TWO NEW PLANET X SERIES ADDITIONS
I did these two over Christmas holidays. Flora is on a 4X6 mat board scrap. Vampire Batgirl is on a 5X7 mat board scrap.


FLORA




VAMPIRE BATGIRL



VAMPIRE BATGIRL DIGITAL EDIT
I did not like the face on the batgirl, so I decided to try out my Wacom tablet to change her face. This is the result. I really did not know much about what I was doing but I know more now. I think I like this one better. What do you think?

PLANET X SERIES: SUNRISE
Same deal as the others, but this is the sun rising over the planet.

PLANET X SERIES: LUNA
Same deal as the others, but a moon rising over a mountain. I actually was inspired to do this one by a memory of a moon rise that I saw years ago atop Half Dome at Yosemite; simply the most awesome thing I've ever seen.

PLANET X SERIES: FLY GIRL
Same deal as the other, just a different life form from Planet X. This groovy little gal can go anywhere she wants, and is always lookin' fine in her high-fashion pink gone-gone boots.

PLANET X SERIES: LIGNEOUS
So, I'm feeling like doing something different. Here's the start. First in a series of drawings of things from a place in my mind called Planet X. You may have heard the B52's sing about it. I'll call this piece Ligneous. It's ink and colored pencil on a 4X6 scrap of mat board.

SNOWFOLK
More drawings in ink colored with pencil on 4X6 mat board. It's the middle of December here and it's warm. It's making me ill. I wish it would snow!

FESTIVE BIRDIES
These are small drawings I drew in ink then colored with pencil. They're done on pieces of scrap mat board and measure 4X6 inches each.

GOOGLY GALAXY
Here's a little acrylic galaxy on a 10x10 canvas. I did not start this out to be a fish themed project, but it turned out rather fishy. Can you see the fish jumping up from the bottom with his mouth agape? And the googly fish eyes looking at you?

BORDER
This is a border I made just doodling with ink on matt board. I made this for my online art portfolio I'm currently constructing. I will include a sampling of my poetry along with my other art work on the website. I scanned this border into Photoshop, and then pasted the poem on the top layer. This is the result. I want to have the poems displayed on something that looks like stationery I've created myself, something fairly simple. Click on the picture for a better view.

LITTLE BIG FEST, RAYMOND, MS
The Little Big Store, located in the historic old train depot in Raymond, had an art and music festival Saturday. My spouse and I loaded up the blazer and took my art to show, and had a good time. My brother James was there showing his awesome photography, along with some of my MySpace artist friends. It was fun to meet some other local artists too. The day was beautiful and the music was good. I was blessed that a few folks liked some of my art well enough to take it home with them as well!

FUNKY PINK SKULL
Another 8x8 acrylic on canvas. This is the last one for a while. These were really fun to do.

FUNKY MAD SKULL
Here's another 8x8 acrylic on canvas done today.

FUNKY SKULL
Another skull; 8x8 acrylic on canvas. I think I'll do a funky skull a day on 8x8 canvas until Little Big Fest. Which means I'll do another one tomorrow because on Friday I'll have to get all my junk together for Saturday.

SKULL WITH VINES
I finally finished this tonight. It's acrylic on 11x14 canvas. There's always some interest in a prior skull that I painted, but that one has a history and is not for sale. I painted this one for Little Big Fest so I'd have something new to show. I'm going to start experimenting with different styles of skulls. They seem to be a popular subject, yet controversial; the prior one I refer to was kicked out of the gallery at a festival in a small, stuffed shirt town nearby.

ANTIQUE IRON FENCE RAIL TOP WITH WILD BIRD EGG AND FALL LEAF
Here is the next painting in my still life series. It's a size 6x8 canvas and it definitely looks better if seen in person. The subject is a rusty old iron fence rail top I purchased at an antique shop because I thought it looked interesting. I put it with a hatched out egg I found in my back yard along with a small leaf; viola - a still model. Not terribly exciting to me, but nonetheless good practice. Not sure how I feel about this one either; normal, normal, normal. Nothing to slap go-go boots on here ;-) or even create an interesting effect with. I like the egg though.

APPLE ON PUB TABLE
This is an 8x8 acrylic painting of an apple sitting on the antique pub table in my studio. It's a pretty boring subject and I attempted to make it look somewhat exciting. Not sure how that went. I'm not sure about this one at all; I want to like it but can't decide if I do or not. It's totally out of the norm for me. I'm attempting to break into doing more normal projects, only because I need to be adept at doing that as an artist.

I'm starting off with this and will try to branch into more everyday stuff. These works will likely be with a twist or be of not so everyday objects paired with everyday objects, because I know I won't be able to be too normal as I attempt to get more comfortable with real world subjects, and with controlling acrylic paint better. I need to start painting with oils too!

FREE BIRD
This is my first project completed since I quit my job this week. It's a mixed media project on a 10x10 canvas. When my mom sees this, I'm sure she'll think that I painted a perfectly wonderful little bird and then made a mess of it. Sorry, Mom.



For this piece, I tore a hole in the middle of a sheet of tissue paper and carefully affixed it to the canvas with matte gel medium. Next, I drew the bird and then painted it in with acrylics. I decided that coordinating yellow from the tissue paper would look good for the background color in the middle of the canvas. After everything was dry, I put a little paper crown on the bird, then I went to bed.

Next morning, I set out to find some appropriate footwear for the bird. Originally I was thinking Converse high tops, but a browse through a Rolling Stone mag netted these kickin' black boots with fishnet stockings. By now my bird is lookin' real free, Baby. I'm totally diggin' the booted birdie.

I used bits of cut tissue all over for a little mosaic effect on the piece. Of course, the letters for the words are cut from a magazine, (Quality Progress). I used a sponge stamp with a multi-colored stamp pad to make the nifty swoosh up top, and some swirls cut from tissue paper are placed here and there. I found the cut-out flowers at Big Lots and embellished them with some touches of acrylic paint. My bird is free and hep.

HOMEMADE DOLLS
I did a little more work on my homemade doll fellow and made him a companion. I added some tissue paper medallions that I thought were cool looking.

HOMEMADE DOLL
Here's a mixed media piece I did tonight after work. I think I'll put this one in the Little Big Festival show coming up in November. This one is on an 8x10 canvas. I painted the background with acrylic paint and then dried it with a hair dryer while some paint was still drippy and allowed for some artful mistakes. I used a big rubber stamp with some foreign language to make the background text. I drew the doll on in pencil, then painted it in with acrylic. I used a sponge stamp that I barely inked to give a faded effect of red stars in the background. I've been wanting to do a piece like this for a while. Finally had a reason to do it. I may do at least one more to put in the show. I think it looks much better in person.

VINTAGE ART (SOLD)
This is a mixed media piece I did today. It's on a 16x20 canvas. I used 2 sizes of photocopies of a vintage photo I snagged from an ephemera sharing site on the web. The background is something random I tried with acrylic paint and torn tissue paper. I am pleased with the outcome, as I had no idea how it would do; but it worked out good and I dig the way it looks. It's a rather racy piece, yet artsy. I used confetti stars and the art word clipped from a local publication to complete the composition.

UPDATE: I donated this piece to the 2008 Mississippi Hearts Against Aids Art Auction.

42? (SOLD - Tara Sharp, Ridgeland, MS)
This is a mixed media piece I did based on the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Universe. Due to the orientation of the piece on the canvas the background was not attractive on the photo. Nothing fancy or complicated here, I just put the magic wand in Photoshop to it, then stretched it out a bit on a coordinating background.

NEW PROJECT PROTOTYPE
This is the first bash at a new type of project for me; painting wooden guitar cut-outs. This little one is made from particle board that was laying around out in the shed. It's not a good surface, so I won't be using this material. This is not the proper size either. I want them to be a good bit larger. This is just the beginning of the fun :-). I used acrylic paint mixed with gesso.

SUCK IT, KATHY GRIFFIN - THIS IS MY GOD (SOLD - David & Judy Parker, Raymond, MS)
So, if I die traveling this weekend, this will have been my last creative effort. It's a collage on mat board with scrapbook paper. I found this Jesus image in a dollar store. The marquee was cut out of a casino ad. The stars are paper and I used rubber stamps to finish it off. It's all framed up in a reject frame procured from my sister-in-law's frame shop. I painted the frame red to cover the flaws and coordinate with the robe. I think Jesus is looking very spiffy here.

