Living the Dream in Retirement
Experience Awe-Inspiring Exhibit Of Vincent Van Gogh’s Art Projected Over 500,000 Cubic ft. From Creators Of Immersive Blockbuster Show
Last week my sister and I visited the incredible immersive experience featuring the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh. It’s hard to describe the feeling of being inside the art as it changes moment by moment. I’ve tried to capture the experience and encourage anyone to see it in person.
Even the gallery gift shop was fabulous!
Today has been a mix of light rain, cloudy with infrequent bursts of sunshine and hovering in the 60’s. Add to that a grueling day of yard work yesterday and I decided to give my back and shoulders a much needed break…. and paint.
While I completed my first wine bottle tree in recent weeks, I’ve purchased another and have been drinking wines in clear bottles so I could complete and display it in Summer 2021. I admit to making sacrifices for my artistic endeavors.
That said, I also had several garden items that desperately needed a facelift as well as a set of canisters that I’ve been dying to paint. Here are the results of a fun, albeit messy day of painting.
At times when I’m painting tiles images emerge and I’ve titled these tiles accordingly.
As I share my tile photos via social media, I don’t always include my “vision”. As a result, in comments I learn what others see – and that’s fun. Other interpretations are fascinating to me and often I begin to see what they see. Like life, it’s good to be open to another’s perspective.
What do you see?
This subway tile is unique compared to others I’ve done. I displayed it on an easel on my mantle. Days later after enjoying a blazing fire, I closed the fireplace doors for the night. The tile and easel fell, hitting the hearth and breaking in two. I thought all was lost. I ordered a craft adhesive recommended by my sister’s friends for use on ceramics. It was worth a shot. The adhesive was amazing but now there was a visible diagonal break line. What to do? I decided to add this leaning tree. While it’s not perfect, it’s salvaged.
Not unlike life, it wears a “scar” now and looks a bit different – but it survived.
If you’ve visited my blog in recent months, you know that I’ve become addicted to painting with alcohol ink. I decided to try my hand at painting pots, pocket planters and these saucers that are just right for a wine bottle coaster or a ring dish.
My obsession with painting on ceramic tiles led me to a box of glazed white subway tiles, perfect for alcohol ink. There’s something magical that happens with alcohol ink and flame from a long Bic lighter. Here’s what I’ve created so far.
This winter we’ve had more sunny days than usual. When sunlight streams into my dining room/art studio it beckons me to paint. The gallery below represents my January 2021 paintings using alcohol ink on Yupo paper. I’ve titled a few based on either inspiration or the end results.
The holidays are behind us, cold winter weather has settled in and we’re still in a pandemic. Staying safe at home while staying creative, there’s something soothing about painting these ceramic tiles with alcohol ink.
During the pandemic with endless days of solitude, I’m increasingly grateful that I discovered a passion for painting. I immerse myself in the vibrant colors and create art that continues to surprise me. Hours melt away….
Clearly I’ve been obsessed with the tiles I’ve been painting with alcohol ink, as evidenced by recent posts. I wanted to share a few of my favorite artistic endeavors in this post; all are alcohol ink on Yupo paper.
