Freshly Baked and Yummy

Freshly Baked today! And almost half gone. I have discovered recipe for these cookies some time ago , most likely around Christmas, when my family members turn into bakers apprentices ( kids pitch in with their helping hands and thongs ) and myself into a head chef. I fell in love with their coffee toffee combination. They are so dippable and such a great way to start your day on sweet. I put a listing on Etsy today to share'em with the world.

Monarch for Arty Girlz

Monarchs are so beautiful, at least to me they are. When I had an exhibition few years ago people came to me with their amazing stories related to butterflies. It was a very inspiring evening and also a chance to hear so many personal accounts in how many different and magical ways these tiny Gods creations have touched peoples lives. It seemed that everyone had a different but nevertheless deep and meaningful experience. Many of the ancient civilizations believed that butterflies were symbols of the human soul. In Aztec culture they are related to souls of the dead and are celebrated as such in Dias de Los Muertos . Im just amazed with their icredible beauty and fragility and have painted many without ever getting tired of the subject .

A Bird on a Wire

I was mussing about paradoxes yesterday in my journal. The issue last night was : Is desert island really "desert" (i.e. a place devoid of life ) if we always depict it with a palm tree on it? A tree, always a symbol of life, and a desert all in one idiom. It bugged me for a while how did we came up with that idea in, what seems to be , our global culture ? So to my surprise, today, I myself came up with another paradoxical combination. Here is an image of a bird ( a symbol of freedom ) brought into a context with a barbed wire (a symbol of restriction or imprisonment). I'm not sure what is this little soul trying to do : to fly in or to fly out? It sure is a sad world were there is a barbed wire to restrict anything. But it should be an inspiration to us that the lighthearted ones can overcome it just like birds. Tell me what do you see in this image ? Help me understand where is this bird coming from ? Where does it go?

Pear Appeal

Every new year in our life brings in something new. No matter how small the discovery, it is so surprising to me that there was always something out there that I either never heard of or saw or tried. Somewhat at the beginning of this year , quite by accident, ( or shall I call it and unexpected sale) I have discovered Ya(or Yali ) pears. So many times before I have passed indifferently by those unappealing piles of carefully wrapped fruit at out Farmers Market. I'm not much of a pear person more of an apple one, so I never felt tempted to buy. A lowered price caught my eye and suddenly buying a fruit that is so meticulously wrapped seemed like an adventure. A curiosity kicked in. I've put few in my cart and didn't even remember to open until I came home. Wow ! An artist in me instantly fell in love with its fragility and almost unreal yellow, speckled by tiny burnt sienna dots. The taste and smell was even better then its look. I bought so many afterward. Every time before I savor its juices I carefully peal of labels stuck on every fruit and paste them on a paper. Even these little things looked like a piece of art to me and some even ended up in my journal ( becoming almost a pear worshiper here, am I ?) So I guess, from now on, I can officially pass as a pear person.

Spring is Near

The weather is finally warming up here in last few days which is a sure sign of a new spring. My backyard is filling up with new families of birds and songs start early in a day. Last year the number of my little friends has dramatically dwindled after hawks moved in. Days were silent for the most part with an occasional predator cry. We all know that it is a food chain and it's all natural but our world felt so empty all of a sudden. I hope they will find some sort of balance this time.

Wings and things

I was so excited when I came across Altered Bits blog and Alicia's challenge for Anatomically Altered art. This was my first idea on how to respond to this opening, but many others came in waves after this one. Looks like I will be working on it for a while. But wings seem to be quite a thing these days so I'm also contributing this effort to Mixed Media Monday [ Hearts and {or} Wings] and Lots to Do [ Wings].

And the Winner is...

The winner of my OWOH giveaway is Ursula Shaw !!! YEEEHH ! I want to mention again that I have enjoyed every step of this wonderful initiative and I'm yet to visit all the submitted blogs ( that's my goal) . Also thank you thank you thank you to all of you who have entered comments on my blog! I've got so much positive feedback and energy to last me a lifetime. Please take a chance to visit Ursula s blog, she has some fantastic stuff going on there.

Penny pincher

Well, these days everywhere you look the media is offering some savvy way to pinch your pennies and survive these tough times that are ahead of us. I must say some of those ideas are no news to us artists because we are borne recyclers and re purposers (this didn't pass my spell check but you know what I mean ) . I sometimes feel compelled to sit down and write several more chapters on top of their super ideas. I just never find time for that and this challenge felt so much more interesting than showing off with my frugal tips. This was such a fun to do. You can see that the whole surface is and overlapping frotage of a single penny ( the chant that goes with it is : let it multiply ) and glued on top is a penny itself.
I contribute this image to a Lots to do challenge "Metal". I hope y'all had as much fun with it as I did !

And Now: Into the Red

I have visited so many wonderful Blogs last week that are flooded wit great art and craft related to LOVE. And that's what we all should join in: sharing and spreading some more creative and nurturing love. This is my humble contribution to Arty Girlz Chalange Blog theme :Red and White. This is an ink wash painting on watercolor paper with some collage elements stamping and protective acrylic gloss.

Into the green

A very symbolic contribution to the reoccurring resolution to be more green each year ( and hopefully stay so) are these avocados done for a FRUIT challenge on Mixed Media Monday. It's a watercolor with some collage stamping and stencil. Hope you like it! I almost feel hungry just by looking at it. Yum and green.

I'm still chirpin'

I'm still chirpin' about the great activity and mingling that we all have shared through OWOH giveaway! I've came across some incredible people and felt so connected through our artistic striving like almost never before. I want to thank all of you out there who came to visit my tent and left such inspiring comments. And even if you didn't at least your positive energy flew through my blog and kept me working. Again a great thanks to all and LOVE to all !