Original silly poetry and a Christmas Blessing for friends and family

FEATHERED FOLK CHRISTMAS 

Little birdie on the branch

Come and take me to your ranch

What would birds herd?

Worms and seeds from bugs and flowers?

While we just sit and while away the hours

Our feathered friends know once the ground is white with snow

their lives may depend on the nature love you show.

So, did you fill your bird feeder, did you put out that suet?

Please, please do it. 

Merry Christmas my feathered friends and lovers of such

Please share your touch.

Thank you so very much

Now I must run out and do my best 

for my avian friends in the red vests.

by Mary Thoma

"Not all of us can do great things, but, we can all do little things with great love" Mother Theresa 

It is the little things we must attend because the big things so depend on their doing. I send a Christmas blessing to you and yours now and through out the year as you give your love, time and care to those "little things".

Joseph and Mary Thoma

Imaginary Girl

Got a prompt listening to a video yesterday to pull a face from your imagination with no reference photo...so here she is with "Use Your Words" stencil designed by Carolyn Dube in the background. acrylic paint on paper.

"Female Figure"

"Female Figure" abstract mixed media on paper, "Prayer Flags stencil designed by Cecilia Swatton for Stencil Girl Products. Marabu Art Sprays, gesso, Derwent Graphite sticks, Stabillo Carbothello pencil.

"Sunset Extraction"

Marabu Art Sprays, acrylic paint, Blick Gesso, Liquitex Modeling Paste, Utrecht Acrylic Matte Medium on a Masonite panel. "Sunset Extraction"

My work was picked up by "This Weeks Links" courtesy of Seth Apter

A New York artist Seth Apter found my work and included it in a distribution list to his followers "this week's links" Artist's works he finds interesting: abstract or modern or contemporary use of a classical image. It is an honor to be included with artists of this magnitude. Check it out. http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-week-links-127.htmlhttp://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-week-links-127.html

Metalica

This textural metalic abstract work incorporates Prayer Flags Stencil designed by Cellia Swaton.

Chutes and Ladders

This abstract work uses Marabu Art Spray, acrylic paint and Blick gesso with MaryBeth Shaw's stencil club design from October and Prayer Flags stencil designed by Cecilia Swatton.

StencilGirl Forest

Have you been to the StencilGirl forest? From the humble recycled beginning with cereal box bent tree cut outs, Elmer's glue and popcicle sticks. Add Liquitex texture paste drawn through a variety of StencilGirl stencil designs to create a textured resist to the spray inks. The cardboard soaked up a darker saturation of the green Dylusions spray ink to provide this lovely 2 tone green. Some of the trees are bedazzled with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and beaded trim. The center tree sports vintage rhinestones for decoration.

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG

"Together We Are Strong", Carolyn Dube Art Sisters MaryBeth Shaw Pipette marks stencils, Paper Artsy Fresco Finish acrylics rolled on with a 2" foam paint trim roller. S319 Stegmiller and Seth Apter's Make it Count stencil designs are in this too, I made the background some time back and added the sentiment this morning. A most sincere Happy Thanksgiving to each of you.

SPANISH MOSS

"Spanish Moss" Acrylic paint, gel pens, water soluble graphite, color pencil, Carolyn Dube's Wall of Words and Pea L211.

BE CAREFUL THE "P" YOU GRAB IDEOLOGICALLY

BE CAREFUL THE "P" YOU GRAB IDEOLOGICALLY...THE SLEEPING TIGER IS AWAKE. WOMAN POWER IS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS WORK.

"JUST CIRCLES"

Just circles" StencilClub Party Call, stencil designs by: Carolyn Dube's clock faces, MaryBeth Shaw circles L071, Maria McGuire's Landscape doodles. Media, Gesso, Marabu non-water soluble spray paints, dylusions spray inks, Derwent water soluble graphite pencil and XL sticks.

