Mini-Show Submissions

I've been busy getting ready for the Redlands Art Association's 41st Annual Multi Media Mini Show. Take-in is tomorrow. I'll be going in the afternoon, dropping off my work, having lunch with a friend and then gaming and dinner with another friend. It should be a good day.

This show is a juried show, and the judge is a photographer, so I have no idea what kind of art she'll like. Some artists really like mixed-media collage, and some just don't get it. No telling which way she'll lean. And then, there's always the possibility that she'll like mixed-media work, but she won't like mine! Whatever! Art is so subjective; there's no way to predict what piece of work is going to resonate with another person. After all, there's plenty of "good art" that I don't particularly care for!

We are allowed to enter up to three pieces in the show. I'm going for all three to maximize my chances. Wish me luck!

These last two pictures are a little dark because I took them at 11:15 at night in lousy lighting, but I think you get the concept.

New Art

I didn't sleep well last night (okay, I didn't sleep at all!) so I spent my time listening to loud music, finishing up a couple of paintings, and writing. It was time well spent.

I started this piece over the week-end, while painting with my friend, Sandra. She took this picture while I was working. It's better than the picture I took this morning.

 I also started this piece over the week-end, and finished it in the middle of the night. I used Speedball Block Printing Ink for the word, and it worked amazingly well. I think I have a new favorite product! Next art supply order will definitely include some other colors.

And here's a piece I started last Monday at my painting group. It doesn't feel finished, but I'm not sure what to do to it next. I'm sure it will come to me as I continue to sit with it. It's not really this shiny.

I haven't forgotten about the color wheel art journal quilt I started a couple of weeks ago, I've just set it aside. The 41st annual Multi Media Mini Show is coming up soon at the Redlands Art Association Gallery and I've been working on/planning pieces for it. Its'a juried show, so there's no guarantee that what I enter will be accepted.

Yesterday, I started something completely out of my current skill set, which is always fun. I'm kind of stuck until I get to Home Depot and get some wood panel to work on -- and the necessary prep materials from Dick Blick. The wood panel may become a reality today (Actually, I'll need my father-in-law's help getting the panel cut to the right size. That will happen on Thursday.), but the prep materials won't be here for a couple of days. I need some vellum, too, which I'll get on Thursday from Collective Journey as there isn't a scrapbook supply store in Victorville or Barstow that I know of. Then, I need to go to Office Depot or some place that I can make photocopies on my own paper.

Curious? Stay tuned!

Project Continued

I got my watercolors in the mail yesterday! I hurried home and spread out all my supplies on my desk, then choked! As I mentioned in my last post, I'm not really all that familiar with watercolors, so I froze when it came time to get started. It took me several minutes before I found the nerve to start.Oh, I knew that you take the paint and add water to make juicy color, but when it came to mixing colors, I had no idea what colors were good for that (I know from working with acrylic paints that not all reds, for example, mix the same) -- or even how to begin mixing. Well, I still don't know much about working with watercolors, but I know a little more now. I think I'll be able to approach my new paints with a tad less fear, a bit more confidence.

I do have to confess, though -- I didn't mix all the colors. I did use a few out of the tube, because I just couldn't get the color I was looking for!

Here are the color swatches I've made so far. I still have a few more to make, then it's off to the next step -- journaling on the swatches. That may take a few days, because I'm not thrilled with my own handwriting. I know I'll put this step off!

New Art

Did I mention that I was taking Carmen Torbus' online workshop, Spill It!? I think I did ... Anyway, here are my efforts at Lesson Four. The point wasn't to copy her painting, but to let our own style shine through. Unfortunately, I don't yet know what my style is. What I do know is that I love the way Carmen paints; her style really resonates with me, so she really influenced what I came up with.

Carmen writes with lots of "inky drippy goodness" on her paintings and I love it! But when I tried it, I didn't like it as well on my painting. In the second one, I left the canvas flat while I wrote to minimize the drips. I love the look of writing with a dip pen -- I'll definitely be working with my dip pens to "perfect" this technique!

This painting is still very much in Carmen's style, but I felt a bit more free as I worked on it. It was inspired by an Untitled painting of Carmen's (Sorry, I couldn't get a direct link to it). I had more fun with this one than I did with the previous two, so I think I may be edging more into my own style here. I'll definitely be working on more paintings like this one.

Adventures In Bookbinding!

