new project in the works

I belong to a challenge group called Fast Friday Fabric Challenge, which I think I've mentioned before. Each month on the last Friday a challenge is issued and we have until the following Saturday to complete a piece, although this isn't written in stone and you can submit yours late if you have to.

This month's guest hostess is Janice Paine Dawes and the challenge she presented us with is to use curvilinear perspective to create an art quilt by your favorite technique.

As often happens when the challenges are posted I am pretty much clueless on this method...lol But I just look at things online until it begins to sink in. Occasionally it never does, but I just do what feels right.

This time is one of the "I'm not sure" challenges, but I have come up with an idea which I may or may not use.

Basically I took a photo of some M&M's and then manipulated it in my photo editing program to come up with what I am hoping to recreate and use for my quilt.

Here is the original photo and the 2 manipulated ones:

While I'm not sure if this fits the challenge theme, I really like both of the new versions of M&M's but have pretty much decided to attempt the last one. I say attempt because I'm not sure if I can do it! I'm envisioning it much bigger than my usual 8x10" or even 16x20" size, in fact I'm thinking at least 32x40" if not bigger. Wouldn't that make a fabulous piece of wall art?

So wish me luck and I'll let you know how it turns out, although I certainly don't expect it to be anywhere close to being done by next Saturday!

Portraits

I have been doing more work with portraits lately. Honing my skills at them since this is the direction that my heart and camera have decided to take me on this stage of my art growth. Working towards making portraiture my career.
I still take photos of other things, like flowers, landscapes and animals, especially since right now I don't have many willing human models. But practice is practice right?
So here are just a few shots of the many that I have taken over the past few months, so this post is pretty heavy on the photos :-)
First up...my son...

 Next ....my grandson...

 The rest are pretty self explanatory :-D

And finally,,the front and back of the postcard I have been working on to use when I am ready to begin marketing my fledgling business...what do you think?

Calla Lily

Digitally altered photo of a lily, made the background less obtrusive and added the HDR effect. Now for sale at REDBUBBLE

Yellow Iris I

Continuing with my Iris series, this one is also available for sale on REDBUBBLE

One Iris Plus Three

While we're talking about the lovely Iris...here is another from today, in the style of Warhol obviously, but I think in way that is more calming, that could just be me though.
Anyhow, this is also for sale on Redbubble

Iris !

Originally a photo of an iris with a busy background,,edited using picnik, removed background, turned it into a pencil sketch and then posterized it. Finally added borders and a frame.
Now available for sale on REDBUBBLE

Hidden Iris

I recently started doing the weekly challenges for the "2 Things Challenge" blog. This is my second entry and so far I am really enjoying it. This week's theme is hidden/brilliant, and this is my entry.

Took this shot this morning of one brilliant yellow Iris hidden away in the tall grass of a neighbor's yard, and thought it fit the challenge perfectly. Hope you enjoy it.