So, I've been in Midland this week... I haven't really felt like blogging.
But, I've gotten a lot done... not art-wise, but more catching-up-on-correspondence-and-stuff-wise.
I leave for Austin tomorrow morning, and will pick up Cas in the afternoon... I'm so excited!
I'll try my best to blog from Austin.
Then, after she leaves Monday, I'm going to start networking, looking for job opportunities, housing possibilities... all of the above.... I just want to make sure I don't just move and lose focus on my main goals.
I wanna make art, and I wanna write... and do that as my living... those are my goals...
So, with that said... I'm going to bed... but before that (and on a COMPLETELY different subject):
Did you know that nothing rhymes with orange?! nothing in the English language.... weird...
When I Googled that, just to make sure it was true, I came across an amazing web site: Flocabulary "Hip Hop in the Classroom"....
For Realz yo!
but there are other words that have nothing that rhyme with them too (as the link will show you):
silver, purple, month, ninth, pint, wolf, opus, dangerous, marathon and discombobulate.
Of course I spent hours trying to find rhymes for each of them... in my head... and, No, I don't consider that a waste of time...
Like, Purple.... I think "verbal" kinda rhymes...
My favorite alternative rhyming example that flocabulary gives is:
discombobulate - the disco they love to hate, Crisco ovulate, risky even on a date, Sisqo's rollerblades
"sisqo's rollerblades" ?!? what!??
but I DO love "the disco they love to hate" and (this one is GENIUS) "Crisco ovulate".....
...don't worry if it makes sense... just make it rhyme every time...
G'night.... pics and updates from this austin trip soon!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
crazy like an artist
another photo I took, in Marathon, Texas and digitally altered.
I'm in Midland... today I spent the day emailing, going to the printer here in Midland... and searching for lost CDs that have scans of my paintings on them... I found one... it has the first 3 paintings I did last year on it.
It seems like they were painted SOOO long ago... My art has changed so much... like I have.
Sometimes I hear myself speak to other people... and offer advice, and then think, I need to take that advice as well...
It's so easy to get caught up in what other people think... trying to make other people proud... but that's the road to let-down after let-down... I can't always make decisions that will make everyone proud... not friends, parents, strangers... everyone seems to have their own opinion on the best decision someone should make... But really, all that matters is that I'm proud of my choices... Whether they're popular or not... easy or hard... as long as I stay true to myself and I'm proud of myself.
It's much easier said than done... but it's doable.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross is probably my favorite author, and an amazing woman, who lead an incredible life. A life filled with unpopular choices and actions, but she really lived life, fully. In the last part of her memoir, "The Wheel of Life," written to her children, shortly before her death, she writes:
"...know your own self and view life as a challenge where the hardest choices are the highest ones, the ones that will resonate with righteousness and provide the strength and insight of Him... The greatest gift God has given us is free choice. There are no accidents. Everything in life happens for a positive reason. Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms, you would never see the beauty of their carvings.
We must all learn to love and be loved unconditionally.
All the hardships that come to you in life, all the tribulations and nightmares, all the things you see as punishments from God, are in reality like gifts, They are an opportunity to grow, which is the sole purpose of life.
Everyone is loved beyond comprehension.
Everyone is blessed and guided.
It is very important that you do only what you love to do. You may be poor, you may go hungry, you may live in a shabby place, but you will totally live. And at the end of your days, you will bless your life because you have done what you came to do.
Everything is bearable when there is love.
My wish is that you try to give more people more love.
The only thing that lives forever is love."
The sentence that resonates with me the most now is: "do only what you love to do."
Some days it's so much easier than others...
I've started to realize something lately: now that I'm an "artist," I can be weird, and strange and make unpopular choices.... it's like I'm allowed to be strange... "oh, well she's an artist... so, you know..."
Which is good, because I've always appeared to be normal, but when people got to know me they'd find out I was strange... Now I have an excuse... and I can do what I love, even if everyone thinks I'm crazy.... at least I'll have done what i came to do.
Change.
Death has been all too frequent, sudden and present lately... My parents have lost several friends, and children of friends... friends have lost friends and parents and loved ones...
It's the cycle of life... But the part that is so scary, and sad... the part we usually choose to pretend doesn't exist, or happen "to us."
I remember people coming up to me after C's death, and saying, "I don't know what to say to you."
And I'd answer, "I wouldn't know what to say to me either..."
I still don't.
People would tell me, "It just takes time."
Time! Time! Time! Time!!!! I wanted to SCREAM!!!
I didn't want time. I wanted everything to go back to the way things were... not time. It was the last thing that I wanted to hear...
But, looking back at myself and journal entries from a year ago.... I realize time has made a difference.
Not that "time heals all wounds" ... that's BS.... but time allows for the new and different life to begin... not forgetting the past, but by honoring it by REALLY living, and learning to live my new reality. Time gives space from events and with that space, I could process, and grow...
