texturizing

7" x 10" mixed media journal page

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says........ I'll try again tomorrow.
-mary anne radmacher-hershey



I had a few people inquire about the texture on the painting I did a few days ago. This what I did.....



First I took molding paste and smeared it on the dress. Then I decided on a stamp I liked and stamped it all over while the paste was still wet.



This is what it looks like when I'm done. Let it completely dry and then you can paint it. So easy.... fun to touch ...... interesting to look at!

fill your heart with art

-manon

life ladder

11 1/4 x 15 3/4 mixed media painting on watercolor paper

i am climbing my ladder of life
one step at a time
if i look back
i can see how far I've come
there are rungs of opportunity
i will seize them
any chance i get
-manon



Like success, failure is many things to many people. With positive mental attitude, failure is a running experience, a rung on the ladder, a plateau at which to get your thoughts in order and prepare to try again.
-w. clement stone

fill your heart with art

-manon

painting with the big brush

11 1/4" x 15 3/4" mixed media painting on 300lb watercolor paper

to be a star,
you must shine your own light,
follow your own path,
and don't worry about the darkness,
for that is when the stars shine the brightest.

For a good part of this painting I forced myself to paint with a two inch brush. I actually liked it. Painting a little looser was the goal and the brush was the key. I was inspired by Judy Mackey who does a lot of her work with just her palette knife. Her pieces are incredible and she has inspired me to let loose. I may have to use a bigger one next time.

Thanks to Michelle Burnett for giving me the Splash Award. It is for being " alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring". I know Michelle is all these things but I'm not sure if they all fit me. I will say that I'm definitely amusing....... I seem to amuse myself all day long..... not quite sure if anyone else is amused. lol

fill your heart with art

-manon

signs

mixed media journal page 7" x 10"

I absolutely believe in looking for signs. You may think I'm a nut job but I can't help it. The signs can show you the way.... or so I think! Honestly, I'm a little bit of a sign junkie. I suppose I'm looking for meaning and direction in my life. Is it real or not? I can't answer that question but I like to live in my own little bubble and trust that signs do show up. If you pay attention you may see signs of your own. Beware! LOL!

fill your heart with art

-manon

all of me

mixed media 7" x 10" journal page

i stand in a field of flowers
dreaming
hoping
that i will always be
happy
carefree
i wait for the day
to be by your side
showing
giving
you
all of me



I think I've got to stop painting these little faces in my journal....lol! They're driving me crazy! I feel like I'm working in miniature. Good thing I've got a steady hand or things would get out of control! : )

I would love to thank both Tweedles and Liz Holm for the Nobless Oblige Award. I am very honored. I will try to blog about it when my month settles down a little!

fill your heart with art

-manon

my star

-mixed media journal page

I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.
-amy tan



This weekend was my daughter's senior prom! May has become her month this year. Prom was last night, her 18th birthday is on Monday, graduation party is next weekend followed by graduation on the 30th. Yikes! Oh.... I forgot ....... the wisdom teeth come out on June 2nd. I'm exhausted just thinking about all this. Just breathe! She is my little star that is growing up.



I had to stand on my tippy toes! Check out her shoes! Believe me ..... they didn't last long!

fill your heart with art

-manon

explore. dream. discover

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-mark twain

This quote rings true to me. I think of all the things that I let slip by me because I was frightened and it saddens me. Not that I haven't done many great things but somehow I feel like I could've done more. Now that I'm a little older and a little wiser, things will be different! I've got to jump off that cliff...... ok.... not the cliff..... but you know what I'm saying. I have nothing to lose. I feel like that eighteen year old again ready to take on the world!



I had some old watercolor journals that had been sitting around gathering dust so I decided to try them out as a journal. I love my Moleskin so much but I needed something that was spiral bound. These are 7" x 10". They're a little smaller than when I use two pages of the Moleskin. I'll have to adjust. LOL!

fill your heart with art

-manon

new life to an old work

9" x 12" mixed media painting on cradled artist's board

I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -- myth is more potent than history -- dreams are more powerful than facts -- hope always triumphs over experience -- laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death.
-Robert Fulgham

Today I took a page from my friend Ces's book! She reworked a painting the other day so I decided to do the same. I did the practice piece below awhile ago and I I hated it so I cut the figure out, (she was on watercolor paper). The next step was to glue her down to the artist's board. I used Golden's Heavy Gel and I have to say that this stuff rocks. It would adhere me to the wall if I tried...lol! I then fixed her and painted a background. I used one of the stamps I made months ago but you can hardly see it. Anyway, I think I like this piece much better that the original!



fill your heart with art

-manon

true friendship

11 1/4" x 15 3/4" mixed media painting on watercolor paper

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”



Friendships have come and gone in my life but I have those special friendships that will always remain a constant. My first true friend was in fourth grade when I'm moved from Vancouver back to the province of Quebec! Nathalie and I had an instant connection and we were joined at the hip pretty much for the next ten years. We went through a lot together including the death of her parents when she was twelve years old. She was a sister to me. I don't actually remember what happened but we kind of grew apart in our early twenties and I always felt a sense of loss after that. Fortunately we've reconnected in recent years and I can't really describe how wonderful that feels. I could tell her my heart. She won't judge or be critical. She'll offer her ear and support me as I would do the same for her. True friendship never dies.

I think this painting looks a little like three bridesmaids....lol! Maybe I could have done without the flowers. Oh well...... I'll just go with it!

fill your heart with art

-manon

bare your heart

11 1/4" x 15 3/4" mixed media painting on watercolor paper

bare your heart to me
show me your soul
i will sit quietly and listen to all you have to say
speak what's in your heart
i will not judge
i want to know what moves you
what makes your soul sing
what you love
bare your heart to me
-manon

For this painting I used Arches 300lb hot pressed watercolor paper that I've had for years. I used four coats of gesso on each side. Now, I know that all of you watercolor artists are cringing that I used such good paper and coated it with all that gesso...lol! The thing is that this paper works really well because it is so thick. The bonus part for me is that I have quite a bit of it on hand! Yay!

fill your heart with art

-manon

new painting

18" x 24" mixed media painting

You may recognize this painting. It was a journal page I did weeks ago. I made a few changes but for the most part it is the same. I've realized that cradled art boards or heavy watercolor paper work best for my purposes. I will still use canvas but with the amount of pressing, sanding and everything else, I think that something with not much give is a better option.



On Saturday I received a gift in the mail! A beautiful painting from my friend Lynne Hoppe. I was so excited that she thought enough of me to send me the Happy Joy Bird after she read one of my posts about joy. Lynne does amazing work! Please check out her wonderful blog! Thanks Lynne!

fill your heart with art

-manon