Above The Abyss...~

Clawed my way along craggy crest, from depths below, deeply entrenched.
Water fell, salt stung my eyes, but I held on...to my surprise.
Led by light, sweet nature’s hue…all to seek, a glimpse of blue.

#waterscapeartwednesday Graciously sponsored by +Terrill Welch

...Hypnotized by a strange delight... :) ~

This video is extraordinary...Thanks to +Lee Tracy for sending this beauty my way....~

I told +Thorn Button that one day, I'd be inclined to try to capture one of his evocative photographic portraits in ink and watercolor ~  This one (see below for the link) caught my eye and I decided to play a bit... I've left my own touches on it;)  but still, directly inspired by Thorn's beautiful black and white work.  As always, I am grateful for the sweet Muse that always seems to find me.  

Inspired by: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107307708524394964276/albums/5820408548841635825/5820408551582945698

As well, this is my contribution for
+First Friday Art Walk  #firstfridayartwalk  graciously sponsored by +Samantha Villenave and +Lena Levin 

Original Ink and Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel  
www.shellrummel.com 
 

Woman ( Beauty, Strength, Grace)...~

I am always thrilled to be a part of a cause that has the potential to inspire and/or change lives.

In October of 2010, a dear friend of mine, David Sandum (twitter: @DavidSandumArt) organized the First Twitter Art Exhibit to help raise funds that would go towards the purchase of new children's books for the Moss Public Library. I am fortunate to be part of a circle of extraordinarily talented and accomplished artists from all corners of this globe and it was truly incredible to watch the Twitter art community come together, graciously donating quality art towards this beautiful cause.

When David asked if I would consider contributing to the 2nd Twitter Art Exhibit, of course I said yes. How wonderful that proceeds from this exhibit, again in Moss Norway, will go to The Women's Crisis Center, thus greatly benefitting women in crisis (and their children) whether they need, food, shelter or counseling.

My contribution, an original watercolor painting, is intended to honor the beauty, strength and grace of woman at her best. A pleasure, to again share wall space with many special souls and to share my art (this one, pure joy to paint!) for this most worthy cause.
#FigurativeArtFriday graciously sponsored by +Maude McDonald & +Melodie Douglas

I Just Need a Moment...  

"As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment." ~ John Steinbeck

My thoughts remain with all who were touched by Hurricane Sandy this week..Many, up the coast, still reeling from it all  ~
  
Re-sharing this personal favorite, in honor of #figurativeartfriday  curated by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas  and +First Friday Art Walk  #firstfridayartwalk  +Samantha Villenave 

I Just Need a Moment~ Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel 
Shellrummel.com 

Make room for the light... ~ 

Remembering the ease at which paint flowed when I sat one early morning, bathed in light, to paint her. Sometimes that happens, and it is marvelous:)  Re-sharing this special figurative landscape that I hold close, in honor of #figurativeartfriday   +FigurativeArtFriday graciously  curated by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas 
And one more of a different variety of landscape for  #firstfridayartwalk  +First Friday Art Walk +Samantha Villenave 
Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel

You're Within Me....~

My instinct is to retreat, hide, fold in upon myself, blend...
Instead, I push forward, focus and don't second guess myself or the pen/brush in hand which seems to instinctively know the lines. And although I know it comes from within, the feeling is one of absorbing from all that is around me.
So I pull from you...absorb your emotions and your energy....and surrender to the moment.

#LandscapeArtTuesday Graciously sponsored by +Christina Deubel

Reach Higher... S T R E T C H ...Expand Beyond... ~

Wash Over Me.... ~ #WaterscapeArtWednesday Graciously curated by +Terrill Welch

So, I had this dream…

I was crawling over an endless sea of large boulders…struggling, feeling so small, because they were immense and smooth, like glass, which made it virtually impossible to scale them. I kept slipping over surface, eventually gliding smoothly down, down, down….to the quiet depths below...So, I’d climb, slide, fall, sit a while…rest, think…and this repeated for some time. Finally, I made it to the top of the largest boulder and gazed out upon the sea. The waves were rolling azure and raindrops were dripping and melting from bubble clouds of softest hues. The shoreline was gentle and reflective and welcoming. And I wanted to be there. And so with renewed energy and determination, I slid over rock and boulder, in and out and over and under …eventually making my way to solid ground at waters edge and there I stood for a long, long time, letting the rain wash over me.

