Falling

This new piece coming out of my studio this week is my abstract interpretation of flowers falling.  The art mixes cool blues and hues of green and is complimented with hints of yellow and browns.  This piece would be a lovely statement piece providing a pop of color.  If you are interested in purchasing this piece, please contact me.

"Falling"

36"x36" acrylic on canvas.

Available. $518.00

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Thanks for stopping by today!

From Glum to Glam

Oh how I love spring time and all the colorful blooms! It makes me want to work in my yard and garden and make everything beautiful again.  Since spring sprang, I decided it was time to spruce up my two urns for the front of house that were sitting in the back with nothing in them.

But when I looked at them, well, they looked a little glum.

Sad looking with weathering and chipped away paint, I decided these two needed a makeover.

A few brushes, a sunny afternoon and a little bit of Annie Sloan Chalk paint from local distributor C'est Moi to the rescue!

First, I brushed on Chateau Grey (which is actually a kind of greenish color).  I purposely left areas of  the original dark brown show through.  This gave it more dimension.

After that dried, which was rather quickly due to the porous nature of the urns, I highlighted the rounded edges with some Paris Grey (which is a true gray).

Voila! These two are now the stars of the show in front of my house.

What DIY projects have you pulled out this spring?  

Good Morning!

New piece fresh out of the studio! Lots of texture in this "Good Morning" bouquet measuring 30x30" acrylic on canvas. Contact me for purchase details at: kirstenreed@yahoo.com.

Hope you have good morning!

Come Pick Daisies with Me!

Today I show you how to make two small canvases featuring the unassuming daisy. Come over and join me on StencilGirl Talk blog!

Hope to see you there! :)

When Things Go Wrong on Your Canvas

When you are sitting at your art table, do you ever just think..."this is NOT where I want this painting to go" or "this is crap"? Well, some days are just like that.  I put paint down but don't like the direction.

I had a vision for this painting, it was going to be so spring-like in color and form with lots of abstract flowers and layers.  I kept putting paint down, but honestly just hated what I was seeing.  I didn't like the composition at all.  I didn't like the way the colors tied together. It just wasn't my vision.

I pulled out an old hotel room key and spread the wet paint all over the canvas in different directions.

I was actually please with the result. I briefly thought of leaving it like this but once it dried, I was back at work and came up with a very loose, not completely abstract bouquet of spring goodness.

 Here is a second picture.  The above is outdoor lighting.  The one below is indoor lighting. It's amazing how much they change.

This piece will be available for purchase soon!

Share in the comments below what you do when a piece isn't going your way.

Thanks for stopping by!

Feeling a little Loose

Been painting visions of spring lately and that usually includes some florals.  I usually love my florals that are loose in nature and just come together very organically. Here is progression of one recent piece.

I created a background of vintage ledger sheets, maps, wallpaper and molding paste using StencilGirl's Art Nouveau stencil by Lizzy Mayne.

I then drew out my floral and began loosely painting in and around, adding in more charcoal and pen as I went until I was finished.

Here are some close ups.

Here is the final piece.

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Bloom with Joy today!

Hop on over to the StencilGirl Talk blog and watch how I used a variety of stencils, paint, fabric and paste to create this Joyful Floral bouquet!

Click HERE!

I like 'em Sunny Side Up...

I really love flowers.  I love gardening and growing things.  I love looking out my studio window and seeing blooms.  One of my favorite flowers, besides tulips and peonies, are daisies.  Just simple white daisies.  I know, they are cheap, but there is something so sweet and innocent about them.

I was thinking about them the other day as I started this canvas in my studio and although I didn't quite create a daisy, I was inspired by the simplicity of the white and yellow blooms.

I wanted a simple painting but with a lot of texture.  The entire bottom half of this painting is collage of book paper.

I kept my palette simple ~ blue, gray, brown and yellow.  I used Golden molding paste to create flowers that popped off the canvas. It is important not to use "light" molding paste for this kind of piece or joint compound (which is water soluble and will dissolve with paint on top).  I used a  charcoal pencil for definition.

