Playing around with mixed media

I love playing around with collage and painting on top of it. The results are always so surprising. I had a blast with this one. I did the papers several weeks ago and wasn't sure what it was going to be. It actually has the words "giggle, laugh and play" scattered throughout and it wasn't my intent to cover them up, but they are.

 If you are coming here from the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog - Welcome! The theme this month is "Superpower" and I feel like mine is collage paintings, mainly because I love it. What is yours? If you play along, Stampers Anonymous is sponsoring the prize!

My creation for this challenge is my collage piece.

It's mixed media on wood, and framed in a reclaimed frame that I painted with a faux weather finish.

I hope you are inspired to play along with the challenge.


 Here's how to enter: 
Make sure you visit each designer's blog and leave some comment love for them... we LOVE hearing from you all! 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 (linking a project completed before the start date of our challenge) 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 11:55 pm EST on April 31st to enter!

June Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

It's been one year since the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog started. I'm honored to have been asked to stay on as one of the designers. It's so much fun to "play" with mixed media creations, and fun to inspire others.We are celebrating our one year "birthday" with guest designers and great prizes!

For the June 2015 challenge - we are letting you choose which technique to use. Choose from any of these:

Since it's summer, I'm in the beach frame of mind. Our sponsor this month is Maya Road. I fell in love with Maya Road years ago when I was heavily involved in the paper craft industry.

Maya Road was founded in order to offer unique scrapbook embellishments to scrapbookers, and since I transitioned in to mixed media, I find their products the perfect fit. I used wooden tokens, polka dot fabric tape and some twine. The technique I used was Number 5 - ribbon, twine and fibers.

I painted the wooden token with a light coat of acrylic paint (making sure not to coat the cute image in the token). It was a perfect center for the sun. I cut the fabric tape in to slender strips to make my fence, and used the twine for the fence wire. I went through my stash of words and letters for the quote, and found some rather older beach die cuts that were perfect for the surf boards. I outlined with a black Pitt pen with a fine nib.  The surface for this is a 5.5" wood board (1.5" deep). They are the perfect size for gifts and easy to work with.

Be sure to go to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge blog to participate in this month's challenge and read up on all the rules to qualify. Some of the rules are:
1. You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post. 
2. You must comment on at least 3 design team members blogs
3. You may combine with up to 4 more challenges

Link up your image to the link in the main blog.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Last week's Taylor Swift 1989 World Tour Concert in Bossier City Louisiana

Last week my daughter and I went to the Taylor Swift 1989 World Tour concert in Bossier City, Louisiana. It as the first US city for the tour. How exciting. We met up with some friend's outside and took some pics with the tour truck in the background. There were lots of folks taking pics like this.

We were soooo lucky to have gotten tickets. They sold out in seconds the first day. It was in November, so I gave them to by daughter as a Christmas gift. Our seats were very high in the second tier and for some reason, this is the only concert I have attended and sat up high that people stood up. and never sat back down........ ever. Some did, but if people in front of you stand - you can't see. The second tier is at such a slope that standing for prolonged periods of time is uncomfortable. Plus if you have a purse - you have to stand AND hold it? When Taylor was talking about her personal struggles.... there were two ladies behind us talking - quite loudly.... I almost videoed them to post - so people could be shocked... but I didn't want to be THAT mean. So I told me daughter to follow me. We went to the lower level and found two seats - asked if anyone was sitting there - and (shock) they were free. A sold out concert..... and empty seats. Yeah for us. The people on this level were all sitting and we enjoyed the show. Her platform that raised and extended was right in front of us. So nice. Here are a few pics.

She only sang two songs from previous albums. This is my fourth time to see her, my daughter's third. I do miss the older style, but she's a fabulous entertainer, and as an artist, I understand changing and exploring. I mean, we would have been there three more hours if she covered all her songs. It was great. She went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana two days later and I enjoyed seeing more of my friends post photos from that concert.

Thanks for stopping by! I am so sorry I have neglected my blog. Please follow my facebook page at Melanie Douthit Art Studio for more current news.

Think Pink February Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

For the month of January, I hopped on board the challenge that I have seen many artists participate in over the past few years. The "30 Paintings in 30 days" challenge has fascinated and terrified me in the past because I felt I was a slow painter, but I jumped on the train and completed 29 paintings this month. One of them is for this month's "Mixed Media Monthly Challenge" theme of "Think Pink"

If you haven't participated in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, I hope you will do so this month. 

