feelings

Dear You

/ Jodi / 35 Comments

Dear You Acrylic Abstract Jodi McKinney 24×36 on Artist Canvas

Dear You.

“I always felt like you’ve known me,
I thought of you when I got lonely,
Now there’s nothing else I can do,
This is me reaching out to you.”

– Lucy Spraggan “Dear You”

As I was painting and listening to one of my favorite new artists, Lucy Spraggan one evening this week – this is what happened. It’s quite large – 24″ H x 36″ W – and done completely with palette knife and acrylic paint from the tube.  This young lady’s music and lyrics touch my heart and soul, and this is my response as I listened and painted. (Thanks to Colleen Brown at The Chatter Blog for introducing me to Lucy!)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Take Flight

/ Jodi / 52 Comments

Take Flight.

Take flight
above
the turquoise sea,

amidst
the pink and golden
sky.

Stretch
your wings
and soar so high,

let
freedom
guide your heart.

Embrace
the feelings
that you get

when you are
creating
art.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Just some words and feelings that came to mind when looking at this 5-minute practice painting I did one day experimenting with techniques.

What did I do?  I dropped in some granulating colors – lunar black and quinacridone gold to a wash of alizarin crimson.  I then splashed in some creamy white gouache to create a soft, but dramatic sunset sky.  I scraped in some flying sea gulls with a couple simple scrapes of a palette knife.  I blended cobalt teal with a dab of prussian blue and splashed in some more creamy white gouache.  I then splashed some drops of water from a mister bottle and dropped in just a couple flakes of sea salt.    I then walked away and waited for the magic to happen…. (the hardest part of all).

 

Blue Reflections

/ Jodi / 69 Comments

Blue Reflections Watercolor – Cerulean and Indigo – 11×14 140lb cold press

Blue Reflections.

Baby boys turned into men.
The future in my granddaughter’s eyes.
The color of the ice caps over Mount Denali.
The color of the sea in St. Marten.
Scoring Boardwalk and Park Place in Monopoly.
Moonlight and starlight in the forest.
Dipping soft sable hair into cerulean and indigo watercolor.
Blue reflections creating magic.

I so enjoyed creating this watercolor painting! I splashed a bit and walked away for a while. I came back and added some more, and walked away again.  And then I did it again.  It was so exciting to come back and see what magic happened, and I so love how it turned out.  When I look at it, I think blue…. and memories flood my heart.

And I smile.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Released from the Soul

/ Jodi / 62 Comments

Released from the Soul.

Sometimes…

Art is just feeling.

And no explanation is needed.

There is such a freedom
in simply creating
feeling.

No concern
of whether
someone else

will like…
will understand…
will appreciate…

But such emotion is expelled.

It is like an untold,
secret story
that is released from the soul.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Learning to Respect the White Space

/ Jodi / 69 Comments
Cobalt Teal Blue, Lunar Black and Iridescent Gold Abstract Watercolor 11x14

Cobalt Teal Blue, Lunar Black and Iridescent Gold Abstract Watercolor 11×14

Learning to Respect the White Space.

Often times the hardest thing in art
is learning to respect the white space.

As artists, we love color, and we love paint,
and we want to fill the entire space.

But if we do,
there’s nowhere to focus

or to rest our eyes
or our minds.

It’s much like life.

We need to respect that empty “white” space
amongst the busyness

to allow our mind and body,
our heart and soul

to rest
and replenish.

Respect that “white” space.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Today I will choose to be kind

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

white-rose-bereavement-bouquet

Today I will choose to be kind –
most especially and intentionally to those who are not.

I will remember how precious and fragile life is –
and seek to cherish the moments.

We may not remember days or weeks or months,
but we remember moments.

And life is made up of moments –
ones that bring joy…

And others that bring grief
and sadness and loss.

I will cherish those moments too
and allow myself to feel them.

For a heart that cannot grieve or feel sadness or loss
cannot also feel the fullness of joy and love and hope.

Today, and every day, I will seek to choose to be kind,
and I will also embrace the kindness of others.

For every moment
is what makes up a life.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi