CHALLENGE #68...WINDMILL...

WINDMILL INSIDE & OUT...

All layers from Wikimedia.

CHALLENGE #98...PUZZLE...

THE ETERNAL PUZZLE...

All layers from Google Images except checkerboard made on Photoshop.

CHALLENGE # 70...A BRIDGE TO FAR...

GOING FAR...

All components from Google Images except sign made on Photoshop.

CHALLENGE #71...WIND...

WIND...

Both women were painted by John Waterhouse.

The background and foreground were created on by me on Photoshop.

CHALLENGE #49...STRIPES...

READ BETWEEN THE LINES...

Background and geisha from Google Images.

Zebras from Wikimedia.
Rainbow my own photograph.

CHALLENGE #39...DREAMS...

AQUA DREAMS...

Fish, key, clock & butterflies from Wikimedia

Ocean, sand & woman from Google Images.
The wave concept was borrowed from a picture I saw once...artist unkown.

CHALLENGE #4...DARK...

COVEN

All components from Google Images.

CHALLENGE #17...UPSIDE DOWN...

UPSIDE DOWN AND LIKING IT...

All elements from Google Images.

CHALLENGE #66...REFLECTIONS...

VANITY...

Two John Waterhouse masterpieces

mirror, bottle and rose from Google Images

checkerboard floor made on Photoshop

CHALLENGE #6...REVOLVER...

IN MY LIFE...

The Beatles Revolver album cover by Klaus Voormann

Blood & gun from Google Images.

CHALLENGE #95...SHADOW...

GROWING...

All components Google Images.

CHALLENGE #36...WHITE..

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE...

Background from Wikimedia

Vintage Girl & Roses from Google Images.

CHALLENGE #59...NO WAY OUT...

THE COLLECTOR...

All components from Google Images.

CHALLENGE #41...MIST...

ALONE TOGETHER...

All layers my own photography.

CHALLENGE #12...GOLD...

ALL THAT GLITTERS...

Wikimedia...Coins & gold brocade quilt

Google Images...Burial mask, girl in hat, sunset landscape & Compass.

CHALLENGE #100...SECRETS...

 REVELATION...
All components are from Wikimedia...with exception of small gargoyle from Google Images and the rainbow is my own photograph.

CHALLENGE #32...NIGHT...

NIGHT MAGIC...

Google Images...Night sky, lace, tree, owl & John Waterhouse painting.

IMAGINARY REALISM...

Michael Parks one of my favorite artists in the Imaginary Realism category. His beautiful washed colors and combination of subjects both real and imaginary is always intriguing.

HOME SWEET HOME...

Here are some visually delightful homes painted by Daniel Merriam...one of my favorite artists. These are really great houses but it's a long drop to get to the car.

Speaking of homes I am going to be moving my creative blog home to my new blog site The Whimsy Asylum...  I will post all my cyber art there. I hope you will all stop by for a peek...and feel free to move right in.

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE...

She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
though in truth we were at sea
so I took her by the looking glass
and forced her to agree

saying, 'You must be the mermaid
who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
that my anger straightway died

If music be the food of love
then laughter is its queen
and likewise if behind is in front
then dirt in truth is clean

My mouth by then like cardboard
seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
and attacked the ocean bed

And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale

MOTHER LOVE...

Mother Love

Some say his sins surpass belief,
Some that he was devoid of sense;
They call him coward, fool and thief
And damn him for his insolence.

But she, employing all the proud
Defenses of her woman’s art,
Preserved him from the hostile crowd
Behind the bulwark of her heart.
by Dorothy Davis

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE...

Here's my latest project...a 40 year old totally dark olive green lamp that I rescued from a truck headed to the dump...I just loved all the detail and curlycue's. So I removed the shade and the top light...reworked the design...completely rewired it and painted it in my usual demented bohemian style...with hearts of course...and tah dah...light for our dark old playroom. I am particularly proud of the electrical work...it even has an off and on switch on the cord and it actually works.

A LETTER FROM PAPA...

I have been reading about the the battle of Waterloo lately and thinking how horrible it is to have someone you love fighting a war far away. It is hard enough having someone in Iraq or Afghanistan...even though you might talk to them everyday. Imagine having a husband, father, son, or other loved one leave for war and not hear from them for weeks or months at a time...not knowing if they are dead or injured and even worse like my distant Grandmother having him not return and never knowing what happened to him.

