Friday 26 August 2011

Paint Party Friday

Hi everybody, good morning from Kaiserswerth! The sun is shining, and it's Friday again, which means it's time for PPF hosted by Eva and Kristin.

I had a lovely day with my friend B yesterday, scrapping, painting, chatting, eating - you name it, we did it! We started off with a lovely breakfast with fresh rolls and croissants and coffee, and then did some *work*. For lunch we had ice cream and a glass of bubbly, did some more *work* in the afternoon, and B made a great Paella for supper. We talked a lot, too, B is someone you can talk to about everything, and so it was a very enjoyable day.

I have 2 pieces to share with you today; an altered canvas that I have been working on all week on and off, and a piece I made yesterday for paint party Friday. I am entering the canvas into the TIOT *Wild card* challenge, which has to be something you can hang up. For the canvas I have used pictures of Erika, a lady I cared for for several years, and who was also a distant relation. I have used photos from her childhood and youth. She was born and brought up in Germany, had to flee with her family in 1938, lived for many years in Uruguay and Israel, and came back here as an elderly lady. She died 4 years ago. She must have been very spoilt as a kid, but had a lot of hard times later, and was sometimes one very difficult old lady, determined to have her own way, and always with long, painted finger-nails, nicely dressed, and in general had the ambition to be the prettiest gal in the room, even when over 90! I have also used some pieces of documents belonging to her. The middle picture is a gel transfer, applied to a gessoed paper background. The other photos are prints applied with mod-podge.




The piece I made yesterday for PPF is a bit different to what I usually make, just felt like doing something different. I scrunched up some tissue paper, and stuck it with gesso onto a sheet of water-colour paper, then gave it another coat of gesso after forming the paper a bit with my fingers. After it had dried, I painted the eye onto another piece of tissue, and fixed it with mod-podge. In the centre of the eye is a tiny heart, and I have used a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's *Little Prince* - *It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye*. Finally I distressed some of the raised parts with some Inca gold in gunmetal grey. I'm not sure if I am going to leave it like this or do something else with it; time will tell!





So, once again I have rambled on and made the post longer than I intended! Have a good day you all, take care and thanks for visiting; your comments and visits are very much appreciated!



43 comments:

  1. I love the canvass Valerie, a paper doilie has never been used so well ;0) lovely images too.

    I know what you mean about wondering to leave the 2nd piece as is or add something. I think I would have to add something but some people are brave enough just to leave that space there and it works for them ;0)

    Sounds like a great day with B let me know i'll fly over next time lol sounds like you had a super day

    Love Dawn xx

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  2. Love the tissue paper painting. I am a huge fan of excessive texture!

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  3. Two great pieces. I love the collage and how vintage it looks with all the old photographs. The tissue paper is wonderful - I love the texture and the simple eye design looks great.

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  4. I love tissue paper background. Isn't the texture wonderful?! :) Great stuff!

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  5. Love what you've done with the tissue paper and the collage is wonderful.
    Have a great weekend Valerie.
    Hugs xx
    p.s. Your day with B sounds perfect. :)

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  6. A day spent with a good friend - what could be more perfect! Gorgeous collage Valerie, she does look a spoilt child but she grew into a good looking woman. Like your eye pic, the textured tissue is quite mesmerizing. Have a lovely day, Suze xx

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  7. Hi Val, love your white tissue picture and the canvas with Erika is lovely, I remember her well! Hugs, Sarah

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  8. I enjoyed reading about Erika, your art does her justice.

    Sounds like you had a lovely day yesterday... I like the sound of champagne and ice cream for lunch!!!!

    ps sorry I upset you mentioning .... you know..... what we won't mention for at least another 3 months!!!!

    Karenx

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  9. What a wonderful canvas,its so great to have a try at different techniques and this worked so well, thanks for sharing it with us at TioT, luv Georginax

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  10. Hi Valerie. Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Ice cream and champagne! How the other half live! lol! Love the canvas. Ramble on all you want. Your posts are always a great read.
    Regards Florence x

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  11. Good morning from Mexico. Your canvas is ever so interesting. I'm sure if it could talk, there would be a book attached. Wasn't she a lovely looking woman. Also, love your eye of isis. The texture from scrunching the tissue is great. So happy you had a FUN day yesterday. Important. hugs, Donna

