It's been four weeks of flower gorgeousness at my house, but sadly this is my last flower homework post. For our final homework assignment in Flower Arranging 101 we were tasked with creating a bridal bouquet and boutonniere. When I think bridal bouquet I think large luscious roses, delicate sprays and airy greens- what was available to me however was not quite the stuff of dreams. 

I did my best with pink fluffy mums, white and green spray roses, wildflowers, and seeded eucalyptus and the results surprised me. Though not as full as perhaps I'd hoped the final bouquet felt lush, organic, and feminine. Something I would have carried at my own wedding. For the boutonniere I paired the spray roses with the wildflowers and seeded eucalyptus to subtly nod to the bridal bouquet without all the girly-ness.

I'm proud of these final projects and think they showcase perfectly how much I've learned in this class. I look forward to using these newly acquired skills for years to come. Our Thanksgiving centerpiece will be a sight to see. - b.

see the rest of the homework:  1  |  2  |  3  

My earliest memories of making art aren’t really memories at all, but stories that my mom has told me over and over again until they’ve become real in my mind. She loves to tell people how I learned to draw and craft before I could even write my own name. Her favorite story being one where I crafted a miniature nativity scene out of erasers and blocks at the age of 3. Meticulously drawing faces on each character, and dressing them in different colored tissue. It’s from these stories that I began to see a recurring theme of religion and in particular the birth of Christ (see above). At first I thought it a little heavy for a small child to dwell on such heavenly beings, but after talking it over with Ryan it made perfect sense.

As a small child the most significant characters in my life, outside of my family, were those figures I saw repeatedly on Sunday mornings and at holiday celebrations. I was too young to understand the idea of a movie star, or cartoon character, but through repetition I was able to grasp that baby Jesus and the biblical characters that surrounded him were significant in some way. There is no way that I could have understood the symbolism of what I was making, but it eased its way into my subconscious anyway.

Years later in college I would again find myself drawn to the idea of religious iconography and of symbolism as I studied art history. I could write a whole post on just that, but I’ll save you the art history lesson for now. I now happily seek out the symbolism in things, though not in an overtly religious way, and it delights me when I spot something in my work.

Funny that a silly little sketch my mom saved for over 2 decades now holds so much meaning. I suppose that’s equally symbolic. - b.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram are already way ahead of the curve with this post, because you've seen hints of what I've been getting into lately in art. I've taken a giant nosedive back into painting and I'm never looking back- well kinda. My latest artistic adventures have lead me to yet another lesson in art making...

If at first you don't succeed, maybe it's because you didn't do your research first dummy.

I'm really quite happy with my latest paintings- they're loose, romantic and intense representations of flowers which is exactly what I was hoping to achieve. There's just one little problem. The paper is too thin for the type of paint I'm using (gouache in case you're curious) so it's rippling. The wetness of the paint is causing the paper to absorb too much moisture and leaving my final product a wavy mess. The overall look of the painting is still nice but the quality has been completely sacrificed due to an oversight on my part.

I should have known better. I did know better.

I ignored what I knew about the paper, and the paint, in an effort to save a little money and get on with it already. I was so anxious to get the painting started that I threw research out the window. I've since gone back and done my homework on what surface is best for gouache/acrylic paintings and bought the supplies I need to move forward with confidence. Illustration board.

Tragically the 3 paintings I did before wising up have been relegated to the sketch pile and I'm starting from scratch once again. These lessons in art making can be painful, but hopefully they'll keep you from making the same mistakes. - b.