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Patterns Are Everywhere

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 by Alyice

I remember when my children were first introduced to patterns. It was a fascinating time, one that evoked great imagination. They’d see patterns everywhere. Nothing was off limits. If anything showed any sign of repetition, it was indeed a pattern and that fascinated them. Some patterns were subtle; you’d really have to look for them. Other patterns were more obvious; often sticking out like sore thumbs—as though someone intentionally put them there. To my kids, it didn’t matter if the patterns were intentional or unintentional. All that mattered was that the patterns were magical and interesting and fun.

Sad how we forget these simple little pleasures as we grow into adulthood. I suppose that’s why art is so fascinating to me at this time in my life. It requires a child-like imagination. It requires imaginative play. It requires us to see the world with new eyes—to experience everything for the first time…to look past what is to what could be.

I look forward to finding more time in my days for such child-like innocence.

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Family Circle

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 by Alyice

This canvas was designed for my sister-in-law. She’s the one who somehow manages to keep everything together when our worlds are falling apart. I honestly don’t know how I would have survived the deaths of my daughter or my mother without her! She’s also the one who keeps family traditions alive. Oh, how I do miss her family gatherings—living several states apart makes it difficult to attend them.

Before my mother passed away, my sister-in-law had developed a really nice relationship with her so I felt it only appropriate to incorporate a poem that my mother had given me so many years ago. The photo is of my mother-in-law.

The poem reads:

Our family is a circle of love…
Chosen for each other and blessed by God above,
Our family is a circle over everlasting love.

With sharing and support,
Laughter and affection,
Our homemade joy and caring
Deepen our connection.

We’ll keep these tokens with us
So that, near or far apart,
We’ll find each other’s love
Forever close in heart.

I just hope she knows how truly special she really is!

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Live Love Laugh

Thursday, June 19th, 2008 by Alyice

This canvas was designed for my brother-in-law who just so happens to love fishing and the great outdoors. I really love the canvas itself, and the saying…Live, Love, Laugh is one of my favorite. It’s a reminder to me to appreciate life more and I’m hoping it will be a reminder to him that though we are miles apart, we love him and wish him well in his life.

I’m not really pleased with the way image of his mom sits out like a sore thumb. I originally had intentions of applying beeswax to that triangular area. It would have blended everything quite nicely and given it the look and feel I was going for, but just as the melting pot and beeswax arrived, the online mixed media group I belong to sent out a huge caveat. While the beeswax adheres rather nicely at first, it soon begins to flake off and leaves quite a mess.

Well, there’s no way I was going to send a faulty canvas to the west coast so I opted to forego the beeswax and consider another alternative. There was only one problem: the transportation of the canvas was leaving in only three days! (Leave it to my father-in-law to get impatient and plan his trip earlier!) Since I didn’t have enough time to do anything else, I coated the entire canvas with several coats of semi-gloss varnish.

Word on the street is that he liked it very much. “WHEW!”

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