Word - Bright

It has been a while, a long while really since I have blogged and to tell you the truth, I have missed it tremendously. I just wasn't allowing myself the time to sit, look through my photos, choose one and let me get inspired by what I saw. Sad, really, that everything else came before me and what I wanted to do. So, that changes today. I will be posting regularly and if you haven't noticed, I have added a "follow by email" button so you will get an automatic update when I post. Do sign up, I love the little alerts that come for me letting me know my favorite blogs are ready to come and view! Are you ready, here we go...

The word for this week is bright.

Its adjective meaning - shining, radiant; illustrious, glorious; intelligent, clever, lively, cheerful.

This page was done in my art journal. It is a reflection of wanting something bright, cheerful and sunny to compensate for the dreary, greyed down layers of the wintery season here in the Midwest. So I gathered my favorite things - a card from a friend with a fantastic botanical image and of course the insects I so adore along with some odd pieces of ephemera. I worked in one color on the background creating interest and patterns to give your eye something wonderful to rest one. What you can't see is the wonderful dark pea soup color of the ribbon tying in all the lovely greens spattered throughout the page.

Thank you for checking in and I do hope you will become a "follower" so we can once again journey into the undiscovered world we live in together! Have a very warm and sunny day!

Steampunk Series

My second online
e-course is about to go live. Today at midnight in fact.
To say I'm nervous, excited, thrilled, inspired and just plain happy would be an under-statement. This class has made me think beyond myself and embrace a bit of the daring artist inside. Steampunk isn't for everyone. In fact, most people don't even know what Steampunk is. If you can just imagine the melding of the Victorian Era and the Industrial Age, you have it made. Think soft but tattered, mechanical but intriguing, perfection to me. I was able to use my architectural rendering side to come up with wild and strange pieces that just make me happy. It added a quirky twist to my work that even I didn't know existed. I loved the challenge of finding what kind of items I could add that would give me the machine side of steampunk. Believe when I say, it was not what I expected. There are washers, gears, nuts, zippers, beads, charms, nails, clock parts and optical lenses, where else can that seem normal, right? Loved the challenge of making everyday items work in a piece of art.

So, have I convinced you yet to join the class? There is still time but know the hands are moving quickly, we start at midnight...
If you want to check it out you can find more information here http://kellyhoernig.webs.com/ecourses.htm

Forward into 2013

Welcome 2013!
The word I have chosen for this year is "forward" and I love everything about it.

Forward is an adjective meaning being near or at or belonging to the front; eager, ready; brash, bold; notably advanced or developed; precocious; moving, tending or leading toward a position in front; extreme, radical; relating to, or getting ready for the future.

Impressive isn't it and it is with great artistic clarity that I welcome and embrace it as my word for 2013. What are you hoping the new year will bring to your personal and business life?

Be Thankful

I am thankful every day for the life I lead. I have a great family, a handful of good friends and a very creative job that lets me make art on my time.  How many people can say that? Not many I know and for that it is another blessing I get to share in. I went digging into my photo files for this shot because it captures how I feel. The sun in my face, a smile on my lips and the wonderful season of fall upon us. Doesn't it just make you smile, I sure hope so! So, I ask you this, what are you thankful for today?

Word - Hide

The word for this week is hide.

Its verb meaning - to put or remain out of sight; to conceal for shelter or protection; to seek protection; to keep secret; to turn away in shame or anger.

Right in plain sight. You have to walk or drive past it to leave or enter the house. And, I never even saw it. This little tiny treasure the size of my hand. Hidden beneath the rich ruby leaves and sparkling red berries of the burning bush. Its enchanted discovery came only as the leaves started falling away due to the harvest season. There it was, a small work of art, just waiting to be seen by someone. I can't imagine the little hatchlings calmly awaiting their next meal or what variety of bird found just the right hiding place. Oh yes, next year I will be keeping a closer eye on this beautiful bush to see just who the inhabitants are. I will keep you posted.

Wonderment

Some Thesaurus words for "peculiar" - abnormal, bent, creepy, curious, extraordinary, freakish, funny, idiosyncratic, kooky, oddball, offbeat, outlandish, quaint, strange, uncommon, unconventional, unusual, wacky, weird, wonderful.

Of course, I love each and every word up above but I think wonderful and oddball are the best descriptions for this Carrion Vine. I wanted to give you a closer look now that the fall weather is starting to turn the leaves a bright yellow hue. From yesterdays photo, you couldn't see all the intricate tendril structure within. Isn't it amazing the discoveries Mother Nature has put on the earth for us to find? I really love her humor and am so glad I stumbled upon this curiosity by random mistake. What peculiarity have you seen lately?

