I've entered an art contest...and this is what I've sent in. The theme was "My Favorite Vacation". Winning entries will be printed on t-shirts. I've had a lot of fun coming up with ideas for this. I had even more fun working on it. Here is what I wrote for the description of the first three entries (you were only allowed to enter 5 times).
I use to be a teacher, and that has always been a strong influence in whatever I’m doing. Now as a mom of two boys, whenever we go on a vacation, I love it when we can Discover together.
I wanted to capture that idea in my entries. I’m also an aspiring artist and I like to use my sketchbook especially on vacations. I started looking at some of my sketches from past vacations. That is when I noticed the theme of “discovery”. I wanted to try to come up with something original for this Fresh Produce contest ... but not too different because I just LOVE the clothing. I have often bought a new outfit to take with me on our vacations – if not buying something new while on our trips too.
I wanted to capture that idea in my entries. I’m also an aspiring artist and I like to use my sketchbook especially on vacations. I started looking at some of my sketches from past vacations. That is when I noticed the theme of “discovery”. I wanted to try to come up with something original for this Fresh Produce contest ... but not too different because I just LOVE the clothing. I have often bought a new outfit to take with me on our vacations – if not buying something new while on our trips too.
The first entry is “Discover Life”. This idea came from a trip to Hawaii, in which we did some snorkeling. After we got out of the water, I picked up my sketchbook and drew the snorkel and bubbles with some of the sea life we had discovered.
My second entry, “Discover Nature”, was inspired by our trip to Arizona. We really enjoyed our visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. Inside they had a special exhibit of Butterflies. We just loved how they landed on us. I had taken a close up of a butterfly on a flower and have been waiting to find a way to capture that moment in my art work.
Finally “Discover Books”, is really about all our vacations. To us it isn’t a REAL vacation unless we can find some down time to just read. My sons are avid readers and out do both my husband and I. I’m so thankful as a teacher and mom that they have captured that reading bug as well.
This has been fun for me to prepare for the contest. I look forward to seeing what is chosen for the contest. I’ve included the original artwork (without the text). I’ve used gouache paints on both watercolor paper and gessoed paper. I’ve also played around with my designs and added text from my computer and sent them along as well, printed on ink jet paper.
Thanks for the opportunity to be creative!
I came up with these two ideas next.
This last idea came from a sketchbook entry I had done from a Creative Mom Podcast prompt. You were to use words to a song to create something. I chose India Arie's "God is Real" and came up with this simple sketch. Then I thought it might work well with the theme for the contest as well. Okay so it's not exactly about a vacation, but loosely interpreted gardens and flowers and nature are what I like to visit on vacations!
