My Digital Paintbox

Monday, February 7, 2011

2011.039 "Ripples in a Sunset Current"

I love summer! It's probably why I have stayed in Kansas as long as I have. Sure, along about August it's hotter than...well...it's hot. Still, I would take a week of 100+ temps over negative wind chills anytime.

It's been so cold and more snow is on the way and that, in the words of my youngest son TJ, makes my sad!

This morning I had summertime, camping at a lake and big orange sunsets on my mind as I started working on today's piece.

Ripples in a Sunset Current - 12x12 digipaint

~ Lisa

Here's a link to a great song to go with today's piece...Summertime sung by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald: Summertime

You can purchase any of these blog pieces printed on canvas and stretched over a 1/4" gallery frame through my new website: http://www.lisacantrell.com/

If you would prefer I also offer printing that is wood mounted and smooth matte laminated. You can order these from my ArtFire studio page online at: http://www.artfire.com/users/LisaCantrell

You are also invited to joing me on facebook :www.facebook.com/lisacantrellart

2011.038 "A Handful of Packers"

I'm not a football fan. Never have been. I can't say I never will be because I have enjoyed watching my nephew Caleb play and have a very rudimentery understanding of the game itself. Still I struggle to find professional football interesting in anyway. Baseball...well that's a different story altogether and one for another day.

I did watch part of the game last night, but only for the commercials. Funny but it's the one time every year that I don't mind the tv being on for several hours straight and I don't make everyone mute the commercials!

So it's no surprise that Sunday's blog piece is inspired by the Green Bay Packers and their win of Superbowl XLV. With my own little "twist" of course.

A Handful of Packers - 12x12 digipaint

~ Lisa

Saturday, February 5, 2011

2011.037 "LyveWyre"

My youngest son, TJ - who I often refer to as "TJ Tornado" - has his first school friend sleepover this evening. It's a milestone event in his little life because for the first time he has a best bud. It's been a tremendous challenge for him to make friends at all, let alone have any that he considers close enough to call his best friends.

Watching TJ and his buddy play all I could think about was how much energy these little guys have. It's just NUTS! They're a couple of live wires - no doubt about it.

Today's blog piece is inspired by the live wires running through my house and tackling each other like pro football players. I'm having so much fun watching TJ with his friend. It's crazy but it's magical. :o)

LyveWyre - 12x12 digipaint

~ Lisa

Friday, February 4, 2011

2011.036 "Simply Soothing"

It's been a terrible day! I've not been this sick in so long I can't remember the last time. All day long I just wished for something soothing. I don't have much to say, still feeling so lousy, but I sat down and tried to think of what perfectly soothing would look like for me today.

So this is "Simply Soothing".

Simply Soothing - 12x12 digipaint

~ Lisa

Thursday, February 3, 2011

2011.035 "Swimming in Glasswater Caverns"

Earlier in the day when I posted this I was just about as close to having a migraine headache as I ever hope to be again. I'm sure everyone has at least one thing that they find soothing when feeling sick or blue, or red or gray for that matter.

For me it's water. Always has been. The sound, the sight of sunlight or stars reflecting off the surface, the smell, the feel of being submerged...water immediately eases my tensions and clears my mind.

Yesterday I took my sons to a new barber. He was a wonderful conversationalist and an even better barber. One of the many stories we heard in the span of the 30 minutes we were in his shop was about a new television series about underwater cave exploration. I can't remember the name of the show but the idea of exploring underwater caverns sounds awesome to me. One of the vacations I hope to take soon is to Mexico to explore the cenotes and float the underground river.

Because I haven't been feeling well I've had water on my mind. Not literally!

So today's piece was inspired by the stories of the underwater caverns. It's my idea of what one of these caverns would look like were the walls made of glass instead of earth and stone.

Swimming in Glasswater Caverns - 12x12 digipaint

What relaxes you? Oh and if you happen to know the name of that tv show please leave it in the comments.

~ Lisa

If you've never heard of the Mexican cenotes here's a book you should check out: http://www.amazon.com/Sunken-Cities-Sacred-Cenotes-Golden/dp/0820325929

2011.034 "Pinecone Dreams of Early Spring"

Today's weather was so dreadful! Honestly I don't know what I'm still doing in the midwest and I hope to get out of here very soon. Not that I mind snow, in fact I rather like it's fluffy whiteness and all the fun activities that can happen in fresh snow. What I don't like is the wicked wind that slices right to the bone regardless of how many layers I am wearing. Also, in case you are unaware of US geography, Kansas is not exactly a hotspot for winter sports.

I was dreaming of spring and wondering what all the little plants and animals were doing. Most likely they were doing exactly what I was doing...huddling as tightly as possible and refusing to move once they got warm!

So I started out with a two-tone twist and decided to spin it out into a fractal. It's been a few days since I spun a fractal and I was missing it. As this one stacked around itself I noticed the inside shape looked a lot like the layers of a pinecone.

If a pinecone weren't inanimate do you think it would dream? I think the tightly closed tiny little bud of a pinecone would be huddled in and in it's dreams would feel warm sunshine and see itself in bright spring colors. So in my mind this is how a pinecone's spring dream would look.

Pinecone Dreams of Early Spring - 12x12 compound fractal

In case you're wondering about me - Yes, I have always said no to drugs. However I can become quite loopy when taking anything for a cold or the flu. <wink>

~ Lisa

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

2011.033 "Paintball Erosion"

My son Kalon gave me considerable help with today's piece. I've not been in a very good frame of mind for this today. Not that I'm in a bad or sour mood, just so darn cold I can't get my creative bones to stop shivering long enough to make sense of much. So thank you, KB, for lending your own creative genius to mom's madness today.

This is the last of the hard use of the new techniques. I've got some more ideas and don't want to get stuck on this particular style. I will say that this technique lends itself...strike that...it DEMANDS to be colored boldly. :o)

So here's the entry for today, "Paintball Erosion".

Paintball Erosion - 12x12 digipaint

~ Lisa