No Thinking....Only Daydreaming.... ~

#AbstractArtMonday
Graciously curated by +Esther Hardman

New Terrain... ~
I find a certain ease in visualizing the human form and characteristics in natural elements of the landscape around me...The feminine in the curvy bark of a tree, the sway of hips in the flowing hillside, inherent grace in the rolling ocean waves...

#FigurativeArtFriday
Graciously curated by +Maude McDonald

I Reach For You....~

#figurativeartfriday graciously curated by +Melodie Douglas & +Maude McDonald

I Reach For You...~ Original Watercolor ©2012 Michelle Rummel
www.shellrummel.com

The space between
The mildest Winter and the earliest Spring....
Cold air wraps me, again.

A reshare.... #landscapearttuesday curated by +Christina Deubel
Original Watercolor Painting ©2010 Michelle Rummel
www.shellrummel.com

On the brink
Of being.
Between one moment and another.
Bursting, from the inside out.


"On The Brink" Original Watercolor Painting ©2012 Michelle Rummel
#natureartthursday curated by +Trisha Standard +Dane Clingan

Purchase Information: This painting is part of a select collection of Original artwork from my portfolio, available for purchase on my website: http://shellrummel.com/

Afternoon Shadow...~

I know the place
Shadows sinking long and low...
Colors melting, absorbing into cool clay.
Here, I breathe.

#LandscapeArtTuesday graciously curated by +Christina Deubel

#FigurativeArtFriday Graciously Curated by +Maude McDonald & +Melodie Douglas

I Just Need a Moment....

I have uttered this phrase often in my real world life...significant, those 5 words, when spoken. Please let me catch my breath, refocus my mind, regain clarity, pause....or...float;) a while in peace. We all have these moments, they are not mine alone. Universal, I believe, the overwhelming need to occasionally lay down in the clay... let your colors drip and flow and let the earth absorb your raw emotion and cradle you, for just a moment...or two.

Intended as a quick study...a loose play of graphite line and a splash of watercolor on paper, a moment was all it took to capture the essence of what I was feeling. The camera wasn't so lucky....paper saturated, buckled, like my knees and so you'll simply have to imagine it more cleanly than the shadowy image actually presents here.

...The shoreline was gentle and reflective and welcoming. And I wanted to be there. And so....I slid over rock and boulder, in and out and over and under ...eventually making my way to solid ground at waters edge and there I stood for a long, long time, letting the rain wash over me ~

My contribution for +First Friday Art Walk  #firstfridayartwalk  +Samantha Villenave +Lena Levin 

Wash Over Me ~ Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel More information about this watercolor on my website: http://shellrummel.com/product/wash-over-me-PRINT.html

Reflecting on how it feels to be kissed by the shoreline, drenched salty, gently tumbled by rhythmic waves ...again and again and...~

#Waterscapeartwednesday   graciously curated by +Terrill Welch 
Original Watercolor and Ink  ©Michelle Rummel

And an early entry for #FirstFridayArtWalk  ~ A pleasure to be included +Samantha Villenave ...Thank you:) 

Greatly inspired by the one and only Gustav Klimt, a painting that I labored over for nearly a year and which has become one of my most popular prints. Affectionately titled, 'All My Love'...I post now in honor of Klimt's150th Birthday celebration ~   

Another Klimt inspired painting and a few more words on my blog:    http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-birthday-gustav.html

#GustavKlimt  

Steady soul flow, sweetly sustaining...straight to the heart of the matter.
Feel her heart, beat tango on tip toes.
Tenderly, she sways on, never satiated.
So she breathes.....
Linked eternal...Steeled strength, solid.
Yet soft as silver, under flame.

#AbstractArtMonday graciously curated by +Marilyn Fenn & +Charles Lupica
Linked Eternal ~ Original Watercolor ©2010 Michelle Rummel
www.shellrummel.com +AbstractArtMonday

We leave our imprint on all we touch.
Be kind, be gentle... ~

Inspired by the patterns of sea over sand.

