Topic #34--"Begin" Entry

From Ascenderrisesabove!:

Title: Lily’s Pond
Medium: Photo, PhotoShop

Print for sale--contact Ascender

Topic #34--"Begin" Entry

From Karen O.!:

"I have been playing with birds and eggs in my art recently, so immediately my mind went there. As I explored the possibilities, I decided to do a triptych depicting a beginning and its fulfillment. An egg leads to an eagle, and an acorn leads to the mighty oak tree. The third panel is to illustrate where peace begins. It begins with the individual hearts of humankind."

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step i take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

Topic #34--"Begin" Entry

Welcome to Deirdre! Her entry!:

"I instantly knew I wanted to use a photo collage I did of Ellis Island’s Great Hall. This is the room where thousands of courageous people started their new life, a new chapter, a place to BEGIN again."

Topic #34--"Begin" Entry

From Brandie! Please be sure to visit her blog for the full post:

"I learned recently that my Great Great Grandmother was a single mother. Of course this collage is a direct attack aimed towards my great grandfathers father, whoever he may be. She never married, and she gave her child, my great grandfather James Butcher her maiden name. At first I was... contemplating the fact that one little twist of fate could have given me a different last name! That may have saved me from a few nicknames I would have gladly done without... There are definitely worse names out there in that respect though.

I do know that this man was a deserter... he didn't die, that would be the one viable excuse... he left her. I don't know much more if anything else about him.

And when I think deeper, I think of what it must have been like for her. How did she support herself and her baby. James Butcher was deaf, when did she discover this? How hard it must have been. Hopefully she was surrounded by friends and family."

Topic #34--Begin

We'll Be Back Next Week!

Artwords is taking a little vacation this week, but we'll be back next week! Happy Holidays to you and yours!

"
www.123glitter.com

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

Here's a little ATC I made exhibiting my love of stripes and candy! It's called "Lollipop Love."

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Tricia!:

"Here is my ARTWORDS submission for the week. "Stripes"---inspired by Katrina :)"

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Laura!:

"Hope is the dream of a soul awake." -- French Proverb

Artist's note: I believe hope can be very strong and powerful and that if we hold it close in our hearts, anything is possible.

Despite a super busy week, I'm glad I made time to create this piece, it provided a much needed creative break!
7x7 - acrylic paint, tissue papers, painted chipboard heart detailed w/ gold pen, metallic doilie piece for corner (doilie was also inked up and randomly stamped on bkgrd) paper text from vintage childrens' dictionary, wings made from vintage wallpaper, real candycane (!) scanned in and added to illustration for her to hold, I also painted her dress out to tone down & mute the colors, striped cardstock for crown/hat is my custom design

May Hope, Peace, Joy and Love fill your hearts and homes this holiday season,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Amanda!:

"This weeks's Artwords challenge gave me the chance to work with some black and white images I took a few years ago. When we first moved to Melbourne I noticed a big difference in the light and started photographing it where ever it fell. These shapes, which remind me of a musical staff, are shadows from light passing through nothing more exciting than a venetian blind.

To make this diptych, I introduced my favourite colour scheme, playing mostly with the adjustment layers in Photoshop again. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to achieve the blood red colour, but I did! Hooray!"

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Michelle!:

"This one ditched her fairy wings in favor of some wild, red wire hair and, as she has a peppermint stick for a lower limb, I thought she would be perfect for this week's Artwords prompt: "stripes."

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Karen O.!:

"When I read this week’s word, I thought of this photo of the Duomo in Siena where my husband and I visited in early October. We were intrigued by the stripe design in the architecture. Our tour guide informed us that the design was a result of Moorish influence. Whatever the reason, the Duomo is spectacular."

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Mary Ann!:

"it occurred to me that i don't use stripes very often in my artwork, so i thought i'd make something using this pretty striped paper i had laying around. i just love the combo of pinks, greens, blues & reds...i think the colors & the stripes make these dollies whimsical & fun, don't you think? & it's always good to create something light & happy every now & again..."

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Ascenderrisesabove!:

Title: "No Matter Which Way You Slice It"
Medium: Dry Pastels on paper

A print of this piece is for purchase on Ascender's blog, as well as other dry pastels.

--

I would be a line, crossing the canvas of a Jackson Pollock,
but not just any line:
I would be a big, blue bar.
One of the Blue Bars,
In gloss paint,
Shouting romance,
Adventure,
A metal menace…
Most of all: reams and reams of paint.

Think thick and thin,
Layers poured, in a uniquely nonsensical fashion,
And me, poured boldly over the whole thing.
Your eyes discover me.
Look across the stripes;
Look beyond the stripes
Until you are lost in a tangled web of elastic colours.

