Grow Fearless...new artwork and a message for you.

This is a new painting and part of a new inspirational mixed media style for me.  I have been really evaluating what I want from all this, the blog, the etsy store, the craft shows, the art that I make.  I have some really big dreams for it all, hopefully resulting in the running of a creative retreat center.  Sometimes I get really overwhelmed by how far I still need to go to get there.  Sometimes those thoughts turn into negative voices telling me I wont get there so I should stop pretending that I will.  Do you have big dreams that seem so far away sometimes?  If so, I just wanted to say to you today to keep stretching, dont look back or hold yourself back with your fears, Keep Growing and Grow Fearless!  I think that everyone should live their life free of fear and hold on to a boldness of heart to always move forward towards whatever they desire for their lives.  Just wanted to encourage you with that today.  I am offering prints of this painting at my Etsy Store, if you want to bring one home to remind you each morning to Grow Fearless in your life.   My fearless moment in the next week or so will be putting all this new art I just finished out there for people to see, judge, and decide whether there is a market for it.  It is always a scary moment to put new work out in the public, when I dont know how it will be received, but it is my dream to make inspirational art to encourage closet creatives like I was for so long.  So for every "I dont like it" or "I could make that" comment I will hear at the show, I will hold on to courage and wait for the person that discovers the meaning and heart of my work and gains a bit of their own fearlessness.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you are going to take steps this week to be more fearless in your life.

XO, HARMONY

New Painting: Seek Adventure...be authentic

Creative Authenticity has been an overwhelming theme for me lately in my own work.  What does it mean to you to be creatively authentic?  I find sometimes it's really hard to feel genuine and true to myself, my style, my heart in my artworks when I am stretching and learning and growing.  I am so influenced by everything around me, everything I see, admire, get inspired by.  I often wonder what the line is between influence by inspiration and true organic creating?  If I use lots of ink and scrawled words am I being too Sabrina Ward?  If I use bubble wrap to create a layer in one of my backgrounds, is that just being Kelly Rae?  What about if I use type font stamps to create inspirational phrases, is that just Christine Masons thing?  I haven't figured this one out yet, so I am working very hard to create with as much of all the other influences and images as stripped away from my conscious as possible and do things that make me happy.

What didn't shock me in this process was to see a gravitation in my style away from the folk artsy look that I started with last year and a drastic movement into bright, bold, and kind of grungy.  These are the things that I really love and want to surround myself with in my own home, so it makes sense that this would come out of me.  So I am on a mission to understand more about being creatively authentic in my work.  This pic is of one of my latest mixed media paintings, and it is truly a piece from my heart.  This one was created with lots of layers, vintage papers, paint, inks, vintage lace pieces, stamping, and did you notice the use of my handmade artsy tape from my DIY?  It tells me to seek adventure in all things and not be settled with the normal routine for too long.  I love this idea.  If we arent pushing ourselves into new spaces, experiences, growing and moving, then we've lost opportunities for incredible discoveries and immense amounts of joy.  So take a risk today, seek adventure in whatever you are doing.  It doesnt have to be a gigantic step, adventure can be found in little details and small moments of magic.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about creative authenticity and how you are taking an adventure today.

XO, HARMONY

Get Inspired! Vintage Gift Wrap and the Feeling of Neon Pink

Ever since a friend of mine gave me a few scraps of wrapping paper from the 1950's that she had found in a relative's attic, I've been hooked on the stuff.  I cant get enough!  I love using it in my artwork so much that I even bought a book about it and was even more inspired.  Nobody can do patterns and odd color pairings like the paper designers of the 50s, 60s and 70s.   I just love the bright colors, the bold patterns, and the thinness of the actual paper used, making it perfect for using in my mixed media background layers.  I thought we could all use a dose of color inspiration today.   Here are a couple of my favorites!

 Do these colors inspire you too?  I thought I'd turn one into a color palette for anyone to use.  I really liked this particular palette because it plays with primary colors with the bright neony pink on a background of mustardy yellow, something I would NEVER think to put together, and it just works beautifully! Try this one out in your next work or in your sketchbook or art journal.

