Saturday, April 30, 2011

Charity Art Auction for Angel Faces


"Purr-fect Angel"
Kristin Dudish

6.25" x 8.25"
mixed media on museum quality mat board and wooden frame


This painting is finished with a light coat of varnish for protection.  It has a hanger on the back for easy wall hanging, or it is ready for tabletop display... the choice is yours!

*All proceeds from the sale of this painting will be donated to the Angel Faces charity.*

Bidding for "Purr-fect Angel" starts at $15 USD.
Please make all bids in whole dollar amounts and be sure to leave a way to contact you in case you are the winning bid... Good Luck and Happy Bidding!

Thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!

*To place a bid, please click here.*



Thursday, April 28, 2011

Paint Party Friday... Bicycle?!?


This is my entry for this week's Illustration Friday theme: "Bicycle".

Wait... What?!?

Let me explain.

When I started thinking about bicycles, I thought about handlebars... Which led to me to thinking about handlebar mustaches.  Handlebar mustaches made me think of disguises.  There was a magazine sitting next to me that was open to a picture of a goldfish... I started thinking about a goldfish in disguise wearing a handlebar mustache...

Which led to this fun little painting in my sketchbook.


Don't be afraid to let your art lead you where it wants to go!


I can't wait to see where my friends over at Paint Party Friday  were led this week...  Please be sure to stop by - It's always lots of fun!




Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Creative Tuesday: Short and Tall

(A page from my sketchbook.)



Whether short or tall, we all find different ways to reach our highest heights.


Please be sure to stop by Mr. Toast's blog to see more Creative Tuesday "short and tall" offerings.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Sunday Sketches... Angel


The drawing I am sharing today is a preliminary sketch for the painting I am creating for Inspiration Avenue's Charity Art Auction to benefit Angel Faces.  ("Angel" also happens to be the theme over at Inspiration Avenue this week.)

The auction begins on May 1st.  Please be sure to check back to see the finished painting!

(And since it's Sunday, don't forget to stop by Sophia's blog to see what my friends have been sketching this week.)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Paint Party Friday... Giving and Receiving


It's time for another Paint Party Friday!

This week I am sharing the hands I created for the Helping Hands for Japan auction.  The earth inspired hands in this loving gesture were created in colors of the world and they are surrounding a warm patchwork heart.  Sending love to Japan...  


(The hands are painted on both sides.)


I have also started a painting for Inspiration Avenue's Charity Auction to benefit Angel Faces.



Before I finish this post, I just had to mention the most wonderful mail I received - A beautiful painting by Becky L. Bowman!  I won a very generous giveaway at her blog (lucky, lucky me!!!), and I have to say "Pretty Pink Poppies" is even prettier in person.  I love it... It is already hanging on my living room wall!

Thank you Becky!!!


Now it's time to Party...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Spring Break Silliness


It is Spring Break at Tyler's Preschool.  And...   


Construction has started on "T-Town"!


(Complete with "Bob's Golf Course", "Zoo", and "Tyler's Hoops"!)


Wishing you a Silly Spring Break!


Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sunday Sketches


Just a little something from my sketchbook...

(In case you missed it, I posted a tutorial for making chocolate covered peep pops here.)

Please be sure to stop by Sophia's blog - There are sure to be some sweet sketches!


Friday, April 15, 2011

Tutorial: Chocolate Covered Peep Pops


If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know how much I love making cake pops!  If you're new here - Welcome!
(You can find past cake pop posts here, here, and here.)


As much as I love cake pops, they can be time consuming...  Since life can be busy, especially around holidays, I love creating quick and easy treats (without sacrificing cuteness, of course)!  My Easter time solution?

Chocolate Covered Peep Pops!


Supplies:
Peeps Marshmallow Bunnies
Milk Chocolate Candy Wafers
6" Lollipop Sticks
Styrofoam Block

Optional (but highly recommended) Supplies:
Clear Plastic Treat Bags
Twist Ties
Brightly Colored Ribbon


- Start by separating the peeps - set them aside.

 - Melt the candy wafers in a microwave safe bowl according to the package directions.


- One at a time, hold the peep by the ears and dip the bunny body into the melted chocolate, shaking off any excess.

- Take a lollipop stick and insert it into the bottom of the bunny body.


- Give the stick a few light taps against the side of the bowl to remove any remaining excess chocolate.

- Once dipped, place the bunnies in the styrofoam block to dry.


- After the bunny bodies are dry, it's time to dip the ears.

- One at a time, hold the bunnies by their stick and carefully dip the ears in the melted chocolate.  (Take care to shake & tap off any excess chocolate before returning them to the styrofoam block.)

- After the chocolate is completely dry, you can individually wrap each Peep Pop in a clear plastic treat bag, secure with a twist tie and add a ribbon...


Baskets of bunnies make an adorable centerpiece or a wonderful hostess gift!

I am sharing this fun and easy tutorial with:


and


Enjoy!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Paint Party Friday... It's Hip to be Square


It's time for another Paint Party Friday!  Yay!  I am really loving this... It's so much fun!

Last week, I received lots of questions about the textures in my paintings.  In case you missed it, I answered the texture question (and some other questions) here.


This week I painted squares...


Lots and LOTS of squares!
(400 squares... But who's counting?!? ha!)

Sometimes I find the beginning stages of a painting can be a little tedious.  Although, if all goes well it is (usually) worth it in the end.  Do you ever find that to be true?

On a much more exciting note, I received a wonderful package in the mail this week...


Is it candy?!?


No.  It's the beautiful birds I bought from the very talented Makiko (Maki) Hastings to support Japan!  Weren't they wrapped so sweetly?  I guess you could call them "eye candy"!

