Paradise

"Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye... it also includes the inner pictures of the soul." Edvard Munch

          My quote of the day is what I believe abstract art is. Most people when they hear the word nature they think trees, flowers, birds, water, butterflies, etc. Nature is not limited to what EVERYBODY can see, but also includes what people see in their minds. Then when you express what is in your mind it isn't going to look like a certain thing. That is how I believe you get abstract paintings. That's probably also where you get tattoos and crazy hair colors. Anybody that doesn't understand that your mind is also nature just needs to take a few minutes in a quiet, dark room and listen to their self. For some people that could be a scary situation; I know it would be for me. That is all I have to say on this subject.

         My painting today is another waterfall that my Mom named "Paradise". Like I do every time I paint nature I looked through a lot of different pictures until one of them spoke to me. I really like this one because it is mainly water. I used my new painting knives with this one for making the mountain underneath the water. I used the knife to apple black and lite brown on top of the dark brown that I had applied. When I used the knife I put a lot of pressure on one side more than the other and it left little cut marks in the paint. When I started painting the water across  the rocks the lines added a 3D like effect.

        
      Once I was done with all of the water I added some greenery and flowers to finish up the look. Then once it had dried I framed it. Of my two waterfall paintings I think I like this one the best because it has more water. I really like how I can use the paint to make the waterfall look like it is real; like it is popping off the page. Maybe its just me, but I paint for myself so that's all that matters. And that is the thought that I am going to leave you with today. I will elaborate on it tomorrow. Remember anything you do, do it for yourself not other people. Make sure you are happy then you can make other people happy.

      As always you can see all of my work here. And you can see or buy this particular painting here

Dreamworld

"A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art." Paul Cezanne

     This is going to be a short on today. I have touched on this thought in my past blogs, but I feel like elaborating today. Another piece of information about myself, I suffer from an anxiety disorder plus I am an empath. Your probably like "What does that mean?" Most people doesn't believe in empathy or have a hard time understanding. A lot of the times people are like "Oh, she's just hypersensitive." Well whatever you believe I know what I live with, and for the most part it isn't all that fun. I have always been the one people were drawn to and would express their problems to me, and they didn't necessarily expect me to help them they just wanted a shoulder to cry. And you're probably thinking why is that so bad, but I absorb peoples energy. I can literally walk into a room and tell you what the people in the room feel. That on top of an anxiety disorder sometimes make my life miserable. Art helps me to release some of that anxiety. Whether it helps me releases the emotions or just gets my mind off of it; I feel better after I paint. I agree with Paul's quote; I don't understand how a person could make art without having an emotional tie. You can tell by looking at the work that there isn't any emotion involved. It has no depth to it. Alright that is all I have to say today on that.

        This is my most favorite painting I have done. My Mom called it Dreamworld. I love fairies (I know shocker) I was looking through some pictures of fairies, and decided to do a painting with a bunch of fairies. This one I actually roughly drew it out on my canvas before I started painting it. I am not stupid enough to try to free hand it with a paintbrush. Each section of the main woman's skirt tells a different story. And before anybody asks, no they are not related in anyway. I you remember from one of my early blogs, in my set of acrylic paints I have a metallic silver and gold. Once I finished the painting I went over the moon with the silver and I went over the woman's skin with the gold. You could really tell that I had done anything until I took a picture of it and the flash of the camera really showed up the metallic. This is my most detailed painting so far, but I'm looking forward to making more.

        As always you can see and purchase all of my work here.  You can purchase and see Dreamworld here.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Sorry it was so much shorter than the rest. I will probably expand on this painting later on, but for now have a great day!

Waterfall

"The emotions are sometimes so strong that I work without knowing it. The strokes come like speech." Vincent Van Gogh

       If you have read my last two posts and have come back for more that you so much, but if this is the first time reading one of my blogs, then you have no idea what you are getting into. (Maniacal laugh) This one will kind of tie into my last post. Like I said last time I'm quite shy, and I find it hard to talk to new people, but art gives me a way to be able to express myself. I have also said my paintings change with my mood, so that's why I chose Van Gogh's quote. When I am picking my quote for a post I have a list of them and I read through them and which ever one sticks in my mind is the one I choose for that post. Then I figure out a way to talk about it for awhile; just until you are on the precipice of being bored and closing out the page. I've said this once, and I will probably say it a thousand times more until everybody starts to believe it; ART IS AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT TO LEARN. Most people probably thinks art just means drawing or painting or something to do with paper and brush. Art is anything that speaks to you and can speak to the other person that sees it. In a sense sport is an art. I know, I know, I'm crazy woman for saying that, but it's true. Just look at schools, sports is the one thing that joins the students together, well except for the outcasts, but that's a different soap box. Now like I said in an earlier post I don't like that fact the art programs are the first to be cut because I believe it can be more important than sports, but I'm not saying sports should be cut either. Any extracurricular item at school is important because in a sense it is all art. Where artist paint a picture for people to view and interpret and get something from it; an athlete performs on a field for people to view and interpret and get something from it. Both artist and athlete work to improve their art to make more people like what they are doing. Same goes for a film maker, singer, dancer, etc. And each one of them gets  lost in their work, and let's their soul and emotions guide them. Then ones that put more heart and soul into their work are better at what they do because it is more personal. If you just do it for the money or recognition your work isn't going to turn out that great. Like Van Gogh said emotions is speech.

      Today's painting is different that the others because it is actually based on a thing. It isn't completely abstract art that my hands paint. I like looking through pictures of nature and I really like pictures with water. Which is funny because I'm not that big of a fan of large bodies of water. I don't like the thoughts of drowning. I guess that's why I like pictures of them. Its amazing to see the still picture of them because you know they don't look like that anymore. Its just in that one second it took to take that picture that the water looked like that.

       I look through pictures and when one speaks to me I try to recreate it into a painting. It never looks exactly the same, but that's not typically what I am going for. When I do a painting with water I always save it for last especially with the waterfall. I painted this one with a mix of different paints mainly acrylic and watercolor and even some tempura. And it was painted on painting paper, then framed. I started with a basic color for the background which was, surprisingly, orange. I wanted orange to peak out like it doesn't at the change of the seasons from summer to fall. For the same reason I have the yellow  dotted in the painting. I then started doting on some dark green and black. Once that dried I dotted on the lighter green with some white and yellow. Then once I felt I had the greenery portrayed I went on to the fun part, the water. I don't know if anybody teaches this or if any other artist does it, but when I paint water I paint in the way that the water moves. With the water fall in did long stokes coming down from the starting point and the dotting some on the outside of the main stroke and where it hits the water to make it look like the mist that comes off the water. Then the solid body gets sideways squiggles. I make sure I have a lot of paint on my brush or paper to make sure I can get it in one  swipe. I don't want the breaks in the lines from stopping an reload my brush. The water is mainly green because that greenery around the water is reflecting into the water. Once the water was done the picture was done.

       My Dad was having an off day so when I showed him this one he just said "Oh, nice", (I'm used to that). My Mom flipped over it because she loves waterfall pictures. Over all a lot of people have like this one. The funny thing is this isn't one of my top favorites, but I still like it. As always you can see all of my paintings here. And you can view or buy Waterfall here.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and have a great day!

Fireworks

"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint." Edward Hopper

       You can view all of my work here:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/GetTheRagtimeBlues?ref=hdr_shop_menu

       I said in my first blog that I had tattoos, but I don't think I said that I was a shy and quiet person. I have never been able to just walk up to somebody and introduce myself. I'm the one that stands in the back and waits for somebody to come to me, so it isn't easy for me to talk about things. I'm afraid I'm going to sound like an idiot that's why I don't talk unless I have to. That's not to say I don't talk because if you get me started I'm not always easy to shut up, but that's after I warm up to you. When I paint, or get a tattoo, or perform on stage, it's a way for me to express myself. It may not be free of judgement, but nothing is; you can't be afraid of people judging you.

          This was my first tattoo, and by no means was it easy for me to pick out. I am extremely indecisive. I sat for hours on pinterest looking a picture after picture for something that I likes, and keeping in mind I couldn't go completely crazy and pick something that was going to cost me a fortune. I kept seeing this quote show up, and being the theatre and Shakespeare nut I am I decided on this quote. FYI it's from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Then I added the feathers around it because I have a thing for feathers; plus I was planning ahead for another tattoo I was thinking of getting that would work into the feathers. Thus my first tattoo was born. Then about two months later I had a little mad money, and I had promised my Mom I would buy her a tattoo. Funny how somebody doesn't want something until they see somebody else with one. So I decided to do a mother daughter tattoo with my mom. So I spent a thousand more hours on the internet found things I liked then I had to get my mom's approval. We ended up with this, and it isn't finished yet. We have a quote we want to get around it, but I needed to knock off a few dollars so we had to forgo the quote at the time.

      Just like for the reason I paint I get tattoos, and just like Edward Hopper said, if I could say what I wanted why would I need to paint or get tattoos or perform on stage. That's my thought of the day, now onto something completely different.

       My painting I bring to you today is smaller than the past ones I have shared. I did this oil painting on just oil painting paper, and then framed it so it would look pretty (AWWWW). 

       

      When I painted this I was thinking of showing gravity. I mixed the paint on the paper and tinned it out a lot and then I stood the paper on its end and let the paint run. Then I splattered some black and white paint on the paper. I really like splattering paint. My Mom had something else in mind. When she saw it the first words out of her mouth was "Is it fireworks". I instantly liked that better than gravity, plus I painted on 4th of July weekend. My Dad didn't really have an opinion on this one, but I don' expect him to understand everything I do, but this is one of my friends favorites that I have done. I love seeing all the different colors, and seeing the lines of paint run in different directions. It really does look like fireworks. It even brings that joy of seeing fire in the sky when you look at it, or at least it does for me. To each their own I suppose. 

You can buy or see the painting here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/240245891/abstract-painting-firework?ref=shop_home_feat_1

       Well that's it for today I hope you enjoyed reading my blog today. Once I get caught up on all of the paintings I have already done the blogs will slow to probably once a week or every few days. Have a great day!

Through The Fences

       "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." Andy Warhol

        My Etsy page:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/GetTheRagtimeBlues?ref=hdr_shop_menu

         The arts is universal language that everybody understands. You could put two people together that doesn't understand anything each other says, but they could bond over music or art or movies. The only problem is there is a lot of people that doesn't understand that, and they want to take it away. Like school systems, for example, when they make budget cuts the first programs to be cut is the arts. Arts has something for everybody, but they don't see it as such. They think that sports is where it is. News flash, not everybody can play a sport; they may not be fast enough, big enough, strong enough, what have you. If a person can give a list of things that shows art isn't for everybody then so be it, but everybody can pick up a paintbrush or pencil or pen and express themselves in some way. I know talent is somewhat involved, but for the most part there are classes people can take to improve on their work if they want to, but you can't really learn to run faster. Just like Andy Warhol said we have to change things, and unfortunately the changes that are being made are not good ones, so we need to change them back. I love sports I have nothing against them, but I believe that everybody deserves their own outlet. So we need to stand up and keep the arts from being taken away. Stepping off of my soap box now.

        Today's art work is my first full on abstract painting with no certain item. When I painted this I had just gotten a set of acrylic paints with 36 colors, and I had to try them out. When I started painting I didn't have anything in mind, so I just let hands do there own things. Yes my hands have a mind of their own. I did have something in mind that I wanted to try, but it didn't really work, so I just went with what the paint wanted to do. 

       I discovered that I had two metallic colors, and you just don't understand how excited I was about that. I started with painting a background onto my canvas using the metallic colors and some of my other favorite colors. Once that dried I used some blue painters tape and taped off a random pattern that my hands made.Then I commenced with splattering the canvas with random colors that spoke to me. I have learned that with painting a lot of random things talk to me. Once I knew I was done splattering I tried out my new painting knives. I hadn't used any before, so that was a new experience for me. On some of the lines of tape I painted a solid line down beside it. Once all of that was dried and is was safe to take the tape off; I took the tape of. (Shocker, I know) I then colored in the strips that was left. I wasn't planning on it, but once the tape was off I knew it needed something, and painting the striped was what it needed in my book.

       You will come to learn that my next step, after I finish my paintings is to show my parents. I'm an only child and I live out in the middle of nowhere, so my parents are really the only people I can ask. Plus I know they will tell me the truth. My Dad was the first one to see it, and keep in mind I had no clue as to what I was painting my hands did the work, he asked me if it was suppose to be wild flowers through a fence. At that point I hadn't really looked at it objectively only as the painter, and when I did I saw the flowers and the fence. I really liked that interpretation, and I had been in a good mood that because I had gotten my new paints and knives, and it showed through my painting. The funny thing is; I didn't think my Dad would get the painting. I thought he think of it as a waste of paint, but he didn't which made me love the painting even more. When my Mom saw it, and she is the one that typically names my painting, she said "Through the fences," hence the title of the post. I think for my first absolute abstract, expressionist painting I did pretty damn good, and for it being only the second time I had painting on canvas.

       As always you check out all of my work at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GetTheRagtimeBlues?ref=hdr_shop_menu

To view or buy this particular painting "Fences" go here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/240346796/abstract-painting-through-the-fence?ref=shop_home_active_5


Hope you enjoyed my latest blog. I'm really beginning to love this whole blogging thing. Its kind of addictive. Have a great day!

My First Blog

     Hi, I am Felicia, and this is my first blog post. I have danced around with the idea of having a blog before when I was trying out show off my baking skills, then again with my craft skills, and then most recently with my makeup skills. Get they idea I don't stick with things for long at a time. Yeah well I have the attention span of a goldfish. 
     So, now I have moved onto painting, and I have actually followed through on starting a blog. Let's just hope I stay with it. I'm hoping since I have followed through with starting a blog that it means I will stick with painting. Not to say I haven't stuck with baking, crafts, and makeup, I just don't record everything I do. I just do it for fun, and keep my secrets to myself. Yes I am selfish.
      Just like with everything I else I have done I kind of just stumbled into it. I always assumed that just because I couldn't draw with a damn that I couldn't ever be an artist. There is a lot of famous painters that never did realistic paintings; they did mainly abstract or impressionistic. I have always liked art and expressing myself through art. I have Bachelors in Theatre Arts, so of course I'm crazy. I didn't realize that I was actually pretty decent at painting until I was planning a staycation for parents for mother's/father's day and their birthday's. I did a week long thing where they were in a different country each day, and I planned the menus and cooked every meal for them and fun activities for them to do. During all of that I also came up decorations. For one of the days we were in Spain, and during my research of Spain I learned that paintings and art is a big part of their culture. I decided that I would try my hand at recreating some Spanish paintings just for decoration purpose. My parents enjoyed my recreations, and I thought they were pretty darn good myself. Since you don't know me, that is saying something because I am my biggest critic. After my recreations got such a good response I started painting some presents for people. I painted a portrait of my Grandfather's dog for father's day; which he said he loved, and he never actually tells anybody he likes anything they give him.

Then I painted my Great Grandmother a picture of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then I painted my cousin am abstract painting of love for her wedding, and when she said the loved that picture the best of all her gifts, I knew I had found something. 

      And its not all about people ohing and awing over the paintings because not that many people have seen my work, but they release I get when I paint. It probably sounds cheesy to say this, but my paintings change with my mood, and even how I interpret my finished paintings change from day to day. I hope to bring that joy of interpretation and release to people by having my painting out there for people to see. I know my style of painting isn't going to be for everybody, but that's fine that is part of the joy of art. Just like movies and music everybody has their favorites and not everybody is going to agree. Could you imagine how boring the world would be if everybody liked the same things.
      You will probably find out later that I also express myself through tattoos as well. It is a way for my to wear artwork, and spread that joy with the world as well. So let's hope I can keep up with this blogging that and share my artwork with the world.

All of my paintings can be seen and bought at my etsy store at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GetTheRagtimeBlues?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Without any further ado here is my first painting creation that I didn't make for somebody else. I call it Hidden Love. This was the first time I had painted on a canvas before, so that was fun. A little background about be; I am a big supporter for same-sex marriage, and not a lot of my family is. When I say not a lot I mean mainly my mother and I support same-sex marriage. So I painted this for all the people that are part of conservative families, like mine is, that are afraid to come out. I myself am bisexual which only a few of my close friends know, and now the whole world, so the painting is very personal.

The beauty about abstract art is that it can mean something different to each person that sees it. I said earlier why I painted it, but that might not be what you see. For example after I finished it I asked my Dad what he thought about it, and keep in mind he doesn't know what I was thinking when I painted it, and he thought it was people smelling flowers. I could see where he got that, and I liked the fact that he saw something in it. He isn't much of an art person much less being asked to interpret it. I would love to hear from you as to what you think of it and see in it, and if the painting really speaks to you, you can own it. Just visit my the paintings etsy page at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/239578410/abstract-oil-painting-hidden-love?ref=shop_home_active_6


I hope everybody has enjoyed my first blog post. I don't know why I have waited so long to start a blog because this is extremely fun. I love talking about myself and this is the perfect way to do so. (You'll have to forgive my bad jokes, sarcasm, and puns) Have a great day!
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