The Perfect Bird

Here is a perfect specimen for you to admire - all colorful and gracious at the same time. The blue violet spike in the front stands out like the eyes of the dancer to draw attention to the glorious crown of sunburst orange. The striking post of the head and stem is just beautiful. No wonder they have such a great name!

The Dance

The bird of paradise flowers were in full bloom while I was in LA and I just couldn't pass them up without taking a photo or two. This little group reminded me of a crowded dance floor. Pretty and colorful though don't you think?

Hello LA

The city of Los Angeles welcomed me way before I even arrived in it. This is from the shuttle and I wanted to share the view with you. The juxtaposition of the straight erect modern architecture next to the natural rolling background mountains was just too much for my artistic eye to handle - what a treat!

Ahhh Green

This is the scene waiting to be picked up from the airport in Los Angeles CA. I loved the tail of the Southwest airplane peeking over the beautiful green trio of trees - sure made me smile. Not only was the weather gorgeous, high 60's into low 70's, but everywhere you looked there was something green, blooming with color or just all around spring like YEAH!

New Adventure

I'm getting ready to exhibit for the first time at CHA in the License & Design Section of the trade show. To say I'm nervous, excited and overwhelmed would be an understatement. I'm only thinking positive thoughts and trying to tell myself it will all work out just fine. Thank you Lee DeWyze for the song "Sweet Serendipity" because that will be my mantra for the show. Wish me luck!

302 Posts

So here it is, my 302nd post. Who knew I would get to this many in such a short time? I know I certainly didn't. Thank you for coming along on my creative journey. I hope you have picked up some design pointers along the way, enjoyed my beautiful photographs and looked past my artistic ramblings. It's all in the name of Words of Art and inspiration is the key. Here's to 302 more...

I wanted to show how you can use the one color sketch I did to enhance another piece of artwork. I created this little beauty for mini posters. I loved the way my logo was led into the color picture by the brown sketch of oak leaves. It adds just a touch of elegance, perfect!

Highly Prized (SC3)

It's the third week into the Sketchbook Challenge and I did one of my favorite things - leaves. I used a Prismacolor Colored Pencil in Chocolate to get these nice, rich values. Yes, it is only one color and I tried to focus on what was in the background and foreground. I am thrilled with the results and can't wait to see what everyone else has done this week. I hope you are taking the time to sketch for a little bit each day, you are worth it!

Yucca Glory

I couldn't help but share a seed pod covered in a mound of wintry white snow. Doesn't it look like a snow cone with a very interesting handle. The yuccas are one of my favorite garden plants. Not only is the green the most wonderful shade of silver sage but the flowers show up on a huge spike covered with wonderful cream colored blooms. After they are finished, my treasures show up in the seed pods. Not only are they shaped just spectacularly but the tiny seed form little rows inside each section creating a unified colony. Awesome from start to finish!

Studio Whirlwind

Some Thesaurus words for "whirl" - agitation, bustle, clatter, daze, dither, flurry, fluster, furor, gyration, hurry, moil, pirouette, pivot, pother, rotation, rush, spin, succession, swirl, swoosh, turn, twirl, twist, uproar, whir.

Right now these are some of the things going through my creative mind. I'm getting ready to exhibit at the License & Design section at CHA and the studio is swirling with activities. I don't know if I'm coming or going but I do know it will all work out.

Word - Whirl

The word for this week is whirl.

Its noun meaning: a rapid rotating or circling movement; something whirling; commotion, bustle, a state of mental confusion.

Its verb meaning: to move or drive in a circle or curve with force or speed; to turn or cause to turn rapidly in circles; to turn abruptly, to move or go quickly; to become dizzy or giddy; reel.

I thought this was a perfect description of this dancing duo. Doesn't it look like they are in a tango position? I loved the composition and can almost hear the music, da da da.....

Juniper Jubilee

Another photo while I was out walking in the fresh snow. I love the delicate pale cornflower blue color on these juniper berries. Luckily I was walking close by or I would have missed them. They blend so well and are so small, it is like a tiny treasure discovered by the road - love those moments! I cropped it so the dark shadow of the greenery shows off the luscious blue dappled in light. Quite lovely if I do say so myself.

Pine Pleasantry

There is nothing like a fresh snow that covers the trees gently with the white stuff. I went out looking at all the various pines we have in the yard and discovered this little bud. Is it a growth start, a pine cone bud? Don't really know but I thought it was quite intriguing. My favorite part, the structure of the photo. The long variegated green needles creating light and darks of the shadows with the crisp white snow on top. It is just a feast for my artistic eye and I love that!

The Flock

This is a photo of my salt and pepper birds, aren't they cute? I couldn't resist their charm and just had to share them with you. They always make me smile when I open up the cabinet and there they are all lined up and ready to go. They are great for dinner and especially entertaining because each couple can have their own pair. I also use them as still life pieces such as in my colored pencil design Fall Treats seen here at http://kellyhoernig.blogspot.com/2010/10/fall-treats.html. They are just the right little something that you need to complete a design sometimes. Which pair is your favorite?

Highly Prized (SC2)

I reached into my tiny box of treasures and pulled out some of my favorite things to sketch. The time just flew by and I'm so happy with the results. Seed pods, acorns, feathers and leaves - could my creative juices be flowing any freer, not thinking so. I am loving having the opportunity to share with all of you my participation in the sketchbook challenge. It is nice giving myself time to actually sketch and produce a great page for future reference. I hope you are enjoying the challenge as well. Drawing or sketching 10-15 minutes a day will improve your ability to see, define values and make you a better artist in all aspects. Take the time, you are worth it!

