Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts

Wave


In another installment of illustration & poetry collaboration between the brilliant Quirine Dongelmans and myself; Wave.



Wandering.
Dreaming shadows.
Never cease to exist.


Wave; watercolor, D. Renée Wilson.  


There is quite a lot I could say about the undercurrents of this piece, no pun intended. How thoughts, emotions, and action are seamlessly linked in the cycle of creation with stagnation being an illusion, but I've already written about it on the Patreon page, and I think Quirine's piece sums it up quite nicely. I don't discuss the meaning with her before she writes, either. Funny how that works, out. 

 What kind of waves are carrying you?

What waters lift you into action?

Can you change the swells of the tide?

Is your mind the turning of the globe or own the Fates your winds?

Whatever you need for your next piece of wandering, may you find fair winds and following seas.

~D. Renée




Twin Peaks Day

Twin Peaks Day! 10 steps to posting...


February 24, 1989 was the day they found Laura Palmer’s body by the Lake and it all began.
I don’t want to give spoilers to anyone living under a rock the past 29 years, but it’s all amazing & the return/season 3 is definitely worth watching for Lynch fans. I really enjoyed it. There are some explanations, even more weirdness, and some interesting outcomes. My take on Carrie Page influenced this piece (right in the pic collage) and now fire walk with me through each step of the process.

1. Ink drawing of Laura Palmer’s pretty face. (I’ve had this one under wraps-pun intended- for quite a while waiting for the right time to use it. Glad I didn’t throw it out during studio purge 1 last month.)
Pdf print available on Patreon


2. Paint several watercolor galaxy backgrounds. I enjoy the fuck out of these. They are super relaxing and I don’t care too much about representationalism because it’s incorporated into fantasy art.

3. Scan all artwork, vectorize line drawing, color correct galaxies. Maybe
do yoga and or take more serious pain relief measures at the end of the day because lumbar spine is wrecked from sitting in a chair all day. 🌌

4. Create separate files for each. Level 3+ Patrons will be getting the ink portrait download to print.💕(coming in next Patron's only post) Watercolor galaxy files will be used in other projects, and possibly one original for Patron giveaway depending on feedback.

5. Make new file and use inverted line drawing file as masked layer on both backgrounds. Mess with transparency levels until it looks just so...

6. Enter file info, save it as a pdf.
Canvas mockup on Redbubble...


7. Upload file for sale onto my pod print site.
Society6, Redbubble, etc.

8. Give my Level 4 Patrons a free download of the final large print pdf because they are the wind beneath my monthly web fees.
9. Give the link to Meals on Wheels volunteer signup- because Laura would have wanted it that way.

10. Repeat second half of step 3, have a damn fine cup of coffee ☕️ maybe a piece of 🥧 pie. Think about Carrie Page, how much I love David Lynch and my Patrons.

Rain and Renewal

My collaboration with "Q" a few weeks ago, see the post here,
was a fun change of pace for me. 

As it's been gray and rainy all day, I'm sharing another piece and poem created with the award winning writer, actor, film-maker, and now poet extraordinaire.

I won't go into details, but it's been a rough month. 
Her poem for this piece was especially poignant, and we had quite a bit to say and commiserate on regarding personal tribulations and the sometimes rocky paths an artist's life presents.

Excuse the use of a trite phrase, but we truly are soul surfers.

There can be a deluge of overwhelm, pain or loneliness at times, but for an artist there isn't really an alternative. Our vulnerability and openness, our fiery and sometimes easily bruised hearts, are what help us to flow with the emotional current we are supposed to ride. 

For eons the emotions have been tied to water.

It is also what heals and renews us.



Tears from the sky. Pouring. Pain. Sadness. Despair.

Water splashes. Diluting. Lifting. Giving life.

Mend your reflection; flourish.

~Quirine Dongelmans



Wow.
She really boiled it all down, didn't she?

I love her writing.

Visit Q's website to learn more about her & her art.


