I spent some time at the library this morning browsing the shelves. I haven't done this in AGES. I came away with a couple of books for learning to paint with watercolors. I also brought home books with pictures of things to inspire my painting, such as crazyquilts, hooked rugs and folk art. Among my finds was a book called "Illuminating the Word: The Making of the Saint John's Bible". It shows the process by which this Bible was written and illuminated by hand. I can't wait to look through it more closely!
Another find was Mary Randoph Carter's "Garden Junk". A treasure trove of junk to peruse for painting subjects!
My fascination with crazy quilts never seems to be satiated since each one is so unique. They remind me of the "I Spy" books I used to enjoy with my kids. The longer you view a quilt the more interesting details you notice. Cindy Bricks' "Crazy Quilts" is full of beautiful quilts and crazy quilt history. Here are a few beautiful quilt blocks I found online:
This little crazy quilt star gives me some ideas for combining pastel watercolors with painted stitch work. I realize I have to be careful not to violate any copyright laws when using images, so I'm trying to just get ideas. If I should ever sell a painting to a greeting card company, for example, I don't want anyone tracking me down! lol!
These blocks show some of the pretty details that are so much fun to explore.
Hooked rugs have been a favorite of mine for a long time and would also offer good ideas for painting. I think acrylics might work better to capture these designs.
Gillian Tyler's illustrations have caught my eye lately. Aren't they beautiful?
She has a series of beautiful maps like this one. Aren't her paintings fun to look at?
While reading "Crazy Quilts" I came across one quilt that took the creator 40 years to finish. How awesome is that? It's not about arriving at a finished product; it's about the enjoyment of the journey. It's looking forward to a lifetime of creativity. That's what I'm looking forward to with painting. I'm not in any hurry to become expert. I'm going to enjoy the learning experience. It will probably be slow as I make time for it between other life events, but knowing that this creative outlet waits in the wings for those quiet moments is what makes it so much fun!
It's always fun to seek inspiration, isn't it? Does your house really look like my cabin pictures? WOW! You are very blessed! Yes, following the Three Bears theme (without spending a lot of money) is going to be fun this summer!
ReplyDeleteYou have a much better attitude about waiting than I do. I want everyone to clear out so I can have a quiet house in which to create! Selfish and foolish, I know. I try not to be frustrated about not getting to my painting. The problem is that I don't know enough about it to just go sit down and paint for a few minutes between my work projects. I can do that with the piano or sewing since I'm already adept. I need to take more classes. It's easier to paint OUT of the house where there is no work to lead me away.
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