Peony, A Mixed Media Art Creation

Inspired by mixed media artists of the internet, I created Peony yesterday and finished her today. She’s my first attempt at large scale mixed media – in fact I couldn’t fit the entire picture onto my scanner so you’re missing the cool edges and little flower garden at the bottom-left.

At this point I’m experimenting with textures and materials, and media. I have a lot more to learn… but am glad I started or I would not have met Peony!

The messages got cut off when I scanned this… they are: “Allow it to BE” – “Heart art” – “Blossom City” – “Carry on” … sort of a pep talk for myself, to keep going with the mixed media idea.

I slapped a final coat of Mod Podge on top of the picture so it shines. I plan to frame it, rustic-style… and hang something from the bottom. Maybe little pinecones, since we’ve got a ton of them outside (we live in a forest). She will probably go into my kitchen because we have vibrant green walls in there and the painting looks fantastic up against them… but right now she’s on top of my dresser where I can see her from where I write at night (my bed!) … yes, I’m sitting in bed warm and cozy under a comforter and my thick sleeping bag that I use on my bed during winter months.

I have a habit of putting my paintings on the walls of my bedroom where I can see them every day…. sort of as a subliminal message to myself that says, “You see, Linda, you CAN create art worth looking at.” I consider it kind of sad that I need this kind of encouragement, but whatever works… and I do love looking at the art I’ve created. Still I’m not ready to share most of it with the world. I have a long way to go.

I have actually sold some of my art – at Zazzle… my art store is named Emanations from a Playful Imagination. I cannot tell you what an amazing feeling it was to know that someone would pay for art I created. Head rush! I could develop the Zazzle gallery a lot more, but my time is already being pulled in too many directions. Zazzle continues to be way down on the to-do list… and my children’s literature online publication, Literature For Kids, has come to the top. I quit doing that a couple months ago while grieving over my father’s passing… and now want to get myself back into publication mode.