Yes, I've been absent, a long time absent.  There is no particular reason to hide behind; life is busy and sometimes gets so busy I forget the little things that ground me.  How is it that something as narcissistic as an internet blog can ground me?  It gives me pause as I know that somewhere out there someone I don't know is going to possibly take a moment to read it.  I find that a very sobering idea, and a reason to be honest.  I have never liked dishonesty at all, but this makes it even more important.  Somehow putting a false image out in cyberspace makes my skin crawl.  So, dear visitor, what you read is what you get.  The older I become the more outspoken and to the point I become.  Having cleared that from my thoughts I now share with you the process of one of my small works which may or may not ever see the light of day.

Here is a photo I took with my iPhone on my back lanai one morning. Nice orchids I thought.  Having never met a photo that I could leave untouched, I took it into the remarkable iPhone app, Phototoaster.  

Here is the toasted version, with which I was pretty happy. 

Until the filigree bug hit. 

This is an addiction I have which rears its head in much of my artwork. I suppose it is good that I am not unmeasurably rich as I would filigree the world in gold and silver if given the opportunity.  This photo was imported into ArtRage, an iPad app to which I owe a great deal of thanks and allegiance.  Using the filters and layers I am a happy girl for hours and hours at a time with any given subject.

The union of the creative mind and photo filters gives me joy beyond measure.  I would also take a moment to mention that I did about 6 different versions of the above piece.

I can never decide on which is the final medium - paint programs or photo programs.  So, I took the photo from the photo program into the paint program and then back into a photo program.  Here is the result using the above sketch in the iPad app, Percolator.  Darn this one is fun, and so appealing to me on so many levels.

Fortunately, I don't have to decide on a finished product as each can be saved on its own to become its own entity.  I am so very grateful for computer files.  The idea that all of this work isn't really real until it's printed is another idea which fascinates me to no end.  (I am simply amused!)  Each of these files will reside in cyberspace or on dvd until I decide to give one or all of them a physical presence in the world in the form of print or card, or perhaps a rice paper print submerged in an encaustic collage.  Meanwhile, they may travel the world of the internet in different capacities as much of my work has done. 

I don't want to grow up, I'm having way too much fun.  Honestly...

This is a fascinating time in which we live.  

Peace, B