tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80865870773689792442024-03-05T19:43:03.376-05:00On My Easel Artist BlogJournal of art & handmade goods by Tree Pruitt including acrylic & oil paintings, assemblage art, using found objects, handmade jewelry, techniques & methods, plus artist inspirations.Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-68431756696981361432015-02-14T23:12:00.000-05:002015-02-14T23:12:53.346-05:00Art Prop Pests or Found Object FunkUgh, so I'm moving my studio around and cleaning - yes it happens to an artist too - when I discovered a little mound of "dust" on the table under a set of old antelope antlers that I have for still life reference. That's not good. That's in effect... cooties! I'm grateful to myself that I store items and supplies crafted for sale in sealed containers, but I worry for items such as my bear skull Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-10057025187358572432014-06-20T22:31:00.004-04:002014-06-20T22:31:59.463-04:00A Flash of FictionI had a fun little experience with words the other evening, and the result turned into 'Flash Fiction'. Flash Fiction is just what it sounds like, but for most writers it's more complicated than it seems because the entire story has to be word-painted in a very small space. The fun thing about it is that the limited space forces some of the traditional story elements to get pushed aside - Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-33601218529969112892014-04-18T19:28:00.003-04:002014-04-18T19:28:55.762-04:00Rusty the Cycloptic Rabbit Minimalist Assemblage Sculpture
Ah the inspiration of Spring! With the melting of the snow, and Easter just a hop around the corner, I was inspired to create an assemblage sculpture bunny that's turned out rather Minimalist in style. Being comprised of found objects ol' Rusty here nearly made himself! I found a bit of rusted and twisted metal that had been flattened in the road by a huge bulldozer and couldn't help but noticeTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-74436840109884784762014-02-17T01:37:00.004-05:002014-02-17T01:37:35.625-05:00Cradled Birch Painting Panel
An old favorite paint brush sits ready to gesso a birch panel.
I began a new journey with an old friend tonight by pulling out a favorite paint brush to get started working on my first cradled birch panel. I've painted on birch in the past and really enjoyed the surface, but the cradled panels sturdiness is an exciting new experience! The brush I used is from Baker's Secret and was actually Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-22189728998527738382014-01-23T20:00:00.002-05:002014-01-23T20:00:41.366-05:00Old Soldier Assemblage Sculpture
"...an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty."
The last soldiers of the First World War have left us now. The 100th anniversary of the outbreak of that war will be in August this year, and with that in mind a few recent finds called my imagination to create assemblage art. A modern television set color cap became a helmet, an old light bulb fixture fromTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-10106327488806645162013-07-10T21:51:00.000-04:002013-08-17T19:12:00.099-04:00Falling Together
It's been a stressful past couple of years, to say the least, but my art survives the artist folly, and I am regenerating. There'd been a terribly complicated matter that led to the loss of my inventory catalog of paintings... and most ALL of my collection of actual unsold paintings ... my personal collection. Many where rescued by the general public from tragic fate by those who just happened Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-9582309014928885892013-06-26T01:17:00.000-04:002013-06-26T01:32:39.949-04:00Pink Japanese Magnolia Tree in BloomRather than "on" my easel this canvas has just come off of my easel... "Pink Japanese Magnolia Tree in Bloom" is a water-colour pencil painting on canvas of a very large old tree that I'm blessed to share space with in this life. I really enjoyed drawing the tree onto the canvas and moving the flow of water from my paint brushes to enhance the forms! I look forward to the possibility of painting Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-41614198182330616722013-01-02T18:12:00.003-05:002013-01-02T19:58:41.400-05:00Brightening the Post-Holiday with Blues
In the depths of Winters moody darkness it's helpful and fun to find projects to craft that will add a bright spot to your spirit. I decided to craft up a new brightness in our lives by making a glass bead wire mobile. The holiday season this year found our home filled with sparkle, light, and decoration, but after it had passed taking down the ol' Yule tree left Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-72403046371866126502012-11-16T17:18:00.003-05:002012-11-16T17:18:56.538-05:00No Scrub Clean For Old Brass
Want a no hassle scratch free approach to cleaning darkened old brass? Vintage and antique metal components are great additions to art work, but sometimes an age patina doesn't turn out to be so charming. Don't waste time rubbing away patina-poo and risk scratching delicate brass bits! Just dip it... dip it good!
Before & After
I'm currently working Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-4448663311742784372012-07-10T20:38:00.000-04:002012-07-10T20:39:11.987-04:00Vintage Funeral Mask Comes To Life
After 1st cleaning before remount.
It feels good to take care of my kitsch and transform it into home decor. Have you heard of the Death mask of Agamemnon? I've always been somewhat enamored with Bronze Age Greece (c.2500-1100 BCE), the Minoans and Mycenaeans, so when I noticed an old souvenir reproduction of the famous funerary mask in a box lot it was quite a Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-79183441732723463032012-04-19T00:20:00.001-04:002012-04-19T00:42:34.899-04:00Rusty Old Sign
Managed to get out for an inspirational walk a few days ago and snapped a few photos. I'm fond of the rusted old lettering on this sign. I also like the quirky division of space in this photograph with that misty blue sky against the rough red bricks.
Digital photograph of a rusted sign on an old brick building in town (Kokomo, Indiana).
See a larger image and prints of this Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-59705826795117982262012-04-17T23:14:00.000-04:002013-03-17T16:49:50.630-04:00Dot Line and ScribbleThis new painting is an impression of imagery inspired by the 1965 Jazz musical animation short, "The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics" (MGM), which was inspired by a book that Norton Juster had written a few years earlier. The painting was begun just before the passing of influential animator and producer of the cartoon, Chuck Jones, and was just recently finished to a pointTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-3369465420127515352012-04-13T22:17:00.000-04:002012-11-09T03:49:58.818-05:00Assemblage of Thoughts On Bricolage Art
Bricolage [bree-coal-ahj] is a visual arts term used to describe art that is created from an assemblage of everyday objects and/or items that happen to be at hand during the artists need for creative expression. Personally, bricolage and assemblage arts haven't turned me into a pack-rat though it may encourage the habit to hoard... I only save the good stuff. What makes stuff good or Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-28726600334014530312012-04-05T17:51:00.000-04:002013-11-13T19:04:07.515-05:00Zenful Assemblage Art
Buddha Window Assemblage
This piece of assemblage art, "Buddha Window Assemblage", was made entirely of found objects that were collected, rescued, and reused to give old so-called garbage new life via a different form; I love to upcycle vintage treasures! It is true magic at work when such totally unrelated items can fit together in a way that feels unforced yet new! What I most enjoy about Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-85611078485580592802012-03-23T22:35:00.002-04:002012-11-09T04:50:38.504-05:00Polygonia Butterfly
A Polygonia butterfly, specifically here the Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis), resembles both a moth and a dead leaf when it's wings are closed because of the drab brown color on the underside of the wings and "hairy" appearance. Personally I think it looks like a cameleon with those eyes! :) This friendly critter joined me on the patio one day to pose for Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-74257367869723110062012-01-12T20:18:00.000-05:002012-04-19T01:56:23.669-04:00Varity Is Vital
One of the things I like to do outside of the realm of visual art involves music. I play with a bass guitar. Notice I didn't say that I'm a bass player? That's because I've only actually learned enough over the years to cause some trouble if the volume's turned up too far; I play with it. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad quality playing to me because how it feels is more Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-23632603495731479552011-12-30T20:16:00.001-05:002012-11-09T04:24:54.811-05:00Making the Most of Art Supplies
Making the most of supplies is crucial, considering the cost, but it can also be a step to furthering creative exploration. When I have paint left on the pallet after finishing a painting I use it. I keep stacks of small sheets of thicker than usual (110# acid free) paper on hand to create "waste pages". This paper will warp if too wet so with acrylics it's best to move quickly with big Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-34015250924492779692011-09-30T02:15:00.001-04:002012-04-19T05:25:32.100-04:00Rainforest Inspired
This month has featured numerous days of rain in my area. My houseplants are loving the soft light and the art studio is nicely cooled. So far, no hot Indian Summer like I'd expected, but enough rainy days in a row to make me think back to when I lived in Washington state. Here are two bits of art, a painting and a poem, that were inspired by the misty Pacific Northwest rainforest.
Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-10549297860317692782011-09-24T19:35:00.000-04:002012-11-09T05:00:33.650-05:00Finished Nature Goddess Sculpture In each of the places I've lived in North America I've encountered nature spirits. Inside the mysterious trees and brush one thing can often look like another at first glance. Have you ever walked in the woods and mistaken a log for an animal or caught unexplained movement out the corner of your eye? Some say that the cautious creatures of magic in the woods disguise themselves to avoid captureTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-26341743068379602472011-09-14T18:01:00.000-04:002012-11-09T04:35:14.344-05:00Feature of Water MediaI was happy to open an email informing me that one of my paintings, "Aphrodite Was Born", has been selected for a Collection on ArtFire.com, which allows users to get creative by gathering related items under a theme of their choosing. The theme for this particular Collection is the variety of ways in which watercolor paint, or water based medium, may be used in painting; "Water Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-43607436979531760662011-09-05T17:20:00.000-04:002011-09-05T17:25:48.735-04:00Shells , Scales and Smooth Shells , Scales and Smooth is the title of a new ArtFire collection curated by member artisan, CactusCroneCreations, filled with the beauty of amphibians and reptiles. Personally, I love turtles and salamander, I think frogs are great, and snakes are lovely; All of these creatures are lovely in life, but this collection of art and jewelry adds an extra spark to Nature's work! I'm very Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-1429172131458193892011-09-03T18:35:00.001-04:002012-04-19T05:23:43.546-04:00Dragon FeatureToday I'm enjoying having a piece from my ArtFire.com Studio having been selected for a special collection on the site. Curated by member, Vievespolys, these treasures prove that dragons aren't always to be feared! With a lovely assortment of things that decorate, things to wear, and things to carry the graceful side of the favored fantasy creature is featured. My ACEO, Magic Green Dragon Eye, Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-32364955762332121372011-09-02T00:14:00.000-04:002011-09-02T00:22:44.276-04:00Moody Blues SpecialIt's great fun to take part in the community of artists online. Currently, I have a painting that has been chosen for a member curated gallery feature at ArtFire.com. This particular collection is themed, "Moody Blues", which is not only an honor but happens to be the name of one of my favorite music bands! The painting of mine shown in the Collection is titled, "Vishnu Sleeping" and is a Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-21630898472028773512011-08-31T04:20:00.000-04:002012-04-19T05:03:09.064-04:00Portrait of Poet Carl Dennis
A while back I attended a poetry reading given by Pulitzer Prize winning American poet Carl Dennis, and I had the foresight to bring along a sketchbook. During the reading I was entranced by his emotive voice and body postures, so found myself taking the opportunity to capture the moment. I enjoyed the entire artistic experience.
"Carl Dennis Poetry Reading" by Tree Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8086587077368979244.post-7579118000904841242010-05-02T21:06:00.001-04:002012-11-09T05:01:14.610-05:00Whispering Buddha Yesterday, I sat before the easel with an empty little canvas panel to give brush strokes the freedom to create a design from within. It could have become anything it wanted, yet what my inner self chose to portray was a serene image of the Buddha; I like that just fine. The canvas size is just a wee 4" by 5".
Whispering Buddha, by Tree Pruitt
I began with a pale parchment coloredTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887612404164533264noreply@blogger.com1