Cheerful and Colorful Paintings

Cheerful and Colorful Paintings in Oil, Acrylic, Mixed Media and Collage
nancystandlee@sbcglobal.net

Monday, June 28, 2010

Longhorn Collage ~ "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee


"Tumbling Tumbleweeds"
16" x 20" on MDF board Acrylic paper collage

I have so many longhorn photographs since our collaborative painting group, Canvas by Canvas, has painted several longhorns. This particular photo was taken by Connie Michael and I've always thought it a great pose. To get the longhorn's attentions we've yodeled (and we can't yodel), played loud music, brought them snack bars, anything. We'll be driving along and if a longhorn has spectacular horns and is close to a fence, someone will yell, "Photo Op" and out we'll run and hope the chiggers or snakes are sleeping. On my previous posts I've given links to others who paint with paper and I think you would enjoy visiting those links.
Wow, oh, wow, there is paper everywhere and little bitty pieces to boot but I'm not throwing any of them out. I painted most of these papers either in workshops or for a particular project. The background is a map I got of the Cedar Creek area and Gun Barrel City where we rent a lake house and go for a long painting weekend.
I'm giving an art journaling workshop at Dena's Ranch the last of July. One class is filled but there may be room in the 2nd class. Call Dena and see. We will have some fun for sure, painting entries about our daily life in the "Love Your Life" class.

dena@wenmohsranch.com or
call 830 825-3465.


Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

Friday, June 25, 2010

Koi Collage 2 by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

Koi 2
12" x 6" Collage on MDF board

See my post about my first Koi collage painting HERE and the links to some great collage artists. I just had to collage another Koi today after hand painting some papers and then tomorrow get back to planning more activities for the art journaling workshop at Dena's Ranch in July.

Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

dena@wenmohsranch.com or
call 830 825-3465.


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Koi Collage ~ Art Journaling Workshop by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee


"Koi" Collage
6 1/4" x 9 1/2"
Hand painted, stamped. book and magazine papers on watercolor paper

If you have been reading my posts, you know I'm preparing activities to use in an art journaling workshop, "Love Your Life" workshop at Dena's Ranch, 830 825-3465. I thought this might be a good use for all the travel brochures and maps that fill your luggage when you return home. Tear them up and make a unique travel keepsake with any design by pasting bits and pieces. I did use some hand painted and hand stamped papers in this piece. I've taken several outstanding workshops in painted papers and collage. We painted papers in Austin in the Carrie Burns Brown workshop in 2006 and I have her DVD. It's hard to see in this photo but we painted papers and put them out on the patio "rocked" down so they wouldn't blow away and on the grass under the trees. We found a rusty grill, wrapped it with archival tissue paper, poured vinegar on it, waited overnight for the rust to color our papers and got some lovely rusted colored paper. There is a piece of this paper in the koi.
Carrie is in the striped top.
I was a little premature taking this photo as the whole back yard was covered in beautiful painted papers during the week.
I have lots of koi photos taken at our Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth when getting ready for the Cheng-Khee Chee workshop.
Also we used koi photos in the Nicholas Simmons Workshop.
I had signed up for one week with the king of collage, Gerald Brommer, and at the last minute a space opened up for the second week so I took that one also. What a great two weeks painting papers and learning about design.

I've met Ginny Stiles blogging and I see she has signed up for a Bob Burridge workshop but I've learned about a collage artist from her, Elizabeth Nelson, and she does some spectacular pieces. Her DVD is on order. I've love to take one of her workshops and maybe I will.
Through Elizabeth's blog I found another artist, Wanda Edwards, and she had posted a koi. I got down more references today and found this book by Zhen and it's available at Amazon.

There are many ways to make a painted paper collage and everyone has a different technique. I will discuss some of these methods in my workshop and if you're interested in art journaling why don't you join us. I will tape this collage in instead of collaging directing in the journal as I wasn't sure how the paper would accept the acrylic medium.

I heard from Strathmore papers and they are sending me some samples of their new Visual Journal coming out in July. It looks like it will be perfect to paint and collage koi.

Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

dena@wenmohsranch.com or
call 830 825-3465.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Altered Book ~ Vincent Van Gogh: Brush With Genius by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

These two pages were done after our Canvas by Canvas group had a birthday celebration lunch at the Kimbell Museum Buffet this week and then viewed the Vincent Van Gogh: Brush With Genius IMAX movie. In approximately 45 minutes it tells about the months prior to his death. It was breathtaking.
These pages are done in the Woman's Health book I'm altering for an art journaling workshop the last of July at Dena Wenmoh's ranch. See previous posts for more details. This particular journal will be more about women and I thought how women make and keep their friendships and how lonely Vincent was at the end and how he needed some painting friends. After doing some comparing and contrasting, I just wrote Vincent a letter and I've attached it at the bottom. This is one way to make an entry into a journal - write a letter to a real or an imagined person.