The sponsor this month is Ellen Hutson. 

"Ellen Hutson LLC was established in November 2006 and is currently located in Issaquah, WA. We are an on-line retail store that caters to the needs of paper craft artists. Ellen Hutson, LLC is always looking to provide our customers with quality products, excellent customer service, and education and inspiration for each of the products we carry."

and the prize is a $25 store credit!

I love doing girls and faces, so I created a whimsical girl on a 12" x 16" canvas panel.

Here's a close up of her face, using acrylic paint. 

and I used patterned papers for her dress and the field she's standing in.

I wanted to incorporate the phrase "Spread Love Everywhere You Go", so I used black Stayzon ink and some older (discontinued) alphabet stamps. I call her a "Ragamuffin Girl". 

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you take part in the mixed media challenge. Just go to this post on the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog and follow the instructions for linking up. You can enter up to five times!

Have a great week!

The Summer of the Sun

Or sand....

I don't want this summer to end. I have been forever spoiled by beautiful beaches and magical sunsets. 

I visited the beaches of Fort Morgan, Alabama for a few days at the end of July. If you have never sat on the beach until the sun sets, please put it on your list. Golden glows on the waters is magical.

Back at home the next week, the August art crawl was so well attended that it was mind blowing. Sugar Gallery was out of food and beverages in the first 90 minutes.

The tv station even came out.

I can't believe that summer is almost over. As I write this, our students are in their first week of school. 

And in the studio, I'm still in the coastal mind. 

Sun and sand. 

Need to find a cure.

Teaching Others how to Let Go in Art

I have enjoyed teaching my ladies mixed media art class. The title of the class was "Let It Go" and all about being free to create, make mistakes, learn and just "go with it". For the last couple of classes, I wanted them to do a "girl". Something personal, something with a quote that would mean something to them or someone close. For my demo, I did a paper background.

I drew several girls and made copies so they wouldn't be stressed about "drawing" one. This is one of the queens I made and started building paint layers.

She still isn't finishes, but she is getting there. I have yet to add the words.

Then I took a few photos last night of what my ladies were making.

I'm so proud of how they have expressed themselves and their creativity. We have one more class next week. I'm going to miss seeing these beautiful ladies every week.

Thanks for stopping by!

"Music and Lyrics" Solo Art Show

The "Music & Lyrics" Art Show at MAD Gallery in Monroe was last week. I've been busy painting new pieces for the show for the past few months. Since I love incorporating music in some fashion into my art, this theme was fun!!

Here is my invitation.

This is one of my New Orleans themed paintings called "Preservation Hall Jazz"

and here is one of the paintings inspired by a song title. This is called "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"

And here are a few photos from the gallery.

Thanks for stopping by! I have a few more shows to get ready for. It's never a dull moment around here. Have a great week!

Mixed Media Art Fun

Since I'm always creating, I like to change subject and medium to keep my perspective fresh. After a big painting session, especially when it's a commission, I like to clean the studio up and "play". My art "play" is my mixed media minis. I love using my paper stash, ephemera, Faber Castell pens and markers, paint and whatever else comes to mind.

Faber Castell's Design Memory Craft Blog always has fun challenges. This month the challenge is to create something about your dream.

Here's my piece.

Check out the other creations at Mou's Challenge .

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Antique Alley Art Tour West Monroe

Downtown West Monroe will be rocking this Thursday night! In conjunction with the Downtown Art Gallery Crawl, the Antique Alley Association merchants will be open late and hosting artists in their shops. With the River Gallery at 308 Trenton Street having 30 artists, and 30 more shops being open, this makes 60 artists in a two block area. There will be a band outside - Amanda McDowell and The Twlilight Zone will be entertaining the shoppers.

I have been so busy getting ready for this, as well as my daughter, who is also showing art in one of the shops.

There is still lots to do!

Here is a peek of one of my pieces.

I will also have a four foot x four foot piece, "Born on the Bayou" for my Southern theme.

It is coated in resin and really shines! It will be at Brazzell & Co Home, 311 Trenton Street, West Monroe.

If you are local, come on out to Trenton Street, West Monroe from 5-9pm!