#AbstractArtMonday graciously curated by +Marilyn Fenn & +Charles Lupica
Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel

Ahhh...lovely Bolero... ~ This is so wonderful...

#WaterscapeArtWednesday Graciously curated by +Terrill Welch

The Ocean is Salty Enough~

So willful
The water, cold…
Receding,
Leaving me reeling and exposed.
And no matter how firmly I cling to crevices
Rock climb and sand sink
Or wish upon a far off star…
I understand that some things are simply stronger than me.
Besides, I always hated tug of war
So, I surrender.
Sweet suction release…
Tumble me gently out to sea
Glide me under moon glow
Closed eyes trap tears
The ocean is salty enough.

The colors of a new day....let them fill you ~

Falling slowly....
Held 
Whole Hearted ~  

One of my personal favorites, in honor of   #leafonthursdays   +Ray Bilcliff +Marilou Aballe +Margaret Tompkins 
And so nice too, for #natureartthursday   +Dane Clingan +Trisha Standard   

You chiseled away my edges and seeped deep within the cracks of my soul...~ 


Taking another look at some of my watercolors from another time and place...Always interesting to me to see them in a new moment and with fresh [water] eyes ~
Re-sharing for #turquoisethursday   +TurquoiseThursday curated by the lovely +Tatiana Parmeeva 

Saltwater ~ Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel
  

Inspired by an incredible black and white photograph of jellyfish in motion that I saw within +Kurt Harvey 's albums... ~ My playful reinterpretation, in Ink and Watercolor. My gratitude to Kurt for this wave of inspiration ~     

For a few more words and images about this painting , please visit my blog: http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/07/wave-of-inspiration.html

Perhaps appropriate for:
  #natureartthursday  via +Dane Clingan & +Trisha Standard 
+TurquoiseThursday  #turquoisethursday   via +Tatiana Parmeeva :)

Sweet Magnolia
Reveal your gifts
Unfold with grace
In the warm light of morning.

#FloralFriday curated by +Tamara Pruessner

Nearly silent dressed in shadows
Lines and colors fall...~

https://plus.google.com/u/0/103950094023645163151/posts/gtqA8tE5qv3
For those paying attention, the song came first... but oh, how perfectly it fits....I love when that happens;)

#floralfriday graciously curated by +Tamara Pruessner

Some things are meant to remain, forever, deep within… ~

#AbstractArtMonday graciously curated by +Marilyn Fenn & +Charles Lupica
Deep Within ~ Original Ink and Watercolor © 2010 Michelle "Shell" Rummel

All About The Journey...~

Fragments of memory roll along hazy horizons, fading softer as they stretch over stones, smoothed by shallow beds...and the passage of time.

#LandscapeArtTuesday ~ Graciously sponsored by +Christina Deubel

Cold to my bones, I search for and seek the warmth of the sun. Be kind, drop me in the desert and let me melt...~

Moab In Me...~
#LandscapeArtTuesday
Graciously Hosted by +Christina Deubel

Make Room For The Light... ~


My watercolor contribution for #FigurativeArtFriday graciously curated by +Maude McDonald & +Melodie Douglas

Like The Tide ~

I take a breath and like the tide I miss so much, try to let the water pull me where it wants to go. Little direction, just dip the brush in water, then paint, then... let my hand dance as it wishes.

Yes...

Unfold...Retreat
Open, giving, unafraid, bold... and yet... ~


An older watercolor painting that reminds of the summer sun and just felt right to post on this endlessly gray day. And although on the deeper/greener end of the palette, still, a nice one to share for +TurquoiseThursday  #turquoisethursday  always graciously curated by +Tatiana Parmeeva 

Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel 
Shellartistree.com

The Art is On The Wall!
 #twitterartexhibit 
Opening Reception in Los Angeles, Saturday night, January 12th!
Curators are reporting that they have received between 650-700 art card submissions...This show is going to be huge!  ~
 More, in my blog post, below:)
   

RESHARE:
Serene, I fold my hands and wait..... ~ 


Words that resonate and a photograph from +Andy Lee  that makes me ache for the sea.  

Reshared text:
Waiting.