These cobwebs of his mind,
They move slowly, like paths planning his thoughts across
rectangular plains.
Planes, surface, definition
And boundaries are lost
And crossed
When I come
To be, to announce, to be
Blue.

I am Blue and beating the background,
Beating the loudest, faster than your heartbeat,
Bigger than everything.

See the picture with the blue lines

And please buy the postcard as you leave.

Blue Line by Ellie Cox

Topic #33--"Stripes" Entry

From Aileen!:

Topic #33--Stripes

"A Bad Case of Stripes" by David Shannon

Topic #32--"Edge" Entry

From Helene!:

"thought that forlorn persona was left on the edge & could fit the theme:)
it's rather depressing but everyone know art is a wonderful therapy in the cold and dark wintertime."

This piece is for sale.

Topic #32--"Edge" Entry

My post for this week!:

I must admit that I need my cup of coffee in the morning. It gives me that edge, or "advantage" that I need to feel more alert --I love the morning, but have never been much of a morning person. I do get up at the crack of dawn, so I can get a shower in before my kiddos wake up. The smell of the coffee in the pot, the sound it makes when I pour it in my cup, the steam rising out of my blue pottery mug, the swirl of the cream and the dissolving of the sugar and the first hot sip, bold on the tip of my tongue and so warm and comforting going down--are all the little pleasures of this a.m. drink.

This is an ATC I made with found vintage papers, acrylics, water soluble oil pastels, graphite pencil and found vintage imagery.

It is for sale on my Ebay if you want to take a peek.

"Click Here to Visit My Ebay"

Topic #32--"Edge" Entry

From Mia_Mi!:

Topic #32--"Edge" Entry

From Tricia!

"This week the topic is "EDGE." I immediately thought of a woman on the edge, the verge of a nervous breakdown but as I was going through my images I found this fellow and I knew I had to use him instead and I knew his name was Billy.

I did a search online for quotes that had the word "edge" in it and I found several I liked. I ended up not using the actual quote I chose word for word but it gave me the idea for the sentence I wrote.

The background I had painted previously on watercolor paper. I placed Billy on copper-colored scrapbook paper with photo corners and then did some doodling with a black pen. I stamped the spiral stamp several times with brown ink. I originally had not intended on adding the image of the woman but I messed up by stamping a large number 3 and not liking it at all so I covered it up with her-Belle. This led to more doodling and to the addition of the hearts. The hearts are punched from an old wallpaper scrap. I stapled a piece of ribbon to the left side and cut out the dictionary definition of "cowboy", made some dots with a gold pen and the piece was done.

I liked "Billy" the moment I saw him. I wonder if he was a real cowboy or if he just dressed up like that for the photo."

Topic #32--"Edge" Entry

From Ascenderrisesabove!:

Title: Bedroom; Perspective Rendering
Medium: Watercolor; Pen and India Ink on Crescent Board


Sitting along the bed’s edge, where
You curled the papers from your hair,
Or clasped the yellow soles of feet
In the palms of both soiled hands.

Excerpt of Preludes by T.S. Eliot

Inquire about having a perspective rendering done by Ascender

Topic #32--Edge

"At the Water's Edge" by: Berthe Morisot

Topic #31 "Sparkles" Entry

From Amanda!:

"Sparkles" is an interesting challenge at this time of year. Of course it conjours up thoughts of Christmas but for so many people it seems that Christmas is either a difficult or sad time or at least a double edged sword, filled with so many hopes and yet so much tension.
Families are the basic unit of our society and as such they seem to me to be the thing that brings us our most meaningful experiences. Families can provide so much love and joy, and they can also hurt us and disappoint so deeply.
I find it hard myself to negotiate the expectations that Christmas will be a wonderful, joyous occasion. Here in Australia it is often stinking hot and eating a lot of rich food and alcohol is really not wise, yet we all still do it if we can - often going so far as to feast on the traditional northern hemisphere fare of roast turkey, baked ham followed by plum pudd. (for those of us with a British heritage, anyway).
This Christmas I will be remembering my father of course. The grief is not quite as raw this time around as last year when he had only been dead seven weeks, but it still packs a punch.
I am hopeful that this Christmas, while small and low-key will be more relaxed and enjoyable than recent ones. My brother and sister and their families are going away, so on Christmas Day I will be having my mother and my mother-in-law for lunch. We have air-conditioning and we will be having non-traditional food: smoked salmon, and berries for dessert. It will be a quiet affair, but I do think the mother's will enjoy it - they love to see each other.
On Boxing Day we will gather at my mother-in-law's for the full Christmas celebration with my brother-in-law's family which includes our four year old nephews - there will be nothing quiet about that day!
My entry in Artwords this week really captures my mood as I contemplate Christmas and the year past. I value the time taken to reflect - it helps to focus on the sunshine and allow the less attractive aspects of life to drift away to the horizon."

