Portrait of the Artist With A Head Cold

(I don't actually HAVE a head cold but there are certain phrases that make me laugh. You know, inexplicably. And for some reason, "head cold" is one of them, at least in this context.)

(I know: therapy.)

(So, alrighty then.)

I've, um, been getting in touch with the (really, incredibly, super) untrained artist within.

See, I've been wanting to make some art pieces for my house for a long time. But I got busy and then I got (shhh) depressed and then I started kind of fermenting ideas. (Which doesn't mean I drank a lot of wine.) (Well, it doesn't JUST mean that.)

One idea I had was to do something with my yarn bands, which are the pieces of paper that come around skeins of yarn. I've been saving them for a long time. First I started pasting one in a book with a little review of the yarn. But I think we should face it: I've pretty much never met a yarn I didn't like, except for some of that awful acrylic fun fur stuff. Still, I knew I wanted to do SOMETHING with the yarn bands because some of them are really beautiful--almost works of art in themselves.

Anyway, initially, I thought about wallpapering my office with them. But I didn't have enough (must knit faster) so I ended up adhering them to a canvas. (As always, you can click to enlarge the photos, just in case you want to have your own up close and personal art experience.)

I really like the way it turned out, although I'm going to add a glaze over the top. (Another word that makes me laugh: decoupage.) (I know, I know: therapy.)

So, THEN, I decided to try my hand at a painting for my foyer. I knew what I wanted but hadn't really seen a source for such a thing. So I waited for the perfect gloomy day when I felt both confident and all deep and artist-like (oh, just hush) and I, um, painted it myself.



I feel like an artist--I really do. I got paint on my pants and everything.

So, then I did some long-wished-for-by-my-husband paintings for above our bed. If you look closely, there is a subtle "X" and "O" for, well, love and kissing and stuff. (I'm in a red phase--especially now that tomato season is over.)

Is that just way too corny? Sydney says she's worried.

(I know, I know: therapy.)

Comments

Stefanie said…
I think that everything looks wonderful! I love that you're finding things to do with your afternoons. I wish I had had those kinds of ideas. :)

And what a perfectly gloomy day! You could frame that photo, while you're at it.
Ann in NJ said…
Lovely! Nice job. I don't think the X and O are corny, they're very subtle. And I really like the foyer one.
hokgardner said…
I'd like to commission a painting from you, please. I love the ones you did! And the yarn band collage is cool!
Unknown said…
i think they are cool. (and Sydney needs a kiss, she is so cute)
Hannah said…
Good for you! Those are great. Art therapy.
DK said…
Ooooh, I really like the foyer painting. Also like the bedroom ones.

I'd been in a sepia/grayscale kind of rut when I last was painting. Which, I haven't wet the brushes in over a year...maybe this weekend.... my signature's always in red, though.

Syd...aw....
How did you do the paintings? Sponges? Brushes? Cheesecloth? Did you use oil or acrylic?
Anonymous said…
Great paintings! Cute dog too.
JJ said…
DECOUPAGE. One of my favorite words! I will make crafts with my class just so we can decoupage them so I can say the word a lot. I need therapy too, obviously!
Tiny Tyrant said…
OMGosh!

I totally want the one you put in the hallway.

Barb they are all so gorgeous.

And the ball band canvas is neat. I embiggened and went I've used that one, and that one, and that one, and ooh I wonder what color she got that one in.
Miri said…
Multimedia artist you. Paint, modpodge and *words*. I love it all.

I also have to add that I thought I was the only decoupage geek in blogdom. So glad to know it's not true.
MadMad said…
I've decoupaged with yarn labels, too! I made a needle holder (a tall jar for those long straights) and did my filing cabinet. And then I wrapped yarn around the handles.

OK. To tell you the truth, I only finished half. So I did one drawer of the two drawer filing cabinet. Still. It counts, right?