"Bluebird", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

Bluebird

12” X 12” X 1.5”

Original art

Mixed Media on thick, Gallery Wrapped Canvas

This painting was inspired by song lyrics from Miranda Lambert. Part of the chorus says, “And if the whole wide world stops singing and all the stars go dark I'll keep a light on in my soul, keep a bluebird in my heart.”

 

This painting is available!  Feel free to contact me. 

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https://dmartinfineart.com/

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“The Road Less Traveled”, Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

"The Road Less Traveled"

The finished piece!

I had been wanting to create an elephant in mixed media for quite a while.  I have been admiring Tracy Verdugo's work and I love the elephants that she creates, so that was the inspiration for this piece.  I was actually fortunate enough to be attend one of her workshops a couple of years ago...it was magical!  

This is how it started.  I gessoed a piece of 20 X 20 cradle board.  Then I added texture with molding paste and stencils.  I also added some molding paste to the elephant's trunk and head.  I had some textured paper that I love and decided to add some of that to her ears.  I then gessoed over the molding paste and the paper on her ears.

Here you can see I started adding some paint.  I used Golden's Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Burnt Orange.  I'm all about the Turquoise lately, so I threw that in too.

Now for the scary part...starting on the elephant.  I had her sketched out and I started adding some paint.  I mixed Paynes Gray, White, and Anthraquinone Blue, and a little of the Turquoise to get a blue-gray color.  I wanted her to tie in with my background.  It needed more darks, so I added some Van Dyke Brown.

Here I started adding some of the Van Dyke Brown to the textured area in the middle.  I didn't want it to be one solid brown color, so I added some water to fade out some of the brown tones in the middle of the texture.

This part of the piece had me stumped for days and days.  I could not figure out what color to do the bottom of this piece.  It had such nice, nice texture from using the stencil and I didn't want to mess it up.  Finally, I gave in and told myself "who cares if I mess it up, I'm just doing what I like".  So, there again, I used Turquoise and smudged in some of the Anthraquinone Blue.

I had some gorgeous, gorgeous paper that tied into the colors behind my little elephant.  I tore out a border and added it directly under the brown textured border for a pop of color and to tie in with my background.

I also felt like the bottom of this needed to be distressed and not so "in your face" with the blues.  I took some alcohol ink and some of the Van Dyke brown and punched it in under the paper border.  Then I hit it with a spray bottle of water to make it run into the blue.  Fun!!  

So just when I think I'm done, done, my husband, who is an Engineer by the way, takes a look at her.  He points out that her head is too much of a globe shape and that her tusk was going in the wrong direction.  As much as I hate to admit it, he was totally right.  Had to make some slight changes, but here she is.  She is all finished and I LOVE HER!  The only thing left to do is finish her off with resin.

I titled this piece "The Road Less Traveled" because that's how I want to live my life.  I never want to be afraid to take risks and take chances...sort of what I did with this piece.  It can be scary for sure, but let go and see where it takes you. You may totally surprise yourself!

This piece is sold, but please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments.  I would love to hear from you!

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

www.donnamartinfineart.com

https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart

“Fearless Soul”, Original Encaustic Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

Fearless Soul

It was a cold and snowy day...actually a blizzard!  They called a "snow day" at my "day job", so what's a girl to do?  Jump up and down, sing and dance because there is time to paint!  And what a perfect day!

So in all that joy, this little warrior showed up.  This little encaustic was done with lots of layers.  It has tissue paper, paint, part of an old deed from the early 1900's, plaster, ink, and of course wax.  I got to use my Stencil Girl Stencil for her face.  She looks very determined, very fearless, thus the title, "Fearless Soul".

This little, bold painting is sold, but commissions are welcome!  Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

www.donnamartinfineart.com

www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/ 

"Becoming", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

"Becoming"

This little, chubby bird was created with painted papers, inks, stencils, and acrylic paint.  It has multiple layers.  On the first layer, I wrote words or "values", such as compassion, grace, and kindness.  These values represent more of who I want to become, thus the name of the piece.  I also hinted at some flowers just beginning to peak out from below the branches, blooming, if you will, but not yet full and complete.  This also symbolizes blossoming and transformation into something beautiful.

This piece found a new home, but commissions are welcome.  Feel free to contact me at saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com.

www.donnamartinfineart.com

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"Sweet Dreams", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

"Sweet Dreams"

This painting is one of my favorites.  Mom and her baby are sleeping among the trees.  It has many layers and was done with paint and acrylic inks.  It was an intuitive painting inspired by the painting styles of Tracy Verdugo and Juliette Crane.  

It is on a deep gallery wrapped canvas and measures 24 X 24.  This painting is sold, but please feel free to send me an email with any questions, or comments. I really love hearing from you!

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

donnamartinfineart.com

“The Road Less Traveled”, Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

"The Road Less Traveled"

I titled this piece "The Road Less Traveled" because that's how I want to live my life.  I never want to be afraid to take risks and take chances...sort of what I did with this piece.  It can be scary for sure, but let go and see where it takes you. You may totally surprise yourself!

This piece is sold, but please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments. I would love to hear from you!

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

www.donnamartinfineart.com

https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart

“Dragons Soar”, by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

Dragons Soar

This is the latest little painting I completed.  It's the time of the year I've been thinking about family, getting out in the warm sunshine, planting flowers, breathing in the fresh air.  I named it "Dragons Soar" because I have a little sign in my garden that says "In my garden, hearts soar and dragons fly." 

