Making silk scarves

What a fun time I had recently painting on silk scarves! 
I took a class as frankly, I knew nothing about the techniques involved. I paint all the time BUT learning "how" to do a familiar task in another format is always a fun experience and the results are below!

The one on the left is an abstract horse design and the one on the right is is a flowered design. I would say it's time for an evening out!

Chickens AND bees :-)

It was not a hard decision to add bees to our menagerie. 
I've often stopped at the bee displays at State Fairs and such and as everyone else, was intrigued with the glassed displays that allow you to watch the bees in action. And our studio is surrounded by wild roses, plum trees, our gardens and an assortment of tiny, beautiful little wildflowers growing throughout our yard. The decision came after some research and phone calls and a return call from a "Bee mentor" that kicked out butts into gear and a frantic scramble for hive supplies as the packaged bees were coming (fast) sort of made the decision for us :-) And for us, it was not about the honey. Lord knows there are plenty of honey producers out there. No it was about the pollination....and then discovering that hives world wide are declining. Maybe, just maybe, our one little hive can make a difference. 

Steve heading out with sugar water to fill the bee feeders

And we know one thing-they won't starve around here!

Blooming wild plum trees

The ponies make sure there are few wild daisies in the pasture but our "borrowed" pasture next door is now lush with wild plums, blackberries and thickets of high grass. The birds at our feeders have multiplied tremendously because of nearby cover that encourages their quantities :-)

It's been a cold spring and I am not sure if the roses will begin their early May parade but every year, the old roses are stunning.

Peonies in May

The May peonies are stunning as well with large cabbage sized pink balls of petals that I hope will prove appetizing to our bees.

Seven Sisters Roses growing around the perimeter of the herb and flower garden

Our herb and flower garden is next to the hive and last year our native plants such as Rubeckia, gloriosa daisies and coriopsis were stunning. Whatever bees were here before could not stay away from them or the Monarda. So in some deep inner core, we're feeling more than our visual connection with our subjects and surroundings. It's more of being one with where we are. We live here, our art studio is here and everything basic that has connected man to the earth is here. How much more do you really need?

Add to that, our Dorking hens (an ancient Roman breed with 5 toes) just laid their first egg yesterday! Time to build the nest boxes!  

Our first egg!

 HAPPY EASTER everyone!

Visit us as www.onroadartists.com

The Art of Chickens

Artists seem to ponder the most absurd things sometimes.....take the chicken for instance-good for baking, casseroles, frying and yum-lots of eggs.That's about where most people end their thoughts about this versatile bird.
But sometimes the smallest and least conspicuous thing in your day to day world can have the most  interesting history, tantalizing colors and absorbing social scene. And the chicken has it all.
We just added chickens back to our mini "homestead" farm and art studio. We had them 10 or so years ago but lacked the proper fencing.....oh we had plenty of fencing and the bills to show it...just not the type to totally foolproof ranging neighborhood dogs. The numbers dwindled and we gave the last few roosters to a farmer.  
Now I had chickens when my children were small-in fact in another life (it seems) I had a Grade A Dairy Goat farm licensed for making feta cheese. My chickens were the Aracaunas and other mixes so we routinely collected pale blue and green "Easter Egg" eggs plus the white and brown. So I am very familiar with the work and rewards of such a life :-)And it is hard to sty away from!

The first batch 6 weeks old March 1. 10 of them!

So the first batch we picked up locally and they are a trip. Alert, inquisitive-s a few very friendly ones, the others a bit stand-offish. Their treat is bread pieces. A mixture of Buff Barringtons, Speckled as well as purebred.

5 month old Dorkings

The next ones are also local-from a Dorking breeder outside Louisburg, NC. Ancient breed-pretty feathers-4 hens about old enough to lay...5 toes...originally brought over to the British Isles by Romans! Regal aren't they? 



Ah well, the kids interaction with a chicken is no problem! The youngsters below were at an art lesson at our studio and did not hesitate to walk in with the chicks and hold our gentle ones!

