Jeanne Downing Decorative Art Designs

2011 Woodpile Projects

2012-01-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

In January of 2011 I challenged myself to paint one project a month from my extensive woodpile. I can proudly say that I rescued twelve pieces from a dusty old shelf life and brought them into the world of decorative living!

Some of these projects were unfinished pieces from as long as 25 years ago! Others were designs that I had admired by other designers, and after all these years, I still wanted to paint them. Still others were pieces that were painted to finish out a set of place settings or were seminar projects that I had designed myself.

Decorative Art is an art form that has existed from early man and has evolved as our tools and skills have improved. Leaving a cache of unfinished projects and all the painting surfaces that I have collected over the years would be a real shame! I want to add my "2-cents worth" to the history of Decorative Art so I am setting my goal again for the new year. Paint one project a month from my woodpile! I have found a real sense of accomplishment and inspiration to design and create more! It is exciting to anticipate the pieces that I will be painting this year!

My Christmas Card Box

2011-10-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Something decorative with pink roses, of course, is called for to keep Christmas cards during the holidays or to treasure at any time of year. This is a lid to a wooden box, with a cut-out so that the cards lying in the box can be viewed through the lid. I purchased the box over 15 years ago, and finally painted it just this last week. The design is from the book, Country Gardens from Cedar Crest. I love Mary Jo Leisure's designs. I admire how the line of her designs flow...with such ease and grace.

Roses are a favorite painting subject of mine, but I also like to paint blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries. I remember fondly the mulberry trees at my Aunt Eileen's house in Kansas. My cousins and I used to pick them and eat as many as we threw at one another. We all would have mulberry stains on our clothes, but I don't remember every getting in trouble for that! Everytime I see a mulberry, I think of Aunt Eileen and the fun we cousins had forming clubs, building club houses and mulberry fights. This Christmas, Aunt Eileen will remembered with every Christmas card I store in my new card box.

Thank you to Beverly for hosting Pink Saturday!

Jot It Down

2011-07-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's Pink Saturday! I thought I would share a book cover design I have created to help me collect my thoughts and ideas for color schemes, painting designs, etc. It is pink, of course.

I dream in color. I often work out paintings, color schemes and even patterns in my sleep. I find that if I stick to the color I 'see' in my dream, the color of the design works out perfectly. This booklet helps me to remember to jot it down.

I also keep sticky notes in the booklet too. Though sticky notes are handy, they have become a plague in my office. I have them everywhere. After a short time, I can't remember what they are about, and I am afraid to throw them away. So I tape them in my booklet. There, a pretty office organizer too!

Something pink and pretty to write in! I have these available on my website. I also design unique, one-of-a-kind covers for others. Interested?

Thank you to Beverly for hosting another grand Pink Saturday!

A White Hot July Day

2011-07-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

A white hot July day presents the perfect opportunity to paint something cool. My thoughts immediately drift to delicate cool, soft pink and lavendar English roses. Of course! The background selection is easy.......white.  Now it is time to find the right design to paint.....something loose and flowing. There it is. Just the right surface, a "peek-a-boo", stand-alone frame. Roses and ribbon.

On my palette, I squeeze out Burnt Carmine, Radiant Violet, Raw Sienna, Naples Yellow Light, and Titanium White.

With a crystal glass of ice cold violet and rose tea, I am ready to paint the roses. Warm and cool whites create the delicate pinks and lavendars as I pull the rounded petals through the undercolor placed in the flower form. Layering on petal by petal with more white or naples yellow light. A touch of burnt carmine. A speck of raw sienna. An accent of radiant violet. Add some depth. Accentuate a light. Value creates form. Warm up a petal, cool one down. Play with the temperature of the color. Temperature creates depth. It's hot outside. My brush is "smoking", but I am lost in a my pink zone creating cool, soft, delicate beauty.

Now the leaves. They should be cool greens with a warm tone here and there. I'll use chromium oxide green, a little cadmium yellow pale, black and some white.  Add an accent of burnt carmine to relate them to the roses. Maybe a touch of radiat violet. Oh, and some raw sienna, but not too much. I don't want the leaves to look too much like autumn. Vary the values of the leaves. Create interest among the leaves with warm and cool tempertures within the leaf colors. There, just right.

