My new painting series is coming along nicely! I completed piece #3 of about 12 this weekend and am very excited to share it with you all!

'The Willow's Lullaby'

(Acrylic on 9x12 canvas board)

This piece was created while listening to Faerie Radio. (If you haven't listened to this, you must! Faerie Radio; The Soundtrack to the Magickal Realm ) This ongoing playlist is full of music that stirs the soul - there was something about the type of music that brought the color blue to the front of my mind. So, I layed down some Phthalo Blue as the background. Next came the bright green 'leaves', I needed something very vivid against that deep, spinning blue. Then came the tree trunk and branches, followed by the fade into a 'watery' area, and finally the darker 'leaves' were added. I sat back to get a good look at the painting, and knew that it needed some final touches. About this time, a beautiful Priscilla Hernandez song came on. The melody and sound of the instruments in this song helped to move my brush and add in the Faeries and thier 'faerie dust'.  I had clicked over to Faerie Radio to see what the name of the song was because I knew it would be my title. I saw that it was: "The Willow's Lullaby" and thought to myself; "How perfect! It does look like a Willow Tree!". The lyrics for this song are a bit darker than the sound of the song suggests.

"When the willow sings half alive
it releases all the pain it hides inside
if you hear its song alone
You fall sleep and your soul is gone..."

Is this what we see in our dreams beneath the Willow? Or are these Faeries here to take you once you have fallen asleep? Not all Faeries are kind...I do believe these could be a terrible beauty...

I'd love to hear what you all think!

~Love & Light~

*Lynsye*

~*NEW PAINTING SERIES*~

(Title Needed)

I have recently discovered a new side to my art! I was working on one of my fantasy paintings and came to a brick wall. I just couldn't make my brush add anything to the painting. So, I took the advice of Faerie Artist Lisa Steinke and just 'let go'.

The result of letting go was 'The Dreaming Tree', my first somewhat abstract painting and first sale! I got such amazing feedback on that peice and it felt so good to create it that I thought I should do more in that style. I will show you the pieces along with descriptions of ther creation, but first, I'd like to share my thoughts behind the series.

These images are a result of music. I have always listened to music while creating, but never realized how strong of a connection that was! I listen to a wide range of music - sometimes I have my playlist on shuffle, other times I listen to one CD in particular. It all depends on my mood and what catches my attention. I start by either closing my eyes and letting the music take me, or I let the rhythms pull me to my feet and move my body with the sounds. After a while, a certain song will grab my attention. It's usually a combo of colors that I see first. So, the canvas comes out, and the paint starts flowing!! The finished products are very much real to me. They are places in The Land of Faerie that live in my subconscious...trees of life if you will. They are the connection between mind, body, and soul. They are the ethereal brought to life!

1

'The Dreaming Tree'

(Acrylic on 5x7 canvas board)

**SOLD**

This one started with my playlist on shuffle. I was listening to 'Desert Flower' by Kan'Nal when I saw this green swirling vortex in my head. That was the first thing to be placed on the canvas. I had just learned, from a friend, how much fun watered down paint and straws could be!  So, I dripped on some darker green, blew through a straw, and voila!! That's when I realized that this piece would be some kind of tree. Everything else came very easily after that. The title for this piece came just as I was finishing the little pink flowers. One of my favorite Dave Matthews Band songs titled, 'The Dreaming Tree', started to play. The first verse is as follows:

"Standing here
The old man said to me
Long before these crowded streets
Here stood my dreaming tree
Below it he would sit
For hours at a time
Now progress takes away
What forever took to find
Now he's falling hard
He feels the falling dark
How he longs to be
Beneath his dreaming tree".....

It was too fitting not to use that title!

2

'Open Channel'

(Acrylic on 9x12 canvas board)

This entire piece was created while listening to both of Kan'Nal's CDs on repeat. (Dreamwalker & Kan'Nal) I was in a very bright mood and felt that it translated onto the canvas in the yellow background. As I was letting it dry, I kept being drawn to the song 'Open Channel'. Everytime the chanting and primal beats of the chorus would start, I would have to get up and move my body. It's impossible to listen to this band and not feel the urge to move!

"And there was always something
Up in the mountain and in the ocean,
A channel that is open to anyone
who would listen to, I listen to it.

Ooh jah a leh ah   Ooh jah a leh leh leh leh
Ooh jah a leh ah   Ooh jah a leh leh leh leh
Ooh jah a leh ah   Ooh jah a leh leh leh leh
Ooh jah a leh ah   Ooh jah a leh leh leh leh"

Each time I would close my eyes, I would see vibrant bursts of reds and oranges against all that yellow. So I started with the random drips of paint blown about by my straw. The tree trunk, branches, and roots came next. Something about the title, 'Open Channel', made me depict the tree connected to nothing....and everything at the same time. I added the darker red leaves/petals and began looking over the painting to see if I was, indeed, finished. 'Palenque Rain Song' was playing, the soft sound of rain drops filling my head. (This is a wonderful meditation song!) During the rain, a bell chimed - it was like someone hitting a gong or turning on a switch in my head. I knew then that there were some little faeries that wanted to live in this tree. They are not detailed, they are glowing with energy, they resemble dragonflies because the viewer does not yet see them as real beings.  

