Blog Hopping Around the World

As I see it, the idea behind world-wide blog hopping is for us to introduce and promote one another. Follow the links to go around the world finding wonderful art and artists. To learn about each other we're requested to answer the same four questions.

My friend, Win, invited me to participate in this round robin. As an mixed media artist and an excellent teacher her blog is all about mixed media experimentation with excellent tutorials. She was invited by Vicki Ross, who was invited by Kelly Dombrowski. On Kelly's blog you can keep linking back.

ROADSIDE CROSSES: SHE INHALED IT MUCH TOO QUICKLY, mixed media collaged head 16 x 16 x 13" © Win Dinn

See Win's art here:
Win's blog 
Win's Facebook page
If it's geographically feasible, you may want to book her to give a workshop in your area!
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I've invited my good friend, Sharlene, to join this hop. You'll find her answers to the questions next Monday, November 24th.

LET THERE BE LIGHT, 40x30 acrylic © Sharlene Stushnov-Lee

See Sharlene's art here:
Sharlene's blog
Sharlene's website

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I'll always be a classical painter at heart, but I must say that mixed media has broken the monotony of decades of traditional painting in watercolour and oil. There is a thrill with mixed media exploration, of not knowing, at the onset, exactly what the outcome of these unique works will be.



AMIRA'S MERMAID 20" x 16"



What am I working on?
Earlier this year, I painted a mixed media mermaid, for one of our granddaughters. For months now, I have been fussing over how to make another mermaid painting, for our other granddaughter, that would be different from the last. A recent trip to Prague, including the Mucha Museum, has inspired me to approach the mermaid in progress in the style of his Art Nouveau poster girls. Please check back later this month, I need to have it finished by the 27th! As it is now, it seems that it will be strictly an acrylic painting. At the same time I am painting smaller oils, acrylics and mixed media pieces.    

How does my work differ from others of this genre?Perhaps the most difficult question to answer since I don’t stick to one genre. I'll go with the mixed media here. The difference may be that my backgrounds are abstract acrylics employing commercial stencils, stamps and anything for mark making onto which I'll paint focal points (of flowers, feathers or birds for example) in a realistic, yet painterly fashion.

Why do I create what I do?
I'm blessed in being a channel for art, one with the ability to draw or paint anything and therefore making art is as natural to me as breathing. As a lover of beauty and design, it is a constant in all areas of my life. When creating any image my goal is to infuse it with a sensation. Powerful use of light and calculated or intrinsic use of colour are ways I achieve this.

How does my creative process work?
Inspiration comes from any combination of these things; in seeing places or things which excite me, different colour combinations, patterns, new found techniques, the work of other artists or newly acquired materials and art supplies. In my current passion for inventing interesting backgrounds, anything goes; metallic paints, textures and embellishments. Over time, I've flirted with acrylic paints, never being completely satisfied with how they handle in traditional painting, but they're perfect for mixed media. Now, experimenting with them is happy exploration. It's incredibly easy to make wild messes. The challenge is to allow a start to evolve, trusting that I'll be guided as to how to refine and finish it.

Examples of my work:

STONEHENGE   1992 watercolour 14" x 21"

VICTORIA FALLS   2002 oil 36" x 54"

MONET'S GARDNER'S BRIDGE   2003 oil 24" x 36"

RED HOT HARMONY   2005 oil 18" x 24"

FRAGILE SHADOW   2007 oil 14" x 11"

SHAR'S AMARYLLIS   2009 acrylic and gold leaf  8" x 10"

UNLOCK GROWTH   2012 acrylic, mixed media, 16" x 12"

FANCIFUL FEATHER   2013, acrylic, mixed media 16" x 12"

BOB   2014 oil on hand made paper mounted on a cradled panel 6" x 6" 

Please feel free to join Blog Hopping Around the World.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to participate I heartily encourage it.
Please share this post.
And, should you choose to participate, please let me know.
Thank you.