More Spring Flowers and Japanese Maples~

To the left you see the next Japanese maple I bought this year and is called, "AP Mikawa Yatsubusa". Is a very full understory tree. The one to the right is one I bought last year and is an "AP Wou Nishiki" and to the bottom right is a Chinese lantern plant.

This morning in between the rain storms, I captured these photo's of an very old Flowering Japanese Kwanzan Cherry tree just starting to flower, with a bit of Moss & Lichen on the side, for extra added interest. Spring is finally sprung...even if... a bit late. Photographs were taken on my NW Oregon Farm, with my Evolt 510 camera.

Art Forums ~

If you are looking for a good all around Art forum that has every medium and then some, look not farther than...

Wet Canvas
http://www.wetcanvas.com/

1st Angel


If you have a favorite Art forum, please let me know and I will post it.

Japanese Garden, a challenge!

It was time again, for the Portland Oregon Japanese Garden yearly sale.

Last year I basically couldn't walk after the accident and even with special help only got to the beginning of the Tree Sale area. Venders went out of their way to be kind and I lucked out in getting the Japanese Maple Filigree"". It was a grand prize. But I was not in any shape to go into the gardens.

All year I waited for this day again.

I am walking better..still limited in how much I can walk and using a Cane but it is soooo much better than last year. Not only did I get to walk down the area where the plants are for sale, I was able to make it into the gardens themselves.

Enjoyed walking and taking pictures in about 1/2 of the garden but was unable to handle the rest.....yet. Sadly the light was harsh and near impossible to get good photos but doing things my way... I tried anyway. You can see some of the photographs at my "Image Kind" online store.

Did end up with 2 Japanese maples.. a very large "AP Aoyagi" one of the taller upper story trees and the "AP Mikawa Yatsubusa". Will add photos soon.

Not only have I found my Art again,, I have started collecting Japanese maples. The Elegance, beauty, textures and colors makes this a wonderful tree for Artists or anyone else to collect.

If all you photographers want a challenge.. go to your local Japanese Gardens. From the lighting, heavy shade to glow in the dark sunlight flittering down between the trees. From the elegant seemingly simple designs of the garden in person, to finding from looking at your photos,,the designs are anything but simple. The layers of textures and depth is astounding. A true Challenge.

If you want to check out the Japanese Garden in this area...

http://www.japanesegarden.com/gardens/

Photos taken at the "Japanese Garden" in Portland, OR.

Kitten and Book update~

Little more done,,more depth to the books, getting the wood molding started, more shading and bit more on the kitten itself.
I added a close up picture again, so you can see the shading of the some of the books better.

Frames ~

Seems to be a big question for me. Finding good frames. Have gone to the larger Art supply places and while their frames for Digital photography are quite nice, their frames for other mediums leave a lot to be desired. Both for Canvas and watercolors.
I have searched on line and have not yet found anything I am looking for. .........................
Simple, classic, timeless, well made and made in the US, with American grown wood by someone born in the US. Everywhere I see,, are frames made in China, priced quite high, made with who knows what and not well made.
So if anyone out there has any information on Truly American made frames, please let me know and I will post their web site and info.

You would make a lot of Artists Happy!

Original Works for Sale ~

It is rare I offer originals for sale but I am offering 4 of them.

Two are Icelandic's and Two are the white horse's of France.

The price includes a white acid free Matt, a simple metal frame and free shipping in the lower 48 states.

To see the other pictures, please click on this link.

http://www.inkandbrushcreations.com/Ink___Brush_Creations.html

Spring Flowers & Snow?

*Today I wake up to snow, then hail, more snow...well you get the idea. It's spring for goodness sakes. However, there was a brief bit of sun shining from behind the clouds in the late afternoon. So I decided,,,yet again...to try to get some good pictures of the camelia's before the cold weather damaged them. They are a hard flower to photograph well.
Think I did a bit better this time. Also included a Rhodie from last year..and some thing I never thought I would see in person. Rainbow clouds...yes..am very serious,,, all along the Columbia River one day, up in the sky of course..were these beautiful Rainbow clouds. Hard to photograph but well worth the try.