I will continue to post this series here as I complete new pieces. My hopes are to have at least 12 paintings total so that I can publish a calendar! I will have prints, t-shirts, journals, and other merchandise available with these images very soon! (I am opening a CafePress.com shop - I will let you all know when it's live!) As stated at the beginning of this blog, I do not yet have a title for this series. With all the information I've given, I'd love to hear your ideas!

With that said, I'd like to announce my first CONTEST!!!

~*Help Name My Series*~

1. Enter your idea for a title as a comment on this blog!

2. Enter as many times as you want, there is no limit!

3. I will pick the winner no later than July 31, 2008! (The series may, or may not be completed when I select a winner.)

4. The winner will recieve either a 12 month calendar, or a print of their choice from the series!!

So, what are you waiting for?! I want to hear your thoughts!!

I have this same blog on my MySpace page as well....you may enter on either site. (www.myspace.com/lynsye818)

~Love & Light~

*Lynsye*

What a creatively productive Presiden't Day weekend I had! :)

I've been working on a mermaid/naga themed painting. It's acrylics on 16x24 canvas and it's taking me FOREVER to get it done! I've put in around 16 hours so far and am only about halfway through it. (I will be sure to post the final piece when it's complete!)

I sat down in front of my canvas on Saturday and just couldn't focus at all! So, I decided it was time for a break. I grabbed a 5x7 piece of canvas board, listened to some Kan'Nal and just went to town! My subconscious came straight through my paintbrush and landed right on the canvas! The result was this.....

"The Dreaming Tree"

The same thing happened on Sunday. I sat down in front of the large unfinished canvas and got nothing! So, I grabbed another 5x7 canvas board to get my mind going in another direction. I decided to do a meditational painting. It is to be used as a focal point while you're...well...meditating! :)

"Meditation on a Peacock"

These are both totally different than any style I've ever done! I'm thinking of doing more like these....a whole series on meditational paintings! What do you think? I'd love to get some feedback!

~Love & Light~

*Lynsye*

I picked up my sketchbook on Saturday to doodle while Matt was playing Tiger Woods 08. I ended up sketching out this beautiful little Elven Goddess!

So, I sat down at about 2:30, Sunday afternoon, and started painting her! After 6 1/2 hours, with a break for dinner, I finished her! This little lady has a completely different look from my other Goddesses.....but I like her! :) Please, drop by my pics and leave me a comment! Give me the good and the bad....I can take it!

Here, she is, my first piece of 2008!

"Goddess of Imaginary Light"
(Acrylic on 9x12 canvas board)

(Secretly for all you Evanescence fans out there....)

I'm kinda disappointed at how she looks scanned.....she's so much better in person! The full size scan shows all of the lines from the canvas, but you don't actually see them on the real painting...oh well. So, to make it beter, I have included some detaied pieces of the painting. I'm seeing some spots in the Aurora Borealis that need fixing....hmmm...... :)

(Detail of eye and ear)

(Detail of hair & barrette - linework on the hair jewelry is done in liquid silver leaf)

(Detail of dress - outline of Goddess brooch and linework on the bodice is done in liquid silver leaf)

(Detail of moon and stars)

Once again, plese stop by my pics and leave me a comment on this piece!

~Love & Light~
*Lynsye*

Well, I finally got something new done! So, here it is! I would love to know what you all think!

Those of you who know me, know that I am a HUGE fan of Laurell K. Hamilton. Well, her newest book just came out on October, 23. It's the 6th installment in the wonderfully fascinating Merry Gentry series, titled "A Lick of Frost"!

(If you would like to know more about the series, follow this link for an Overview of the Merry Gentry series!)

So....one week from today, on November 3rd, Laurell will be here in Portland! She is touring for the release of her book and will be doing a signing and Q&A at a local bookstore!

All of her awesomeness has inspired me to create some character art. I actually plan on giving this piece to her as thanks for her wonderful work. (Hopefully she will enjoy it and not think I'm a psycho fan! LMAO )

So, let me explain what you are about to see. This is the face of Frost - the Killing Frost. He is one of Merry's guards, and lover. He began life as Jack Frost, then later became Sidhe. He was recently brought into his godhead by Merry. He is white skinned with hair the color of Christmas Tinsle. His eyes are the grey of winter skies and show snow when he calls power......there's lots more to know, but you will just have to pick up the books to find it all out!

This is a mixed media piece....unfortunately, the nature of that forces me to show you the pictures while it's in the frame. This gives you the full effect of the piece, but the quality isn't so great. This pic was taken with a digital camera. The frame is 8x10 and is double matted to 5x7. I used Prisma Colored Pencils, Silver Leaf, glass gemstones, acrylics, glitter paint, and various scrapbooking supplies.

This pic was done on my scanner. (That's why there's a bit of a purplish glare) The scanner gives you a better idea as to how shiney everything really is. There are gemstones, glitter, white spots of snow, and those little tiny silver snowflakes in his eyes!!!!

Here's a closeup that shows the snowflakes in his eyes a bit better.

Here is one more close up to show, again, how SHINEY everything is!!!

I hope you all like it from what you can see.....hopefully Laurell will too!

~Love & Light~

*Lynsye*