If you haven't checked out Maki's 1000 Birds Project yet, be sure to pay her a visit...  They are absolutely adorable!   (I just love the details - the little bird feet on the bottoms are fantastic.)


I can't wait to give them as gifts, but I have to admit that since they're so cute I had to keep a couple for myself!

If you've been painting this week, please be sure to share what you've been up to over at the PPF blog.  (Even if you haven't been painting try to stop by and see what everyone else has created!)


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Questions Answered

Altered Photo (original photo from google images)

Before I get started, I just want to say thank you (and you, and you!) for all of the wonderful comments and emails I receive - I love reading each and every one!

Frequently those comments and emails contain questions...  


How do you create your textures?

Boy, do I love me some texture!  I am always looking for different ways to create it.  Two of the easiest ways to create texture are by using tissue paper or by painting on an already textured surface like pressboard.

I started the painting above by adhering crumpled tissue paper to my primed canvas using a watered down glue mixture.  (Nothing fancy - just plain white tissue paper and white school glue mixed with water.)  I put a layer of brown paint over the whole thing then put a creamy white over that. (By painting it brown first it really brings out the wrinkles.)


Pressboard is instant texture!  It is basically wood chips that have been glued and pressed together to create solid sheets.  (I love using black gesso on pressboard!)

*My favorite place to get wood of all kinds is the "leftovers bin" at my local home improvement store.  It is the bin where they put all of the misfits and leftover pieces from when they cut down large sheets of wood - You can find amazing bargains in that bin!*    

Altered Photo  (original photo from google images)

House paint?  I still can't believe you use house paint in some of your paintings... Is there a specific type you use?

House paint has really great coverage.  I first started using it when I painted murals, but I continue to (sometimes) use it in my paintings on canvas and wood.  When I use it, I like to use a satin or semi-gloss finish.

*A great place to buy paint?  The "mistint" section at the hardware store.  It's the place that they sell the "mistakes" for deeply discounted prices.  The colors that you find there may not be something that you want right out of the can, but you can adjust them yourself at home!*


How do you work on so many paintings at once?  Where do you find the time?

For me, working on multiple paintings at the same time makes sense with my schedule.  I basically have one long, full day a week of intense art making and the rest is shorter bursts here and there around Tyler's schedule.  (You can read more about my schedule in an interview here.)  

If I have fifteen minutes, I work on the piece that has a fifteen minute chunk that can be conquered... They are always in different stages of completion.  When I work on more than one painting at a time, I don't have to worry about drying times - I can move on to a different painting.  


Where do you get your ideas?

If you read this post, then you remember that I believe inspiration is everywhere!

The photo above was an early morning discovery.  The soft sunlight coming through my kitchen window cast this crazy shadow on my refrigerator.  (I had a pineapple on the counter with my usual paper towel holder and soap dispenser.)  These look like some fun characters to me... expect to see them in my art work at some point in the future!

Keep your eyes open - you never know what ideas may be lurking in the shadows!


I love to share, so if you have any questions I haven't already answered please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email!

In the interest of even more sharing, I'd like to leave you with this fantastic post by Austin Kleon that I read the other day.

   

Sunday, April 10, 2011

♥ Sunday Sketches ♥


Just a little something I'm working on...

Please be sure to stop by Sophia's blog and show my Sunday Sketching friends some love.


Thursday, April 7, 2011

Paint Party Friday... Works In Progress


It's time for another Paint Party Friday!

It's been a busy, busy week in the studio...


I have many paintings started (Seven - yikes!)... They are all in various stages, but none of them are completely finished.


So, this week I'm sharing a few snippets of some of the works-in-progress.


In addition to the normal Paint Party Friday festivities, I'll be spending the morning having a different kind of "Paint Party"... A trip to the Art Gallery with a group of preschoolers! 

I hope you're planning on joining the party too - It's always lots of fun!

Monday, April 4, 2011

My Oprah Anniversary and Dreaming Big


This past week marked the 10 year anniversary of my Oprah adventure.  (You can read about it here.)  As a result, I am feeling nostalgic about all of the twists and turns of my crazy creative journey.


10 years ago was a time of some pretty major leaps for me... Zoe and I were new business owners, I was only a few months away from being married, and helping fulfill some dreams of others helped me discover dreams of my own.  I look back at the 20-something girl I was 10 years ago and I feel there is a lot I can (re)learn from her.  I was always ready for an adventure, I let my heart be my guide, and I didn't let fear stand in my way.  I was wide-eyed and believed anything was possible... and it was!

What I'm discovering is that it still is.

Over the past 10 years I have led a fairly creative life, but somewhere along the way I slipped into the comfortable ease of everyday living and my adventurous spirit went into hibernation.  Well, I'm happy to say it's back...

This past year has been a time of reawakening to the crazy fun creative force that drives me to try new things and dream big!  I feel that I owe a big chunk of this newfound energy to my discovery of this incredibly inspiring online art community.


Looking back it is clear to see that there have been events, both big and small, that have had a significant impact on where I am today.  One recent moment seemed like a minor decision at the time, but has had a major effect on the artful life I'm living today... Last Summer I took Kelly Rae Roberts Flying Lessons e-course and my life hasn't been the same since.  (It sounds very dramatic, but it's true.)

150×240 flying lessons badge

When I signed up for the class, I was hoping to learn some online business tips, but what I gained was so much more.  Kelly Rae's inspirational lessons and advice helped me remember the 20-something girl who believed with unwavering certainty in infinite possibility...

I'm dreaming big again and it feels good!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Sunday Sketches


This week most of my sketchbook pages have been dedicated to notes for the website Bob is building for me.  However, in between the layout designs, I did manage to squeak out some paper doll and flower drawings.


Please be sure to stop by Sophia's blog for some Sunday Sketching goodness!


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