I don't always start off painting an angel, but one often appears when I am feeling particularly moved by a situation in the world.
It's my subconscious way of sending a prayer to refugees, victims of floods and earthquakes, or the people living in a state of constant terror and turmoil in Syria.
These are two paintings I recently completed.
They are both on 8 x 8" cradled wood board and are $145, including shipping anywhere in the world. Just message me if you'd like one. UPDATE: Four Angels is sold as of 9:58 AM!
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here.
I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.
If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletterHERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!
Here's how the piece looked at the end of the class. I had demo'd abstract line and color work, silhouette making, gelli printing and more. (You can see images from my Hebrew Calligraphy and Namaste stencils, as well as icons from Mary Beth Shaw's Flower Tile Stencils.)
I came home to a messy worktable. Inspired by this video by Denise Alloca, I started ripping shapes from the newsprint on my table, which had images from my Medallions stencil on it, into impressionist silhouettes of people. I added them to my canvas. Then, I decided to add faces and wings to them.
This is a process I am calling the "Yes, And..." approach to art making. "Yes, And" is an improv technique used in acting classes. It’s an exercise that allows for anything to happen, and it goes like this: No matter what your fellow actors present to you, instead of negating it, belittling it, or disagreeing with it, you say, “Yes, and…” You accept the scenario as it’s presented to you (regardless of where you wanted it to go), and then to add to it. (You can hear Julie Balzer and me talk about it in this podcast.) This approach is evident in this canvas, where the torn pieces of paper on my worktable took me somewhere completely different. Though it's no surprise, as I've been seeing angels everywhere!
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here.
I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.
If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletterHERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!
I played around with some gesso, and then re-stenciled motifs from the Garden Flowers and Leaves stencil.
I looked for another angel, but instead, I saw an owl!
You just never know when an owl might turn up!
I used my "Renew" rubber stamp from RubberMoon to finish it off.
Do you like this quirky owl? Leave me a comment before October 1, telling me why your home is the perfect place for this owl, and include your email address.
I will send him/her to someone who comments and includes his/her email address!
UPDATE: only 6 people commenting left me their email addresses. And out of those 6, Random.org picked #2! Congratulations to Judy Baker!
And now, for something completely different...
The Old Library Theater, a local community theater group, has been having a challenge called the "16 bar audition challenge." The idea is that you sing 16 bars and nominate three other people to do so. Each person participating is asked to donate at least $5. Here's my little ditty.
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here.
I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.
And make sure to say why the owl should come live with you!
If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletterHERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!
I recently returned home from a quick trip to Guatemala to visit the house we purchased in the beautiful town of Antigua.
It was my first trip there on my own, and the first time staying in our new house. I was a little nervous about navigating it all with my limited Spanish. But, dictionary in hand, off I went.
Of course, I had my travel case of art supplies with me - my travel journal, some fine tipped Sharpie pens, a small watercolor set, and a few water brushes. On the way there, I doodled and painted some funky birds:
When I returned home - some of these birdies made it onto greeting cards...
We'll see if they fly anywhere - wink wink.
I had been a little worried that I might regret our house purchase. After all, we only saw it in February, and purchased it through a representative in April. It all happened so fast.
But, as soon as I arrived on our little street, and went into the house, my doubts flew away.
In addition to being a beautiful place to visit and hopefully retire to someday, it has already proved to be a lovely gathering place for our "From Houses to Homes" family. And our godson got to take his first shower with warm water. He thought the shower head was truly magic!
Shameless plug - The house is available to rent-- hint hint! (The rental price shown is for a month - the weekly rate is $900 and it sleeps 8 - two bedrooms have full beds and one bedroom has two bunkbeds!)
I was supposed to fly home on Friday, May 8. I have never, ever had a problem flying home from Guatemala. This time, however, our plane sat for several hours on the runway as mechanics tried to fix a malfunction. Then we deplaned and sat for several hours at the gate. Ultimately, the flight was cancelled. By then, there were no more flights out of Guatemala and 250 people had to be re-ticketed for the next day.
I had been seated next to an elderly gentleman, Señor Roca, who was traveling alone to Patterson, NJ. He was a very old 78, frail and tremulous. He had no teeth and was hard of hearing. He was making the trip to see a doctor in the States for lesions and ulcers in his legs and feet, caused by diabetes. When we had to leave the plane, he was very scared, but I told him I would stay with him and help him with the process.
With the help of the man sitting on the other side of Señor Roca, I was able to advocate for a wheelchair and for him to be re-ticketed ahead of everyone else, as he hadn't eaten in hours and was visibly shaking. But first, we had to go to the baggage carousel and re-claim all of our luggage. Then, it was three flights up to the ticket counter, which was a mess. Imagine an entire plane-load of people in a non-air conditioned area, with only three ticketing agents trying to take care of all of them. We had been sitting in a hot airplane for over 2 hours (because that was part of the malfunction), and then at the gate with no air-conditioning for another two hours (because the airport was officially closed). People were sweating and frustrated, and tempers were running high.
Watercolor I did while sitting on the plane on the tarmac...
I might have gotten angry along with everyone else. But because all of my attention was focused on Señor Roca, I was not thinking of myself and my own frustration and discomfort. Instead, I was feeling generous and of use. In this way, Señor Roca was my angel -- he helped me see myself as more than just my ego. We were all in the same predicament after all ... even the three hapless ticket agents, who were doing their best while fending off everyone's anger.
At some point, an airline employee brought several trays of sandwiches to the ticket counter, as well as sodas and cups. Oddly, no one moved off the line to get something to eat or drink. I don't know if people thought they had to wait to get to the front of the line, or if they were afraid to lose their spots. So while Señor Roca and I were waiting (the re-ticketing process was taking about 30 minutes a passenger as the flight still had not been "officially" cancelled so first all the passengers had to be "de-ticketed"), I took it upon myself to unwrap all the sandwich trays and distribute them and the sodas throughout the long line. (My dad calls this my "take charge" gene, and swears I get it from my mom!) This gave me a good feeling of being useful and helpful. People were grateful to me, but I was grateful to them for, again, helping me away from my ego.
United Airlines put us all up at a nearby Holiday Inn and gave us dinner, breakfast, and travel vouchers. The next day, we embarked again. This time, it all went without a hitch. By then, Señor Roca and I were committed travel companions!
When I finally came home, I had a wonderful Mother's Day reunion with my husband and daughters.
And... I finally was able to finish an art journal page I had started before I left. This lady appeared in my journal before my trip, but I wasn't sure how to finish her.
Here's how I had left my journal page. No journaling, and a lonely outline from my Layered Peony stencil from Stencil Girl Products.
I painted in the peony and added some words...
Then I scribble-journaled my experience with Señor Roca and our adventure traveling home from Guatemala. I want to remember that if we can reach out and connect with the souls of other beings, anything is possible.
After all, we are all made from the same stardust!
Update on Señor Roca - I spoke with him today and he is still at his daughter's house in Patterson. We have plans to visit with each other in Guatemala, when I return there in December!
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here.
I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.
If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletterHERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!
