Category: flora and fauna

Brown Paper Paintings, flora and fauna, Plein Aire Painting

Brown Paper Series-#1 Ready to Exhibit in Guild October show

Michele B. Naquaiya

This is the first large brown paper painting I did 2 months ago. It was a very different experience–unknown, different, exciting. I did it as an experiment—to paint very big on paper that was not white and completely unique. If you know me you know my favorite thing is drawing and painting from life. I normally never use photos except for quick references. That’s just my training and experience. So I found myself painting outside in my patio where the light was perfect and I had a little room to hold this big canvas, which was not a canvas at all but a melange of several heavy cardboard sheets taped together.

The brown paper is heavy gauge wrapping paper found in framer’s supply. The paint is a mix of several types: watercolor, liquid acrylics and fabric paints heavily thinned. I was very happy because I could apply my techiques the same way I teach watercolor; by working in layers. When you work digitally in photoshop you have to have a good command of layers. I use photoshop every day in one way or another. This technique is giving me a way I can blend the techniques and materials to solve “how to” prolems. At last I found a way to combine the theory of how to paint with the practicality of this kooky medium I was kind of inventing for myself.
For posts, I did take some quick shots with my cellphone to follow the progress. I will be releasing a pdf in my new watercolor teaching book so stay tuned.

AI Art, dogs, horses, cats

Munchkin Cat

Michele B. Naquaiya

This sweetie is a “Munchkin” cat. He has been bred to be very short like the little people in the original “Wizard of Oz” film. These traits are pretty adorable and I hope they will not impair his health. Time will tell. I created this cutie in AI and am offering him up for your pleasure. You can see and buy him on my products. I love him. Feel free to leave a comment.

AI Art

On being yourself

Michele B. Naquaiya

It seems like today the world is scrambling frantically to survive. Countries, monies, systems in general are upsidedown. That goes for people too. Just look around anywhere and there are more lies that exist today about what is going on than probably any other times in history. As one small person, what can you do? I think your choices are small but that doesn’t mean you should forget about who you are in the big picture.
I was born an artist, from a creative and survivalist family of movers and shakers. Well, kind of. They survived a hell of a lot and tomorrow will be l23 years ago my mom was born. One good thing I realize is that even though her life was extremely difficult she accomplished a lot and left an amazing legacy. Too bad my children never knew any of it but I take a lot of responsibility on that one. I was young and stupid and asleep at the wheel in that territory. I was only trying to survive myself. For her time, she lucked out and died at 65, not having seen any of her kids expire before her.
What this has to do with being yourself is that I’ve learned you really can’t change who you are. You can modify it, you can adapt it to the rules of society so that often means what shape you are in. Physical, mental and emotional states are all reflections of how you are doing. I learned something yesterday and even though I’ve learned it over and over and over again, I still manage to plod on and it often still escapes me. I was born with a mind and body that followed my heritage, my lineage, my general attitude.

I always drew since childhood, pencil in hand and I’ve tried to change who I am through every stage of life. It doesn’t work and it never worked to try to change. The bottom line for me is that I remember mom saying of all her 12 children, I always woke up happy and smiling. The world always looked rosy to me. Every day was a new world with fun things to look forward to. I think of her and respect what she said. I am finally respecting who I am. I have always struggled to be like everybody else and it has never worked. So hopefully as I get older, I will realize that there is a lot of worth of what mom said about me….in one simple sentence.
I am learning the difference between trying to be like everybody and fit in, or trying to follow my own unique path. Looking around the insanity of behaviors I see around me, my sensible side says I don’t give a damn what they are doing, I’m staying on my path. So I’m playing with simple art, fun and cheerful stuff. I like it and believe enough in myself to just offer it up. Here you go world, it is what it is.