Creative Fire

Mystica's magical Second Life Art Show

2010-09-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

My hotel window in Assisi had a view of the rooftops.

Jebba as a "Glyph"

2010-05-01T22:16:00.001-07:00

My handsome cat Jebba

2010-05-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Storm Coming

2010-05-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

A watercolor by Victoria Faern Montgomery

Not So Still Life

2010-01-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Still life paintings are a wonderful way to fill up a rainy day.

West LA Cat

2010-01-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

portrait of my dear cat.

A commissioned portrait of "URI"

Illuminated Manuscript and message for 2010

2010-01-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

I have held a deep and profound love of the Illuminated Manuscripts of medieval times. I also love the story of Melchizedek and Abraham. This painting above is my interpretation of one of the illuminated paintings and was done digitally.

Variation of an Antique Teapot

2010-01-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

My grandmother's writing desk has been converted into my drawing desk. I have a cubby for my pencils, one for my Moleskine drawing journals, drawers for erasers and clips. It's a perfect little desk to inspire me to draw every day.

I call this one a Baroque Teapot. It was created with watercolor and a collage of newspaper print and a pen and ink cherub's.

My Grandmothers Teapot is a traditional watercolor.

Batik Teapot is a watercolor and I used an East Indian wood block to create the background.

The painting below is a watercolor painted on Yuppo paper

2009-12-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm still completing my drawings of Kauai and also created a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0LfO0iHmkM -I had fun doing this video.

Early morning walks to watch the sunrise.

Breakfast at EGGBERTS was yummy.

I feel renewed and all aglow!

A Lovely View

2009-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

I went to Kauai, HI to celebrate my birthday. I enjoyed sitting on my patio and sketching the view. I took my new moleskine journal with me and used a 2B pencil for the sketch above and also a touch of watercolor.

Counting my blessings

2009-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Gratitude and Balance

2009-11-26T06:11:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving and I am contemplating how my life has become simple and peaceful. Here is a beautiful quote from John-Roger about balance:

As you become more balanced in both your inner and outer expression, your life will become more balanced

The physical level becomes balanced as you find yourself eating better foods and monitoring how much you put in your mouth.

Your emotions become balanced as you learn to love yourself and take care of yourself first and to do these things that bring you joy and fulfilment.

The mental area becomes balanced as you learn to think positive thoughts and to communicate more clearly with yourself and others.

Have a joy-filled Thanksgiving!

Faern

Drawings at the Getty Villa

2009-11-07T05:38:00.000-08:00

A lovely day in Malibu California

My first drawing a day sent to Urban Sketchers

2009-11-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

Barrington and Wilshire Blvd. on an overcast morning

LADY NUT AND BUDDAH

(a very peaceful cat!)

A Garden in Spello, Italy

2009-11-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

When I painted in the lovely garden, it was very early in the morning. It was a hot day but there was a dry breeze. The air made it easier adding layer upon layer of transparent watercolor. The 300 pound Arches paper was saturated with colors. I love the results of this landscape. Spello, Italy was the location.

Illumination

2009-10-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

Sacred Water

2009-10-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

I lived in India in the late 1960's. I enjoyed the jewel toned colors in the sari's, flowers and birds. I also remember the many rituals and celebrations of life.

Watercolor mono-print

2009-10-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

One of the ways that I keep myself producing art is to choose one of my previously painted artworks and then do a mono-print. I had done a sketch of a painting of a fresco above a door in a church in Italy. I have an example of one of my mono-prints next to today's blog. One of my favorite qualities of a mono-print is how fresh the colors appear and the unexpected areas of white or nothingness.

ASSISI WINDOW

2009-09-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

2009-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

My lovely 10 year old Russian Blue Cat.

Quiet Repose, enjoying beauty.

2009-08-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

This painting began with a small watercolor study when I went to the Getty Villa.