Change hurts. Growth hurts.... Change is scary.... I even overheard my little sister last week say, "I hate change!"....
but it always happens... regardless of how badly I'd like to hold on to things as they are.... they're changing too... The only constant is change...
A year ago, I wanted to die. I didn't want to let go of the past... because I was terrified to forget.
Exactly a year ago I wrote:
Call up Dr. Kevorkian
and say I've gotta joke for him,
Death has watched over my cradle
Life's always been %100 fatal
And then I wrote a lot of stuff... hard for me to read... I did not want to go forward... but I didn't want to stay in pain either... I was so lost... wanting answers, seeking, fighting, angry... all of the 5 stages.... but those 5 stages are like primary colors... you can mix them together to get different colors and shades....
So, with all of this death around me, and change happening.... you'd think I'd have something brilliant to say.... That now I'd KNOW what to say.... but I don't.
But I know saying "time" doesn't help.... but being present for someone, constantly, present (whether they ask for it or not).... Presence, while time does its job, creating space, says more than any words could possibly say.
Tonight, I looked in my phone.... once again, I have a crazy list of "Notes to Self:" (i honestly don't know when i write these - but they end up there)... this is one I wrote since the last time I blogged about "notes to self"
Change:
Knowing change is coming is sad.
I like how things are now,
at this perfect moment....
sitting under the stars...
I just saw a shooting star...
But, if I don't let go of this moment, or any moment,
there will never be another "perfect moment"...
and that would more sad...
the saddest of all.
It would be so much easier to live in the mystery of life. if i didn't care about, love. and develop relationships...
but without relationships, it wouldn't be worth living.
One year has made a huge difference... but it has to be felt ... not said.
a photo I took and digitally altered of a church in Midland
It's the cycle of life... But the part that is so scary, and sad... the part we usually choose to pretend doesn't exist, or happen "to us."
I remember people coming up to me after C's death, and saying, "I don't know what to say to you."
And I'd answer, "I wouldn't know what to say to me either..."
I still don't.
People would tell me, "It just takes time."
Time! Time! Time! Time!!!! I wanted to SCREAM!!!
I didn't want time. I wanted everything to go back to the way things were... not time. It was the last thing that I wanted to hear...
But, looking back at myself and journal entries from a year ago.... I realize time has made a difference.
Not that "time heals all wounds" ... that's BS.... but time allows for the new and different life to begin... not forgetting the past, but by honoring it by REALLY living, and learning to live my new reality. Time gives space from events and with that space, I could process, and grow...
Change hurts. Growth hurts.... Change is scary.... I even overheard my little sister last week say, "I hate change!"....
but it always happens... regardless of how badly I'd like to hold on to things as they are.... they're changing too... The only constant is change...
A year ago, I wanted to die. I didn't want to let go of the past... because I was terrified to forget.
Exactly a year ago I wrote:
Call up Dr. Kevorkian
and say I've gotta joke for him,
Death has watched over my cradle
Life's always been %100 fatal
And then I wrote a lot of stuff... hard for me to read... I did not want to go forward... but I didn't want to stay in pain either... I was so lost... wanting answers, seeking, fighting, angry... all of the 5 stages.... but those 5 stages are like primary colors... you can mix them together to get different colors and shades....
So, with all of this death around me, and change happening.... you'd think I'd have something brilliant to say.... That now I'd KNOW what to say.... but I don't.
But I know saying "time" doesn't help.... but being present for someone, constantly, present (whether they ask for it or not).... Presence, while time does its job, creating space, says more than any words could possibly say.
Tonight, I looked in my phone.... once again, I have a crazy list of "Notes to Self:" (i honestly don't know when i write these - but they end up there)... this is one I wrote since the last time I blogged about "notes to self"
Change:
Knowing change is coming is sad.
I like how things are now,
at this perfect moment....
sitting under the stars...
I just saw a shooting star...
But, if I don't let go of this moment, or any moment,
there will never be another "perfect moment"...
and that would more sad...
the saddest of all.
It would be so much easier to live in the mystery of life. if i didn't care about, love. and develop relationships...
but without relationships, it wouldn't be worth living.
One year has made a huge difference... but it has to be felt ... not said.
a photo I took and digitally altered of a church in Midland
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Yesterday
Everything at The Gypsy Wagon went well yesterday. After so much freaking out, I woke up yesterday morning and finally chilled out. I had a lot to do... Go pick up prints and scans from Thomas Reprographics and prints at the other printing place... But, I finally let go of how I expected things to go... and just let things happen...
And everything went great!
Thank you so much to everyone who came out! It was so good to see everyone!
I sold a few prints... We left my work up for today... and I'll pick up some of it to bring back to Midland with me tomorrow.
Here's a piece that got a good response from, that I haven't posted on my blog before (or at least not in a long time)
Thanks so much to Carley, Johnny, Lauren and everyone else who helped and came out.
