Hey Girl Art and New Year

I've not been able to get into my studio much since school started in August--twice, to be exact. I'm hoping to get in there this weekend and get a full day of creativity in, before I return to teaching next week (fingers crossed). In the meantime though I felt like creating a couple of Hey, Girl memes, since it's been awhile. :)

Hey Girl Michaels App Art Meme

Hey Girl New Years Art Meme

What can I say? I really never get tired of Hey, Girl art memes...or Ryan Gosling for that matter. If that makes me wrong then I don't wanna be right. 


Big Red Flower Mixed Media

I've been so busy teaching that I literally was not able to get into my studio between June and October. It's been torture! But I finally was able to get in there the last two weekends and get creating again. I was in the mood for flowers. The result was this Mixed Media painting of a stylized big red flower.

Big Red Flower Mixed Media Art Chick Studio

I really loved creating this. It was a combination of acrylic paints, acrylic paint pens, and colored pencils. I was inspired by a picture of a marigold, believe it or not. I love the bright, warm colors. It just feels cheerful to me. What do you think?

Believe in Your Own Magic Mixed Media Girl Fairy

I can't tell you how glad I was to be able to get into my studio two weekends in a row for a change! My weeks are still busy with grad school and hanging out with the grands, so I can't always get into the studio during the week. But getting in on the weekend will do!

I wasn't sure what I was going to create, but I was in a Mixed Media mood. So the first thing I did was to cover my 12" canvas with some different scrapbook papers and some printed tissue paper as well. I like to use at least 3-4 different papers when I do this, and I use matte medium to adhere the paper to the canvas.

Believe in Your Own Magic Mixed Media Girl Background

At this point, I decided I would do a Mixed Media Girl, so I whipped out my drawing pad and started drawing. I keep my drawings fairly simple, since I'll add all the important details with paint. Once I was happy with the drawing, I used transfer paper to transfer my drawing to my canvas.

Believe in Your Own Magic Mixed Media Girl Face

Once I get the face on the background, I brush over it with Clear Gesso. This helps to give me a good surface to paint on, and it helps keep my drawing in place and prevents smearing while I paint. It can smear a little bit during the gesso process, but that doesn't bother me. It's not really enough to worry about it. Once my drawing is gesso'd, I'm ready for the fun part: painting!

I tend to use the colors of the background papers as inspiration for my painting's color palette. I don't think you *have* to do that, but that's just generally what I do. So this Mixed Media Girl, who became a fairy (as I am wont to do), took her color cues from the background. Some pinks and greens mostly, with black and white accents. And this is the end result.

Believe in Your Own Magic Mixed Media Girl Fairy

I'm pleased with how this fairy came out. I added the text digitally, because sometimes that's just easier than painting. I really thought the painting needed some words or something. And as it says...

Believe in your own magic!

La Beaute Mixed Media Girl

Now that I'm off work for the summer, I finally had a chance to get back into my studio and finish this painting that I began over Spring Break. I call her La Beauté. 

Ma Beaute Mixed Media Girl - Art Chick Studio

She was created with watercolors, Neocolor II Crayons, Zig Brush Markers, and a hint of acrylic paint pens as well. I was inspired by Alphonse Mucha and his beautiful art nouveau portraits of women. I know that's not obvious in my painting, but then, I wasn't trying to copy him either. I love his art though and it definitely inspired this piece.  I posted about her initially in my Mucha-Inspired Mixed Media Girl WIP post.

I find inspiration wherever I can: in nature, in music, in books, in the art of my peers, and from the masters. 

MJ Dangerous Digital Art

I was in the mood for some Michael Jackson digital art today. And since Dangerous is one of my favorite MJ songs, this is inspired by that song and MJ's awesome performances of Dangerous.

Michael Jackson Dangerous Digital Art

What is *your* favorite MJ song? I also love Thriller, Blood on the Dance Floor, Billie Jean, and You Rock My World (just to name a few!).