This is a new natural color version of a picture I've done before...I love that beautiful little face. I combined four other pictures with it to get the portrait of a very worried little girl with a letter from her Papa...an English Officer waiting on the battlefield at Waterloo.

CRY ME A RIVER...

Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you.

This is what happens when you listen to a Diana Krall CD while you paint. Inspiration is everywhere if only there was enough time and enough material to carry out everything one is want to do. Music and lyrics are my favorite source of inspiration...I think because they touch my emotions so profoundly.

HOLD BACK TIME...

Time gallops on day into night...night into day...weeks...months...and years fly by...headlong and heedless despite our hapless attempts to hold back time in it's mad rush to eternity.

DEFYING GRAVITY...

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by
The rules of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes
And leap...

It's time to try defying gravity
I think I'll try defying gravity
And you can't pull me down
~

Lyrics from the Broadway show "Wicked"

DRAGONFLY DREAMS...

Is it only we foolish humans that look at others and wish to be something we are not...Do you think dragonflies dream of being butterflies...or maybe it's the other way around. Who's to say the butterfly hasn't always wanted transparent wings.

DEAD THOUGH FATED NOT TO DIE...

This is my bloodless ode to Vampires everywhere. I have to admit to falling prey to the Twilight book series. But generally I am not attracted to the little blood suckers...I think they're kind of a pain in the neck...and I've never wanted to live forever anyway.

THE WEB OF LIFE...

I just had to make something with this marvelous spiderweb. Spiderwebs are awesome little pieces of architecture...so delicate and beautiful. There are so many amazing things in the world butterfly wings...spiderwebs...fire...water...life.

A LITTLE MORE OF ME...

You have seen these all before I just want them posted on my art blog.

HOW GREAT THOU ART...

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

~

Amen.

MY GYPSY DREAMS...

A while ago I was watching the movie "The Man Who Cried" when Johnny Depp rode into the scene on a Gypsy Vanner Horse it was love at first sight...the most beautiful horse I have ever seen...and Johnny Depp wasn't bad either. But since I don't want the care of a horse especially one who requires more hair care then myself...I decided to own him in a creative way. He fits right in with all the romance and gaiety that is legend in dreams of being a Gypsy. I fear that like Gypsies...Vanner horses are best left that way too...in my dreams.

GLITTER IN THE AIR...

I get a lot of inspiration from lyrics of songs and poems. These particular lyrics are from the song by Pink called "Glitter in the Air". It is a song that could have many different meanings...one of them struck a chord with me.

CELESTIAL NIGHT DISPLAY...

So after creating this Altered Art piece I was inspired to think about a great future job for myself...

The job I want in the next life "Celestial Night Display Manager"...don't you think the stars would look much better in decorative groupings rather the spread out willy nilly all over the place. And the moon I definitely think we need one more moon...no two more...things display better in three's. Yes three moons one in each phase...full...half and crescent. Plus Northern Lights and comets for everyone...and more planets with rings...very cool LOL.

INTERIORS...

"Interiors" a favorite poem by Dorothy Parker inspired the piece of Altered Art. I have long been a fan of Parker's acerbic wit and often naughty humor...she was a very gifted though troubled woman.

FITTING IN...

This is my latest Photoshop altered art it is called Fitting In... It expresses a way I have always felt in my life...as far back as I can remember. I suppose we all feel this way once in awhile...like not knowing the steps to the dance everyone else is doing...or life from the outside looking in.

~
The original picture is not mine but I was unable to find out the artist to give him credit.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST...

These are just a few of the myriad of illustrations inspired by one of my favorite tales "Beauty and the Beast". It was first printed as a traditional French fairytale "La Belle et la Bête" by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, in 1740. The story became very popular and has been re-printed, illustrated and retold in many forms throughout the years. I think it is interesting to see the different persona's the beast takes in the hands of each artist. I personally prefer a warm and fuzzy beast myself... and more lioness or kanine then porcine please. What do you look for in a beast?

LET FREEDOM RING...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

to our wonderful nation...

and best wishes to everyone for a safe and fabulous

Forth of July!!!