The Ancient Dragon Defends Her Last Egg

So I made a new discovery: Drawing on bare wood is a blast. I may never go back to paper.

This is going to be a beat-up piece in experimenting on a new process for the Wunderkammer series. I love the wood grain so much, I want to try to varnish the drawing and oil paint right onto the wood, acting more like a stain than opaque paint. And I think it would add to the dated feel. I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen, so I wanted to get a pic before I started (I know a lot of the white will go away; hopefully to be rectified in paint). Anyway, what'ya think?

Michelle's new work

Sorry the top image is not the best, but it's still a work in progress. So this is my new series that I am working on that is incorporating my two favorite things: figure painting and collage! Many of you have already seen these and provided critique, but I haven't made a post in a while, so here we go. I have started this series based on a lot of formal elements, but I have absolutely no idea what the theme or concept is. So if anyone wants to try to interpret my subconscious for me, and tell me what they think these are all about, please do! I would like to have a loose theme or concept in mind that I can tie this series together with. Next, I haven't painted for over a year now, so some critique on the painting would be good for future works. That's all.

A Little Bit O'This

Holy cow.  I think I lost a thousand percent of my color when I uploaded this onto blogger.  Anyhow, this is my first painting back from my year-long pregnancy hiatus.  I don't know what was wrong with me.  I couldn't paint.  Made me nauseous.   Tear it apart, please.  I'd love to hear your most critical feedback.  Thanks!

Little Dump

I haven't painted at all since Summerfest, so I grabbed a panel and dove into this monkey skull. This is a few hours, alla prima. It's sort of in preparation for a series of Wunderkammer paintings I've had my mind on for a while. I tried to be a little more interpretive than observational. One panel at a time, right?

I also moved my studio from my living room (much to Shanell's relief) back to the garage. Once down there, I drew this self-portrait for the occasion. Again on the brown butcher paper.

Art Competition

http://arts.utah.gov/funding/competitions/statewide_annual.html

I might enter this.