Hands On!

This week was my last art class. I'm a little sad to see them end, but I am excited to be able to choose from the many techniques we were taught and use them in combination to make my own wax paintings.

This week I finished one piece and have two more near completion.

 This is the finished one - at least the surface is complete. I still have to finish the sides with a dark stain and add hooks on the back for hanging. This painting includes gold ink, colored wax, embroidery thread, transfers, and a laser cut sticker of a butterfly finished off with gems.

 This partially finished piece was done with drywall mud and a stencil. The finishing on it include India ink, alcohol inks, wax and shellac.

This vivid piece is mostly just layers of wax which have been allowed to swirl together. It features some  alcohol inks as well as some gold shellac.

This was an interesting class. I found that those class members who went home and worked on some of the painting techniques were better prepared to learn more. I found this interesting because the gospel  of Jesus Christ is so much that way. If we don't practice the things we learn, it is so much more difficult to incorporate them into our lives. It takes work and concentrated effort. Sometimes it takes a willingness to feel rejection, hurt, pain, disappointment, adversity and sorrow without letting those things cause us to lose focus - they are in actuality the heat that provides us a way to practice gospel techniques that will fill our lives with beauty. I love this principle. It is a source of joy and truth to me. I am so blessed to have a husband and children that encourage me to develop my talents, just as they help me to live the gospel.