RUBBER STAMP COLLAGE
This is a quickie week-night project. I used a sheet of scrapbook paper and some rubber stamps to make this quick collage on a notebook back. A multicolored ink pad and a small piece of tissue paper stamped with the word "Love" add a little exta interest to the stamping. A white-out pen, and a gold leaf pen are used for extra accents.

MY HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER
Going through some old photos last weekend I found this one taken in 1977 of my high school art teacher. This man was my favorite teacher ever and he left an indelible mark on my life, influencing me as an artist and as a person. Not a day goes by that I do not think of this man, and appreciate all that he taught me during the three years that I was so fortunate to have him teach me.



I know this is a unique photo. But Mr. Gerald was a unique man. I loved going to his class and he endeared himself to me greatly. I will never forget him. In this photo, I'd caught him dozing one day in class while we were busy working on our art projects. Being the mischievous one that I am, I slipped outside and picked some little roses off a bush near the principal's house where the art classes were held during that first year we were so fortunate to have Mr. Gerald teach us. I stuck them all throughout his hair and snapped the photo.

Mr. Gerald passed away several years ago. I am not sure what year. I'm so thankful that we had him for our art teacher.

TOTIN' THE THUNDER
This is a mixed media piece. I got out my old linoleum block print I did in back during my high school art classes (circa 1977-1979). I had found it among some stuff when we moved and had vowed to find something creative to do with it in the 21st century. So here it is.



I used a notebook back. I got a package in the mail yesterday and it had some awesome, thick red packing paper in it; perfect for my background. I cut the red packing paper to fit my notebook back and then wadded it up for a crinkled affect. Then I looked through my supplies to find that the only color block printing ink I had was red, ok, fine, that'll do. I decided that it would look good to use the grocery bag tissue I used in the robot collages.

Next, I got out the brayer and inked up the old linoleum block. It's so old the back side of it's crumbling away. But, it's still got written on the back of it "Lisa Pooh - KB" that my art teacher, Mr. Gerald, wrote on the back of it - those were his nicknames for me. Anyway, the print turned out good after two tries. I used some gold leaf to put some accents on the print and to edge the piece, though the scan does not really show that since the piece took up the entire bed of my scanner.

I think that I thought of a catchy phrase to put on the piece. I chose it since according to Greek mythology, Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus. I hope that people get it. My spouse did not. Oh well. I'm just real smart on my Greek mythology I guess. I typed up the text on the computer using a papyrus font and printed it on card stock paper, then cut it all out with some of those scissors they use for scrapbooking.

OUR FUTURE FRIEND
More robot art. Some of the same elements, just arranged differently. Some different elements too. I used some stickers on this one, and a self-inking smiley-face stamper and a felt-tipped pen to do a little art around the robot in the lower left-hand corner. Cute, cute, cute. More...robot...art...later. I go to sleep now.

Zonka...bleebpt...neetch...nitey.

I WANNA ROBOT FRIEND
Inspired by my Jimmy Pitts robot art, here is my own robot art, comprised of color copies clipped from the internet and copied from a box that contained an actual robot that I gave to my spouse last Christmas. I used magazine clippings to make the border, as well as some paper that resembles old grocery bags. I also used that grocery bag paper to make some of the other images pop out. I used scrapbook paper to make the polka dot background. The big eye is a magazine clipping. I used a rubber stamp swirlie dipped on a multi-colored ink pad to add some color and made some high-tech "Mister Roboto" labels as finishing touches. Cute, cute, cute...must...make...more...robot...art!

KUNISADA (SOLD - Paul & Angela Bierdeman, Brandon, MS)
I found a beautiful geisha postcard from Japan while going through some old photographs, etc. over the weekend. I put the postcard with a piece of scrapbook paper, and viola. I used some of the old postal stamps, etc. that I purchased at the antique store in Vicksburg back in February. Amongst it all I found some postmarked stamps from Japan, one from Taipei, Japan, on the torn off corner of an envelope; also an air mail label. I tore tissue paper to make the blue banners to the right. The Japanese writing was printed from the internet; I tucked some of it into the torn envelope corner to help give an effect like letters flying out of an envelope and out into the snow. I put a little rubber stamping on a couple of the corners of the postcard to bring out the green stripe in her kimono. I took the title name from the back of the postcard.

