Ginger and Bambu

This second piece has a story.  I first played with painting on canvas last summer. I painted that giant ginger flower.  I was practicing, because the only things I really think I can draw are flowers and bambu.  So when we framed the canvas, I used the same piece I played with last summer thinking I could just paint over it.  What I wanted to paint was bambu.  When I started the project though, it became apparent I experimented with dimension on that ginger and piled on layers of paint. What I am trying to say is that I couldn't get rid of the ginger. I had to fit it into the paiting. It's a bit odd I think, and not a coherent piece.  But give me a break, it is my second painting!

Artist: Lin Dorton
Ginger and Bambu
February, 2010
Acrylic on Canvas

Creativity Spurt

Crafting and creativity come in spurts for me.  I have tons of beads and shells and things I have collected to use to "make things".  With Pablo painting, me trying to discipline myself certain hours to write as well as relax, and now the holiday season upon us, I decided to break out all my stuff and see what I could come up with. 


On our trip to Honduras last year we found this little clay maker in La Calma, Honduras.  Last year during a creative spurt a couple friends and I painted most of the beads and I made bracelets and keychains using macrame.  This week I sat down to try to replicate one of the wind chimes that Mercedes, the clay kilner, had hanging in her little hut.  This is the result.

The other project I took on was making a mobile.  I used to love to make these mobiles but it has now been years since I have attempted it.  This one below is made from black coral pieces holding sea urchin skeletons and decorated with some painted clay beads from Honduras.  It has a good movement and is hard to show in a photo.  I was hoping to make more of these, but not very many urchin skeletons made it home from Panamá.