It's tough to re-learn

 

It's been years since I've had the time (or interest) to return to digital photography and embellish / alter, etc.  I used to play for hours, layering images and text and textures in order to achieve "the right look".  But lately I've found I like the somewhat blurred, vintage look -- soft, ethereal.

I've always admired the work of Kim Klaussen and Jill Ferry of Flypaper Textures, but recently found the work of Denise Love in a copy of Bella Grace.  So today with the temperatures once again soaring into the 90s and high humidity, I retreated to my artsy "Bat Cave" to play a few hours before going to work.

Small blossoms are often lovely -- their simplicity compelling.  This is a shot I took several springs ago during one of my morning walks (no, not a power walk; more like a wandering meander!).  I layered several textures on the original image, including some text, then worked a Gaussian Blur and lowered the saturation a few times.

And then my software crapped out and the image was compromised -- just a weird wiry image like a dying TV screen!  WTF?!?   Deep breath, Kelly.  Start again.  And amazingly, I like this image better than the one before.  Goes to show that patience is a virture, uh?  

This image is now available on my Red Bubble account, if you're interested in notecards and such.  I still have so much to do to organize my little corner of RB -- create "collections" for easier searching, etc.  But I'll get there eventually.

 

And on another entirely different subject -- but still creative! -- I dug out my old tabletop loom this morning, dusted it off and polished it up.  Another project I intend to re-visit this autumn.  I'm loving the wall hangings I keep seeing in the Scandi magazines and sites.  

How about you?  What are you up to as the summer winds down and we're still somewhat constricted with the pandemic?  

 

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.

Camille Pissarro

Tulip Crazy!

I confess . . . this spring I became a little bit crazy for tulips.  I don't mean just buying them by the pot load, but taking shots of them.  Every morning it became a ritual -- a few cups of java to get me going and then I was dragging these little puppies into the family room where we get incredible light streaming in from the southeast.  

 I tried catching them at all stages -- when tightly budded to fully open and onto the blowsy stage when the petals are about to fall off.

And that didn't include the obsession with color -- oh, my . . . !   From softest pinks to cherry red to cha-cha orange and finally to the ultimate yellow.  

 

What more can I say?  Like I said -- just plain tulip crazy.  And now there's not a trace of them in the garden at this time.  The bulbs slumber under the soil, waiting for the time to rejoin us next spring.

Oh sure, I'll probably browse the flower shops to see if there are any available, but that wouldn't be the same as, after a long New England winter, you find the first ones peeping up at you amid the melting snow and mud.  

These images are available at my online shop, Red Bubble.  From greeting cards to journals and notebooks, clothing, travel mugs and more, add something lovely to your life.  Because right now, we deserve a bit of lovely in our lives, don't you think?

Hoping you're all healthy and staying in fine fettle!

Cheers,

Kelly

Winter Solstice Eve

winter pond

snow fields

New England Barn

snow rose

North Canton Horse Farm

winter passion

Blessings on this eve

of Winter Solstice

Spring Sale!

Just spending some time trying to organize various painting, drawings, sketches, etc.   This weekend the weather has been a bit too cold to do much in the garden, so am diddling around in the 'studio,' doing odds and ends.  It's hard to get motivated on a Sunday when you know Monday is only a few hours away!

Decided to try "marketing"  some of my works, as I'm contemplating opening up an Etsy store later in the spring.  But whatever the decision, many of my paintings and collages are availabe on Red Bubble as prints, notecards and more -- just click on the images below -- 

Last evening I sat in the garden watching the sun crouch down among the pines and the shadows stretch long, dark fingers across the lawns.

There is something incredibly beautiful about a summer garden heading into its final hours. Perhaps melancholy, yet still holding forth that fragile-edged beauty that whispers to one's soul --

 

“Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence.

Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.

Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence."

Yoko Ono

A quick trip to Cape Cod in the autumn does wonders for one's spirit! Glorious weather, walks on the beaches, good food, good wine, good reading and to spend time with a true friend -- what more can one ask? Just thought I'd share some of the photographs from our time away -- enjoy!

Art & Photography or Playing in the Heat . . .

Memories of Spring

(altered photograph by me)

After six weeks of cold and rain, now we're in the midst of a humid heat wave -- I have never seen Connecticut like this! Ugh. So, I took a day off to play with PaintShop and fiddle with some photos I took earlier this spring when the gardens were looking great (they now look like something from Jungle Book, ready to grab you and drag you under when you walk by).

I was attempting to work with layers and filters wanting to achieve that old, faded look -- grainy, little color left, maybe a few creases. God, maybe I'm describing myself -- ?! Here's another one from the Palace of Beaux Arts in San Francisco:

Not too shabby.

I'm gearing up for a festival in early fall. I'll be working on creating shibori silk scarves and jewelry. I was at a bead show up near Boston and bought some amazing ocean jasper and other semi-precious stones -- can't wait to work with them! But as the dyeing process is very messy and not conducive to "sharing" space with the oils and canvases, I'll need to take a break from my artwork and painting.

Of course, that's what I say now. In a week or two it may change -- again!

Well, back to photo land -- thank god my computer is in the lower level where it's cool; otherwise, I'd never make it through this heat.

Complain, complain . . .