Keeping Spirit's BRIGHT

2009-06-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is a watercolor of citrus fruits. My intention was to keep my colors bright. I experimented and used a very expensive paper that is used for printmaking I use it when making watercolor, mono-prints. The paper is brilliant white and because it absorbs pigments quickly, my shadows have a layered look to them. In studying Cezanne's watercolors, One can see the way he would apply flat strokes of color. Using lighter colors and then layering his pigments. I used this technique and altered the effect by applying them on wet paper.

I am graduating on July 2, 2009. I will be wearing a cap and gown and receive a Doctorate Degree. A Doctor of Spiritual Science. If interested you can check out PTS.org and inquire about the DSS program.

June in Southern California

2009-06-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

I am introducing my lovely eleven year old cat, JEBBA.(seen above)

It's JUNE! We have "June Gloom" along the beach areas of Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and Malibu. Also referred as "socked in", a weather anamoli that describes the fog bank that comes every year in June.

I look forward to the warm weather. I love painting outside. I sometimes will sit along the Venice beach canals. It's a lovely, quiet area, with small bridges and wonderful light.
The Santa Monica Pier is also a fun place to paint (and people watch) The watercolor below was done last June on a misty, foggy day.
Happy June! Let's get busy, and paint many beautiful, summertime paintings.

I am really enjoying getting to know many of you in the Google reader section of this blog. I also appreciate your comments. I'll be able to comment on your blogs in July 09. I am completing my Doctorate of Spiritual Science, Practical Treatise. Graduating July, 2009.

Much Love and Light, Victoria Faern Montgomery

Study Values, Choosing Wisely and Being Present

2009-05-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

The view from my hotel window in Assisi was so wonderful. This image is cropped so that I could see more of the texture in this watercolour, mono-print. If any of my artist friends want to "play" then here are the steps to creating mono-prints:

Begin by purchasing several pieces of CLEAR (not frosted) plexi-glass plastic.
Bevel (you can purchase a bevel for under $20-) or you can sand the edges of the plexi-glass, doing this, gives an interest to the border of your finished art work. (Optional)
Wash the plexi-glass and gently polish with comet cleanser. Rinse well.
Coat the entire surface with a diluted gum arabic solution. 60 water, 40 gum arabic. Let plexi dry overnight.
Place plexiglass over a sketch, a finished pece of art or a photograph.
Now you will see through the plexi-glass at your image.
As you paint directly onto the plastic surface, add small amounts of gum arabic to your water based paint as this will give the colour more texture and retard drying time.
When finished, place a piece of hot press paper or special print paper over the piece of plastic, plexiglass.
Burnish the entire surface (I use a wooden spoon)
Peel off the paper.
Enjoy your beautiful, watercolour mono-print!

When I did this watercolour of a vase of flowers, I focused on keeping the colours of each rectangle, the same value. I appreciate the movement in this composition.

2009-05-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

The landscape above is of the Assisi valley. I was in a 14TH Century convent during the summer of 2007. The former convent is now an elementary school. A small group of painters (me among them) were able to rent spaces in the buiding. The views were so amazing.

Close to Assisi, another mountain top town in Umbria called Spello. The Villa Fedelia was a perfect place to paint.

A song in my heart

2009-05-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 5AM today. I've been cleaning my studio and organising my art supplies. I prepared a small and inconspicuous, travel-size art kit. I am going to the J. Paul Getty Villa in Malibu this morning. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the main entrance of the Getty Villa on Pacific Coast Highway. My plan is to sit on one of the bench's along the pool. I'll be painting,

small (postcard) size watercolours. (to be posted tomorrow)

Warm wishes,

Faern

A song for my Italian friends...

Voglio restare così,
magari fino in fondo.
Il mondo attorno ormai
non mi interessa più.
Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

Mi basta un gesto tuo,
un sorriso,
una parola,
e un attimo così
vale un’eternità.
Accendi un fuoco e poi
restiamo soli!
Noi.

Voglio restare così,
magari fino in fondo.
Il mondo attorno ormai
non mi interessa più.
Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

WE ARE ALL CHILDREN

2009-05-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

The most radical thing we can do in this world is be joyful.

Patch Adams

Sometimes we need to stretch our imagination to get free. My inner-child loves elephants. I created a teapot-mother elephant with her babies. I used condensed water-colours and painted on clayboard.

Have fun and be well!

Faern

Completion

2009-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

My watercolour and graphite drawing is now complete and so is the Zen still life above.

Good Night

LOST AND FOUND

2009-05-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

In this world of change,

nothing which comes stays,

and nothing which goes is lost.

Annie Sophie Swetchine

My greatest joy these days is to express myself. Express what I've held deep inside. I am learning the value of being present. When I am present my expression is free and child-like. I feel no restrictions, constrictions and cannot hear myself editing or judging myself as I express freely and openly.

For many years, actually for most of my life, I have attempted to express by first thinking, what does this person want me to say. It's an approval technique that I learned as a child. My new and more authentic expression comes bubbling up from my deep well of the hard earned wisdom of living and enduring life.

It is because of my new openness that my paintings have taken on a freshness, a vitality and a strength that says here I am and what are you going to do about it? I feel the alignment of being able to ask for what I want even though I don't always get what I want, I am still able to express myself. My former tendency of witholding how I feel, stuffing hurt feelings, made the many challenges of life, even more painful. Expression has revealed my integrity, the stuff that I am made of such as caring, compassion, sharing , touching and kindness. This is the real part of me and the pretending that I am okay by presenting a facade to the world is the illusion of my false self.

My goal today is to have a KIND-MIND!

Faern

Wet on wet

2009-05-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

The flower above, is painted on hot press paper and I enjoyed how easy it is to pick out the lights with a flat and slightly moist brush. Also easy to blend colours,
Whereas with the watercolour of apples in a glass bowl (above) because of using heavy, 300 lb. Arches paper, I used 2 glossy peices of paper and a sea sponge to pull up the white highlights in the bowl of apples.

Fun morning, applying wet on wet glazes and blending opposite colours for shadows. I also had a great time with spattering (in a subtle but effective way).

Transparent Water colours

My beautiful selection of transparent water colours.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Don Juan: "To seek freedom is the only driving force I know. Freedom to fly off into that infinity out there. Freedom to dissolve; to lift off; to be like the flame of the candle, which, in spite of being up against the light of a billion stars, remains intact, because it never pretended to be more than what it is: a mere candle."

Carlos Castaneda

Love and Light,

Faern

Observing My Visual Field

2009-05-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Villa Oliva, Lucca Italy- An enchanting place to paint and please check out the guest cottage!

2. Another Villa in Spello (Umbria) Peaceful place to paint and learn about ancient history.
3. An old olive grove in the mountains above Lucca. Fresh country air, great Italian LIGHT!
Painted while standing on the medieval wall that is 2 miles long and surrounds the city.

I sell boxed sets of fine art cards. If interested please leave a comment on my blog!

2009-05-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am working on two watercolors today and enjoying my choice of colors. I love mixing rose madder with auroulian yellow and then glazing a very pale alizarin crimson over the entire area when dry.

Love and LIGHT,

Faern

2009-04-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Watercolor by Faern Montgomery

How is everyone doing? I have just enough to pay the rent. Taxes are paid and so far up to date on paying bills. I lowered my Health Insurance by half the amount. Has anyone spent some time really examining your credit card statement (I now have only one card) I found many items that were charging me a monthly fee. I'm in the skin care business and I will sometimes try samples of new products. Free for one month but here's the catch in small print. EMPTY JARS must be returned or You'll be charged. So I've been calling companies and having chats to end these extra amounts of money on my card.

I have an interview at a Sports Clinic. Not sure how an Esthetician will fit in a Sports medicine clinic but I do Lymphatic Spa treatments. Humans are so adaptable. I am getting to see us all doing the hussle.

Hope springs eternal etc,

Faern signing off

Bridge of LIGHT by V. Faern Montgomery

2009-04-26T23:30:00.000-07:00