The ribbon is next. Maybe I will make it a littler warmer than the roses. I will use the same color as I used in the roses, just more radiant violet and naples yellow light. Maybe more burnt carmine to blend with the radiant violet. That makes a pretty, cool pink. Twists and folds, flips and turns. Play darks against lights to get the ribbon to flow through the design. Again, work with the temperature of the colors. That looks good.

Finally, assess the design again, as a whole unit. Add some intense color here and there. Burnt carmine.  Some white, maybe. Now it "pops"! Oh, tone down a rose petal with a light green used in the leaves. Ok, that is better. Maybe one of the pinks on my pallete would look good on a leaf.  Yes, that works. I am loving it!

The final touch.  Add stems and tendrils. Fleck with a soft, cool green. Sign my name. Done!

I can truly say that this painting was inspired by the heat. A white hot July day.

Happy Valetine's Day

2011-02-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I found this vintage card several years ago and added my own touch (the painted roses) to entice you to be my Valentine. .
Thank you to Beverly for hosting this very special Pink Saturday.

Happy Pink Saturday

A Valentine Setting

2011-02-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is approaching, and I wanted to show you a simple centerpiece on my dining room table. I painted this heart-shaped hatbox many years ago. It has always been one of my favorite pieces. I finished the inside of the box with gathered fabric, ribbons and lace. This centerpiece has served for a many Valentine tea and a few romantic dinners. My Father made the gorgeous Tiffany lamp. I leave it on 24 hours a day. It is beautiful at night through the front window. Yes, the lamp is roses in sumptuous reds and pinks. It all goes so well with the pink carpet!

Another wonderful Pink Saturday here in Colorado. Thank you to Beverly for hosting Pink Saturdays!

2010 Shelf Projects

2011-01-29T03:59:00.000-08:00

Last year I challenged myself to paint one thing a month from my 'wood pile'. I can proudly say that nine pieces were saved from a shelf life and brought into the world of color! These are the items that were brought to life to be enjoyed and used. I am now working on my first piece for 2011. January is not over yet!

Roses on Nook Cover

2010-12-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! This new year I am starting off with a good book on my new Nook. For years I have been reading books on my Palm. Yes, I still have a Palm T3. I take it with me on all my travels. Well now I will be reading books on the Nook. As soon as I opened it this Christmas, I knew that I would be personalizing the pink cover with roses. This is a photo of roses I painted. It actually goes with my luggage that I painted three years ago! A girl has got to be pink co-ordinated at all times. Thanks go to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for hosting Pink Saturday. Keep it pink for 2011!

My Pink Saturday Tea Set

2010-10-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I showed you my teacup, so this week I want to show you the tea set. I love the line, the scrollwork, the shape, and the pink of it! It makes me feel good when I use it, but also just seeing it in my china cupboard!

This is a porcelain plate that I painted a few years ago. It compliments the tea set, I think. These lines, gold trim, the color pink, and of course, roses, are embedded in my bones!

I want to do a painting of one of the pieces of the tea set. Maybe I will try to do a digital one!

Thank you to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for hosting another grand Pink Saturday!

It's Fall, Pink is in The Air

2010-09-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

It is time for a spot of tea this morning. I can feel autumn in the air. Several autumns ago, I was in England, and purchased a small Lady Carlise tea set. This seemed like the perfect morning for a sip of tea using my Lady Carlise teacup. Of course, I had a sliver of carrot cake too. Cake is always a good thing to have for breakfast!

Though ,generally fall colors are orange, burnt reds, yellow greens and golds, I always look for the pinks. I find them in the last rose, rose hips, fallen leaves, and pumpkins viewed through my rose tinted glasses.

As I sip my tea on Pink Saturady, I tip my cup to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound who hosts Pink Saturday throughout the seasons of the year. Fill it to the chip.

Pink Saturday Almost Slips Away

2010-08-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here it is Pink Saturday, and I almost missed it! Where does the time go?