Because of the weather... I did get to work on my Kitten and Books painting. Guess there really is a silver lining.

Motorcycle WIP

This is the Yamaha Motorcycle Pen & Ink with watercolor pencil wash I did, not to long ago. Took a little over 6 months to finish. Sadly some of the stages were lost when one of my computers died. But this will give you some idea what is involved.
First stage is penciling in,, this can take me a lot of time because of the detail and making sure I get the balance.
Then the start of Ink and then many layers of Ink and wash.

Mediums and paper I use~

I had someone ask me what supplies do I use and recommend for painting?

For the Ink...........I use both ink & brush- India waterproof ink and Pens. The pens I prefer are the "Sakura's Pigma Micron Pen" with permanent, waterproof, pigmented ink, in sizes 005 and 01 and for finer work, the "Copic Multiliner" 0.03 Pen.

The best watercolor pencils I have used to date are the "Derwent Watercolour Pencils". Thay can be used dry or wet, on the paper or with a brush.

Paper is just important, maybe even more important than the mediums one uses. When I first started out, I used cold press watercolor paper which did not always hold up well. Then someone recommended to me to try a good quality Hot Press paper. Lets just say, I will never go back to cold press.

I found the best paper for the many layers of ink and watercolor pencil wash I do, is the "Fabriano Artistico" and I prefer their Bright White Watercolor Block. Is a nice smooth 140lb paper, that holds up very well and gives me no problems.

Have found many people become discouraged when the paper they use is not suited for the art they do.

For my Derwent pencil storage, I tossed the tins they came in and bought some nice pencils cases. Makes it so much easier to store and use.

Paint brushes..I use mostly sizes 00, 01, 02, 06. Believe or not my favorite brush is the one that came in the Derwent watercolor pencil set. Princeton's are a cheap brush but hold up very well and are nice to use.

I have included some photos of my instruments of creating. In one photo you can see how I set up what I need, when I am actively painting.

If anyone has some favorites they like to paint with and why, please feel free to add a comment.

Snow?!

Who ordered up the extra serving of snow? Our local news said," we will get some this weekend".
Well, there goes getting the garden ready and going into the woods to sketch. I have this neat little Pannier set up for one of my mini horses and she carries my Art supplies and wee folding seat for me. Then I get to sketch and she gets to eat.

Here are some Miniature horse snow pictures from one of the snows we had this winter.

Kitten and Book update

A little more color and ink, still lots to do. This time I have added a close up of her face. Have a lot more layers of color, about 6 and more ink to do but it is a start.

.

Kittens, bills and ideas.

First off ....

I should learn to write with more quip and style but have to say,,,that will take me a longgg while. I thought I would share this morning story with you ...........anyway.

This morning while DS was out doing the morning chores, I decided to do the bills and run a scan on the laptop. Had to stay in this side of the house because the kittens have a fit, if I go where they can't see me. They are not spoiled.......really... ;O) So the laptop on the sofa, is scanning away next to me... I sit down with the pile of bills. Sadie decided she wanted to be near me, so I made room. She made sure to rearranges the pens properly for me, purring the whole time of course. After working on the bills a bit, I remember I forgot one and got up to get it. Which had Sadie following me and meowing rather pitifully for me to come back. As I re-enter the room with the bill in hand, Sadie purring around my legs while I walk, is a wonder how they can do that without tripping you up, but that is for another story. There is Nari sitting on my laptop keyboard, with the laptop still scanning away, thank goodness. Mind you there are many other places for her to sit that are clear,,, guess she decided the scan was not doing what it should and tried to help. Sigh ~~ :O)

Just glad I am so smitten with my teenaged kittens and they like to help in anyway they can.

Humm... that just gave me another idea for a painting.