I just finished my first ever bookbinding session. I made the book block several days ago, but just got around to binding it today. For one thing, it took some time to paint the cover and let it thoroughly dry. And for another thing, I was nervous about the whole project! I wanted to do it perfectly; I wanted my book to be the best in the class. Silly me! I'm sure mine is actually the worst book in the class because I made several mistakes.

The first mistake that I made is that I covered too much of the book tape with the painted paper. But now, I know to watch for that and I can try to do better next time.

The second mistake that I made is evident in this photo -- I either cut my book board too big (WAY TOO BIG!), or I cut my painted paper too small. Whichever it is, there is a gap between the end paper and the painted cover. I can fix this so that the book is still usable and pretty, so I'm not too concerned about it, either. I'm going to use this book for Julie Prichard's Art Journaling Super Nova (Part II) class. It will just be a technique book, so again, I can live with the mistakes.

For the mistakes I made -- my corners ROCK!!! I was so nervous about folding the corners, but Julie explained and illustrated the process well. She's an excellent teacher.

This whole process was illustrative of what's going on with me artistically these days. I'm too invested in the product and that freezes me. Once I got over my fear of imperfection and sat down and did the work, the process was fun. And the process is what art is all about. This is supposed to be an activity that brings me joy, not one that brings me angst!

I have seven more book blocks this size to cover and one long, tall skinny one to cover. I think I'll get this figured out! Now, to go cut more book board and paint more covers!

Working Together

I saw this video over at Bad Faery's blog. I just loved it! It was really interesting to see the way the artists played off each other and interacted through their art. The premise was that these four artists were "given 5 hours, along with paint brushes, pens, pencils, a hairdryer, ink, acrylic paint, water color, makers, and collage. The were told simply, 'Do your thing and play off each other,' with each starting in a different corner of the canvas."

Fabulous result!

A better quality Quicktime version is available, too. 

Guerilla Art!

This the most amazing idea. I love the story of the dogmum. I may have to make some of these and distribute them. I have a million shipping tags, so I've no excuse -- other than shyness.

This project may have just changed the way I see ART. For me, art is a very solitary activity. I share my art with others on my blog and have even led a couple of workshops, but making art is something I do by myself for myself. Even though I'm the Featured Artist at the Redlands Art Association October 4-October 25, sharing my art in a public venue is something totally foreign to me. I've finally gotten to a point in my art-life where I don't care what other people think of my art. I'm not kidding either one of us -- I do like it when other people like my work; of course, I do! But I make art for me, for the experience of the process, for the joy of creation. Sharing my work online, most people don't comment on it; they just experience it for themselves, one way or another. I like this. I like that my experience of my art is completely separated from the viewer's experience. 

What dneese is doing really intrigues me. Sharing her art in such a public way really thrills me. I especially love that she is catching some people in the act of experiencing her art. This is totally cool!

Thanks so much to samanthakira for posting about it. It made me smile!

I'm In (The Big Draw, Part Two)!

I guess I'm in for The Big Draw. 

I got Kelly Rae Robert's book, Taking Flight, yesterday and I read it from-cover-to-cover. I've read parts of it twice -- already! I wanted to try my hand at some of her techniques, so I dug out a piece of wood that a friend gave to me and my scrapbook papers. I made a collage background on the wooden substrate and then I brayered a couple of paint colors over it. I rubber stamped over this when the paint dried with a nice, subtle Sepia color. I sprayed Glimmer Mist over the top of it all and let it dry. 

All well and good, but this is still not drawing!

In order to paint the girl on the background, I had to drawn her on there first! I was moved to paint -- which almost never happens to me! -- so I sat there looking at the collaged background for several minutes, trying to figure out how to get the paint on the wood. I obviously needed some kind of outline of what I wanted to paint. This would probably be obvious to the average bear, but for me, it was practically rocket science!

Finally, I just dug a mechanical pencil out of my purse and started drawing. I even cut myself some slack by copying one of Robert's designs in one of the how-tos. No imagination necessary! LOL! Actually, the act of drawing was stress enough -- I didn't need the stress of trying to figure out what to draw along with it! And you know what -- It was easier than I expected it to be. My Grandpa used to say that "the dreadin' is worse than the doin'." How right he was!