Topic #31 "Sparkles" Entry

From Tricia!

"I am having trouble photographing the sparkles although the girl's hat does have glitter on it, I promise. :)

I began this piece at a local altered art group that meets at our local library. There have been several meetings of this group that I have been unable to attend because of Livi's dance rehearsals so I was really happy to be able to make it today. I had a wonderful time, the women there are all super-super sweet and talented.


The precious little girl on the wallhanging is from a postcard I found at an antique mall near our house. The papers are scrapbooking papers and wallpaper. "joyeux noel" is written with rub-on letters onto ledger paper. I added the stitching and the oil pastels, the lettering, the wire from an old necklace, and the crystal prism after I got home.

I moved it from the wall and it is now hanging on the post at the bottom of our stairs."

Topic #31 "Sparkles" Entry

From Christine!

"It's a page for a Deco about doors. It's hard to see them -- but this collage is covered in glitter ..... Perfect word for December!!!"

Topic #31 "Sparkles" Entry

From Mary Ann!:

"the pic has been digitally altered to look less photography>>>it's called "oilfy" on the special effects feature of my photo editing software. i love sitting quietly admiring the pretty, twinkly, sparkly lights of our tree...i get in a sort of meditative trance as i become mesmerized by the magic of the sparkle..."

Topic #31--"Sparkles" Entry

Welcome to Sukipoet! Her entry!:

"Sparkles was a hard one, but I wanted to participate in my first ever online group challenge. These crystals have hung in my window for years. My son, now 37, gave them to me. I love the way they cast swaying rainbows onto the walls. They sparkle best in the winter--the sun's angle. They remind me to be thankful for all life's blessings."

Topic #31--"Sparkles" Entry

From Laura!:

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake."
~ Marie Beyon Ray

*Baby Sparkles* ready to sparkle & shine for the holidays! (and a party or two!)
5.5x8 board layered with gesso, while still wet "oh baby" was etched in, next applied various acrylic paints, sanded and handpainted/glittered edge, wrote star text with opaque white ink "sparkle, create, dream, joy, love" attached cream paper shred, baby pic, snowball wand and party hat

Topic #31--"Sparkles" Entry

Welcome to mia_mi! Her entry!:

Topic #31--"Sparkles" Entry

From Ascenderrisesabove!:

Medium: Altered Shells

“… It was a thing of beauty and was sent
To live its life out as an ornament…”
Robert Frost, U.S. poet"

Topic #31--Sparkles

Topic #30--"Window" Entry

From Aileen!:

"After many paths and detours I finally finished my window piece for artwords and let me tell you it is nothing like I started out this is the final piece after starting over and over again nothing seemed to flow together right and so I finally gave into making it a Christmas piece. I think I kept struggling with wanting to do Christmas and wanting to do something grungy. All I knew for sure was that I was definitely using a Tic-Tac-Toe game board as my window. Once I cut the pieces for the inside and adhered them I added fine glitter and made it into a shaker type card. I then covered over the panels with opaque vellum."

Topic #30--"Window" Entry

From Amanda!

Topic #30--"Windows" Entry

From Laura!:

"Their Story"

Ruth, Ann and Cherie, three childhood friends, formed the unique singing trio "The Misses Dennis", headed to Hollywood seeking fame and fortune. Upon arriving they settled in a quaint apartment building in Mid-Wilshire that was very reminiscent of their hometown of New York. Although the girls were close in age and had formed a bond throught their mutual love of music, each one had different qualities that made them unique:
Ruth - "The Proud Princess" Though not a true descendant of any royal bloodline she considered herself above the ordinary, mundane and everyday. She vowed never to date a man she felt was beneath her discriminating and regal tastes. She lamented that her being a hopeless romantic would eventually result in selecting the wrong suitor.

Ann -"A Daughter of Eve"Ann's mother Eve, an avid gardener, would plop little Ann into her wheelbarrow and tote her around the garden as she worked. Birds chirping, bees humming and the early nightsong of crickets instilled a love of nature's sounds which later influenced her calling to music and singing.

Cherie - "Queen of Hearts" Loving, caring, bookish, the "Earth Mother" of the trio. Voted by the other two girls to undeniably be the first to settle down in a "respectable" manner with a husband and family. The true heart of the trio and always ready with a kind word or inspiring quote when needed.

Artist's Notes:

Although "their story" exists in my imagination, I believe it could be true, don't you? This collage started out as an 11x14 watercolor board panel which was then layered up with various acrylic paints, gesso, cheesecloth (for the peeling paint detail) photo details are handpainted, custom stencil shaded in the muted window frames, vintage text titles, matte gel medium sealer over all. Vintage trim, seam binding and beautiful vintage buttons from my "stash" completed the piece.