Tuesday, July 1, 2014

An Artful Month

I'm half jokingly calling this month my Summer Art Retreat. I think summer is beautiful, but heat and humidity drain my energy in a big way. Since my home is air conditioned and I have a light filled porch to work in, I've decided to stay indoors as much as possible and do what I love to do - make art!

Today I spread out my papers, scissors, paints, markers, etc. and began working on my much neglected "fictional characters" which I'm now dubbing my "Cast of Characters". If you're not familiar with them, you can find some here. I'm trying to find a way of depicting them that is both whimsical and not too difficult to execute. I love making up little stories about them and I've always loved drawing faces, so they are a good fit for me.


I love doing cut paper, but today taught me that cutting out this many leaves is way too time consuming! The floating heads are some ladies I'm working on - there are many heads floating around my house!


When I went out to get the mail, I saw that my hydrangeas are starting to bloom and I cut just one.


It looks so pretty beside my Dedham Pottery cat!

I've had a wonderful day and hope you have, too!

Thanks for visiting!!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I look forward to seeing your creations come to fruition. :)
The hydrangeas are beautiful.

Libby Fife said...

A smart move to stay indoors and make the most of things! I am the same way these days with the heat.

Glad to see you are "communing" with your Ladies:) Love the cat also.

Anne Butera said...

This is a wonderful idea, Judy. I want to focus on art (and some projects I've been putting off) this month, too. I'll probably be spending a lot of time outdoors, but I hope to be able to spend some time in my studio when I'm not in the garden.

I really enjoy your Cast of Characters and look forward to see the new additions to the series.

Your hydrangeas and cat are a lovely combination, but it's making me miss my hydrangeas in Cleveland. Ah, well.

Thank you for the inspiration. Happy art-making!

Custom Comforts said...

You are so talented Judy. What a gift you have to just sit down and create such loveliness.
Cindy

fromyourmindseye.com said...

Judy, I am so excited that you are working on your cast of characters. I love that idea. Can hardly wait to see what you come up with. Your hydrangeas a beautiful. My friend in Washington has a 2 acre yard full of them. She cuts all the leaves off before she puts them in a vase and says it makes them last longer. Then she adds additional leaves in the vase not connected to the stem. I love to dry mine towards the end of summer. I leave some on the plant for a couple of months and when they get to a certain point, I cut them, cut off all the leaves, and just put them in a container without any water. They dry perfectly and retain a beautiful altered color. I love that plant.

Have a wonderful, creative and cool summer.!

Simone said...

I also find the heat and humidity draining Judy but my house is hot too! I get most things done early in the morning or early evening. I really want some quiet time doing creative things. Thank you for inspriring me to have my own little art retreat. Looking forward to seeing the 'floating heads' find a home! x

sharon said...

Happy July!
Enjoy each moment of each day. Wish I could come and watch over your shoulder, Judy.
I do love that Dedham Pottery cat….

Karen L R said...

Stay cool and creative, Judy!
xo