I'm afraid to do her face, as I'm pretty happy with the rest of her, and want to stay that way! I drew the outline, and then painted in the skirt and top with colors I mixed myself; the belt is straight out of the bottle of Golden's fluid acrylics. Literally! I didn't even pour the paint onto a palette, but rather, I just mopped up the mess I had created on the lid. I did some more flourish stamping in coordinating colors on the dress. I'm a little behind in the art scene -- I love my flourishes and use them everywhere I can.

I wish the patterns of the background papers showed through more, but overall, I'm pretty happy with it. Live and learn for next time!

And there will be a next time!

The Big Draw!

The Big Draw begins today and I have to decide whether or not to participate. For some people, the decision would be easy -- Either do it or not. For me, the decision is full of angst and uncertainty. I don't draw. I mean, I really don't draw. Even my stick figures are awkward! I'm taking SuziBlu's course, so you'd think I'd be drawing some, but no, actually, I'm not. I'm way behind! It's not that I don't enjoy drawing -- once I get into it, I usually do enjoy myself. But I am full of fear and trepidation to start. "It's drawing, it's not brain surgery," I tell myself. But I'm full of doubt and longing when it comes to putting pencil to paper. 

Yep, doubt and longing. I'm very uncertain about my abilities in drawing. I've drawn a decent left hand a couple of times, but I totally amazed myself by doing it. It was an other-worldly experience, to turn out something that I didn't know I was capable of. And to do it twice! LOL! But I have no consistency.

The style of art I enjoy the most calls for drawing. It's the art of Kelly Rae Roberts and SuziBlu. I like the collaged, shabby backgrounds with a hand-painted (draw first) person on it. I feel like by not drawing, I'm holding myself back from experimenting with a type of art that I really enjoy. More to the point, I feel like I'm holding myself back as an artist. Because I don't draw, I don't paint very much, and I love to paint! I love the feeling of the brush in my hand and to watch something transform from a plain blank substrate to a finished product. I love to watch -- and participate in -- the emergence. I love smooshing colors around. But I'm almost as afraid of painting as I am of drawing, because it's based on the same idea -- to capture what I see on paper. That, for some reason, scares the hell out of me!

So, what am I really afraid of? That's a question that I ask myself a lot lately, especially about my art. I long to create like an eight-year old: with utter abandon and love of the process. Some days, I'm pretty good at that, too. But it's because I've carved out an artistic comfort zone, and I stay well within its boundaries. So, what am I really afraid of? Good question ... I'm afraid of not being good enough, of wanting something so badly and then finding out that I don't have the talent to bring it into fruition. Sometimes it's definitely easier to just dream.

For me, drawing is all wrapped up in a bunch of childhood crap. My brother, Richard, is a gifted artist. He can draw anything, even without having a model in front of him to draw from. As a teenager, he was praised and given art lessons, while I was told not to color on the walls. Somehow, I got the message that because I wasn't drawing at the level that he was drawing at, I had no business drawing at all ... Oddly enough, I'm the artist now, and he works at an oil-refinery. 

So, back to the original question ... Do I participate in The Big Draw, or not? Part of me remembers that I'm fairly busy this month and that to take on one more project may not be the best thing to do. Another part of me knows how good for me this experience could be. Maybe it would finally free up my drawing muscles once-and-for-all, or at least loosen them up a bit. I just want to draw and paint pretty girls like Zorana does.

I just don't know ...

Inspiration Is The Most Sincere Form Of Flattery!

I saw this ATC over at Creative Solace and loved it so much I decided to try my hand at making one. Of course, mine has a totally different feel. I have no idea what Heather used as the background in her ATC, but I'm happy with mine. Mine is random book text with a small piece of alcohol inked acetate over it. The woman's face that I used as a focal image is from my new Dover book -- Leonardo da Vinci Treasury CD-ROM and Book. I just got it today and I've already used it! The flourish stamps are from Basic Grey. Butterfly stamp from PSX; brads from Making Memories. 

ATC Wednesday -- Childhood

For ATC Wednesday -- a relatively new challenge blog that I found one night when I was blog hoping -- the theme this week is "Childhood". I produced this series after I got come from leading my second ATC workshop this afternoon at the Redlands Art Association. I was inspired by Patty Day's background technique. I took pictures this time, but I'm having trouble getting them off my Smart Media card. Maybe there will be pictures later on in the week ... All images are from Lisa's Altered Art.