I PUT MY NAME IN THE HAT FOR THIS TRAINING

Send out your positive vibes toward my selection to attend this TRAINING INSTITUTE...

We are delighted to announce our seventh grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts that will help fund The Creative Center at University Settlement Training Institute for Artists and Administrators in Creative Aging, March 26-31, 2017.

This Institute will focus on the growing field of creative aging as well as arts in healthcare  and will provide artists, as well as arts,hospital, senior center and nursing home administrators both a theoretical and didactic approach to implementing, sustaining and evaluating high quality arts programming in a variety of settings serving older adults, from senior centers to long term residential settings for the frail elderly. Presentations and workshops by national and local leaders in the field, combined with site visits to museums, galleries and "best practice" programs, will enable accepted trainees to raise the bar on arts engagement across the aging spectrum.

Support for The Creative Center at University Settlement Training Institute for Artists and Administrators in Creative Aging comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

FREE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL CENTER FOR CREATIVE AGING

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CREATIVE AGING IS ON A MISSION TO MAKE AGING A NEW ADVENTURE VIA THE ARTS. IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST, A CAREGIVER OR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATOR THIS OPPORTUNITY IS FOR YOU! LINK TO FREE MEMBERSHIP, NO CATCH, NO GIMMICKS, I PROMISE:
FREE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP JOIN TODAY

http://www.creativeaging.org/

October StencilClub Designs at work

Stencil designs by MaryBeth Shaw for stencil girl products. My take on using these lovely stencils was done with acrylic paint and gel pens on paper.

If you want to learn to do something ask a friend!

Home is not a Place.

I was taking a course, OMA, Opening Minds through Art. Part of my training was to be the volunteer assistant for a nursing home resident making art. Anna was the nursing home resident I assisted. My first observation of Anna was this, "I want to go home please take me home, I want to go home." Anna was anxious with a deeply furrowed brow she had a baby doll in her lap being held there with one hand over the doll and with the other hand tugging at the caregiver making her plea from her wheelchair. Dr. Lokon our instructor and originator of the program looked at me and asked me to to take Anna as my artist. I agreed, I knelt down and spoke to Anna briefly ending with "would you like to go with me?" I did not give her any further information. She accepted my invitation to go without hesitation. In route to the art room I asked her about her baby doll, his name was Mike. When we got to the art room I asked to place Mike toward the center of the table where she could see him. We went through the opening ritual and instantly we started making art. I was given materials and some instructions I read along with Anna. We began, Anna called all the shots. Everything from what color background to the choices of paint colors. All of it was her own design I was just her assistant. Poor Mike was left in the middle of the table and not mentioned again. As she worked at her piece, she rolled acrylic maroon and ochre paint, she sponged on some silver paint, she finished with some splashes of bright teal and gold glitter. We pulled up the masking material laid out at her instruction in the first steps of the project. The big reveal is what you see here. No mention of Mike or going home, just "well, I'll be dammed, I am an artist." She looked at me and the finished piece and asked, "did the other's see this?" I held up her artwork and asked for everyone's attention and announced "Anna asked me to show you her work" the ooo's and ahhh's abounded, her face had more in common with a lighted Christmas Tree than the furrowed anxious face I first encountered. You see, home is a feeling, it's not a place. Making art transported Anna home the place of her own design.

The Keys to Your Dreams ARE within You!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUMfkj2WEm8

"OLD HOUSE"

Time to brush up on my watercolor practice. photo from graphic stock. Watercolors: Kuretake.co.jp

BROKEN PAST

This is a deeply textured, bottom lit, soiled art deco era relief, rendered in acrylic over paper layers, and texture paste.  The stencil was re-applied with additional texture paste "copper crackle". The surface was waxed and antiquing gel applied to give more definition to the textures. The stencil was designed by Natalie Kalbach for StencilGirl Products.

