Mixed Media work in progress

I am working on these 4" x 4" mixed media pieces at the moment. They are evolving slowly and may end up looking a bit different when I am finished. I am enjoying just playing with how bits and pieces from around the studio change the look of the pieces. I am using sumptious strips of silk from silk rod carriers from Oliver Twist. I really love the dramatic colours of the silks. I am also trying to incorporate lace and linen from my considerable stash of antique linens that my Mum, Granny and Great Auntie Nancy left me. Much of this linen is no longer suitable for use today or damaged and worn. I feel a need to honour it by using it in artwork rather than leaving to languish unseen in my hot press (airing cupboard) I hope to use more of it in the future.

As before, I have used affirming/inspiring words on watercolour paintings and framed these with glass tiles.

The background canvases are painted in acrylic and on some I have added some angelina fibers.

A few watercolors for you to look at.

Here is a small selection of my watercolors, some of which are available to buy at Aisling Kiernan . etsy. com

Reap What You Sow!

This series of paintings is about the effort we put into life directly equating what we get out of life. I wrote an article about each individual painting which is available on my other blog, What a Beautiful World We live in . blogspot. com

New Year's Day Necklace

Another little piece of jewelry.

This was created with a piece of Coral that I found 2 years ago on New Year's Day on the Coral Strand in Connemara, Co. Galway. We had gone away for New Year with another lovely family, the Shaws, and while walking on the beach in the freezing cold early on New Year's Day we picked up shells and coral which wash up there. It is such a beautiful place. There is no sand, just crushed coral and shells washed up by the Atlantic Ocean. The taste of salty spray in the air is so invigorating. Oh, and the Peace of the place would set you up for the year.

We had the beach to ourselves except for one brave lady who was swimming in the clear fresh water. She emerged from the waves and calmly walked up the beach on this very blustery day to gather up her towel, before giving us a cheery hello and proceed barefoot across a field to a nearby house. I do hope she had a roaring fire to welcome her when she got in.

Connemara is one of my most favorite places on this earth. I think it might just be my spiritual home. Perhaps I will retire there.

Inspiration Pendants

This is one on the pendants which inspired the mixed media pictures Joy and Peace. This one is strung on a simple silver 18" chain. It was made with some watercolor painted paper, a special word and attached to a glass tile and finished with a bail and some diamond glaze.

Peace

The very first of a new series of artworks combining my love of painting and jewelry making.
I had such a great time playing with the different elements in this piece. I started with a pendant that I made from watercolor painted paper and an inspiring word which I attached to a glass tile and finished with diamond glaze. I have some more of these pendants which I hope to put into my etsy shop this week. Then I painted some silk fabric and some canvas and embellished it with silver relief and angelica fibers and crystals and bits of ephemera from around the studio.
I will definietly be doing more of these and hope that the viewer gets even an inkling of the Peace I felt when creating it.

Joy

This picture was created using fabric painting, beading, embellishment, and watercolor painting and inspiration! I had so much enJoyment in making it. I was in the Zone. This was one of the first of a new series, which was displayed in November at the Mullingar Art Guild Annual Art Exhibition. Over the coming weeks I hope to create some more similar works which will be for sale in my Etsy shop. I am trying to remember how to link it to my blog. Probably wont manage it for this Post!!!
I was a little disappointed at how the photo of this work turned out. Another skill which I will be trying to improve in 2011.!