I added color and stamps above his "Starry Night" painting, one of his most famous. I drew his grave stone and wrote down his birth and death dates. I collaged my ticket and a label from a delicious chocolate one of the birthday girls had brought us from her cruise. The gold was from the chocolate wrapper and what journal page can't use a little glitz.

His portrait painting was in the newspaper, some more gold, I added the crows and some stamps, and the music I felt was fitting with what I was thinking after a day with friends, That's What Friends Are For." I painted the daffodil because of the line in the song, Starry, Starry Night "Sketch the trees and daffodils" by Don McLean. And if you want to see a You Tube Video of this "Starry, Starry Night" Click HERE. You will not be disappointed.
HERE is another version on Don McLean's site.


These are two pages I've prepared to paste our photograph of the group around the dining table and the other side will hold the letter. I drew a sunflower into the wet paint.

Dear Vincent,

Yesterday, June 15, 2010, 6 good friends and members of the Canvas by Canvas group of collaborative painters, met to celebrate 2 birthdays and you were invited. We saw an afternoon showing of Vincent Van Gogh: Brush With Genius, at the Omni IMAX Dome Theater with a screen 8 stories high and 120' wide. The brushstrokes on your paintings were amazing. We loved hearing and seeing about your last days in Auvers-Sur-Oise. I learned you wrote 900 letters to Theo, your brother. If you were alive today I think you would be a blogger. I write one letter and it 'might' be seen by 900 people, if the "Google spiders" cooperate.

I wish we could have known each other. It sounded like you were very alone at the end of your life. Our painting group could have been your friend. You could have gone to lunch with us like yesterday when we ate at the buffet at the Kimbell and the food was delicious. You would have liked the conversation and fit right in as we don't talk shoes, shopping, makeup or clothes...just art and painting mostly. We tend to get excited and interrupt each other about supplies or a new technique and we get together often and this was for 2 birthday celebrations. One member couldn't come as she was waiting for the pool man and he was late. Another one has moved away but we had 6 to enjoy your movie.

Sometimes we take a painting holiday together and paint for days. You really would like that. We don't do plein air as in Texas plein air means sitting on a sun porch looking outside when it's over 100 degrees but you could and stay out as long as you would like. When you get home, we'd order in pizza and have a group critique of our day's effort. Later maybe we could talk you into giving us a quick sunflower demo over a glass of wine.

I thought about you today when I drew your gravestone in my journal and wrote down your birth and death dates - 37 years old at death. Vincent, that is too young to die and it is 1/2 the number of years I have lived. I think about the good memories I've had in those past 37 years and what paintings you might have produced had you been able to cope with your sadness. Do you know all the paintings all 8 of us combined in our career doesn't equal the numbers you produced in those last few years? Well, they are not as good either - lol (that is a little humor and means laugh out loud). But dear Vincent we know how some sales can lift our spirits and know you got despondent when you had to rely on your brother for money.

If you had been our friend, maybe you wouldn't have been so lonely at the end. We help each other out over the rough spots. We laugh a lot and try to live in the moment. We know how to relax and have a good time. I wish you had some good meds. We sure take our share of hormones and maybe a mood enhancer at times because we know about mood swings. We just wish there had been something to help. I've thought about you today and the people who were so sad about your death and what it did to them. It can be so unfair to the ones left.

I listened again to the YouTube of Starry, Starry Night today.

"On that starry, starry night You took your life, as lovers often do."

Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net


For Workshop Info:
dena@wenmohsranch.com or
call 830 825-3465.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Altered Book ~ Art Journaling Workshop ~ Love Your LIfe ~ Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee


Book Used: Women's Health approx 8 x 11 altered page with gesso, acrylic fluid and tube paints, scraffito, graphite, china marker, permanent marker, collage with a stamp I made and stamped on newspaper.
I was supposed to be doing anything but this today but I've become so excited about the workshop at Dena's Ranch in July I could not stay away from this altered book today. You are invited to join us at workshop at Dena's near Marble Falls and there will be two three day sessions, first one July 19, 20, 21 and the second will be 23, 24, and 25. Beginners welcome. We will discuss altered books one day and we will work in an inexpensive used book, tear out pages, gesso pages, paint in it and experiment in it similar to working in a new blank journal. It's just another way to journal. The first two days we will use traditional watercolor techniques.

