"Space Creation"

" He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 

 Great is our Lord and mighty in power.  

His understanding has no limit."

 ~ Psalm 147:4 & 5

The "Illustration Friday" word this week was "Space".  This is my own example for a fun art project I do with elementary school students.  I love how every child's creation is so different and how much fun they have making their "universes".  I can just imagine God enjoying making...and even naming...each part of His beautiful creation!

Sewing Satisfaction!

My challenge this week was self imposed. After not being able to reach a costume designer in time for Brooke to take a white costume with her to China, I decided to try to make her one myself. It was the first time I've tried to do it in these 9 years that Brooke has done twirling. Her coach donated the supplies, and I got a nice discount on the leo. With the reminder from last week that God helps me in even the seemingly small areas of my life, I asked Him that He would help with the making of this costume on the deadline I had as well. And of course He did! I feel as though He blessed me over and above what I was expecting. I don't even care if she wears it for the pictures, I am just happy with the satisfaction of a job completed.

Blessings from a Swamp!

The word for the the blog "Illustration Friday" this week was SWAMP.
In Daniels' vision in Ezekiel, even the swamps would be a blessing by producing the salt that would be needed in a perfect world. It's a reminder to us that God's blessings are often small and may often come from surprising places.

When I visited the Okefenokee Swamp, I was really wanting to get a picture of a dragonfly. The problem was, they were so fast that every picture I took turned out poorly. As it was getting late, I was ready to give up. Before I did, however, I sent up a quirky little prayer to the Lord asking for this silly little thing. You know the type of prayer..."Lord, I know how silly this little prayer is, but I sure would love to get a picture of a dragonfly."...And yes, just to remind me once again that no prayer goes unheard no matter how small, the Lord saw fit to immediately cause a beautiful dragonfly to land on a twig right next to me AND STAY THERE for as many pictures as I wanted to take. I actually finished and started walking away before the dragonfly flew away! How grateful I am that our Lord reminds us often and in so many ways that He is always with us.

Ezekiel 47:10-12~ ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.¹¹ But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. ¹² And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Work of Art Season 2: Week 8 (Studio Collection)

On the final episode on the TV Show, the contestants were to put together a collection of their artwork that they would show at a gallery. I didn't get around to doing this. This project is also... TO BE CONTINUED!

Work of Art Season 2: Week 8 (Sellable Art)

For this week, the TV contestants were to make stuff that they could sell on the street as well as hang in a gallery. This week's verse was from Hebrews 11:1--"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hope made me think of wishing, which made me think of "wishing on a star." I decided to make origami star ornaments to give to the ladies in my Bible study for Christmas gifts. When I made a mosaic out of them, it made a cool picture that could be hung on a wall, and when a bunch were used together, they looked cool on the tree!

Work of Art Season 2: Week 7 (Mechanical Pieces)

The challenge for this week was to use car parts in a work of art. I decided for practical purposes that any mechanical pieces could be used to make my art. Unfortunately, I didn't make the 1 week cut off limit, and although I have wonderful plans to use watch parts, I haven't finished anything yet. ....this week is to be continued!

Self Portrait

The Work of Art TV program started out with each contestant having a self portrait they brought to the show. Here is my first try ever at doing a self portrait. I used water color pencils. I've also started another challenge of doing a project based on a certain word given each week at the website Illustration Friday. The word for this week was "Vanity". Maybe it looks more like I would WANT to look than what I really do! :-)

Work of Art Season 2: Week 6 (Street Art) Take 2!

I wasn't satisified with my chalk art driveway. Since WOA wasn't on TV last Wed., and since I wanted to take something to the Bible study, I decided to try another "graffiti" style art project. I simply played with the word "purpose" on the computer, made stickers, then sprayed them with paint.

Work of Art Season 2: Week 6 (Street Art)

"Welcome Home"

The Bible study for this week is to focus on the purposes of our lives. I believe one of the main purposes of my life is raising my kids. Since the artists on "Work of Art" were paired up to work on a large public piece, I decided to have my neighbor girls help me make a chalk art drawing to welcome home my son from college. Good thing I took pictures as it ended up being washed away by the rain before he got home! Good thing another purpose of my life is probably to teach my kids to find the humor in everyday events. :-)

Work of Art Season 2: Week 5 (Headlines)

"Be Content"

The challenge this week was to be inspired by the headlines of a newspaper article. The Bible verse for this week was from Hebrews 13:5. The headlines of late have been about "The Occupiers" protest movement. I wanted to point out that I believe those on both sides of the issue should have a different attitude...We should be content with whatever our position in life, not being selfish in what we've been given, and not begrudging others what they have.

Work of Art Season 2: Week 4 (Kids Art)

"Love"

The challenge this week was to be inspired by a piece of artwork done by a child. Even though I have lots of those because I do art projects with elementary school kids, (http://www.artwithmrsread.blogspot.com/) and in fact did one this week, I chose to do something a little more personal, and use a piece of artwork that my daughter Brooke had given me many years ago for Mother's Day. The piece is quite abstract, and reminds me of blowing wind, flowing water, and flowing lava. I tried to think of those things as I was painting with the same color pallet she had used. The verse for this week was Colossians 3:14--And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. The heart was a nod to the love shared between child and parent.

"Brooke's Childhood Artwork"

Work of Art Season 2: Week 3 (Pop Art)

"The Created vs. The Creator"

The challenge this week was to make a Work of Art inspired by Pop Art. The TV show contestants were inspired by being with a famous painting that Andy Warhol did. I decided to combined the styles of Pop Art artists Andy Warhol, Jim Dine, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, and Wayne Thiebaud.
The scripture passage focus in my Bible Study group for this week was Psalm 139.
With this week's Work of Art challenge, I tried to make the statement that "Pop Culture" places the focus of life on the people and things that are CREATED... entertainment, celebs, food, money, even nature and our own bodies, instead of focusing on the CREATOR...GOD.

Work of Art Season 2: Week 2 (Motion)

"Practice!"

This week's challenge was to be inspired by bodies in motion. The TV program showed some guys doing parkour. Of course, I decided my inspiration would have to be my daughter Brooke twirling baton. After taking some action shots of her at practice, the verse that popped out at me at Bible study that night was Philippians 4:9 which speaks of actually practicing the positive words I used in last week's project. I played with 4 of the pictures I took of Brooke and the baton in motion to come up with a poster.


Here's a video of Brooke at the International Cup. August, 2011

Work Of Art Season 2 Week 1 (Kitch) Final Product:

"Think Positive"

The picture I chose from the Salvation Army reminded me of a carousel, and of course jousting knights. That night at Bible Study, it occurred to me that the Knights of the Round Table probably took their motto of how a knight should live from that's nights Bible Verse: Philippians 4:8--- ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. I decided to make a carousel of 8 knights; one for each word to live by.

Work Of Art Season 2: Week 1 (Kitch) Challenge

This week's challenge was to take an ugly piece of artwork and transform it. The TV show artists were given only a few minutes to choose from a previously selected group of artworks. I decided to only give myself a few minutes to decide from any artwork I could find at only one trip to the Salvation Army. Here is the piece I chose:

A "WORK OF ART" TV SHOW WEEKLY CHALLENGE!

The Bravo Network show "Work of Art" has started up again on Wed. nights. I thought it would be fun to do the challenges as well. If you would like to join me, send me your work each week by Tue. night, along with a short description, and I will post it for all to see! :-) I would only ask that you keep your artwork clean enough for your grandma and pastor to see. :-)