"When You WISH......."

After pondering the theme "Heavens" I realized that I must include a star. As far back as I can remember I was always wishing on the first star of the evening.

Then, the phrase, "When you wish upon a star" kept playing in my head.

I had this beautiful star fabric so I embroidered the phrase and created a milky way using Angelina and crystal stars. The moon was created from another fabric and fused to the star fabric.

Completing the 12 themes has given me challenges and new experiences in mediums that I may not have otherwise attempted to use. Thanks to Jan and Tracie I have had the opportunity to participate in a project with a very talented group of artists.

I am excited about the show at the gallery and now must begin gathering my pieces to send to Jan.

Art and images copyright 2009 Marylin Huskamp - all rights reserve

Elements

This was quite the challenge! Having a picture in my mind and transforming it onto a canvas presented quite a puzzle for me.

I am always pulled toward fibers so I knew I needed to use fibers for the medium and present the elements of earth, wind, fire and water in a way that the observer knew what the work represented.

I feel I accomplished that with color and the flow of the fibers. Earth was the most difficult but after pondering over it for a while I decided to use real pressed botanicals.

Now I have one more challenge left....Heavens.....Again pictures floating in my head but "Oh my, how to transform those images onto a canvas?" I am somewhat perplexed!!

Since I tend to work best under pressure and I only have a few days left to complete the final monthly challenge I am sure the way to do the transformation will reveal itself to me.

Artwork and Images copyright 2009 Marylin Huskamp All rights reserved

SEASONS

This is my interpretation of "Seasons". It is constructed of 4x4 quilt squares then embellished with a silk flower (spring),Queen Anne's lace from my pasture (summer), oak leaf from Fort Warden (autumn) and a sheer fabric with glitter and small plastic snowflakes (winter).


Art and image copyright 2009 by Marylin Huskamp- all rights reserved.

Landscape View from My Window

Inspired by the view from my kitchen where I can see the wooded area behind our home I decided to create this quilted fabric piece.




Art and Image copyright 2009 by Marylin Huskamp-all rights reserved

BEAUTY on the REEF

I call this "Beauty on the Reef".

It is a multi-layered mixed media creation using fabric, yarns, feathers, paper and seashells. I love working with fibers and creating "paintings" by fusing them together in unusual ways.

Art and images copyright 2009 Marylin Huskamp

Curious Kitty's Cabinet

Here is my interpretation of the Cabinet of Curiosity. This curious little calico is causing havoc. The treasured canary is missing. Wonder what happened to it.

This is painted on canvas board with a fiberfused kitty and a small ball of thread.

Art and images copywrite 2009 by Marylin Huskamp

Hidden

I call this creation, "Hidden". It is a chameleon hiding among the grasses and leaves. After pondering several other ideas to create for the December Reptile and Amphibians Challenge I decided to create a chameleon. The ability for a chameleon to change colors was my inspiration.

Since I love creating works using snippets and bits of items rescued from the trash can in my art room that became the medium of choice. The background consists of snippets fused on an 8"x8" paper, then the chameleon was created separately on a fabric scrap. Once I had the chameleon completed I pinned it to the background, stuffed a small amount of polyfill for dimension, stitched the chameleon to the background and finished the detail by trimming it with multi yarn on the top of the head. Grass and follage was created using feathers and a two-toned scrap of ribbon. Once all was complete the eye was added.

As you can see the chameleon's main color is a combo of blue and green but it is beginning to take on the colors - pink,orange,yellow,lavender,etc. - found in the background.

This was my first attempt to create a fused piece since my surgery. Thanks to my husband's assist with cutting large fabric pieces for me I was able to use my left hand to complete the chameleon. Boy, it feels good to be able to create again!

Art and images copyright 2009 by Marylin Huskamp

Ornament from Jan

Isn't this darling? This is the ornament I received from Jan. Once the holidays are over it's permanent home will be in my art studio.

Lost Kitty

Here is my finished November challenge. I call it "Lost Kitty" as it shows a kitty lost in a field of lavender. Perhaps it was chasing a butterfly or lady bug and then lost its way........

The kitty is painted with acrylics on fabric then the grass and lavender are attached by felting. The lavender is from Katherine Dunn's lavender farm that Tracie Lyn, Jan and I visited when we attended Art & Soul.


I wanted to do something different but since we seem to keep attracting stray kitties to our house it just seemed appropriate to do a cat.


Art and images copyright 2008 by Marylin Huskamp

Notes of the Empty Nest

Art and image copyrighted 2008 by Marylin Huskamp

The birds of the forest are calling for thee,
And the shades and the glades are lonely;
Summer is there with her blossoms fair,
And you are absent only,
No bird that nests in the green-wood tree,
But sighs to greet you and kiss you,
all the violets yearn for your safe return,
But most of all I miss you.
Harry B. Smith


This piece helped me realize that when the young ones leave the nest it is NOT an ending but a beginning. There is evidence left as their tiny feathers stay safely in the nest but they have flown to new heights and experiences.

