Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Weekly Gratitude

My participation in Weekly Gratitude, week 1, the theme this month is work. If you want to join in, it's never too late. Gratitude is like that.

Originally I was going to do this project with a deck of playing cards, but I soon realized that they were pretty small. Someone in the group suggested children's flash cards and I had a deck of 54, they are 3.25 x 5.25 inches. Bigger than the tags I did last year but a nice size. They have been a bugger to prep though, many layers of gesso and sanding in between as my gesso didn't want to go on smoothly and I started by using the wrong brush. We learn so quickly with our mistakes, don't we? I didn't think the theme of work would be much fodder for me, but that was another mistake I learned quickly from. Reading through Art and Fear last night, all I could see was that very theme. How we work, why we work, why we don't work. Oh boy, more synchronicity that tells me I'm on a fine path despite feeling often lost.

At the end of last year I bought a handful of Derwent's Inktense pencils and used them for the first time here. They are delicious, color intense pencils that work like watercolor pencils only when wet they act more like ink in a stick. I want to run back to the store and buy the B-I-G box with every color in it. I'm following the same pattern as the tag project of art on the front, journaling on the back.

6 comments:

Snap said...

I love the color -- may have to look for those pencils... also .. the zentangle effect on your hand... cool! Well done! Synchronicity is a wonderful thing ... thwack!!!!!

Brenda said...

Love this. Great idea to use the flashcard sized cards too. There is so much to be grateful for.

Kim Mailhot said...

Wow - what a beautiful start to this project ! Those Derwent's Inktense pencils have gorgeous color - want, want, want as Nell would say !

Judy Wise had us do a page all about our hands at Squam. Yes, as an artist and as a life liver, my hands are so very precious to me. They appreciate gratitude in the form of hand massages every night - especially when the cold and dryness make them ache so...

Here's to Number 1! Cheers, lovely Kim !

oreneta said...

They sound marvelous.....the pencils, and the art work is lovely!

Sherry said...

Great gratitude here Kim -- for so much more than just your hands...for synchronicity, and the Derwent pencils, and for mistakes that teach us more... :) I see why you want to go and get the BIG box...these pencils are amazing!

Anonymous said...

great way to express your gratitude I am doing mine on atc size cards