loose

29 Years Ago

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

29

29 Years Ago…
I learned the true meaning of unconditional love the moment I held you in my arms.

348 Months Ago…
my life’s purpose was discovered and fulfilled all at once.

18,096 Weeks Ago…
I knew there was nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you.

126,672 Days Ago…
my heart doubled in size when two became three – our little family.

3,040,128 Hours Ago…
the sun grew brighter, the grass greener, the sky bluer, the clouds puffier, the air sweeter.

182,407,680 Minutes Ago…
I became your #1 fan, and for a couple thousand minutes… I was yours.

10,944,460,800 Seconds Ago…
was the first second of the best moments of my life.

Happy Birthday JRM  ❤

Love you,
Mom

The Happy Flower

/ Jodi / 54 Comments
sunny-sunflower-watercolor-11x14-artistico-ex-wh-300lb-soft

sunny-sunflower-watercolor-11×14-artistico-ex-wh-300lb-soft

“As an artist, I’d choose the thing that’s beautiful more than the one that’s true.”

–Laurie Anderson, Composer, Singer, and Performance Artist

Sunflowers are happy flowers – aren’t they?
They are sunny and bright and cheerful.

I painted this version of a sunflower – that may not really look like a sunflower to you – but I fell in love with.  And I rarely say that about my own art, so it is super exciting for me.

It is 11×14 and painted on the most glorious Fabriano Artistico 300lb “Soft” paper that is so cottony soft and buttery, I love to just feel it!

When I came upon this quote by Laurie Anderson, it so resonated with my feelings about art.  I would choose beautiful over true too.

I choose to paint what I love and feel is beautiful over an exact likeness.  I can take a photo if I want an exact likeness. (And I do so admire artists who can create exact likeness with paint and brushes – don’t get me wrong – it’s just not where I find my joy – at least right now.)  But to create a feeling of beauty, that is what I choose to love about painting.

Happy Day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pink Flamingo

/ Jodi / 65 Comments
Pink Flamingo Watercolor 8x10

Pink Flamingo Watercolor 8×10

Happy #DrawABirdDay!

On the 8th day of every month, many of my fellow artistic blogging friends and I enjoy sharing our drawings and paintings of birds.  Thanks Laura at CreateArtEveryDay for hosting!

I painted this pink flamingo a week or so ago and have been saving it to share for today.  I have to admit, I think this is my favorite watercolor painting I’ve done to date.

And I have to thank Laura again for calling my attention to a tutorial on the Artist Network done by one of my favorite watercolor artists, Jean Haines, who inspired this flamingo.

I just couldn’t wait to see what it looked like framed.  Doesn’t it make such a difference to see it matted and framed?

pink flamingo 2 original watercolor 8x10 matted and framed to 11x14

Pink Flamingo in Watercolor -8×10 matted and framed 11×14

I also thought it would make beautiful note cards, so I printed some up for our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop.

pink flamingo 2 watercolor card set

Pink Flamingo Watercolor Card Set

I love pink….
I love birds….
I love watercolor…
So creating this painting was pure joy for me.

Wishing you a day filled with joy and love and moments to cherish!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Paint

Lilac Love

/ Jodi / 58 Comments
lilac love watercolor painting arches 300 lb cold press 10 x 14 diaxozine violet

lilac love watercolor painting arches 300 lb cold press 10 x 14 diaxozine violet

The purple lilacs around here are done for the season,
but the white lilac tree in my yard is crazy full of tiny white flowers
that are filling the entire yard with such an amazing fragrance!

While my poor son is sneezing like crazy from all the pollen in the air right now,
I don’t dare pick and bring a bouquet into the house as much as I’d love to….

But I was inspired to paint some lilacs (purple is more fun!)
with that sensational scent wafting through my brain down to my fingertips
as I dripped and dropped and splashed and splattered Dioxazine Violet.

Can you almost smell them?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

I’m joining my friend Charlie with these sweet smelling flowers for his #NatureDoodlewash challenge.

Very Variegated Violet

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

Purple violet watercolor tulips

Who knew shades of violet could vary so greatly?!

Before we went away on vacation last week, I had some fun playing with purple in this super loose vase of violet tulips.   I have done tulips in shades of reds and oranges  in this style, but was excited to try purple.

I decided to mix Winsor Violet (WN*) and Quinacridone Violet (MG**) – two VERY different violets –  and touch in some Quinacridone Gold (WN), because I always so love how it moves!

I used Green Gold (WN) for the foliage and a touch of Cobalt Teal (MG) for drama.  I shook it, and I splashed on it.

This large 10 x 13 in. painting is done on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Paper.

I wasn’t sure if I liked it when I finished it, so I just set it aside.

I don’t know whether it is the “curing” of the paint or the “stepping away” that changes a painting so often, but…. when I came home after a week away and looked at it again, I decided I rather liked it.

It’s loose.

It’s kind of wild.

It’s unique and distinctive and venturesome.

It’s Very Variegated Violet!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*WN – Winsor Newton Professional Grade Watercolor Paint
**MG – M. Graham Watercolor Paint

Everything’s Popping Up Poppies

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

everything is popping up poppies 8 x 10 watercolor

You’ve probably heard, “Everything’s Coming up Roses.”

Well – I’m in a poppy state of mind these past few days, so after painting this bunch of very loose impressionistic poppies after dinner last night, I decided to name it “Everything’s Popping up Poppies!”

I even put this 8 x 10 painting in a frame I had and hung it on the wall to see what it would look like.  First time ever….

everything is popping up poppies 8 x 10 watercolor framed

I have been inspired by various styles and artists while perusing Pinterest and YouTube and all of my amazing WordPress artist friends and blog followers, so I decided to just “let it go,”  and I think this might be my personal favorite so far.

In a few days, it will be one full year since I painted my very first watercolor painting ever (which you can view here).  What a fun journey this has been so far.  I have learned so much and have sooooo much more to learn.  I now understand why many artists say it is a life-long journey to accomplish or develop a style and master a medium!

I am enjoying the journey…

and cherishing the brushstrokes and paint puddles and splashes…

the artistic moments… at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Woke up Thinking Tulips

/ Jodi / 57 Comments
tulips impressionistic 9 x 12 original watercolor

Tulips on Arches 140 lb hot press 9 x 12

I woke up yesterday thinking tulips….
thinking Spring….
so wanting to paint tulips.

I awoke to a rainy Monday…
feeling earlier than it was with the time change…
going to the gym and getting to work.

But as the day progressed….
the afternoon brought sunshine and warmth…
and by dinnertime, the temperatures were above 70 degrees F.

After dinner, I grabbed a sheet of watercolor paper…
A full sheet – 9 x 12 inches…
and I sat on the deck with flips flops and sun still shining.

And I painted tulips…
loose and free and Springy….
and this is how they turned out.

Happy Spring!
Happy Tulips!
Happy HeArt!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Spring Splashing

/ Jodi / 79 Comments

spring bunny watercolor 5x7

A few days ago, our little corner of the world was covered in snow and ice.  This weekend, however, the temperatures rose to near 60 degrees and the sun shone brightly.

It was a little crazy for mid-February when we typically experience some of our coldest, snowiest weather, but we sure enjoyed it.

On Sunday morning, Charlie and I took a nice four-mile walk with our buddy, Tracy.  We visited Kitty, and we splashed through some puddles of melted snow and ice.

After breakfast and a few chores, I spent a relaxing afternoon splashing paint at the kitchen table with the sun streaming in.

I painted this bunny that reminds me of Spring and Easter and babies and renewal.

spring bunny watercolor matted

I painted another fun little piece that will be a gift for an upcoming baby shower, and a couple other things before packing up the paint and making dinner.

What a great way to spend a day.  Thinking Spring.  Enjoying warmth and sunshine.  Doing the things I love….

at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Black + White + Silver + a Color Challenge

/ Jodi / 35 Comments

pp270 1

My design team inspiration card this week for The Paper Players Color Challenge #PP270 is a relatively clean and simple  card.  I made three Christmas cards before I decided I wanted to share this one for my inspiration – a not-Christmas card.

This week’s challenge is to use Black + White + Silver or Gold + One Color, and the other design team members have some awesome inspiration cards (including lots of Christmas cards!)

For my card, I stamped the dragonfly onto watercolor paper in black and then dropped in some W&N Prussian blue watercolor paint (surprise surprise!) very loosely and shook it a bit to make it move and drip.  I also threw a few splatters on just for more freedom and artistic flair.  Once dried, I added some silver brads to complete the front.

One the inside, I stamped the dragonfly again in Night of Navy stamped off twice before stamping on the third hit to make it more subtle and muted.  I then stamped the sentiment on top of it.  Just for a bit more sparkle, which you really can’t see in the photo, I brushed this one with the Wink of Stella.

pp270 inside 1

Card “Ingredients”

Hope my paper player friends will join us in the fun.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A”pear”antly Pears!

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

pears in watercolor

I am having so much fun loosening up and watercolor painting while learning online with Art Tutor.  What a great way to learn and grow at your own pace with lots of great tutorials!

These pears are a practice in negative painting in watercolor that I did last weekend.

I lightly sketched two pears in pencil, loosely dropped some yellow and red in them, let dry, and then negatively painted in blue and red.

Trying to get my creative groove back – loosening up and having fun!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi