Showing posts with label Mixed media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mixed media. Show all posts

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Conquering 32 counties


“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” 
 
Ernest Hemingway

So we managed to travel to all 32 counties in Ireland and I've put that together on a 80cm x 80cm canvas - a giant keepsake! I bought a map of Ireland, cut it out and mounted it on an existing picture canvas (recycling?) that I do not care much for. Then Audrey helped me paint the water surrounding it with acrylics and gave it a coat of varnish.

I had to label all the photos according to the counties to remember where they are supposed to go. Then I embellished it with objects that are significant to that particular county and did some journalling as well. 

Finally, Michael and I put our signatures at the bottom right corner to authenticate it. I'm quite happy looking at it on the wall! 

On another note, since Autumn is around the corner, I've decided to make 2 new cushion covers.


Saturday, March 15, 2014

Mixed Media Man and Mask

Love mixed media ... as there are no rules, anything goes as long as I am happy. With the monkey and lush tropical background, I thought I'll complement it with something bright and fun, and throw in some keys and locks as well.


While still in the mood for exuberance and life, I gave a plain mask a 'mask-over' and now it is ready for the masquerade ball in Venice...



On a gondola with a fellow participant of the conference


St Mark's Square





Saturday, November 2, 2013

Mixed Media

Went for a workshop in Cork and tried my hand at mixed media. Ruins and monasteries tell me stories. So standing at the alcove of a monastery opens up another world altogether - the great Abbey of Mellifont, in County Louth, was the first Cistercian abbey to be built in IrelandFounded in 1142 on the orders of Saint Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, Mellifont Abbey sits on the banks of the River Mattock, some ten km (6 miles) north-west of Drogheda.


                                      Tried my hand at gesso paint and pigments...love the result!



Monday, September 23, 2013

Mixed Media Workshop

Went for a mixed media workshop at Cork International Airport Hotel conducted by Finnabair. It was a wonderful time of learning new stuff.

First I made a layout with grungy embellishments.


Then a second one on canvas.



Made a number of new friends as well - Mary and Dola are fabulous ladies!

I wore my favourite 'bartender' apron to protect myself from the muck..

Like any student, taking a photo with the teacher is a must...


The pride of my hands...


Now to show off what everyone has done...



And finally, thanks to Cathi for telling me about the workshop and for driving us there and back home again!


Friday, July 26, 2013

Ode to Autumn - Mixed Media Collage

Autumn will be here soon and that is my favourite season. I have always loved textures and mediums. A collage on canvas allows me to put together all sorts of stuff to create an autumn scene of brown and orange hues. Acrylics form the background. The terracotta air-dry clay is perfect for the soil part, crushed egg shells form the gravel and mung beans represent life that has fallen from the tree. Some mung beans (life) still remain on the tree while leaves turn brown. The copper coloured sequins give the illusion of sunlight.


                       Ode to Autumn                   
                                          John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.



Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.



Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, - 
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.