Painting

Happy Father’s Day

/ Jodi / 51 Comments

Father and Daughter and Red Balloon Watercolor 11×14

Happy Father’s Day.

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad.
So glad we have the opportunity to make up for lost time.

Happy Father’s Day to my Hubby.
Sharing parenthood with you has been one of my life’s greatest joys.

Happy Father’s Day to my Son.
Watching you be a dad melts my heart.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 I painted this watercolor to create a card for my Dad for Father’s Day.  I wanted to create a feeling with art that represents a bond that can’t be broken.  The bond between a father and daughter.  A representation of the feeling of being Daddy’s little girl – no matter age or time.  Love you Dad. xoxox

World Watercolor Month 2018 – I’m an Artist Ambassador!

/ Jodi / 66 Comments

World Watercolor Month 2018 – I’m an Artist Ambassador!

My amazing buddy, Charlie O’Shields at Doodlewash is at it again!  He is hosting the annual World Watercolor Month celebration in July, which he created three years ago to inspire people to paint with watercolor while raising awareness for the importance of art and creativity in the world.

Art has brought me so much joy since I discovered watercolor about three years ago that I want to be a part of sharing it, so Charlie honored me with the privilege of being a World Watercolor Month Art Ambassador.

For the month of July, I will be donating $1 from every watercolor sale (originals, prints, greeting cards) from our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY shop to Dreaming Zebra which helps support children in need around the world by providing art supplies and art education.Research has shown that art education has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the learning field across socioeconomic boundaries. Unfortunately, arts education programs are too often the first to be cut when cuts are made, so more and more children each year are missing out on the important benefits of art classes.

The Dreaming Zebra Foundation is unique in that they provide an art recycling program that is free to the public. Reusable art & music supplies that would otherwise be discarded, along with new or unsold materials, are donated by individuals and businesses and matched to recipients who have requested those materials for arts education purposes in communities around the world.

And Charlie chose my Yellow Canary, which I created in honor and memory of a special blogging friend, Terry, as the MX2 watercolor to be put on this year’s limited edition Artist Ambassador zippered pouch souvenier merchandise for World Watercolor Month 2018.  100% of the proceeds from the purchase of these zippered pouches will go to the Dreaming Zebra Foundation!

To learn more about World Watercolor Month, click here.

I’ll be sharing more in July, which is only 17 days away – can you believe it?!  Hope you will join us in the fun!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

#WorldWatercolorMonth

A Blue Pineapple for a Baby Girl Nursery

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

Blue Pineapple Watercolor 11X14

A Blue Pineapple for a Baby Girl Nursery.

I had a commissioned request to do a turquoisey-blue pineapple to go with a pink flamingo for a baby girl’s nursery.

Pink Flamingo Watercolor 11×14

Sweet new mommy-to-be, Sarah, reached out to me through our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and asked if I could do my pineapple in blues and paint her an original pink flamingo – with a couple dabs of gold in each if possible.

I have been having so much fun pouring acrylic abstracts lately, it was a mind-shift to gently and neatly “splash” in watercolor, but it came back like riding a bike, and I truly enjoyed creating these original pieces in 11×14 for a sweet baby girl’s nursery.

I love the fun, creative ways new parents are decorating nurseries now, and this nursery is sure to be adorable.

Wishing you a day that is colored with turquoisey-blue pineapples, bright pink flamingoes, and dabs of gold!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pouring Creativity

/ Jodi / 69 Comments

My art room lately

Pouring Creativity.

In case you’ve wondered what I’ve been doing in my spare time……..

I’ve been mixing…

and pouring…

and twisting…

and turning…

and splashing color…

and creating….

and exploring imagination…

and learning new ways…

to create and express…

and stretching to larger sizes….

and bigger messes that are worth the paint in my finger nails and on my clothes!


and these special pieces for a sweet granddaughter’s room….


and another coming soon.

Yep – I’ve been painting and having so much fun exploring this abstract medium.

And I can’t wait to make more!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  If you are interested in purchasing any of these except for the last two, they are for sale in our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY shop.

Let it Go – Let it Flow

/ Jodi / 52 Comments

Blue, Bluff, Black, Gold Abstract Acrylic Pour – 24×36

Let it Go – Let it Flow.

I am having so much fun experimenting with a new art medium – Abstract Acrylic Pour.

I am so intrigued by the beauty and challenge of abstract, and I am letting go and letting it flow!

This is my largest painting to date – it is a full 3 feet wide by 2 feet tall.

This technique involves mixing acrylic paint with Flood Floetrol – a paint additive that allows the paint to be more pourable as well as Silicone to create “cells.”

This painting is going to my youngest son and daughter-in-law’s home, and I have a few more to share later this week that I’ve been experimenting with including two I created for my granddaughters’ rooms.

I hope everyone in the U.S. is enjoying this extended Memorial Day holiday weekend, while also taking the time to remember and honor those that lost their lives in service to our country’s freedom.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Be a Mermaid

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

Be a Mermaid
Makes Waves!

A friend recently asked if I could paint a mermaid for her for a baby shower she is going to where the baby girl’s nursery theme is mermaids.

What fun it was to paint this in watercolor!  What a fun nursery theme too!

This painting makes cute cards, so I added prints and cards to our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop.  I thought the prints might be fun for little one’s rooms or nurseries and the cards for birthdays or just “under the sea” fun!

And why not be like a mermaid, and make waves!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Free-Flowing Fluid Art

/ Jodi / 73 Comments

“From a Distance” Abstract Acrylic 12×12

Free-Flowing Fluid Art.

This past weekend, I experimented with another form of art using an acrylic pouring method to create these abstract pieces.

These are my first efforts, and there is so much more you can do with this technique using different tools and surfaces and colors.  I’m longing to find time to try again and create “cells” in the pour by adding oily products to the paint and pouring medium.

The main objective is to create a pouring texture of paint using an additive like Floetrol (used by house painters to improve performance and reduce brush marks as well as allow latex paint to spray like oil-based paint, and ultimately to save money by “stretching” the paint).   You can also purchase pouring medium products from many acrylic paint companies like Golden or Liquitex.   Some people use Elmer’s glue!  Water will even do the trick (though may dilute the paint a bit more).

“The Heart of the Stream” Abstract Acrylic 8×8

These are done on artist quality canvases and sprayed with a gloss varnish to seal the paint and make them shine.

What a joy to let loose and create magical mysteries.

Wishing you a day ahead that is sprinkled with magic and mystery.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Dancing into a New Week

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

Ballet Slippers Watercolor 8×10

Dancing into a New Week.

Happy Sunday.
Happy New Week.

Dance into it like you mean it –
whether pirouetting, plieing, or pencheing.

No matter your move,
make it meaningful.  Make the most of it!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Thanks to Sam Allen at Peacock Poetry for posting a photo and poem that inspired this painting.

PS  This original painting as well as prints and cards are available in our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy Shop.

Scout on a Scooter

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

Scout on a Scooter Original 8×10 Watercolor

Scout on a Scooter.

I was recently commissioned through an inquiry on our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop to paint a photo of a cute little puppy named, “Scout” on his “Mom’s” bright red scooter.

Here is the photo I was provided:

How cute is little Scout with his goggles ready to ride?!  I can just picture the wind blowing through his curly locks.

What an honor it was to create this, and so glad Scout’s Mom was happy with it.

May we all find joy in life’s simple pleasures!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Time For Change

/ Jodi / 63 Comments

A Time for Change – Abstract in Taupe 18×24 on Stretched Canvas

A Time for Change – Abstract in Taupe.

I’ve been working on this abstract acrylic painting on a stretched canvas for a few weeks.

I am having so much fun with this new medium.  It is such a liberating experience and also such a challenge.

Before ever painting, I would have thought works of art like this were “easy!”  Slap and splash some paint on a canvas and call it art.

But…..

If you’ve never tried, I challenge you to.

There really is more to it than you realize.

Composition…. Point of interest…  Balance….

But really when it all comes down to it…. Are you happy with it?  Do you like it?  Does it make you feel good?  Evoke emotions?

I have to admit…. This piece has been through so many iterations, I couldn’t decide if it was done.  I couldn’t decide if it was “worthy” to share.  I felt like I liked it, but I doubted myself, so I sent a picture of it to my youngest son, and asked:  “What are your thoughts?”

He liked it, but he reminded me I should not need affirmation of my own art.

How humbling is it when your kids have to remind you of how to be a confident adult?

And then again, what pride do we feel when our kids remind us of how to be a confident adult?

So here is my latest abstract – A Time for Change.

And I like it!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  This original painting is available (only one – no prints) at our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY shop if you like it too.

GOLDEN Artist Colors