One Of My Favorite Quotes

The theme this week at The Three Muses is to use one of your favorite quotes in your art work and here is mine:

This was done on a gallery wrapped canvas, and it measures about 8 x 17, so I'll show you a couple close ups.  Here's  where I put the quote--

The quote is a Chinese  Proverb, and it's "A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song"

I love using birds, like alot of artists, in my artwork. To me, they represent freedom to go anywhere, and to just sing just for the sake of singing.  They also  represent a sign of renewal.  The first sign of Spring for us is to see a Robin. I love birds.  I'm not a bird expert or watcher--I just love birds.  Right now, it's so cold and  QUIET, but in the warmer seasons I just love waking up to the chirping of all the birds.

And this was one of those pieces where everything came into place.  I just sat back and listened to her (my muse--still don't know her name). I found this sheet music in a children's book I had which was perfect for what I  was looking for:

"The Birdies' Ball"--how cute!

Then I used this scrapbook paper for the border--

The flowers in it went so well with the birds, so I just cut some out and collaged them onto the canvas  to mix in.

I usually don't paint these colors--the baby blues and pinks, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but when I was finished--I love it!

Wings and Imagination

Wings is the the theme this week at Mixed Media Monday,  and a couple of weeks ago, I made my
garden angel. so this week for the challenge I made my butterfly angels--

 The butterflies are Dover images and I used my favorite garden book for the background again--

And when I was making this, I knew that I wanted to add text or a quote.  I don't really have a way with words, so I just went to Google and found this quote:

"Imagination will take you everywhere" 

The actual quote is "Logic will get you from A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere."

I found it here:

Now, I'm really proud of this.  I was never able to figure out how to get the actual utube video up on my post--I'm still in computer grade school.  So with a little help from my son, Nick, via email, I did it.  My son is a college professor, you know (Dr. Salter), and he's been teaching me computer skills since I started my blog, but he'll only tell me how to start things  and then let me figure out the rest by myself.  Look Nick, I did it!

This video has really great quotes in it, that I know alot of artists like to use in their art, and also there are some amazing butterfly photos in it, or if you just want to be a little motivated, it's nice to watch.  Okay, if anything, at least put it in your favorites (after all this trouble I went through  to figure it out). There really are some wonderful quotes on here.  And I want to give credit to the utube artist Elaine Gilbert for putting this together.

Isn't the internet wonderful?  It has become such a useful tool for artists.  I can't even count all the techniques I've learned, and look, I'm taking a class that I've always wanted to take.  I really don't think there's a local Goddess and Poet class in my town. I think one of the best parts about it, is just interacting with other artists all over the world.  If I have a question or need help, I always know where I can go.  What was it like for artists when there was no internet I wonder? 

And in December, I bought myself a laptop for an early Christmas present.  The main reason was, so that I could have it up in my art room, because I knew that I was going to take a class, and it would be much more convenient for me.  But it's really become one of my art supplies that I can't do without--for instance when I wanted to find a quote.  She's become like my little art assistant. I call it a she, because there are days when she's a bit moody, and there are days when she can be a downright  ITCH with a B, but most of the time we get along very well and I've become very dependent on my little Dell.  And after reading what I just wrote, I  think that I'm spending WAY, WAY  too much time in this house and I think I need to get out more : )