Can you see the texture?

My flowers kind of look like flying eggs, sunny side up.  I think it works any way ~ a little funky, fun and elegant!

Be sure to check out all my free tutorials on my blog page above marked ART TUTORIALS,
or visit me on my website at Kirsten Reed Designs.

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Here are the supplies I used for this piece:

Golden Molding Paste

Charcoal stick

Golden Fluid Acrylic Paints

Liquitex Basic Acrylic Paints

Art Therapy

When I sit down to create or play I often do so without a purpose or plan.  That was the case this weekend when I decided to call on my happy colors for some fun.

After I selected my color palette, I got right to work painting the background with the teal color.  I grabbed Nathalie Kalbach's Arabesque stencil from StencilGirl Products and dabbed through with white, lime green and dark turquoise paints.

Luscious colors ~ loving the background at this point.  I often use stencils to help me create a layered background even before I know what I will paint.

I then added in some butterflies with a stamp and archival ink.

After this point I got carried away in my process and didn't take pictures!  But I basically decided on a vase of flowers to brighten up my day.  I left the vase part with the background showing through because I really did love it so much.

Here is a close up.

I then added the quote, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" by Pablo Picasso.  This was exactly what I needed today ~ a little art therapy to wash the blues away!

Hope you enjoyed ~ be sure to follow me on Bloglovin or like my Facebook Page at Kirsten Reed Designs.  Have a great week!

BlogHop with StencilGirl & Michelle Ward

Welcome to the StencilGirl Bloghop with Michelle Ward's NEW stencils! I am going to be showing you two things I made with her Spheres Small stencil.  Oooh ~ I love me a circle and I had so much fun playing with this stencil!

In my first project, I took hot press watercolor paper and outlined the stencil in the corner, filling in with my watercolors.  I then cut the paper and turned it into a card I will be happy to give someone! I might even add a quote later or words to the front.

For my second piece, I took a piece of hot pressed watercolor paper and created a page that will be in my 2014 bound journal of art pages.  Kind of like an art journal, I guess, but separate sheets of creations I love, so I don't have those pages in there I don't love.  Make sense?

First thing I did was a wash of aqua green.  I have to admit, my husband is in Miami this week and I was dreaming a bit about the beach, feeling a little envious I was freezing next to my space heater while he was taking in the sun at the beach!  So I did colors of the sea….

After I had my background dry, I began stenciling through random parts making layers in white, blue and deep turquoise until I was happy with the results.

I then cut out book paper in the shape of a vase and a flower. I wanted my flower to be very wonky.  After I was happy with the composition, I glued it down.

I began shading and highlighting with blue turquoise and white around the vase.

I began adding in reds, oranges and white to create dimension in my flower.

I then decided to write my thoughts over the book paper in my own handwriting, more for me than anyone else.  This also gave the vase more depth and the piece more meaning.

I cut book paper out to spell the word INSPIRE, because one of my goals in 2014 is to inspire others and be inspired.

I used my Faber Castell pens to outline and emphasize the word.

I inked the edges of the paper with Bamboo Leaves ink.

I drew in a stem and leaves, and outlined the piece with my black pen and signed it.  Ready for my book!  A quick, easy journal page or canvas for your art room!

May YOU be INSPIREd in 2014!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check my other free tutorials on my website at

  Kirsten Reed Designs or just follow me on Bloglovin' and get them delivered to your inbox!

Make sure you leave a comment because EVERY comment on EVERY blog is like an entry to win FREE stencils! Woot woot!  

Giveaway will close Friday, January 31, 2014 at 11:59 pm CST.  Remember to keep hopping along with those artists listed below and the more comments you make the more entries! 

Good Luck!

Blog Hop Order

StencilGirl Talk

Michelle Ward

Mary Beth Shaw

Linda Kittmer

Julie Snidle

Judy Shea

Leslie Tucker Jenison

Carolyn Dube

Mary C. Nasser

Janet Joehlin

Kirsten Reed You are HERE

Maria McGuire