For the Fun of it All

After cleaning under the studio counter, I came across this marvelous surface that a friend had gotten from Wood Items and More, a craft shop in the nearby town of Greenville, RI. The surface was given to me to see what I would come up with. Not one to back down from a challenge, I considered the piece, tucked it away and now I'm facing the possibilities of painting and tangling a design on it.

Has that ever happened to you? Have you tucked a surface away and then forgotten you had it? What was your reaction to finding the piece? Surprise? Pleasure at having found it again? Did you get busy with a project design? Did a design come to mind immediately?

As with so many artisans, I tend to buy more blank surfaces than I might ever use. They get packed, or stacked, and then when I'm desperate to paint on something other than a canvas or on watercolor paper, I start searching to find what I've stashed away. Let's face it, most crafters/artisans have a stash. Huge or small, it's part of our being, a need we have to keep owning wondrous supplies, no matter what they are. The same applies to the media we work with, whether it be pen & ink, paint, charcoal, gouache, etc.

This particular piece is destined for daisies, sunflowers, or just tangled leaves. I haven't quite decided yet. What do you think would be the perfect design? Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks.

I'll be back next week with a picture of what has become of this interesting surface.