't painted in quite awhile and miss it. I've been doing lots of other mixed media, cards, scrapbooking, etc. recently. When I was painting a lot; it really showed. I'd love to do outdoor art fairs again, so I really need to work on my inventory.

My "Other" Blog - art, color, & water.

Gosh, not hardly a week into this whole blogging adventure and I've already started a second blog. This one is to showcase my original watercolors and drawings. This is the more "highbrow" KayakChickee! LOL. Anyway, check it out at http://www.artcolorwater.blogspot.com/ or see the "My Original Art" link on the right.

I sold a painting!

I have a couple of paintings hanging on the second floor in the new Zeeland Hospital. They have been there for about three years since the new hospital opened. Well, I sold one! I was so excited! I haven't sold a painting in years. The one that sold is of a single tree reflected in the water and it was titled "The Great Dismal Swamp". The picture was in watercolor and done from photos taken in Virginia. I can't locate a photo of that painting, but I thought I would include this one of Laketown beach. Having sold a painting gives me new inspiration to perhaps start painting again. I hung another in place of the "swamp" picture titled "The Badlands" which is another watercolor of, what else, the Badlands of South Dakota.