Finally Made Some Art!

It's been some time since I've spent much time in my studio.   I've been gardening like a crazy person, and while I do think that's a creative outlet, it's not like paper, ink and stamps.

I made this for  Carpenter Son's birthday, using a piece of wood he had sent as protection for some other gift.   I love using wood as a substrate - you can bang it up, nail things right into it , and it takes color well.

I had some trouble getting the background color in this - fiddled with some brown, white and green until I succeeded in making mud!   It needed serious lightening up, so I stenciled the numbers and letters with white gesso, then dry brushed on some cream paint.

I found the old train schedule from his home town at Nancy Dole's Used Books and Ephemera in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.  She has a small shop filled with beautiful old books and all manner of ephemera from the area. 

This is an old family photo of his Papa driving a steam shovel, probably in the 30s.  The smile of recognition at this photo was priceless.

I added a piece of old ruler to honor his carpentry skills.

One of the fun things about using wood is that I could pound these old gears right into it.   

Love this canvas resist clock piece.   The 73 is significant - the year CS was born and the year I turned 10.  How else could it be possible for him to be as old as he is?

It felt so good to be making something again!