Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Wonder of Summer

I am honored to be Artists in Blogland's monthly challenge winner for July.  Thank you!  I love being part of the AIB community.

One of the things I love most about summer is watching my garden.  In the Phantom Tollbooth (one of my favorite books), a conductor leads an orchestra each morning at daybreak and twilight.  But instead of music, the musicians and their instruments play the colors of the sunrise and sunset.   Each season, as first my irises, then my roses, and then my black eyed susans bloom, it is as if somewhere, a conductor, is calling them forth.  It is pure magic, and each season, I marvel in wonder at the beauty of nature.

Coming back to New Jersey from Pine Lake yesterday, the sight of my garden lessened the sadness of leaving the lake.  Here's what greeted me:
In honor of summer, and my garden, I painted this canvas.  The words say:  I look in wonder at the magic of everyday life.
It's funny -- yesterday I felt so blue.  Perhaps it was knowing I'd be leaving the lake for a while and my vacation was over.  Yesterday, the weather was pristine -- the sky was blue and clear, the humidity low and the sun shining.  And yet, I felt dull and flat. The beauty of the world contrasted sharply with the sourness and impatience I felt inside.  No matter how much I tried to remind myself of the charmed life I lead, I did not feel blessed.  I felt adrift and without purpose.  (I hadn't painted in 3 days...hmm....)  The best I could do was stay quiet and remind myself that things change -- this too shall pass.  Thankfully, it did.  I swam some laps in the lake before leaving, and then was greeted by my beautiful garden upon returning to New Jersey.  Nature has such a way of lifting the spirits.  All was right again!

Artists in Blogland Challenge for August is "Wonder."  Anything Goes' current challenge is "Summer Days."  And Try It On Tuesday's challenge is "Anything Goes."  So I'll be linking up there.  This piece was made with 5 elements:  canvas, acrylic paint, a stencil, stamps and stickers, so I'll also be linking up with The Second Floor Challenge and Out of the Journal.

Here's a tangle for the Diva's challenge this week, which was to use Shelley Beauch's tangle "Brayd."  Zentangle is the name of the game at Inspiration Avenue this week, so linking up there as well.
UPDATE:  I had so much fun with Brayd, that I did another.  Again, I couldn't resist using "paradox" inside the triangles -- my pen just wants to go there...  Thanks Shelley for such a versatile tangle!
Thank you for visiting! If you are so moved, please leave a comment. Hearing from you means the world to me.

33 comments:

  1. So different, very well done!!!!!!!Like a crown at the top.

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    1. haha - that was my lame attempt at Auraknot up there!

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  2. your zentangle is so well done, I really love it. Thanks so much for participating in my IA challenge!
    Best,
    Jenn of www.JustAddWaterSilly.com

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  3. Great take on brayd and love the heart in the middle. Your Wonder piece is beautiful--as is your garden! Congrats on your win!

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  4. so different - fabulous variation on Brayd - lovely touch of colour too :)

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  5. Great ideas and tangled tassles Jessica!

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  6. Love both pieces, i keep coming back to look at them again!

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  7. Love your canvas! It has such a bright summery feel to it.

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  8. I love the photograph of your garden, as well as both of your art pieces. There's a feeling of peace in all three of them. I know what you mean about the feeling of Summer and vacations being over. However, it's always nice to be back home. Blessings!

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  9. Lovely again. The colors are nice. Brayd works well this way!

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  10. Beautifully done, I can see the influence of your garden. What a wonderful respit. Really enjoy your incorporation of Paradox with Brayd!

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  11. I love all the art pieces you shared this week. And your garden is stunning! Looks like a lot of work to keep it looking so lovely. Isn't it wonderful how art or nature can lift your spirits. I relate totally to that.

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  12. What a great tangle for IA...and your use of brayd is just fabulous! Great work!

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  13. Your tangles are marvelous. I don't really Zentangle, but I doodle. I need to get something done for IA tho. Thanks for stopping by, I'm going back to look at some of your earlier artworks.

    Darla

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  14. Your ZIAs are awesome. I love how you drew them enclosed in a circle. My little garden also brings a lot of joy to my life, so I know how you feel. Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden.

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  15. Wonderful work! Flowers really do lift our spirits. They always make me smile. I like both of your brayd pieces but I especially like the second one. It reminds me of a garden with the brayds being the garden paths.

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  16. Very nice! I especially love the black and white tile...I been seeing several round formats...yours so inspiring...I am going to have to try that style!!

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  17. Your garden shows up in your second piece and is beautiful. I think the paradox inside Brayd was a neat idea and your "attempt" was a good one. Every time I want to try it again, I have to look up the directions!

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  18. Stunning painting..... it really is fabulous!

    Thankyou for joining in the challenge at Anything Goes... good luck and hope to see you again soon!

    Hugs
    Christine x

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  19. Love the Colours you've used on this gorgeous creation .
    Thanks for sharing it with us at anything goes challenge.
    Hugs Emma xx

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  20. Your garden must provide hours and hours of inspiration. Your work is lovely. There is always something special about being at the lake or the ocean. They are both very hard places to leave.

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  21. these are beautiful - i like the way you filled your brayd with patterns - great idea!

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  22. Love the garden picture, nature is awesome! Your zentangles are so pretty and very intricate. Great job! waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

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  23. Beautiful artwork. And your garden looks so peaceful and lovely.

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  24. I loved the Phantom Tollbooth too! It is such a well written book. One of the things I enjoy about your art is the joy. There is a happy positive energy that is present- including your zentangles. The red heart just pops in that one!

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  25. I love your art! I love the Wonder canvas, and your zentangles are masterful! That basketweave pattern is my favorite and looks so difficult to do!

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  26. I had no idea that there was so much involved in zentangles...I obviously doodle!
    But I do love the way my head takes a holiday whilst drawing them. :D

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  27. Jessica, all of these pieces are so beautiful! I definitely go through those blue times, sometimes more than others. I'm glad it passed quickly for you. Your garden is beautiful. I've not had one for a while and I certainly miss it.

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  28. Wow, just beautiful! Thanks for playing with us at TIOT.
    Hugz, Z

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  29. Gorgeous Zentangles! They have a nice delicacy about them. Happy Painting.

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  30. wonderful vibrant artwork and fab zentangle! x

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