:)
I was SOOO tired last night... I was trying to make it to the Granada Theater last night... but I was so tired, I could barely stand... I came back to Sara's and slept for 15 hours... and it felt GOOD!
And everything went great!
Thank you so much to everyone who came out! It was so good to see everyone!
I sold a few prints... We left my work up for today... and I'll pick up some of it to bring back to Midland with me tomorrow.
Here's a piece that got a good response from, that I haven't posted on my blog before (or at least not in a long time)
Thanks so much to Carley, Johnny, Lauren and everyone else who helped and came out.
:)
I was SOOO tired last night... I was trying to make it to the Granada Theater last night... but I was so tired, I could barely stand... I came back to Sara's and slept for 15 hours... and it felt GOOD!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Trials and Errors
Crazy day!
I'm in Dallas. Met with the scanner.... then the printer....
I started to freak out and tried to call Carley about tomorrow's show at The Gypsy Wagon, but couldn't get ahold of her... She was very pregnant. That's why we decided to do the show this weekend and not any later...
I couldn't get ahold of her because she had her baby today! He decided he wanted an early arrival. I'm so happy for she and her husband. I talked to them on the phone and they sound excited and great! ... I felt bad asking her about the show... and what to do, and how to price and everything.... just even bringing it up today.... She won't be able to be there tomorrow... I'm really happy for them... everything will go fine tomorrow.... (I'm trying to convince myself)
Just a little while ago, I began finishing another piece..... DISASTER!
I dropped it and it cracked.... quite a bit.... but I'm using lacquer to seal the cracks., and I'm crossing my fingers that that will work.... So I started to work on the background.... and lacquer the paper to the piece of glass I'm going to attach to the back of the other piece... I wouldn't stick! not at all! UGH!
So frustrating!
So now I've got a board and an axe on the board holding it down, so hopefully it will stick... If not, I'm taking that axe to the whole thing!
I no patience waiting for things to dry (like glue, lacquer.... even paint).... I've said this before: when I'm making art, I'm all about instant gratification.
Lacquer takes a L-O-N-G time to dry... that's why I'm inside blogging.... releasing a little frustration and taking up time, so I don't just sit there and stare at it....
I really don't want to lose this piece... I like this piece... I'm really hoping what I'm doing now will fix it.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
hello.... goodnight
My mind is going crazy.... I'm tired but cant sleep...
I hope I have everything together for Friday... I didn't paint today... I picked up my prints and bought some frames and worked to put some of the finishing touches on a few pieces... I still have more to do..
It's not that it's a big show... it's gonna be very laid back, just more of a preview and meet and greet... but, I'm trying to get so much done.... because after this weekend I start to look for a place to live and a job of some sort in Austin.
I also have my first solo show at the Magnolia Gallery in Dallas this summer! YAY!
so, I'd like to have some work finished for that show... because after I move (and I'm working and getting settled and adjusted and all of that fun stuff), I don't know where I'll be able to paint.... I'm thinking too far ahead.... Sometimes I've gotta just pull myself back into the present...
okay... back.
We have a new president!!! America just became a much cooler country!
Alright, goodnight!
I hope I have everything together for Friday... I didn't paint today... I picked up my prints and bought some frames and worked to put some of the finishing touches on a few pieces... I still have more to do..
It's not that it's a big show... it's gonna be very laid back, just more of a preview and meet and greet... but, I'm trying to get so much done.... because after this weekend I start to look for a place to live and a job of some sort in Austin.
I also have my first solo show at the Magnolia Gallery in Dallas this summer! YAY!
so, I'd like to have some work finished for that show... because after I move (and I'm working and getting settled and adjusted and all of that fun stuff), I don't know where I'll be able to paint.... I'm thinking too far ahead.... Sometimes I've gotta just pull myself back into the present...
okay... back.
We have a new president!!! America just became a much cooler country!
Alright, goodnight!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Moth balls? no....
My mom and I went and saw Bride Wars today... as she said, "It was no Gran Torino" .... unfortunately, I haven't seen Gran Torino yet... so, I can't compare, but can only imagine...
Actually, the main reason we went to go see Bride Wars was our friend Michael Arden is in it! He's great (as always)... and plays Kate Hudson's assistant/Mr. of Honor....
After that, it was time for business... <:o)E
I did a little work on the chandelier piece... it seemed like it lacked definition and outline towards the top of the piece... and I also just worked on the moth... but the change is SO slight, that even if I were to point it out, I'm not sure anyone (except for me) would be able to see it.
I did take the Girl with the hood.... (orange hood... green background...) ... remember how attached to her I was?!
Yeah, Well.... i painted the whole thing read and orange and purple!
I felt so much better once I painted over her!
I really like the moth painting.. and I like what moths personally symbolize to me.... Part of that is: searching for a light in the darkness....
That means a lot to me... searching... seeking... wanting to find the light... the strength... all of that has been part of my "new life" in the last year...
I thought i may do a moth series... (there are SOOO many GORGEOUS moths!) ... i still love moths SO much more than butterflies...
butterflies? ... *yawn*...
I bought a book in Austin at a thrift store on Lamar (not Salvation Army... but similar)... and I took the book and cut out hexagons to stick on the wood board (with matte medium) and then I painted the moth... simple... but it takes a LONG time
This piece has a WAYS to go... I want to make the bottom wings larger.... and look more like owl eyes... (that's what I think they look like...)
Okay.... so tomorrow (today)... Barak Obama is our new President! it's a new day! and I'll be working on the same moth from yesterday... but that's okay.... hey, that rhymes!
PPS... I still have NOT found a way to frame and hang this piece....
there's more...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Ahhhhh.... much better...
YAY!
i've finally gotten into the "flow" and I'm making stuff that I LIKE and finishing it! wow.... it's been a long time... or at least it feels like it's been a long time since I've done that...
Today, I put the encaustics, wax and collage stuff away, and broke out the acrylic paints.... good ol' trusty acrylics....
And i finished the chandelier:
(I think it looks better in real life than this pic... but that's just my opinion)
and, on the piece that I collaged the hexagon dress patterns, I decided I wanted a moth... (I've had a love for moths since this summer in North Carolina... I like them so much better than butterflies...)... not just any moth, but one of the silk worm moths... so using these "mothels" (okay... bad joke...).... I used these moths to model my moth after:
And this is what it looked like in process:
I still have more work to do.... I'm trying to keep it somewhat transparent... using very watered down paints... but I also want it to be bright... it could take a while:
Both pieces are about 24"x24"..... so i'm also glad that I have work that's larger than I usually do...
I also am high on the feeling of accomplishment (meaning: actually finishing a piece that I like).....
And i like both pieces.... and I like them enough to where I don't really care if I'm the only person in the world who likes them... (of course I want other people to like them), but they say what I want them to say... and mean something to me... and I like them... and that feels fantastic!
I watched the first American Idol tonight... I love that show!
Another show I love is the Daily Show... This episode (before "super tuesday" in 2000) is appropriate, for several reasons:
a. this is before Bush became President... and right now he's about to become a former President
b. This is about Midland (where I am now)
c. This is about Cooties... and unless you're vaccinated (circle circle dot dot)... you may be infected ... although boys are at a higher risk for cooties than girls are....
i've finally gotten into the "flow" and I'm making stuff that I LIKE and finishing it! wow.... it's been a long time... or at least it feels like it's been a long time since I've done that...
Today, I put the encaustics, wax and collage stuff away, and broke out the acrylic paints.... good ol' trusty acrylics....
And i finished the chandelier:
(I think it looks better in real life than this pic... but that's just my opinion)
and, on the piece that I collaged the hexagon dress patterns, I decided I wanted a moth... (I've had a love for moths since this summer in North Carolina... I like them so much better than butterflies...)... not just any moth, but one of the silk worm moths... so using these "mothels" (okay... bad joke...).... I used these moths to model my moth after:
And this is what it looked like in process:
I still have more work to do.... I'm trying to keep it somewhat transparent... using very watered down paints... but I also want it to be bright... it could take a while:
Both pieces are about 24"x24"..... so i'm also glad that I have work that's larger than I usually do...
I also am high on the feeling of accomplishment (meaning: actually finishing a piece that I like).....
And i like both pieces.... and I like them enough to where I don't really care if I'm the only person in the world who likes them... (of course I want other people to like them), but they say what I want them to say... and mean something to me... and I like them... and that feels fantastic!
I watched the first American Idol tonight... I love that show!
Another show I love is the Daily Show... This episode (before "super tuesday" in 2000) is appropriate, for several reasons:
a. this is before Bush became President... and right now he's about to become a former President
b. This is about Midland (where I am now)
c. This is about Cooties... and unless you're vaccinated (circle circle dot dot)... you may be infected ... although boys are at a higher risk for cooties than girls are....
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saturday night
some ideas are worth listening to.
the story about changing the one thing on a painting that your most attached to.... yeah, that works... at least I feel like it did...
i felt so much more free, and wasn't thinking or judging everything once i tried that...
the chandelier painting now has a WAYS to go.... but looks like this:
I re-painted the background, and then painted a big chandelier.... I may make it more red... not sure... I used to have a red chandelier in my old house.... Now it's the focus and not an element that's in the way... At least I'm more happy with it...
and the one that I thought I was too attached to the background.... well, I think I was most attached to the tree that was on it.... so I took that tree off and replaced it with this one:
And then I tried something new.... (I got this idea from another artist at Penland), I painted the board blue, black and off-white and then took a sewing pattern and cut it in to hexagon shapes an pasted them on with Matte Medium:
I haven't touched the painting with the girl yet.... but I feel like I'm on a roll... Everything seems much more organic, and flow-like, rather than me trying to force everything to come together.... and that wasn't working. at all.
oh yeah....