SHIELD DANCER

Mixed media textured art on Masonite panel. Liquitex modeling paste, Art Extravagance texture paste, copper crackle, acrylic paint, gel stain, Tri Art self leveling gel.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN AND MAKE IT COUNT

I purchased Seth Apter's new Fresco Finish paint colors from Paper Artsy Leandra Franich, in order to give these colors a proper trial run I had to use a Seth Apter StencilGirl stencil right? I happened to notice an acetate container had this sticker that looked like it needed a place to live so I incorporated this perfectly matched sticker into the work. Two thumbs up for the new colors: Mahogany, Midnight, Terracotta, and Buff.

"LIFE GETS BETTER..."

This is my response to the "Colour Me Positive" Week 37 prompt. Life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. The photo prompt was such a beautiful simple photo I chose to honor it in mixed media with gelatos, chalk markers, white Uni Posca pen, Derwent water soluble graphite pencils, acrylic paint and stamping with the antique Alderman stamp set pictured with the background stencil incorporated into this page designed by Jessica Sporn for StencilGirl Products. Photos and artwork by Mary Oklahoma Thoma.

"You're too Kind"

Acrylic paint, stamp "Kind" by Honey Bee Stamps,  StencilGirl Products stencils designed by Snidle and Bautista. Artwork by MaryOklahomaThoma, art journal entry....Feeling philosophical....what does in mean when people say "you're too kind?" Are they being sarcastic or sincere? The virtue of kindness is so important. There are people who see being kind as weakness, Do we pay more attention to mean spirited acts? Is the beauty of kindness obstructed by brutishness? Art Journal entry, texture paste, stamping with HoneyBee stamps, Derwent XL Graphite, water soluable graphite dark wash 8B, Pitt Pastel Faber Castell, Inka Gold Lava Red, StencilGirl Products: 10-2015 stencil club Snidle, and L311 Bautista.

Embellished Elements

I created "Embellished Elements" for VOICES from the September StencilClub designs for StencilGirl Products by artist Cathy Nichols. Exclusively at www.StencilGirlProducts.com

"YES, YES, YES"

ABSOLUTELY, say yes to these things. Magazine collage adorned with components of the September StencilGirl Stencil Club Collection designed by Cathy Nichols. Gelatos, acrylic paint, gel pens alter the images pulled from magazines combined with stenciling.

Little Treasures

Little treasures abound in the September Collection designed by Cathy Nichols for StencilGirl Products Stencil Club.  I highlighted the text on these little upcycled long division flash cards converted into little flashes of art.

SKY EARTH BIRD

"SKY, EARTH, BIRD" was created for StencilGirl Voices from the September Stencil Club designs created by Cathy Nichols. Pan Pastels on Mi Tentes toned paper by Canson. This Bohemian design joins the 3 main characters in dramatic fashion by allowing the shape of the bird to inform the line of the earth and sky. Artwork by Mary Thoma for StencilGirl "Voices".

The GRID introducing my new A.I. (artificial intelligence) enabled website
http://thegrid.ai/mary-oklahoma-thoma/

Bubble Burst

Here's a kick in the pants. While working with gelatos over gesso I made a discovery, gelatos seem to help gesso let go and slide off when you add enough water. Live and learn, however, I really liked the salmon, turquoise and dark plum background and so when the gelato/gesso/water slurry came off, I mopped up with paper towels. I like the way it came out. This was fun, makes me think of the "Bubble Burst" type games. Maria McGuire designed this "Doodle It Landscape" stencil.

Number 5

I was up late last night not something I typically do...and this piece was the product of a Friday night blitz.  I worked on backgrounds primarily but this one just kept calling to me. "Finish me, finish me"...who can sleep with all that begging going on? This incorporates a MaryBeth Shaw design 6x6 scribble stencil and Maria McGuire, "Doodle It, Landscape" stencil design.  I worked gelatos into the stencil spaces and got this raised texture outline

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"Figure in the Shadow"

Abstract, acrylic paint on Masonite.

