Travel Sketchbook

I have actually been creating little by little over the past month. Not as much as I'd like but I'm at least doing some art while traveling this much. Below are some of the pieces I've done in my travel sketchbook that I've been carrying around with some colored pens. I'm starting to find the medium limiting but it's easy to travel with.

"Hands" The Next Community Art Swap

To participate in this community art swapfrom the Art Therapy + Happiness Project 2014 (http://www.cathymalchiodi.com/art-therapy-courses/the-art-therapy-happiness-project/) you had to create 11 hands (10 to exchange and 1 to keep of your own) using the outline form provided. I received the list of my exchange mates from all over the world again and am excited to see what I get in return.  I ended up receiving all but one zendoodle so not a bad exchange rate. I hope I get them all back this time though.

I spent one main night creating my hands. I didn't feel like getting messy for this project so I ended up pulling out my transfer blender marker and a bunch of print outs of neat images. I transfered the images onto the hands with each hand having a theme to it.  I then went on an internet search for quotes that I felt matched the images and I used an ink marker/pen to write the quotes on the hands.  I chose thought provoking and inspirational messages to put on the hands. I guess I felt that you never know who will receive the hand and where they may be in their life when they receive this gift so my quote may resonate or give them energy and/or hope in that moment. At the very least perhaps it will make them smile.

You are Imperfect Table

I picked up this end table at a yard sale this summer for a dollar! It then sat in my basement until about a week ago untouched. I picked up some Martha Stewart sample paint colors at Craft Bits & Pieces for .50 cents each and got inspired. The stand was hideously painted so much so that I didn't want to scare you with a "before" picture. :)  I sanded and primed the entire piece. I then used one of the sample paints, Green Tea and painted the entire piece except for the top which I painted off white. I scuffed up the top a little and then used a metal alphabet stamping set to stamp in the following quote, "You are imperfect. Permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful."  I polyurethaned the piece with a couple of coats to finish it off. Not quite sure what I'm going to do with the stand since I don't really need it, but it was a pretty good experiment that turned out well.

Wellness

One of the Art Therapy groups I've been facilitating ended this past week. I asked group members to reflect back on what the group experience has been like for them. I created this image to share in the reflection. I don't know if this is a quote already out there in cyber world or something that was created by someone. I saw it next to a mixed media painting at the Mental Health Coalition while I was there as a juror for the "Metamorphosis" art show coming up May 6th. I thought it was a great way to close the group.

Mixed Media Attempt

Here's one of my more recent attempts at mixed media. I just went with it and basically experimented more with layering and stamping. It turned out okay. I give myself an A for effort.