My Misty Mornings….

Thursday, as a birthday gift to myself, I left for work a bit early to visit Harns Marsh.  Although it is too early in the season for the best variety of birds, and the morning was misty, I was rewarded with the sight of a caracara in flight from the grasses.  Only my second sighting of one, and I was not able to get a clear photo.  Nonetheless -  Perfect!

Harns Marsh at sunrise, October 31, 2013

Misty morning, 11/2, my backyard.

Mama dove and her two babies were perched on a dying palm frond just 5 feet away from me.  They did not move as I quietly shot this picture.  So sweet.

And this is how the morning felt…...

From the side yard….

Spectacular webs everywhere!

The birds could be heard, but only seen if they chose to flit from one tree to another.

Layer upon layer of nature's beauty!

Love of Nature

These little guys are all over my back yard and the neighboring lots.  I love watching them eat berries, or hide them in the hollow tops of the electric line poles.

Florida scrub

Finally I am moved in enough to function and take some time to enjoy my new surroundings.  Nature's wonders abound in my new back yard!  When I walk Sophia I can see many glorious birds flitting about, colorful dragonflies, and statuesque tree trunks against the brilliant sky.   Here - I'll share a bit of it with you!

A common, but certainly not ordinary, egret in a neighboring tree.

Emilio scouting for bugs and birds.

Mama woodpecker....

...whom I believe has a nest in this palm in the back yard.

Gorgeous grasshoppers, who still remain stacked, 3 days later, while she eats away at the lily leaves!

Goodness!  I have been so negligent in posting!  Back to school, moving, changing situations - but they should not be used as an excuse.

Tuesday is our Arts of the Inlands meeting, and I will be taking this triptych to hang on our Kaiser University gallery wall.  There is something about vintage magazine ads that is very appealing to me; almost as appealing as nature!  In addition to the ads, I used other vintage papers, napkins, and tissue paper in which my stencils from Christy at http://www.gulfsprite.com.

I have titled this "Decades of Fashion".  

If you are in the area, visit the gallery wall Kaiser has dedicated to Arts of the Inlands members!  As you enter the main door, it is just to the right of the desk.  Enjoy!

A beautiful beach day!

Today was a lovely day to visit the beach!  I am so grateful that my friend, Laurie, suggested that we go to the shore rather than work in my classroom!  A stiff breeze kept us cool and made observing the pelican fishing quite interesting.

On my walk around the point at Bowditch Point Park, I came across this reddish egret.  I haven't seen these very often for some reason.  A lucky photographic opportunity!  Sure wish I had brought my more powerful zoom!

 You can see how rough the water was (for the Gulf, that is), and how much vegetation is being stirred up in the waves.

I return to Laurie, who is more than content reading a book!

An artful summer....

It has been far too long between blog posts!  I can't really say that I have been too busy, but I have been  following my heart, arting while the spirit moves me to, and dreaming of new ideas quite a bit.

Through Art of the Inlands, Christy Sobolewski and I had the privilege of showing at Market America Realty for Art Walk, July.  The pictures below show our work and some of the dear friends that visited me.  It was a super experience, my first "show" ever, and so much fun!  Due to the fact that it is off-season and it was the day after July 4 (and a 4 day weekend at that), there wasn't as much traffic for Art Walk as there often is, which turned out to be perfect for boosting my confidence.  I sold one piece at the show, another after, and have a possible commission ahead.  Every time I think of just getting rid of all of my materials, I will remember this.

Mixed media using my original photos.

The one on the right is an altered original photo,

The three dog image transfers were taken from a 1930s discarded book of dog stories illustrated by Diana Thorne.  

Some of my smaller works displayed with one of Christy's fantastic paintings.

My friends, the Camerons, who are beautiful inside and out!

I raise my glass to Christy, who fell in love with the colors and vibrancy, and whom now owns this piece.



And I would be remiss not to share a nature photo, wouldn't I?  Not much is going on at the marsh right now, at least not on the edges of it, but I found this interesting growth/deposit on a tree and just might have to research it and use it in a piece of art sometime....

Hmmm, looks more like eggs, but could it be a fungus?

Thanks for stopping by!
Remember, you should be able to click on the photos to make them larger.

Stopping by....

Just stopping in to say hello!  Slipped to the marsh for a quick morning visit, and was lucky to watch this guy eating his breakfast.

And I have three shots leading up to this one - none particularly clear, but the experience was too cool not to share with you.....

 I'll be back!

Same place, new time....

I visited the marsh again this weekend to restore my spirit a bit.  Of course, I was looking for the sandhill crane family, hoping to see how the babies have changed - and just as I was heading back I spotted them, out in the marsh, and caught a picture.

Late April

Late March

 Early March

I was also lucky enough to see a pair of glossy ibis, and a beautiful snowy egret.

I need to live near the beach or the marsh.....

EXCITEMENT!

I sold the triptych!  Happy, Happy!

Triptych

My last set of canvases for a bit - concentrating on making my dear friend's wedding invitations!

These use image transferred pattern advertisements from vintage magazines (color enhanced with watercolors), napkins, patterns, handmade paper, acrylic paints, and phrases from modern magazines.  I'm thrilled with them!

New canvases

Quickly, in a brief moment between work and sleep, I must post these pictures of two canvases I finished.  The bird images are from vintage (1930s) National Geographics given to me by my friend Christy.  I have a triptych in the works which has a vintage fashion theme.....using the image transfer technique, so it takes a bit of time.
 * I added these to the "Fly" challenge at http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/challenge-fly.html  Wonderful site to browse!

Dreamy~

Fiona and Twig have posted photos and a give-away of the most unique home in Texas - go see!

Creating a little at a time....

I have desperately needed to get back to my creative soul, so, a little at a time, I have begun working on small pieces.  I thought I'd share these with you.

Using an advertisement from a 1930s magazine I picked up an an estate sale, I collaged pieces of the written word, then used image transfer to add PT Barnum's picture.  I love how the circus tent sides turned out!

I had printed this image onto blue paper a while back.  After applying the collaged textured papers, I thought it would look lovely transferred atop - and I believe it does.  It makes me think of the balancing act this life seems to be.