Challenge Accepted!

OK, so the theme for January was On The Buses.  I had no idea what on earth that was about.  So, I visited my old friend Google....figuring to find scenes of people on buses, views from buses, etc.  What I DIDN'T expect to find was that "On The Buses" was a sitcom out of the UK!! As that was stumbled upon about 1am, I went to bed thinking about the theme. Before I fell asleep I knew what I wanted to do. I was inspired by one of the promo pictures for the show which used a green bus. From scenes from the actual show, I guess they usually involve the normal red buses but there was at least one scene photo with a green bus. In the morning I picked out fabrics from my hand-dyed collections.  Found the green I wanted then the background, a transparency for the windows and an old drop cloth from years ago that I kept because I thought it looked so cool.

First I FMQed a sort of cityscape (with a small hint of a nod to Big Ben). Nothing exact. I was going with the comic feel. Cut out the bus, placed the windows in the slots. Behind the windows was the fun drop cloth...again going with the fun comic feel.  I looked at putting round wheels but it all got to kitchy for me. Then I found a black very long rubber band to represent the tires. Now it was all too symmetrical. In the promo picture, there was the name of the show in red on the green bus so I grabbed a strip of red and it was just the bit of asymmetry that it needed. And here it is.....

FUN  IN  THE  CITY

Nope, this piece will never hang in the Louvre, but I had fun doing it...and since the theme fit with the sitcom...that seemed appropriate.

The Brain Finally Kicks In

It is not often that I have to think very long or hard about a theme or concept I want to do for a series.  But after the two latest major deadlines, I think my brain went on a short vacation!  But the time-out had the desired effect!!

In one of the online groups I belong to, we get to choose our own projects and create at least 6 pieces for the year.  Last year was the Pecan Series.  This year I'll be working from some favorites of my own photos taken of "distressed" barns.  I'm so excited to be doing this series. Anxious to get started.  Here are 3 of my most favorites that will definitely be on the list.  Now to choose the remaining 3 from the other gazillion barn photos in my collection!

When I was copying these photos to put into my inspiration file for this series, the names just came to me.

Patchwork

  

Coming Unhinged

Windswept

Now to get my studio at least cleaned up enough after the past several frantic months so I can begin!!