Meet my Inner Artist Guardian, a painting lesson for week 11 with Tamara Laporte. She will protect me from my inner artistic self when she decides to listen to her inner critic. I did not focus much on the background because I want to concentrate on painting the faces. When I first started working with a 2B pencil on top of the paint I wasn’t sure I like it but as I get used to working this way and leaving behind all my ideas of using pencil and different kinds of paint in one portrait I am loving it. Sketching is my first love and this combines paint and sketching so all is good.

This was an interesting exercise and I definitely want to do more of these. Jane’s lesson had us create just the top part of a figure but when I saw this poppy tissue paper I knew she needed a dress of poppies so went for a half-sized figure instead. My faces are getting better but when I was finished I found she looks a bit cock-eyed. This is somewhat like I look when I first get up in the morning … especially my hair lol

Another wonderful, fun project. Lesson 10 brought us a thoughtful piece, a gratitude heart book. I didn’t have to stop and write down what I am grateful for. My blessings are many and I feel so fortunate that at this time in my life it is possible to know what they are.

This does not look anything like Tam’s but when comparing my little girl with my tightrope walker from January she is showing improvement which pleases me. I watched the video and then didn’t work on the piece for a week so didn’t get all the steps in at the right time. This meant I had to fudge it a bit in places. I left her with no shoes because that is how I love to walk … barefoot in the grass, wiggling my toes and feeling the coolness of the leaves.

I loved this week !! …. creating this jar was a blast and the smudging was perfect for this left hander. I love and collect turtles so of course I had to add a turtle stamp. Working with water paint and mark making for the background of the jar was so much fun.