☆ Star Light, Star Bright [GREATEST HITS]

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I hope you are enjoying my Greatest Hits series! This is because I am taking January off + I am currently reading a book, sleeping on the couch, swimming at the pool, or painting in the studio....

These are the posts that have inspired, helped, motivated + encouraged my readers. How do I know this?

Because you told me. In emails, comments or links.


Enjoy....

☆ ☆ ☆

I love this painting.

I adore it.

I recently shared it on my Facebook page and the reasons why I love it so much.

- It was the first painting that I ever really finished.

- It was the first painting that I shared on this blog.

- It was the first painting that I shared on the illustration Friday website.

- It's my first painting that I ever framed (and still have framed on a shelf in my house)

'Star Light; Star Bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may; I wish I might

I wish I have my wish tonight...'

It was a painting of many firsts.

But the main reason I still have it framed on the shelf is that it is a reminder. 

Reminding me that I have come so far, that sometimes taking baby steps is ok, and a reminder that when you take brave leaps + share with your friends + family, you will never regret it.

What about you? Do you have a reminder on your wall, on a shelf, in your wallet? What does it remind you of? 

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☆ Starlight

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I have been teasing you a wee bit with a new larger painting that I started at the end of AEDM + this week, amongst the christmas chaos, the sewing + baking of cookies, I finished it!

Many years ago, I had to create two major works as part of my art finals .  One of my major works was called 'Anonymous and Free', which had three large mixed media drawings of faceless people in crowds. I remember the first two were really easy to conceptualise and create, the third drawing didn't come together until the very last minute + I hated every minute of it. HATED. IT.

'Anonymous + Free'

So when I was inspired with the design + plan of this new painting, I remembered these old ones, and knew that it was time to pull them out + recycle them.

While I cringed when I revisited this one (and the others) I also knew that they were part of my story, and they would continue to be part of it.

And this is what came next:

I pulled off the collage pieces and papered the board 

I wasn't sure where to go next so I just threw colour on it until I was happy with the result

The beginnings of Starlight

Starlight

Because it is so large, photographing it + showing the true colours was difficult. It is much lighter than this. It is also very similar to Wild, (the commission piece I did for my friend), but I was so inspired by Wild, I decided that I wanted something like her on my walls.

I was nervous about this one. The last time I painted something specifically for our bedroom, I hated it so much that it has been relegated to the darkest corners of my studio. (It is now a to be recycled project!) So I am so happy with the finished product.

Anyway this is my last 'big' project for the year - with (hopefully) only Beastie to come before the end of the year.

I have a few more little bits to share with you before the end of the year, but it will probably be very sporadic. It really is Christmas in four days, as much as I am not really prepared for it!

Have a great + relaxing weekend

P.S. There are heaps more progress shots of Starlight here

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