peek into my sketchbook…

happy october everyone – my favorite month! LOVE the cooling temperatures, the changing leaves, Halloween – everything!

so, i’ve always doodled. when i worked a ‘regular’ job i doodled during staff meetings, i doodled on napkins at meal times (and still do!), i doodled while on the phone…but i never really kept a sketchbook. you know, one book where i sketched out ideas. i doodled everywhere anyway, and i never sketch out a painting before i paint it, so i guess i never saw the need.

well, this past june my husband took me to Dick Blick Art Store in Pasadena for some birthday shopping. i went to just buy a Gelli plate but came home with more. you know how that happens, right? (you can check out some photos from my first time using the Gelli plate here – playing with my Gelli Plate.)

so, along with my new Gelli plate, i got some Jacquard Textile paints (which i was very excited about but haven’t used yet), a roll-up pouch for brushes & drawing supplies, and a sketchbook. and i’m enjoying it. i haven’t done alot in it yet, but i really love drawing/painting in it late at night, when everyone’s asleep and it’s quiet.

here’s a peek at a few things i’ve been doing. please forgive the not-so-good pictures; the lighting here hasn’t been great for photo taking…

blue and orange brush strokes

colored pencil heart

autumn paint colors

turquoise black circles on gold

snakes making a heart

so tell me – do you use a sketchbook?

new items in Etsy shop!

i’ve been busy! i’ve been happily painting away, into the early morning hours, and i’m loving it!

creating new work really makes me happy, and with all the curve balls life has been throwing out lately, painting and drawing are really the only things keeping me sane. when i’m in the zone, everything else disappears and it’s just me and my paintbrushes. and that’s all i need in that moment. ♥

anyway, i just wanted to share a few of the new pieces i’ve added to my Etsy shop. Dia de los Muertos is so close, and i added some one-of-a-kind paper mache skulls that would be great to add to any altar, or would make beautiful gifts for anyone who loves the culture, color, and beauty that is Dia de los Muertos. you’ll also find hand painted wood birds (fun & whimsical!), crosses, and original canvas paintings and mixed media pieces – and much more.

so please – pop over to my Etsy shop now and see if there’s anything you like!
Susie Carranza Studio on Etsy

Etsy shop - new items

new work…

i’ve been busy!  playing with my Gelli plate, painting, drawing – it’s been great.  just wanted to share my newest pieces, which are available on our website at www.ArtedeNuestroCorazon.com

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hope you’re all having a great summer – can you believe it’s JULY?!

trying to get back to work…

since lawrence’s dad (my father-in-law) passed away  life seems to have…stalled.  it’s already going to be one month that we lost him (on the 15th) yet it still seems unreal.

so…this week i’m making a conscious effort to do something creative (art therapy?) so i’ve been going through our packed boxes looking for my art supplies.  so far, not bad: found my boxes of acrylic paints and my box of wood pieces, so i can hopefully have new work to share really soon.

yesterday, my creative endeavor was to photograph textures found outside.  i enjoyed it; it was a very warm day, and i’d been sort of hibernating inside lately.  i liked all the textures i found around my parents’ yard (i even included Canela, our dog).

i was hoping this would spark some idea or light a fire in my artistic brain…

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…and it did. it gave me the itch to work on some mixed media pieces.  i’ll be starting with the large green heart in the photo below (seems like i painted it eons ago, with watered down lime green acrylic paint).

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i have been busy listing sets of cards in my Etsy shop – each set includes 3 greeting cards, blank inside, with images of my original artwork on the cover.  take a look and let me know what you think!  Below is the “Flowers” set; click my shop link below to see the other sets…

https://www.etsy.com/shop/asucarr

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’til next time…