Lisa Bebi's Orange Challenge

The very talented Lisa Bebi has come up with another great art challenge. (A few weeks ago I took part in Lisa's "studio fodder challenge" and had a great time creating three ATC's with fodder from Lisa's studio.) For the latest challenge Lisa posted the following on her Facebook page:

"The color orange is sometimes hard to manage as it likes to take over. The challenge is to create a 4" x 4" art piece that has orange as a supporting but important act."

My answer to the challenge is the mixed media piece pictured above. With a combination of acrylic paint, Caran d'Ache water-soluble crayon and fluid chalk inks, I give you 'One Pear.'

© Nancy Lefko

Journal Pages

After a morning spent planting flowers, finishing chores and working on a custom order, I found some time for journaling. Often when I've spent a week filled with home and family responsibilities, and sorely lacking in studio time, I forget how joyful it is to immerse myself in art.

Today I found such joy in an hour or so alone with my journal, water-soluble crayons and markers. It was the first time I had used Deco Color paint markers and I especially like the white extra-fine line pen. Sometimes I have a love/hate relationship with my white gel pens, and this Deco Color marker wrote over the crayon like a dream. It's a keeper.



© Nancy Lefko

Somerset Studio Gallery

The Summer 2010 issue of Somerset Studio Gallery has hit the newsstands and I am pleased to mention that my collage, "Star Qualities," was chosen for publication. I am very grateful to the editorial staff at Stampington for this opportunity. Seeing my artwork published never gets old; it is a joy each and every time. Additionally, I was thrilled to see that the page with my collage was used in the advertisement for the magazine, as seen at the Stampington website. I'm a happy girl.



Images © Stampington, Inc.

Illustration Friday ~ EARLY

EARLY memories are the sweetest kind.

I encourage you to visit the Illustration Friday website, follow the links and find all of the wonderful artwork and blogs.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ EQUIPMENT

Lily could work wonders with that beloved piece of EQUIPMENT.

"She loved her antique sewing machine."

I encourage you to visit the Illustration Friday website, follow the links and find all of the wonderful artwork and blogs.

Print available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Mixed Media Monday ~ WEDDED BLISS

This week's challenge offered by Mixed Media Monday is WEDDED BLISS. The power of love, the strength of promises made and the hope for a bright future; all held tightly in your grasp.

I encourage you to visit the Mixed Media Monday blog and view the wonderful creations inspired by this prompt.

© Nancy Lefko

"Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge ~ MOTHERHOOD plus a GIVEAWAY!!

This week's challenge over at the Melange Team Blog is MOTHERHOOD.

All participants in the challenge will be entered in a random drawing for an original piece of art. Jodi Ohl is offering a 6" x 6" Sweet HeART block embellished with the word MOTHERHOOD (or a word of the winner's choosing.) This is an original Jodi Ohl piece valued at $25. (And there may be some extra little artsy goodness thrown in for good measure :) The winner will be chosen by a random drawing from all participants. So spread the word.

Come on over and join in on the fun of the Melange challenges. They are posted at the blog every other Wednesday and are open to everyone. Hope to see you there!

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Mixed Media Monday ~ MOTHERS

This week's challenge offered by Mixed Media Monday is MOTHERS. Remember your mom on Sunday; better yet, treat her well all year long.

I encourage you to visit the Mixed Media Monday blog and view the wonderful creations inspired by this prompt.

(By the way, I'm a firm believer that every club needs matching hats. Just ask the Shriners.)

Collage available in my Etsy shop. **SOLD**

© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ COCOON

How fortunate we are that change occurs inside a COCOON.


My youngest's favorite thing to do is to collect Monarch caterpillars and raise them into butterflies. He takes this responsibility very seriously and releases the beautiful butterflies with a proud but heavy heart; as letting go is never easy no matter your age or the circumstance.


I encourage you to visit the Illustration Friday website, follow the links and find all of the wonderful artwork and blogs.

Collage © Nancy Lefko

At the HeART of Friendship

When I sat down to journal this morning, and play around with my Caran d'Ache crayons, I wasn't exactly sure what direction my pages would take me. As I worked on the background, moving around the color with my water-reservoir brush and letting it drip and pool, my mind began to wander. I thought of the many friends I have made in the online art world and the impact they have had on my strides as an artist. I am perpetually encouraged, by the most talented artists, to try more, stretch farther, grow and learn.



The journal page above was created with a particular person in mind. My very dear friend Pam Carriker is one of the most talented and hardest working artists I know. Pam is a prime example of someone who set her sights on a dream and never looked back. Any setbacks that Pam had along her artistic journey, merely fueled the fire within her to keep on striving toward her dream. And now that Pam is an accomplished instructor and has been published multiple times in magazines, she continues to look ahead at opportunities to share her love of art. She will be teaching a workshop in Paris this winter, and at about that time will see her first book, Art at the Speed of Life, hit the bookstands.

So, Pam, this page is for you and comes with thanks for inspiring me to dream big and have a brave heart.

© Nancy Lefko

Journal Fun

Very often I will begin to journal and the page will be finished, more or less, in one sitting.

And then there are times, like this week, when a journal spread has layer after layer after layer and takes almost an entire week to complete.

That was the scenario with this journal spread, as I experimented with different layers and textures and designs; thinking that one day I will re-create something similar on a canvas. Therein lies the beauty of an art journal; it's a playground of ideas.



© Nancy Lefko

The Talent of Marsha Jorgensen

This magnificent world of blogs enables us to connect with people we would otherwise never meet. I am thankful every day for the many friendships I have made simply by chatting via blogs or forums.

One such friend I have had the good pleasure to "meet" is the amazingly talented Marsha Jorgensen of Tumble Fish Studio. Marsha has an extraordinary eye for color, composition and design and marries that with a terrific sense of humor. The result is some of the very best in collage art.

A while back I was the lucky recipient of two prints from Marsha's shop. They are the most fun and are a joy to see every day. Thank you, Marsha.

I encourage you to visit Marsha's shop and her blog. She is always up to something new and just a delight to visit.



Images © Marsha Jorgensen

Thank You, Crescendoh

Crescendoh, the inspirational website created by Jenny Doh, has graciously published my story of how art came back into my life after a long absence.

Crescendoh highlights artists and their "ART SAVES" stories and so much more. It is a place to learn from, and be inspired by, wonderful artists. I feel honored to share web space with some of the best.

I encourage you to visit Crescendoh. You'll be glad that you did.

Thank you, Crescendoh.

"Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge ~ CHIT-CHAT

This week's challenge over at the Melange Team Blog is CHIT-CHAT. The text on this collage reads, "happy chit-chat between you and me." Chit-chat...what a great phrase. It's merely the beginning of a great girl gab.

Come on over and join in on the fun of the Melange challenges. They are posted at the blog every other Wednesday and are open to everyone. Hope to see you there!

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ AHEAD

If you 'believe in love,' you're already AHEAD of the game.

I encourage you to visit the Illustration Friday website, follow the links and find all of the wonderful artwork and blogs.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko