Art: It Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

 

After spending several months getting pieces ready in hopes of being accepted into the Artisan Market, I still had the urge to let a little creativity flow.  But I wasn’t so interested in getting to involved in one piece.

Recently I was walking through my grandchildren’s garden and spotted these leaves left over from their bean plants.  The insects had made many meals off of them, transforming them into botanical lace.  These simple little leaves had already inspired a painting, but I was wanting to do something else with them to show off their beauty and give them more life.

I had also collected yet another moth.  It was just laying there on the floor at work.  I was trying to find something to put it in when a friend offered her snack wrapper.  I was surprised it made it home in one piece.  But it was still in tact enough that I could use the wings.

Anyone could do this, if you like it enough and want to try, here’s how…………….

Build a barn wood canvas:

I happen to have three pieces of barn wood that I nailed together using slats on the back side of the barn wood.

Then simply apply two coats of white gesso to the front side of the wood.

Design:

Arrange the leaves in flower like shapes onto your canvas just like you want them to look when finished.   It doesn’t have to be bean plant leaves, it can be any kind.  They don’t even have to be half devoured by insects.  Leaves are beautiful anyway you find them.

Apply:

Remove one leaf at a time, apply Mod-Podge Decoupage solution with a brush to the spot on the canvas where the leaf will lay and place the leaf back down in it’s spot.  Then lightly apply Mod-Podge on the top of your leaf.  Move on to the other leaves, one at a time, until finished. Look for areas of the leaves that may have popped up slightly, gently brush those areas down.  Allow to dry.

If you happen to have an insect or two you could put on this collage, glue on with regular glue. 

Or if it’s flat, like my moth wings mostly were, use Mod-Podge again.  Apply a pretty thick coat, using tweezers place the wings on top of the thick Mod-Podge Decoupage solution.  Let this dry and then coat the top of the wings with gentle brush strokes using the Mod-Podge solution.  Allow to dry.

Embellish:

I used copper tacks to create the middle of the flowers made of leaves.  I also put one right in the center of the moth wings where they all touched.

Using DecoArt Craft Twinkles Gold and a thin small brush, I painted stems onto the flowers.

 

 

Using Plaid FolkArt Metallic Inca Gold, I wrote in script at the bottom of the collage.  Mine says, “It’s the simple things” and then I signed it.  You could letter what ever saying you’d like, there are a lot of great quotes out there.

 

 

This took about 30 minutes of work not counting the drying time.

If you decide to try this, I’d love to see your creations.

Don’t forget to visit me on Facebook or follow my blog here for more interesting art projects.

Thanks for stopping in.

 

Collage: Tattered Pieces

 

This piece was actually done some time ago when I was really struggling to accept some things in my life.  At the time I wasn’t tuned into the significance of it all.  But now, reflecting back, God was in it the whole time.

This is a collage’ on cardstock.  The flower (if you see it as a flower) is made up of torn pattern pieces.  The butterfly is also cardstock and they are all glued together by the decopauge technique.  The doodling all around the edges (and you will see this on quite a bit of my art and crafts) is just therapy.  It’s a process I just started doing one day and was amazed at the time I was able to pass and the thought process it provoked.  It also gives me reflection time and a long conversation with God.  But since (somehow out of the blue) I began doing this, I noticed that it wasn’t such a revelation, many are doing it.

This piece really stood out to me this morning, the bits and pieces of the torn pattern and the beauty of the moth shining above it all.

The torn pattern pieces, as you might also be thinking, represent our lives as we live on this earth and experience events that, well, feel like they are tearing our hearts into pieces.  How it all comes together to make a flower like shape, tells me of how God can take all those pieces and mold and shape them into something that makes sense.  Into something that can become beautiful, but not perfect.

The moth, as it stands out in it’s beauty, represents the power of the Holy Spirit, how He is there at all times in our lives, watching over all those torn bits and pieces of our hearts, all the while letting us know that He is in control and everything is going to be alright. The battle has already been won!  He takes all those bits and pieces and keeps them together, refining us.  We may be torn and tattered from some of the decisions we have made in our lives or by the hurt others have caused us for no reason we can think of, but God will mold all that together into something useful, if we will just let Him.  He will be glorified and out shine all the tears and tragedies that we have experienced.  He is standing in front of that torn flower, shielding it, protecting it and showering it so it will know that His Grace and Love are sufficient.  It is important and can still be used.  We are important and He can still use us for His Glorification.

That flower may be torn, but it can still be used, as a flower.  It may not be perfect, but it is still has a purpose.

Have you thanked God for keeping the broken pieces of your heart together?  I pray He will use my tattered heart to do something good for His sake that will Glorify His name, spread His Living Word and cause someone to smile and acknowledge that He is Lord and King.

Have a wonderful day!