Butterflies

The theme at Inspiration Avenue challenge team this week is Butterflies.  I love butterflies and they make their way into many of my artworks.  Just this week I was painting them and using them in my art.

This is a closeup of a mixed media collage I am working on.  It's not totally finished yet. The butterfly I painted with watercolors and black ink.

Here's another part of that mixed media collage.

I've been reading everyone's blogs about choosing one word for the year, instead of coming up with resolutions.  Many people have words such as courage, joy, etc.  My word is balanced, because I need to make sure I balance all aspects of my life... family, work, art, exercise, church, etc.  And it includes a butterfly!  The "C" is a bit funky and after I used the rub on letters it was a bit too late unless I wanted to redo the whole word, so I just left it as it was.  oh well.

Also check out The Answer is Chocolate
Artists in Blogland
Paint Party Friday

56 comments

Katie Morris said...

I am sad that I probably won't have time to do the challenge this week because I LOVE butterflies! They are why I garden! But, I started taking another grad course and it's taken me like 3 hours to get through just one chapter in one of the 3 textbooks today. I should probably try to get that done. Maybe I'll be super efficient tomorrow and have time to make some butterfly art! I like the funky "C"... :)

Tracey FK said...

Balance is a great word.... I am going with embrace... just going with the flow baby.... lovely page and I love the mixed media.... sort of a different colour palette from what I have seen and I really really love it...xx

Hettienne Grobler said...

Lovely lovely collage and I salute your 'balance' a real tightrope!

Netty said...

Oh wow its fabulous. Have a great weekend, Annette x

Jodene Shaw said...

Pretty, pretty!

Helen Campbell said...

Butterflies always make me happy. It's a lovely collage and I like your BaLanCed. :)

wednesday said...

I like the way the word turned out. It really makes you focus on that, and what it means. Great collages.

Terrie said...

This looks like a fabulous piece! Can't wait to see it finished! It's a great entry for butterflies - and I really like that C - makes the word more interesting, more impactful!

aprilmariecole.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful work... such a lovely mixed-media collage!

Roberta said...

Great word...balance...we all can sure use some fo that in our lives. No one would have noticed the "c"...it looks as if it belongs that way...lol
I love butterflies as well...especially monarchs with their bright orange wings. Have a wonderful week. Fondly, Roberta
www.loveshackliving.com

Christine said...

lovely butterflies and a nice word for the year!

Renee! said...

Really nice! PPF xo

Jennifer McLean said...

It must be such fun to teach art. To watch a new artist blossom. I especially love your butterflies.
Best,
Jenn at www.justaddwatersilly.com, hopping from in the studio
(newest follower!)

Faye said...

I love the way you have done "balanced." It's amazing how a butterfly can balance on those tiny legs on a tiny twig. Your art is lovely and fun to look at.
Faye

My entry is on wordpress. I have tried to comment using my OpenID but it won't work today with word verification. It works on blogs w/o it. So I am commenting using my blogspot ID. To see my entry , I'm #51 on the list.

Anonymous said...

That collage piece is fantastic. Wow, wow, love it. xox Corrine

Carolyn Dube said...

I love the C being funky!! When you find the secret to balance please share! It seems to be a very foreign concept to me...Your colors, as always call out to me!

GlorV1 said...

Well done. Your butterflies are just wonderful. Love your word for the year. It would be good for me since the dizziness I have leaves me feeling unbalanced. tee hee.

peggy aplSEEDS said...

i love your bright colors! yes, i think balance is important. thanks for sharing,
hugs, peggy aplSEEDS

Alicia C said...

the 'c' actually looks intentional!

Cindy said...

That C looks intentional to me too - that's the beauty of collage I think - and art in general, teaching us that sometimes "mistakes" are really "happy accidents"! (Coming from Studio JRU) - blessings!

JKW said...

Butterflies are Free. . . the watercolor and ink turned out brilliant. The collage is going to be wonderful. Blessings, Janet

HeARTworks said...

So many things to balance! Sometimes it feels like you're on a tightrope! Great collage, looks like you had fun making it!

carol l mckenna said...

Lovely creations ~ filled with color, style and composition ~ namaste, carol (Share the Creative Journey) Happy PPF

Anne Butera said...

Such wonderful artwork! Love the boxes in your collage. Makes me think of a curio cabinet or a quilt. Beautiful!

I love the funky C. :)

And what a great word for the year. I'm not picking just one, but I love seeing everyone else's. Maybe I'll have a whole collage of words for the year.

Happy PPF!

Mary C. Nasser said...

Wonderful work again this week!
Always a joy to visit your blog.
♥♥♥
Happy PPF!!
Mary
Mixed-Media Map Art

Marcia Beckett said...

ugh, I'm so glad I'm not taking classes anymore. Are you going for a master's? I decided it wasn't worth the cost, because I didn't want to change careers or anything and would never want to go into administration.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thanks, this pastel palette is what I've been leaning towards lately. The top one I just pretty much used every color I had!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you! Balance is so elusive, but so necessary.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you, Netty!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you! i love butterflies too.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thanks you too! I always love your blog.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you. It's a zany mixture of letters.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you. I finished it and will post a final picture shortly!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you. :) Have a good week too!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you.. do you have a word for the year?

Marcia Beckett said...

It is a wonderful career to have. I get to be creative all day long!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you! Have a great week!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you dear. I always love to see what you create too!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thanks! Yeah, I know. Maybe just being more consciously aware of trying to balance your life? Color is my favorite thing to play with!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you! What is your word of the year?

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you, i love bright colors!

Marcia Beckett said...

Well at the time I intended to put it there, but then after I did it I didn't like it, lol.

Marcia Beckett said...

Yeah and I'm not afraid to make mistakes! lol

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you!

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you! I always have fun making collages.

Marcia Beckett said...

Thank you Carol for stopping by!

Marcia Beckett said...

A collage of words sounds cool too!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting.

The painting is based on the theme of Cabinet of Curiosities! good guess!

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

I love butterflies too! Such a pretty, happy piece. What a great word... balanced! And I personally love how the 'c' turned out! :)

Daniele Valois said...

Balance is my word for life! I love how the C looks. And this collage is fab!!! So vibrant...I want it! hahaha....

:)

Mandy said...

your word is perfect...your art of butterflies is wonderful too...xxx

ANNE said...

Butterflies are so beautiful and your word is a great choice. Happy PPF!

Unknown said...

That word is great! I need a lot of balance in my life. Something to try.
I love your butterflies, they are beautiful!

EVA said...

Wonderful WIPs! Looking forward to seeing more. Balanced is a great word! Looking forward to hearing how it guides you in 2012.

Geckostone said...

Awesome work and I love your word "balance". We can all use some of that!

SHERI COOK said...

I like your word BALANCED and this week's work is a perfect example of balance in a work of art. Love your pages!
Belated Happy PPF!
Sheri Cook/HappyHorseStudio