Serene, I fold my hands and wait,

Nor care for wind, nor tide, nor sea;
I rave no more 'gainst time or fate,
For lo! my own shall come to me.


The waters know their own and draw
The brook that springs in yonder height;
So flows the good with equal law
Unto the soul of pure delight.


The stars come nightly to the sky;
The tidal wave unto the sea;
Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high,

Can keep my own away from me. 

John Burroughs
#minimalmonday  | +Olivier Du Tré 
#moodymonday  | +Philip Daly +Carole Buckwalter 
#monochromemonday  | +Charles Lupica +Hans Berendsen +Jerry Johnson +Steve Barge +nurcan azaz +Manuel Votta 
#bwfineart  | +Joel Tjintjelaar 
#mirrormonday  | +Gemma Costa +Elizabeth Edwards 
#pembrokeshire   #walesuk   #photography  

Are you making it count? :)



~ Thanks to my great friend, Mike H. for making sure I saw this...~

Lay down, cradled, close eyes...quiet.
Rest a while...
Waves will blanket you, warm.


#FigurativeArtFriday graciously curated by +Melodie Douglas and +Maude McDonald
"Waves Will Blanket You Warm" ~ Original Watercolor Painting ©2012 Michelle Rummel www.shellrummel.com

As elusive as the space between sand, sea and sky...~

#WaterscapeArtWednesday graciously sponsored by +Terrill Welch
Original Watercolor Painting ©2011 Michelle Rummel

Eyes open, again.
Bare it all and breathe it in, even though cold air stings warm lungs.
Looking hard…
Fragile focus beyond naked branches yields a gift, if you’re willing to find warmth
In the space between ~

#LandscapeArtTuesday graciously curated by +Christina Deubel
The Space Between, Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel

#AbstractArtMonday Curated by +Marilyn Fenn & +Charles Lupica

The Ideas That Stick...~

Visions come to me like a slow, steady drip coursing through my veins... They take their own sweet time, breaking surface, swirling, rolling, deftly dancing their way through quarry's of questions and what ifs, defying logic and good sense.

The ideas that stick, slide under skin and skillfully skim the ridges and roadblocks. They sink silently and fall beside me, waiting for tides to gently shake me awake so I can touch them with the gifts inside and bring them, lovingly, to life.

Ink and watercolor
© Michelle “Shell” Rummel

Aquarelle runs deep within the lines of her.
She breathes cerulean...
Floating transparent, in the tides of time.

New work, 3 views...a small watercolor study honoring the mermaids among us ~

#FigurativeArtFriday Graciously curated by +Maude McDonald +Melodie Douglas

Feel Your Way….slide, sink, slink, climb, crawl, float, glide….
Navigate by instinct.
The hell with the map ~

Re posting a favorite watercolor that was inspired by sand, sea & salt on skin. #WaterscapeArtWednesday ~Graciously sponsored by +Terrill Welch

Soft....The light, the way the grass sways in the wind... and my mood... ~

You chiseled away my edges and seeped deep within the cracks of my soul…


View the entire post on my posterous art blog: http://shellartistree.posterous.com/saltwater

My head is full...thick with thought.
But moving water around the page helps dilute the thoughts...quiets the noise, for now.

A loose hand kind of moment...Watery blues bring me elsewhere and I realize it's a nice unexpected share right on time for  #turquoisethursday  +Tatiana Parmeeva   +TurquoiseThursday ~ 

"Even now, all possible feelings do not yet exist, there are still those that lie beyond our capacity and our imagination. From time to time, when a piece of music no one has ever written or a painting no one has ever painted, or something else impossible to predict, fathom or yet describe takes place, a new feeling enters the world. And then, for the millionth time in the history of feeling, the heart surges and absorbs the impact." ~ Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

#waterscapeartwednesday   graciously curated by +Terrill Welch +Dane Clingan +Trisha Standard +Waterscape Art Wednesday 

The Heart Surges... Original Ink and Watercolor  ©Michelle Rummel ~ more info about this painting on my website: http://shellrummel.com/product/the-heart-surges.html 
 

Distractions galore today, the least of which was the light which clearly didn't want to cooperate during my painting time... But I had beautiful music and my thoughts to keep me company.  This, the result of playing with paint and ink...a small study and more color palette play ~  

