Splashing Through Life - Art by Patricia Henderson

It was so peaceful on my back porch this morning,while I was sketching in my idea book. We had some tiny visitors to the hummingbird feeders lately and that inspired me to develop an idea for a collage. This is a very small doodle of my idea so far.  I was kept company by Mrs. Robin on her nest, and Miss Maggie by my side. Hummingbird Collage Idea In my Sketchbook 6" X 3" NFS

After a fairly mild winter around here, spring has been a bit hesitant to arrive. This week, however, has been sunny, warm and beautiful. I think sping is here at last! Along with spring have come my allergies. So while sitting outside this morning sketching these pretty Grape Hyacinths, I was fighting the wind, and watery eyes, and sneezing. But I'm not complaining. At least there weren't any mosquitos! Grape Hyacinths In my Garden Sketchbook NFS

Finally getting to my little art trading card for the Grumbacher Art Swap! The theme this time is coffee or tea. I dug out a really old teacup that was probably one of my Grandma's and did a really quick sketch this morning. Not my best work by a long shot, but it brought back nice memories. I remember having tea with my Grandma and my mother and aunts at Grandma's house. Sitting and listening them talk about people I didn't know, but being perfectly content. I didn't remember the teacups being so tiny though! Compared to my tea mug, this one contains about two big sips! Tea at Grandma's Art Trading Card 2.5" X 3.5" Watercolour, ink and gold acrylic. Not for sale

We all have days when it feels like a continuous uphill climb...just like this little lady bug. Luckily, if she gets tired, she can spread her wings and fly! Uphill Climb 2.5" X 3.5" Original ACEO Available in my ETSY SHOP

I had a request today for Watercolour Wednesday. Paint something springy! Maybe it will bring on some spring like weather...hopefully! Here are some sunny little Crocus. (Crocuses? Croci?) These are a part of my ongoing "Language of Flowers" series. The language of flowers was used in Victorian times as a means of communication in which flowers were used to send coded messages. Each flower had a special meaning. The Crocus meant "Youthful Gladness." Youthful Gladness (Crocus) Language of Flowers Series ACEO 3.5" X 2.5" Available on ETSY

It's a wet and windy Wednesday today. A perfect day to be inside and sketching a little bit. Today the first thing my eyes landed on was my vase of watercolour brushes.  I thought they looked like a nice bouquet! Bouquet of Brushes 5.5 X 3.5" In my sketchbook NFS

Okay, I'm REALLY going to make an attempt to keep up my Watercolour Wednesdays! LOL  Today I'm posting a little Chicadee that I am submitting to the Grambacher Trading Card swap. This month's theme is birds. You can check out the swap page HERE . Each time you submit a card, the punch a rewards card. I will have three holes punched after submitting this little birdie, so that means I get three tubes of paint! I love Chicadees and wish that they came to my feeder. I have heard them in the small woods at the end of my block, but they don't seem to want to venture over to my yard.  Chicadee-dee-dee 2.5" X 3.5" NFS

I've been participating in the Grumbacher Art Swap , where every month a new theme is chosen and artists create a small ATC (art trading card), send it in to Grumbacher and they swap it with another artist's card and send it back to you. They give you a punch card, so after every three swaps you receive a reward of paints or brushes etc. The first one I did was very fun and I received a nice card in the mail the other day. I was excited when they announced the new theme until I saw it was SELF PORTRAITS!!!! OMG!!! I have never done a self portrait, unless you count the time in a drawing class I took and that one was promptly destroyed! But I thought this would be a good way to stretch myself outside of my comfort zone. It sure is doing that! Not only is it a portrait, which I haven't done for a long time, but a selfie! And not only a selfie, but a teeny, weeny, tiny one! So....after a couple of attempts which I won't show you, here is something that kinda resembles me...

I seem to paint a lot of geese...I just find them so comical! This was a fast, little tiny painting, done this morning. I added a bow to this guy and he looks so proud! Christmas Goose Watercolour and Ink 2.5 X 3.5" (Border is computer generated) Find this cute goose in my Etsy store!