So as artists we find ourselves studying the colors.  As humans we find ourselves smiling at their antics.....listening to the multitude of sounds-clicks, murmurings, croonings that are unique to a chicken....and hey, who knows how we, and our many students of all ages,  will incorporate feathers and colors into our art?

I'll keep you updated!

Gold leaf in Art

The beauty of art journaling is that it is your creativity when it comes to your art in whatever form you decide to take it :-) My husband, Steve, is an oil painter with a large following of dedicated collectors. But in a previous life (ie: before the computer) he was a sign artist and painter. 
He still does beautiful handlettered work in one of his specialties, Goldleaf, and recently took one of my journals and began to play around with the cover. The results of the brilliant gold and the colors he chose to use can be seen (so much better in person!) below.  He calls this "The Golden Forest"

Goldleaf with colored inks

On the back, he opted for silver-a metallic patina of which he is deciding whether or not to add any artwork. The metals are more than paper thin, so imperfections in the surface will be seen and can be used to one's advantage to create!

Keep an eye out for additional art that he will be creating using Gold and silver leaf. IN his lettering he uses the real thing 22 KT gold. In May we will hold a workshop at our studio where he'll share his tips and techniques for adding this beautiful look to your art!

A few minutes in an Art Journey!

Want a brief glimpse of what you missed at our Ladies Art Retreat last weekend?  Don't miss the next one scheduled for Saturday April 13 from 1-4 pm! We sold out last week so  Reserve your spot today!
http://artstudentacademy.com/Ladies-Art-Retreat-2.html

Ladies Art Retreat!

There is no doubt that the atmosphere was super-charged, the activity level on "high alert" and the resulting fun...well, you just had to be there :-)

Combine me, Theresa, with my level of art journaling and add the incomparable journaler, Ophelia Staton and plop us into my art studio out on the country and you have the ingredients for a remarkable level of a accomplishment! Sound far fetched? Nope, I am not exaggerating :-) My only regret is that I did not get a group photo of the 15 of us holding up our books and canvas creations so you could see the beautiful results.

A collage of the day-video coming!

For some of our participants it was a continuation of  their journaling and for others, a new beginning. We love to be responsible for the fun of introducing  new ideas, activities and happiness into someone's life. 
Our next Ladies Art Journaling Retreat with Ophelia and I will be Saturday, April 13! Want us to come to you? Let me know and we can arrange a Retreat at your Location!

Glass Painting!

I will be teaching a few glass painting classes at the Michael's Store on Capital Blvd in Raleigh NC in Feb (January slipped by before I knew it!) and I started looking at their line of Martha Stewart glass paints. I have a huge assortment of paints in my studio. Along with my professional paints (as a portrait artist I have the requisite oils, acrylics and watercolors!) I have everything from spray paint, to craft paint to glass paint. But my glass paints are  a different brand and they require "baking" in the oven to set the paint. A bummer! I also have my share of the Martha Stewart paints by Plaid for a variety of purposes. SO I was happy to discover this blog review dated August of 2011 showing that the then "new" paints bu MS could be used on any surface.

 Although there are new glass paints by the company, it appears that ones I already have will work fine! They will also be perfect for my students who can use their multipurpose paints for a variety of art projects!

SO I have printed the review in its entirety,with thanks to the author, along with the photos, so that you too can see how these versatile paints may apply to your artsy journey! -Theresa

Craft Product Review: Overview of Martha Stewart Paints by Plaid

August 22, 2011

Craft Product Reviews, Paints, Inks & Dyes

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One of the biggest hush-hush buzzes this year at CHA was the debut of Martha Stewart Paints by Plaid. (Remember my foray into the secret locked room to get a sneak peek?) Now, however, the secret is out, the products are on the shelves- and in the hands of yours truly!
Now, there are SO many products in this line that I’m going to have to break them down into a whole series! Today, though, I thought I’d give you the 101 on the line of paints, which promise to work on multiple surfaces without special preparation. Here’s how they are described on the website:

Transform everything from curtains to glassware to flower pots with the first multi-surface craft paint available! Martha Stewart Craftsâ„¢ premium acrylic paints provide superior coverage for all fabric, wood, glass, ceramic, plastic, and metal craft projects.
Offered in a range of beautiful colors and five high-quality finishes—satin, high gloss, metallic, pearl, and glitter, inspired by her original glitter colors—Martha’s craft paints resist fading and wear, are ideal for indoor or outdoor use, and even safe for dishwashers.

