Working words and images

Wyoming Astronomy Picture

2011-06-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

It is June sixth, and the photograph on the "Astronomy Picture of the Day" is from my home town area of Cheyenne, Wyoming. All the way on the right of the photo glows the cities lights. So cool what photographers can create. Have you every been here? Love you Wyoming. Miss you too.

Light on the Trees

2010-07-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Look, it's the illusion of light on trees!! Isn't it beautiful. Yellow, yellow-green, green, green-blue. Just look around you. Really look at the color you're seeing. This beautiful painting is by Mary Lynne. Acrylic on paper. Today we're going to paint a watercolor of light on trees and the landscape. I'll have to show you the results later!

Girl Power

2010-06-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

Summer is around the corner. I have four more days of teaching at Scotts Valley Middle School. The sixth and seventh graders are in the middle of creating an epic collage for the hallway inspired by Andy Goldsworthy's movie "River and Tide". I'm not coming back next year after eight years of teaching there, and it feels weird. But in an exciting and scary way.

I'm starting something new. My friend Mary Mulligan called me, perfect timing, and said, "Let's start an art group for girls." We've been meeting at Coffe Cat planning and creating our new venture. Girl Power Art Group starts June 14th and 15th. We have a session on Mondays and Tuesdays in the afternoon at Mary's place in Felton. We'll start with oil pastel drawings, then paint, collage, and I'd like to even try some sewing!

Which reminds me of my Grandma Melva Lush in Wyoming. I want to see her this summer!!

Cool Cat

2009-08-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

I sold this painting last night to Amy, the owner of Azuca. She fell in love with him. And I'm going to miss him. I loved him too. So I'll have to paint another one, a whole series of him. He is from a photo of a great big tabby, and was fun to paint. I can't wait to do more. And I'm so glad he found a good home, and is out of my portfolio enjoying the world!

Art Quilts

2009-07-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more art quilt pictures from our Monday class. Can you find the word "feel" in one of them?

If only I was a little bird....

2009-07-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun this last Monday July, 13, 2009. We all created "art quilts" after looking at Joan Schulze's quilts. Lots of acrylic paint ended up under our finger nails, and stayed there until Wednesday, as we shamelessly painted, dragged, splashed, and collaged our pictures together.
Rosa has been sharing a poem her grandmother with the glass eye from Germany used to say to her. I immediatly was drawn to it with the imagery of the bird and love, so I wrote it down as best I could in my drawing--this was the previous Monday lesson--. Our new student Suzie also loved this little poem and she wrote it down in her journal, and I quickly photographed it, I must have my world captured! Plus she wrote it down better, as Rosa dictated it, I also love the journal and writing. And I want to print this photo out and use it in our next lesson.
Creating is sooo much fun. And as Suzie said, "THIS is my medicine". Which she explained after our conversation about coping with life and how Michael Jackson coped with drugs, and ultimately death.
Art gets deep.

Mary Lynne's art classes photos where are you?

2009-03-17T16:04:00.000-07:00

I love technology, but trying to figure out how to use it is sometimes not so easy. I have a few photo albums on my Picasa account, which is part of Google. I'm going to attempt to create a link to my photos. Let's hope it works!
Well, I can't find the right button to push. But I do know if you go to my website: www.denisekisershaw.com, and go to the projects page, scroll down to find the slide show for the fashion show stage set I painted, click on that slide show image, and you'll be linked to my Picassa account where you can access all of my public photos!!
Sooner or later I'll get this thing figured out!
I'm so sad to here about Natasha Richardson. I've always loved and admired her. :(

2009-03-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

Monday art class at Mary Lynne's
I've been teaching a group of women watercolor and drawing for several Mondays. We all have a great time. And they are making great progress. Here are some of there paintings and drawings.

"I can Fly"

2009-03-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

I remember Annie waking up one morning when she was about five believing she could fly. She was all dressed, wide eyed, and ready to go outside and try it. She woke up from a dream of flying high in the sky, and so sure of this ability. My heart filled up with love and awe for her pure joy of life. I didn't dare break her dream bubble. I encouraged her to go into the backyard and run down the hill flapping her arms. You must always at least try.

I cropped this from my "Grow" painting, and I'm going to make a bag from this design. I made the cutest bag from scraps of fabric and an old t-shirt. I'll share it with you soon.

"Kitten" at Azuca

2009-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Azuca in Los Gatos

2009-03-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

I have a few paintings and mixed media pieces at a fabulous gift store gallery in Los Gatos, California called Azuca. The owner Amy is a jeweler and has a large selection of precious stones and beaded necklaces and bracelets. Her store has a whimsical style with gifts for children as well. I recently picked up my three large paintings from my bird messenger friend series, and dropped off a few smaller paintings to accomodate the smaller economy.

Thriller Zombies

2008-10-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today was a full day of creating art with sixth and seventh graders, and watching my daughter and other Thriller dancers perform at Scotts Valley Middle School. I was so excited to watch Annie be a Zombie!! And all the girls were amazing Zombies, scary and freakishly real. They performed the Thriller dance three times and I captured lots of pictures. Here is one to share with you, Annie is in the back with long curly hair, and the hole in her tights.