If you like my Rain Break painting, you can click here to see details without the text, 

or add it to your collection while it's in my DPW gallery. 

Thanks for stopping by to see the collab. 

Subscribe to the newsletter and send an email with your links if you're a writer that would like to submit to collaborate on the project.

What do you do when you're in the doldrums?

Here's to the rain & her renewal,

~D. Renée


National I Love My Feet Day & a Haiku Collaboration

Today is National I Love My Feet Day!

I created a piece that fits today's theme and am very excited to share the first in a collaborative series with poets and writers.
But first...

If there's one thing I'll never understand, it's those people that can't go barefoot.
You know the ones. They hate feet. They hate their own feet. They always wear socks. 
They turn their noses up at other people's feet. 

I don't have a foot fetish, but I seriously love feet. 
What's not to love about a mechanism that houses over 7,000 nerve endings?!
28 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments working together to support the rest of the amazing machine that is my body.


I don't even have "pretty" feet. My second toe is much longer than my big toe. 
(Seriously, sometimes it scrapes under on the sidewalk.) 
My feet are long with really high arches, and big, bony ankles.
 I wear a 9 1/2 to a 10 depending on the shoe, and I'm short of 5' 6" on my best posture days. 
Unless I'm somewhere that requires shoes, I go barefoot most of the time.
Therefore, I don't have the softest of soles. 
I also run and walk long distances, which leaves me with callouses and blisters.
But you know what? Those long, rough feet carry me for miles and miles.
They root me down into balancing yoga postures, and they bring me much needed joy when a rough day calls for a dance break.

I created this piece to remind me to take more time to honor my feet, but also of the connection our feet gives us to the Earth and its energy.

I am very honored to share with you my watercolor and ink illustration and the haiku it inspired, written by award winning writer and director, Quirine "Q" Dongelmans.




Rooted are the feet
To Mother Earth, universe
Show them loving care

Thank you so much to Quirine for collaborating with me on this project.
I absolutely love her writing, and I hope you do, too.
You can visit "Q's" page and read about her and her work by  clicking here.

If you like the illustration Grounding you can visit my DPW gallery to see a detailed view without the text. The unframed original will be in a low bid auction this month.

Okay then, I'm going spend some qt with my infrared foot spa. 

Thanks for stopping by, and I really hope you give your feet some extra love today.
They deserve it, and so do you.

XOXO,







The Universe Supports You; Wordless Wednesday

This summer's got me like...

Take it off to put it on.


To add the original ink & watercolor sketch to your collection,

visit my Daily Paintworks or click the Bid button below.

Single & Ready to Flamingle



Are you a pinky fan?
Then you probably already know
June 23rd was National Flamingo Day.
I've been painting flamingos for several years, but I'm pretty thrilled that they have the spotlight right now. 
I don't know how anyone couldn't love them. 
The long lines, gorgeous and unique color, completely breathtaking flight, and truly fascinating social rituals and interactions are  just a few of the things that make these birds an absolute must 
for my wild Florida series.



While there were relatively very few wild flamingos in Florida the past century (since more and more people settled in Florida and their numbers dwindled due to feather and egg harvesting) the greater American beauties are making a comeback in certain spots of sofl.

                                                         Full flamingo watercolor study I

As I make small watercolor studies for larger pieces in the Wild FL series, I will place the small postcard sized paintings on DPW for auction.



Stay tuned for more birds as I list them online this summer!

What's your favorite thing about flamingos?

Let me know in the comments. :)


Diving Deep with Pelican; Animal Guides Woo Woo or True?


This summer has been a lot busier than I was planning it to be.
There hasn't been time to do many of the summer things that I was so looking forward to enjoying.
I was able to carve some space out last week to capture reference photos at a gorgeous aviary.
 (checkout my Instagram to see a very cool video)

I'm hoping to continue my flamingo paintings very soon.
(Stayed tuned for my small studies from the Brevard Zoo.)