ATC Wednesday -- Black & White

I just found another ATC challenge site! This one is called ATC Wednesday, and the theme this week is Black & White. I already had a series started called "Men in Black", so I finished up one of the cards quickly and will submit it. The image is from a larger photograph of five men standing in a row; it was given to me by my friend Jill. Since it's a new challenge, it's fairly small, but I'm sure it will grow.

Think Monday -- Think ATC (Dancing)

The theme this week for Think Monday -- Think ATC is Dancing. It's been a very popular theme, too! And not only have there been lots of entries, but they are mostly very lovely. I didn't have any rubber stamps in the dance genre, so I stuck to collage. I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with!

The image on my card is from Lisa's Altered Art -- love her stuff and her service! Background is alcohol inks on glossy card stock, and a piece of old sheet music.

The Beginnings of Abstraction

Following Suzan Buckner's background tutorial on an 8x10 canvas, I produced this beauty. I haven't decided what to do to it next, but I love it too much to cover it with a collage. I may just add some circles to it and call it an abstract painting!

Backgrounds Completed

Here are a couple of backgrounds that I completed, loosely following Suzan Buckner's background tutorial. I did have to dry my paper every so often because I'm not using as luscious a paper as she is; I'm using index stock and it's just not the same quality as the expensive watercolor paper she's using. My paper tore from the moisture if I didn't dry it out once in a while. I also didn't wipe my gesso'd credit card on my shirt, but on a paper towel instead! I still think the backgrounds came out okay. I'm eager to try this technique on canvas -- I have three blank canvases waiting for something to happen to them.

37days Update

Remember the ages ago 37days project? Well, the book, Life is a Verb, is available at Amazon and on local bookshelves! I've been sitting on my hands to keep from going to our local Barnes & Noble to look at the book. I'm getting a signed copy since some of my art work is in the book, and I want to see it in my copy. I was only notified that some of my artwork was accepted, but not which pieces were accepted; I'm dying to find out which one(s) are in there!

I've read four of the 37 essays in the book -- they are good! Run -- don't walk! -- to your favorite bookseller and pick up a copy today. Not only will you get some excellent reading, but you'll get some wonderful art, to boot!

Suzi Blu Party Girl Art Kit Update

The Suzi Blu Party Girl Art Kit thought of everything. It came with a piece of watercolor paper that had eight faces copied onto it and instructions for shading. I've never worked with watercolor pencils or done "pretty girl shading" before, so I appreciated both the faces to work on and the fairly detailed instructions. I've worked on four of the faces, and I think I'm about ready to tackle the painting itself. Truth be told, I'm getting a little bored with the faces. Not that mine are perfect -- not by a long shot! -- but I've learned a lot and I'm ready to play for real!

Collage Play With Crowabout

Here is my offering for Week #2. For details on the Collage Play Challenge, see the blog post below. Have a great evening!

New Art Journal Page

It didn't occur to me until just now that I ought to post this! I've been so busy sharing the art for my Featured Artist Show, that this just slipped my mind. I recently joined a collage group, hosted by NancyB, on Flickr (The group is private, so I can't refer you. Sorry!). For details, see Nancy's website. Anyway, the premise is this: Once a week, Nancy posts a collage sheet to the group and the participants have about a week to do some kind of collage with at least three of the elements from the collage sheet. Most people do art/visual journaling of some sort, so I thought I'd try my hand at that again. As most of you will recognize, this really isn't my style at all. I'm hoping to grow and learn as I work my way through this group.

If the concept strikes you as fun, why don't you join us?

I have week #2 almost done; I'm just waiting for my crackle paint to finish drying and I need to go to the office supply store to make some copies so I can do an image transfer of the text I want to use. Most people just write on their pages, but my handwriting is atrocious, so I thought I'd skip that! I'll post week #2's collage when it's dry and ready!

Inspiration

This piece is 11x14, so it doesn't all show up in the scan. It's done on canvas panel with multiple layers of paint, collage, and an image transfer. This was a fun piece to do and another piece that took me into that "place of no-mind", as most of my art does. I think tonight I'll finish up the Fluer de lis piece that's been sitting on my art table (the dining room table!), waiting to be completed, for a couple of weeks now. My good friend, Sandy Davies, has agreed to help me hang my show, so I feel so much better about that aspect of it. It automatically looks 100% better, with her experience, than it would have if I were hanging it by myself. Now to finish up my art and get it matted and framed -- those pieces that need to be, anyway.