MERLOT'S MAGIC

Today, I was inspired to make a court jester from...you guessed it...Merlot! I never thought painting with red wine could give me so much joy (it actually behaves better than coffee, on 90 lb/190 gsm Papier Aquarelle, that is). Here's my TGIF gift to you! And to God who is the source of all these! Everything for His greater glory.

Love,
Clarisse

How do I stay inspired?

I got this question from Kaye today.

Imagine an artist who's had 20 years worth of her artworks since she was a child, burned by an immature ex-boyfriend -- and those pieces weren't even "given" but borrowed to be scanned and posted online back in the day when personal websites weren't as popular, until the relationship has gone awry to a point of no return (pun intended, with reference to the sketchbooks LOL).

She didn't make anything for six long years... (except for a few pieces per year, when madness struck). It was just too painful. It was painful but deep inside, the passion kept burning until she couldn't contain it all inside -- the desire to create, to experiment with different media, the images dancing inside her head, the craving for attention meant to inspire others, and herself even more.

Liken it to a balloon bursting from too much air, a heart aching from too much love, and a full bladder (go figure), an orgasmic explosion of sorts from too much passion bottled up inside.

She's barely scratching the surface at this point. But so darn glad she's back.

Coffee Art

I'm a big fan of Sunshine Plata. Although I've experimented with coffee as medium eons ago, I never really had any finished coffee art until inspiration really struck me hard -- through Sunshine Plata. And so here are three of my first works, a tribute to her:

I'M SO HAPPY! (Yes that's the title of this work)... I finally had time to keep painting with coffee! Yes, that's coffee on heavy-weight cold press watercolor paper (140 lb). I'm bouncing off the walls! More coffee art to come.

TIKI DREAM. I've always been intrigued by Hawaiian Tiki Masks. This is my first Tiki. So please bear with me. And yes, more Tiki to come too.

I'm not sure how to call this. I just kept painting with coffee coz I was having a blast. And hubby wasn't home yet so first came the moon (patterned after the size of a red disposable cup) and then the sky, and then I was supposed to draw a lone tree, but the fairy came out instead. SERENDIPITY. Yes!

Lampara ni Lola Meding (Grandmother's Lamp)

My "Lola Meding" would have this burning all night on top of my grandfather's vintage travel trunk. I can still smell the flame burning, hear her AM radio program in my head, see the dancing shadows of the curtain along the length of the huge capiz windows (and must I add the faint sensation of the mosquito net against my arm). I miss those summer nights when my cousin and I would sleep on the spare bed in Lola's bedroom and whisper to each other for hours while Lola did her evening rituals --vanity rituals, basically!

Rendered with a Graphite Pencil on 9.5x6 in. Acid-Free & Lignin-Free medium weight drawing paper. I don't have to deal with ballpoint pens and scratch papers anymore!!! My friend Mo wanted it so bad I gave it to her. It's alright, she's pretty much gotten my breakfasts covered all the time! (Sausage and egg muffins at work) I'll just make another one soon.

Anger Management, my way...

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Pablo Picasso