13 Goddesses Week #9 - Aztec: Mictecacihuatl

Aztec Goddess: Mictecacihuatl

She was the Queen of  the Underworld and ruler of the Afterlife.

She watched over the bones of the dead, and was the divinity who presided the feasts of the dead. 

We can still find tracks of Her in the modern Day of the Dead festival and in Santa Muerte, a Mexican sacred figure.

Now show me yours!

Heading towards 300!

I realized yesterday that I'm going towards my 300th blog post!

This is a huge score for me, as my previous blogs didn't last long.

So, I decided to set up a GIVEAWAY and a 35% off SALE in my Etsy Shop (click for link).

The sale is already running, and will be going on for 30 days. I have focused it on 4x6 inches and bigger originals and prints.

For the giveaway you'll have to wait for some days, as I still have to decide the prizes. :))

*************************************

The money collected through Etsy sales and through ChipIn (on the left side of my blog) will be used for my ZEN DOLLS PROJECT. Please, be patient. I will give you more info in a few days.

**************************************

Here are some of the items you can have with 35% discount. Shipping costs are as low as 2.00 Euros, and 2.00 + 0.00 Euros if you buy 2 or more items. 

Zen! What about you?

Do you know what ZEN is?

 In Buddhist teachings it defines the states of consciousness and deep understanding that spring from meditative focusing. 

It is not very easy to explain, as I'm at the beginning of trying to understand this practice.

I first had a glimpse of Zen and Art when I found this wonderful website called ZENTANGLE. Before, I had tried meditation and visualization for creating Art, but it's with tangles and doodles that I have found my true inspiration and path.

This is a work of patience and, luckily, I'm very patient when it comes to things that require focusing. And it also gives you time to concentrate on many aspects of your life. This stream of thoughts can result into decisions, solutions or simply peace of mind.

I'm always been a very nervous individual, in physic and mental ways. 

Making my Zen Drawings makes me feel relaxed and in peace with myself.

What about you? Do you feel Zensational when you make Art?

For SWEET SATURDAYS and SUNDAY SKETCHES today I would like to introduce you a new kind of Zen Dolls. This one will be used for ZEN DOLLS PROJECT (click for info). I'm waiting for my sister to write a presentation, and then I'll set up a blog page where you can read info and news.

I would also send a HUGE THANK YOU to my blogfriend Stacy of MAGICLOVE CROW for her amazing support!!

Weekly Freak

A HUGE thank you to all the wonderful people who are supporting my ZEN DOLLS PROJECT! (click for link). The first packages have been shipped this week!

New ACEOs will be available in my ETSY SHOP tonight. 

Next week I'll be able to write something more about this project and put up a special page in my blog for news and info. :)

******************************************************

And now my piece for PAINT PARTY FRIDAY.

Weekly Freak. What is it?

More ACEOS

As Ebay allows me to put on auction only 10 items per month, I thought it would be better to put my ACEOs in my Etsy Shop: BLACKPUMPKIN'S MESSY STUDIO (click for link).

I want to remember you that all the profits coming from sales on Ebay and Etsy (any item) will be used for 

ZEN DOLLS PROJECT (click for info). I will create 20 canvases that will be used for a humanitarian cause. Any help will be well accepted.  If you don't want to buy one of my works, you can donate 1$ using the ChipIn widged on the left side of my blog.

I thought about ACEOs, because they are not very expensive and people can collect them (and I also like their size!!) :)

Here are my new ACEOs. More Zen Dolls and Zen Witches coming soon!

And Zend Doll #1 which SOLD today!

13 Goddesses Week #8 - Roman: Minerva

First of all today, I want to THANK YOU very much the wonderful friends who purchased ALL my ACEOs on Ebay. This won't be forgotten!

If anyone is interested in knowing about my ZEN DOLLS Project, please read HERE.

********************************************************************************

Now, on with this week's Goddess!

