Paint Party Friday

Happy Paint Party Friday! Today's painting is one of my alcohol ink paintings. This medium is a lot of fun but it's a real challenge in learning how to control the inks. But the results are fabulous.

Anyway this is a larger piece 9x14. I am usually a small format painter so the size was also a challenge as well.   I am planning on having prints made of this one. A few weeks ago I had prints made of my other alcohol ink art and put them in my Etsy shop:  Http://InkCentricArt.etsy.com

The prints were made on metallic photographic paper. It is so cool. When the print catches the light it looks as if the painting were done on tin. What a fabulous complement to the inks. Really cool.

For more really cool art, visit Paint Party Friday Blog at: 
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Sunday Sketches

Here's another one of the sketches from my  2014 Sketch Book Project. As you will recall, my theme is FOUND. So each page is a sketch if something I found some place. 

This particular sketch was done on a piece of paper for a group of 1st Graders. I volunteer at my grandson's school. They were working on learning about plural and singular and the fact that you have to add an S if there is more than one.   I was working with a small group and they weren't getting it. So I made a sketch to demonstrate.  I was saying...humm what should I draw. A little boy said how about a hammer. And I drew the hammers. They were all amazed. LOL  So that's how this one came about. I saved the paper to put into my Sketchbook.

The Sketchbook Project is so much fun. You should think about participating next year.  

So  For more info on the Sketchbook Project go to: Http://http://www.sketchbookproject.com/

AND, For more lovely Sunday Sketches, please visit: http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/ 

village life

For the past few days I have been visiting a friend in The Villages. She and her Mom gave me the grand tour. It is an interesting concept and a well thought out planned community. I can see why so many want to live the life style. There is a lot to do here and a sense of community. I think what helps that is all the people who are thrown together from all walks of life away from their families and friends. You all become family because you all have that in common.

I had to laugh. Every night they have music in the square. People put bags on their chairs earlier in the day to save their seat (see photo).

I loved it here and the shopping was fabulous. Anyway it is a nice place and well kept. I have never seen my friend, her husband and her Mom happier. And yes it is Florida's friendliest hometown.

Paint Party Friday

Woo hoo  Party Friday. Today's feature is a piece of painted porcelain. I did this tray a few months ago. I used a maple leaf that  I painted on the back with china paints. It was pressed against the china to transfer the image. Then I smoothed out the paint and added some where necessary and fired it in the kiln

 It's hard to see in this photo but the words to the right is the St. Francis of Assisi Peace Prayer. It is gold lettering. No I didn't do the lettering I cheated and used a  kiln fired decal but if you saw my handwriting you'd know why!

The prayer reads:

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, Joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life..

This piece of porcelain is available in my Etsy shop. Here's the link:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/172475024/kiln-fired-fall-leaf-with-st-francis?ref=shop_home_active_16

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For more really cool art, visit Paint Party Friday Blog at: 
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

A Work In Progress - China Painting

Every couple of years I post this so that people understand what goes into china painting . I hope you enjoy it.

Inspiration Piece

Blank China

So people always ask me how I do this. This time I took some pictures at each stage. Each piece of china is painted and fired in a kiln to a temperature of 1800 degrees multiple times. Here's some pictures of how it progresses:

Design Sketched in

The paints used are powdered paint pigments, mixed with oil for a painting medium.  Some people buy special mixtures of oils, however, you can use anything from mineral oil to motor oil!

Brushes used are very soft.  Unlike other types of painting very little paint is loaded on the brush. Your brush "kisses" the porcelain as you paint.

The First Painting & Firing

Second Painting & Firing

Each piece is painted multiple times as you build up your color from light to dark. There is no white on the palette, the white seen is actually the porcelain showing through. At each firing the glaze opens up and the paint goes into the glaze. As it cools the glaze closes and the paints become permanent. They will never wash off. They are dishwasher & microwave safe.

Third Painting & Firing

The only exception to this is if the porcelain artist uses gold or lusters on the piece. Gold is actually 24kt. liquid gold. When fired it doesn't go into the glaze. It sits on top of the glaze. Lusters like mother of pearl also sit on the top of the glaze. For that reason should you have gold or lusters, handwashing is advised.  Gold should never be put into the microwave as it is a metal and might give you a fireworks show!

So, if you are interested in porcelain art (a gift to treasure for generations to come), please visit my Etsy shop: http://jywheeler.etsy.com

Here we go again....

snow....I'm praying that this snow will some how just miss us. But I have a feeling that we will be hit pretty good.

Everyone says how pretty the snow is..sure if you just sit and look at it.  But all I can think about is worrying about my kids going to work in it and then clearing the sidewalks and driving in it. 

Not to mention my poor pooch who will have to try to find a place to potty.  Luigi is a cockapoo and has short legs so  I generally have to dig out a little path to a potty spot. 

