A Dream of Sixpence | Mixed Media Project

Arms perched on the wooden sill, tears welled up as Dotty gazed out her bedroom window, staring into the distant mist. She watched as lights flickered from the lighthouse, scouring the seashore. She longed for her father's return. Five nights had passed since he departed.

Watching raindrops fall gently onto her new raised garden bed he'd helped her create, a ping spread over her body. "Father," she whispered suddenly, not realizing why. So she prayed calm seas would prevail. Her mother's hands on her shoulders from behind did little to ease the foreboding thoughts pushing through.

Reporting for duty, her father's vessel set sail. No sooner than they left port, a violent storm descended. Two days the storm raged, threatening to overturn the fishing ship.

Dotty's smile as she danced in her new outfit flashed across his face before a heavy icy wind gust tore into his cheeks. He slung off the pelting rain; instead opting to concentrate on home. His wife's smiling face stirring a pot of onions, potatoes, and carrots beneath a roasted pig. The familiar aroma pervaded his nostrils.

Sixpence the total he would earn for a week's grueling and dangerous work. His family's well-being was worth the risk.

Son Tobias sorely needed a pair of pants. He'd have to wait.

For at the top of the list was a bolt of yellow cloth for Dotty's new birthday outfit. It would match the daffodils he helped plant in her garden. Recently, a strange coughing spell attacked her. Fragile she'd become merely performing daily chores. His heart ached for her recovery. Nevertheless, he sensed her slipping away from his embrace.

A gust of wind whirled by, weakening his grip. It wasn't the first time. Still, he continued to accept the assignments. Strapping a rope around his wrist, he clung to the stern. Shipmates with families waiting followed suit.

He had to survive and make it home safely. For Dotty's sake.

For my current mixed media project, I envisioned a young girl on the verge of tears as she waited for her father to return from the sea. Her favorite color was yellow. Her devoted father risks his life to ensure his family is fed and clothed.

I discovered a lovely photo of a female with flowing yellow strands for hair. The blue coloring in her face paired well with the golden hair. The image didn't require a ton of other images with the dominant blue and yellow hues. So I added just a few elements to show her feeling. By removing her background from the elements I didn't intend to use, I could add my own. A tear on her cheek in which I added a ship inside to signify her loneliness.

My pure fractal I felt added an elegant dimension to the design in its flowing chain mandala circle pattern. I also included three stunning pure fractals I created using the advanced fractal rendering program, Apophysis 7X. Another image I used was a teardrop I retrieved from the stable diffusion program, StarryAI.

Below are my steps to produce the design in which I utilized Canva, my design program, to blend the different type images which began with a blank, white canvas. I then added layers of elements to assist in the blending process.

I include here the images used in my design.

Mystic woman abstract art ~ Ship ~ Brown leaves ~ Flock of birds ~ Pure Fractal titled "Mandala in Blue" ~ Pure Fractal titled "Sunrays" ~ Pure Fractal titled "Stingray2" ~ StarryAI image titled "Teardrop"