While I do not have a picture of this morning..I do have one where the kittens are helping my DS with his driving course school work.

Favorite Subject ~

I had someone ask me what my favorite Subject is in painting?

Had to think about that because I really like so many things.
Guess I can say one of my on going passions has been the Icelandic horse. The super smooth gaited horse from the land of Fire & Ice.
Have been around them over 16 years in one form or another. Right now I am down to one grey Icelandic mare.
Then my magical miniature horses, motorcycles....is hard to pick just one.

Oregon Coastal Woodlands

Thought I would share some Natural beauty. These are photos of one of the woodlands on my Farm. Was hoping the native flowers would be in full bloom but we seem to be about a month behind the lowlands.

Above photo is one of the streams that weave in among the Grandfather Cedar trees.

Please enjoy.

Old growth Cedars on a steep hill.

Moss covered Cedar stump,,this stump takes 4 people with extended arms to go around.

Downed Moss covered limbs.

Moss and Ferns growing on an Alder tree. Which will tell you the kind of weather we have here. Do do love all the green though.

A couple of Trillium flowers, normally they are more out this time of year but sadly it looks like the Deer have been having snacks.

Orphaned Work-is another way for the Gov to take our life away!

If you want to see something truly scary please check out the site below.
Are you an Artist, paint, draw, photography and all the other creative folks need to hear about this.
If we do not do something, none of our creations, will be ours any more.
And why are many of us only hearing about it now? What does the Gov have to hide? Other than to take more of our rights away.
I do not make a lot of money with my art to date but I hope that will change in time and I will be able to help put food on the table and pay bills, just like any other working American.
With this Bill, it will be impossible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First part of Article...
As an artist, you have to read this article or you could lose everything you've ever created!

An Orphaned Work is any creative work of art where the artist or copyright owner has released their copyright, whether on purpose, by passage of time, or by lack of proper registration. In the same way that an orphaned child loses the protection of his or her parents, your creative work can become an orphan for others to use without your permission.

http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=Columns&article_no=3605&page=1

Searching for good Photo Fodder

Decided this afternoon I wanted to take pictures of Mt ST Helens, Rainier and all the other famous ones in the area. All which can be seen clearly from a few highland roads. Was hoping to have a clear view, is wasn't to be. More like blue haze but I did get some pictures.
Funny enough some of my best photos are not of the mountains...
But of flowers and wee waterfalls.
Here is a sample of the photos I did get.

Designing new cards

The one thing I have not really done is design cards. Mostly because how time consuming they are. Here are a few examples.
Right now I have a few in my "Cafe Press" Store, so please take a look and see what you think.
Should have more designed during the next couple of weeks and will also offer them at my other stores.

The Best Chocolate

OK,, I know.. chocolate isn't art! But let me explain.

Last night my DH comes home with this little box of Truffle chocolate. Was out of the blue for no reason other than he loves me.

So I pull the little box out of the bag,, is a nice tasteful box, rather elegant.
Open the inner wrapper and you would not believe what I saw, little truffles that are works of Art in themselves.
And the taste, oh my goodness...this is the "BEST" Chocolate I have ever had, kid you not.
The company is a small one, chocolates made in the USA and are works of edble Art.

If you get time check them out...or better yet, taste some of their chocolate.

Moonstruck Chocolate.
http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/

What's in your Trash Can?!

Was making bread yesterday morning and heard a thump, crash, tinkle. Look over the counter to see Nari happily playing in the trash can. So had to take a picture and it looks rather surreal because of the texture of the trash can.Photo taken with my Evolt 510 camera.

More Kitten and Books Painting

Starting to slowly get there. Also added a close up of the kitten's face, with the first layer of color. Should also be able to see the eyes better.

Almost spring

Of course it is almost spring up in the hills, so I can't forget to take some spring like photo's. From Moss on a old wooden farm gate, to an old Flowering Japanese Kwanzan Cherry tree.