Desert Painting

We just got back from our family vacation from Southern Arizona.  It was so beautiful and warm to us from North Dakota.  I took many pictures for inspiration and was able to paint and draw a little bit.  One thing that I have learned to do is having bases ready to go so that I can use any background as a jumping off point.  I took some acrylic paint, mixed media paper, an old gift card and went to work!  I just spread out the paint with the card using different color combinations and creating texture.

Here are the bases that I created.  The lighting wasn't the best for this photo but this is what culminated.  Now I can use these bases as a jumping off point to add pen and ink, pictures, or words.

I then created a few pictures and used up some left over paint.

I watched a few recent videos on using found objects and thrift store purchases to add to my works.  There was a thrift store just down the street a couple miles from my parent's place and I found some really fun items.  I could only limit myself to what I could bring or ship back.  Here is what I found.  Some vintage patterns where all pieces can be used.  Some old National Geographic books, wood buttons, plastic beads and string.  I really liked the beach stamp but could use the other stamps as well.  I left the beads and strings for when I come back to the house in Arizona to challenge myself then.

We visited Tubac Arizona and the art community there.  I received so much inspiration that I worked on the next piece using watercolor and then pen.  It is not completed yet.

I hope you found some inspiration here.  My advice is to start somewhere.  Use an object or landscape to create inspiration and see where it takes you.
​Naomi