Artsy Musings

A whole year of funk?

2011-04-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

Wow. I knew I was in a bit of a funk, but a whole year?

That sucks. I sure hope its past me now. I really want to move on to good things.

Retirement should be good for my art right?

Fingers crossed......

Its not really been a whole year of funk, but it has been a year of struggling with my muse. The Athens Art group was part of the thing to help me get past it. And it did. I have created and I have learned and loved it. I've just been a very bad girl and not kept my blog up.

So....here's to more blogging and sharing with my online art friends.

Athens Art Group

2011-04-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

Monday was sadly the last day of the Athen's Art Group for the season.

I've so enjoyed this day each week. Its been a big part of getting me back into creative mode.

I have a few unfinished pieces from the class as well, but this one is finally done.

Acrylic 8x10

aaaaaaaaaaaand, a moleskin journal spread

2010-04-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

The theme was women. I wanted to somehow depict how a woman is so many things...wife, lover, mother........ This only touches on it, but I only had 3 pages!

A few of my recent ATCs

2010-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'm catching up on my commitments finally. Might as well catch up on blogging too.

For a private trade, I made a Gambel's quail. I just love these guys, Bill and I see them when we go to Portal Arizona and they're so much fun to watch.

Here are some cards I made for a Tribute to Tim Burton swap. Silly, but oooooh so much fun.

Then there was a Dark Disney Princesses swap. Another silly but fun topic.

Forced retirement and my art

2010-04-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well, since my job is ending in a few months, it looks like I'll be looking at a sort of "forced retirement". It may be interesting to see how my art is affected by this. Over the last few months, the not knowing has certainly been rough on my poor muse. She'd been hiding for some time.

So...now that I know, at least I can look forward. More time on my hands should mean more art. I hope it means time to take some art classes and go to more live model drawing sessions and just plain do more of the things that nurture my soul.

I hope...

Getting "in the groove"

2010-03-19T08:04:00.001-07:00

Now that winter is past, I seem to have some mojo back. Its a relief really. I was actually getting scared that I'd lost it.

So what I've mostly done is just a few quick and fun projects, but its helped.

These were for an ATC swap titled eVil Cute. Morbid huh? They were fun to make. I think we all have some capacity for evil in us, even if it just comes down to silly things like this.

This is an acrylic 3 page spread for a traveling moleskin journal group that I'm in. The theme was texture. OK, so this one wasn't quick. But it was fun.

My moley is home!

2009-09-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

My first traveling moleskin journal book has arrived safely home. And I must say, its absolutely, stunningly, gorgeous in hand. It feels so incredibly special to me. I sure hope that all the artists that contributed to it realize that.

The artists in the group were
(1) my entry pages
(2) Bex (3) Wendy (4) alteredmommy
(5) adriayna (6) eggstudio (7) arteeztmom

Isn't it gorgeous?!?

Plein Air

2009-09-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

Now that we're done building the cottage, I'm excited to be able to have some art supplies up there and actually have TIME to paint and draw.

So I set up my portable easel on the deck and tried some plein air painting. OK, so I wrecked a couple of canvasses. It still felt awesome. And its all about learning right?

Journey of the Moleys IV

2009-07-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm almost done with the journey of the moleys. I've just finished this one and there is only one more to do for this group. Note that I've already signed up for a new one! But it won't start until Sept, so I'll have a short break anyway.

The theme of this moley was "Sea", so I incorporated a scene from a trip to the Washington State/Oregon coast in one section and added a cutaway underwater scene featuring 2 seahorses.

I find water difficult to do. I'm relatively pleased with the resulting watery effect, but hopefully with practice I'll get much better. I've also been experimenting with Prismacolor markers (and a few other brands too), so thought I'd try using markers as my base layer (I usually use watercolour) and then do the inking on top.

I've also noticed previously that some markers made my pencil outline messy, so after I put down my pencil outline, I used a 10% grey color to outline over that, then went back and erased all the pencil that I could. It worked quite well.

Journey of the Moleys III

2009-07-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

My latest moleskin entry was for a theme "a little bit about yourself" for Bex

I've been playing with image transfers off and on so thought I'd incorporate a few here too. So the photo of the cottage that hubby and I built and the puppy is using gel medium image transfer. The puppy transfer is from an ATC of watercolor and pen that I made earlier in the year.

The background and other oval images are watercolor and ink. The original intent with the background was to use circles to represent family. I come from a large family, so there were to be lots of circles. Somehow in the process circles morphed into ovals as the shapes seemed to work better. But when I was painting the background they started to look like jelly beans so I went with that. Ironically jelly beans have a meaning for me too.

Bill and I usually take Jelly Belly jelly beans with us when we go camping and we have a few around the campfire. So...jelly beans they are. But family they are too. Lots of flavors. So the double meaning works. Silly, I know, but hey....
The other ovals are the types of things that I love. Birds, animals, nature in general.

The moley I'm working on now is on the theme "Sea". I've sketched and erased so many ideas. But now I've settled on one. But you'll have to wait for that one.

Journey of the Moleys II

2009-06-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have 3 moleys in hand now, so the pressure is on. The one I'm working on currently I'm still struggling through the background. I keep changing my mind. The theme is "A Bit about Myself". So there is alot of symbolism in it. At least that's the plan. :sigh: Not sure its working out. I guess at worst, I gesso over everything and start over. Problem is I'm behind as is.

:double sigh:

I'd post a WIP, but I honestly don't want to scare anyone. All my works look horrid at first.

The journey of the Moleys

2009-05-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm still catching up on my postings here. I really need to do this more often. :sigh:

Anyway, I finally finished working in arteeztmom's moleskin journal. The theme was "Happiness is..."

So here it is:

Next I work on Bex's and its theme is "A bit about myself"I've started jotting down things and have just started sketching ideas. So far, nothing has really jumped out at me as to how I'll proceed.

I'm actually enjoying working in these. I think its helped me break through a bit. Even stopped by a book store to see if they had Moleskins. They do, the full assortment, but minus the Japanese accordian book. Sheesh. He did say they'd order it for me if I want. I may try one of the watercolor journals next tho. Its a nice size to carry around.

Flowers!

2009-05-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

My latest ATC creations were some flowers that I did for a swap. Watercolor and pen.

I've felt a bit blocked lately, but once I got working on these, it started to loosen up. I seriously hope it lasts.

Having Fun with Caricatures

2009-03-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I arranged a trade with someone. She saw a naughty CarelessBear card that I did and wanted it, so in exchange I asked if you would do "me" in her fun style. I provided a recent pic and she ran with it.

Here's her card of me. (Look Ma! No wrinkles!)

Anyway, I was so delighted with it that I started a PAT style swap on ATCsforall.com. There were groups of 4 and each person would submit a photo or 2 for people to work off of. The results have been funny and fun and enough to bring tears to your eyes at times.

Here are 2 that I did. I've started on the 3rd and will post it when its completed.

The Moleskin Journal group

2009-02-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

I've hooked up with a few artsy friends and we're passing accordian style Moleskin journals around the globe. Each person adds 3 or 4 pages to the journal and then sends it onto the next person in the group.

These little journal books are great for mailing around. They're sturdy and lightweight, so even postage to Holland only costs $3 something to mail.

My journal theme is "Feathers, Fins and Feelers". I'll post pics of it as I get them.

I'm finding this project to be really invigorating!! At first I was intimidated about painting and drawing in someone else's journal. What if I wreck it! What if I spill something on it? What if? What if? What if?

But I had to get past that. I've completed my first 4 pages which were for Dana's journal.
Her theme was "The Elements" as in the classical Greek elements. So adding a little bit of me to the mix, this is what I came up with.

Tag --- I'm it!!

2009-01-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

It sorta feels like grade school. A game of tag, and now I'm it. Well, a fellow has noticed that I hadn't updated in awhile, so my assignment is to share six random things about myself with all my dear readers. Here goes:

