Painting session

Today I went back to Paintlounge with a couple of friends and celebrated our birthdays together (yes, our birthdays are all around the same time). This is the painting I came up with.

Just like last time, this painting is for my daughter. It has a little Arrietty, a little of my daughter, and a little of a photo inspiration all put into it. The quote is another Dr. Suess one, "A person's a person, no matter how small."

Dr Suess Face Painting

Today I tried my hand at face painting for the second time. Apparently I have quite the skill for face painting. Maybe b/c it's like painting but the face is the canvas. Anyway, I wish I could post the pictures but just to make sure I can post them first (since it involves children), I'll have to post my inspiration pictures for now.

Today I painted lots of Grinches, a Cat in the Hat, some truffula trees, 2 red fish (from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish), and lots of Lorax.

Some of my inspiration linked to its original source...

The truffula trees were the simplest and the Cat in the Hat + Grinch took quite some time. If only I can get paid as a real face paint artist, that would be nice :)

Suess

During the winter holidays, I had the opportunity to watch Suessical at The Young People's Theatre during my camp job. I absolutely loved it! Watching people dance, act, and sing while wearing colourful, creative costumes performed on a well designed set actually makes me teary eyed to see such talent. I wish I was that dramatically talented but I always have my visual arts to turn to. I hope I can get my hands on the CD one day. In the meantime, here's one of the songs I loved...all about the imagination.

I came upon this super cute craft relating to Dr. Suess and his truffula trees from The Lorax. Click on picture to link to the blog.

Question: What's your favourite Dr. Suess book or quote?

Mine has always been:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." :)

revisiting my arting passion

A few days ago, I found out about a place called, Paintlounge.



After seeing their website, I was too attracted to justify not going (after all, there is barely enough time for a shower as a mom, let alone paint). It's social painting with a little cafe on the side (a similar idea my husband and I talked about years ago). I'm so glad I went because I realized how much I missed painting and making art in general. I also came up with a little painting to give to my daughter. So long to those university days of depressing, social issue paintings and art. Hello to my new mommy series of happy, cutesy paintings. I'm hoping to eventually set up my own home art studio...we'll see.

Sorry for the poor picture. The quote says "Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope." by Dr. Suess. I showed this to my daughter and I told her it's about imagination. Imagination is when you pretend to be different things like a princess, a tiger, and more. Also, you can see wonderful things when you use it. After, she pointed to the Toopy and Binoo Imagination song from the broadway CD and said "same same." She wanted me to play the song and hold her as we danced and while I explained the painting to her. Yesterday, whenever I mentioned imagination,  she wanted me to play the song and we used our imagination with fabrics...pretending it's snowpants, water for swimming, wings of a bird, a scarf, clothes to hang up to dry. It's amazing how much an almost 2 yr knows and does. :)


Speaking of arting and kids, I came upon a neat installation with the "I wish I came up with it" feeling.

A blank room.
Thousands of stickers.
Kids.
Two weeks.
Voila!

The Obliteration Room by Yayoi Kusama. You can read about it here.

Maybe I should use that idea for my little girl :D