But he doesn't mind the snow. That crazy ball of fur likes to try to snap at it as it falls. 

Well I guess for now, I'll just sit and watch it fall with my cup of coffee in hand and just hope for the best. 

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The praying angel pictured is available in my Etsy shop. Here's the link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/168269711/porcelain-prayer-angel?ref=shop_home_active_9

How Cool Is This?

So I was having trouble hauling around all my inks and supplies. I cannot paint in my studio  because the alcohol inks require good ventilation so I paint in my kitchen which is open to the family room, dining room, etc. That means I have to haul everything downstairs.





 Well the other day I found this 3 tiered container at AC Moores. What a find! It's awesome and has enough room for everything. I want to move the dividers around so they are long ways so I can also fit the paint brushes in there.....love this thing.

Sunday Sketches

Another page out of my 2014 Sketch Book Project. My theme this year is FOUND. So each page is something I found somewhere.

I love doing the Sketchbook Project. Your book is catalogued and then each time someone looks at your book you get an email. And all the books for that year go on a Regional tour. Mine is in the Northeast. The closest it will be to me this year is Philly that is unless they add Baltimore as another city like they did last year.

So  For more info on the Sketchbook Project go to: Http://http://www.sketchbookproject.com/

AND, For more lovely Sunday Sketches, please visit: http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/ 

Paint Party Friday

I almost forgot it was Paint Party Friday....Party on...So today's painting feature is another piece of alcohol ink. Now this one I didn't stress on the painting part of it. It's what I call a Fantasy Flower.  The piece is on a 4x4 ceramic tile which is framed in bamboo frame and wired for hanging.

I have got to say this one was definitely fun to do. It was some drips of cranberry ink blown out with a straw into some funky designs. Then I dropped another drop of cranberry ink.  Once that was dry another drop this time of butterscotch. I love butterscotch ink. Once that was dry I pulled in some stems with green paint...I forget which one.

This fun piece is in my Etsy Shop. Here is the link:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/176204441/alcohol-ink-original-frame-tile-fantasy?

For more really cool art, visit Paint Party Friday Blog at: 
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Sunday Sketches

This weeks sketch comes from my entry into the 2014 Sketchbook Project.  Of all the themes on the list, I chose FOUND. So my book is a collection of  pencil sketches of things I found in different places.

The sketch is of a beautiful blown glass perfume bottle on my dressing table.

The Sketchbook is just about ready to mail off. The deadline is 1/15 so I've got to finish getting all the sketches scanned so I can mail it off.

If you haven't heard of the Sketchbook Project, you do a sketchbook, mail it back and then it goes on tour. After the tour it resides in Brooklyn NY. Everytime someone views it you get an email telling you when it was viewed.  You also get an artist page on their site that keeps track of all the projects you've been involved in. I just do the Sketchbook Project. The last book I did was in colored pencil. There are writing projects and other interesting programs on their site.  For more info on the Sketchbook Project go to: Http://http://www.sketchbookproject.com/

For more lovely Sunday Sketches, please visit: http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/ 

Paint Party Friday

8x10 Adirondack Alcohol Ink on Yupo Paper

This week's painting for Paint Party Friday is another alcohol ink..... a Zebra!  I hope you won't get tired of my ink paintings.
Boy was this fun to paint. I drew him in, masked out the zebra and then poured the inks out with the blending solution for the background. When working on a large piece like this one was, it's hard to get the ink to move the way I want it without it setting up.  I wasn't really crazy about how my background looked but since the painting was originally 9x12  I could cut it down to 8x10 to cut out some of my mess.  After I did the background I removed the mask.  I next painted in the black stripes, nose, eyes and ears. I lifted out the ink around the nostrils, ears and mouth.

  Then I came back and put shadows on the white stripes with ink in almost dry brush.  To bring out the details on the black areas and to put in the mane and tail I used an alcohol ink marker. I still wasn't happy with the area behind the butt of the zebra so I put some trees back there to hide my mess.

For more really cool art, visit Paint Party Friday Blog at: 
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Oh and if you are an Alcohol Ink Artist or if you just love the way it looks, you can be a part of our Facebook Group, Alcohol Ink Artists:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/225738610939730/

Remember when I said...

....snow was a 4 letter word? Well it really is. Yesterday I was trying to shovel some snow after the rain. I wasn't thinking and it was heavy. Instead of trying to just slide the shovel, I lifted it. Big mistake. Now I'm walking around like an old woman and I can't bend over.

What a mess! Well the good thing about it is that I can't do much so I'll just paint today.