MORE FUN WITH PAPER DOLLS
I'm on a roll with the paper doll collages. I guess I like these things. Yes, yes, I like them. It's something different I've come up with. Yay me! I'm sure I'll tire of it soon. Here's another on a notebook back with tissue paper, stickers, rubber stamps, magazine clippings, card stock paper, scrapbook paper, glue stick, and gold leaf.

MORE LABOR DAY WEEKEND ART
Here is another collage produced during the wonderful Labor Day weekend. I don't go back to work until Wednesday, so let's see how much art I can do before having to go back to the drudgery.

This is another paper doll collage. This time a simpler one. It's magazine clippings, card stock paper, rubber stamps, scrapbook paper, and silver leaf. It's all put together with glue stick on a notebook back. I like this one better than the previous one.

FOLLOWING ICARUS
Or "Today's Creative Strangeness." I just felt like doing something different. I was looking through my collage stuff and found a black piece of paper with a piece cut out of it. I thought it would look cool with some stars peeking from behind it. I had been wanting to do something with newspaper. Somehow, this came out.

So, the composition is the backside of a notepad, newspaper, tissue paper, magazine cut outs, gold leaf, and card stock paper put together with acrylic gel medium. I cut those paper dolls myself. I don't think they look the least bit like chickens.

NEW ART PURCHASE
Here's me with my newest art purchase. It's a Jimmy Pitts, magic marker on file folder, and it's called "Young Frankenstein Lives." Lookin' scary! I purchased it from the Attic Gallery in Vicksburg for $23 bucks. I think that place is haunted. Whenever I go upstairs in that place, the hair on the back of my neck always stands up.

I really like Jimmy Pitts. His work is so fun. As far as he's concerned, most any surface is fair game for a canvas. His style is humorous, colorful and playful. I especially love his robot themes.

SOCIETY OF UNPRETENTIOUS MISSISSIPPI ARTISTS (SUMA)
I've had an idea about getting together a group of artists that are not hoity-toity, and having monthly get-togethers, studio-hopping among those that have studios, attending artsy functions together, etc. We could share art and even do projects together. Only unpretentious artists need apply. We could make our mark on the local scene and show everyone that art does not have to be pretentious. And, there would be penalties for any displays of pretentiousness.

After so many "pretentiousness penalties," one would be kicked out of the SUMA (does that seem a tad pretentious?) I'm thinking it could be fun. It would be sort of like revenge of the nerds. I have a few people in mind that qualify to be in SUMA and at least one person that said they'd be up for it. Of course, there would be wine and cheese (never pretentious, beer for those preferring it). I just wonder if anyone else might be up for it...

ALICE
I had this really cute photo of my daughter that I wanted to do something with. So I decided to do a small collage. She's an Alice in Wonderland fan, so I chose an Alice theme. Here's how it turned out.

CREATING IN THE STUDIO
Here's Skye being creative in the new studio. That's Wilson the bunny who lives in the studio in the last photo (cute ain't he?)

VIEWS OF MY NEW STUDIO
My husband built this studio for me at our home. It started out as a covered patio. He began it after Christmas and finished it in June. I completed the decorating this month. I love the room and am finally beginning to get creative in there (in ways other than the decorating). Hopefully I'll soon shake the creative drain I've felt from stress of late.

The brick art wall has mostly art that is done by family and friends, but some of it is my own art to fill in space. The goal is to have a family and friends gallery. Noel and I covered the old chairs that went with our antique pub table we brought down from the attic, and I stenciled a sparrow on the seat in turquoise blue. I use the old wardrobe in the corner to store art supplies, as well as the long-low yellow cabinet that Noel and I made together that once sat outside on the patio and was home to chipmunks.

We invested in one new piece of furniture for the room, a futon. With the addition of the futon, the studio serves as a nice extra room for guests, or for me to sleep in when the hubby occasionally gets to sawing logs too loudly ;-)