#figurativeartfriday  +FigurativeArtFriday graciously curated by +Maude McDonald  and +Melodie Douglas  

Chasing The Light ~ Original Ink and Watercolor  ©Michelle Rummel 
Shellrummel.com    

Arched back, Buoyed.
Toes towards the sky.
Tossed and tumbled beyond your control...so let go.   
Saltwater rushes over eyelids closed tight,
And your smile, a mile wide.  
This, the only roller coaster ride I ever liked... ;)  

Let Go ~ Original Ink and Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel 
Shellrummel.com

A late in the day post for +Waterscape Art Wednesday  #waterscapeartwednesday  graciously curated by +Terrill Welch  and an early one, for +TurquoiseThursday  #turquoisethursday  graciously curated by +Tatiana Parmeeva ~ 

More, on my blog: http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/10/let-go-new-ink-and-watercolor.html

Contemplating....
Thinking, debating, reassessing ~ 

There is a certain internal joy in looking back at older paintings... :)

This one, special because of when it was created. A few years back, I was standing at the threshold of change...safe on shore, yet wanting so much to dive in and swim well beyond where my feet could touch sand. Scared and stuck,...yet mysteriously compelled to move forward...pulled/pushed instinctively by a voice within.

That very specific feeling reminds me so much of standing seaside before very cold Atlantic water...You want to dive in and play in the waves, but you test it;) cautious at first, dipping toes, then inching forward, splashing saltwater on knees and belly, trying to ease that transition, hoping to make it smooth and painless.....Until some indefinable moment when you simply just give in, get brave, go for it and brace yourself for the shock of cold. You dive in, feel it to your core, (I think it's called, being alive ;) then surface,  smiling and salty and and oh, so self satisfied ~ 

An end of summer re-share, in honor of   #waterscapeartwednesday  graciously curated by +Terrill Welch 
Contemplating ~ Original watercolor & Ink  ©2012 Michelle Rummel

She went sleeveless in the rain...

Water soaked her thirsty skin
Coral quenched collarbone
Absorbing aqua as 
Turquoise slid slowly over shoulder...
Into Summer's end. 

New work, play for me...and perhaps appropriate also, for  #turquoisethursday   curated by +Tatiana Parmeeva :)
.....................................................................
Original Watercolor ©2012 Michelle Rummel
More on my blog:
http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/08/she-went-sleeveless-in-rain.html

RESHARE:
Visually beautiful, moving, tender.....a beautiful film. A pleasure to share...
 

Gratitude to +Yukie Smith for finding/sharing this wonder ~

Reshared text:
La Maison en Petits Cubes... a little gem I found on YouTube, a short Japanese animation film ;)

Feel your way...
Slide, sink, slink, climb, crawl, float, glide....
Navigate by instinct. 
The hell with the map~

Resharing because it fits my mood perfectly;) #waterscapeartwednesday   curated by +Terrill Welch +Dane Clingan +Trisha Standard 
©Michelle Shell Rummel
www.shellrummel.com

“Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away.” ~ Sarah Kay

I miss the ocean and all that it brings to my soul.
I want to be floating... here.
It represents me, at my best.

#WaterscapeArtWednesday graciously curated by +Terrill Welch & +Shawn Lewis

"Inspire...Expire..." Original Watercolor, available as a fine art giclee print. Purchase information: www.shellrummel.com

Fitting, I felt, to post her on International Women's Day, yes? :)


Run your hands along her bark allowing fingertips to slip beneath surface scars and you’ll instinctively know her story. Count her rings... you'll discover her wisdom and sense the energy that swirls deep within. Appreciate her majesty. She is rooted in strength, yet delicate at winds touch. All this revealed in graceful arching of twisting limbs. She comes to life when the graphite glides and watercolors flow easy. Somewhere within this soulful portrait, is where my own heart lies…

Here, I honor her.