Dena has just recently added the 2nd session which will come first and if it doesn't fill I thought that we could go into Marble Falls and eat pie at the Blue Bonnet Cafe. Carol Nelson mentioned on Facebook "It's always nice to have a backup plan involving pie."
We will discuss and experiment with making some of our own stamps quickly and working small. I made this one this morning and stamped it on newsprint. I have always like the addition of newsprint in a collage. Nothing involved or fancy. I have those stamp making supplies with Master Carve but it would take too long and we need to experiment with several techniques that doesn't involve cutting with Exacto knives. If you would like more information, contact Dena at dena@wenmohsranch.com or
call 830 825-3465.


Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

Monday, June 7, 2010

Art Journal ~ Love Your Life Art Journaling Class by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee





Raffine Art Sketch
Super Deluxe All Media Sketch Book 9 x 12
The first 3 images are taken from the current journal I'm working in. I thought I would show some of the recent additions since the Art Journaling Workshop "Love Your Life" at Dena's Ranch has been announced. There is still time to sign up as it won't be until July 23, 24 and 25. Email Dena at dena@wenmohsranch.com or cal l830-825-3465 for more information.
Click HERE to read about it on my blog and Click on images for a larger view.


Plans for the 3 day workshop are progressing and I'm preparing images, gathering up journals and favorite book references to share and the stack on the couch is growing. It could mean renting a U-Haul or I will need to do some "weeding", a good librarian term.
I like to add events from my daily life so in later years (which is now) I can recall and remember. Who would want to forget this granddaughter's 7th birthday when she wanted a "Fox Birthday" and who ever heard of a fox birthday? My daughter scrambled finding all things "fox" and found this great long fox tail and converted it into a wearing device and Grace wore it proudly and securely over her neck and shoulder all during the celebration, much like a traveling tourist would wear their passport and money. She had an extremely tall pointy party hat to round out her attire. It was green but I chose to make it in pink collage. I collaged other pieces from the invitation and ephemera. I found an used fox stamp and glued it to her dress. I have the fox saying "Oh, dear, I seem to have lost my tail."
Above this I have a Zentangle (more on that later) a quote and a reminder to me at just how gullible I am to the power of suggestion and an evidence of that below in an oil pastel practice area. More on that later also. Why do I want to try everything "art" I see?




I take a lot of art workshops and my friends sometimes refer to me as the "workshop Queen". What can I say? I do like to know the kind, make and model of the brush used and please don't ever just say "red" when I ask "what color is that" as I want to know manufacture and name and pigment number. The instructor may receive a mention in my blog, a 1/4 page or a whole page such as Skip below where I wrote a note summary around the painting, or I might have a whole sketchbook devoted to just one instructor after taking several workshops(oh, tabbed dividers). See below and you know who you are Bob.
A Canson Montval All Media Sketch Book 9 x 12


These are just a few of the journals I will share and discuss. The one below is an altered book I've just started. You purchase an old book on the cheap at the thrift store or a garage sale, glue pages together and use gesso, collage and acrylic paint to fill the pages. For this one I chose a book on women's health because it is filled will neat photos of bodies, babies, wombs and you can save the print or a photo and/or paint out what you don't want to include. Or just practice a technique in one. I tried out some of the oil pastels on this page also. Does any of this appeal to you? If so, call Dena for more information.


Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

Friday, June 4, 2010

Art Journaling Class ~ Love Your Life ~ Peppers ~ Dena Wenmohs Ranch by Nancy Standlee Texas Daily Painter

"Peppers"
5" x 6" in Kilimanjaro 140 lb. Journal

I finished this journal entry today while preparing for a "Love Your Life" art journal weekend retreat, July 23, 24, and 25 at Dena Wenmohs Ranch near Marble Falls. We are planning on having some fun while jump starting our creativity and beginners are very welcome. No drawing skills needed while we celebrate our special life. The focus will be on learning some quick ways to record some events and everyday incidents in your life. We will use a 9 x 12 journal with watercolor and pens. I will introduce other media such as acrylic, stamping, gouache, collage, and oil pastels. More information to follow but if you're at all interested email Dena or call her.
dena@wenmohsranch.com or call 830 825-3465. Once you're enrolled you will be mailed the supply list.
I've taken 3 workshops at the ranch near Marble Falls and it is a great place to get away and learn some new art tips, tricks and techniques.


Oscar Wilde quote "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train." "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

There is no right or wrong way to journal but I'll share with you how I do it. Make a visual journal that is sensational and all about you and your daily life. It is pretty amazing after all. And if think your life is not too sensational at the moment, we'll make something up.

If you are interested in the process of keeping an art journal you might check out the new forum over at Wet Canvas. I've just posted this image there today.

To view other art journal pages I've posted, there is a search button at the top of the blog and just type in art journal pages and scroll down.
Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas


ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net