This week I have been searching for pink plums. I want to put them in a painting composition. Yes, I know, I can paint a plum with pink accents and overtones, but I wanted to see if there really was such a thing. Many trips to different grocery stores did not reveal any pink plums. So I went to the Internet and I found this stock photo of pink plums! Developed in England in the 1870s, Czar is a variety of plum that has an excellent flavor. Wow! Not only pink plums for Pink Saturday, but I learned something too! Wish I could taste one.

There will be pink plums in a painting very soon, not something from my creative imagination, but truly real!

It's Pink Saturday!

2010-08-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

My posting for my 2nd Pink Saturday is a Gift Tag. I love the romantic, Victorian look, and delicate pinks suit my sensibilities. I made this tag using a combination of my artwork, digital elements and computer skills. They are so much fun to create. I make one and an idea for another is born. I can foresee that there will be many gift tags!

Thank you Brenda at How Sweet the Sound for hosting Pink Saturday! Thank you to all of you who took a moment to welcome me. It is taking me a while, but I am making it to all of your blogs. All of you are so creative and inspiring. It is fun to be associated with so many connoisseurs of Pink!

Pink Saturday

2010-08-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am participating in Pink Saturday. Begun by Beverly at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/, the idea is that you can post anything pink on Saturdays! Now how hard is that going to be for me? The hard part is not to post anything pink on Sunday through Friday. Ha! So here is my first truly pink item, (posted on Friday in anticipation of Saturday).

This luggage was painted for my trip to Antarctica. It brightened up the landscape! I painted roses near the handles on the top and sides of each of the pieces. When I checked in at the ticket counter, I was asked by the agent if I was selling these! I wish I could have said "Yes!". My luggage was easy to find, and I was assigned the tag line, "Antarctic Barbie".

I continue to use the luggage and truly enjoy it! By the way, I bought the luggage for $49.95 for the three pieces. The black garment bag pictured behind the pink luggage was about the same price. I painted roses on the gussets of the garment bag so that the bags piggybacked on the garment bag would not mar the roses. I was able to maneuver all of the luggage by myself.

Thank you, Beverly, for inspiring Pink Saturday. This is going to be fun!

August Already

2010-07-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that the last time I posted on the blog, it was cold and we were still experiencing snowy days in May! I have been busy, but if I were to list the things that have been taking up time, it would not seem like much.

I have been painting though! This is one of the things I painted up. It is a small stand alone frame which can accommodate a mirror, photo, or just be pretty as a peek-a-boo piece. I have so much wood to paint, so I am going through the stacks, painting them with some of my designs or others who have designed for the pieces. It has been fun working up the designs and the feeling of accomplishment is good too.

Match Those Switchplates!

2010-05-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

Decorative painting lends itself to a myriad of surfaces. I painted some switchplates for one of my husband's customers to match her new kitchen tile, and now the word has spread! I just finshed another set of nine for one of her friends.

This was painted using acrylics, and then sprayed with a matte finish.

These are a lot of fun to paint. Guess I had better paint the ones in my own kitchen to match the marble backsplash! Yes, the marble is pink! Did you have to ask?

Easter Bonnet

2010-04-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

It's Resurrection Sunday! He is risen!
As children it meant new dresses and of course, Easter bonnets. Every Easter morning there would be family photos taken of all of us in our yard after church. As girls, we loved the new dresses, hats, gloves, and even new jackets or coats that matched the dresses. As an adult, the tradition of new Easter clothes was carried on but with the knowledge that they represented the new life found in Christ's resurrection, and that every Sunday was a celebration of Easter!

Though I wore hats as a child, I don't wear them much anymore, but my sister, Nancy, wears hats all the time! It must be a residual from the Easter bonnets. I do paint them, however. I love painting hats, and have painted several. This hat is representitive of one of my Easter bonnets, and it was one of my favorites.

As I don my Easter clothes this morning, I will be celebrating the sacrifice that was made for me that I might live an abundant life, full of joy, and on that Great Day, to be reuinted with loved ones, praising my Saviour for eternity. Hallelujah! And I will be remembering all of those Resurrection Sundays of my sisters and I sitting demurely in the church pew dressed up in our new Easter bonnets.