I dont know what it is about the neon pinks in these papers that just make me so happy.  So here's hoping your day is feels like the color neon pink today! I've got the whole afternoon to work in my studio, so I know mine will!  What color does your day feel like to you?

XO, HARMONY

New Works! The Sojourners Series Begins

I began a new series of paintings that I am really excited about, and since my husband is completely useless to me in reflecting an honest reaction to my art ("That's nice." - worst description of how you feel about an artwork ever!) and my sister (who is always the most blunt and honest with me about my work) is currently overseas for the next 4 months, I wanted to share them with you and see what you thought.

"Sisterhood"

2011 by Harmony

Original Mixed Media Painting

8X8 done on wood panel

I created this (above) painting on commission for a lovely pair of sisters to celebrate their journey both separate and together.  It really inspired me to think about each of us and our individual journeys that almost always have at least one "other" that makes us brave and gives us strength to be our unique selves.  My little sister does this for me.  We are almost exact opposites in personality and style, this led to lots of competitive behaviors and fighting when we were young, but as I have grown alongside her, I have discovered it is the beauty of our differences that I love the most, and that she helps me be who I am today.  So I was inspired to create a few more pieces of each sister on their individual journey, to reflect the duality of their spirits (connected together yet living separate lives). 

 "The Dreamer"

2011 by Harmony Lenasbunt

Mixed Media Original Artwork

6X6 done on wood panel

 "The Seeker"

2011 by Harmony Lenasbunt

Mixed Media Original Artwork

6X6 done on wood panel

More about how I made them: Each piece is totally unique, full of texture and  layers, as well as color and patterns.  I used vintage wrapping papers to create a base layer which I kept overlaying with paint, pastel, inks, adding more and wiping away over and over until the background was built up with as much character and beauty as the figure herself.  There are vintage lace pieces affixed to the edges, and the images are actually done on fabric, giving them a soft dreamy appearance. 

I am absolutely over the moon with how my vision for these paintings turned out in reality and am currently working on several more pieces for the series of Sojourners.  Thank you for letting me share them with you.  They are very dear to my heart.  Prints and wood mounted prints of them will be available in my Etsy Shop later today.  If you are interested in the orginals, or a commissioned work like this, please email me.

If you were represented in an artwork like this, what would your title be?  I am definitely the Dreamer, while my sister is completely the Seeker.  Any Wanderers, Pranksters, Mother Hearts,  Thinkers out there?  Tell me what word describes your current journey best?

XO, HARMONY

The Perfect Book for A Love Story

One of the things that I love to do is make creativity journals for people.  Over the years I have amassed a ridiculous amount of random papers, plus I can help myself from picking up tons of vintage papers/books anytime I see the opportunity.  I find using an assortment of interesting papers as a canvas for thoughts, doodles, collages, or photos creates a really great jumping off point for the imagination. Every once in awhile, I get the honor to create a very special book for someone, and collaborate with them to find papers, colors, and textures that reflect their spirit and passions.

I've been working on such a wonderous book this past couple weeks, and it is now zooming away across the states to land in the hands of a very special soon-to-be-wedded couple.  The book will serve as a guest book of sorts at their upcoming fall wedding.  I adored working on it and was over the moon with how beautifully all the ideas came together.  I couldnt be more excited to share with you a few peeks at some of my favorite parts of what I created for them...

 a love story from a vintage children's book

 pages from fashion magazine paired with valentines doily

 personal photos printed on fabric and hand embellished

 vintage wedding wrapping paper

fabric and paint makes such a yummy textured one of a kind cover

 lots of interesting shapes, sizes, and colors paired throughout

 hand embroidered photo of the couple and a love note

woodland creatures from old story book

 recycled ribbons from old saris and hand dyed silk, so rich in color

I can't wait for their friends and family to fill the pages with love and well wishes for the couple's new life together.  What do you think?   

*(If you are looking for a unique book to serve as a journal, photo album, gift, or anything else you can dream up, I'd love to create something special just for you.  Just send me a message that you want a custom journal and I can create a custom listing for you in my shop.  I also have pre-made creativity journals available in my Etsy Shop.) 

Thanks for letting me share my latest creation with you!

XO, HARMONY