A Bit of Creepy

I was hoping to find a bit of the weird and creepy while at the Junk Bonanza and I did, finally. I was wondering if there would be any art dolls made from antique tins and well, I found only one lady there and her booth was an absolute delight for me. I even had Charlie custom made for me while I shopped. He will have a special place in the studio and I can't wait to find a little hat for him as well. The photographs in the background were quite creepy but that is exactly why I loved them. I know Halloween will give me great opportunity to include these children into my artwork. The roller skate, well, I just couldn't help but be transported back into childhood wearing these little charmers. Had to buy it for the studio also :) As you can see by the past several days, the Junk Bonanza had something for everyone. I do hope if you have time to go to an antique fair close to you that you make the journey. You just never know what discoveries you may come up with. Happy junking!

Just Magical

Some Thesaurus words for intricate - abstruse, complex, convoluted, difficult, entangled, fancy, involved, labyrinthine, obscure, perplexing, sophisticated, tangled, tortuous, tricky.

This is Queen Anne's lace as it begins to open up to the sun exposing each and every individual blossom. It is truly remarkable and I think all of the words above fit it beautifully. If I had to just pick one though, it would be entangled because I just love the meaning of tangle and confused. I hope the next time you pass one of these amazing weeds, you stop and ponder on its magical appearance and really see all the wonderment it has to offer. I know where I'm taking the muse today...



Word - Intricate

The word for this week is intricate.

Its adjective meaning - having many complexly interrelated parts; complicated; difficult to follow, understand, or solve.

I love, love, love everything about Queen Anne's Lace. Some people call it a weed but I call it summer's snowflake due to the delicate nature and tiny bright white complex flowers that appear on each little stem. This is how it starts out and as it matures, the ball becomes more open allowing the buds to get the sunlight required to bloom. It is simply one of my favorite Mother Nature creations!

Word - Nestled

The word for this week is nestled.

Its verb meaning - to settle snugly or comfortable; to press closely and affectionately; cuddle; to settle, shelter, or house as if in a nest.

I love this little statue of the children reading. It is tucked in under a crab apple tree in the front of our house. If it wasn't for the sunlight moving in and out, I would have missed the sweet, tender moment they share. It made me smile seeing parts here and there, others hidden leaving a lot to the imagination. Oh, how I wish I had a pair of these tucked into the woods. What a great discovery that would be when happened upon by accident. Imagine the surprise of the adventurer!

Blue Beauty

We have been graced by blue hydrangeas this year and let me tell you, they are simply beautiful. Now blue is not my favorite color but I was so enticed to see these up close and personal I just had to grab the puppies, my camera and head out into the shade garden. This little bloom was 8" in diameter and demanding your attention as you got closer. I loved the shadows of the late afternoon making this blue beauty even more striking in appearance. I'm so glad I got to spend a couple moments up close and personal because it made me appreciate the colorful efforts of Mother Nature and her magical touch.

Floral Fireworks

I love fireworks and usually make John take me all over the county seeing them night after night. They are simply magical and transport me into childhood with each ignited blossom that appears in the night sky. The oohs and ahhs of the crowd thrill me beyond belief because it is as if I am seeing them for the first time once again. These red monarda remind me so much of fireworks that we have them in several places around the gardens. Their fuzzy tufted tops look like a crazy muppet hairdo but I simply cannot smile when seeing them up close and personal. What's not to love, they are red, wild and delight my inner childish spirit whenever I see them.

Happy Independence Day 2012! I hope you enjoy the holiday with family and friends and do go see the firework show, you won't be disappointed, promise!

Italy in Texas?

The atmosphere at Luca & Leonardo's in The Woodlands Texas hits you the moment you walked through the large doors. You were greeted by a pair of hidden statues and well, I feel in love instantly and couldn't wait to see what the menu offered. The rich aroma, the soft romantic lighting and general appearance of the staff all screamed italy and I wanted a taste. While perusing the menu a wine list and complimentary rosemary bread was placed on the table. The smell of that freshed baked bread, heavenly. Imagine the aroma of steaming hot rosemary married together with yeast and you are there. It was served with tomatoes, roasted garlic and butter - heaven already. I ordered the penne arrabiata and let me tell you, it was fantastic. A bit of spice in the sauce, grilled chicken dipped into the goodness surrounded by penne pasta - what's not to love, right? I will be dreaming of this for a while because it thrilled and captivated all of my senses...