Hydrangea Decor

2010-03-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Next to roses, hydrangeas are my favorite flower. I love hydrangeas! I am in love with the huge blossoms that stay on the flower until you cut them off. They look just as beautiful in a fresh bouquet as in a dried arrangement. I like the "looseness" of the petals, the huge leaves, and the colors of the blossoms, fresh or dried. Throughout my house, one can find hydrangeas crafted in stained glass, dried hydrangeas surrounding a mirror, hydrangea print coverlets, hydrangeas fashioned in tapestry, and paintings of hydrangeas. I even used hydranges in my wedding bouquet and as decoration on the wedding cake. That is how much this flower!

Hydrangeas are often thought of as a truly Victorian flower. In the large manor houses of England, it was easy to fill huge vases with their beautiful blossoms since hydrangeas grow to be as big as a salad plate! That may be why in the language of flowers they are known as "A boaster".

Here at Rosecote hydrangeas are a little harder to grow. Though I may not have a hydrangea tree, I purchase a hydrangea bush every season, and when it starts blooming, there is much celebration, and should I say, even a boastful attitude!

You may also be in love with this flower. As a decorative artist you may have tried to paint your own interpretation of its masses of petals. Whether painted suggestively and loose, or with photo-realism, their old-fashioned loveliness make hydrangeas utterly desirable.

Decorating for SPRING!

2010-03-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

The first day of spring in the Colorado Rockies brought as much as 2 feet of snow in some places, but I persevered and did some decorating.

This is a vignette that I created on my bedroom dresser using a piece I designed with a pink hydrangea as a focal point and arranging a few of my perfume bottles along with it. My bedspread print is muted pink hydrangeas with roses on an ivory background. The vignette compliments the bedspread colors while repeating the design elements.

When creating vignettes it is good to consider using different textures such as shiny surfaces along with dull. Note the tapestry potpourri pouch next to the lamp. It makes a nice statement with the glass. Varying heights and widths of elements within the vignette also add interest.

More decorating ideas to follow. Hydranges were my inspiration! Find some one thing or maybe a color and move out the winter decor for a new Spring look.

I Love Hydrangeas

2010-03-13T06:51:00.000-08:00

Soon I will buy my annual hydrangea bush for the yard. I don't seem to have much luck growing them here in Northern Colorado from one year to the next. Since growing them is a challange for me, I can paint them from pictures I have taken, arrangements, or use artificial hydrangeas as my model. I also like to browse through a book I purchased several years ago. It is titled, Hydrangeas, by Darla Price Bowman. There are photos of hydrangeas in every setting and a variety of species. The photography is well done. The text offers hydrangea legends and lore, "explores the mysteries of hyrangeas' color", and gives details on how to dry hydrangeas for bouquets.

You may find this book and others to be your inspiration for your next hydrangea painting. I am in a "hydrangea frame of mind" and there is a painting taking shape! I am getting ready to decorate for spring....7 more days!

A Trail of Roses

2010-03-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

Finally! This one I am keeping. I have painted this Mary Jo Leisure design at least 3 times, and each time I have given it away, but this one goes on my sofa table. It is a stand-alone painting on wood, trimmed with gold leaf, which has a receptacle attached on the back side in which I can arrange some greenery or some filler flowers. I am getting ready to decorate for Spring! Countdown.....11 days!

Roses Come in all Varieties

2010-03-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

I have been playing this evening...digital ribbon roses, leaves and ribbon. What fun!

'Painting' using my computer has really been an exciting way to create. New ideas are just bubbling in my head. I either need more time or a clone!

Where is Spring?

2010-03-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

Spring Countdown.....16 days. If only Colorado weather would follow the calendar. March and April are typically our snowiest months, so I am not deluding myself. But "Hope SPRINGS Eternal"! Today, it is supposed to get up to 58 degrees. Yay! Maybe that 5 foot deep bank of snow on the North side of the house will be somewhat reduced in size. Whoops, extended forecast says........snow tonight, and tomorrow.

Since it looks like my rose bushes are to remain covered with snow, I am getting out my David Austin's English Roses, Glorious New Roses for American Gardens. I have had this book for many years, and it continues to inspire me. Every page is a color plate with cascades of roses, bouquets of roses, 'botanical' photos of single roses, rose gardens, and rose illustrations. It is a book that is good for the soul of a rose lover.

