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 ;-)

ATTEMPTING TO GET THE ARTISTIC PROCESS FLOWING
I've felt creatively drained lately. I decided to just do something, anything. There's not much to this piece at all, just some paper, stickers, rubber stamping, and gold leaf pen. Nothing fancy and it's a small piece too, only 5.5 inches x 5 inches. It's kinda cute though I guess.

CONCRETE BUNNY
I finally felt like doing a little art. I drew this little concrete bunny over Memorial Day weekend while over at my in-law's for a cookout. While they were inside playing pool, I nabbed the little bunny while sitting outside and drew him in my recycled paper sketch journal. I did not have time to complete him with all his details before we had to leave. He's cute though without them. He can't help it after all, 'cause he's a bunny.

My studio is coming along great. I will post some photos soon. The outside is completed and looks really nice. We are started on the inside now. We bought materials today to start the interior walls. I can't wait for it to be done. I am sure I'll be inspired to do art once it's completed!