Pen & Paints Artwork

Collage with Michigan photos

2012-02-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

This has photos that my Dad took when he and friends biked around Lake Michigan as I understand. Some photos say Mackanac Island and have a couple of towns written on the back. I'm not sure what town this is on the left.
Then to finish it off, I transfered a photo of him with his bike over the old script.

Newest Painting

2012-02-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

I wasnt' sure which photo was going to show the best color, but it seems like maybe inbetween. Anyway, I tried using bolder colors and especially, tried some dif. techniques like allowing some crawl backs in the paint for texture. I think the tulips got smaller and smaller but still will finish this.

On the left will be a silver syrup pitcher my Mom had when growing up! It's unfortunately melted on the bottom from being put on the stove she says, but has the M monogram on the front.

Newer Collages

2012-01-29T14:32:00.000-08:00

This one is fine but the color of the small brownish window still bothers me.

These next two are the "painterly" collages that I did in a workshop. I finally added the green string tissue, and it seems finished now.

New Collages

2011-12-14T15:06:00.001-08:00

Well I see this first one is blurry- but they are from a workshop and still need a little more to bring them together. The workshop started with painting as a base and then we added papers and stamped some with assorted things.
I used some papers with gestural writing on it in the green one as the base coat with the paint and then built up with more textural papers. It was a fun workshop!

Collage Class- Painted Tissue Paper

2011-09-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

The two most colorful papers I did first and then blotted another blank piece of tissue paper (on the right) and it came out more subtle! The paper on the left was done by putting down torn masking tape and then painting. Some of the tape is removed. Next class we'll use them to start the finished piece.

Paintings From Judy's Garden

2011-08-24T14:38:00.001-07:00

I'm going to start posting my paintings -even though they might have been on my blog already. Most are available in cards or prints. You can contact me by email: penandpaints@hotmail.com.

Most of these paintings were done on site- plein air painting-with a sketch class. (Most were finished in the studio at a later date)

Sorry the first on is so blurry!

Another Quilt!

2011-08-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

After several quilt projects with my daughter, I decided I can't stop with the quilts! I'm going to be using some of her fabric samples (discontinued) she had left over from her job and then found a few other colors to add.

Award from the Midwest Collage Show

2011-08-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to receive an Honorable Mention at the Collage Show at the Norris Center Gallery in St. Charles!

I had cards and a few prints made of the pair. The substrate is canvas- the stretched canvas and size is 8"x8"

More Make Your Mark Jounal Pages

2011-07-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

This first page has more added to it from the last photo. Most of the colored papers are painted tissue paper.

This purple one could use more-the little quotes are quite light. Most of it is done with paint.

My sister and I experimented after she saw this striped idea in a magazine. The right page is papers while the left is mostly paint.

Journal Pages for the Make your Mark Journal

2011-05-27T15:54:00.001-07:00

This journal project is through the LaGrange Art League where they will be displayed and some may be auctioned off. I have a long way to go and need to finish by July! I'd hoped to get some calligraphy friends to do a page (5x8") and then glue them into the book. I've used some practice pages to play off, collaging or adding text to finish them.
Anyone who wants to help is invited to do a page! Just let me know.

Zentangle Journal Page

2011-05-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

2011-05-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

First time at our feeder! I wasn't sure what he was until he turned around.

New Collages

2011-04-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

This one is finished, still have to select something to go on the second one. Notice the gestural writing from Georgia Deavers class!! It got covered up by the tree one one.

New collages evolving

2011-04-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

I used most of my own papers in this collage and a little mini white oak leaf in the corner of one. The one on the right isn't quite finished yet and I'll be

adding a transfer image to them next.

Dragonfly collage

2011-04-08T09:08:00.001-07:00

Mini Garden

2011-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

One of our watercolor students brought in this little garden with it's miniture accessories!

2011-03-01T06:46:00.001-08:00

Worked more on the vines and added the first part of the title in blue. The gold is continued in some of the flowers on the vines. Still have more outlining to do.

Adding more color today

2011-02-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

2011-02-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Just adding more detail with the shadows on the title and more outlining and shading of the letters.

Illuminated Piece

2011-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

I'm starting the painting process on this piece, worked out the colors and got started. I still have to add the top of the title and a couple of lines at the bottom but wanted to get started on the color. Now that I'm finally finished with some things that had to be done first, I'll keep at this until finished!
The leaves will be green and blue and there will be some repeated gold in the tiny leaves and maybe the flowers. The flowers will be a light violet- one is painted.

Painting Almost Finished

2011-02-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if I'll add a little more color to the upper vines on the wall. This was painted in the walled in garden where the photos of the winter garden were taken.

More pages for the Make Your Mark Journal

2011-02-18T10:53:00.001-08:00

The ones with color were done with acrylic paint mixed with some matte medium which helped spread the paint around the page better.

Napkins, stamping, and white gesso marks were added.

Little Book from Callig Class

2011-02-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

This was a fun project with sink art using sumi ink on textwove paper. I always like to have my class make a book just for fun, usually adding text but this one doesn't.

Collage Continued

2011-02-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

In the bottom photo I added a little wash of color to the gate. We started this with a sheet from a telephone book and built up after that. I'm using the tack iron method except with the many tissue papers which are just added with matte medium or polymer.
And these images are from a garden in Lockport that I came across in the winter. Our sketch class visited it and worked there in the summer.

Some of my work in Yves' class

2011-02-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

In the bottom photos the marks were put down first and then the lettering so they may be upside down.

Calligraphy Retreat with Yves Leterme

2011-01-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

We stayed at the Cenacle in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Roomed with April and this is our view from the room.

The name of the workshop was Watchfull Experimenting and the Fine Art of Controlled Scribbling. Yves also taught about his use of gesso which was a challenge!

Some of Yves' work with the special projector so everyone could see! Here he had added gesso over his work, and then added washes of color and lines and scratches.

There were 22 in the group!
It was so nice that Jim and Alice could come and visit!

Some quick photos of demos. Yves came all the way from Belgium and will be teaching at several locations. And some participants came from Michigan and Oregon. It was such a nice group to work with and learn from, even though I struggled with the abstract type of work at the end!

New Collage

2011-01-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

We started with watercolor paper, glued down the page from the phone book in April's class. Then used masking tape to tear away some areas and added the acrylic paint wash.

One more step done

2011-01-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

I worked on outlining the details that will be painted. Valerie gave me a little tutorial to help with the highlights and a little more info that I didn't quite remember from my class with her many years ago. Now to get the colors just right. And still have to add the 'Anniversary" lettering at the top and the "author" at the bottoom.

Working on a Project

2010-12-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

I forgot that I don't know how to flip this the right way, oh well. I'm experiementing on colors now and I think I'm going to have the gold go down the strip in the middle, and might make the leaves all blue...my daughter made some suggestions. We'll see but I'm not liking the shade of green so will be working on that for sure. You can see the border on a previous post, as I just have it lightly traced.

New collages

2010-12-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

I didn't get to finish this collage, the bird isn't glued in place yet. And I wanted to add a quote or something to the left side.

I finally added a butterfly -transferred, to finish this one that is made up to go with the former one with these papers -see Sept. 9

Serenity Prayer

2010-12-14T08:12:00.001-08:00

Large Project

2010-11-12T07:39:00.001-08:00

I've been working on this piece quite a long time. I took a class a long time ago and maybe forgot how overwhelming this project could be. I designed the border with rounded acanthas leaves which will be in shades of green with blue also added in the main "letter". There are so many parts to it but now am ready to start painting a sample. I obscured text as it's a commission for a church.

Contour Drawings

2010-10-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

I found these contour drawings from college in the basement. I always loved the contour drawings of the plants that were in the windows in our old art building. I may find some way to make copies and use them in my journal!

Make your Mark Jounal Project

2010-10-15T08:26:00.001-07:00

2010-10-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

I used one of the monotype prints
as one of my pages. I may add
a quote to this later.

Stalling on my Journal Project

2010-10-14T08:00:00.001-07:00

I need to get going and do a little work each day on this journal or a year will have gone by and I won't be finished! I have a spot cleared on one table now...so why don't I get to it? I see all this wonderful work on other's blogs but I'm still stalling. One thing is that I have two projects to finish also...just need to make a schedule and keep to it. Hope to have a few more pictures soon!

Make your Mark Journal Project

2010-10-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Wish I could have waited and found out how to rotate these but here they are anyway. This is a project through LaGrange Art League and Dick Blick Art Materials stores.

First finished page of my collage journal!

Monotype Workshop

2010-09-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

This should have come after the next section- oh well.
So this shows Ingrid working on two prints and then pulling the prints.

Two of my finished prints in our show and share.

Monotype Print Workshop

2010-09-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ingrid Albrecht in the gallery in Ravenswood. The next photos show her process of making a monotype print. The paper is already laying down on the paint and she's manipulating it with a soft brush and water to make sure the paper is in the paint. Also it helps wet the paper so the colors bleed and do wonderful things on the plexiglass plate underneath. And you see the water sprayer she uses in the second photo also used to spray on the paper.

Butterfly Festival

2010-09-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

The colors this day were unbelievable!

2010-09-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

After our Collage class yesterday, I just had to create something new! This was also after seeing Laura's demo at her house show last sunday.
I have so much to do- an art show in Tinley Park this Sunday, getting ready for my Calligraphy class on Monday, AND my next Coptic book class the next Monday- but after digging around in my papers they seemed to be calling to me!

New Collage

2010-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

New paintings

2010-09-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

New paintings started in our summer sketch class. I'll finish them in the fall class. We work plein aire style, which is painting on site. This was from the Morton Arboretum.

2010-09-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

Collage cards

2010-09-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

Fun collage cards we made at April's.

Coptic Book Making

2010-09-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Photos of the Coptic Book that we made in a workshop in June and I'm repeating this month at the Center in a larger size. The first of two classes is on Sept. 20 on Monday afternoon.

Dragonfly collage sold!

2010-06-23T13:13:00.001-07:00

The Dragonfly collage is sold! It's currently in a show in Tinley Park called "Things with Wings" and I found out that it sold on the day of the Reception after we had left.

Collage from Laura's Workshop

2010-05-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just added the big dragon-fly and now it may not need the little haiku I had planned on adding. The papers were wonderful that we made in her class! I have to look back on my notes to see what the white resist was that we used.

Paint Pouring at Watercolor Class

2010-05-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

This painting is done on a half sheet of 130 lb. watercolor paper and was a project we all did together. We were to work large, pick out a flower to paint like Georgia O'Keefe! Some used full sheets of the paper! The first step was to wet the paper, then add a color with a large brush and keep tilting the paper until the wet color was pretty well evaporated. Then start on the center of the flower. Then when almost dry, take your brush and wipe out the places lie around the petals, and add some veins. The shadows and details will be worked on more in the next class.

Landscape Collage

2010-05-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

This is it so far, with the space on the right saved for a quote. The branches are not permanent yet and I may add a little more of the rust color that ended up at the bottom to the upper part of the compostion too.

Painting on Canvas

2010-05-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

My first attempt to paint on watercolor canvas. This was a project we all did in a class and it pushed us to use more intense colors and was a good experience. We'll see how it affects our work now on paper.

ATC's for an exchange

2010-05-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

ATC cards are 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and are not sold, but traded with other artists. I already had the background done for something else so I cut that up to start with. Then used found papers and napkins to collage over them and added a rubber stamp- the branch.

Tree for next in the series

2010-05-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

This was my attempt for the collage in the next photo, which was too large, so I'll have it to start on the large canvas, which will be the fourth in the series. I seem to be on a roll with this theme, so I'll keep at it, but I do have others started, so will continue with them also.

Landscape collage series

2010-05-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Beginning of my third landscape collage in the "green" series. I need to finish the branches and bottom and then add the quote along the right side. This one is similar to my "Plant a Heart" collage which is sold and I had more interest in that one which is at the Newberry Library Calligraphy exhibit until May 28th.

Trout Lily

2010-05-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I tried to get a photo of the Trout Lily at the Center. They're all in full bloom and also this time they had their faces up a little more!

Denis Brown Workshop

2010-04-29T08:15:00.001-07:00

I worked backwards here, as this is the critique at the end of the workshop! And the calligraphy piece is his work-you can see how he uses so much pen manipulation to achieve the thicks and thins in his letters!

2010-04-29T08:14:00.001-07:00

Denis Brown's Workshop

2010-04-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

Denis gave a three day workshop for our Calligraphy Guild. He's working large, standing up in a demo. We all learned so much and enjoyed not only his teaching but his humor too!

Collages from Laura's Workshop

2010-04-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

We had very little time to try to finish a collage at the end of the workshop with our newly painted papers. We were given some possible transfers (the dragonfly) to add last. These contain many of the papers which were first "stamped" with polymer (the white circles) and then the acrylic wash was added when that dried.

Collage Workshop at McCord House Gallery

2010-04-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

This wonderful paper is from Laura's workshop yesterday. I've taken her class before but since this was so close by I decided to take the day long class. We made wonderful altered and painted papers! I don't remember doing this in her class before. I'll post the collage made with the papers later.

2010-04-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Landscape collage I'm working on -added the fence and gate.

Painting on Canvas!

2010-03-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is painted on watercolor canvas which is very different than paper. I'm taking Lenox Wallace's class and she decided we needed to try this. It will push us to use the paint differently too. I usually don't use darks like this and to use such strong pinks- wow!

Collage Class

2010-03-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

I had my Grandmother's log cabin in Arkansas in mind for this and the walk we took to see a huge rock in the creek bed that resembled a door! My sister doesn't remember. It's funny how some things stick in your mind.

Continuing my painting...

2010-03-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

New Painting

2010-03-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

I forgot I wanted this on my artwork blog! I'm getting the two mixed up, oh well! So I loved the sunlight and shadow in this photo from my Sister's new garden shed, so was looking forward to starting the watercolor. Hope I can keep the mood I want throughout the finished piece! Sometimes I finish and seem to think it was better when I first started it so I have to try not to overwork it and keep the center of interest where I want it to be.

Book from the Quotes From the Heart Retreat

2010-03-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

The books from this Retreat were all beautiful and even though I didn't get to finish mine, I hope to later. I wanted to give the participants several page designs to start with so they didn't face a blank page so we started off with the ink blowing. Some had never seen this done, and it was the most successful project of the night! The Center is surrounded with oak trees so I thought the ink blowing would fit in nicely.
Then we used pastels on one page and that made it easier to find places to start writing the favorite quotes. After that some used stamps, torn papers etc. to finish their pages. Covers were then added using card stock.

2010-03-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

This page has subtle pastels in the scalloped lines with quotes added and the green leaf stamp.

2010-03-06T17:31:00.001-08:00

This last page, unfinished will have more of the books added that I liked at the Retreat. The two pages above it have tracing paper with writing overlaid on top of artwork showing through below. I'll add more to finish them also.

Class- Recycling our Stash with Rosie Kelly

2010-03-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

I took a class from Rosie Kelly and we had fun using our stash which I have plenty of- practice papers from previous classes, exercizes in making marks and backgrounds, etc!
The cover in the next photos was something done in Judy Melvin's class (from a long time ago!) and I think it was done with gesso which is the texture. Some of the gestural writing is from Georgia Deaver's class and the watercolor papers were added to on the back to finish the pages. I still have to add more and decide on the words I want to add. This class was awesome and everyone created some beautiful books!
We also made the slender book the first day of the two day class. It helped us try out the inks and get momentum for the larger book.

Book from Rosie's class

2010-03-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

Retreat at the Center

2010-02-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

My Collage to be in the Newberry Library Calligraphy Show

2010-02-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

Found the photo so read onto the next post!

Collage Accepted in the Newberry Library Calligraphy Show

2010-02-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

I received the news that my collage with a quote is accepted into the juried Calligraphy Exhibit at the Newberry Library! I can't quite find the photo - it's on my regular blog under March of 2009. The show is March 15th - May 28th and the reception is March 27th. At the reception there will be calligraphy demonstrations from 11:30am- 1pm.
The landscape collage is one of my favorites and is about 8" x 20" if I remember correctly. The quote was lettered and then copied on a sheer paper that I then transferred on to the collage.

Sister's Wedding Invitations (italic lettering)

2010-02-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

Worked on some envelopes yesterday which reminded me that i don't think i had these (my Sister's) wedding invitations on my blog. I designed them in black ink and hand painted the rose buds. The Thank You notes are printed in color.

Flag Book

2010-02-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

We'll be creating this Flag Book at the Center workshop after the next paper painting class. The next class is Friday, Feb. 19th and then this class, March 5th. I didn't get the words added yet. The possible one includes words from the quote about Mend a quarrel, etc. but we will choose the phrases we want to include.

Paste Paper Workshop

2010-02-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

There were nine in the workshop at the Center and we all had fun painting with paste paper. Most were from the Collage class and will use the papers in collages.

Wedding Vows

2010-01-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

I did this many years ago and would like to do more.

Christmas cards

2010-01-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

I got out all the cards from the past years. Three on colored papers are Gocco printed, one a watercolor painting, one a collage and the church, a pen and ink.

2010-01-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

2010-01-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Window Painting

2010-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

Wedding Commission

2010-01-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Commissioned piece

2010-01-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

This was a commission to do a writing from someone and I used the flower idea similar to the wedding piece above. It's very large and I did it on heavy Arches hotpress which was different as it seemed like blotter paper and I had to use a nib that was quite filled.

2010-01-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

Commissioned Water piece

2009-12-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

This poem is by a sixth grader who entered a contest on water conservation and won an award from it.

2009-12-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

I used this for a print and a card. I still have a large original that is available.

Stars for Christmas

2009-12-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

A few new paintings I was working on...

2009-12-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

The bike is outside the Library at Riverside, the stairs from a photo downtown Chicago, the yellow house is at the Girl Scout Camp in Palos and the last is the start of a painting which I can't remember the name of the place. Our sketch class visited these places last summer where we set up and paint on site and then sometimes have to finish in the studio. The cards were a combination of watercolor washes and collage.

"Square" collage into a pin

2009-11-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

(This should have been at the end!)

Collage Squares Project

2009-11-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

A fun project in Collage class at the Center. A good way to use up all those little scraps of the colors you love. The one of the right has stamping on it, and then the next step was to add some stamps that we embossed. THEN they were cut into little squares to use in a collage.

Start of the Collage

2009-11-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

I started by painting the canvas so as to not have the "white" background to face. Then blocked in some shapes and added the papers and three of the squares we made in the class. It's not all glued down yet.

Carl Rohrs piece that I "won"

2009-11-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful piece that I was so lucky to have won the drawing for at the Calligrapy Conference last year in Naperville. He taught a class here recently but I was unable to go.

Recent Collage

2009-11-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

I had fun using the altered papers for this landscape collage and then did a transfer to get the words on it.

Wedding invitations for my Sister

2009-11-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

The invitations were printed in black ink and the flower added by hand later. The thank you note was printed in color.

2009-11-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

2009-11-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

Gifts from the Sea

2009-11-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

This piece was done on fabric in a class with Lisa Engelbrect and was the first of a series I decided to do. I had used shells before with holes in them but never used them in a picture.

Collage

2009-11-01T10:17:00.001-08:00

These are some of the landscape collages that are created with various papers including paste paper, stained tissue paper, altered magazine pages,and coffee filter paper, etc.

2009-11-01T10:16:00.002-08:00