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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

split personality

First and foremost a great thanks to a fabulous artist I'm sure you all know, Silvina Day, for sending in photos of her present for the Present and Accounted For project!  Silvina's present is the first present to be mailed out, the #1! :)  And her three photos perfectly embody the spirit of this project!!!  Please check them out.  Thank you so much Silvina!

So, I'm guessing that most of you are doing what I am; scrambling around trying to get those last gifts purchased, gathering holiday recipes...



... shopping for those crazy -why-did-I-decide-to-make-a-dish-that-calls-for-lingonberry-preserves-and-what-the-heck-IS-a-lingonberry-anyway!-  ingredients :)

I was super hopeful that THIS would be the year that I would finally send out Christmas cards since moving four and half years ago, but that is not going to happen...


... since I'm still trying to find a way to get my pumpkins, which are completely and utterly frozen TO my front porch, off my front porch, so I can put more appropriate holiday decor out there!

Before the crazies of the holidays started, I began a larger painting (18x36) of this multi-bow combo with the idea being 'girl power.'

the set up

the sketch
digital sketch to check basic color patterns before painting.

(I'm not trying to plug a product...iphone iphone iphone... but I don't know how I managed without my phone apps that let me do quick sketches, learn Italian, check the weather, be TOLD where best to eat, all while listening to Christmas carols)

beginning of painting.

I started applying paint in what I see as the super juicy spots first.  The very glowing red areas which exist in the inside of the largest pink bow.  I will continue to modify and exaggerate these colors as I go, but this initial pass will give me a anchor to judge my other pinks. 

There is something about the over the top feminine pink, yet super strong tower of bows that really excites me about this painting!  And I'm hopeful that 2011 will bring me the time and energy to get back to this again, but I just haven't been able to jump into the mind frame I need for this painting lately, so I have two easels going and this 12x12 is now in progress.

here is the set up

Start of painting.

Even though I wrapped this present with the idea of an angel, looking at the presents on their respective easels I see something else - myself split....


... one minute feeling like a strong woman ready to take on the world - and the next ... a tiny, lost, almost invisible soul.  Or maybe I'm letting my imagination get the best of me.... or maybe it's those dang Lingonberries!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

13 comments:

kayce hughes said...

I adore your artwork and share your sentiments. I hope that you enjoy your holiday!

Anonymous said...

Karen, sweetie, put down the iphone and step away. I make the cabbage & apple recipe every winter without lingonberries.

chop and saute the following ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter
1 lg onion
2 cloves garlic
1 head red cabbage
2 granny smith apples

If you must get lingonberry preserves, strangely, Ikea sells it. Yes, sofas, lamps and lingonberry preserves. Go figure.

I'm very excited to see Girl Power and the silvery angel present in 2011. Good way to start off the year!!

Karen Appleton said...

Thank you so much Kayce! I'm so happy to have you visit my blog! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday too!

Silvina! You are cracking me up!! Yes, yes, put down the iphone, but no...NO... I...I ..... I ... CAN'T!! :)

hey can I make this cabbage dish a day ahead? My recipe I don't think calls for the ingredients to be cooked??? Your sounds better! :)

Anonymous said...

Not strange that IKEA sells lingonberries - it's a Swedish store, and lingonberries are Swedish (as, I'm guessing, is your recipe). (And as am I, mostly.) They're a bit tart, not sweet at all.
Wishing you a merry - and artful - Christmas,
Karen I.

Anonymous said...

P.S. By way of further explanation - IKEA is sort of a go-to place for a lot of things Swedish for Swedish Americans....
Loving Girl Power,
Karen I.

Kathy Cousart said...

Karen,
The present and accounted for project is wonderful- creative and inspiring and connection for all.
I love your split personality post. I think we all feel like that at times. The girl power bow painting is amazing! Love the strong colors and the tower of power:)Then the "Angel"present is very soft and subtle and elegant.
Hope you had a marvelous Christmas. I really enjoyed your blog!

Karen Appleton said...

Hi Karen I,
The non sweetness of the lingonberry certainly would explain why my recipe ended up wayyy too sweet, as I substituted with raspberry preserves! :) Dang! At least now I know, and my my next IKEA trip I will stock up! :) Thanks for the info!!

Hi Kathy,
That is so sweet of you! Thank you so much for your compliments and for visiting my blog!!

carol morgan carmichael said...

Can't get enough of you beautiful work and your funny commentary too. I love that your pumpkins are frozen under the snow.
Wishing you all the best in 2011. Can't wait to check in on the progress of these two lovelys.

Anonymous said...

awesome blog, do you have twitter or facebook? i will bookmark this page thanks. lina holzbauer

Karen Appleton said...

Thank you Carol, as a southerner too, you can understand my disbelief over the pumpkin situation! :) How was I to know that ice acts like cement! :) Thank you for your wishes, and the best to you as well!

Thank you Lina! I do have a facebook page, but not twittering yet :) I am so happy you discovered my blog, thank you for dropping by!

weekend et coup de brosse said...

J'aime beaucoup votre travail !

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Oh Karen, I love this painting and the beautiful sketch you did.
I have so far not had internet (deliberately) on my phone but AT&T is offering a $50 IPhone Type phone and $15 a month internet service so I might cave. I already spend more time than I should online so do I really need to be able to check my email all day? Don't answer that!
These paintings are comng along beautifully.
{{{{Karen}}}}}****
I am thinking of you...often

Anonymous said...

looks great so far...the ribbons pop off the canvas.
I need a light stand like that