Original Watercolor © 2010 Michelle "Shell" Rummel

RESHARE:
Very happy to share this one:)
If you don't follow +Skinny Artist you should. Drew is a dear friend and very supportive of the artist community on twitter/fb and g+. For the past several years, he has generously and graciously put together a list of 21 Amazing Artists to Watch... He writes beautifully and his list is thoughtful and inspiring. I was honored to be listed in 2011 and so I know a little about how it feels to scroll through and see your name.... it is always lovely to be recognized by your peers.

Congratulations to all who made the list for 2012 and especially to my dear friends here on g+ ~ Well deserved...xo ~ +Walt Pascoe +Maude McDonald +Swarez Art +Sonia Bublaitis

Reshared text:
It's finally here! "21 Amazing Artists to Watch in 2012"

Every year it gets more and more difficult to put together this list because there are simply so many incredible artists out there who deserve to be recognized.

Please join me in recognizing and congratulating these 21 individuals for their creative awesomeness!

I hope you enjoy it :)

Linger awhile... She beckons ~


#WaterscapeArtWednesday graciously curated by +Terrill Welch
"She Beckons" ~ Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel

Drawing
From deep within...
Understanding
Breath is everything…
Believing
That you will catch me.

#FigurativeArtFriday graciously curated by +Melodie Douglas & +Maude McDonald

"Inspired" ~ Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel

Missing saltwater....

Like the tide,
Drawn in.
Layers revealed.
Far deeper than it looks...

#WaterscapeArtWednesday Graciously sponsored by +Terrill Welch

Something a little trippy this week.....;)

Started as a quick pencil sketch, next came the watercolors and the ink soon followed....Not sure about it and it's certainly different than my usual, but ...it kind of feels like joy to me. Happy Friday, all :)

#figurativeartfriday Graciously sponsored by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas

Repose...~

Quiet ease
Earth cradled, till dawn...
Just breathe.

#FigurativeArtFriday curated by +Maude McDonald & +Melodie Douglas

Feeling so very tired...The long day is over... ~


Thank you +Juan Diaz for this gentle share...

Sometimes, the music is so perfect...~

Dance like no one's watching
Because they're probably not. And if they are, assume it is with best and human intentions...The way bodies move genuinely to beats is, after all, gorgeous and affecting....
Dance until you're sweating and beads of perspiration remind you of life's best things, down your back like a brook of blessings...


So much to love, here... 

 
Thank you KJ, for this beautiful share ~

Snowy Morning...quiet and still ~

NYC's High Line...the colors of land and sea...luminous in the afternoon light ~

I always enjoy but so rarely have a contribution to +#Window Wednesday but, I've got "Many Windows" covered;) Lovely to take part this week ~

And a few more:  http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/06/captivated-by-light-color-line-nycs.html 

#windowwednesday  +Jules Falk Hunter +Jason Kowing +J.J. Bentley +Cheryl Cooper +Simon Davis-Oakley 

Very pleased to share that my ink and watercolor contribution to the #twitterartexhibit sold at last night's Opening Reception in LA.  Photos of the opening have been floating around the stream all day...looks like it was an absolutely amazing show with huge artist participation and great energy from the LA crowd.  All proceeds from the show will go directly to Art Division. As always, a pleasure to have participated and an honor to have my art hang on the wall among so many talented artists from our online art communities (Twitter, G+, Facebook) 

The Exhale Unlimited Gallery will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 5pm, and Sundays from 11am to 4pm for the duration of the exhibition. I encourage any LA locals to stop by and choose a card to benefit this worthy cause...there are so many wonderful works to choose from! 

Internet sales will be available soon for remaining cards! I will post a link here to the e-commerce site as soon as I have that information.

Gallery info: Exhale Unlimited / E.U. Gallery
953 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90012

I'll Be Right Here, Ink and Watercolor  ©Michelle Rummel 

I'm Shell...~
It's always wonderful to see some familiar faces when stepping into the room for the first time;)  Happy to finally be here...gratitude to +Maude McDonald for the kind invite...thank you:) I am painter and a designer specializing in art licensing for the home decor industry. I love watercolors and I often use ink as well. I am well known for my paintings of trees and abstracted land and seascapes but interested lately, in discovering ways of abstracting the human form. I look forward to sharing a little bit of my figurative work here...    Below is a slightly closer shot from a painting that I posted today for #firstfridayartwalk  titled, Hand in Hand ~

Hand in Hand ~ 
It feels better that way, yes?...

