Transformation

I'm sure some of you can relate to this...struggling at something but never quite reaching your goal.   Maybe you decide to work harder, but you only manage to make yourself busier and even more unhappy.  These past few months have been a transformational journey for me.  I have been struggling in the art world, as many artists do, and I am now ready to accept change.

I no longer wish to compete with the many talented artists out there, its a huge disservice to myself and to other artists.  I want to break the mold and to branch out and to let go of this "starving artist" mentality.  I am currently enrolled in an intensive course to help me uncover what I truly want to contribute...because its not just about having a nice piece of artwork on your wall, is it?  Its how the art makes you feel and the energy it brings into your space.

So I as I am on this journey of learning and rediscovering my path.  I will be taking a short break after my next event.

I hope that you can make it to the 9th Annual Local Yokel Yuletide Art and Fine Craft Sale this Saturday at Paradigm Cafe.

Have a wonderful Holiday season!

On the Edge, prints available here.

Confession

I have a confession to make.  Just a few weeks ago I was ready to end my adventure as a working artist.  Funds were running low,  I was spending weekends away from kids, and as much as I love creating I could no longer justify the sacrifices I was making.  But then something happened, I won best of show in 2-D at Monument Square Art Festival!  Somehow I always find the support I need when I put my art into the world, and this really gave me the boost I needed to keep going.

I am especially motivated by the series I am currently working on.  Each piece is created on a 12"x 12" wood panel.  New materials can be exciting, and I especially love watching the inks soak into the wood and allowing them to flow.  The process feels natural to me and I have been very pleased with the results.  I hope you enjoy this preview of my new works.

New Work

I am looking forward to my trip to Madison tomorrow for Hibernation Liberation. Here are some of my newest miniature paintings that I will be bringing along.

I continue to create mixed media works on paper, this is on of my most recent pieces.  I've been playing around with different color combinations and shapes.  Soft and delicate plant shapes keep popping up in my work.  My favorite part about this type of experimentation is the evolution of my technique as I learn new ways of using materials to create the effects I want to achieve.  This one is now complete.  I look forward to framing it in one of my husband's handmade frames.

Inside My Journal

. . .

A weekly update dedicated to revealing the pages of my journal.

. . .

Set Sail...

Bringing you inspiration today.  Feel free to share with someone you wish to inspire!

Little Dress Diorama - Pay What You Wish Opportunity

This month I am offering this sweet little diorama as a "Pay What You Wish" opportunity. It is difficult for me to put a price on something I make, so much of my time and care goes into each piece. This allows anyone, no matter what their budget is, to purchase an original work of art. I believe that people are generous and like to support artists and craftspeople when given the opportunity.

I would like to provide a work of art to the person who could benefit from it the most. This small box features a hand embroidered dress on 80 to 100 year old antique heirloom linen. I construct the little box, then add layers of paper and recycled tea bag paper to cover it.  I then paint it using acrylic paint and seal it in a matte medium.  It measures approximately 3" by 3 1/2" by 1 3/4". This took approximately 4 hours to make.  I have another box, similar to this one, available for $50 here.

Here is how it works:
-Send an e-mail to naturescorridor@hotmail.com . Tell me why you want it or what you like about it.

-What price you would like to pay for it.  I am requiring a minimum of $5 for U.S. customers, and $9 for international customers to cover fees and shipping cost.  Please keep this in mind when determining the price.

-Please respond by Sunday March, 15th.

If more than one person is interested in this work of art I will choose based on who I think will benefit from it the most, not the price you will pay.

Please share with anyone you think might be interested!

Studio Sunday

. . .

A monthly update, dedicated to to showing you my process, sneak peeks inside my studio, and previews of works in progress turned into finished products.

. . .

I've made these little boxes in the past, you may remember this one, or this one.  I wanted to put a new spin on an old idea.  Rather than using paper and paint, I cut out small pieces of heirloom fabric to create these little dresses, then embroidered each one with a unique design.  They are the feature of my dioramas and will hang from a delicate bit of thread.  These are a smaller version of the larger ones I am planning to create.  With help from my husband, I would like to construct a few wood boxes that would be the frame for the dioramas.  I will have one of these small boxes available as a "Pay What You Wish" opportunity, details soon.

As you can see, I am dreaming of spring.  The below freezing temperatures are starting to get to me.  Maybe this way I can bring a little warmth inside.  The other day I pulled out a small canvas and created a very simple still life.  I enjoyed the process of creating texture on this simple painting.  It reminds me of the cold sunny days, when the almost blinding sunlight shines into our home, providing some warmth.

Hold

It must be the medium choice, gouache, that led me to this more illustrative look in my most recent paintings.  I do not at all consider myself and illustrator.  In fact, quite the opposite.  I really enjoy a more expressionistic approach to my work, but I am enjoying the simplicity of this painting.  I needed her arms to be the focus they are round and nurturing.

I am also excited to announce the opening of my new, independent store front.  I am slowly building up inventory, feel free to take a look!

www.nicolelilyquist.com

"Hold" - Available in my Shop.

Stitches, Stitches

I had only one goal here, to cover the entire piece with tiny, very primitive stitches.  This is one of those projects that I made for my own pleasure, with no consideration of the amount of time I would put into it.  I really just wanted to dive into one large project and experience the process. 

I am inspired by antique textiles, often the ones you find in museums or old hand stitched quilts.  This is also little reminiscent of the time I spent in England.  I feel especially sentimental about this piece.

Available in my Etsy shop.

Available in my Etsy shop.

Studio Sunday

. . .

A monthly update, dedicated to to showing you my process, sneak peeks inside my studio, and previews of works in progress turned into finished products.

. . .

Work in progress, still life.

Available in my Etsy shop.

My hanging sachets were my best selling item last year, so i am restocked, this time with lavender filled sachets.  The designs are simple and feature hand painted designs.  I have combined acrylic paint with textile medium to create these.  Along with a new medium comes many new ideas, too many to keep up with.  How do I turn off the creativity switch?

Staying Inside

Portraits and still life paintings have taken over my studio recently.  New lavender sachets, like miniature art pieces, provide a welcoming scent, reminding me that the cold months will not last forever!

I would like to share with you today one of my recent works.  The cold months are here, and I find that most of my time is spent indoors.  Not only does this effect how I work, but my subject matter as well.  With this particular painting my goal was to capture the warmth our home provides.  I chose a neutral color palette to bring in the sun's warmth.

Available in my Etsy shop

Butterfly Garden

I had to use the mica flakes, I could not resist. And I just love how this one sparkles!

Available to purchase here.

Hey Diddle Diddle

This was a very daring project for me. When I on the layer of India ink, I became nervous. I had to remind myself that it could be wiped away with some rubbing alcohol. I am so happy I did not skip this step! Putting the coat of red on the wood base was a little out of my comfort zone too. But, I must say, I love the results!

A Little Nostalgia

A couple months ago I was paging through some old books my mom wanted to toss out and I found the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle". I thought it would look beautiful in our baby's nursery. So I scanned it in and made a copy. But the image seemed too dull for the nursery and I set it aside.

So, the other day, I was paging through the January/February 2010 issue of Somerset Studio and I came across a beautiful work of art by Karen Michel. The colors of this particular piece were so vibrant and I fell in love with its rustic quality. I went back to my vintage book page of "Hey Diddle Diddle" and knew it would be perfect for this project. I have just completed all of the mini wood collages and I will be gluing them down soon! I can't wait to see the results.

Still Life Flowers

Last night was my last class. I was able to finish my painting. In the end, I added a few splashes of paint to the flowers, made a yellow wash for the background, then a blue-green wash for the table. It added some warmth to the paintings dull brown background. And I love the contrast of the blue and the yellow. With my next work of art I will be experimenting with a different technique and some bright colors. Cadmium red and yellow ochre, such a wonderful color combination!

An Artist's Story

This was somewhat of a challenge. I needed to keep this piece interesting without going overboard. My subject was important in this one. The story was simple and I did not want to overwhelm the viewer. Sometimes a work of art speaks to you and tells you when it is finished, sometimes you have to decide when to stop.

Available to purchase here.

Fitting the Pieces Together

My current project has a few small surprises. The letters measure just over an inch. They were inspired by this blog post. Each one has been coffee stained and aged with ink. Slowly everything in this shadow box is coming together.

Spring Memories

A soft white glow from a spring morning...

Available to purchase here.

In Her Garden

I was feeling restricted with art on canvas. I needed something a little more three dimensional. I constructed a small box out of the backing of a watercolor pad. Then I added all the tiny details you see here! This piece was an experiment, so it is available in my shop at a special price.

Art Class Still Life

This is my still life from art class. So far I have created a collaged background and lightly sketched in the flowers and vase with pencil and artist crayons. I am so afraid of adding more, I don't want to loose too much of my background!