Golfing

2009-04-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

I married a golfer and the only time I played golf was in a college PE class. Johnny has taken me out to the golf course several times giving me tips and lessons. Early on at one of those outings we found a full bag of golf clubs that someone had thrown in the dumpster! Those became my clubs and I was just fine with that. Afterall, I did not show a lot of promise.

This month is my birthday month, and Johnny shopped for a pink golf club set. When he asked me if I wanted a new set of clubs, I said that I was just fine with the ones I had, but then he mentioned the pink clubs. Well, I thought that sounded pretty cool, so we set out to find just the right set of pink clubs. Yes, pink golf clubs! The club shafts are pink and actually have a decorative motif on the shafts. I now have a beautiful set of pink golf clubs, pink golf balls, and pink tees. For the first time I consistently drove the ball between 75 and 150 yards and did not roll the ball on the fairway taking seven shots to get to the green! My putting is not as good as with the other putter, so I am going to have to get used to the new putter.

I am thrilled with the pink look and am looking forward to more golf outings. If you need a boost to your golf game I might suggest pink clubs. By the way, I am going to paint roses on the bag. Surprised?

A New Year

2009-01-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

Today is the beginning of a new year and I have spent it in my nightgown! I have not watched a single football game. I have worked on the computer, painted a rose, dreamt about future painting projects. This year I would like to paint more digital art. I have a Wacom Cintiq monitor and I LOVE it! I want to lose myself in the world of color and use my pen mouse just like a paintbursh. This is my goal for the new year.

But today I talked with friends and family, relaxed, and lived in the moment. It is a good day.

Wishing you a good day too on the first day of the New Year.

A Tip for Gray Days

2008-11-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

During the winter months when the days are shorter, and the skies are gray, I get depressed. I am one of those people who need sunshine to thrive. I have purchased daylight light bulbs to place in light fixtures in my office and studio, and that helps. I have also learned that surrounding myself with simple pleasures helps too, so a soothing cup of tea with vanilla added, some good music, and a colorful pen in my hand while working gives me a sense that things will get better.

My advise to you if you suffer from this malady is to surround your work area with light, and pamper yourself. Little things can make all the difference in a bad day being tolerable.

Another Inspirational Book

2008-11-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

I love teapots and teacups and taking tea. Usually tea shops have a small section filled with wonderful treasures. At one of these shops, I found just such a treasure. The book is titled Shelley Chintz by Kelly L. Moran, and is filled with photographs of chintz teacups, saucers, teapots of every description. But, the real treat is the photographs of some of the original drawings of patterns from the Shelley Pattern Books at Royal Doulton.

Leafing through the book fills my head with ideas, and I can't help but dream of elegant tea rooms, the fragrance of tea brewing, and little shops filled with tea accouterments, and how I might go about painting a chintz teapot still life.

What Every Girl Needs

2008-11-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago my local hardware store had these 6-in-1 Hammer/Srewdrivers and I purchased them for gifts for my daughters. I have three of these for myself, two are standard screwdrivers, and one is a Philips Head screwdriver set. The screwdrivers nest inside the handle of the hammer. I love these! Of course, no self respecting man would be caught dead using one of these, and that is one of the reasons you can always find it! I keep two in my studio, and one in my office.

Well, I can't find them locally at the moment, and I want to give them as gifts this Christmas. I found them online at YankeePostman.com for just $4.49 plus $5.41 S/H. They make great stocking stuffers, or buy one to treat yourself. This is what every girl needs.

Just another way of Living the Decorative Art Lifestyle.

The Romance of Roses

2008-11-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

The Infatuation: The rose has been associated with romance for centuries. Legends, fairy tales and folklore have evolved around this delicate flower. The names alone given to its fragrant blooms evoke romance. The desire to recreate its beauty has challenged many, whether by capturing its image with poetry, embroidery thread, photography, or brush. For those of us who have been smitten by the rose, that desire becomes a driving force in our chosen art form. So it begins, our romance with the rose.