Dylan's Sunflower Digital Art

In the past I shared a photo of my grandson Dylan's Sunflower. I've always loved that sunflower he planted. So I was flipping through some of my photos and digital art and decided to share this digital art that I created from one of those photos of his sunflower.

Dylan's Sunflower in Digital Art

Sunflowers are such happy flowers, don't you think? I still have some seeds from this one somewhere. I need to find them and plant some again with Dylan!

Angelina Redux

I've been in the mood for creating digital art the last few days. And today I decided to play around with a photo of one of my old celebrity oil paintings and make some digital art out of it.

Angelina Jolie Digital Art

Now if you didn't know this was supposed to be Angelina Jolie, you might think it was pretty good. I love Angelina's face and features; I think she is really beautiful. But try as I might, I've not been able to capture her on canvas as well as I'd like. I do still like my painting of her though, so it was fun to turn it into some digital art. 

To see the original oil painting, just click here:


One of these days I will attempt to paint her again. :)

Spring Tulip

I love Spring. I love when the earth is coming alive and everything is in bloom!

Spring Tulip Art Chick Studio

These tulips were so beautiful...I had to snap a pic! Spring never lasts long enough, so I enjoy it as much as possible.

Jerusha Digital Art

I felt like doing some genealogy today, and some digital art. So I combined those two loves into this digital art of my third great grandmother, Jerusha Harmon (Sutton) Templeton.

Jerusha Harmon Sutton Templeton Digital Art

I love this photo of her. She is another one of my ancestors who I wish I could have met. What a beautiful lady too. It's sort of bittersweet to feel so connected to someone that you never even knew. Yet without her, I wouldn't be here! 

Here's to all of the ancestors who helped bring this Art Chick into being!


Mucha-Inspired Mixed Media Girl WIP

After purchasing a wonderful art book on the works of Alphonse Mucha recently, I was inspired to start working on this mixed media girl with the peony in her hair. 

Alphonse Mucha-Inspired Mixed Media Girl

She isn't finished yet. I can never seem to get enough time in my studio! So she is a work in progress. But hopefully I'll get a chance to finish her soon. 

Hey Girl - Paint Covered Shirt

I may be an oddball, but the Hey, Girl memes will never get old to me. And I love Ryan Gosling anyway. :)

Hey Girl that paint shirt is sexy

I have lots of paint-covered shirts. ;)

With Brave Wings She Flies Mixed Media Girl

Well I finally managed to find time to get back in the studio, after about 2 months of not being able to. It felt so good to be back in there and getting creative again! I had just gotten some new scrapbook paper and I was anxious to put it to use in a painting. So the result is this new Mixed Media Girl.

With Brave Wings She Flies Mixed Media Girl

It may be awhile before I can get into the studio again. I was glad to be able to spend about 6-7 hours in there yesterday painting away. And you know I have this thing about mixed media girls with pink hair. Not sure why, but I love that. The butterflies and roses are all from the new scrapbook paper I got.

"With Brave Wings She Flies," is what it says. Keep soaring!

Grandma Kephart in New York Digital Art

Since I haven't done any in awhile, I decided to create some digital art this evening. I used my Great Grandma Kephart as my muse, in a photograph taken of her (in the 50's, I believe) in New York.

Great Grandma Kephart in New York Digital Art

Lots of layering of digital imagery in this digital art too. I really like how it turned out. And Grandma always loved roses. The NAIH is a family motto: Never Apart In Heart. Always true.

Love and miss you, Grandma!

Artist Friend with Benefits Art Meme

An art meme just for giggles...


An art supply store owner. Now that's why I'd call a friend with benefits!

Repurposing for the Studio

If you're like me, you do a lot of repurposing for your studio, especially when it comes to water containers. I have never bought anything to put water in for my studio. I always repurpose some plastic container that I get. As I found one today that is the perfect size for water and brushes, I decided to make a quick Art Meme about it.

Container for Water - Repurposing for the Studio Art Meme