One finished, one wip

Finally I think my muse has returned. I think she was hibernating most of the winter. I wasn't able to finish Ishtar. I got 3/4's the way done and decided I didn't really like the composition. I am silly that way sometimes. I will throw her on the half done pile and maybe come back to her 6 months from now. I just had this idea, it would be a fun collaboration with another artist to each send the other one of their half dones and see how someone else finishes it off. Anyhoo....
I wanted to paint a girl in a cocoon. That is how I am feeling right now, like I am about to sprout wings but for now I have to be patient in my cocoon. I finished her in about 3 days last week (she is small 11in. x 14 in.). My problem is that my camera is very old and crapping out on me. Everytime I try to take pictures in the larger settings it puts all these vibration looking lines into the work. Luckily my in-laws are giving me a "new" hand me down camera. It's only about 5 years old and still will be a major upgrade from the one I have now. I won't get this fabulous new camera for 4 more days, so I won't be able to take a good pic of her until then. I have a hard time not showing you all my work the minute it is complete so here is a teaser shot:

When I first decided I was going to learn to paint it was because I had decided at the time I would never be able to afford original art and if I wanted some on my walls I would have to do it myself. The point is I am completely addicted to original art. Since being on Red Bubble I have made many connections with other artist and have aquired some orginals through trade. Someday I will post a blog with pics of my "collection".
So my latest aquisition is by the amazing fantasy/faerie artist from Australia Kim Turner. I gave her a painting for her "Ariadne". I just love this painting so much, and seeing it in person is even more amazing than imaginable. I love staring at her painting strokes up close. I can't explain it, but it is like you feel the love she put into it. I think that is the power of true art. I told my husband I got tears in my eyes when I first opened it out of the box and he said "now you know what your art has the power to do for people."
Well, needless to say I was beyond inspired after getting her work. Last night I had to start another painting. I stayed up way too late and started this work I am going to call "The Phoenix Keeper". I am pretty sure it won't end up in the half done pile.

Sneak peek at Ishtar

Sorry I have been incommunicado for the last few weeks. Last week I got the worst cold I have had in a long time with a fever. Then it turned into a lovely sinus infection that I still can't completely shake. I haven't felt like painting or doing much of anything. I have read about other artists that get depressed when they have a long term illness. I somewhat understand now. When you are too sick to create it really starts to weigh on you.

I know there is more to me being sick right now than meets the eye. It has been an all around rough start to 2011 for me on the creative front. I have been questioning if I really have the energy for this or not. Wondering if I should just go get a desk job. A lot of this is just coming from the Winter Blues. January has been a rough month here in Kentucky. But I do think this illness had given me some time to ask myself what it is that I really want. The one thing I do know is it is no fun to not be able to create.

I have had a couple ideas for serpent goddesses in my head for weeks now. All this sinus pressure makes it really hard to lean over a painting, but I finally started on an Ishtar. I have been thinking a lot about the primal goddess/dragon energy. So many primal goddesses are connected to dragons, and dragons represent both spirit as they are part bird or have wings, and matter in their serpent form. Here is a little sneak peek at what I have so far on my Ishtar: