Monday, March 2, 2026

If You can't say something NICE, don't say anything!

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Well, dear people out there...I was brought up with the above axiom...so my mouth has been very quiet, my blogs very quiet. 

I've spent the last two months buried in small projects, streaming favorite shows..(Bridgerton was so fun). Reading and doing lots of art. LOTS and lots of art.

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Experimenting...gesso on watercolor paper, alcohol inks, water color, salt, and just letting it all go...

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these are sections


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salt, rice thrown on the wet inks/paints.

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Spraying with alcohol and rubbing areas off...

I took three different classes in January and two in February, but the final one lasted 25 Days---++++. 

Mather classes were also good in February. 

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One of my favorite classes was these patchwork frames, which I did round with collage and still need to do a bit of enhancement.

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These are on 10x10 canvas, with magazine images, as well as lots of hand-painted papers bits and swatches.

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My two boys and their lovely wives, my daughters. Both are immigrants to the USA so I am proud MOM for them here in Chicagoland. 

 February was a 25-day challenge class with pep talks, guides, videos on all kinds of creativity and materials.  Here are a few of my favorites from that class.

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This was a two day project...laying the base, collage, and paint, markers, glazes, paint pens. I've lived in 5 towns in my life all with water...this is a compilation of my Hometowns.

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Acrylic 20 min on watercolor paper. Started as a landscape, but when you go with what happens...the eye screamed make me a face.

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I spent a whole afternoon with watercolors, pencils and water soluable markers. Taped off watercolor paper. Winter day, sharp light and our Northside backyard had great shadows...

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Tapes removed.
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Another version, I just chased the shapes and the shadows. Winter snow is never pure white...

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This is the window scene...the light is gone and the shadows it clouded up and quit.

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Another day I played with music on ...Ragtime Fats Domino, and Shostakovich with Leonard Bernstein on the piano and directing full orchestra (totally divine playing).

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Quick acrylic full page 12x18...watercolor paper. Burnt Umber, Phtalo blue, Crimson and white, a titch of lemon yellow..super fast, less than 10 minutes.

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This was a prep.,..cleaning off the palette from the beach scene, also Ultramarine blue, this is in a glossy page thrift store $1 photography book.

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Next day I saw her in all that blue water,....less than 20 minutes, acrylics, and Posca-like pens.

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I have a brain that never stops working...results insomnia, agitation...or just watching the news and this was a very bad day...20 minutes and...yes, there is everything in this.

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This was also a palette cleanse piece, where I rubbed unused paint on loosely with water, the next day I saw this in the splotches and patches and did a "Selfie" with my computer screen camera on. Is it accurate, somewhat, a bit of exaggeration.  Ever stared at yourself for 20 minutes?

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It's definitely a trip into different techniques and materials. Watercolor paper, water soluable crayons, markers, charcoal, alcohol sprays, pens...

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This one went so fast --less than 15 minutes..limited palette, lemon yellow, pthalo blue, burnt umber and white... scratching, palette knife and brushes.

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Most fun was rolling my fingers in the white and making the water. Best part of the 25 minute limit is I'm walking away and not fiddling with things. I like that. I may force myself to walk away MORE!

Working in so many media isn't really confusing, it's freeing and I'm loving the 'play everyday' aspect. I'm going to try and do something everyday. Even if it is just prepping pages or sealing finished ones. Using paper instead of canvas is cost effective for playing and if something wonderful happens you can mount it or frame it. I've even used Multimedia paper for bases with a plastic placemat behind them...and it holds up fine.

Hugs to you all, I hope you have had someway of coping with your world this last two months. 
Sandi

Any questions I'll be happy to answer, or email me at barlane27@gmail.com.

Thanks so much for visiting,

 I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.




OldNewGreenRedo, is an ad-free blog.  
I do not endorse or receive any $$ for any products I may use. I enjoy showing how I use products
but I do not receive any $$ from anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 


10 comments:

  1. I think I've told you before that abstract isn't my "thing," either to do or usually appreciate. But there is something -- more than something -- about your work that I find so compelling, so fascinating and so interesting that I think you could turn me into an abstract fan. Maybe you already have. There are so many here that I really like, and so many styles, which I find quite wonderful because I think that is tough to do. I'm intrigued by the second snow photo with the yard -- did you use screen or something? You definitely get the feeling of looking out the window and for a bit I wondered if it was a soft focus photo, but I don't think so. Tell me more!

    And I love the frames -- a great idea -- and seeing your lovely family!

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    1. Hi, Jeanie. The last backyard photo is a photo and the camera sees the actual screen and won't seem to ignore it. For me the point is play, I'm hoping it will make my choices in future pieces easier. Not creating any WORKS here...just practice. Something very freeing about not having to produce a product or an end result. The frames are more grounded, but many of the papers were, just from playing. I've been painting on printer paper, butcher paper, paper bags, and the glossy book is wonderful, 12x12...and holds up quite well for markers, gesso makes it durable. Sooner or later I will have to tackle the 36 canvases I purchased for when I'm serious, but then I don't think I will go back to being totally serious. I have to edit a movie I made of all 25 pieces and talking...but I'm not very good at it. I may put it on instagram or reels, who knows. Hugs, and Happy Making...grins, Sandi

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  2. Experimenting and playing in art and craft is the best way to shut the outside world out for a while. Much needed for me at the moment.
    Very interesting pieces!

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  3. Your paintings are beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, it's been a great trip to somewhere than reality and that is helpful for me. Sandi

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  4. I'm visiting from the Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot and am absolutely gobsmacked by your creativity! So many cool ways of making art, and I'm all about the art these days. Thanks for linking up. I'm featuring your post on this week's WTJR!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Thanks, Marcia...I have been good about posting, too busy making! Thanks for the feature! Sandi

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  5. I really love your approach to art and how you've played with so many materials and techniques. You'll be featured at Handmade Monday when it goes live this week :-)

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    1. Thanks so much Julie. I appreciate any compliments, but this is always super nice! Sandi

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!