My Blessings

I am so thankful for my boys. And I am so thankful for the little gifts that are really so very HUGE. And I'm not talking about a new SUV. I am talking about the tiny snippets that are less than minutes where God gives me a glimpse into my children's hearts. Yesterday my son was playing in his sandbox and called to me. So I go.

" Mama where is Daddy?" Atlanta. "Ok now go away I am praying to God." Oh ok. So of course I had to listen. "God my Daddy is in Atlanta please keep him safe and bring him home safe."

GIFT!!!!!!

I have been trying to teach gratitude so we keep it simple and everyday I'll ask what they are each thankful for today. Today one of them answered "rain".   YES oh boy do we need it here in California! And today we are graced with low full gray clouds. My other pumpkin answered "I am thankful for You".  Choke sob choke!

WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY bigger than any SUV!

THE INSPIRATION

                                                                    THE FIRST CUT

                                                                   
                                                                     THE GHOST

                                                                  THE FINAL PRINT

                                                                 THE WOOD BLOCK

                                                                      THE TOOLS

Today I was able to create. A woodblock  and a print of a humble bit of a twig that I always find so beautiful and so inspiring. The magnificence and complexity of simplicity hmm? 

Blessings!

Blessings, Peace and Love

The past few years have been a whirlwind. Life with the boys is amazing as well as nuts to put it quite simply. I used to have "opinions" about others and their parenting choices. Not so much anymore! Some days ya just got to go with it and do what you got to do to maintain sanity. Even if that translates as five episodes in a row of Paw Patrol, know what I'm sayin? And yet it doesn't get any better than "Mamma"? "What sweetie"? "Mamma I love you sooo sooo much"! My baby boys. They just turned four. I can hardly believe it. Some times I look at them and it hits me that these are my sons - I have sons- WOW- and look how big they are? How did THAT happen? A whirlwind I tell you, so fast, so crazy. Little boys, not babies anymore, soon to be young men.

Handsome little hunks huh?!? Being so far away from our families and that support system has been challenging. It got to be so frustrating for me because I couldn't find the time to create or figure out what I wanted to create, so desperately wanting to be an artist and try and find my niche.  We started going to a church nearby and I rekindled my relationship with my Lord. Things have a little more perspective when my eyes are off of myself.  I am on a pilgrimage, This life is not the destination. I have always believed this, just had it pushed back in my mind a little to far. My job is mommy. And what a blessed calling. My responsibility is to serve.  I am an artist. Don't need to keep looking for validation. I am a creative person created by the Ultimate Artist. And so I will play with my creative impulses and with my darlins. And won't it be exciting to see where all this will lead?!? Blessings, Peace  and Love,

Tari

Today's Endeavors in Ink

WOW. Two months. how does that happen!?!?! Well even though I have been slack in my blogging, I have been (less slack) making some art. And it has been printing. LUUUHUV it! This morning was a preschool morning so after I dropped the boys off I came home and did a little work. Although it was one of "those" days when nothing exciting or really super positive results from the labor.  I made a plate yesterday with super heavy gel medium and engraved it. Could hardly sleep I just couldn't wait to see how it would print. Well... The first print here is actually the third one. And I hand pressed it because my paper was too wet with my first attempt and the paper stuck to the plate in my second attempt. This behaved more like a relief print and I was disappointed because I really wanted an engraving. 

  Notice more black in the incised areas on the second versus the first ? And the pigment spread beyond the borders on the second? Sigh. I guess I could mat to the image.

 Here is the plate. I kind of like the plate as a finished piece on it's own. What do you think?

  The stuck-age.

This one was printed the other day by painting my plate with watercolors and then hand pressing. Needs something. I am happy with the saturation, but some of my colors are a bit - depressing?

Ah here is a colored piece of sandpaper.

 Here it is ironed on a piece of fabric. A transfer print, yes? This was play with the boys. We did this weeks ago and I just picked it up again. I think I must have mushed in some paints on it because only the crayon transfers. It was one of the projects in this fabulous must have book for art with little ones. ART LAB FOR LITTLE KIDS  by Susan Schwake.

I have listed some of my other pieces in my Etsy shop. Take a peek if you get a chance. I love to hear your thoughts!

Challenge Necklace

Oh I FINALLY said ok to parting with my precious patina-ed beads from Miss Fickle Media and enameled favorites from Sue Beads. This is my submission to Art Bead Scene August challenge.  The white chain and clasp are from Miss Fickle Media too. I do not remember where I acquired the carved Cinnabar bead. Really a nice weight necklace. I had a gift recipient in mind while making this, but I dunnnnooo.....

The One I Did Send

My submission to Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search.  The gallery has now been revealed and you will be amazed-AMAZED- I say with all the awesome artwork. One thousand in all.  The theme was terrarium(s) and had to include at least one word. One this piece I used colored pencil over acrylic on wood. I do love the texture that creates without getting too dimensional. I forgot the spots on the mushroom. Oh dear.  Thanks for looking! Check out the other work and see who made the final 50 cut. There will be an opportunity to vote on your favorite work in the future. 

My Latest

I entered Lilla Roger's Global Talent Search after I finished my Bootcamp sessions. I am not sure if we are supposed to share the specifics but I can show what I did not submit and not divulge the actual assignment.  You have seen my wee little ceramic folk before.  I have only given a few away since making them about five years ago because I am afraid to part with them until I can make more. And two years here in sunny California and we still can't come up with an appropriate spot for my little kiln. Annnnyhooow, I used my little people as my inspiration and staged a scene for my painting.

It became a little narrative for me even as I started. I'll show you what I ultimately submitted in a few weeks. Got to go. The boys are into something and it involves the hose and wild laughter.