Splashing Through Life - Art by Patricia Henderson

 Yesterday, I was trying to stay away from doomscrolling on my phone and I was trying to figure out something to do in my art room. A while ago I had used some leftover pieces of matboard and used my gel plate and home-made stamps to put backgrounds on them. One of my Etsy clients reminded me that I had done some collage flowers on them, but that seemed too complicated. I just wanted something to do that was simple and meditative.  These are what I ended up doing. I figured that the world needs a little more love right now.  Made from love words from friends and family written on cards, plus more from magazines and catalogues.  Some of them have little spaces not filled in. Like broken hearts. Appropriate to the times.  They are tiny: 3.5 X 2.5 inches.  I still have some more background cards with nothing on them, so there may be more of these down the road! Check these out in my Etsy shop HERE . These will be available to US shoppers, as they are small eno...

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

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!