Sunday, July 5, 2015

THE GARDEN OF MY MIND, 16x20 acrylic on canvas

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WHY... do you ask... would I name this painting THE GARDEN OF MY MIND?????  Shall I tell you the answer???

Of course!

Welcome again to my creative place sweet inspiring friends. 

I perceive the garden of my mind to be....
drum roll please....

a childish wonderland of unimaginable lush vegetation, sweet but exotic wildlife and cute entertaining insects of the deepest, richest vibrant colors ever seen any where. 

And now you may ask... why childish?? 

That's because I have been told over and over that all my paintings and artistic creations have a childlike presence about them. 
That's not my goal... but somehow it just happens. 
I create in a whimsical or childish realm somehow. 

I remember, working on my master's degree, one of my professors told me never to lose the childlike quality of my personality. Dear me, I thought... what is she seeing that I don't see. I always thought of myself as very serious and intense.  I have a high IQ too!!!

Slowly I began to realize that I was a bit unusual in that it didn't take much at all to make me happy.  I never desired fancy cars, big houses, or glamorous jewels.  I was also pretty much a loner.  And much like a child... a little kindness, a bit of harmony, some play toys (paints!!), bird songs, butterflies, some spiritual time, a safe place to spend my days... and I'm content.  

I have no idea why my artwork has a childish look about it or why my personality has a childish vibe... but you know what... it's ok. I'm thankful to be the person I was created to be - very much so!

Here is THE GARDEN OF MY MIND :)



I used a variety of paints and stencils on this project.  Beginning first with the Crafter's Workshop Fern, Art Is and Echoes stencil.







Little by little I kept adding paints and stencils.
Here is see the Crafters Workshop Sunburst stencil added. 


Then began the enhancing of the colors and some detailing.  The last Crafter's Workshop stencil added was the Mini Tiny Circles.  Here is an example... they are in orange!



This is a 16x20 canvas.  


 Here are a few close-ups. 











This was sooooo sooooo soooo much fun and one of my favorite paintings EVER.  It's not perfect... but it makes me smile!!
Hope it brings some joy to you too today because all of you are my inspiration.  You give me a reason to "play".  Hugs j. 


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Sending this Happy Garden to the following Happy Challenges: 

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Artist Trading Post



I used the following Crafter's Workshop Stencils. 


You can find these stencil at the link below. 




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Scrap Around the World

July Challenge 27 by Pamela Ellis
A Gloriously Optimistic Mood Board



Click Here: Scrap Around the World July Challenge


LOVE this mood board and it inspired me in the following ways:

1. the colors... absolutely love them all - so bright and happy. The background of my painting is much the same colors as the sunrise/sunset picture on the lower left of this mood board. 

2. the flowers - I have two kinds of flowers on my painting and each of them look similar to these... one is in a dandelion pattern like the top left mood board flower and one is rather like the rose at the lower right on this mood board. 

3. I have two butterflies - very contemporary but nevertheless two butterflies on my painting.
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Our Creative Corner

Click on this Link: Our Creative Corner Summer Challenge Mexico Moods



MEXICO MOODS - Mood Board is the inspiration. 



My inspiration was the colors! We have a family from Mexico that helps us on the ranch and when they saw this painting... they went wild.  They usually don't react to my artwork at all!!! So... then and there I decided this might be good for OUR CREATIVE CORNER  - MEXICO MOODS Summer Challenge.

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22 comments:

K said...

Wow! What a nice canvas! So bright and happy! Would love to hang this in my craft room! Thanks for playing along with us at SATW.

Redanne said...

I don't really see the child Joi, I just see a beautiful, vibrant, stunning canvas - I love it!! Anne xxx

aussie aNNie said...

Brilliantly designed happy canvas.xx{aNNie My Personal Blog}

Tiphanie B. said...

amazing canva !! thank you for joining us at SATW xx

Unknown said...

Hello! I find your artwork very beautiful and it draws you in, its lovely. You paint from your soul and that is very important and the sign of a true artist. Cxx

Valerie-Jael said...

This is a wonderful piece, love the colours, patterns, and the happiness it emanates, just fantastic!
Thanks for your nice comment on my blog, feel free to use any of my photos to paint from!
Hugs, Valerie,

Galachko said...

Amazing colors, amazing style! Love it! Thanks for playing along with us at SATW.

Claudia N. said...

Well, as an arts teacher I have been working with children for several decades and therefore I wouldn't call your paintings or other artwork "childish" at all - but I know what it might be other people mean by saying there's a child-like quality to your creations: you haven't forgotten how to dream and how to be suprised by the wonders of nature and life in general....which is a rare gift and a gift that they all envy you for (of that I am sure)!

Picasso's dream was to once be able to "paint like a child again"...and he talked about that uneducated, pure expression of obsvervation and wonder that we sadly loose the moment we realize that our drawings and paintings aren't exact copies of reality. Happy the kid who has an arts teacher who encourages it to focus on the uniqueness of its personal style...as it is so much more than "lack of academic skill"!!!!

You are a rich person - because the little things still make you happy. And that becomes visible with your art. Nothing childish to that - but something you have managed to rescue from childhood into your grown up existence! Well done! (and the canvas too...lol).

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my blog. I know, I am a lazy comments writer - but I visit quite often and always leave inspired and encouraged to be more childish... ;)

Hugs,
Claudia xxx

Claudia N. said...

Oh, and thank you for joining in our summer challenge at Our Creative Corner! xxx

langeatheart said...

This is stunning! I love the whimsical look of it! Like Alice in Wonderland's World! Gorgeous colors and pairings! Love it! All the best from SATW! :)

Claudia N. said...

lol....me again, Joi,

as I forgot to thank you for being our lovely GD at The Mirror Crack'd this month! Mwah! XX Claudia

Win Dinn, Artist said...

What a fabulous canvas, Joi - bright, happy, texturally rich, and filled with your own creative personality. You've done a terrific job on this one!

Pawsitively Creative said...

Joi, you are awesome sauce! I love your candor and your heart. This is a spectacular piece and well designed. Your stencil work is top notch dearie. Such vibrant colors evoke happy thoughts in my brain. Stunning! Hugz. ~Niki

Valerie-Jael said...

I would love to see you paint my dragonflies! Hugs, Valerie

Lilibleu said...


Stunning canvas, I love the colors!! Thank you for playing at SATW :)
Lydie Denis.

Julie Lee said...

I would love to visit the Garden of your mind, Joi! Simple, child-like things make me happy too. I love the vibrant colours on your canvas and how it has the air of a child's enchanted garden.

Ella Swan said...

FANTASTIC JOI!!! What a creation!!

Ella Swan said...

Ooops I totally forgot to say thank you for playing along at Scrap Around The World!! Your canvas had me so gobsmacked I coudn't think straight!!

Lys said...

I love your inner child, Joi! Happy you who kept this skill from childhood and express it so wonderfully now! Thanks for joining us at Our Creative Corner.

Ann said...

I love the colors and flowers! :) it's an amazing piece od artwork :)

Tincan Crafter said...

As always Joi, your creations with their perfectly whimsical feel are a favourite with me. Awesome stuff!!! Thank you for sharing it at in the Summer Challenge over at Our Creative Corner. - Candice (aka Tincan Crafter)

Ana K. said...

Joi this is truly amazing canvas...I love layers and layers and layers.... and colours of course! I am glad that "your Mexico" family went wild and I am very happy that you joined us at Our Creative Corner, thank you!
Best wishes from Slovenia