A Field of Poppies

The flaming orange caught my eye. You couldn't help it really, it was almost ablaze with the sun catching the vibrancy just right. I drove around the block just to see it again wishing I had my camera with me. Why is it I never have it when I need it? So I noted the time and went back the next day and guess what, they were just as beautiful as I had thought they were. There was a huge patch of these luscious poppies just wanting their turn to be photographed. I loved the way the sun caught each petal and made it illuminating. This shot I fell in love with. Not only because they are all facing the same way. Nope, it's the proportion of that tiny little stem holding up these voluminous blossoms. Did you see them? Were you thinking the same thing? I love natural surprises and this for sure is one to remember!

Stacked!

I wanted to share my latest Colored Pencil of the Month Club project with you entitled "Stacked!" I love white clematis and we only have one that took so it is really special to me. Not only are the blooms fantastic but they are as large as a small dinner plate. This one grows next to a tree and I actually have to stand on my tiptoes to view its bright treasures. I wish I could take credit for the composition but well, it actually was growing like that so I took advantage of Mother Nature's design skills and added a few of my little artistic touches to make it into an art piece. It was a lot of fun to render will all the white and off white values tinted with blue and green. But my favorite has to be that it is framed with deep, dark loveliness giving all the dimension needed to show off those wonderful blossoms. I hope you check them out, you won't be disappointed!

The Center

Some Thesaurus words for "delicate" - aerial, breakable, choice, delectable, delightful, elegant, ethereal, faint, filmy, finespun, fragile, frail, graceful, mild, pale, pastel, rare, slight, soft, subdued, subtle, superior, tender.

I love so many of these words, every one of them just sends my artistic side into a dream like state thinking of an image for each delicate standby. I picked this clematis center so you could really look at its graceful center full of elegance and tender stamen. It's almost like it is protecting a secret held deep inside its magical center just waiting to be discovered. Would you have taken the time to look? Would it have made you stop to take a photo? I sure hope so. It's wonderous every day things like this that just make me take notice and want to explore them a bit further. I hope you stop and study the next flower you see, who knows what hidden discoveries you might uncover.

Word - Delicate

The word for this week is delicate.

Its adjective meaning - pleasing to the senses of taste or smell; marked by daintiness or charm; exquisite; fastidious, scrupulous; easily damaged, fragile.

I couldn't think of anything more delicate than the iris' thin almost translucent petals. The sunlight shows them off so beautifully here making them glow in its brilliance. Soft and subtle in coloring, this has to be one of my favorites in the yard. Old fashioned, exquisite and a wonderful sight for an artist looking for a creative inspiration today. I wonder what the muse will have up her sleeves tomorrow, I know it will be just as glorious, how can it not be? A garden of treasures await my senses everyday. I only need to grab my camera and take a walk, I'm sure to be enchanted by its beauty!

Intriguing Palette

We have several Japanese maples on the property and I just love them. Not only is the color a fantastic shade of alizarin crimson but in the spring the small tree almost glows with delicious beauty. I decided to check on it after the light rain of the day and saw these tiny, brilliant drops of wonder just hanging on the deep burgundy branch between the leaves. Add the aqua coloration of the sky in the background and I just knew the photo would be something spectacular. Although I cropped it tightly to focus on the water droplets, you can see the amazing color palette nature has offered up. What could you do with those magnificent colors? Hummm, I will have to think on that one.

Dangling Wonders

Some Thesaurus words for "powerful" - able, almighty, capable, commanding, compelling, convincing, dynamic, efficacious, forceful, impressive, paramount, potent, prevailing, robust, sturdy, supreme, telling, vigorous.

Did you ever really study these little bleeding heart flowers? I mean, really look at their charm, color and gracefulness. I find them so impressive that I can't stand it. The way they move in unison with the most gentle of breezes. The thin stem that supports their huge translucent pink hearts and let's not even talk about the way the pink flaps flip upward to expose the white center stamen. Did you happen to notice the white heart on the stamen? Oh yeah, the gifts just keep coming! Small, mighty and a commanding must for any garden. What are you waiting for? Go purchase these little dynamos today :D

Happiness

This is the underside of those lovely dogwoods from yesterday's post. Can you see the magnificent splashes of hot pink color on the tips of each petal? What was Mother Nature thinking in doing that? We don't normally walk up to a tree and peer underneath its blooms just to sneak a peek, right? I hope it was her intention to make us appreciate beauty from all views and in all walks of life. We are all created in love and should want to do our best with each passing day. Be kind, open a door, smile at a stranger, leave a hidden treasure - create an environment you would be proud to walk in. Find a happiness that exemplifies beauty in the every day. After all, this is your life, shouldn't it be fantastically lived to the fullest? I sure hope so!