Bleak Mid-Winter

If you live in the north, whether Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Sweden, Norway, etc... the bleak mid-winter is not really here yet. In some places, as the climate seems to be warmer and kind of strange, it might barely feel like winter has arrived. But in any case, this bleak part of winter usually arrives after Christmas it seems. Or late December on through February. Where it is cold and where there is snow, on many days the sky is the same color as the landscape. To me this is either depressing or a calming sort of solitude landscape. Depends on my mood probably, or if this kind of sky drags on or is accompanied by darkish grays or extreme cold. 

It is interesting that the colors in Gustavian decor are similar to the blues, whites, and grays of a daytime winter landscape... the time of day when you have light on the landscape, but not much color. This is the time of year when people want more light. Supposedly this is some part of the reasoning behind the light interiors or the light colors. But I do notice the cool colors that match the winter sky and landscape. It is a pretty palette, even if I personally want none of it in my house (I like slightly warmer colors and some blacks and dark browns, maybe more like a late fall palette overall with color accents). 

The first photo here has maybe a slight color saturation edit. I don't remember. But it might not, or is not much. The color of the sky and landscape would be the same. In the second photo, I have created an edit that is more white to take out the blues, because the original photo looks like it has some kind of tinted photo edit. It does not. The original coloring is a lot of blues in the sky and the landscape. This is how the light was reflected that day. 

Winter Field Photograph on MysaArt - Etsy

"Thinking of You" Cards: Free Download

 Cover image for "Thinking of You" cards, set of three images to choose from, or use all three. Solid color template over a background of one of my original acrylic paintings (this creates the color on the big block font). Simple but cheerful coloring. Create your own digital cards or printed cards. I created Thank You cards, set of four, in this same style. They are found in the post just previous to this one on my blog, if interested. I will include images of the "Thinking of You" cards below the link to the files.

Link for "Thinking of You" cards: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UGcScYFH3tpPxH1U6

More Thank You Cards, Free Download

 I have one more set of free thank you cards, soft ivory and pink tones with bold block print. The background behind the solid color is an original oil painting, which shows through just part of the font. Feel free to use to create digital cards, print postcards or cards, etc. I will include some small images below of the set. I also have a small set of "Thinking of You" cards in a similar style that I will add to the blog in one second. 

Link to the collection: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EgAUP7KG3aQ7WVz68

Upcycled Collage Art

 These pieces are not new but I just posted them, as prints, to my Etsy store, MysaArt. 

A few years ago I wanted to work on some mixed media collages and canvas did not seem like the right medium, nor did paper really. I don't even remember if I checked with someone at the bike store or if I put out a request for large boxes and was contacted, but I ended up stopping at the bike store and picking up large boxes that bikes had been shipped in. I took these home and used my box cutter to create several workable pieces that would also fit into standard frames, mostly 16x20. 

The results were a little bit crazy and chaotic looking but I didn't really feel this chaos as too far separate from something simple like cardboard or paper, or items that could easily decay. My favorite images of nature are the workings of decay and growth, usually the in-between seasons, because these factors are usually interdependent. I don't know how what I just said relates to my mixed media pieces, but it does. I am lacking for articulation today. I'll try better next time. I created several pieces, sold a few, and kept a couple that had precarious gluing. A couple that I kept are ones that are available as small prints on my Etsy shop. With matting and framing, they would become colorful small wall art, not too dinky in size. I have matted and framed small prints this way and prefer having this kind of variation in my decor... a few large paintings or wall items, and some small photographs or artworks. And variations of color too.

Free Holiday Thank You Cards

 In the spirit of giving, I have created some free holiday thank you cards! Note that these are not cards but digital prints or images, so you can create postcards, notecards, or use these images to create standard notecards. These are a little bit long and skinny. For a 3x4 or 5x7 type card, you will have to crop the image a little short (probably crop from the top of the image). Or you can use for digital media thank you.

This is a template that I used, but the wavy background is my simple drawing, combined with my digital editing for color choices etc. I will possibly have something similar, though maybe more colorful, for New Years soon. 

Several Thank You Cards available with this link. A couple exampls below.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/efU1tP76iEXkCRHv6

           

                               

In the Studio

 

Close up of one of my two standing easels. This is the main working easel. I like it a lot. If I don't forget to tighten this knob here once in a while it will come crashing apart but nothing has been harmed so far.

My wooden box for storing oil paints. This was not very expensive but I don't feel like oil paints should be all thrown in a bin. They have messy odd problems, the older ones especially. And they are kind of precious paints anyway. My dad had a plastic case kind of this size for his oil paints. I suppose this was how I just assumed, or understood, you get yourself a case for your nice paints. The acrylics just go into many bins. They take up too much space. 

My oil pastels. I do not remember where I got this set. They are the best. I have a new set that is a whole grade level more dumpy. These are perfect. I also don't remember where I got the tin. I think it was with a gift. Tins always get incorporated into the art supply storage. This little tin was perfect for this oil pastel set as they became used and also broke into pieces. This is the bench I have sitting at my main easel.