Artistic Expressions Challenge November/December 2008

[Fauxgeddaboudit]

Welcome to the November Decorative Arts / Murals / Faux Forum monthly “Artistic Expressions” challenge

What’s the “Artistic Expressions Challenge?” It’s one that asks you to use your creativity ~ one that invites you to artistically express yourself, any way you feel like it!

Each month we kick off the “Artistic Expressions” challenge by offering some “Inspiration Information” ~ suggestions to serve as your inspiration and challenge you to create something! To participate, you simply submit anything in any medium, in any degree of completion. We only ask that it contain at least one visual image. Our hope is that you'll find this challenge enjoyable - and that you might benefit from 'practicing' this fleshing out of ideas ~ that participating in the challenge exercise will help you be more confident when preparing for future clients.

“ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS” GUIDELINES:
The “Inspiration Info” below is meant to be similar to what a client would tell you when you’re hired to do work for them.

Each forum artist interested in taking the challenge will create something artistic inspired by the “Inspiration Info” and on the 20th of each month participants will upload their interpretation of the reference for discussion within this thread. The artistic expressions you post can be in any medium with or without a written explanation of any complete idea.

Think of your post as what you would offer your client. You decide what the client has asked you for ~ and show us that! You might choose to do a sketch for a mural; a sample board for a faux finish; a completed painting or drawing; a rendering for room décor including fabric swatches and furniture design; or perhaps it inspired you to decorate a wooden box or a teapot! We also want you to feel free to describe (or “pitch”) your idea.
There are no limits to your creative mind ~ and there are no rules in this challenge that tell you what you must be inspired to create! Just take a look at the Inspiration Info, go create something and post it! And if you are inspired to do more than one thing....(like - posting a sample board of a color wash for the walls and also a completed painting that could hang in the space) .....Go for it!!

PLEASE wait until the 20TH OF THE MONTH to upload your work to the thread. That will give all artists time to solely consider the Inspiration info without being further influenced by seeing each other's artistic expressions.

At the end of the month the thread /discussion will be closed and a new challenge will begin.

Artistic expressions artwork can be any size on any surface.

Monthly inspiration will be approved by the guides or moderator. If you have questions during discussion prior to posting on the 20th, they will answer as if they are the client

We hope you have SO much fun with this!!! Just look at it as an invitation to be creative ~ Can't wait to see what YOU do, Chris, Michele and Sue Ann

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NOVEMBER 2008
INSPIRATION INFORMATION

Our thanks to Barb "BarbaraInFlorida" for helping us with your inspiration this month. She has graciously given us her current project to be our November Challenge!! This is her actual home ~ and she's excited to see what all we come up with. Here we go ~ ~

Your "client" and her husband have recently moved from Ohio into this Florida home, and are ready to give the main living space something new. "Time to jazz it up a bit.........anything goes!"

For purposes of our challenge, we encourage you to share any ideas you have to transform the space! And you mural artists will be happy to hear she'd really like to have a mural above the sofa! But if you don't do murals.... feel free to suggest what YOU would do!

The "client" wants the space to celebrate the beauty of Florida ~ she specifically mentioned a pond they have near their home as well as her love of lush tropical foliage. Another insight into her preferred style would be the print of a Bierstadt painting they enjoyed in their Ohio home - - - although that is feeling a bit too dark since they now live in Florida.

She'd like the mural to be the focal point and feels it would be best above her sofa. One of your decisions is... how much wall should be painted? Just above the sofa or the entire wall? She wants to make sure the mural flows nicely into the rest of the room. And... she likes the color palette shown - creams with burgundys, greens and cobalt blues.

Here are pictures of the area ~ giving you a look at all four walls....

First is the wall where they'd like to see a mural, above the sofa:





Moving around to the right..... past the window seen in the picture above..... you'll see the area is open to the kitchen ~




Still moving to the right, here's the wall opposite the sofa:




And the fourth wall shows the door leading out to that beautiful FLorida sunshine~




So let's have some fun here. Barb's original post about this room will be removed - - - so we can just play with some ideas here.

Go ahead and let your creativity loose ~ she’s not sure what she wants in the space – You’re the artist, so You decide what the ARTISTIC EXPRESSION will be!

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That's it, my friends! Now, go and create something!

[jeanvrb]

Sue Ann, just let me say that your description and instructions sound really professional, like maybe we are taking a decorating course that allows a lot of creative ideas. Good job!

[Jakeally]

Wow ... what a challenge.
Lol .... my mind is blank at the moment but I will put my thinking cap on.

[BarbaraInFlorida]

An early Thanks So Much! to Sue Ann for her invitation and to anyone and everyone for even considering taking this on! Please ask any questions and I will try to give a helpful answer. I already feel extremely fortunate to have such talent looking at my little cave!

[jeanvrb]

I only worked with one area of client's home in Florida. I think it had been mentioned that the clients had a pond that they were pleased with. So I worked on that thought. I first tried a painting on the wall above the couch, but then thought maybe a faux window would work. Lastly, I used the same thought for a mural. I need to work on the pond for better colors, but here are photos of all 3 ideas.
The painting -------------------

The faux window ----------------------

The mural. I think the mural would be better if I had extended further to the left, instead of just over the couch.

[Jakeally]

Well done Jeanette .... that's a beautiful painting. I like it as a painting or a mural and I agree that a mural would be better central on the wall.
I haven't had a minute this month. Maybe I'll get some time in December

[Autumnwillow]

Wow, Jeanette, nice proposal!! I think she'll like the mural best... but I bet she'll want to fill that whole expanse (not under the chair rail, just that top part)... I know I would want as much of that beautiful mural as I could get

[jeanvrb]

Thank you dear ladies. I now hold 3 titles in this thread - late, first, and only.

[Autumnwillow]

Ahhh, harsh Jeanette!! Now I feel like a total LOOOOser!! Late, first and only... that's funny...

Yes, I am having trouble getting going on much of anything... I have a sickness of some sort. Maybe I should take advantage of that, since I'm home and miserable

[jeanvrb]

by 1L,
Now I feel like a total LOOOOser!! -------I have a sickness of some sort

Sick you may be, but never looooser. You complete more artwork than I could ever think of attempting.

[Becktoria]

Jeanette, Great job! I love what you created for out client. And I think she will hire you since no one else came through for her. What terrible artists we are. How did November come to an end already????

What if you painted the mural with shutters on either side? I really love it!
And love your avatar too.

[Autumnwillow]

Aw, thanks Jeanette, though I'm pretty lazy these days...

I think we had talked about holding this one over for December since it got posted a bit late (mid-Nov)... so we aren't bad artists YET Becky! Let's get to work!!

Michele

[jeanvrb]

Thanks Becky. If I get hired I'll explain to the client that I need a different artist for each wall. That way we can all head to Florida for a visit.

And shutters !!!!!!!!! Great idea. Why didn't I think about that?

[Becktoria]

I am too busy Michele...and tired....yawn!

[semper]

Is this challenge spilling over into December, then? If I have a vote, it is yes.