original artwork – Bluebird Hill Art

Sun Prints

I always strive for outdoors and creative play rather than screen time, in an effort to prevent my kids from becoming screen zombies during the most beautiful weather of the Midwest summer. I don’t know about anyone else’s kids, but mine turn in heaps of sobbing and arguing messes after any amount of screen time.Continue reading “Sun Prints”

Winter Mixed Media Art

I have been squeezing in studio time as much as I am able to these days. I keep stalling out on a now years-long project with a winter solstice theme. I am more than halfway through the project, however I have a few images in this series that just need a complete do-over. This wasContinue reading “Winter Mixed Media Art”

Nebraska Embroidery

With the start of the school year looming, I’m trying to wrap up some unfinished projects around here. This particular embroidery was started over spring break. I tried to add a few details, but ultimately ended up ripping them all out, and instead opting for a simple landscape. You can find it for sale here.Continue reading “Nebraska Embroidery”

Cheese & Macaroni

I just wrapped up a printmaking class at the Des Moines Art Center. I’ve done relief printing most of my life, but wanted to dive deeper into other printmaking techniques. My new-found printmaking love is a modern lithography technique called pronto plate. The pronto plate is drawn on with Sharpie and then taped to aContinue reading “Cheese & Macaroni”

Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day

I’ve been using printmaking to make Valentine’s since I was a kid – maybe started this tradition when I was in 3rd grade? My parents were always into printmaking and they thankfully taught me linocut early on. This year I had to go with the masked theme. Some of these will be available in theContinue reading “Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day”

Neuron

This neuron is the second round from a much earlier embroidery that was never completely satisfied with the outcome. I started with the leg of some worn out pants. This gray would prove to be a good choice when I decided to make this a functional artwork and not a wall hanging. The pouches areContinue reading “Neuron”

Superior Rocks

Oof this artwork was a long time in the making. It was one that took so much waiting between layers and materials that I stalled out many times. The rocks are a mixture of magazine collage, collage from paintings, and real lake stones. The water is layers of tissue paper, acrylic paint, and gel medium.

Winter Tabby

I don’t always remember to document the process of my art, but collage lends itself particularly well to this. I always have an image in my head when I begin an artwork. My perfectionism hinders my speed at times. For whatever reason, I find that collage is the media where the outcome most often matchesContinue reading “Winter Tabby”

Mother Ursula

I finally completed this artwork that has been over a year in the making. The initial idea came from my daughter asking me, “Mom, don’t you sometimes wish you had eight arms?” Yes, yes, I do sometimes wish that. This concept of me having eight arms further evolved into Mother Ursula due to my childhoodContinue reading “Mother Ursula”

Sea Change

Sea Change, mixed media, 18×24″, 2010. This combination of painting, collage, and drawing came about as a result of a weird dream I had where this woman was sailing away on a Viking ship. I added in surreal details to add to the dream-like idea. It recently found a new home, in a friend’s newContinue reading “Sea Change”