Grounding in the midst of a confusion.

When I first did this applique I was discouraged because of all the business of this piece.  After studying Miro and seeing how much he used black to create a sense of grounding...I decided to use it in this piece and see what would happen.  I am enjoying the result.

Dug Outs.

  This is a small applique art quilt of a place that we visited in New Mexico.  This is a house that is dug out of the desert sand near Socoro, New Mexico.  My husband was interview for a job at the NRAO, when we went to look at these dwellings.  We had been in contact with one of  the builders of these little earth shelters for 2 years, so we were very excited about getting a tour.

Miro's Study Journal Page 11

I think that this is another great study of balance.  The shaddow adds some grounding to  the white form.  I like the texture inside the form.  The circles and line also provide interest.  But I cannot find this image on the web.  I don't know if this is just the elements that I liked and the arrangement that I preferred or what might have been omitted.  Read more to see how selective I was and how my images were a study and not a true copy.

Mosaic Monday

1. Microscopic Image - Synapses, 2. Schumann Piano Extravaganza, 3. fireflies, 4. The Dreamcatchers (please bless me with sleep ...)

Miro's Study Journal Page 10

Here are a few little motifs that I found in different paintings of Miro's.  I like the fish and the little microscopic swimmer.  I like the reflection of the bird and the feather that is in the bird's shaddow.  The markings of black in the eyes, swan and fish really are dramatic and create motion.

Miro's Study Journal Page 9

I love the feeling this picture has.  He is singing his heart out.  You can just feel him inhale as he looks as he has a lot of air.  I like the frets on the guitar and how they run off the image.  The keys are interestingly placed and provide more feeling in the picture than realism.  One thing I would not have noticed before I started to draw this was that there is a little bird, it looks like a parot, that comes to get the flower out of his hat.

I used markers for this and it was kinda a new experience using them on this hemp paper. They kinda ran or wouldn't get a medium color that I wanted.  What I learned?  Just keep drawing and keep having fun. Experiment.  Let go of expectation and learn from the markers what they have to tell you about themselves.

Miro's Study Journal Page 8

I love the use of the foot motif in Miro's work.  It reminds me of the 70's and how they used to use this motif in decorating.  I also like the bold black lines that Miro uses.  He was really into the black line and the color black.  I hadn't noticed how useful black was before.

I want to continue to explore the artist that influenced Miro.  The next one on my list is Maurice de Vlaminck.   Vlaminck along with André Derain and Henri Matisse  is considered one of the principal figures in the Fauve movement, a group of modern artists who from 1904 to 1908 were united in their use of intense color.

In 1900 his exuberant paint application and vibrant use of color displayed the influence of Vincent van Gogh.

"Miro Dreams a Circus" by jenclair

Jenclair from Bayou Quilts did this wonderful embroidery inspired by Miro.  There are other close up pictures at her blog.  You can also visit her flicker page.  Here is a link to a cute picture that mixes applique and embroidery that she did.  I love the simplicity of it.

Miro: A Study Page 7

One of the artist that influenced Miro was Henri Matisse.
    Henri Matise first started to paint in 1889, when his mother had brought him art supplies during a period of convalescence following an attack of appendicitis. He discovered "a kind of paradise" as he later described it,^[2] and decided to become an artist, deeply disappointing his father.^[3][4]

         The paintings of this period are characterized by flat shapes and controlled lines, with expression dominant over detail.  The paintings expressed emotion with wild, often dissonant colours, without regard for the subject's natural colours. Matisse drew and painted from nature,
       His Blue Nudes series feature prime examples of this technique he called "painting with scissors"; they demonstrate the ability to bring his eye for colour and geometry to a new medium of utter simplicity, but with playful and delightful power.

My First Book Cover

This was the first book cover that I made for my Miro study handmade book.  The image was too large for the cover so I had to start over again with another image.  I really enjoyed working with line and images to create this Miro influenced book cover.  It was also designed while listening to A Small Blue Thing.

I consider this art therapy for dealing with the feelings of being an only child and feeling bullied by adults.  "When are you going to grow up" was a constant theme.  And then the nit pick that would find the tiny ways that I didn't fit in and try to get me to fit.  I just couldn't spend all my energy pleasing people and grow up at the same time.  It made me feel shattered.