You’re probably not like me, and can’t bear to part with any of your paintings, but I have actually kept very few of my own folk art / decorative art pieces.

They have either gone off to another home (usually one of my sisters), or I just couldn’t bear to look at it after a while, because I wasn’t happy with the quality of the work.

I know, I know!  That is terrible of me.  I should be gracious enough to accept each stage of the art journey, right where it’s at.

I do that a lot more now – embracing the stages of the journey, and just enjoying the moment for what it is.

But I didn’t then……..

So, which pieces did survive in my own home, from the past? 

In this first post, I am going to start with two pieces that hang on my walls. 

Piece number one

This is my one of my favourite ever pieces that I have designed and painted personally.

Unfortunately, the depth of colour is lacking in the photograph, the colours are richer in real life.  There is also more of a ‘smoking’ type of effect (mottled glazing) around the edges.  It’s painted in Jo Sonja Artist Colours (acrylic).  I used Retarder and Antiquing medium to simulate the feel of oils (the original Zhostovo paintings are done in oils). 

This piece hangs on my hallway wall, between the laundry and the bathroom. It is always a nice surprise as I turn the corner to see it hanging there.  I never tire of it.  As I mentioned earlier, one of the FEW pieces that have reached this status in my collection.

It reminds me of grandmothers, or nostalgia, or cottages, or something I can’t quite express.

I find it reassuring, comforting almost.  I’m an old-fashioned girl at heart, never did catch on to the large vibrant single flower painting stage that the decorative art world experienced recently. (Dont get me wrong – I love to look at them, and I appreciate the work, it’s just not my personal taste for my own home)

Okay, here is piece number two. 

This one was painted around the same time as the green one, but the style is a bit more ‘stroked’.

Again, this was painted in Jo Sonja Artist Colours, using Retarder and Antiquing medium.

This piece hangs in the lounge room, above the television cabinet.

Yet another adaptation from a Jo Sonja book.  I think this was from the big book of decorative painting.

I painted this on one of those textured artist boards.  It’s propped up on a plate stand in my daughter’s bedroom.

I love this combination of colours.  After I painted the design, I glazed/shaded using retarder medium to give a bit more depth.