Bayou Pelican and Repurposing a Mirror Frame

A few months ago, me and my husband were in a second-hand store in the heart of New Orleans - the French Quarter, and I stumbled upon a vintage mirror frame - without the mirror. We brought it home and had some birch cut for it and I created a painting. It was a hit, so what did we do - found another frame and did it again. :)

So - for my June mixed media challenge - I'm using my latest creation. The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog is having it's two year anniversary, so this month you can pick your favorite challenge. Funky Junkie is the sponsor and they are providing the random winner of the challenge with a $25 gift certificate. How fun is that? 

Here are the different challenges we had throughout the year.

I'm using #19, which is "Silver and Gold".

 "Bayou Pelican No. 2" by Melanie Douthit

It's approx 16" x 36" on birch using paint, papers, gold leaf, corrugated cardboard. Coated in resin and framed with a repurposed mirror frame (which was also sanded and painted). The beak and the foot has the gold leafing on it.

I hope you can join in the fun at the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog. 

Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.

* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. 

* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post

* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board

* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges. 

* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.

* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!

You have until the last day of June to enter.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Artist Appreciation Month

I'm late in the month, but August is Artist Appreciation Month. No, that doesn't mean you send me gift cards, but you can if you want. For this post I'm going to share which artists inspire me. I was informed of this wonderful holiday by Patience Brewster, an artist known for unique handmade gifts and Christmas ornaments, to share my story of which artists have impacted me personally.

Here is one of Patience Brewster's "Dasher" ornaments that I think is so absolutely fun.

So, thinking about my journey as an artist includes so many influences - from my first oil painting instructor (and I can't seem to find where he is today but has become active in Arts for the Parks), to my first watercolor instructor, and on and on. All these teachers inspired me, grounded me, and taught me tremendously... But somehow I still wasn't "free". There was still something more that needed to be released.

I wrote on my paper crafting blog in the spring of 2010 about the start of a new artistic journey. After setting painting full time aside and diving into the world of designing papercrafts projects for manufacturers and publications for a few years, something new was brewing. This is my journal entry:

*************

As of late, I've had an obsession with Alice. I saw the new Alice movie last month and was "enchanted" with the artistry in the film...the costumes, the color (or lack of), the characters. It was all so "artsy". I wanted to see it again the next day, but didn't. Besides stirring the artist in me, I related to Alice in a strange way. Grown up Alice was "expected" to conform to society, she was expected to dress a certain way and marry a certain man and live a certain life. I tried this mold on for the past seven months. I took a corporate job, sat at a corporate desk, and brought home a corporate paycheck. But I was dying inside. After three months the artist inside of me was screaming to get out. Yet, I was so tired at the end of the day, that I couldn't physically do anything creative. After months of prayer and patiently waiting, I finally found my way out and couldn't be happier in my spirit.

The first thing I painted on my new journey - without consciously thinking about it - was - Alice. I was inspired by a recent issue of Somerset Studios magazine - their theme throughout the magazine was Alice. I picked it up on a recent trip to Texas, and I couldn't put it down. I also was inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts. But what turned me on to Kelly Roberts was an art post by Courtney Walsh on her blog several years ago. Courtney, you have no idea how much I was screaming on the inside while sitting at the corporate America desk bored out of my mind reading this post. I guess one just doesn't know how much we can effect the lives of someone else. Thank you for being the little white rabbit for me to follow. I didn't know it at the time, but it was the beginning of a journey.

So....I came home from our trip to Six Flags and opened my box of art supplies that the UPS man delivered the week before. (Yes, I haven't even opened the box because I knew once I did, there was no turning back) I followed the techniques in Kelly Robert's book and drawing from inspiration in the books and magazines, came up with several whimsical versions of Alice.

************

Since that blog post five years ago, I have had an amazing fast paced artistic journey that still keeps me out of breath. The sky is the limit and the feedback and comments people share are heartwarming. My love for mixed media has not dulled, and my imagination is soaring with ideas that I can't implement fast enough.

I have done several more "Alice" mixed media pieces. This is one of my favorites. It's 20"x 20" and has a home with a beautiful little girl.

If you are a mixed media artist, considering joining the challenges at Mixed Media Monthly Challenge. There is a wide variety of artists and crafters that participate, and frankly, I would welcome more mixed media "art" projects. We have some very cool prize sponsors coming up for the rest of the year and some fun challenges. 

This is one of the latest of my mixed media paintings.

I would love to hear in your comments about some artists that have impacted you personally through your journey.

And after you comment, check out the fun artistic ornaments by Patience Brewster. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Mixed Media a Collage Bayou Painting

I love combining my love of paper crafts with my love of painting. To me, it's the best of both worlds and I don't feel like its "work" at all. Here's a little peek at my most recent mixed media painting in progress.

I started by layering various patterned papers. My intent for this was to make a bayou scene, so I went for papers that made me think "gumbo". I also three in some old newspapers, sheet music and burlap.

These images show the papers as well as the drawing of the scene on top.

Next, I started layering paints and definition, carefully leaving parts of the papers showing through. I love the unexpected patterns peeking through in random places.

Here is one more in progress pic. Someone described the color and style as "well worn denim".

And here is the final piece. I call it "Moonlight on the Bayou". It's 20"x20" and for sale in my Etsy store.

Thanks for stopping by!