Ho Sweet Hoe

I woke up a little late today... Which was fine, considering I didn't leave the studio until after midnight last night. I find that I'm much more creative in the afternoon and evening than during the day. I still have issues with painting and drawing in front of anyone, and there are less people around at night.

I like living off campus, I'm probably only a mile or two away, because it's cheaper... and it's nice to be able to get off campus. The downside is that it is further away... and harder to take cat naps, or get something from my room. All and all it's been good. The gravel drive is wearing on R(H)onda... my car is starting to make a weird noise, but the Toe River Service station is busy this week... plus, I don't really have time to take her in.

My table in the studio is in the back room, with three women (in their 40s) who have all worked with encaustic before. I swear they're cranking out 4 paintings a day! Where as I've been working on the same "Crickets" painting for two days! They also paint abstractly... I can't be abstract... well, I try... but then I just HAVE to but something on it... which then makes it not so abstract.

The crickets painting is for Cas for her b-day/going away/house warming gift (I really hope she's not reading this right now- it's a surprise... kinda)... "Crickets" is an inside joke (well, after I tell you it won't be)... When ever one of us says something that's NOT funny and there's silence... we say "Crickets!"... The classic-Cas example was when I was looking for Grandfather Mountain... I said, "Where's Grandfather mountain?" Cas: "With Grandmother Mountain... heh heh heh".... ummm..... CRICKETS?! So, I hope she digs it.

After I stopped beating the crickets into the wax... literally... i got out some of the wall paper samples and stencils... and tried some new techniques... One being transferring images from paper to wood... This is a gift wrapping paper... I figure, if it works, I can use this as patterns too..


and I broke out the trusty ol' stencils. I think I'm finally starting to get in the groove....

I didn't know this, but if you put oil paints on a paper towel... the paper sucks some of the oil out. Then I can mix it with wax on the hot palette. I didn't realize when I took the pic... but now the paper towel reads: "HO SWEET HOE"... ha. (no crickets please...) :)

Tomorrow night I'm gonna go to Asheville... The Old 97's are playing... I made a phone call.. or rather text... so I hope we're able to get in.