Part of my ongoing Hand in Hand series...an exploration of sorts. Or maybe it's just play;)

#firstfridayartwalk  +Samantha Villenave +Lena Levin 
#figurativeartfriday  +FigurativeArtFriday +Melodie Douglas +Maude McDonald 

Original Watercolor ©Michelle Rummel  Shellartistree.com

My instinct is to retreat, hide, fold in upon myself, blend... 
Instead...I push forward, focus and don't second guess myself or the pen/brush in hand which seems to instinctively know the lines. 
And although I know it comes from within, the feeling is one of absorbing from all that is around me. So I pull from you...absorb your emotions and your energy....and surrender to the moment~  

Gratitude, for the many friendships that have blossomed because of interactions here... I am a quieter presence, but I so deeply appreciate the kind words about my art, I value the sharing and I am enriched and inspired by the art, music and photography that is shared in my stream.  

Wishing all of you a lovely holiday, however you celebrate, with good health, contentment and much laughter. Thank you for adding to my every day ~

You're Within Me, Original Ink and Watercolor
©2012 Michelle Rummel
http://www.shellartistree.com/product/youre-within-me.html
  

I'll Be Right Here
Original Ink and Watercolor

My contribution for the 3rd #twitterartexhibit  in LA ~ An honor to participate ~

More, on my blog: http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/12/twitterartexhibit-los-angeles-2013.html  

Visual Artists: There is still time to submit art...deadline is January 4th. All proceeds from the exhibit benefit Art Division...more about them, and information about submitting art here: http://twitterartexhibit.org/callforartists

"I wanted to create a new form of art, an art completely irrelevant to the usual theories, an art giving to the soul and the senses at the same time complete delight, where reality and dream, light and sound, movement and rhythm form an exciting unity …" ~ Loie Fuller ( 1862-1928) 


More on my blog: http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/10/inspiration-loie-fuller.html

One of my favorite things to do, when I find myself with time to play (just for me) in the studio, is to find a black and white photograph and then abstract it a bit...For me, it's an exercise in brushwork, line and light. G+ is great for this, as there are so many talented Photographers with their exquisite images floating past me. I'm always grateful for the inspiration and I do try to credit the original Muse...besides...it's lovely to see what triggered the inspirational moment to paint. But every once in a while, an image will come my way of an old classic...sometimes, iconic. This week, I somehow found myself on Brett Weston's website. Not surprisingly, his work spoke to me and a single image of a Black and White nude, titled, Classic Nude, 1975 caught my eye. I loved the simple lines...it's an elegant photograph. So, I sketched it quickly, added some  watercolor wash and a little bit of my own imagination, and just went with the moment, happy to have been inspired. Might even distill this one a bit more when I have time...I like the idea of it, that much. You can see the original Photograph and many other gorgeous works here:   http://www.brettwestonarchive.com

So, please enjoy my humble little study, inspired by an iconic American Photographer... In honor of #figurativeartfriday  Graciously curated by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas    
      

I've been here before, yet it all feels new. The shadows have shifted, the colors have blurred...Only the lines remind of prior footsteps. Time is a mysterious friend that has softened the curves of my heart ~  

Several new figurative works still in progress and coming soon, but this one, titled New Terrain, my first figurative landscape from a couple of years back, called to me....And because I am usually a very good listener;) I decided to re-share her this morning for #figurativeartfriday  always graciously curated by +Maude McDonald & +Melodie Douglas  +FigurativeArtFriday  ~ I notice that there are many new faces in my stream these days...so, perhaps my tried and true friends here will forgive me for the re-share, as I welcome some new friends to my art. Wishing you all, an inspired journey ~   

A timely re-share in honor of  #treetuesday curated by +Christina Lawrie  +Shannon S. Myers 

Striking Flint

She thought she might uproot
Tumble downhill in a heap
Stripped of leaves
So discreet
The pulling away of bark…
Oh...It left her weak.
Till finally, bare branches plunged fingertips deep
Within earth beneath feet
Striking flint
Caused a spark
Sap rose
Through the heart of her
Tender words protected her tinder from fire.
Gentle love that surrounds her
Reminds of her worth
Sweet autumn rebirth
Re-anchors her firmly
Ensuring scars heal completely
As they all do in time.

