Yellow Turquoise and Textures

My creative name is Kerry Buí  (BuÍ is Yellow in the Irish language), but my favourite colour is turqoise.  This textured mixed media piece reflects both of these colours with a whole lot of texutre.  Scroll down to see how I did it (and hopefully you will give it a go).

When I opened my craft shop I was asked what colour it should be painted.  Without missing a beat I said Yellow.  It is such a happy colour, but soothing at the same time.  It is the colour that makes me smile.  Before I knew it it was being called the Siopa Buí – I liked it and the name stuck.  My little Yellow Shop!  One day Mr Postman brought a letter addressed to Kerry Buí and the name of the town.  It found me!  A lucky name.

Right more about this mixed media piece which is currently hanging in my kitchen.  There were two points of inspiration.  The first was a wonderful workshop with the talented Finnabair and the second was a visit to a talented friend Angie from Fracture Worx who had an amazing textured canvas hanging in her house.  I had to try it !

I used various gel mediums plus a fabulous medium that has little glass type balls in it.  After giving the previously loved canvas a coat of white gesso I set about painting a landscape with a pallet knife, a brush and my mediums.  Once the canvas was fully dry I laid it on an old towel on my kitchen floor and started to have fun.  I used ready made sprays, home made sprays, mica powders and a water spray.  A bit of tilting and turning to get the colours to behave and I was done.

I love the way it has turned out.  It is really tranquil to look at, but the texture draws me in.

Thanks for looking.

Kerry

p.s. next post is all about making cards to sell.

Swapping and Finnabair Inspiration

When I closed my shop I had to take a break from crafting for a few reasons.  Once I was ready to get going again I needed a deadline, and a reason to create. As a Facebook junkie I knew just where to start.  With swaps!!  There are a good few swaps to be found, and I was both excited and inspired to be creating something that was going to be sent to another crafter.  And to tell the truth I was a little intimidated – there are some very talented people out there.

One of the swops I participate in is Aideen’s Swaps – over on Facebook.  This is my most recent swop.  The theme was Finnabair Inspiration. Finnabair, or Anna Dabrowska is one of the most talented and inspirational artists I have ever met.  I was lucky enough to take part in one of her workshops in Dublin this year.  So as you can imagine when this swap was announced I was raring to go.

I decided to go 3-D and had already fallen in love with this little owl picked up in Dealz, a great store in Galway.  I had great fun adding various little touches including some book paper before using gesso and lots of little add-ons.

I was happy with the subtle colouring, but I have to admit I have another of these little owls sitting on my kitchen table. Might go black and a bit bold with the next one.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and thanks to all my fellow swappers – you give me both deadlines and inspiration.

Kerry

Forgotten memories – forgotten dreams

Water colour was my first arty medium as an adult.

I started exploring my arty self with watercolour years ago, and then I moved on.  I have dabbled in all sorts (as you will see on this blog).  Just lately I have had a yen for watercolour.  I dug out my basket, found my paintbrushes and then just started itching.  I needed to paint.  In my effort to find watercolour paper I uncovered this painting.  A simple wet into wet landscape that echoes Connemara.  It was such a surprise finding this painting and I had to wonder why I had consigned it to a basket.  I think perhaps I like it better now than I did then.

Looking at it now I remember working on it sitting on the bog, with a TV cameraman balancing on soggy ground.  Seven years ago – or was it 8 – I was privileged to be the subject of a RTE show  No Place LIke Home.  A series about foreigners living in Ireland.  An experience – not sure I want to repeat it, but I am glad it happened.

Shapes and Light

I really enjoying playing with light and shapes with photography.  As I don’t have a fancy camera it is really just about finding natural light and letting it lead you around.  I had a real laugh when I was showing a ‘younger’ person these photos.  He asked what programme I had used for editing.  I had to giggle, I used the camera.  I do enjoy the freedom of digital photography, but I am also glad that I learned the old fashioned way.  Using the view finder to crop and frame my picture.

As much fun as it is to play with Photoshop and Gimp, it is also fun to think that you have a 24 or 36 film, and you have to pay for the developing.  It makes you work harder at choosing your view and planning your pic.  Makes me very old fashioned I think.

Anyone else out there who has hundreds of pics on your phone, dropbox, computer and no shiny rectangles to look at.  Note to self, get some photos printed.

Kerry x

Selling my cards

For a long time my life was all about cards.  I made cards, taught cards, sold material for making cards, bought card making supplies.  It was a great time and I met some of the most amazing people who really touched my life.

Things change and for a while all my goodies were packed away.  I have been having great time making cards which I am selling in Harvest Breeze – the most amazing lavender shop that is right across the road from my home in Westport.  It’s great I sit in my craft room and make cards in my own vintage/ecentric style – and I simply pop them over the road.  The lovely Filippa sells them.  The only problem is when I run out of stock – what a great complaint. 

I promise to post lots more pics here soon.

Kerry x