Last night, I decided I wanted to take a well-deserved break, and watch Saturday Night Live... I was looking forward to vegging out in front of the TV for an hour... I NEVER watch TV... But, instead of some hit-or-miss funny SNL, there was a 3 hour telethon instead! NOOO! This is what I was staring at in disbelief instead of SNL:
so, not cool... To quote a friend: "That's UN-American, well, kinda."
I heard it wasn't all that funny last night anyways... maybe the telethon incident was more entertaining in the long run...
back to work....
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Blocked
I heard a story from someone, but I don't remember from who or when (although I think it was this summer at Penland):
If you're over-attached to one element in your piece, and you're struggling with your piece, then you should get rid of, or change the thing you're overly attached to.... There was a story that went with this. And after the artist removed the element they were most attached to, the piece worked out...
I'm not sure if that's true or not... but there are a few pieces that I'm struggling with... nothing looks right, but I'm overly attached to one element of the painting....
the chandelier:
The girl:
the background:
But I'm not quite ready to get rid of those things... Maybe that means that they are the things that I most need to change...
probably... I think, by holding on to them as they are, I'm not allowing the pieces to change... and become what they're supposed to become...
It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
"We are like sculptors, constantly carving out of others the image we long for, need, love or desire, often against reality, against their benefit, and always, in the end, a disappointment, because it does not fit them."
-Anais Nin
I think I'm doing that with some of my art work...
Okay... I think I just needed to get that out of my system.... maybe now I can get some stuff done!
If you're over-attached to one element in your piece, and you're struggling with your piece, then you should get rid of, or change the thing you're overly attached to.... There was a story that went with this. And after the artist removed the element they were most attached to, the piece worked out...
I'm not sure if that's true or not... but there are a few pieces that I'm struggling with... nothing looks right, but I'm overly attached to one element of the painting....
the chandelier:
The girl:
the background:
But I'm not quite ready to get rid of those things... Maybe that means that they are the things that I most need to change...
probably... I think, by holding on to them as they are, I'm not allowing the pieces to change... and become what they're supposed to become...
It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
"We are like sculptors, constantly carving out of others the image we long for, need, love or desire, often against reality, against their benefit, and always, in the end, a disappointment, because it does not fit them."
-Anais Nin
I think I'm doing that with some of my art work...
Okay... I think I just needed to get that out of my system.... maybe now I can get some stuff done!
Friday, January 16, 2009
love/hate
I did some more collaging... I really LOVE wax... but I'm really and TRULY starting to HATE wax... so sticky..... too gratifying, too instantly.... too sticky... too messy... too much fun... too easy.... too hard... too time consuming... too cloudy.... uh! love/hate.
The printing place called me... they printed a test strip of a small collage I did in December... It looked good.
They also showed me the scans, they also looked good...
I'm looking forward to seeing what it all looks like... when it's done...
I don't feel like writing much.... so I'll post pics of what I've done, what I'm working on... I'm not %100 happy with my work right now... but, I'm very happy that I'm making work....
So, with that said:
Here are the red trees:
and a close up of each:
So, i added the moon cycle.... but now, I wanna just keep the background of this piece and start over... I doubt it though.... but, I do think this is the MAJOR issue when you become so attached to one part of a piece that you can't let go enough to let it become the best it can:
This is just an idea... i printed out some images (on tissue paper, so everything but the ink will disappear....
A very encaustic background (done the same way the owl from a while ago was done)...
now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it/put on it... here are some of my ideas:
I added a TON of medium to the clover collage background... now I can carve into it and collage on it...
And, last, I transferred this pattern to board.... but I'm still working on taking the paper off of the back... that always takes SOOO long!
My horseback riding lesson was cancelled today... the wind chill here in Midland didn't get above 30 degrees... I was kinda glad it was cancelled.... I wasn't looking forward to freezing my butt off!
okie dokie.... about to fall asleep typing... g'nite!
The printing place called me... they printed a test strip of a small collage I did in December... It looked good.
They also showed me the scans, they also looked good...
I'm looking forward to seeing what it all looks like... when it's done...
I don't feel like writing much.... so I'll post pics of what I've done, what I'm working on... I'm not %100 happy with my work right now... but, I'm very happy that I'm making work....
So, with that said:
Here are the red trees:
and a close up of each:
So, i added the moon cycle.... but now, I wanna just keep the background of this piece and start over... I doubt it though.... but, I do think this is the MAJOR issue when you become so attached to one part of a piece that you can't let go enough to let it become the best it can:
This is just an idea... i printed out some images (on tissue paper, so everything but the ink will disappear....
A very encaustic background (done the same way the owl from a while ago was done)...
now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it/put on it... here are some of my ideas:
I added a TON of medium to the clover collage background... now I can carve into it and collage on it...
And, last, I transferred this pattern to board.... but I'm still working on taking the paper off of the back... that always takes SOOO long!
