Paint Party Friday - Week 42 - Word of the Year for 2012 = CONNECT

I have been thinking about the New Year, 2012, arriving imminently. I usually like to take time between Christmas and New Years to think and plan - though this year I am WAY behind! 

A few years ago I discovered the idea of the "Word of the Year" through a post by Christine Kane and the idea resonated with me. Instead of resolutions, the idea  is to choose a word to guide your year.

My first try was FLOURISH. Not sure that that one worked well. My second try was CREATE in 2010 and Wow! I created more that year than I ever have in my life. I joined Creative Every Day and I did create every day - filling 4+ blank books with drawing and paintings. 

2011 was PROPEL and I did take actions that helped to propel me, and in some cases other people, forward. In many ways, it was business related but not in all ways. Paint Party Friday arose partly because of this word. We hoped it would propel us forward in our painting efforts and it sure has helped me (and I hope others, too)!

For 2012 I have chosen CONNECT. I want to connect with people, my city*, my work, my passions and myself. As with last year, I wanted to paint an image that in some way reflected my WotY (Word of the Year). This was one of the ideas that came to mind...

CONNECT 2012

It makes me think of how all the circles in my life connect to me and to each other... 

I didn't expect to have anything painted for PPF this week but now I do! 

I will try and visit everyone over the weekend but it is still busy so maybe I will see you "Next Year"! Have a great New Year's celebration and all the best to you in 2012!

* more about this project later...

Paint Party Friday - Week 41 - WIP - Nutcracker

Sigh. (Do you ever do that? Say "sigh" when you are sighing? Or am I as tired and weird as I think I am?) Christmas is almost here and I feel totally out of control. I'm probably not but I need to write a few lists to see what is left undone - and do it! Then I may feel like it is Christmas. A little snow would help too.... very unlike us to be almost snowless.

No more painting got done this week, sigh (lol). I was hoping to show you a finished painting but can't.  :(   Instead I am going to show you my WIP! This is my nutcracker painting where I left off...

Nutcracker Work In Progress

He needs another coat of paint in most places and needs his body widened and his hat narrowed. I'm not sure what to do about the background. He will probably hang against a cream coloured wall in a room with lots of browns and blacks so I was trying to match that somewhat. Any suggestions?

I also did a little bit on painting #2...

the beginning stages...

I want to wish all of my friends at Paint Party Friday a very Merry Christmas!! Happy Hanukkah - if that's what you celebrate! Or a happy holiday season if it is neither of these. 

However you celebrate, I hope you have a great time this week. Please help yourself to some eggnog while I am in the kitchen. I will stop by to visit you when I can!

After Christmas, I will have more time to visit. I hope to stay in my pjs for a few days, see all your artwork, do a puzzle, paint and read. Hope your post Xmas week is happy and relaxing!!

Missing PPF Week 40....

I made good progress on my nutcracker painting (though it still needs work). I am out of town this weekend and decided it was too much to get it posted on time. I will see you all either during the week or for Week 41!

Hope you have a great time at Paint Party Friday!

Paint Party Friday - Week 39 - Gingerbread Man!

I think I am slowly getting into the Xmas spirit - at least painting-wise that is! I had so much fun with last week's snowman that I am continuing with paintings to complement my decorations. First the snowman to hang out with my snowman collection in the dining room - which is slowly starting to gather.

This week, the gingerbread decorations that live in the kitchen said they need a painted companion too! 

With friends!

Bottom view...

Top view...

We all liked (Thank You!) the wraparound effect so much, I continued it here. These thick canvases are great for that!

The nutcrackers will come but the models that want to pose are still in storage - this weekend they should join in the decorating fun. I gessoed some canvasses (4) so it will be interesting to see which model poses first! (Ambitious project ahead!)

I also painted a photocopy of my Three Blind Jazz Mice header (see way above!) to make it more Christmasy. I discovered I can reverse images on my scanner and thought this one was especially fun!

Hope you have a great time at Paint Party Friday! I look forward to visiting you - though with everything going on at this time of year, it may take me awhile...  :)

Creative Tuesdays - Mistletoe

The theme at Creative Tuesdays is MISTLETOE and of course mistletoe goes with Kissing! But feeling silly I decided to go for a slightly non-traditional version...

Hope you have a great day and that it continues to be creative! I will visit everyone when I can.

(Oh and I decided to start decorating for Xmas - with a nutcracker background, of course!)

Sunday Sketches and back finally to my FACES Sketchbook

It's been awhile since I have sketched anything much - I have missed Sophia and Sunday Sketches at Blue Chair Diary so often (and much) this year - nothing to show, to participate with.... I am also hopelessly behind on my book of faces that I started work on earlier this year. Saturday night however, I sat down with a newspaper for inspiration and started to sketch. 

from an advertisement...

 maybe recognizable...

Looking forward to visiting everyone and seeing your sketching efforts!

Paint Party Friday - Week 38 - A Snowman is Created!

Which came first - the chicken or the egg? As one of the hosts of Paint Party Friday, I know what the post and poll will be about in advance - though I rarely integrate what I do here with PPF. This week was different. But I'm unsure if the idea for the post came first or the idea for this little painting did!

After seeing the fabulous Christmas art that many of you are creating, and thinking about my wonderful nutcracker painting that Kristin created.... I wondered - could I do something like that now that I have been painting a bit longer?

Not quite brave enough to start with a nutcracker, I decided on a snowman painting to add to my collections of snowmen soon to escape from their long storage sleep... 

A Friendly Snowman!

Straight on

Right Side continues...

Left side...

"Top" Hat...

  

 

Bottom scarf...

8x8

As the nutcrackers and snowmen come out for Christmas, I think some will serve as models for new paintings. Yes - I think a nutcracker WILL be next!

Hope you have a great time at the party! I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been painting this week.