Dream Catcher

Dream Catcher fmaDream Catcher – a crayola etching on paper. How did such a small yet intricate piece of art get a big name? The paper was originally used as scratch paper for other art work. I tested colors, tested pens to see if they worked and blended crayons to see if I liked the colors. After a little bit I began to see the figure bending over. Of course I had to bring him out more.

 

He reminded me of myself, bent over, hanging on but still chasing after the thing he desires most. For me, that desire is to paint.

A scratch piece of paper with bits and pieces of hard work come together as an etching called Dream Catcher.

Dream Catcher is 6.5 x 4 inches and was created on sketchbook paper. You will find purchase information in my Etsy shop.

Thank you

Venture to Know

Venture to Know by FMAA large sunflower mandala, a white butterfly and stone embellishments cradle the main subjects of the painting called Venture to Know. Her hair becomes the tree that reaches into a red and turquoise sky. Her face is divided into copper, wood, bark, Indiana yellow and flaming red. Deep set are the dark eyes of this figure, deep set lined in turquoise, Indian yellow and coal black. Her lips are white and cracked like the detailed crags and bare tree.

Are these scars on her face or life experiences? Are the divisions made to keep peace or to keep away? Continue reading “Venture to Know”

Iesha – She who lives

Iesha School Girl

In a village or town somewhat far from here lives a mother and father who work hard and feed their family with food sufficient for each day. They go about sweeping, sewing, mending and patching, etching out life. They scurry here and there, rushing this one, readjusting that one, forgetting another. In this village or town far away from here there are the higher ups and those low on socially carved totem poles. Somewhere in the middle, growing up with sisters but no brothers is a little girl named Iesha.

I used my hands to work the oil pastel then added ink details. About 90% of this is a finger painting in oil pastels.  Continue reading “Iesha – She who lives”

Rustic Sunflower

Rustic Sunflower fmaAt 9 inches by 6 inches this painting is stunning when matted and framed. It’s worn look gives an emotional feel for which I have no words, so I can only describe to you what is in the painting.

There is one large sepia toned sunflower in full bloom surrounded by large, dark green leaves standing tall and reaching high. The forest green leaves mixed with spring green and black contrast against an aged turquoise background. The background has a rubbed, antique worn, wood appearance. The two stalks merge at soil level where small white and small black flowers emerge.

Other details: Colors bleed from green to black to turquoise. The leaves of the sunflower as well as the entire background itself are texture rich. If you are a sunflower lover and like the sepia tone, red sunflower or autumn colors with a snap then you will love this painting. Continue reading “Rustic Sunflower”

The Stream Carried Wonderment and Joy

The Stream Carried Wonderment and JoyThis painting is on of the very first collages I’ve created and thought good enough to post. The tall, elongated woman with her face divided by cream and blue stands with her eyes closed taking in everything. The secure and at peace woman stands with her feet in the stream and allows joy and wonderment into her life. There is no struggle, no working against the tide. She takes it all in and is entirely in the moment.

Her hair is adorned with flowers. Her dress is yellow at the top with two butterfly cut outs. The butterfly details also appear at the side of her skirt. The remaining cut outs are small flowers made from hand dyed coffee filter cut outs. Food coloring was used to stain the coffee filter cut outs. The painting has been sealed with a matte acrylic seal.  Continue reading “The Stream Carried Wonderment and Joy”

Sunflowers Bless My Home

Sunflowers Bless My Home fmaSunflowers Bless My Home was super fun. She’s bright and beautiful, dreamy and just fun! A young girl stands with her arm out stretched with a large sunflower winding around her arm until it comes to an arch over the house of music. Green leaves touch the deep blue and purple sky. The white moon shares the purple and blue.

You can see the young woman with black hair in the red dress, breath the night air in as she stands in the grass by the rocky walkway home. It is a magical, fantasy and cheerful collage that would do well in any home or business office such as children’s dentistry or the bedroom of your young child whose imagination will be indulged. Continue reading “Sunflowers Bless My Home”

Dance of Dissonance

framed

By 4 am I was exhausted. My head was tired, full of noise that made no sense. At my threshold I got up from bed and walked 10 feet to my studio, pulled out a piece of paper and began to paint. I removed some of the surface paper for texture, scratched paint with a toothpick and smeared paint with all my fingers until finally the noise ceased. 

In the painting you’ll see a face outlined in black – eyes, nose, lips. While the face is hot with red and orange, the dreadlocks hang in blue and black. On the outskirts, into the white is yellow and the tiniest flicker of green.  Continue reading “Dance of Dissonance”

Colors

Colors

A canvas splashed with a tiny bit of color on the side sat on my desk for a good long time waiting for something, anything to happen. Last night in my rush to paint trees, I picked up the canvas and began to sketch.

This afternoon I completed the painting by adding brighter colors than seen in Tea Tree. As a matter of fact, this tree has a totally different feel because of the boldness of the colors. I still had a ball of fun creating it. Continue reading “Colors”

Artist Thoughts: Seeing and an Abstract Journey

Seeing the Lines
I’d like to learn to paint birds and I’d like to learn to paint more abstract pieces such as expressionism, contemporary and modern abstract. I really, really want to do abstract. I recently purchased an art pad that I intend to dedicate to this abstract journey of mine. When I paint an object such as birds, flowers, what have you, I need a photo reference in front of me so that I can see the lines. A long time ago I didn’t paint sunflowers because I couldn’t ‘see’ it in my head. I couldn’t see the lines of the petals.

I found a website that showed step by step how to paint a sunflower. It was some sort of site where the artist painted with the mouse and then the program showed viewers step by step how the artist painted the piece. That is how I learned to ‘see’ the lines of what I wanted to paint. Wish I could remember that link.

I think I may need to get a cheap book of various birds and flowers. Once I can ‘see’ it I can alter it according to the theme of an individual painting, but I’ve got to learn the lines first.

Abstract Freedom of Expression
Continue reading “Artist Thoughts: Seeing and an Abstract Journey”

Inner Swim

Inner Swim

The young girl sits with her legs crossed by a large koi. One finger touches the water, the other hand lays on her bronze and copper painted pants. Sand has been added to the pants as a symbol of stone. Beautiful, bright pink flowers grow in the garden. Her shirt is shredded fabric, linen pieces. The water wall behind her begins to take her in.

Art Title: Inner Swim
Art by: Faith Magdalene Austin
Medium: Acrylic, Gel, Sand
Size: 11 × 14 inches on heavy board