MATS Bootcamp - Aretha Franklin & Her Bag of Bling

And the bag belongs to ... Aretha Franklin!  It's a bag full of opulence and glamour fit for the Queen of Soul herself!  I have to confess, this is an updated version, as I did repaint Aretha after I submitted my piece, because I was in such a rush to finish in time I really wasn't happy with the way she came out originally!

So, the first month of Bootcamp is a wrap and as usual I have learnt an absolute tonne.  There's something about having a deadline to meet and actually posting your work into a gallery that pushes you beyond all your expectations.  Not to mention everything you learn from the Facebook community where fellow Matsians generously share their tips and knowledge.  On Monday our next mini assignment will be revealed, which I wait for with great curiosity and anticipation.

In the meantime why not check out the marvellously inspiring Gallery of Bootcamp Art, I think there's over 600 pieces of work to view.  It always amazes me how different everyones interpretation of the assignment is!

Mats Bootcamp 2018 - Who's Bag Is This?

Throughout January I have been working away on the first Bootcamp Assignment of the year.  Having illustrated the contents of my own bag, we were then asked to imagine and illustrate what we thought might be in the bag of someone famous.  In hindsight, perhaps I should have added a few more things to make it a little more obvious, since my bag of contents definitely had a large dose of creative license.  But for now, can you guess whose bag I had to illustrate?

Folk Style Tea Tin

Molly Mouse is the central feature of my folk inspired tea tin.  

A Few Moments of Peace and Quiet!

My goodness life is moving at a fast pace at the moment and I'm trying to cram so much in.  Those moments of peace and quiet are rare and golden!  Molly Mouse knows all about that, she's grabbing 5 minutes of calm to drink her tea in peaceful serenity before the children arrive home from school and chaos ensues!

Paisley on a Tea Cup

I love tea, I love blue and white and I have a new found love for paisley.  So I thought to myself, why not paint my new paisley design onto a tea cup... and so I did!

Time for a Bit of Hygge!

Being with the ones we love, creating happy experiences, atmosphere and a homely environment, who doesn't love a bit of Hygge!  Although Christmas has come and gone, I am still working on my Christmas portfolio along with a whole host of other lovely peeps led by Victoria Johnson.  Yup, I signed up for a second round of Create Christmas and week 1 was all about Christmas Hygge.  Perfect while the temperatures outside are on the minus scale, the wind is howling and the rain is unrelenting.  So, here's my take on a folk design with a Swedish Dala Horse.