Tag: Folk Art

Sunflowers: Breaking The Mold

Posted on by F.Magdalene

I went outside the box and made her a red sunflower. I’m still working on the shape and size of the flower.

Going from yellow to red – black is a major “out of my comfort zone” type of sunflower, one I rarely do. I believe I’ve painted one single fully black sunflower but no more. I usually paint bright yellow sunflowers. While Mammoth Sunflowers are my favorite there are so many others to explore. I need a new short term art interest and finding new sunflowers to paint is it.

Sunflowers make me happy. Right now my heart is less than happy. I need to do something about that. I need sunflowers, lots of sunflowers. Bring on the sunflowers!

Faith Magdalene’s Sundrip

Steady. Unsteady. Park.

Posted on by F.Magdalene

The paint brush is steady.

I am not. So I keep painting.

Part of the problem is I really need a service dog. I’m willing to try again, even after the disaster that was. I said I’d give it a month to see if I still pine for a dog. It’s been a long month. I still need a service dog that doesn’t bite!

I just keep painting.

I’m working out some of the issues and planning the background and color scheme. I’ve revisited Little Black Bird as well as a few other bird related pieces.

Tomorrow I’m going to breakfast with a friend but most of the day I’m painting and working with the collection of plants. I named my home “Austin Park”. I suppose I should paint a nice little sign. I’d like that.

Until soon

Faith Magdalene

Abstract it is not

Posted on by F.Magdalene

I started working on an abstract sunflower when she was born. I went with it. It was more fun than the free flow of thought I intended to release.

I’ll work on this piece for a bit, which is on canvas, and maybe a small abstract still. We’ll see. I’m happy I didn’t give up!

Live Free. Create Well.

Faith MMagdalene

Baby Black Bird

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Zuri is a female juvenile redwing blackbird still new in her wings. Landing is still difficult, thus the broken wing.

Zuri isn’t alone, I too am having difficulties. I can’t seem to finish the flowers on this painting or manage the sky above. I need to redo her arms. I’m so dissatisfied with them.

The art piece is very textured, shaded, layered and embellished. Which means there’s more than the main image itself. There will be many aspects to enjoy once she’s completed.

I’m not going back easel. I’m too frustrated. I’m going to break from her, do an abstract and revisit.

Until soon

Faith Magdalene

Project Reflections

Posted on by F.Magdalene

I clearly remember the first and last brush strokes of the painting, More Than A Clown.. They were equally moving.

By the time I got the features together I remember the feeling this project was huge, different, emotionally powerful.

I was going to to have to tell a story in color, on her face. A story of someone not taken seriously, not listened to , unseen by people who refused to see. I was going to paint it all; including the parts where they laughed thinking they’d won.

The last expression would be through her hair. Red, blue and purple flames licked the sky all around. The flames licked but did not scorch in the garden where she stood. The name of the garden is Hope. As it is said, “You only start a garden if you hope to see it grow.”

The young woman knows she holds hope in her hands…. and sunflower seeds. I knew I’d have to paint all my that. And I I did. I know it’s a deep piece but ha! it’s her truth and mine.

Live Free. Create Well.

Faith Magdalene’s Sundrip

Amen!

Posted on by F.Magdalene

She smiles. She throws her hands up and she smiles. Amen!

Amen! is in acrylic, layered with paint and pen. She is 9×6 inches on clipboard. The bright, happy colors complement the young girl’s smile and beautiful orange hair. She’s holding a yellow sunny flower to the sky and is standing beside a yellow and purple heart.

The colors in Amen! are red, brilliant blue, deep purple, orange, yellow, sky blue, leaf green, pink, black and white.

Amen! is special, but is she yours? Please find her in my Etsy store. You may also email me.

Live Free. Create Well.

Faith Magdalene’s Sundrip

Pink Crocs vs Amputee

Posted on by F.Magdalene

I’ve been wearing my shoe without that so called prosthetic I hate so much. It seemed to be going just fine. No issues, or so I thought. Lol

As it turns out a well established spider web was in the toe of my pink cross. There was a small piece of cereal in the web, Lucky Charms. I’m not making this up.

I wasn’t sure what to feel. I was horrified, intrigued, humored and humiliated; simultaneously. I’ve decided to go ahead and do what the surgeon said is an alternative to wearing the prosthetic. I’m stuffing my left shoe. All left shoes get stuffed. I am not walking around with a spider housing addition at my stump. It’s wrong.

The little picture in the photo is a very, very old white sketch on top of encaustic art. I melted Crayola wax, slowly and moved it into position. I enjoy encaustic and print making very much.

Faith Magdalene

More Than A Clown (details)

Posted on by F.Magdalene

A few more tiny details and the African American clown with red dreadlocks, who hosts birds in her hair will be complete. I’ll photograph her, seal her and add her to my Etsy shop.

The African girl clown is wearing white speckled overalls with shimmering maroon sleeves. Her hair is red dreadlocks with sporadic yellow, purple, blue and green dreadlocks. The younger August is painted white with the edges of her African American face still showing.

Her full lips are painted red. The nose is designed and painted red. Our little one looks straight ahead with big, brown eyes surrounded by blue clown eye shadow.

Striking are the large sunflowers the August child stands beside with her birds. A huge, white Gerber daisy and huge green leaves huge the clown and make her feel better.

Acrylic on canvas with 1 inch edge given. 18×14

Sundrip Art for Life on Etsy www.Sundrip.etsy.com

Faith

Tea and Snuggle Strength

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Joe is a guardian cat. A watching feline. A gentle whiskered friend whom I adore. It’s just that sometimes the psychosis pushes me away from him a little, away from people a little. I want to isolate.

I have to force myself to accept this new mental weirdness and fear. I wear paranoia. I’m dripping in it. I only know to fill my cup and clean my paint brushes. Art it out!

Covid-19 handed me a fever high enough to leave permanent hallucinations and damage, for which I feel shame. But my cat Joe still finds me palatable to love and be seen cuddling, openly. His love gives me a little more strength to keep going.

What goes in your cup of trials and stress to dilute it so you can do one more day ? 🙂

Tea cup art by Faith Magdalene Austin

Awake Stroke Recovery Art

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Finishing “Awake” took much effort but it is here, reworked, beaming with color and striking details.

Bellow are my comments.

I woke to a new existence somewhere unknown, they called it a stroke. Now words come like slow snails, or they are kidnapped so as not to form on my chapped lips. 

I painted the emotional roller-coaster I felt as I played tug of war with my body, emotions, speech and interpersonal relationships. Ultimately I felt lost, defeated and misunderstood. I also thought I’d never paint again.

Grueling therapy and persistence with paint brushes helped me get to the point where I can say I’m awake. I’m awake to what has happened and the I’m happy the hardest part of it is behind me. Awake is about surviving the body after stroke and making it my new home.

You will find more images and a short video on Etsy. I also accept PayPal.

Thank you for letting me talk. Thank you for visiting SUNDRIP Art for Life.

Faith Magdalene