The tiny creatures begin an new adventure filled with excitement and exploration.

Perhaps they will someday return.

This is constructed of fiber fusion and paint.

Copyright: Marylin Huskamp 2008

Flowers From My Garden

Background is fiber fused bits of fabric and yarns. The botanicals are from my garden. The tall light green/grey leaves are "dusty miller" and the flowers are petunias. I had pressed them so decided to use the real thing in my creation.

I used a purple fine point permanent marker to outline the flower petals and to make distinquishing markings where the petals had pressed over one another. Although the glitter looks silver it is really a very light pink glitter.

The tiny birds are punched from cardstock and glittered with the same pink glitter as the centers of the flowers.

I am at a loss for the name.

Art copyrighted by Marylin Huskamp 2008

Nature Gathering

On Friday, October 3rd, seven members from the Nature Gathered Art Challenge shared a few brief moments face to face. It was an INCREDIBLE experience!

What started out as a somewhat daunting task to come together for such an early morning meeting, turned out to be a wonderful occasion, and a fond memory.

Jan and I appreciate those members that were able to make it, and truly missed those individuals that could not attend.

We want the entire group to please keep in mind that we will be having our art show at the 6th Street Gallery in August of 2009. There will be an artist reception, and it would be SUPER if we could all be together!

Below are a few photos that were taken while we enjoyed coffee, and each other's friendship.

Dragon Fly Visitor

Frequently several dragonflies visit our flower garden so I decided to depict one as my August challenge.

The background is a piece of painted muslin. I try to recycle silk flowers so I used some tiny pink blossoms, then created the leaves from the petals of a silk daisy. The stems are strips of green fabric stitched to the canvas. The dragonfly body was painted on paper and the wings are dried florals from my garden. He is glued into place. The music is from a vintage duet booklet that I purchased this weekend at a local flea market. The vintage lace was also a weekend find. All is fastened to a piece of canvas board using Steam-A-Seam2 sold by the Warm Co.

I will be placing this is a black frame for display.


Art and image copyrighted 2008 by Marylin Huskamp

Early Morning Song

Mornings are the most calming time of the day for me. I love to rise to the soft serene noises that welcome the coming day. Bird songs combine notes in a symphony where the melody sung by the various birds create harmonic blends as though written by one of the great composers.

As I listened to the music I spotted a small vermillion flycatcher peering from a nearby tree. Was he a gift for my thirsty soul?

His colors were vibrant against the morning sky. They looked much like the horizon rich with color. His song was joyful as he welcomed the early morning sun,looking toward the heavens as if he were singing praises and thanks. He sat there for the longest time and I watched intently in awe as the gentle breeze caused his feathers to wave softly.....

He became the inspiration for my July challenge.









I gathered paints, brushes, water and canvas, then cleared a spot on the table so I could begin attempting to capture his beauty in my work.


Oh my, where to begin? I sketched an outline of the tree and leaves then the vermillion on a piece of white paper. This would be the beginning of my creation.








I covered the canvas with white acrylic paint to seal the pores then mixed light blue paint with white to cover the top third of the canvas. Using a light green mixed with white I covered the bottom of the canvas. The colors were extended around the edges of the canvas. I used graphite paper to trace the outline of my drawing onto the canvas. Since I was using a stretched canvas with two inch sides I thought I would have the tree wrap around the edge. Once the rough sketch was transfered to the canvas I began to paint the tiny bird, tree and leaves.



Carefully I applied a base coat for each object in the picture...brown for the tree and branches, green for the leaves, black for the dark areas of the vermillion and orange for the areas where his vibrant colors are located. I love painting botanicals so the tree and leaf colors seemed to flow from the brush as I dipped it carefully into each color. The strokes were small and required a careful hand.

I lost myself in this tiny creature as I began to paint his small yet brilliantly colored feathers. The black feathers surrounding his eyes remind me of a bandit that was waiting patiently to grab a treasure. His treasure of flies and other insects were way too small for me to capture on the canvas so I will just let you imagine that he must be watching one silently....Ready to strike at any moment!

Here is the final piece that I will be placing in my art studio where it will remind me of the early morning song he sang as he serenaded me on a bright sunny summer day.

What a darling little musical performer!



He sings his song just for me..
As he sits high within the tree.

My day has begun with a smile...
And a song that warms my heart.

Art and image copyrighted 2008 by Marylin Huskamp

EXCITED TO BE PARTICIPATING!!

I am so excited to participate with this talented group of artists. This will be a fun and exciting adventure!

Looking forward to creating and seeing everyone's creations!!

Hugs

Marylin