My horseback riding lesson was cancelled today... the wind chill here in Midland didn't get above 30 degrees... I was kinda glad it was cancelled.... I wasn't looking forward to freezing my butt off!
okie dokie.... about to fall asleep typing... g'nite!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Learning marketing, the cyber-savvy way
I thought I knew marketing... I thought I knew networking.... I thought I understood the online world of both.... Then, today, I met Damien Franco... His blog is www.yourphototips.com... and he totally schooled me!
I wish I'd had taken notes the whole time... I learned so much from him... from Flickr groups, to tags, to linking to someone's site so that they link back to yours... So much information that my head is still spinning! I was basically in awe, sitting there like, "teach me your ways, wise one." Thank you so much Damien! I'm looking forward to meeting up with him and his wife this weekend!
I'm tired or I'd have checked out some of the web sites he referred me to... and would write a lot more... but, (like I said) I'm tired... so I will later...
I did check out Blurb.com today... I'm gonna try to put a portfolio/book together... but my scans aren't ready yet... hopefully they'll be done tomorrow.
I did go to Hobby Lobby and buy some more stuff to collage with... even though it's really cool stuff, I kinda wanna kick myself for adding more options for me to use... I should just work with the stuff I already have... But the new stuff is SOOO cool! And on SALE!
I bought this bag of fall stuff, with leaves:
and Squirrels! SQUIRRELS!
The leaves may or may not go on that piece... the squirrels definitely won't ... I just wanted to check out all of the fun new crap I bought!
I also moved the moth and doily aside and tried this on the clover background:
And I bought WHITE india ink! I wanted to use it to brighten up that collage piece that has been fighting me.... and it worked... except for I accidentally put too much on the angel's face and erased it's features. I'll have to go back in and fix that:
A lot of just trial and error... and moving things around...
Oh! and I've had these gold frames for a while... (two of them) and in the same bag with the squirrels and leaves there were two trees.. Just an idea:
Okay... I'm really tired... going riding again tomorrow... and then I'm going to checkout all the websites and info I learned... Maybe I'll even start to use Flickr the right way!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My not-so-"elegant" creative process
I stayed up too late last night... My time schedule is OFF...
I wish I was a morning person... I've always wanted to be a morning person... but I'm not. I've never been one. Actually, I've been known to be such an awful morning (or just waking up) person, that my siblings won't even try to wake me up...
I'm a night person... I'm more creative at night... I work better in the late afternoon and on... I don't know why... It's just how I am.
I went horseback riding this afternoon... luckily, I wasn't the only one who was out-of-shape... The horse I rode, Molly, had been taking it easy over the holidays too... We were quite a pair.... lazy horse meets out-of-shape rider (me).... I'm going again on Thursday... maybe we'll both be better by then.
I took 7 of my new paintings to Reynolds Brothers (a reprographics place in Midland), they were very nice.... I'm having one of each piece printed on canvas... I'm not sure how the encaustics are going to look printed... but I can always paint on the canvas too.
Then I did a little shopping: vellum, india ink (which works on wax- much better than black acrylic paint), iron-on paper for t-shirts (I can put the sheets in my printer)..... I'm not sure if the iron-ons will work when I try to iron them on wax... but it can't hurt to try... I also bought some fantastic new colors of Sharpies that I've never seen before!
I'm a little sad that I'm so excited that Sharpie has new colors, like Pomegranate and Earl Grey... but I'm very excited!
Then I went home and went to work.... I mainly worked on that one collage that I couldn't stand yesterday..... after many different tries with different ideas, this is what it looks like now:
There is too much of the wax medium on it... so it looks cloudy in places... and I'm going to add white in areas to brighten it up.... but i'm starting to like it a lot better.
I pretty much only worked on that piece...
But I moved the moth (that I love SO much) around some more. I also seem to really like that doily too... I don't know why though, I think it's ugly. Maybe the moth likes it!.... the chandelier, doily and the moth are just placed on this background... It's how I try an idea before I commit to putting them on the background... I like to move stuff around to see what it could look like:
and then I played with this piece a bit too... I LOVE the background and the tree (I maybe a little too attached to them), but I placed a sparrow drawing I did last year, and a butterfly on it...
and then I thought, it might be cool to do something with the moon cycle.... I'd cut out the moons, of course.....
That's how I work... I place things, and then stare at them forever, then change my mind... and then place something else and stare at it, and then change my mind.... i wish I had a more "elegant" technique... but, alas.... i don't....
I'm working on moving to Austin... more opportunities for me there... and it's close to Dallas, still close to family, and I have friends there... After I get all this stuff done for The Gypsy Wagon show on the 23rd, I'll work on it more... but I did send out my resume today... I want to write... or get back in contract work and field marketing for a bit, so I can still work on my art and writing.
I wish I was a morning person... I've always wanted to be a morning person... but I'm not. I've never been one. Actually, I've been known to be such an awful morning (or just waking up) person, that my siblings won't even try to wake me up...