Let the good times flow!

2008-08-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I drove to the Santa Cruz County Fair Grounds in Watsonville to deliver our pictures for the Fair. I'm excited about being in the fair this year, and sharing our work. So here it is. I'm so proud of Bryce and Annie's work. It's such a joy to see your child grow, and have your work influence them. Bryce's photo is on his flicker account, so click on that link (the links to his Flicker account are the two blank bars above Annie's swan, this is the first time I've done a link and that's what I came up with!) and Annie's is the "Swan", mine is titled, "Let the Good Time Flow", which goes with the theme of the fair, and my fascination with my heart and how it pumps blood and oxygen through my body, we are such amazing creatures! Let the good times flow!

Quilting Squares of My Life

2008-08-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Good morning Friday August 22nd 2008. I am going to frame Bryce and Annie's Fair entries today, and finish my painting. I have to deliver them tomorrow. I'll photograph them and share them with you later. I forgot to post Rae's eye painting with the other girl's paintings yesterday, isn't it cool! And a few shots from my studio and patio, the little spiral peeking out from the pot, my little Kitten painting, and a journal entry for my Grandma Melva. I love you Grandma! Let's make a quilt together, have you seen Kaffe Fassett's quilts? I want to make one for Annie this winter. OK, I'm off to my studio for the Fair entries. Caio.

Summer Girl's Paintings

2008-08-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Well summer is winding down. The kids have their school schedules. I'm going back to teach at Scotts Valley Middle School part-time after looking all summer for a full-time job, and not finding anything nearly as interesting, so I'm so grateful to be welcomed back. I thought I'd share some of my summer photos of the backyard. I spent several Tuesday mornings on my back porch under the canopy teaching five girls acrylic painting, so here are a few photos of their work!

Annie Highlight

2008-08-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

We just took pictures of Annie in the backyard, and we decided this was one of the best. She is going into high school this year, our little Freshman. So lovely. She and Bryce can take senior sibling photos for the year book!

Bryce's Highschool Graduation Proofs

2008-08-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

I picked up our son Bryce's pictures from the photographer on Friday, Larry's photography on Mission Street in Santa Cruz. And they're presented so well in a three fold portfolio. I opened them up while sitting at their viewing table and gasped at their beauty, and welled up with the emotion of loving my son and him looking so happy, and handsome. So I sat there and blinked through my tears and watched them shower down onto the perfect display. I am so thrilled and excited with these pictures I had to share them with you. Of course we're ordering lots of prints in these poses. Let me know if you want one!

Backyard Catnip Love

2008-08-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Max and Choco playing amongst the Zinnias.

Here's Kitten with my first mozaic pot Dyanna Zweng taught me this summer.

I grew my cat, Kitten, some catnip. The little plant is barely surviving all her lovin. She sits on the table and chews on it, rubs her head all over it, and then lays next to her little friend so happy.

Last of the Orchid's blooms

2008-08-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well my speed reading approach didn't pay off today. I was all fired up to enter the art contest for the Obama campaign this morning, and I missed the deadline, which was 11:59am EDT. So I was thinking I had three more hours, and in fact it was already closed! So I'm moving on to the Fair submissions due this Saturday. I also need to start my drawings for the Dominican Hospital Foundation Fashion Show stage set I'm designing and painting this fall, and oh yeah, look for a full-time job......
Here's a picture of my amazing orchid that Curtis gave me for my birthday this year, and it's still blooming!! But these are the last ones, so I must draw them, and try and capture their amazing color......

FREE Craig's List Score!

2008-08-18T00:20:00.000-07:00

Something I do, or try to do everyday, is to check the free stuff on Craig's List. Today I got these funky crotcheted birds from a local lady. They were made by her Grandma's friend. I plan on doing a rubbing from them. I love birds, and these will be a real treat to add to my mixed media collage and textures.

Desk Top

2008-08-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Here you can see my art desk top. I have a piece of glass where I lay out my ink, and paints. Above you can see to the left where I load my brayer to roll over the lino plate, and some proofs standing up.

2008-08-18T00:12:00.000-07:00

Here is my linoleum plate that I have cut into and "loaded" with ink, and waiting to be proofed. This is the second proof, AP2. And I'm not happy with loosing some of the blacks in my AP3. But I am thrilled with the image, and the process. I love print making. You can make so many!!

AP 3 Ana Heart Bird

2008-08-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

2008-08-17T22:03:00.001-07:00

My first blog day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hello there world wide web. I'm very excited to share my little corner of the world with you. I've just finished, or rather close to finishing, a lino-cut of a anatomical heart with a little bird flying above it. And of course I'm not completely satisfied with it, so I've printed a few artist prints for proofing. I'm going to use this image in a painting I'm entering into the Santa Cruz County Fair this Saturday, and also into a contest for the Obama campaign. I'll print it on paper, and then collage it into a painting.
Summer is winding down, the sun is just starting to turn golden, I'm still looking for a full-time job, so if you know of one, let me know- one that could use an artsy teacher like me...