Artfest Part 4

I hear a collective gasp over the wonder that is Karen O'Brien's creation from the Waxy Layers class. I'd say she nailed the landing, wouldn't you?

This is another one of her drawings that she did in Sas Colby's class. Whew. Awesome!

Another delightful creation from Waxy Layers, this one by Michelle Allen who knows a thing or two about painting, art, business, and being a great mom. She's a lovely friend from the art fair days and has a wildly successful design business.

Another creation in the Waxy Layers mode, this one by Jonna Barnett who I first met at an art fair in Coeur d'Alene and then reconnected with for the next few years at Artfest. Sweetly singing Dove.

Another fort photo just to shift gears as we return to floorcloths. I did a better job of photographing the floorcloths but I have to tell you that being a girl reporter, teacher and noisy gadfly is busy business so I might have missed a few.

So the rest of these will be floorcloths, size 28 x 34" approximately. The tree above was done by Debra according to my notes but then in my other notes there is no Debra in that class so gosh, I'm mixed up. Whoever did it (someone will correct me in the comments) I think it will make a powerful accent piece wherever it's displayed. Dynamic.

This floorcloth was inspired by a Klimt painting and is not finished. Catherine Russell will continue to build up the shapes, filling in with tiny collage embellishments until all the shapes are filled. Wow! Beautiful and complex, inventive and unique. Good work!

Marilyn Phillips is the author of the very successful "Don't Wobble" floorcloth above. I love the saying and the stamped lettering and the well drawn pomegranates. Aren't they all talented?

This floorcloth has a successful composition with the sweeping gesture of the tree leading into the sun face. I hadn't noticed at the time but the border almost reminds me of a snake which is a symbol I love referring to the cycles of life; the shedding of old skins and the circular nature of time. Wonderful!

My favorite thing about the spiral cloth is the color combination and the surprising elements with the circles and flowers. It has hidden symbolism too as the artist who created it is moving into a new phase of her life and wanted to celebrate that.

There is a wonderful story behind the completion of the above floorcloth. The artist was so lost in the forest that she wanted to stop. Since tears were not involved I urged her to push on and see what would come of it. What emerged was this successful design; one that we all loved for it's color, composition and what it taught us about not making judgments along the way.

Where do people get their ideas? Is this atomic or celestial? I don't know but it makes a wonderful statement and I can picture it in a room as another powerful focal point. Excellent color, texture, design!

I believe this is the work of Cat Mair and once again it was born of struggle and change. (aren't we all?) In the end the colors vibrate and the loose, relaxed design satisfies me completely.

If you look closely at this one you'll see the comb marks that underlies layers of drybrush and stamping. These are my colors. I just want to move toward that warm color and dive into that world; oh, I do love this painting. I think its power is beyond my ability to put words to it; it is just a shape and color that my whole being responds to.

I hope more photos come in to me that I can share but that's it for today. Artfest. My head is still in a happy fog of Artfest. Maybe today I'll start unpacking (no promises).