I'm a night person... I'm more creative at night... I work better in the late afternoon and on... I don't know why... It's just how I am.
I went horseback riding this afternoon... luckily, I wasn't the only one who was out-of-shape... The horse I rode, Molly, had been taking it easy over the holidays too... We were quite a pair.... lazy horse meets out-of-shape rider (me).... I'm going again on Thursday... maybe we'll both be better by then.
I took 7 of my new paintings to Reynolds Brothers (a reprographics place in Midland), they were very nice.... I'm having one of each piece printed on canvas... I'm not sure how the encaustics are going to look printed... but I can always paint on the canvas too.
Then I did a little shopping: vellum, india ink (which works on wax- much better than black acrylic paint), iron-on paper for t-shirts (I can put the sheets in my printer)..... I'm not sure if the iron-ons will work when I try to iron them on wax... but it can't hurt to try... I also bought some fantastic new colors of Sharpies that I've never seen before!
I'm a little sad that I'm so excited that Sharpie has new colors, like Pomegranate and Earl Grey... but I'm very excited!
Then I went home and went to work.... I mainly worked on that one collage that I couldn't stand yesterday..... after many different tries with different ideas, this is what it looks like now:
There is too much of the wax medium on it... so it looks cloudy in places... and I'm going to add white in areas to brighten it up.... but i'm starting to like it a lot better.
I pretty much only worked on that piece...
But I moved the moth (that I love SO much) around some more. I also seem to really like that doily too... I don't know why though, I think it's ugly. Maybe the moth likes it!.... the chandelier, doily and the moth are just placed on this background... It's how I try an idea before I commit to putting them on the background... I like to move stuff around to see what it could look like:
and then I played with this piece a bit too... I LOVE the background and the tree (I maybe a little too attached to them), but I placed a sparrow drawing I did last year, and a butterfly on it...
and then I thought, it might be cool to do something with the moon cycle.... I'd cut out the moons, of course.....
That's how I work... I place things, and then stare at them forever, then change my mind... and then place something else and stare at it, and then change my mind.... i wish I had a more "elegant" technique... but, alas.... i don't....
I'm working on moving to Austin... more opportunities for me there... and it's close to Dallas, still close to family, and I have friends there... After I get all this stuff done for The Gypsy Wagon show on the 23rd, I'll work on it more... but I did send out my resume today... I want to write... or get back in contract work and field marketing for a bit, so I can still work on my art and writing.
Monday, January 12, 2009
productivity and a new pink camera = happiness!
I was so productive today!
I think, by letting some pressure out of my head, and into my planner, and blog, and journal, I feel sooo much better!
One thing I did that makes me REALLY happy: I returned that Canon-Elph-whatever-crap camera and bought a Sony Cybershot! It was the second time I've been to BestBuy and tried to return it... they all remembered me. They asked me what was wrong with it... I told them "everything! I hate everything about it!"... of course they were shocked... (news to me but:) It seems that NO ONE (except me) hates Canons... They said it was my fault... It could be, I'm not good at following directions... or reading them... but I exchanged it anyway... and I love my new camera! The pics I've taken look awesome! plus it's pink! Who doesn't love a pink camera?!?
I found a reprographics place in Midland (Reynolds Brothers) ... I talked to them on the phone and I'm gonna go and check it out tomorrow...
I also bought a griddle and a small blow torch..... as well as some paraffin wax.... So, I'm back to encaustic painting... for real!
Paraffin wax cleans the colored wax off of brushes... but I've also noticed that it thins the medium even more, making the wax more like paint... and it's good for delicate things like leaves and butterfly wings, without making them too waxy.... and cloudy...
I've even started to make my usual encaustic studio mess!
I also start riding horses again tomorrow... maybe I'll bring my new fancy camera and get some pics!
So, i pulled out all of the work that I think is done... and some of the stuff I'm still working on... and some that I shouldn't keep working on but can't help myself....
This little owl is on cardboard... he's about a 5x7... I'm gonna use him.. I like him more and more...
The background of this piece, I started before I left for North Carolina last May... I tried (and failed) to do some stuff with resin... but today, I added the other stuff on top.... It's not done... I'm not sure if I like it at all... Cas suggested that I add a moon... which I'll try tomorrow...
This was another "Bird and Key".... but it was bugging me... So I've been trying to get crafty with it... I found this moth... I LOVE this moth... and on this color background... the moth and doily are just placed on top.... not attached yet... just an option that I'm considering...
I've been working on this piece with the chandelier for a YEAR now... I added the black wash over the whole piece and have been staring at it for months... today, I painted the chandelier in a light wash of a bright red...
People who know me well, know that I can't stand being told what I can and can't do... It's not that I try to be rebellious... I just have to find out for myself... and a lot of the time, that means "the hard way".... well... In our encaustic class, I was told, "you can't paint acrylic over oil paint"... well... I had done that... It TOTALLY sucked and was REALLY difficult.... but I had done it (once)... We were also told, you can't paint acrylic over wax... well, today, I broke that rule and had to try it out... and so far so good... I'm really pleased with the result...