But that really hasn't seemed like enough...
Do you know what I mean?
When pushing through makes things bubble up.
Hmmmmmmmm.

Today I want to post these guys because they have a special meaning I'm not sure many people know about.
Pelicans are amazing birds, and they are all over the shore no matter where you are.
They live on every continent except Antartica!
The brown pelican, like the ones pictured here at Cape Canaveral, are the smallest of the pelicans.
They might be the slightest, but their wingspan can still reach up to 8 feet.
Pretty impressive, if you ask me.
They are also protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
I won't go on and on with bird facts (I'll save it for another post) but I will tell you what their behaviors have come to mean in lore and symbology.


As I've written before, the root of "animal guide" or animal totem is all based on the animals' natural behaviors and physical traits. It's pretty much all projection on man's part.
I think modern people aren't as close to nature and animals as they once were and now don't like to hear about their boring scientific behaviors and then process them in a way that requires quiet reflection-
but wrote superstitions and old wives' tales are easier to remember.
However, I'm definitely not one to poo poo signs and belief.
There is even growing evidence that the Universe could be a hologram.
I don't know that I believe in coincidences anymore. What you believe shapes your reality.
What you expect to happen most likely will. We are all self-fulfilling prophets.


And the Pelican...

 A water bird that flies high & dives deep,
this bird has significance on intellectual, spiritual, and emotional levels.


If a pelican flies across your path, it can mean that things are off kilter and you need to take time for yourself to figure some things out.

A pelican quietly swimming or floating means a reminder to find balance.

A pelican sitting with a full bill (gular pouch) is a reminder to pay attention to what abundance you have and use it wisely.
A large group of pelicans beating the water with their wings (hunting & feeding) together is a sign to look toward cooperation and support from those that can help you.






Throughout history, mystics and alchemists have linked the pelican to soul forces, spiritual sacrifice, and inner nourishment.
Source: Marie-Louise von Franz, Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology



There are other reasons mystics project man's psyche onto traits attributed to the pelican, but it ultimately helps that they live at the ocean.
I mean, every time I'm on the edge of the sea, I seem to get a better perspective and the crud is washed away from my spirit.


With that being said-
I think I'm gonna take a little re-route and get some more beach time A.S.A.P.

In the meantime, I painted a pelican study and

made a little beachy treasury.


Click here to open the treasury & see my picks for this week.


You can visit my gallery on DPW to see a larger view
or .

Thanks for stopping by.


What does the pelican say to you?



~D. Renée


















Migration...


I'm slowly but surely migrating posts about my fine artwork
 over to my website.

Swoop over to read about the start of my latest series...





This blog will remain a place for featuring the work of other artists I admire,
topics that inspire and affect artists,
and of course, play.

If you are interested in being featured on this blogger site,
or have an inspiring story or important event coming up,
drop me a line 







The Blooming of a Bird of Paradise; In the Studio


Here's a quick peek into the process of a small w-i-p painting using sennelier and mission watercolor on Yupo paper.

 It is definitely a medium with a mind of its own. 

I'm a bird nerd, so you know the Bird of Paradise is one of my favorite tropical flowers. 

This flower symbolizes staying open to new possibility and seeking freedom wherever you can find it. It's also given in congratulations and in recognition of gracefully getting through a sticky situation.

 

Have you worked on Yupo?
It can be tricky, but I like things with a challenge and unique final outcome.
What do you like about it? Let me know in the comments.


Stay tuned for the finished piece. I'll be showing it during the Polk Museum of Art's Mayfaire by the Lake fine art festival in Lakeland next weekend with my other watercolor work.

 

Have a colorful day,

Enough of my stories- what does this art say about you?


I actually started posting these images for a curator because these pieces, or reproductions of them, are going to be in a Nature themed/Earth Day showing here at a Central Florida venue.
I couldn't get my email to upload jpgs- so irritating- so I figured I'd post them here with links that I could email, but then I had an idea...

