Painting the tipi....process

With the space at Naperville Art League I was able to spread out the tipi canvas and trace the design. Last tipi I did it in my studio and that was a challenge.  This made it a heck of a lot easier.  Thank you Naperville Art League.

My red poster board templates for the design.
Pulling from these images off the internet as inspiration.

I begin the stenciling and tracing process, crawling on the floor...

Feather stencils 

Up in the studio starting begin February,  the clouds were painted and then blue sky.

Ode'd to the blue sky and white clouds.

The color red orange has been in my vision board so I'm pulling on that resource as choices to make for the colors.  Orange line  and the black and white squares. 

Hard to take picture of the tipi in process so laying it over a table and dragging it across to the area I can paint and letting dry as I go...or I end up flipping it over on itself and wet paint all over the place...though that did happen in a few places. 

The starting of the beads...I liked the way the one photo above with the feather hang had the beads...so here they are. 

And the feather begin to hang.

Hard to take good photos   so many angles....but you can see them all forming in patterns. 

Beginning the bottom half with the large triangles in all the colors of the rainbow that I picked out. 

One triangle at a time...and keep scooting along. 

It was rewarding to get to the point of the front door on this tipi,  I had ideas and to see it all play out was delightful. Got me a bit giddy too.

I like my black...which I heard it's a power color and a color to hide behind...so this year with my vision board and this tipi...I brought out the color and black. 

The spring growth is started around the tipi...I have to say the canvas fits better but the flaps are a bit smaller then the last one I had...kind of miss the larger flaps...I think if the African elephants and the Asian elephants...that's what the flap different is from the old used one I had to this newer one...but then maybe I don't have as good a memory any more. LOL...

Front view though the Lilac bushes that are starting green up.  I look at and I'm tickled and can't believe it but it's real as I stand...Not sure what will happen in there this year but it's completed.  My thoughts about our environment, economy and future were painted out in every brush stroke. And holding the paint brushed day after day, week after week...I established Digit  thumb. Where the thumb clicks in a few places because a nodule forms on the tendon...which became swollen and painful...I caught it early and had to have a steroid shot in their to help it heal faster...not the most fun thing. But the Thumb in on the mend and the tipi is done.....Thank for reading my ramble about a personal project.   I've had many people ask me why do you have a tipi?   It has been a dream for a long time and it came true a few years ago and well not I have a new one.  I have had drumming circles, I do morning yoga and Hank and I spend the summer afternoons reading and napping with a few overnighters too. It's my Woman Hut...as men have a Man Cave....

 Just to let you know...tipi is spelt many ways...tipi...which in how the company that I purchased the tipi from spells it...White Buffalo Lodges   or Tepe...or Teepee...so pick one.