Mischief, mastery and wit: The Marvelous Magpie
Posted By lisahuntart on February 3, 2012
Whenever I tell my friends that it’s Hermit-time, they know I’ll be largely unplugged and holed-up in my studio. If any of you follow my posts on Facebook and Twitter, you can almost identify these creative intermezzos by my virtual absences. The silence is a sign of an artist in her zone when all one sees is the magic happening between mind and paintbrush. For me, it’s a timeless space where technology ceases to be and the communication with the Muses becomes the focal point.
In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, I spent my days (mostly while kids were in school) slowly formulating color patterns as I saw them in my mind. I never know exactly where a painting is going to take me. In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, the only thing I was conscious of was my desire to achieve a sense of dancing birds, dappled lighting and a forest full of animistic energy. I documented the progression of this painting by making daily scans of my work.

The first few days of painting focused on establishing a value pattern
After the first day of painting, I decided to change the position of the Magpie-Shapeshifter’s bird eye. It didn’t make sense to use a side view of a bird on a front view of the shapeshifter’s face. You can decipher this change on Day Two. The bird’s eye shape takes on a more elliptical form. The shapeshifter’s face was inspired by a Facebook friend who kindly sent me a lovely photo of herself to use as inspiration. Thank you Cesca!

Cesca's eyes are striking and served as a wonderful source of inspiration.

- Days 3 & 4 focused on dry brushing, details, and intensifying the colors.
Days three and four included lots of dry brushing (more paint, less water) in the foreground and a slow buildup of warm yellow/greens in the background. I loved working on all aspects of this painting. I would bounce between painting rocks in the foreground and creating dappled lighting on the trees. If you look closely, you might discern a face or two in the tree bark.
I love to achieve a sense of elemental integration in my paintings—the approach has Jungian overtones with its metaphorical ties to the psyche. The roots, the water, the trees, the sky and of course the birds–all can be seen as symbols of the mind and thought processes.
Here’s the latest scan. I may work on the foreground rocks a wee bit more, but overall I’m satisfied with the results.

Just about finished--maybe a few more touches of dry brush and it's done!
In other art news:
As many of you know, another facet of my creative journey has entailed creating special “Spirit Drawings” for fans and friends around the world. Here’s an updated gallery showcasing the many visions brought to fruition with the help of my creative customers’ keywords. It has been a wonderful way to connect with fans of my artwork in a personal way. Thank you to everyone who has participated in this fantastic creative process!

Here's a recent set of wrapped Spirit Drawings.
If you would like to be a part of this gallery, I’m still taking orders. My goal is to complete 50 drawings before the release of my Ghosts & Spirits Tarot deck in April. Yes, it looks like April is the month we’ll finally get to hold this long-awaited deck in our hands!
In other Hunt-Krameville news:
Hubby turned 41! Kyra and I saw to it that he had homemade goodies for his big day. I made the homemade pizza and Kyra decorated the requested carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.

Kyra, the triumphant cake decorator.

There I am working the pizza dough. I have a long way to go before I master the technique!
Life is art. Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure!
~Lisa












































I grew up amid construction, having helped my family build their house when I was a little girl (now my wise old Pop advises and helps me with my house). Believe it or not, the physical demands of home improvement tasks actually feed the intense creative spates in my studio. It’s the act of renewing something that breathes fresh air into cognitive streams. I don’t get artist’s block because I build blocks, so to speak, between brainstorming sessions. This balance between home improvement and artistic expansion is a satisfying way to move through my middle years. My feet are solidly on the ground, yet I can still spread my wings.




