As an artist that happily lives out in the boonies, almost every painting I create is inspired by something I see in nature.
I usually share the stories behind them. 
(You'll find the link to a blog post or web page about the corresponding post if I posted one for that piece.)
But I'd really like to hear what these images inspire in you.


Get creative and let me know by 
posting a short story or poem in the comments.


What stories do these paintings tell you?



 :)
1.
 Birds of the Air
Birds of the Air

2.
 Dragonfly Druzy
Dragonfly Druzy

3.
Have a Ball

4.
Crow Moon

5.
Oleander Moth 

6.
Butterfly Fuchsia


7.
Spirit of the Fox

8.
Winter is Coming

9.
Wired
10.
True Blue Jay




What stories do these paintings tell you?

 Let me know!







You've Got This



It's one of my go-to phrases for encouragement when I'm cheerleading someone. When it comes to encouraging others, I don't like to simply say "good luck", or "I hope you do well." When we say that we hope they do well, get the job,
 get a new PR, etc., it is so, well, it's just meh, and there's no power in it at all. So, why wasn't I doing that for myself?

  Lately, I felt a little down and out. I was getting in a rut of picking out all of my shortcomings, and it was really starting to gnaw at me. I had some disappointing news at the neurologist last week regarding my spinal and nerve issues. I needed to take some of my own medicine and remember what I am capable of, who I am, and what I already have.
 Creating is the main way I process and focus on things, so here's this little watercolor text printable just in time for Motivation Monday. ;-)

 High Res Instant Download Printable

"You got this" is so sure. 
It's like an instant reminder of your personal power and of all the things that you ARE capable of doing. 
You got this. No question. Done deal. Pow.



The Day We Wept


 The Days We Wept
The Days We Wept


Every year, everyone remembers where they were that day.
I was away from home, at my first week of college.
As I watched the horrific reports on the television, and spoke on the phone with friends in New York, I cried the entire day. I couldn't fathom what had taken place, or how so much hate could exist. I knew the world would be a vastly different place from then on. I knew it would be a world where war and division was on the forefront and peace and the arts would take a back burner. 

 The events at their core were just so violently heartbreaking. 
After hours upon hours of sobbing, it strengthened my resolve to try to spend my life reminding others of their humanity through the arts. Whatever it is that you do today, I hope you can remind yourself of the unity that tragedy ignited. 
No matter where you were, it was the day we all wept together.

The Noble Guardians; Florida Sandhill Cranes



I am the first to admit how very lucky I am to live in a place that many people visit on vacation.
I'm a wand-wielding Potterhead and pass-holding Space Center nerd with golden brown flip flop tan tines.
My 1st neighbor, day 1 in FL!
While I do enjoy the theme parks and beaches that tourists flock south to, it's the wildlife and lush surroundings that feed my soul. My daily encounters with animals, including endangered and threatened species, are typical yet so very special to me.




Since the very first day I moved to Sunshine State, the Florida Sandhill Crane has played a part in this chapter of my life. These birds are stunning to say the least. Their long, elegant lines and deliberate and graceful movements are mesmerizing, and their trumpeting calls are very distinct.


(That same call can also be incredibly heartbreaking to listen to when one crane is calling for a mate for seeming days on end, but that leads me to the next reason I love them so.)

Sandhill cranes mate for life and stay in family groups. You'll often see groups of 2 or 3. The female usually lays two eggs, and if both eggs in the clutch hatch and survive, you'll see a family of four. Juveniles stay with the parents up to 10 months. Families of four make me especially happy, because they are currently a threatened species due to destruction of habitat. The Florida Sandhill Crane, or Grus canadensis pratensis, is a non-migratory sub-species of the sandhill crane family that only numbers around 3,000-4,000.  You might see numbers increase during winter months, but those are actually the migratory cranes, Grus canadensis, from northern states.

(So buy a house that's empty, guys. We need our wetlands!)


