My friends and I trade art sometimes. This is a great way to not only have inspiring art on your wall but also feel the love of friends in your home. All it costs you is a little postage and an afternoon of painting! I have traded several times. This last time it was a threesome. Art went to both Sandra Strait and Alice Hendon. We usually include little extras, maybe some new paper types or a bookmark or half pans of paint. It’s wonderful to get a present in the mail.
The three of us decided that we each wanted direction in what to paint one another for our trading art extravaganza. Sandra wanted a pear painting, Alice wanted anything with lettering and a coffee cup. Yup, I can do that! I wanted a steampunk animal from Sandra and so did Alice. Alice does amazing tangled animals too so, seeing her zebra made me want something similar and I chose a squirrel done in her unique style. I think we’ll be switching that to a tangled Zig Zag book since Alice says the squirrel isn’t cooperating!
Steampunk Penguin by Sandra Strait
Above is the amazing steampunk penguin Sandra sent to Alice. My God he’s magnificent! I especially love his mittens! But holy cow, his bomber jacket is awesome too. And his little toes in the snow. hahahaha. I’ll never get over how both Sandra and Alice do such creative tangling. I used to tangle many years ago but never found a way to be this kind of creative. I could get the stroke of the pen right and my lines straight but my tangling never even came close to the beauty and feeling these two women’s art embodies.
Steampunk Fox by Sandra Strait
This is the steampunk fox I received from Sandra. LOOK at his top hat and tails! How she made it look natural for a fox to be wearing a Victorian type steampunk jacket is beyond me. He looks regal with a little twinkle of whimsy about him. I swear I think he’d make a great character in a children’s book. I keep encouraging Sandra to go there, she’d make a spectacular children’s book writer and artist. The genre would be so enriched by her creativity with her animals.
Alice. Oh my friend Alice. She’s a former cop from Florida and now she splashes in all kinds of paint and other media. I’ve never met anyone with such whimsy and creativity with color. I’m so controlled, I sorely wish I had her unworried take on art. That’s actually why I’m embracing another media with oil pastels. I’m trying to let my inner child out. With a media that doesn’t easily allow for any kind of perfection, I think getting to be an expert at oil pastels will nudge me into more freedom with watercolors. It’s a long term goal and hey, I get to learn a new medium in the interim. Gotta love learning, keeps you young at heart.
This is Alice’s stunning zebra. I think he’s one of the most stunning pieces of tangling I’ve ever seen. I forget he’s black and white when I look at him. The next zebras were done for Zebra Pens. We’re all ambassadors for the company and last year there was a call for zebras and Alice did these.
Tangled Zebra by Alice Hendon
Zebras by Alice Hendon
So, Alice received the “Red Letter Day” piece at the top of this post. I absolutely loved the intricacy of doing the checkered napkin under the coffee cup. It seems as I get better at watercolor, I look for more complicated subjects. I still love the pieces to have no background most of the time though. I like the look of it with the subject as the focus. Someday I want to learn negative painting, then I want to try backgrounds. I’m inspired by Brenda Swenson’s art so that’s a goal. It seems my oil pastels and my watercolors fly in the face of one another. I think that’s a good thing. Hopefully they’ll influence each other as I grow my skills.
Sandra got the quartet of pears. I was exceedingly pleased with this piece. You know I love me some pears. They speak to me. I was so happy when these seemed to jump off the page at me. I’m so glad they turned out so well. And the title ended up being perfect. A little tongue in cheek, “Barbershop Quartet”.
Thanks for reading, I do have some great friends, huh? I’m hoping that includes YOU.
Later Gator.
Susan C
What a fabulous art trade! Alice’s Zebra is gorgeous, and that fox! He made me laugh. No doubt Sandra and Alice love their new art from you.
Jean Marmo
This is such a fun idea! I love Sandra’s work. Her creatures are just amazing! Alice’s Zebras are just darling!!
Kathy Delumpa Allegri
What superb and perfect gifts to trade! You’re each and all such creative beings in this world. Thank you for sharing!
Laura
These are all so awesome! Thank you for sharing and brightening our day as well. After while crocodile.
alice
what a fun post, Jennifer! thank you for sharing my art <3 your Red Letter Day is hanging in a place of honor in my studio! as is Sandra's penguin. I love them both! thank you so much for being my art buddy and confider-in-buddy, I'd be lost without you and sandra and christine. love you so much!
sandra strait
Thank you for all your kind words, Jenn! It’s been a privilege to to be able to share artwork with two such amazingly talented artists! I can’t wait for my lemons to arrive and take their place by my pears!
Jennifer Rose
that fox is gorgeous!! all the art is really nice, looks like a good trade for everyone involved 🙂
Dawn
What amazingly talented ladies! You all traded beautiful pieces! How fun!!