Life Rings Journal Pages with Poem

More journal pages inspired by Misty's workshop. The life rings are comparable to tree growth rings, which, in my case, are 62 around. Then I needed a poem or story to go with. I don't claim to be a poet, but I gave it a try, and I used a gelatin print background page from another class to write it on with a Pitt pen. I glued the page into the journal with gel medium, transferred the bird from a magazine image onto the page. I need more practice. The transfer didn't turn out as well as I wanted, so I added some pastels and colored pencils to fill in the places that didn't transfer. I also added a couple of small stamps and colored them with colored pencils.

I am pondering adding something to the right upper corner, but I can't think of anything I want to put there. Besides, for now, I like it like it is. :)

The poem is in typed version at the bottom of the post. 

The bird is holding a tiny pink heart carefully in his beak. The heart represents my birth and first ring of life. I was born in my Granny's house on a Tennessee riverbank a long time ago, and I've lived near the river my whole life, except for a couple of short periods when I was little.

My life has ebbed and flowed from these river banks for 62 years, just like the water lapping at the shores, every day the same, yet every day different.

Life Rings

By Sharon Prater Pope (Feb. 2012)

Sixty-two ripples

Spreading out from my Clifton riverbank birth rock,

Cast into life with abandon,

Each ripple encompassing

All of the people shuffling in and out through the years,

All that I learn and absorb,

The effect that I have on others,

The effect that they have on me.

Circling ever wider with each passing year,

Receding into the distance

Until I fade into oblivion

And all that remains is a faded memory

And the effect that I had on others

The short time I was here.

Life Landscape Journal Page

Journal pages inspired by a class in Misty's workshop. My life's landscape; I wrote all over the pages, then brushed, turkey feather stamped, spattered, collaged an angel, rubbed paint off, allowing some words to show through, then wrote "Looks like the sun's going down on me" across the horizon.

These are the pages that came out of me when I was finished. I see places where I could add more stuff, but, for now, I like it as it is. :)

My Life's Landscape

Found Words Poetry

I tried my hand at creating poetry using found words for the writing class in Misty's workshop. I don't claim to be a poet, by any means, but this was so much fun! There will be more! :)

Reaching Out

I had a few words left over from the above poem, so I used them to create the short poem below. I was raised not to be wasteful. ;)

Black & White

The one below was created using found words in a different way. You may have to click on the pictures to be able to read the poems.

Self Discovery 

These poems will more than likely find their way in to one of my journals.

Paper Clay Bowl & Trinkets

My projects from Misty Mawn's Open Studio workshop are not in the order they come in the classes. We are allowed to work at our own pace and however we want to, so I kind of jump in on what speaks to me at the time.

The bowl is from an air dry sculpture class and is made from a clay slab, which I added texture to with found objects, then painted, inked, and rubbed until I liked it. I took the scraps of clay and experimented with the pendents, button, and bead. I pressed a stencil with the word "FAITH" into one and used a rubbing plate on the other, then painted. The button and the bead were formed and the holes punched with an awl.

All the objects were allowed to dry completely before painting.

This was such fun that I can't wait to try another one and to make an animal out of coiled clay.  The sculpture was part of the reason I decided to take the class and I have not been disappointed, although this week instead of sculpture on Thursday we had a class in photography photoshop, which was interesting as well. I worked with it some, but I'm going to have to do some more figuring out with my software. :)

Next week is abstract art, which I have never cared for too much, but Misty may change that. Looking forward to seeing what she has to share each day about it. :)

Pencil Drawing of Dorris Donkey

This a b/w photo of Dorris, which I used to draw a portrait off of (below) for one of the assignments in Misty Mawn's class. No matter how careful I am, everything tends to come out a bit wonky. Maybe that's just how my art is supposed to be...wonkyfullness fun!

Next step is to paint one of him, adding some things I might see in a dream, but not necessarily in reality. Already added a cigar to the next one. He looks like he should have one, doesn't he? Haven't decided on the other add-ons yet. :/

So many fun elements to this workshop! :)

I finished the Traci Bautista workshop in the free Strathmore online workshops Monday, but I haven't had time to actually do all of the work yet.

Taking lots of notes for it and the 52 Playdates with Jan Fox though. Some interesting things going on there too!

Now back to work! :)

Miz Mahsy-First sculpted figure

Ok, so I finally got brave enough to share my first attempt at a sculpted figure. Meet Miz Mahsey! She is sculpted from air dry paper clay, and she was inspired the class I took in Misty Mawn's Open Studio workshop.

I left the cracks and blemishes, because... well because old ladies have lots of survival scars inside and out, and if she could speak, she would tell you about every one of them.

She's been around the block a few times and lived to tell about it. I realize that she looks like an old tired, worn out, madam, especially since she happens to be wearing her birthday suit, but I like her. :)

I kind of learned how to work with the clay and my tools on her. I used an old Bic pen barrel wrapped tightly in tin foil for the armature to build the clay to. I've learned some new things that I can use on the next one, but I won't promise that it won't be just as colorful. lol

Below is a close up of her face, Mr. DeMille! ;)

Doodles Unleashed-Class 1

Inspired by Traci Bautista's class in the free Strathmore online workshop series going on now. I certainly did unleash my doodles, and it was great fun! I learned a thing or three new things too! :)