#WIP ~ but still, wanted to reach out and gently leave my mark;)  

In honor of one of my favorite themes,   #figurativeartfriday  
graciously curated by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas +FigurativeArtFriday  

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Love this:)  Wonderful detail...~ 

Fantastic share, via +Diniz Chico 

Reshared text:
... Brilliant and Creative ... Music sheets brought to life by drawings by russian illustrateur "People Too" ...
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Etude-6/727592

Feeling this one deeply.... Beautiful groove, yes? :)  
 

Whenever I feel the need to fly, I watch this.... Posted on my sadly neglected Posterous Art Blog [too many blogs, too little time], the wonder of this video still brings a smile to my face ~

Lovely day, all ~   

My treasure....

I walked the beach looking for shells...Found mostly fragments of them. Slivers of shell, tumbled by tide and time, marbled through with the colors of the sea.   Beautiful, aren't they?:) 

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Just Brilliant!
...and funny as hell. 
Enjoy! 

Thanks +Yukie Smith for this fantastic share:)   

Reshared text:
I would have wanted to do this...
A Conversation With My 12 Year Old Self: 20th Anniversary Edition

Mindful ~ by Mary Oliver

Every day
I see or hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in the haystack
of light.
It was what I was born for -
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world -
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant -
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these -
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the ocean's shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?


http://shellartistree.blogspot.com/2012/06/it-was-what-i-was-born-for-to-look-to.html

First painting in my new studio space....very happy with the light:)

Just in time for #treetuesday   curated by +Christina Lawrie & +Shannon S. Myers 

Original watercolor ©2012 Michelle Rummel  www.shellrummel.com

Finally settled into my new studio space. My staff and I begin work today after a very chaotic week off while I reorganized. ...Here, a few pics of the journey as it has unfolded so far.... ~

Mood.... ~

Aubergine, olive, apricot and just a touch of turquoise....

Translucent in the light of day...Illuminated by emotion within ~

"Skin Deep" ©2012 Michelle Rummel
#leafonthursdays curated by +Ray Bilcliff +Margaret Tompkins +Marilou Aballe
+Leaf On Thursdays

....Take what you conceal and breathe out through your bones....but speak to my ear in the softest of tones...~

Early morning here and noting +Kershaw Rustomji 's theme, letting it inspire and taking it in a slightly different direction, following the music with one of my favorite Cory Chisel songs...enjoy all, it's a melancholy beauty.

Hey, How 'bout a fandango? ;)

A sentimental favorite (movie and Metheny) ... Happy Friday, all ~

The view that makes me go weak in the knees....

The car ride seemed endless. The anticipation, unbearable. Shoulder to shoulder, small hands and noses pressed to glass. Waiting, for that first moment when you'd see just a glimpse of blue beyond the boardwalk between the lines and shadows of the buildings. My heart still beats faster at the first sight of sand and saltwater.

Some moments stay with us, always....~

#WaterscapeArtWednesday graciously sponsored by +Terrill Welch
A Moment In Time... Original Watercolor

A quiet calm...feeling the colors coming back.

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Brilliant painting and one of my favorite artist's...Paul's work is incredible. On my wish list;)

Reshared text:
"You and the Carnival Shadow", oil on linen 41cm x 41cm, by Paul W. Ruiz (http://www.paulwruiz.com)

#art #painting #oilpainting #figurative

As sometimes happens, the quality of the light, the way it falls or rises, can trigger nuances of nostalgia. Ephemeral, those moments, awash in the perception of memory...~

A lovely photograph taken by +Steve Mills inspired my quick sketch/watercolor study....My gratitude, to Steve for allowing me to cull through his album, in search of lines that spoke to me ~ #FigurativeArtFriday graciously sponsored by +Maude McDonald and +Melodie Douglas
"Awash"... Original watercolor © Michelle Rummel

Cradled gently, reminded to breathe.
Some things, as sure as the tide...~

#WaterscapeArtWednesday graciously curated by +Terrill Welch
Ink and Watercolor

Mood... ~