"NUMBER 3" AND "PEACOCK"

"NUMBER 3" AND "PEACOCK"
"Number 3" and "Peacock" works on 12x9" paper using gelatos on top of acrylic paint with "Mod
Ovals and Circles" 6x6" stencil designed by Liz Mayne from StencilGirl
Products.

"Spacial Abstraction" Mid-century Mod 7

This is a 9"X12 Abstract mixed media piece created with gesso, spray inks, acrylic paint, Mary C. Nassar's stencil designs for the August StencilClub @ www.StencilGirlProducts.com.  This work was created as a "StencilGirl Voices" contribution. My first steps were to lay all three designs on the paper and spray them heavily with Dylusions spray inks.  I saturated the paper pulled the stencils and the foundation for the design was created. I started experimenting using mini gellie shapes saturated with gesso, placing the gessoed side down on the inked stencil designs.  I made a surprise discovery when I pulled the gellie shapes the inks transferred to the gessoed mini shapes. I promptly found another sheet of paper and presto had a subtle image to mono print from the gellie shapes. I digress.  I kept working with the lights and darks in acrylic paints, taming the conglomeration of shapes and colors into a more pleasing layered design. Moral of the story, if you are going to gamble on an idea, plan to stay with it until you have accomplished an end product that pleases you. Thanks for checking in on my blog.

"Playing in Circles"

"Playing in Circles" 9X12" on paper, acrylic paint, gesso, Derwent graphite pencils water washed with fine brush, Charles Leonard hole reinforcements, gel pens, Signo uni ball white pen, StencilGirl Products design by Maria McGuire L347.

Mixed Media Clipboard (front and back): Hand, 6X6" SO55 Carriker hand stencil from StencilGirl Products and the Art Foamies stamp by Julie Fei Fan Balzer, "Make Art Every Chance You Get Baby", Inka Gold: Planinum and Yellowgold, and Testors Craft paints, Gelly Roll Pens, and finished with Americana Creme Wax.

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to me...today is my anniversary so I knocked this out real quick...the card is a long division flash card converted to short flash art card. I have 169 of them on two gigantic rings to complete the set.

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Postcard Collage Build Your Dream

Collage words and paper pieces, watercolors and Inka Gold rub.

Postcard Mid Century Mod Vibe

Watercolor Postcard Mid-century Mod Vibe

SWEET DREAMS

9X12 watercolor journal, spray ink, gesso, acrylic paint and chalk marker. StencilGirl stencils by a variety of designers.

HEART DANCE

Heart DANCE, Spray inks, cut paper, gel pens, gesso, hole reinforcements, acrylic paint, stencils from StencilGirl Products, Carolyn Dube's design "Learning to DANCE" L419 and Gwen Lafleur's design "Ornamental Petals" L338.

PURPLE FLOWER ABSTRACT

16x16 Birch board, modeling paste, Dylusions paints and spray inks, StencilGirl Products May StencilClub stencils.

Blocked

Yesterday I picked up an ordinary brown marker and drew a giant loopy line and started coloring the loops with fine felt tips just doodling and the next thing I knew I was drawing these Picasso like sets of mismatched eyes and faces. Bizarre stuff I never even think about doing.  Sometimes a block is a good thing. It's not pretty but I am so fascinated by it. 

NEBULA

Textured, abstract, mixed media work

on 16X16" birch board.

My Midcentury Mod

My Midcentury Mod: black Sharpie marker, Koi watercolors, Gelly Roll pens, Pan Pastels, stencils. StencilGirl Products: April StencilClub 6x6 Shaw, L413 Dube, L399 Dennis, L211 Pea. Full design and close up.

Abstract Composition

Stabilo Pencils, Stabilo Woodys, wet brushwork, April Stecil Club from Stencil Girl Products.

Get out of your comfort zone! find liberty.

This is a "Peter Max" rendition in style from back in the "hippie days".

Experimental Morning