Category Archives: Mixed Media

International Soul Art Day 2018

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Growth, Soul Art 2018, cropped. 12 x 16 in. mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

Body map. 2018 Sheila Delgado.

Body map detail #1

Body map detail #2

Body map detail #3

May 23rd was a recovery day for me. After days of constant busy and little rest. I missed the live Soul Art group events, but was so thankful to watch them late in the day. I completed the worksheets, glanced at the Facebook group postings, and started my Soul Art journey.

I began with the body map. Watercolor and pencil. The largest sheet of paper I had, 12 x 16. Scribbled Neocolors, activated with water. Working quickly. Listening to songs and stories of the event leaders. I buried the body map with soft ivory acrylic. While it was wet, I scratched and scribbled into the paint. The texture remains visible in the final piece.

I poured colors into a butchers tray, started to cover the white with patches of blues, and desert earth tones. Clay and sand. When I added the green, instead of abstract patches, leaves began to form. Laura Hollick is the host of this annual event. This year, over 12,000 creatives took part.

Every garden presents innumerable fascinating problems.
Winston Churchill

It was not in my mind to create a scene. The questions and answers prompted by the worksheets are, not surprisingly, clear to me here. Focus on growth. My artistic growth.

A garden must combine the poetic and the mysterious
with a feeling of serenity and joy.
Luis Barragan

Every grain of experience
is food for the greedy
growing soul of the artist.
Anthony Burgess

Growth, Soul Art 2018. 12 x 16 in. mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

Look at the earth crowded with growth, new and old
bursting from their strong roots hidden in the silent, live ground, each seed according to its own kind… each one knowing what to do, each one demanding its own rights on the earth…
So, artist, you too from the deeps of your soul…
let your roots creep forth, gaining strength.
Emily Carr

Click the images below or links for more.

Soul Art 2013. Acrylic on paper. Sheila Delgado

Soul Art 2013

Soul Art 2015. 9 x 12 watercolor on paper. © Sheila Delgado 2015

Soul Art 2015

Soul Art 2016, watercolor, oil pastel on Yupo.

Soul Art 2016

Soul Art 2017

#100DaysOf Mingus – #26 And #27

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Mingus Day #26. 5.25 x 12 in. Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

I flubbed up big time. I felt discombobulated all day, and finally I figured it out. I forgot to post one of my completed paintings. So, I had to go through my files, and re-number everything. Well, not everything. The last five paintings. But I had to do it three times. I keep a Scan folder, a 150 ppi folder, and a WEB folder for my images.

Can’t tell you how good it felt to realize I was not losing my mind. And that I have not forgotten how to count to thirty. Made up for a day of thinking I was more behind than I am.

And this post was ready Wednesday morning. But I am just now hitting publish at midnight.

I am not really happy with either of these. Above, you can see the sky has “ghost” cloud shapes. My first attempt failed, so I painted a wash over the entire sky, and then lifted out some clouds using tissue. I had to some editing, as there were grains of color that did not dissolve, leaving dark streaks in areas. I used white gouache in the clouds to brighten them as well. Not happy with the blooms on Mingus, but that is the way the ball rolls.

Mingus Day #27. 5.25 x 12 in. Mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

Day 27 was part of a threesome that includes day 20 and day 21. There was tons of texture in the first layers. A mix of watercolor and acrylics. I added transparent layers. Still, somehow, I ended up completely losing texture, and along with it, any interest or depth. But I am calling it done.

After the 100 is complete, I can always come back to it, and see if anything can bring it to life. Still, strangely, NOT discouraged or losing steam. Ready to dive back in.

Here is a look back at the other two.

Mingus Day #20, revised. 5.25 x 12 in. mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

Mingus Day #21. 5.25 x 12 in. Mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.

See you soon!

#100DaysOfMingus Gallery

A Year In The Life Of Mingus

Postcard Plentitude

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Getting ‘er done. Cringing a bit while I post this. But moving on.

L.Y.A. Sides

Dancing Clothes, Louise Mamet, Saint Cyr sur Loire, France

Louise Mamet is a long time L.Y.A. friend. Louise has such a gift, and shares it with us through her photographs. I look forward to receiving her card each year. I fell in love with this image the first time I saw it on the L.Y.A. group page. Check out her site for more. On the back, this wonderful quote:

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten
that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa

Christine Brooks, Flagstaff, AZ

Christine couldn’t resist, she sent me another of her wonderful bird postcards. Nice one right!? I love it! Looks great with my sea shells. It’s obvious we share a love of the sea. Take a look at her Facebook page for more of her awesome work.

Cathy Hubmann, Little Rock Arkansas

Cathy Hubmann sent this hope filled card. Wonderful in its simplicity. You can see more of her wonderful photography by clicking the link. I love this quote by Emily Dickinson:

Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul –
and sings the tunes without the words –
and never stops at all.

Chandra Lynn, Birmingham, Alabama

Chandra sent this gorgeous oversized card. It brought back memories of Loveland lake in Colorado. Hanging out with friends, and watching fireworks. My high school was right next to the lake. It was a part of daily life.
Chandra’s blog is always inspirational. If you aren’t already following her, take a look.

Dave Wolanski, Dover Delaware.

Dave surprised me with this funny photo. A test image on card stock. Can you read the last line? It looks to me like it may have been on the wall first. Follow Dave on Instagram for a daily dose of his thought provoking work.

Art is
what you
see, feel
and do
and shit.

Trang Kang, Sachse, Texas

Trang is like a ray of sun, after a stormy day. Her sweet art is a true reflection of her gentle spirit. Trang not only sent this delicate pen and watercolor postcard, she also included a tiny masterpiece, recycled from a gallery postcard I believe. Take a look below, and take a look at her Facebook page for more. Isn’t it pretty?

Lisa Compberry, La Porte, Texas

Lisa is always a favorite swap. I have probably said that about each of these today. But it is so true. Lisa posts wonderful views of her neck of the woods. Sunsets, sunrise. For a soothing dose of restful, take a look at her site, or follow her on Instagram. Lisa included this wonderful quote on the back:

There is only one happiness in life,
to love and be loved.

During the L.Y.A. Blog Hop, Kat Sloma gave away several prizes. I was blessed to receive a copy of her book, Art with an iPhone. I flipped though it as soon as it arrived, and quickly got caught up in reading through several of the techniques. Kat always creates interesting and intriguing works of art for her postcard contribution. Reading the book is a chance to know how her artistic images are created. You can peek inside on Amazon.

Thanks Kat for the blessing of your book! Thanks for bringing so many talented people together. For providing us the opportunity to share our creativity with others.

Thank you to the L.Y.A. artists and photographers who have shared their amazing talents and vision with me. I am so blessed, and so happy to have your works in my L,Y.A. collection!