In thinking about the dragonfly and creating this piece, I found this interesting symbolism.  The dragonfly normally lives most of its life as a nymph or an immature. It flies only for a fraction of its life and usually not more than a few months. This adult dragonfly does it all in these few months and leaves nothing to be desired. This style of life symbolizes and exemplifies the virtue of living IN the moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment you are aware of who you are, where you are, what you are doing, what you want, what you don’t and are able to make informed choices on a moment-to-moment basis.

This ability lets you live your life without regrets like the great dragonfly.  This week, this day, are you living in the moment?

Here are some pictures of how this painting started out and went through the process.

This painting literally sat in my art studio for over a year, untouched.  I did NOT like how it was turning out and couldn't figure out what to do with it.  The sides and the bottom of it were painted bright red.  Really...who does that...FIRE ENGINE red!  I toned it down with some white.  The top background underneath the dragonfly is some really beautiful turquoise paper that I found and altered.

I continued doing more alterations to the paper behind the dragonfly.  I added some iridescent orange...man those iridescent paints are gorgeous!  Started adding some blue over the white paint at the bottom and sides to try to tie it all together.

Here I began to add more turquoise to the painting, again to try to tie it together, and because I LOVE turquoise.

And...TaDa...I think it is done!

This little painting is 8 X 8 X 1.5 found a home here in Colorado.  It was finished with a resin coating, which eliminates the need for framing.  If you have comments or comments, please contact me at:

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com. 

You can check out my other work at:

http://donnamartinfineart.com/   

"Tree of Life", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

Tree of Life

This is a new mixed media piece that I've done, using several different techniques that I've learned throughout the last couple of years.  It was done with many layers of paint, papers, modeling paste, and acrylic inks.

This one symbolizes connection.  All of our lives are entwined and connected, no matter what are differences may be.  

This painting measures 24 X 24 on a thick, gallery wrapped canvas.  The texture is kissed with iridescent copper paint that gives it the feeling of being antique. it will be available in an upcoming Facebook Auction that I will be participating in. If you'd like a chance to bid on it, here is the link to join the event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1003365009793243/

You can also contact me at:

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

I'd love to hear from you!

www.donnamartinfineart.com

"Peace Within", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

 "Peace Within"

I was recently fortunate enough to host a workshop with the most fabulous artist, Jenny Grant.  http://www.flowbyjenny.com/en

I first found Jenny on Facebook a couple of years ago. Jenny is from Stockholm, Sweden.  On a whim, last year I asked her if she would come to the US and hold a workshop.  To my surprise, she said yes and was gracious enough to come to Colorado and hold a workshop on her mixed media techniques.  This painting was a result of her workshop. 

Here below are some photos of how my painting progressed through the many layers.  The first pictures depict how papers, inks, and paints were layered on to this piece.

Then I added more modeling paste for texture and then more color!  

After drying, we took a reference photo and proceeded to add a face.  I wanted the face to meld in with the background.

To finish off, I added some darker inks and more stamping.  She's done!  I love her.  

I will be forever grateful to Jenny for coming all the way over here to teach. She is one of the most gracious, kind, compassionate people that I've ever met. What a blessing to call her "friend".

I will be holding on to this painting, but I'd love to hear from you!  You can send me an email at:  saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

You can also find me on my website:  donnamartinfineart.com

and on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

“Surrender to the Moment”, Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

Surrender to the Moment

She finds herself lost in rare, quiet, solitude. Her mind wanders, illuminated with her dreams. Almost like a field full of wildflowers, touched by the sun, swaying in the warm breeze. Grace and peace are her momentary companions. She is grateful and surrenders to this one, small, moment in time.

This piece was created with many layers of papers, inks, paint, and modeling paste. The layers create rich depth and texture. It is done on a wooden cradleboard canvas and measures 14 X 18 X 1.5".

This piece is available. I would love to hear from you - feel free to email me at:

saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

donnamartinfineart.com

https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

"Peace Within", Original Mixed Media Painting by Colorado Artist, Donna L. Martin

 "Peace Within"

I was recently fortunate enough to host a workshop with the most fabulous artist, Jenny Grant.  http://www.flowbyjenny.com/en

I first found Jenny on Facebook a couple of years ago. Jenny is from Stockholm, Sweden.  On a whim, last year I asked her if she would come to the US and hold a workshop.  To my surprise, she said yes and was gracious enough to come to Colorado and hold a workshop on her mixed media techniques.  This painting was a result of her workshop. 

Here below are some photos of how my painting progressed through the many layers.  The first pictures depict how papers, inks, and paints were layered on to this piece.

Then I added more modeling paste for texture and then more color!  

After drying, we took a reference photo and proceeded to add a face.  I wanted the face to meld in with the background.

To finish off, I added some darker inks and more stamping.  She's done!  I love her.  

I will be forever grateful to Jenny for coming all the way over here to teach. She is one of the most gracious, kind, compassionate people that I've ever met. What a blessing to call her "friend".

I will be holding on to this painting, but I'd love to hear from you!  You can send me an email at:  saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com

You can also find me on my website:  donnamartinfineart.com

and on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/