I was having a hard time thinking of what to paint today. Then I remembered that I hadn't done one of these little dandelions in a while. So here you go! Dandelion 2.5 X 3.5"

Lest We Forget

Around here, summer has returned and is staying a little late. We're not complaining! Yesterday was so nice, I got distracted and sat outside reading instead of painting my Wednesday watercolour. Here are a few little watercolours that have been hanging around from the summertime that never got posted. Next week I promise to be on time! (Maybe...) Daisy # 4 2.5" X 3.5" Pink Rosebud #2 2.5" X 3.5" Yellow Rosebud #2 2.5" X 3.5"

I've decided to join the Grumbacher Art Swap, (See info HERE ) where artists trade art cards. This time the theme is Signs of the Zodiac. While my sign is Capricorn (goat), the first image that popped into my mind was of a little blue crab, for Cancer. We saw many of these tiny creatures on the beaches when we were in Nova Scotia. This fellow was very interesting to paint, as he was so different from what I've ever done. It was like painting an alien! Crabby 2.5 X 3.5 Not for sale

There are still a few hardy Black-Eyed Susans in my garden. It's lovely to see a few pops of yellow in among the fading greens and browns. The language of flowers was used in Victorian times as a means of communication in which flowers were used to send coded messages. Each flower had a special meaning. The Black-eyed Susan meant "Justice." This ACEO is part of my Language of Flowers series. ACEOs are tiny 2.5 X 3.5 inch works of art to collect or trade. They look great in a frame, or put them together to make a great coffee table book! Perfect little gifts for the art lover. Each of my ACEOs are signed or initialled on the front and signed and dated on the reverse. They are shipped in a protective plastic sleeve. Check out what I have available in my Etsy shop HERE . Black-Eyed Susan "Justice" 2.5" X 3.5"

Okay, I've been slack with Watercolour Wednesdays, so slack that it's Thursday and I'm posting one. Hallowe'en is coming soon, so here is a little Scaredy Cat. Really little, it's only 2.5 X 3.5 inches! Not my very best work, but those eyes are less than 2 mm wide! Photo reference courtesy PaintMyPhoto

I've been working on a collage, but  I've been going back to the Clear Tar Gel when I need a break. These are great because you can do a lot of the Tar Gel designs ahead of time and then bring them out when you feel like playing! This is one I've been working on a little bit at a time, and I don't think I'm finished yet. I like where it is going so far. The camera has emphasized the darker purple parts a bit, but I kind of like the look so I may darken some more of those passages. I'll post again when it's finished and I have a better photo. Abstract Orange Floral 20" X 15" on Illustration Board

Sometimes when I'm stuck for what to do in my studio, I get out the Clear Tar Gel Medium. What is this stuff? Well on the container of the Golden Clear Tar Gel, it says it "Generates fine lines by dripping from a palette knife or other tool." Here is a little demo I did a couple years back that shows how you can use it. CLICK HERE FOR DEMO . One of these days, I'll learn how to set up a video demo, but for now you are stuck with photos! I have a few of these on the go right now. Here are two funky flowers! Each one is 20" X 7.0" on Peterboro Illustration Board. I used Fluid Acrylic paints. Yellow Flower                    Pink Flower And here are some closeups:

A good friend of mine introduced me to   Brusho®   Paint crystals the other day, and a group of us tried it out. It sure was fun experimenting with it and figuring out all the ways that it can be used! What is  Brusho®  you ask? Click on this link from  BrushoSecrets.com and it will tell you all about it. Basically it is powdered pigment crystals.  You can sprinkle it on dry paper and then spray with water, or sprinkle the dry powder on wet paper, or mix with water and paint like watercolour. Each method gives you a different effect. When the crystals react with water, they burst with colour and spread out in interesting patterns. Out of the several experiments there were only two that came out worth posting here. For the first one, I drew the shape of the flower and then painted it with plain water. I then sprinkled the water with  Brusho®.  I ended up with quite a wild Coneflower! I did add very small touches of watercolour when I got home. ...

I had taken a break from Watercolour Wednesday for a few weeks...(okay, I was lazy!), but it's back!! I was missing my little green tree frog that was sold the other day, so I decided to tackle a couple others. These guys are really colourful and fancy, and probably poisonous...but I thought they were cute! They are mostly watercolour, with a bit of ink and crayon. And both are available in my Etsy Store . Feeling Blue! ACEO 2.5 X 3.5" Fancy Frog ACEO 2.5 X 3.5" (Reference Photos courtesy of Morguefile)

My Bee Balm plant was abuzz this morning with Bumblebees, which Maggie the dog was trying to catch and eat while I was sketching! I think I got through to her that it wasn't such a good idea! Here is a quick sketch I got done in between chasing the dog away and dodging bees! Bee Balm (from my sketchbook)