Roman Goddess: Minerva

Minerva was the goddess of arts and crafts. She was particularly good at weaving. Once a woman called Arachne wove a beautiful picture. Minerva tried to find something wrong with it. When she couldn't, she tore it up and turned Arachne into a spider. The spider still weaves beautiful webs.

Minerva helped the hero Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa, who was a monster with snakes hair. Anyone who looked at a Gorgon turned to stone. But Minerva told Perseus to look at Medusa's reflection in a polished shield. That way he could cut the head off without looking directly at the Gorgon. He gave the head to Minerva, who put it on her shield, so it would turn her enemies to stone. 

Add your link here!

A Project & ACEOs

OK, I know it must sound rude, but......

I'm trying to collect some money for my ZEN DOLLS PROJECT: I have to create about 20 Zen Dolls canvases for a project that will take place in 2013. But I'm not "in the money" right now, because my husband is not working very much and my job doesn't pay much... So, if you would like to contribute even with 1$, I'd be very happy to show you my gratitude when the project starts (please, write "zen dolls project" in the notes to the seller in PayPal). I cannot tell you much about it for now, but I'll talk about it as soon as I have news.

There is a ChipIn widget on the upper left side of my blog. I think it's the best way to show friends' and peoples' generosity. :)

OR,

if you want to contribute in another way, you could make an offer for my ACEOs.

I put them on auction on Ebay (click images for links).

I'm going to make 2 or 3 open edition series (cats, witches and zen dolls).

I want to thank everyone in advance for helping. :)

Here are the first ACEOs.

I'm linking this post to SUNDAY SKETCHES. 

 

On Sketches

This week I've been working on some ACEOs for EBay auctions. I'll post them tomorrow. 

Today for SWEET SATURDAYS I want to share a couple of my dad's new sketches and a sketch website I have just discovered.

 

 I have found this sketches website called ODOSKETCH.

Here is my creation. :)

It's fun and you must see what beautiful sketches people have made!

Zen Doll on a Wall Completed!

On Sunday I completed my Zen Doll on a Wall project.

It's been a lot of fun. It's hard to draw and paint on walls, because they are irregular. But I think the finished piece is good. The photos cannot give you that feeling of 3D that you sense while watching at it.

I have already started to draw another one near the window. I'll show you some pics ASAP!

Here are the last WIP pics and the finished piece.

"Show Picnik"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

*****************************************************

Don't forget to post your Week #7 Goddess for 13 GODDESSES IN 13 WEEKS CHALLENGE!

You can view our Hinduist goddesses HERE.

And HERE you can read the rules. There's still time to join!

13 Goddesses Week #7 - Hinduist: Parvati

Another WIP... I have been doing so many things last week and dealing with my headaches that I almost forgot to draw my Goddess!!! I'll post it finished along with my Greek Goddess, I promise. :)

Hindu Goddess: Parvati

Wife of Shiva and mother of Ganesha, the elephant-headed God.

Her name means "Daugther of the Mountain".

"She committed herself to living an austere life of meditation to win over Shiva. She meditated in the Himalayas for years, not budging through driving rain, blistering heat, or elephant stampedes. But one day, she heard a child cry in suffering and she immediately sprang up to help. But it was Shiva, testing her resolve. She had failed the test, but he was so touched that she would give up what she desired most to help someone in need that he took Parvati as his wife".

Now show me yours!

Faces & Ebay Items

A quick post for SUNDAY SKETCHES, as I'm trying to complete my Zen Doll on a Wall. 

My dad is really into drawing again.

This is a pencil sketch he made yesterday:

 ***************************************************

Yesterday I decided to put some of my pieces on EBAY.

Any comment, suggestion or critique accepted!

Postcard size (4x6 inches), colored pencils and ink.

Rainy Spring & Zen

It is going to be a rainy spring this year... One day of sun and 6 of rain. Still low temperatures. I hope it is not a prelude to a very hot summer...