The sandhill crane is very secretive, selective, and protective of its nest location. This is another reason that habitat conservation is so vital. While it might seem like they are plentiful because we see them roaming neighborhoods, it's very important not to feed them. Habituation to humans can lead to dependence, aggression, property destruction, as well as an increase in roadway deaths.
My Sandhill Cranes coming to life in the studio.


In the wild, these birds can live up to 20+ years. Let's keep it that way. :)

My husband and I  have a special place for them in our life. He used to say with a huge smile, "Bird family!", every time we saw a specific crane group when we started dating, as they walked around the neighborhood where I lived.

Now, we are visited daily by families of cranes in a home where we live as a married couple.

 Another incredible sight to see is the crane dance. These birds have a beautiful dance that they use for mating, social bonding, educating their young, and some scientist think at times it may even be play.

If you follow my art, you know I like to also look to the historic esoteric symbolism and qualities attributed to animals.


Some say Sandhill Cranes are totems of privacy and keeping your own counsel, protection of family, longevity, balance, grace, and the "dance of life". For me, they are a symbol of knowing what is important to you and guarding it with all of your heart while remaining upright and balanced. This is not an easy task, but when we call out to those that love us, we will prevail, and we will dance in the process.



To learn more about Florida Sandhill Cranes, visit the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Florida Sandhill Cranes; Noble Guardians




*Update- The original crane painting was exhibited and purchased during Arts for Education at The University Club.*

To order a reproduction of the cranes, click here.

Passion Flowers

 My entire life, it seems like I've been made to feel guilty for my gusto.
When I am particularly "on fire" for something, it's inevitable that someone will make a negative comment on my feistiness regarding said subject or cause, and trust me, there are lots of them:

The special needs population (intellectual and physical disabilities)
poverty, sexism, gay rights, military personnel, animal rights, animal rescue, ecological preservation, (this list can go on, and on, and on...)


 People that feel deeply are used to being told how "sensitive" they are.
Passion Flower work-in-progress
It's perceived to be a bad thing. But think about it, most often when people are chiding someone for being sensitive, it's a way of dismissing the "sensitive" person's feelings or reactions to justify their own actions or to subdue the "sensitive" person.
Any time someone criticizes (or praises!) someone else, it's usually their shit that they are addressing.

 Therefore, I don't bristle (too much) anymore when someone comments on how sensitive I am or how focused I can get on something. Most of the time, I take it as a compliment.

 But just yesterday, insights on my facebook page  told me that someone took the time to
 click "hide all posts" after I shared this photo and link.

So, um, whoever did that... really?
Seriously?
I'm still posting fundraiser things in memory of someone's dead mother to help cancer patients.
I do not care if you like it. It's my page, and you are a stick-in-the-mud. 


 I post all kinds of stuff on my art page that isn't exactly my art, but it's all stuff that I'm passionate about. Because that's what my art is about. 

 I am also able to be a passion empath. I can take the energy of someone else and amplify it into something even brighter and louder.
I am able to share my knowledge and help their passion and enthusiasm make it out into the world. I am proud to be passionate about something that totally deserves to be lauded and have the ever-loving light shared out of it.




There's a reason your heart skips a beat when you come upon an awesome inspiration.
You were meant to live your passion.

I came across wild passion flowers on my trail run one morning and was so overcome by them I had to stop and marvel at their strange beauty.
While the name comes from Christian missionaries, I feel the untamed coronal filaments mimic actual human passion so well. They can curl and crawl every which way but they radiate out from the center and work to nourish the flower as a whole organism. 
Passion flowers have been used as a calming remedy in folk medicine. For the creative, getting into your “flow” does just that. Chasing your passion actually is a kind of zen.
Look for your passion flower. Let it drive you to great things. It will bloom where you are needed.
 Passion Flower
Passion Flower

Yes, passion can be a messy business.
It's a sloppy, wet thing that's taxing and sometimes crude, but sometimes it's the only thing that keeps us going. 
Passion changes the world.

What's yours? 





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