ATC - We Three Kings

"Whenever I feel the terrible need of..religion...I paint the Stars." ~Van Gogh

This Artist Traded Card has been uploaded for trade on the Yahoo Group I have been a member of since August. It is a mixed medium card that includes watercolor, markers, pen & ink and gel pens...and a tiny bit of white out. The watercolor backdrop did not appreciate the Pentel Markers and pilled the watercolor paper a little.

The Puerto Rican Culture used to exchange gifts only on January 6th but celebrated with food, music and friendship in the past. As generations grew up, the custom changed a bit in some families. I am drawn to images and stories of the Three Kings.

Some tell the story of a forth King that never made it to Baby Jesus with the three others. he was so generous that he kept stopping to help along the trip...a Good Samaritan. A wonderful story for many...

Christmas Season ATC's

Under The Mistletoe

Under the Mistletoe II

Purple Puffs

                                                     Purple Puff

                                                     Purple Puff II

ATC's both different mixed mediums created on excess paint and marker on blank newsprint paper. Purple Puff II has a thin coating of gesso to mute the background with some journalling. Each different yet with the same subject which was held in one hand as the other drew it onto the surface. I used gel pens on both but notice the difference on the gesso. Both ATC's will be traded on FineArtsATC Yahoo! Group.

ATC - The Blizzard

ATC - The Blizzard
Flair Pen and Gesso

Experimenting:    Using gesso to give texture to the ATC 'over' the artwork instead of acrylic paint....

American Born

ATC - American Born
Flair Marker on Acrylic background

Being true to yourself, living your life according to your God given gifts is one of the most fulfilling rewards I could have ever hoped for. The rooster is one of my favorite subjects to place on the blank canvas. I can be in a rut, a place where I feel stuck and with an object in my hand, a pen, a pencil, a paint brush, I can slip out of the abyss. With just a few scratches or strokes on the article in front of me, the transformation is visible.

The background of this ATC was created a few months ago...yet today, my feathered friend appeared.

Art a Lie?

"Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth”
-Pablo Picasso

ATC:  Indian Corn traded on FineArtsATC
          Prismacolor Pencils and graphite

What could Picasso be speaking of? Art, a lie? One that would make us realize the truth? With the sense of sight, and the gift of color, an artist may transform a blank canvas into a sight of beauty or a vision of something familiar. Truth can be sought in it's hidden form as an image by the transformation. An artist can make his or her subject abstract and trick or tease the viewer. Or by an image without lines and only color. There are so many perspectives and/or interpretations of a painting. Causing many opinions, many articles, many books...so is the lie caused by the artist himself or the viewer, lost in the image?

ATC:  Fall Fantasy
          Prismacolor Pencil

ATC - Jack's Tree

Jack's Tree
Mixed Medium

Fall colors painted on a bible page with Gel Pens are used in this Art Trading Card. The leaves in Connecticut are just changing into beautiful hues of yellow, orange and reds. Make it a point to stop each day to appreciate this season. Before you know it, all the leaves will be gone and winter will be upon us. Of course, it is a beautiful season, but not my favorite! I am already yearning for Spring!

Faith

Faith
Inchy
Mixed Medium

Faith was created while thinking of it's definition per Merriam-Webster:  

1

a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty

b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions

2

a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust

3

: something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith>

— on faith

: without question <took everything he said on faith>

Since I was attaching it to the back of a postcard, I was thinking of the third meaning. I exchange postcards with a Facebook friend and fellow artist with an encouraging method. We exchange with inspiration from our faith. Our hope is that the articles will touch and bless each person that handles our correspondence, spiritually without their knowledge.  They are sent with prayers and encouragement not only to each receiver but also all eyes and hands that become a part of this transaction.

This is my favorite task with my lovely friend, Elizabeth. After placing my postcard in the mailbox, my mind begins it's ritual of thinking what the next scripture and/or design will be. This helps as one more reason to keep my eyes on what is most important in my life, my faith in God and His Son, Jesus.

Inchy - Birdhouse

One would think that when you are creating small works of art in the form of ATC's/ACEO's, you would naturally move to a bigger venue. Nah...not me...I started working on Inchies(1 x 1 inch) works of art while waiting for my art card to dry or develop another idea(taking a break to go back to it with a new thought). These are so much fun! I love working with my scraps and even layer them whenever possible.

So here I find myself, practically not tossing anything away. I am saving more even smaller pieces of scrap for another inchy project. So instead, I keep pre-cut inchies nearby and begin the layering in order to 'not save' as much junk! Am I making any sense?

My work space has all these little projects, drying from the glue, glitter and/or paint all around. When I first sit at my favorite seat, I begin the fun task of checking out the tiny projects previously worked on. I cut off all excess edges, and play with them, contemplating what next...

