Friday, June 16, 2006

My Girl, Claudine's Art

This is a Claudine Hellmuth background. What a challenge this piece was, my fingers are itching to add layers, to embellish some more, to outline the bathers ... The style does not sit comfortably - I know that this piece will never hang on my wall, and yet I am compelled to try again... why ... I do not know. What do other people do with a 'failed canvas'? I think that I will send this one as a postcard to a friend, or perhaps it will sit on my desk for a week or two, while I figure out how to tweak it, without stifling the simplicity.

Maggie, my girl, has had my heart for nine years. She is emotionally challenged, a little butch and a one-owner-dog despite my best efforts. Have you read about Jem's (the son of Anne of Green Gables) dog? It died, waiting, at the railway station, for Jem to come home from war. That is the loyalty (sometimes stifling) of my Maggie Girl. We have been through a lot together and I would not swap her for the world ...

3 comments:

Dot said...

Hi Julie

I love your latest collage! The colors are beautiful and you have captured Claudine's style well.It is hard when you do not feel happy with a finished piece (and I have more than my share of those). If I dislike something I have made I let it sit for a while and sometimes redo it. Depends how I feel. Sometimes a piece 'grow's' on me.

I love the photo of your dear Maggie. She has a beautiful, loving face. And it sounds like she loves her Mama very much and wants to be close to you(I can understand that - you are pretty special).

My Ronnie is sometimes TOO affectionate and I need some space from him (and then other times he needs space from me!).

There is a little something in the mail from me to you - hope you get it early next week.

Dotee xoxo

kelly rae said...

i love it! i took her workshop at artfest this year and learned a ton of simple, yet effective techniques. loving your blog, by the way.

One Crabapple said...

well I wouldn't have known you were not comfortable with this style before I read that...

I think this card is absolutely adorable and perfect !