This is a painting I'd been working on for a while... I decided the heart needed a heart shape around it in string... then I added the flames/triangles/points around the right side... and then I used black acrylic paint *gasp!*, on the inside of the heart.... to make it pop a bit.... that worked so well, that I used the same paint on the bird in areas...
The only thing that is bugging me about this piece is the wax looks so cloudy... and dulls the black and the pattern... but overall I'm happy with it... and I'm glad I don't always believe what people tell me!
I'm not sure what people are going to think of my new work... it's different than what I was doing before.... much more collage, and experimentation... i may go back to acrylics at some point... they're predictable and easy to add on top of... but maybe I wont... But I think I will... at least more than I'm using them now...
I think, by letting some pressure out of my head, and into my planner, and blog, and journal, I feel sooo much better!
One thing I did that makes me REALLY happy: I returned that Canon-Elph-whatever-crap camera and bought a Sony Cybershot! It was the second time I've been to BestBuy and tried to return it... they all remembered me. They asked me what was wrong with it... I told them "everything! I hate everything about it!"... of course they were shocked... (news to me but:) It seems that NO ONE (except me) hates Canons... They said it was my fault... It could be, I'm not good at following directions... or reading them... but I exchanged it anyway... and I love my new camera! The pics I've taken look awesome! plus it's pink! Who doesn't love a pink camera?!?
I found a reprographics place in Midland (Reynolds Brothers) ... I talked to them on the phone and I'm gonna go and check it out tomorrow...
I also bought a griddle and a small blow torch..... as well as some paraffin wax.... So, I'm back to encaustic painting... for real!
Paraffin wax cleans the colored wax off of brushes... but I've also noticed that it thins the medium even more, making the wax more like paint... and it's good for delicate things like leaves and butterfly wings, without making them too waxy.... and cloudy...
I've even started to make my usual encaustic studio mess!
I also start riding horses again tomorrow... maybe I'll bring my new fancy camera and get some pics!
So, i pulled out all of the work that I think is done... and some of the stuff I'm still working on... and some that I shouldn't keep working on but can't help myself....
This little owl is on cardboard... he's about a 5x7... I'm gonna use him.. I like him more and more...
The background of this piece, I started before I left for North Carolina last May... I tried (and failed) to do some stuff with resin... but today, I added the other stuff on top.... It's not done... I'm not sure if I like it at all... Cas suggested that I add a moon... which I'll try tomorrow...
This was another "Bird and Key".... but it was bugging me... So I've been trying to get crafty with it... I found this moth... I LOVE this moth... and on this color background... the moth and doily are just placed on top.... not attached yet... just an option that I'm considering...
I've been working on this piece with the chandelier for a YEAR now... I added the black wash over the whole piece and have been staring at it for months... today, I painted the chandelier in a light wash of a bright red...
People who know me well, know that I can't stand being told what I can and can't do... It's not that I try to be rebellious... I just have to find out for myself... and a lot of the time, that means "the hard way".... well... In our encaustic class, I was told, "you can't paint acrylic over oil paint"... well... I had done that... It TOTALLY sucked and was REALLY difficult.... but I had done it (once)... We were also told, you can't paint acrylic over wax... well, today, I broke that rule and had to try it out... and so far so good... I'm really pleased with the result...
This is a painting I'd been working on for a while... I decided the heart needed a heart shape around it in string... then I added the flames/triangles/points around the right side... and then I used black acrylic paint *gasp!*, on the inside of the heart.... to make it pop a bit.... that worked so well, that I used the same paint on the bird in areas...
The only thing that is bugging me about this piece is the wax looks so cloudy... and dulls the black and the pattern... but overall I'm happy with it... and I'm glad I don't always believe what people tell me!
I'm not sure what people are going to think of my new work... it's different than what I was doing before.... much more collage, and experimentation... i may go back to acrylics at some point... they're predictable and easy to add on top of... but maybe I wont... But I think I will... at least more than I'm using them now...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
new (to me) funny things...
I started to feel a bit less crazy later today... I worked on a few things... unfortunately nothing that I'm proud of yet... and nothing that I'd like to post online either...
I think I probably already have enough work together for the show at The Gypsy Wagon on Jan 23rd.... So, this week, I'll work on getting those things finished scanned and printed... Not as much about MAKING work... more about finishing the work that's so close to already being finished...
that takes a lot of pressure off of me almost instantly...
So with that said... here are a few of my new favorite things:
and then:
I think I probably already have enough work together for the show at The Gypsy Wagon on Jan 23rd.... So, this week, I'll work on getting those things finished scanned and printed... Not as much about MAKING work... more about finishing the work that's so close to already being finished...
that takes a lot of pressure off of me almost instantly...
So with that said... here are a few of my new favorite things:
and then:
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