ATC's: 'G for Giraffe' and 'Baby'

Not sure why Giraffes have been finding there way onto empty work space. I have never thought of them before except when I see them at a zoo or on a shelf with other stuffed animals. The first ATC is called 'G for Giraffe' and the other one is 'Baby'. Both are mixed medium and waiting to be traded on FineArtsATC: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FineArtsATC/. What is inspiring you?

ATC - Tweet

This little guy is painted on a paint wipe that I used to clean my brushes and/or surface. You may be able to see that it has a little glitter from the gel pens. He was getting ready for the long winter that is around the corner here in the USA but now will reside in Australia in his new home. As Fall draws nearer here, Australia is about to have their Spring.

Elizabeth's Hope Butterfly - an ATC

I truly enjoyed creating the ATC that was sent to the Philippines, so I made another similar one for a good friend and fellow artist, Elizabeth to lift her spirits. We share postcards and such through the mail that are 'Spiritually-minded' in hopes to share the joy and blessings along the way.

This ATC is titled Hope. Due to the glare of the camera, you can just make out the word under the butterfly in glitter. The wings are not glued down giving the ATC freedom and dimension. The card is recycled board with layers of paint.

This ATC now resides in Houston, Texas...

Just Walking on Sunshine

ATC - Just Walking on Sunshine
Mixed Media

I  traded on a Swap site with Peggy overseas. This was one of my first 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" trades with someone I did not know. Since then, I have joined a FineArtsATC group. A wonderful group that has given me such joy and a very happy mailbox. But this is a little hard for me as I can not do mixed media for this group. I love to experiment and just add as I work on the project. I have to hone in on my basics. I have playing with mixed media and have gone past my basics only to add them to a bigger canvas or workspace.

I bumped into a new-to-me site called FineArtsATC. I decided to join in on the fun of trading ATC's which I just adore making! This was the first Mni-Art that I decided to let go of from my older pieces that I have not sold(ACEO's) yet. It traded like wild fire on the same day! It even got me featured! Lifted my spirits!

Targeting an audience

Puerto Rican Flamboyant Tree, 8x10, Canvas Panel, Mixed Media
                                                                                  ...I reserve all rights to this image ~ Copyright
  
It sold at this year's annual Puerto Rican Festival this past weekend. I have been showing three years consecutive. I learned the hard way to pay attention to the audience you will be targeting. They were not interested in my traditional work. I had to choose a new body of work that was less expensive and I went with the program.

They weren't  interested in my floral pieces, my framed pastel works, or any of my birds. I had to zone in on the Island of Enchantment, images to remind them of back home. I tried to keep my pallet with a bright color scheme to catch the eye of the beholder and then reel them in.

Flamboyant trees are frequently seen all along the Island. The camera did not pick up the bright pinks and red in this tree. Probably because it  was textured. The first layer on this artwork is that of a song sheet, The Three Kings. Although much of it can not be seen through all the layers, it was another personal touch to their culture.

The tower is on of the posts to a tourist attraction on the Island, El Murro. Which is an ancient fort the Spaniards built for protection. And of course, a map of the Island was embedded with what appears to be a window of greenery.

I created four different canvas panels with four different themes. I did not frame these to keep the cost down and to allow them the opportunity to pick out a frame. Two of them sold! Yay! I am learning what my annual audience wants!

I also made these little one inch in diameter magnets.  I named Puerto Rican Lady Bugs for the fact that they are made from Goya Malta bottle caps. A non-alcoholic molasses drink many Puerto Ricans love, including my sons. They were displayed on a cookie sheet...I have to find another way to show them off as people thought they were edible....LOL!

Now...what to do for next year?

I love color. My eyes get a twinkle in them when I see wonderfully delicious color combinations. I have noticed that bright and even neon colors tend to make me the happiest lately. The sun may be hiding behind clouds or even on those rainy days, this wonderful gift of colors makes my studio a very 'happy' place. It's like being out on the beach or at the top of a beautiful mountain peak.

Only recently, I have stumbled onto various blogs and youtube videos that introduced me to Art Journaling. Having an education in the Visual Arts, I have had a long dead period where I had not produced anything while raising my family. I was happy with my family but something tugged at me. I felt I no longer had any purpose. I have begun creating again since the later part of 2007.

I have been experimenting while moving between shows, festivals and teaching art for young teens/adults on the Autism Spectrum.  My favorite are the blogs with introduction to Art Journaling, Swaps and Layering techniques. I wish to thank many of the bloggers that I have been reading as they give me inspiration and a new found love to link to my colors.

Tiano, 8x10 canvas board, mixed media   ...I reserve all rights to this image ~ Copyright