Silk Painting-Coyote with Squirrels Pillow and Leaves with Birds Scarf

 

I made this silk painted pillow for my husband's birthday in 2007.  It measures 15 by 15 inches.  It's a coyote and squirrels along with acorns and oak leaves.  I lived in Yosemite at the time.

This silk scarf was created during my last summer teaching at Camp Chateaugay.  That was 2009.  I taught a workshop in silk painting and did this piece as an example.  There are chickadees on either end, native ferns and leaves, and an American Robin sitting on a nest in the center.  

Zachary Smith Memorial Pieces

I created several pieces for my friend Laurie's memorial mural for her son Zach who passed away in 2010.  Zach loved fantasy, drama, dance, games and came from a family who immersed themselves in a multitude of creative expression.  Here is Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.  This piece is about 4 inches tall.

Zach also loved Puss in Boots and played him in a production at the Yosemite Valley School where he was a student for a time.  Puss is about 2 1/2 inches tall.

I also created a pirate's hidden treasure map for the mural and a plant identification marker for a Dogwood Tree planted in his memory.  The map is about 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches and the plant marker is approx 4 inches in diameter.

I made this slipcover for an old Ikea chair for my daughter.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out but it was a lot of work!  I need to take a picture of the back because it has pretty buttons on it.

Micole as Siren Framed

I've framed "Micole as Siren".  Micole will be here on Tuesday to take it home.  It's always hard to part with a piece of art.  They become like a child in a way.  I'm happy it's going to her though.  She really likes it and I did create it as a study for a larger version I hope to paint within the next year.

I changed the background of the painting a little.  I hadn't made it large enough to fit the frame I bought.  I had to paint out to the edges.  The only real difference though is I added some green on the left and then thought it looked at little like leaves being taken up by the wind.  So I emphasized the shapes a bit to make them look more like leaves.  I then added some red to the water lilly bud to the right of Micole.  I also signed and dated it.

Yosemite Valley View, Tree of Life Mural-Donor Wall Header

I just delivered the Tree of Life Donor Wall header plaque to the Yosemite Valley School.  This will go next to the mural with Half Dome plaques for each person, family, or business that donated money or substantial time to the mural.  I still have to finish glazing 8 more plaques.  There are 16 plaques besides this one.  The header plaque measures approx. 19  by 8 inches.

Yosemite Tree of Life Mosaic Mural

The Yosemite Valley School "Tree of Life Mural" now hanging in the front of the school. It's 6 feet in diameter and weighs quite a bit because it's all glass and clay and has an iron frame welded onto it. Thank you to my wonderful husband Steve and his buddies for hanging it. What a relief! 3 years in the making. This was a collaboration between the students, staff and the Yosemite and El Portal communities under my direction. I also created quite a few pieces for it. Special thanks to Laurie Smith, her dad Bill and daughter Rachel, Oliana Reynolds, Catherine Soria and Henrietta De Groot for all of their hard work in helping to complete this project.

I've included some close ups of various areas of the mural. Laurie's Quail and her daughter Rachel's River Mermaid are in the lower, center of the mural.

 

Besides being a "Tree of Life" piece it also depicts the four seasons.  The photo at left shows part of the spring section.

 




This is a branch from the Pacific Dogwood
tree.

This section of the mural shows the Miwok people and The Yosemite Valley School.


I'll be posting more closeups soon.  Right now I'm off to the Vashon Island Garden Tour.

Handmade Bookmarks by Darlece J. Cleveland

Here are some samples of bookmarks I’ve been making and selling for a number of years now.  Currently, they’re being sold by The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park.  These are the smaller size which, with the ribbon, measure 2 inches by 11 inches.  The larger size are 2 1/2 inches by 14 inches and are great for hardcover books.

UPDATE!!! 10-28-11
The bookmarks are no longer available.  That means they're now collectors items so hold onto them!