The Romance: A rose has a language all its own. Its color may indicate passion, jealously, new love, or purity. As romantics, we can coax the emotion that we desire from our rose with any of the colors we have in our paint boxes. One of my great joys is to paint roses of unique color, against unusual background treatments and hues. Combined with other design elements, such as china, ribbon, lace, or berries, the romance of roses deepens our desire to represent its beauty in many settings.

The Courtship: A romance can blossom in any environment, but with a little creativity, it can be greatly enriched by its surroundings. So it is with the rose and the leaves by which it is framed. Deep, rich green leaves with undertones of purple, or ones marred with leaf spot and bug bites, give the painting interest, depth, and enhance the beauty of the rose. A faded leaf, a bulging bud, or angular stem gives each painting a uniqueness all of its own, but a dew drop adds the sparkle of a diamond! It is hard to resist painting roses on unusual surfaces or tucking them in surprising places. The courtship of a rose can be very heady indeed!

The Affair: Like any love, painting roses requires great care, patience, and at times, perseverance. But with desire and a little experimentation, we are ready to embark upon a great adventure full of whimsy and fantasy. Whether you are just flirting with the notion of painting roses, or are a serious suitor, you will enjoy the intrigue and mystery that your romance with the rose provides.

It is my hope that you won’t suffer the pain of pining after a faded love. Best wishes on a long and happy relationship.

Jeanne Downing

Books to Inspire

2008-11-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Though I am not a china painter, I love painting on matted china. Matted china is porcelain bisque with a "mat" fired on the surface giving it a fine tooth. This is an excellent surface for painting with oils because the surface does not chew up the bristles on my brushes. Looking at the all white surface can be daunting. The curves of a vase or teapot have to be taken into consideration when creating the painted design. Often, there are embossed elements on the surface that influence the design process. As I sit and stare at the china piece I want to paint, the question is always, "Where do I begin?".

I have found a book written by Debby DuBay, titled, Antique Limoges at Home, which is filled with beautiful color photographs of rare Limoges of all descritpions. The pieces are breath-taking and the photograpy is excellent. Besides being a must-have book for collectors, it offers inspriation for the artist. If you love painting china, you will want this book. Ms. DuBay has also written a book titled, Living with Limoges. Both of these books are in my library.

Leafing through these books at night before I retire fills my head with design ideas, color combinations, and by morning, I know just what I am going to do with that blank china piece.

Cleaning up My Work Area

2008-10-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

My office is all of the downstairs. Really it is in the walkout basement so there are French doors opening to the backyard which let in a lot of light. I have two computers in one corner of the room with a wicker settee and chair accenting the office. This is how my office used to look. This was before Johnny and I were married. The house was neat as a pin, clean.

Now..........this is how it looks at this moment. You can draw your own conclusions on the married aspect, but the bottom line is I need a place to keep papers that I need right now but out of sight! Well, being creative, I always color outside the lines. I remembered a piece I had painted in a seminar with Mary Jo Leisure. Of course, it is not quite done, but it is almost done. It is a cupboard that hangs on the wall. The door is a beautiful flower collage. My search for the piece was successful! I am now using the the cupboard, but sitting it on the desk with the lid open, and putting folders filled with papers inside and out of sight!

Another example of the Decorative Art Lifestyle.

(Yes, there are papers behind there, even folders with papers in them.

I did have to trim the folders down to fit inside the box.)

Frontier Wedding

2008-09-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

My brother got married at the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico. The St. James Hotel is a treasured piece of the historical Santa Fe trail, and the hotel register is a Who's Who of old West outlaws, lawmen, and the colorful characters that travelled that trail.

The wedding party and guests dressed the part. This picture shows Johnny and I outside the front entrance to the hotel. He looks pretty serious about keeping me right close.

After the wedding, we took a ride on the motorcycle up the canyon to Angel Fire, over Eagle Nest Pass, and down into Taos. What a beautiful ride. I love New Mexico!

Frontier Riders

2008-09-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, my husband and I bought a Gold Wing motorcycle. Since then we have ridden over 25,000 miles travelling to historical western sites and towns, weddings, graduations, dessert rides, dinner rides, mountain rides, and just plain get-out-in-the-evening rides! We absolutely LOVE it!

We joined the local Gold Wing Road Riders Chapter and immediately took on the offices of Historian and Newsletter Editor and now hold the title, The 2008 Couple of the Year.

I rode a motorcycle only once when I was in high school with one of the most handsome boys in school. My father accused me of becomming a motocycle gang member. Well, after all of these years, I guess I am! And the guy sitting in the driver's seat is the most handsome man in the West! The picture below is our "gang" calling card.

Living with Your Art

2008-09-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

Years ago when I began painting, my desire was to paint something for my home. It wasn't until I took seminars from Mary Jo Leisure that I saw how natural it was to integrate my art into my lifestyle. I began to apply the elements of color theory to decorating my home, keeping in mind that decorative art can often be found on functional pieces.

It is not necessary to redecorate your entire home or completely redo a room to display your art. The obvious is to hang it on the wall, but you probably have enough of your painted pieces hanging. Creating small vignettes, which feature your work, but also incorporate other elements may be more effective.

Begin with the artwork that you wish to be the focal point. Add height, using a candlestick or small lamp. Introduce another texture, such as cloth, or flowers. The colors should be in harmony with your artwork. Add another object to nestle near your focal point. This could be soft and dull, or hard and shiny, and could be placed in front of or behind your art. Look around your home for an object to use. It could be a treasured figurine, or that thing that Aunt Emma gave you last year and you didn't know what to do with it! Keep in mind the line you are creating with your objects. Move them around to find the most pleasing arrangement. Think of this vignette as a collection of design elements within a painting.

This is a picture of a vignette that I created using a couple of painted pieces from my book, Elegance in Blue. It is visible as you enter my home, and immediately makes a statement about my love of decorative painting, and becomes an extension of my personality.

Try creating your own vignette today, and live with your decorative art.

My Decorative Painting Journey

2008-09-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

I began painting some 38 years ago after seeing a daisy painted on a piece of weathered wood in the foyer of a friend's home. At that time, printed books were limited, and I sought out a class in a local town offering 6 lessons. I was hooked after the first lesson.

My teacher stressed executing design elements with as few as strokes as possible. Strokework was emphasized and after each class I practiced making comma strokes, "c" strokes, and circles with a round brush.

For many years I continued to paint inbetween my children's naps, and celebrating my birthdays by painting for the better part of the day. I learned a lot about mixing colors. The day I discovered that yellow and black make green was an exciting day!

Eventually, there was a tole painting class offered locally, and I signed up. There were 4 other students in the class and we were hungry to learn as much as we could. We painted every Wednesday for 4 years. Our teacher finally turned over the classroom to us as she continued to work in her craft store, and we brought in flowers, fruit, containers, and pictures and conferred about how we might paint them.

Pricilla Hauser published "For Whom the Brush Toles" series and we devoured every word on every page, and were espacially excited with the color step-by-steps. I painted apples, strawberries, daisies, and leaves with several strokes and blended the colors, dry wiping my brush often.

My painting had evolved from strokework to brush blending, and I loved it! There was just one hitch. No matter how hard I tried, I could not paint a rose..............

Decorative Painting - Defined

2008-09-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

As defined by the Society of Decorative Painters, decorative painting is a diverse art form utilizing a variety of techniques and media to decorate functional and non-functional surfaces.

Though many call it tole painting, the art form has taken styles and techniques of the past and incorporated them with the trends and materials of the present, while developing the decorative art heritage of the future.

Tole painting is the general term historically used to describe decorative painting on tin surfaces, especially in New England and by the Pennsylvania Germans. Contemporary decorative painting encompasses not only the folk art styles of Sweden, Norway, Germany, Russia, England and Mexico, but many facets of Early American decorative painting such as stenciling, faux finishing, bronzing, gold leafing, country painting, theorem and graining.

This metal tray was designed and painted by the Folk Artist, Peter Ompir. It was done in the mid- twentith century with mixed media. It represents Ompir's skill and mastery of color. This historic piece can be found in the Decorative Arts Collection Museum in Atlanta, GA.

More pieces from The Decorative Arts Collection can be viewed online at http://www.decorativeartscollection.org/