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The pictured china painted plate is available in my Etsy shop:   https://www.etsy.com/listing/64000341/hand-painted-porcelain-christmas-tree?ref=shop_home_active

Sunday Sketches

Hello Sunday Sketches. It's been a full year since I participated. Last year was a bad year for me. I lost both of my parents after brief illnesses. And while I did "art" over that year, I just didn't have the time to devote to my blog rings. 

But this is a new year and I'm back in the saddle (God willing).  Today's Sunday Sketch is on a piece of porcelain. 

It was inspired by a piece of toile fabric.  The sketching was done with china paints and a crow quill pen.  

For more lovely Sunday Sketches, please visit: http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/ 

 

Snow the 4 Letter Word

I know most of you like snow but I can't say I do. It's cold and it's wet so what's so good about that?

Sure it looks pretty but only when it first falls because after that it ends up dirty and messy.

Once I was in Florida at Christmas time and the Floridians just laid out white batting on their lawns to represent snow....now that's the idea! I'm all for the artificial snow. You just roll it up and put it away til next year

But I must say the best thing about snow is snowmen.  I love snowmen, just not the ones that melt....these little guys are the ones I prefer.

Paint Party Friday

5x7 alcohol ink on Yupo paper

Oh boy, it's been a long time since I participated in Paint Party Friday.

With all that's gone on in my life over the past year, I was unable to be routine about the blog ring.

 But here I am and I'm so excited because I can share with my fellow painters my newest medium....alcohol ink. Here's a piece I did just this week. I'm loving this.

For more really cool art, visit Paint Party Friday Blog at:
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Oh and if you are an Alcohol Ink Artist or if you just love the way it looks, you can be a part of our Facebook Group, Alcohol Ink Artists:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/225738610939730/


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The piece shown is available in my Etsy shop   http://InkcentricArt.Etsy.com

Crazy Cockapoo

Luigi is my cockapoo. He turned 1 in September. That dog brings me such joy like you cannot believe. This past year was not a great one for me but coming home to him and his always upbeat personality was one of the reasons I got through the things I did. So I'm looking at him sleeping upside down on the couch and thinking of all the reasons I love him.

He is such a little clown. When I say patty cake and put out my hands he will sit up and pat them with his paws. He's just too cute for words.

The last time he went to the groomer I had her put red and green on his ears but it turned out pink and green...well I guess he is a Renaissance man.

We have a dancing singing snowman that is sound & motion activated. Luigi has learned if he touches him he will dance and sing. I'm so sick of listening to it. I should turn it off but it's so cute.

Anyway, ole Luigi loves being on the computer that one day I thought I should make him a facebook page so he could communicate with the world .


So he has a page now and you can be a Luigi fan. He loves having people read his posts and shares.

Here's the link.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Luigi-the-Cockapoo/396186160480242

OFG Team Scavenger Hunt!

Do you like Prim and Cottage? I do. I am a part of a group of talented women on Etsy. The team is called Old Farmhouse Gathering and I've been a part of it since 2007...7 years! These ladies do a wonderful job with 100% handmade products. I have purchased a number of items from team members and can tell you that the quality is outstanding and the team members are so willing to work with you if you want a custom made product.

In this middle of this drab winter, our Team is sponsoring something fun to do. It's a Scavenger Hunt for Coupon Codes!  Here's how it works.

Click on one of the links below. It will go to that shop's About Page which will give you information about that artisan and her shop.  Some where in the write up is a
Coupon Code for a discount. All the discounts are  different and so are the codes. Look around their shop to see if there's something that appeals to you. This promotion runs from January 2 - January 16, 2014! So you have lots of time to look around.

Here's the list of the shops!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JYWheeler/about/ (my shop)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/YorkiesPrimitives/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/WickedlyCreative/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Warmth/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageTrimmings/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageHare/about

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VeenasMercantile/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/valleyprimitives/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoWildRoses/about/

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TwistedKnickersInc/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/thenightowlstudio/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLaughingCabin/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusieBDesigns/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SticksNStonesGifts/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/shweetpotatodolls/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/shopch2/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RomaLandWoodcrafts/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/redbudprimitives/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/primsgonewild/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimitiveBlackHat/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PlumThicketPrims/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/patchworkfriends/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/paintingwhimsy/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintingByEileen/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintedProse/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OldHouseMercantile/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NeedlesnPinsStichery/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/myladyofgourds/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/mscraftytouch/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MROriginals/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MotherlodeToad/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MorningMistDesigns/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MooreThanBags/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MondaysChildPrims/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/loisling/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KathysKountry/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JennysToleShed/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HomemadeScents/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/hattiesprimattic/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/happyvalleyprimitive/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/farmersattic/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CozyExpressions/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/countrylanefolkart/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CedarLaneFarm/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/barbsheartstrokes/about/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Allenscraftcreations/about/



Have Fun! I'm planning to Scavenger for some awesome 100% handmade items!