This paint comes in a staggering 160 colors in the aforementioned five finishes. (And they are certified non-toxic, too.)
Now, I did get to see  a swatch of the finishes at CHA- and they looked amazing- but nothing beats a good old SWATCH TEST! (I am nothing if not consistent.) I used a piece of cardboard box to see just how well the paints covered with one, two, and three coats:

Another view of the swatch so you can really see the difference between High-Gloss and Satin finishes.

As you can see, all but the Glitter covered well in just two coats. Since the Glitter paint is the odd man out, let’s first talk about the Satin, High Gloss, Metallic, and Pearl paints. All of these have a creamy, smooth texture and are the consistency of hot fudge. There is almost no odor, too.
The Glitter Paint is, of course, a “gritty” texture suspended in a transparent base. My favorite was “sugar cube”- swoon- which featured a lightly tinted lilac base with super-duper iridescent glitter! The glitter is actually a fine grit- and comes in both “bright” and “iridescent” versions.  Did you notice that the Glitter Paint I used on the swatch test is green, but looks purple in the second view?
Yeah. It’s awesome like that.

The base is lightly tinted and transparent- perfect for letting the glitter shine through!

I can best show you, though, on these snowflake samples.

The top snowflake is unprimed/unsealed, and has one coat of Glitter paint. You can barely see any color in the paint itself- which allows the maximum sparkle to come through! The second one is base coated with Satin paint on one half, with some of the same Glitter paint layered on top. I love that they complement each other, and the glitter base is light enough to let you layer the paints for a really customizable look!
Now, I wanted to play with the satin and gloss paints a bit, so I base coated this birdhouse. The blue is satin finish, the red is high-gloss. (By the way, I LOVE this red- it’s the best hue of red I’ve ever used. Seriously.)

You also can really see the difference in sheen after just 2 coats. I’m also happy to report that the High Gloss paint isn’t tacky to the touch after it’s dry- although it’s hard to tell by looking at it when it IS dry! I decided to embellish the little birdhouse with all of the finishes of paint- gold metallic trim, high-gloss black stripes, glitter to accent the roof, and pearl green stems & grass.

I used the fine tip to draw the leaf accents.

Now, we expect acrylic paint to work well on porous surfaces like paper mache, cardboard, and wood. But the Martha Stewart Paints are also listed as a great paint for non-porous surfaces. Time to put that to the test with a little bit of stenciling on a glass ornament.

I used the adhesive “Holiday” stencils.

I used the Gold Metallic paint on the “Merry Christmas” stencil- I literally used a craft stick to spread the paint on. I let each coat dry in between, using glitter paints for the snow flake and pine trees. I finished it off with “Sparkle Texture Effect” to act as snow (more on that product later this week!) Here’s my finished ornament:

Super cute, right? But what is more impressive is that I tried to flake off the paint with my thumbnail- you know, just to see if it would lift up. And it didn’t! Furthermore, I read on the package that if you let it cure (air-dry) for 21 days, it will even be dishwasher safe in the top rack. Wowza!
I also used a number of tools- sponge brushes, paint brushes, and stencil brushes- and they all cleaned up easily with just a drop of hand soap and tepid water. I love that the paint covers well but still has easy clean-up. Score!
So let’ talk nitty-gritty. Right now the paints & accessories- even some cool starter sets- are available at HSN.com. They are also rolling out the displays in Michael’s stores- my local one has the products, but not all are set up yet. The prices are really varying right now (especially at HSN, where you can find some great introductory specials) but on the average it’s under $1.99-$2.99  per 2 ounce bottle.
Considering that it works on so many surfaces, and has SO many gorgeous colors and finishes, it’s really a good paint. And when I tell you about the different mediums you can use it with (coming in a few days) it’ll really blow your mind!
Feel free to leave me questions in the comments section & I’ll do my best to answer them for you!