You and Me

“Sometimes the smallest things

take up the most room in our hearts.”

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh

Here are two of my regular student's paintings, based on my class demo today.

It was their first time using masking fluid on Yupo paper and they both loved the technique.

I don't use masking very much, but have been utilizing it recently for a few of my 30 in 30 pieces.

We used slate and black for the birches. I wrote down the colors that

were used for the backgrounds and listed them under each piece.

Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Terra Cotta, Pool, Slate

  "Thanks It was fun. Happy with my piece today. ( : Time flies when we are so focused on our art. Never enough time. Grateful that your willing to share your talents." ~ Buck
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I really love how the unique, individual personalities of the makers

always shine out in these alcohol Ink pieces.

Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Lettuce, Bottle, Denim, Slate

"Thank you Sandy, I was thinking today how blessed we are to have you in our lives.

What wonderful creators we are to have manifested the perfect art teacher and friend." xx ~ Lynne

My colors (see tomorrow)  - Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Sunset, Willow, Meadow, Latte, Slate
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Thanks For Stopping By And For Your Friendship,

X ♥  O

An Old Acquaintence

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles
through the deepest snow to keep
an appointment with a beech tree,
a yellow birch or an old acquaintance
among the pines." 

~Henry David Thoreau

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 in 2013.

I used masking to preserve a few white areas in the painting.

See today's painting, Day 13, now

and the finished painting for "An Old Acquaintance" - Day 14
tomorrow here on my website blog.
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Thanks For Stopping By And Thanks For Your Friendship,

X ♥  O

The Oaks Ignored Their Pleas

"There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.
 ~ Neil Peart
 

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 in 2013.

This is one of the many stages this piece went through.

I wanted to revisit the theme of this favorite, very visual quote.

And after squinting at this for a while, I realized that the light sky value at

the bottom right was distracting, taking emphasis away from my focal point.

I decided to try to make it better, so I changed one thing, and then another ...
Please check it out and let me know if you think I achieved my goal.

See today's painting, Day 12, now

and the finished painting for "Unrest In The Forest" - Day 13
tomorrow here on my website blog.
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Wow, we are quickly coming up to the half way point of the challenge.

It's all down hill from there my friends!

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing You Much Happiness,

X ♥  O

The Ancient Law Of Life

“For me, trees have always been
the most penetrating preachers.
I revere them when they
live in tribes and families,
in forests and groves. And even more,
I revere them when they stand alone."
~ Herman Hesse

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 back in 2013.

Penetrating Preachers - Watercolor on Yupo - Sold

Willow - in progress - I flipped the painting and just winged it.

After letting this rest for a while, I realized it was missing something.

See the finished painting for Day 10 tomorrow on my website blog.

Wow, we are already 1/3 of the way through the challenge

and I haven't even broken a sweat yet, lol!

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Friends Forever

“We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?,
asked Piglet.

"Even longer,” Pooh answered."

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Here's a few in-progress shots of the second "Love Birches" painting in alcohol ink
on Yupo paper in my I Love Trees series.

8 x 10" matted alcohol ink painting on Yupo paper

Background painted over masking. Colors -
Slate, Mushroom, Cloudy Blue, Denim, Pitch Black, Rust

Masking Removed

Small Branches and heart added - Ready to ink the trees.

"You and Me"

• Sold

Hugs and Happy Creating!

X ♥  O

I Love You!

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love."

 ~ Albert Einstein

Here are some of the 30 paintings in 30 days tree series, in-progress shots for my eighth challenge. I've learned to work ahead a day, so this was actually what I did today - Day 4, but I'll be posting it as Day 5.   I've already got tomorrow's painting finished, photographed, blog post written and scheduled for the morning. It's a big load off my mind doing it that way.

I'm revisiting some of my trees on Yupo from my first challenge, back in January of 2013. I'm using masking fluid on some of these, and usually don't use it, but we'll be covering its use - among other things, in the 5th week of my fast approaching FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course, so I wanted to experiment and have some fun with it.

Making a record of the colors that I used for future reference was achieved with  a photo of each one with a color recipe post-it note. If I remember, I'll also write it on the back, very lightly in pencil.

Here's the piece after the background was inked and the masking was removed. Check out my blog post here tomorrow to see the finished painting for Day 5 of this month's 30 paintings in 30 days, inspired by quotes about trees.

Thanks for stopping by and
Happy Creating!

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days - Day Two

"If you observe really happy people,
you will find them building a boat,
writing a symphony, working in the garden,
educating a child, or painting in alcohol inks.
These people will not be searching for happiness as if
it were a button that has rolled under the radiator.
He or she will not be striving for it as a goal in itself.
They will have become aware, that they
are happy in the course of living life -
twenty-four crowded hours of every day."

  ~ W. Beran Wolfe

I decided to participate in Leslie Saeta's January 2017  30 paintings in 30 days challenge this time around. I have participated in every one except the last one in September because I was launching my first  FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course. The second session of this online alcohol ink workshop starts this Saturday, January 7th and registration is still open!

I wanted to show you how I added the stag to this winter scene using one of my sketches which I scaled to size on my copier, then transferred using grey transfer paper.

My sketch was scaled to size on the copier.

Then it was traced onto the tile with transfer paper.

You can see this finished painting and all my daily 30 in 30 paintings for this challenge on

my website blog.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year!!

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge ~ Day 1

"I equate inspiration with desire. 

It's desire that moves us to 

be artists in the first place. 

To attempt to make a painting

without this motivation 

is a waste of time."

~ Nita Engle

"Wash Away Worry"
10 x 8" Alcohol Inks on Tile Board
email: sandy@sandysandy.com for purchase info.

Please join me for the 5th 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge! I'll be painting and posting a new abstract painting here everyday for the whole month of January. Yes, I know it has 31 days, but I also plan to do some extras. In the right column, you can sign up to get my blog announcements by RSS or email, join this site and get notifications via. blogger or Google+. Follow my posts on facebooK here. Or just bookmark my blog and stop back here from time to time to see what's happening. I really and truly appreciate your feedback because I'm navigating uncharted waters. Your feedback, good or bad, will help me evaluate my direction and stay on course.

FYI - The substrate here is "Tile Board". It's masonite with an acrylic coating. That's what Lowe's and Home Depot call it and it is used in construction instead of drywall in showers, back splashes, etc, where there is a lot of moisture and where tiles will be applied. My hubby says Home Depot here will not cut the board anymore, but Lowes will still cut it into manageable pieces of 2' or larger sections. Here is a screen shot from Lowe's website.

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks for your friendship and support!!

X ♥  O

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Painting Challenge #5 and Beyond

“Creativity takes courage. ”

~ Henri Matisse

"Burning Desire"
5.5 x 7.5" alcohol ink on Yupo
email: sandy@sandysandy.com for purchase info.

Tomorrow I will be starting my 5th

Leslie Saeta / 30 Paintings in 30 Days CHALLENGE! 

My theme this time around will be abstracts and my goal is to experiment more, continue to grow as an artist and really have some fun! If you are up for an incentive to paint A LOT MORE this coming month, GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT A TRY! It really turbo-charged my painting career back in 2013! You've got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO LOSE! Find out all about it here:

Here's an overview of my past challenges:

# 1 - January, 2013 - Here's How that First Challenge Started:

The January 2013 Collection:

# 2 - Here's How the September 2013 - Second Challenge Started:

September 2013 - Second Challenge Series:

# 3 - Here's How the Third Challenge 1/1/2014 Started:

January 2014 - Third Challenge Collection:

# 4 - Here's How the September 2014 - Fourth Challenge Started:

September 2014 - Fourth 30 in 30 Collection:

# 5 - Here's How the January 2015 - Fifth Challenge Started:

January 2015 - Fifth 30 in 30 Collection: 

Wishing each and every one of you all the best in 2015.

Thanks so much for following along on my artistic journey.
Happy creating!

X ♥  O

Spice It Up!

"Variety's the very spice of life, 

That gives it all its flavor." 

~ William Cowper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Spice It Up!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

"I often quote myself. 

It adds spice to my conversation." 

~ George Bernard Shaw

My sister and I are having a good time with my mom and dad on their visit to NJ. We toured Philadelphia yesterday and saw all the sites via the BIG BUS. It was a bit chilly sitting on top, but we all had a very good day.

Al & Eve Sandy at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA

X ♥  O

A Retrospective of 30 Paintings In Thirty Days

"When you do a thing, 

do it with all your might. 

Put your whole soul into it. 

Stamp it with your own personality. 

Be active, be energetic and faithful, 

and you will accomplish your object." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am pleased to present this collage of artwork which represents my fourth 30 Paintings In 30 Days Challenge series. Each number and title links to a larger view with painting details and the post associated with each piece.

1.) Sunny Summer Days       2.) The Black Sheep       3.) Inspired By Wine

4.) Hummingbird Magic         5.) Believe in Magic        6.) Spirit of Guidance

7.) Rose Of Sharon      8.) Like a Feather in the Wind        9.) Blooming Iris

10.) Sly as a Fox      11.) Magical Garden       12.) Bold Blue Communicator

13.) Hummingbird Joy     14.) Life is Growth      15.) The Crocus Among Us

16.) Kokopelli's Day    17.) Kokopelli's Night     18.) Talk Like a Pirate Day

19.) A Pirate Legend      20.) The Dreamcatcher      21.) Day Of The Dead

22.) Love Tree           23.) Dream Hawk            24.) Jersey Devil Dragon

25.) Enchanted Garden       26.) Glorious Grapes       27.) A Dragon's Tale

28.) Wisdom of the Trees    29.) Dear Baby Deer    30.) Year Of The Horse

You can see links to all 90 paintings completed in previous challenges here!

I enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and making some new ones this past month. Seeing all the great work produced during the challenge is always inspiring.Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog and shared their thoughts by commenting here or on Facebook. I truly appreciate your friendship, feedback and interest in my work.

Happy creating!

X ♥  O