So I thought about this week challenge at ARTISTS PLAY ROOM. The challenge is to create something that recalls you the ongoing season. I combined Spring and Rain and this is the result:

This is another series, parallel to Zen Dolls, and (with a huge creative effort) I have called it Zen Ladies! :)

I do love the word ZEN. Related to art it relaxes me and it has been the starting word of my artistic awakening, so I like using it everywhere I can.

I'm linking it to SWEET SATURDAYS, too.

Have a great weekend!

WIP, More Zen Dolls & a Portrait

This is a "lot of pics" post.
Lim king to PAINT PARTY FRIDAY. 

I'm still working on my Zen Doll on a Wall. 

This one, instead is on paper. Size about 11x16 inches

And last but not least a portrait by my daddy!

Holidays WIP & Another Dad's Sketch

In spite of my backpains I spent my Easter holidays drawing and starting a new project I have been thinking about for a while. I have this blank space on the wall between two pieces of furniture in my dining room. I thought of putting something there, but in the end I decided to paint it..... my way! :)

This is what I've been making yesterday. Way to be finished. I'm afraid I'll start drawing all over the house!!!

But first another of my dad's sketches. He's really enjoying and I'm happy about it. :)

Introducing you Zen Doll on the Wall.

I used Sharpie Black Markers and Watercolor Pastels for her face. I'm not very comfortable with acrylics, yet. Here are some pics of the work in progress. Four hours of work until now.

13 Goddesses Week #6 - Egyptian: Bastet

Egypstian Goddess: Bastet.

She was called the "Devouring Lady", from the root "Ba" = to devour.

She is usually represented as a lioness goddess with lion face.

She was the patron of Lower Egypt and protector of the Pharaos.

Goddess of the home, pregnant women and cats.

I have 4 cats and love everything feline, so I chose to draw this Goddess.

Now shom me yours!

Dad's Sketch

Today, for SUNDAY SKETCHES I'm posting something not mine.

I have always envied my father for his drawing skills. He went to Brera Academy in Milan, one of the best art schools in Italy. I remember a game we played when I and my bro ans sis were young: my father started to draw something, and we had to guess what it was. We spent hours playing this game and also listening to the tales he invented for us. He has always been very creative and able to to everything. In fact, we call him McGyver! :) I know that he put aside his art because he and my mother had to work hard for feeding us and make us study.

Now, after a long long time I succedeed in convincing him to start drawing something again. You know, he's now 78 and retired. He's a PC nerd and he loves learning new things. 

Here is one of his sketches. I'll post more as soon as he emails me!

Isn't it cute?

Have a great Easter Holiday all!

Mask & New Micro Art at my etsy Shop

This week ARTIST'S PLAY ROOM theme was "create art from the inspiration around you".

I have these beautiful Asian wooden masks on my dining room wall and tryed to sketch one. I'm not ver good at sketching from real. Any comment will be accepted! :)

I'm linking it to SWEET SATURDAYS and SHOW & TELL SATURDAYS, too. 

Oh! And I'm also happy to tell you that I won March Challenge at ARTISTS IN BLOGLAND!! :)

And now some self promotion! Here are a couple of new items available at my Etsy Shop. they are postcard size 4x6 inches, collage, pencil drawing and india ink. Originals, not prints.

A Sketch

Sorry for not posting this week, but it seems that my headaches and general pains are not getting better...

This is a sketch I made at work and I'm linking it to PAINT PARTY FRIDAY.

I'm having a long weekend for Easter holidays, so I'll try to post something new and upload some new items in my Etsy Shop (thank you Stacy for purchasing one of my Zen Dolls!!!!).

13 Goddesses Week #5 - Native American: Ca-the-ña

I couldn't find much info about this Goddess, but I like her name and what she represents.

Native American Goddess: Ca-the-ña

 
The Mohave goddess of love (the "Mohave Venus"). She presides over fertility in humans and animals. 

You have time until Sunday, April 8th to link your Goddess.

For the rules of this challenge and to view the previous Goddesses read HERE