Is it Spring yet? Making my own spring by creating canvases filled with color!

      Welcome!

Seems like lately,I have not been on social media much,though this may be true,I have been busy in the studio!

Today I post a few photos of pieces completed  and a few extra to share with you~so grab your cuppa and enjoy!

 This first painting is from a class I am taking over at Soul Food 2015.

These flowers were inspired by Roberta Laliberte's class.

 Our class was to work with eight smaller canvases,but as I started,I knew realistically I would only finish one at this time~so I chose to go bigger and complete one.

At first I was not very pleased with my canvas,but the more I view it the more it warms on me~really makes me feel spring(which has not yet arrived here! Argh!!)

I know when time allows,I will go back to create the eight canvases! 

You know what they say!Practice, practice, practice!

If you are unfamiliar with Roberta Laliberte, please take a look at the link;her style and techniques are wonderful and her paintings~Brilliant!  

Also,if you have never experienced Soul Food~ put it on your art bucket list !!

One of the best classes I have ever signed on for!

Thank you Mystele, Heather and Jeanette and  sous chefs!!

 Here next,are pictures of a journal page I created, using Teesha Moore Astronaut Club collage bits as well as inspired by Teesha's style.

 

I do love this page!

 Next up are a few photos of my son, Len and beautiful dil Neda~with their celebration of Persian new year;our first day of spring. 

It pleases me that Neda and Len celebrate some of Neda's traditions. 

And some day I might even be visiting when they do,so I may take part! That would be grand!

Len decorating the eggs~he gets his artful talent from Mom! heehee

 Beautiful Len & Neda! Proud Mom here! ")

What a gorgeous table setting!!

Neda has kindly put together a bit of a narrative about the meaning and tradition behind Persian New Year to share with us-Thank you sweet Neda!

 

About Nowrouz celebration;

The haft sin is composed of “haft” (seven) essential symbols which start with S in Persian alphabet plus egg, candle, mirror and fish-in-water

The symbols break down into the material world symbols (or “donyaheh mahdoodiat”), the conceptual world symbols (or “donayeh maanah”), and one that sits between and ties the two worlds together.

Symbols of the Material world:

1. sang (stone)  or sekkeh (coin) – symbol of matter, the lowest form of the material world
2. sabzeh (grass, wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish) – symbol of the vegetable world and of re-birth
3. tokhmeh morgh (egg) – decorated with designs – symbol of the animal kingdom and of fertility
4. samanu (sweet pudding made of wheat germ) –symbol of affluence
5. Seer (garlic) – symbolizing medicine

Symbols of the Conceptual world:

1. sham (candle) – symbol of the light of being, energy or the creative force
2. ayehneh (mirror) – symbol of the field of possibilities where the creative force reflects and makes everything possible
3. mahee (fish in water) – symbol the infinite (water) and life within it (fish)
4. Senjed  (dried oleaster Wild Olive fruit) - symbolizing love
5. Somaq (sumac fruit) – symbolizing (the color of) sunrise and new day
6. Seeb (apple) – symbolizing beauty and health

Symbol that ties the two together:

1. sharab or serkeh– wine or vinegar – symbol of the human, with the jug or glass as the body (material) and the wine as the spirit (conceptual)

Taken as a group these symbols show a progression from the material to the spiritual, with stone (matter) at the lowest end, and candle (energy) at the highest, and the wine (human) in the middle, connecting these two worlds together.  So, this is the point of the haft sin, to remind us of our purpose as humans in this world; the idea that we are here to not only experience limitation and the material world, but also to experience transcendence and higher consciousness in the spiritual or conceptual realm.

How does one do that?  Well, that’s where the whole thing ties into the celebration of Nowruz, which is all about renewal and the start of Spring.  The haft sin is a symbolic reminder of the constant renewal (or rebirth) that can happen when one transcends and balances the material (mind), with the immaterial (spirit), by letting life flow through oneself in a perpetual state of acceptance, amazement and appreciation of each moment as it happens 

 (This should be celebrated by everyone- in my opinion! )

 Again Neda, thank you so much for putting this together- xx

And finally, here is a sneak peek of a project I am working on and will post about soon!!

 Texture....mmmmmm I love texture!!

I hope to be back to posting with descriptions and steps soon- life has gotten in the way and has led to the brevity of my art posts- so stay tuned!
Thanks for your visit! 
Jackie ")

Mucha Ladies & German Scrap- a beautiful marriage!

  For today's post,I have combined AlteredPages  "The Green Woman"collage pieces along with papers from AP's MailboxMuse Kit and Kunze German Scrap to make a standing birthday gift card for my sister.

The background paper in the frame is from the retired Celestial MailboxMuse Kit. 
The beautiful Mucha ladies have always been favorites of my sister,so using these were a Must!
These images were fancy cut from the "The Green Woman" collage sheet,by AlteredPages.

• For my card, I printed the frame twice and fancy cut both out.
• Printed collage sheet and fancy cut ladies of choice.
• Adhered Mailbox Muse papers to the back side of frames
• Distressed edges of lady cut outs and frames with Ranger~Tea Dyed~Distress Ink
• Adhered both the Mucha ladies and Kunze German Scrap to the frames
• Put a coat of DecoArt DuraClear Gloss Varnish over ladies
• Brushed 2 coats of DecoArt Triple Thick Gloss on frames
• Punched holes and placed grommets at the tops of both frames,connected the two with jump-rings.

Of course the Kunze German Scrap married beautifully with my papers and Mucha ladies~

I just love how the gold scrap illuminate the ladies

 

We continue with our Partner in March, 

Walter Kunze Deco-Accesoires, please visit their site and let them know you have enjoyed our projects!   www.walterkunze.com

Thanks so much for your visit and I hope I have inspired you to make something beautiful!
Jackie ")

The Art of Mahmoud Farshchian

 My lovely daughter in law, Neda is just back home from a visit to her family in Tehran. While she was there she visited a local art museum with her Mom and sent me back a few photos - I was awe struck! The colors,details and subject matter of these paintings is incredible! The art is by Mahmoud Farshchian.

 The museum is just five minutes from Neda's Mom's house, so they were able to spend a day there together,enjoying each other and catching up,as it had been almost 2 years since Neda last saw her Mom.

Azar

My wonderful daughter in law-Neda

Two beautiful ladies!

  Neda explained to me, the Master Artist, Mahmoud Farshchian's art is so revered that what once was a gallery of his pieces is now a museum on permanent display.

Farshchian's paintings are exquisite and truly a feast for the eyes and so I just had to share with you!

The Farshchian museum is located in 

Sa'ad Abad Palace Garden just north of Tehran City.

All photos of Mahmoud's paintings were taken at the Farshchian museum.

These are just a few of his works of art; if you would like to view others and learn more of Mahmoud Farshchian and his art I have added a few links below~

 Mahmoud Farshchian,Master of Persian Miniature

 Mahmoud Farshchian

Mahmoud Farshchian

I would like to thank my sweet daughter in law,Neda, for knowing me so well to know how I would appreciate viewing this wonderful art and for her sharing it with me!

And thank you my friends for stopping in today! 
Jackie  ")

Creating with Shiva~ New stamp design by Jessica Sporn

Today I'd like to share another journal page-

  My sweet friend and sister artist Jessica Sporn now has her own line of stamps out by RubberMoon.

 When Jessica asked if I would like to demo a few stamps from her new line- I was more than ecstatic-I was over the moon excited and absolutely honored- Why yes of course!! 

Thank you so much Jessica! xo

For those of you not familiar with Jessica, she is a brilliant designer,gifted teacher and talented artist. Jessica designs her own line of  stencils for StencilGirl products also has a line of handmade gifts for Judaica, and now her line of stamps for Rubbermoon!

Please stop by her blog to say hello and have a look at the wonderful products she designs and creates!

On with the show!

The first stamp I used is called Shiva, you can read a bit more about Shiva further in my post.

Click on the link to view a tutorial by Jessica

 Gessoed journal page then covered with vintage papers

 Painted washed colors on page using 

DecoArtMedia colors~Cobalt Teal Hue,Green Gold,Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide

   DecoArt modeling paste with pearlescent Duo Green-gold powder from Jaquard

 

Next I made a glaze with DecoArt Media~Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide& Interference Turquoise.

From here I continued applying and wiping off color till I was please with my results.

 

 Here, I stamped out several Shivas onto tissue paper using different colors to audition which one worked best.

 

 Then I added the stamped Shiva with wax(doubling the image)

using a faux resin technique~thank you Patty Szymkowicz!

Shiva ( Sanskrit: Śiva, meaning "The Auspicious One"), also known as Mahadeva ("Great God"), is a popular Hindu deity. Shiva is regarded as one of the primary forms of God and also the ruler or king of gods. He is the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism. He is one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, and "the Destroyer" or "the Transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine.

At the highest level, Shiva is regarded limitless, transcendent, unchanging and formless.Shiva also has many benevolent and fearsome forms. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash, as well as a householder with wife Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya and in fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yoga and arts.

        I also used wax to adhere this quote by Rumi

and then added Lindy's~GeraniumCoral Blush embossing powder to areas of the page.

  Thank you so much for stopping and I hope to see you again soon- 

Namaste"

Jackie