Signs Of The Zodiac

is the theme of a challenge that is currently running on Etsy amongst a group of ACEO artists. You can find our conversations here, if you're interested. I'm not sure quite how the conversation turned to star signs, but suddenly a challenge was born.

If you haven't already guessed, I'm a Gemini (talk too much, artistic, excitable, changeable...), and here is the card I made to celebrate that fact! Just about to pop it into Etsy
along with another card, 'Why Don't You Write?'. Simon and Garfunkel fans will recognise a song in there... See what you think!

Need A Little Inspiration?

Meet Millie The Muse! I have been making totem dolls for several years now, but Chauncey, one of my BBEST friends on Etsy, said that she thought they ought to be called muse dolls, because she thought that that was exactly what they were! And everyone who has one, has said that they keep it in their workspace within view, so I thought I would make a Muse Doll or two, just for fun. You can find her for sale here, if you feel you can't live without her!

Tidying Up.

I know, it's not like me, but I feel the need for a little spring cleaning in my shop. So, I've decided that the paintings section is going to close, given that I have another shop, purelypainting, where my paintings are supposed to live! Others, though, I've reduced in price by at least half, like this one here, Winter Dreaming Spring, an encaustic painting. So feel free to drop in here for a look at what's on offer!

Another thing tidied away is my Dawanda shop; I felt that it wasn't for me. But I'm still lurking on etsy and mintd...and having fun!

Two New Totem Dolls....

are appearing in the artmixter shop today. The first is 'Ash', and she represents the stability of trees, despite the fact that they change constantly. A good totem for anyone who feels that change is sweeping them away. The second is 'Dreamer'. She looks as if she is in a world of her own, dressed in floaty, dreamy clothes (silk and satin). Need to take some time out to dream? Dreamer would be your ideal totem. Check them out in more detail here

New Work...

small in size, but big on colour! Both of these pieces, Facing and Jungle Patterns, will feature in our upcoming book on lutradur. Both feature the same original linocut, have similar colours, but seem to me at least to be completely different in feel and look. See what you think!
ps and yes, both are on etsy...

When The Going Gets Tough...

the tough make art! This is Dragon, another of those pieces that have seriously complex cloth. In her case (she looks like a she, doesn't she?), I took orange commercial plain fabric, discharged and dye painted it, cut it up, reassembled it, and painted it with acrylic paints. I then quilted it and added a further layer of paint and dye crayon. And then, of course, I photographed her and added her to etsy ! See what you think; click the etsy link in the text to see some detail shots.

Decisions, Decisions...

I've been thinking about Etsy, and what I make and sell, and finally realised that it's all Just A Bit Much. So, rather than spread myself thin, I've decided to turn my artmixter shop into a place where there is only textile art, and purelypainting into exactly that, anything with paint on it (other than textiles...). And I've also decided not to list any more mixed media, like this piece here... I've never really felt comfortable with collage, somehow making work like this is just not me... and I'm not even sure why that is. So I've decided to keep it for fun, and the occasional ACEO (with paint on, so that it qualifies for purelypainting!), and to close the mixed media section.

This is a very longwinded way of telling you about a half price (and sometimes more) SALE on the artmixter shop (click on the capitalised sale to go straight to the section). Help me make space for more textiles in the shop! And at home, of course!