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.