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  12. SOunds like such an enjoyable day with your friend. ice cream and bubbly...I love that. Erika sounds to be like an intersting woman - i like what you did with the art and her photos. love the eye at the bottom of the tissue painting...she's saying " happy PPF" enjoy your day, today. xo

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  13. Wonderfully creative work ~ Love the second one ~ (just my personal thought) ~
    namaste, Carol Happy PPF (Share the Creative Journey)

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  14. Two terrific pieces Valerie and thank you for the story behind it. Enjoy the weekend, Annette x

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  15. Love the texture! Nice work Valerie! :-)

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  16. oh, what fun...love the textural feel of the tissue on the canvas...so many possibilities! Happy PPF

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  17. I personally love it when you ramble, I feel like I'm having a wonderful visit with a lovely friend! And both of these canvases are great, thanks so much for sharing the story of your friend; it was very touching.
    hugs,
    Stephanie

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  18. Interesting about Erika's life.

    Wow, your PPF is amazing and so creative, a real work of art.

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  19. What a great collage. It means so much more that you actually know the woman in photos.

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  20. You just may be the queen of texture! Love it!

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  21. Beautiful work again Valerie. It hasn't stopped raining here for the last two days.
    xxx Hazel.

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  22. What beautiful canvases this week. Both so very different.Thanks for showing us. Have a good weekend. take care, gerri

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  23. Gorgeous collage, Valerie!

    The canvas is beautiful too :)

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  24. Oh wow, I love the collage and the canvas too-such gorgeous colors! Thank you for sharing the technique--it's fabulous!!

    XO
    Cindy

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  25. Lovely collage! I enjoyed your techniques. Happy PPF~

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  26. It definitely sounds like a lovely day you had yesterday - I love your meal choices... ice cream and bubbly for lunch - Fantastic!

    I love the look of tissue paper on canvas... I look forward to hearing whether you leave it or do something else :)

    xo
    Kristin

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  27. I too love your diet especially the bubbly part I can forgo food for it ! Your first piece is very interesting and your Lady sounds like a real character you certainly have done her justice.Your PPF piece is certainly different from your other pieces but I love it and the fab texture you have created. Love your ramblings just as much as your art !

    Marie

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  28. Wonderful pieces! Love the paper on paper technique.

    Sounds like a great live paint party you had with your friend. Fabulous!

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  29. Fantastic creation and perfect for the TioT challenge this week. Thank you for joining us. xx

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  30. I love all the textures on all of your paintings!!! And you have made me very hungrey!!!Yummmmm.

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  31. I really like that collage. And your canvas is very cool.

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  32. This is fantastic!
    I love using tissue paper to create textured backgrounds.
    Isn't it great to play with art! <3
    Take care :]

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  33. These are both lovely pieces Val and such a nice way to remember your friend.

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  34. Thanks for sharing these beautiful pieces!! happy weekend!!

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  35. Beautiful collage Valerie! Thank you for sharing her story with us, it seems like we know her too now! I love the tissue paper and eye too!!!Deb

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  36. wonderful collage of your miss Erika. wow... to live so long.I like that she was a little vain (like many of us ) I hope to always try to be pretty even at a very old age. But I hope to be even prettier on the inside in in my families' hearts.
    I like the second art work just like that no need to add anything the shapes of the texture and the eye with heart are all you need to inspire me to think about it. love it !
    KAT Griffin

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  37. val, what an interesting background. nice. Your day w/ B sounds lovely---i love those friends you can talk about anything with.the best.

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  38. Hi Valerie, I love the pieces of art you create which include photos and family/friends memorabilia. There are stories to be told and I'm sure they bring back memories from years back. I also like your creative methods to create textures and you accomplished another great one with the tissue paper.

    Have a great weekend; I hope your weather is nice.

    Hugs,
    C

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  39. Valerie,
    I bet you didn't know this is one of my faux techniques for texture on walls!
    Sounds like a lovely day of crafting and eating! LOL
    hugs Lynn

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  40. You're right; it's very different - simple and striking and dramatic. The texture is fab-u-lous and the single eye becomes intriguing and mysterious.

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  41. Thank you for taking part in the challenge on 'Try It On Tuesday. This is a lovely vintage idea such a lot of work in it. Hugs Bee on DT for TIOT

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  42. She must have been an interesting woman. This is a wonderful tribute to her.

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  43. Love the tissue paper painting and all that fabulous texture! HAPPY PPF!

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