Seed Pod Shenanigan

Some Thesaurus words for "joke" - antic, buffoonery, burlesque, caper, drollery, escapade, farce, frolic, gag, game, horseplay, humor, jest, lark, mischief, monkeyshine, parody, pleasantry, prank, pun, quirk, raillery, rib, sally, shenanigan, sport, stunt, tomfoolery, trick, wisecrack, yarn.

Lots of fun words in that group with monkeyshine and tomfoolery being my favorites. Just saying those two make me smile. Here's a challenge for you - work them into a sentence this week and watch peoples faces when they hear those words, he he he :)

I picked this photo because the pods look pasted into the air as if they were glued down as a practical joke. I love when this happens because it gives a different perspective to the actual subject matter and usually creates such clarity on the subject matter. Now, if I only knew what I did to make this happen. Any ideas?

Word - Joke

The word for this week is joke.

Its noun meaning: something said or done to provoke laughter; a brief narrative with a humorous climax.

After this weekend, I needed a good humored word of the week with a photo to go with it. This was taken in Tampa at the SDP Convention a couple years ago. Doesn't it look like the pod is sticking its tongue out at you? I knew it would make you smile!

Breathtaking

Aren't the colors just breathtaking? I almost hold my breath when I see it. The deep, rich velvety blue of the sky. The brightly intense green of the leaves. The angelic, glowing white of the tiny silverbell flowers. I couldn't have composed it any better myself. Such drama shared by a touch of flair, Mother Nature is definitely not afraid of color. May you find peaceful inspiration everywhere you look today!

Anguish

I lost a friend today. One that was there to encourage, support and stand by me. One that was there to help discover my talents, nurture, share and strive to be better. One that helped shape who I am today in business and as a person. I cannot believe you are no longer in my life as a whole, only what you have meant and represented to me. I will never forget what you have given me. A life full of pleasure, surprise and unprecedented joy. Thank you Old Mill Decorative Painters!

Tattered Flag

It was a dreary weekend with the threat of snow for days. The skies were blue grey with a hint of green thrown in to really make you wonder what you were seeing. The familiar sight of Old Glory in front of the bare magnolia made me stop and take notice. I was captured by the tattered flag waving in the wind, a patriotic symbol for all to see in the vast landscape of farmland, still grabbing my attention because of its battered beauty. I think I appreciate it even more for its strength of standing time and still holding the promise of tomorrow. I wonder what inspiration I will see tomorrow, hummmm....

Iced Shadows

Yes, another photo of the iced leaves but I just love them. I wish I could bring them inside and have them look just like this - what a great display they would make.

I cropped this one very tightly because I was enchanted by the various brown values but also intrigued by the interesting shadows. I want you to really look at all the dark values included in this little clip. Would your artwork have so many? Also, have you ever seen so many wonderful shades of honey, sienna, cinnamon or umber all in one spectacular sight? This will definitely be a piece I do later once I figure out the technique of the little ice crystals, hummmm.

Highly Prized (SC1)

Here's my first Sketchbook Challenge (SC for short) for the year. The theme is "Highly Prized" and well, my marriage is just that. The idea was to gather a few things that showed love, marriage, commitment and a touch of fun. All three are representational of my idea words and I just had to include the snowman s'more for the fun. It also serves as a date reminder that this was sketched in January so I couldn't help but include the little fellow. The concentration of values is on what I treasure most, our wedding rings and all they stand for. That's why although there are many elements and they do tell a story, I wanted the focus on them.

I can't wait to see what the other participants have done - I'm going to look right now....

Iced Morning

Some Thesaurus words for "resolution" - boldness, conclusion, courage, decidedness, design, earnestness, firmness, fixed purpose, intention, objective, project, purposefulness, steadfastness, undertaking, will, willpower.

Those are some pretty powerful words don't you think? I love the decision to make a resolution, it shows your intention, willingness to follow through and courage for stated it out loud for all to hear. Be careful what you say, it might just come true!

Tropical Elegance

Here's my latest Colored Pencil of the Month Club project called "Tropical Elegance." I put it into a wooden library drawer to give it importance. Added the butterfly because I love the shadow it gives all during the day creating another visual element of surprise. In planning, that's why the orchid is all the way to the right of the design to give the butterfly weight without drawing the attention. To find out more about the Club, go to www.kellyhoernig.com

Sketchbook Challenge

You may have noticed the little green box on the bottom left hand side of this page - it's a link to the Sketchbook Challenge. The challenge is to sketch more and not worry about it being perfect, just doodles and fun are the criteria. I thought it would be a great way to artistically challenge ourselves. Thanks Cheri for writing about it on Facebook otherwise I wouldn't have known about it :) So, I will be posting my sketch on Wednesday here but also on Flickr like the group wants. Grab a pencil, bring along your fully charged imagination and let's have some creative fun sketching throughout the year YAHOOOOOO!

Word - Resolution

The word for this week is resolution.

Its noun meaning: the act or process of resolving; the action of solving, solution; the quality of being resolute, firmness, determination; a formal statement expressing the opinion, will, or intent of a body of persons.

I am a big believer on creating resolutions each year. They don't always work out the way I hoped but I usually give them a fair try. Now, get out the pencil and paper and write down what your actions are going to be this year. Word them positively and list a time frame with it to give you something to work towards. The more specific you can be, the more success you will have. Here's to a New Year and a resolution to be creative in every way!