Back from the dead and ready to rejuvenate.

I've started a new painting, this is Woman Stage 1 so far! (more about her below)

It has been awhile since I've been around huh? I have decided to change the direction of this blog a little but the name still fits since I am still Finley and, like always, I am still in action! Well I have settled down a little over the last few months; I have actually been living in the same place for almost seven months now! No more service projects in Salt Lake City, no more traipsing around Europe, and no more firefighting (for now). I am a university going girl now.

Since I have had so much time on my hands at school I have really gotten back into the arts and the crafts. I've decided to share my current artwork with the mother earth and everyone on the internet (or at least everyone that this blog reaches haha). I am going to attempt to put some picture up of what I have been doing but I am afraid I without camera right now so my macbook built-in camera is going to have to suffice.

I have started a new painting! The first image on the page is my new acrylic painting. I have been studying women and the reproductive system a lot recently (since I am studying public health with a concentration in woman studies at school) and so I have started to explore that field in a more artistic way versus the scientific way that I have been. That is what I have worked on so far

I've also decided to try my hand at printing! These images below are my first two block prints I have every tried.

Above here is all the supplies I used. I use the brand Speedball, but mostly just because that is all my local art supply store sells. You need a tube of in (comes in tons of colors), a rubber roller, a bench hook (its the red tool in the corner, it comes it a few different sized heads), an inking plate (this isn't necessary but it's helpful), and of course a carving block. I used Easy-Carve blocks because they are so easy to work with but they also damage easily. Blocks come in wood, and linoleum.

Above: This is a print I made of a Downy Woodpecker. Below: Here is how the print came out. You can tell I used too much ink on the top one. Also those lines are around the woodpecker because I didn't carve down the rubber around him evenly… but I kind of dig them anyways.

Above here is a block I carved of a Toucan (I know I've got a bird theme going but you don't even know the half of it hahah)

Below are some of the prints I made of it. I'm happy with how it came out but i need to press down harder on the back of the blocks when I do the printing.

OK well Cheerio! Hope all is well and I'll post again, maybe next post I'll talk about the foods I've been making lately… who knows?