I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to our society taking our planet for granted. Just a bit. Not a total crunchy granola, but I sure do wish people would make more effort to do their part.
I hate to exercise, but I'd rather do that than give up eating, so I force myself to get to the gym.
I seem to be intolerant of enriched white flours. Not technically allergic to it, but it does nasty things to my digestive system and you don't want to be around me if I eat too much of it. Yes....that includes cakes, pies, cookies and all those other yummy things. Poor me! You've been warned. If you see me eating such items, run. You'd think I'd be skinny, but I'm not. Because.........
I love nachos. Corn tortillas, covered in cheese and piled with onions, peppers, and olives. Oh.... and a dollop of guacamole and some sour cream. OK, a BIG dollop of guacamole. Yes, I love good Mexican food and Thai and Cambodian and Chinese food, and....
I wish I could cook better. I actually enjoy cooking, but I'm not really all that good at it. I'm adequate, just not "good".
I love to travel and explore new places. I don't care if I have to take unpaid time off work to do it. I'm gonna travel, cuz you never know what tomorrow will bring. So, I'm gonna enjoy today, enjoy my kids, my grandkids, my husband and I'm gonna travel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And my 6 to be tagged are

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE RULES

1. LINK TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU

2. POST THE RULES ON YOUR BLOG

3. WRITE SIX RANDOM THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF

4. TAG SIX PEOPLE AT THE END OF YOUR POST AND LINK TO THEM

5. LET EACH PERSON KNOW THEY ARE TAGGED AND LEAVE A COMMENT ON THEIR BLOG

6.LET THE TAGGER KNOW WHEN YOUR ENTRY IS UP

7. DON’T BREAK THE CHAIN

I only have another week....

2008-11-24T04:58:00.001-08:00

I have 3 Christmas packages to get out soon. The bulk of them will be art and/or handmade. So...the heat is on. I can't share pictures because well....because they're a secret. So I have to bear all the frustrations and failures all by my little lonesome. I was feeling quite blocked for awhile there, but my mind seems to have cleared some and I'm making progress.

I'm having loads of fun with one "fun" gift. I made a prototype and it turned out well, so now I'm onto the "real" gift. Its fun and quirky and.... well....fun! Nothing artsy about it.

So this weekend was devoted mostly to these gift packages, which will consist of a large or larger item and several small things. I've got 2 of the big things totally done. No big gift yet for the 3rd package. I'm still deciding what to do on that one.

Of the smaller items. One gift, a large drawing isn't panning out too well. I actually like it, but its not turning out to give the mood its supposed to. So...I may have to start all over. Tho I'll save this for later. A second piece, same size is watercolor and ink; it's turning out well. I've got the watercolor washes down and just need to add the ink work. This is the time consuming part, but I can work at it in fits and spurts. And then there is the fun piece. Again something I can work on it fits and spurts, so I work on it when I need a break on the others.

I only have another week to get them in the mail. Oh geez.....I only have another week.

My first Tarot cards...

2008-08-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

These were done as part of a project on iATCs. My assignment was the Fool and the 6 of Cups.

Well, this isn't my usual type of drawing and I found this exercise extremely difficult. So....after numerous failed or half failed attempts, here they are.

ATC Recipe for Collage

2008-06-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Some time ago at the now defunct ATCards.com, I hosted a swap that was based on an idea that I had gotten from the internet. I believe it was teacher's art project for her students. I can't for the life of me find the site or page now.

Lately, though, there has been some renewed interest in using this theme for teaching kids how to make ATCs using collage as an example.

The idea is that a good collage is made up of multiple layers and should include:

pleasing colors
contrast
use of lines and texture
a focal point/ balance
uneven numbers of elements or layers (3 minimum, 5 is better)

So this recipe includes certain ingredients which will help satisfy those necessary components.
The ingredients:

2 toothpicks
5 punched dots
fabric
2 visual textures
original background

You are encouraged to use your imagination. You may use the toothpicks whole or break them. All ingredients may be cut or otherwise altered.

Here are some examples of what was submitted for the swap.

First Row:

Smullis

2nd Row (left to right):

Goatgoddess
Chatty
Glenwine

3rd Row:

Scrappylicious
CarolynMinto
BlueRue

A good resource for collage is: 5-Layer Collage by Carole Pivarnik

The Baby Quilt

2008-06-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

I thought it rather ironic really. The night before Amanda went into labour, I finished the baby quilt. I remember thinking "now the peanut has nana's permission to be born". LOL I was just teasing of course, but there you have it, he listens to his nana.

Getting back in the artsy groove

2008-05-05T04:24:00.000-07:00

Things are settling down in the world of websites, so I'm trying desperately to get back to some art.

I finished up a Famous Artists piece that I had started for a Pick a Theme swap and doodled a bit in the car. I'm calling the doodles "Zoodles" since I was inspired by the Zentangle craze.

They're ATC sized. Not too bad given all the jiggling in the car. I like the idea of using the doodling to help me get through blocks. In ways they're quite freeing.

Back to art again?

2008-03-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to some art now. After the demise of ATCards.com and TheMailArtist, a group of keeners got together and created first ATCsforall and then MailArtWorld to replace our lost homes. I offered some assistance and have been a support admin person for them. Both are now up and running smoothly and don't take up much time now, so hopefully.....

However, I am taking an oil painting class, which has given me a creative opportunity for the last 2 weeks. So far, I've created nothing worth bragging about or showing. Hopefully that will change with practice.

In the meantime, what other little craftsy time I've had, I've had to give to the quilt. But it's coming along and I may even finish it before the little guy (the Peanut) decides he's ready to face the world.

My first acrylic still life

2008-02-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I have been able to do at least something creative every day. Often just work on an ATC, usually I'll also work a bit on the baby quilt. Recently tho, as part of a a-thon at IllustratedATCs.com a group of us painted and drew from the same photo to see if the others could blindly tell whose was whose based on their familiarity of the artists style.

Really just meant to be a fun exercise, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I often work in watercolor and pen and suspect that is what people might have expected from me, but this painting done on 8x12 canvas board was done in acryllic. I'm quite new to acrylic, so don't have the technique down quite yet. But for one of my first attempts, it wasn't too bad.

Progress on the quilt

2008-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Progress on the quilt is slow but sure.

I've had the background done for awhile. It's really just sky and water, so was easy. Onto that I've appliqued a rainbow and Noah's arc and am adding the animals now. Each day I'm trying to get at least one more animal on.

Originally I was thinking of having more animals along the outside border. I'm beginning to think that might make it too busy. Will have to decide soon though. Here is my original pencil sketch, I quite like its simplicity.

So far, there is the giraffe, cat, elephant, lamb, and monkey. The little monkey is dangling from the elephants trunk. Later I'll add the embroidery detail on the animals.

So here it is. The clouds aren't on, that is only the pattern that I've cut. And there are still a few pins in the lamb.

All done with my Frida cards

2008-01-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

I finally got my Frida Kahlo cards done. I'm not sure I'll try her again. I started out using the cards as an exercise in colored pencil portraits. But notice that none of them really look like Frida, nor do any of them even look like the same person. Hmmmm.

Something artsy each day....

2008-01-19T04:59:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to squeeze something artsy in each day. Even if its only

tidying up my area (yes, I did get it done).
Even if its only working on 1 little ATC or ACEO.

So far, so good.

I altered a couple of needlecases that I had due and worked on a fun swap for the ATCards site. Theme was "We're Canadian" so I had fun with Bob and Doug MacKenzie. What's more Canadian than beer, snowshoes and touques? Anyway, it was all in fun.

There is a Frida Kahlo swap that I tried to stay away from, but it keeps calling me back so I thought I'd tackle one or two and see.

I saw the movie about her life years ago and have been interested in her ever since. This is the first time I've tackled Frida. Her bold, lusty style is sooo different than my own.

For my first card, I decided I wanted to combine Frida with the sexual fruit she was so fond of painting. So I adapted her Sun and Life painting to include her. I titled it "Diego Forgets".

Also worked on the baby quilt some more.

An artsy day

2008-01-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

Today I was able to do crafty/artsy stuff almost all day. What a nice change of pace.

I took pictures of some jewelry to get it ready to put on Etsy. And I'm making gains on catching up on my art commitments. I've now finished all of the Famous Artists PAT for IllustratedATCs.com. Including a hostess card for Meran (the Eve card) for being such a fab hostess.

But I also got a card done for the EtsyARTery team AND a card for my secret Valentine. I can't show it just yet. I called this "h 'ARTery". The idea came to me yesterday and after playing with it, this is what I came up with. This is about as abstract as I get I'm afraid.

AND, I even worked on the baby quilt today. YEAH!

Haunted by commitments

2008-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

I've been trying desperately to get caught up on all my artsy commitments. Here's what is still haunting me.

Valentine package swap - need to send next week
2 altered needlecases - 1 done (due end of month)
Famous Artists PAT - 3 done including hostess card, so 1 more needed (due end of month)
3 Zetti Tarot cards (the ones I'm sweating buckets over) - sketches made ( I have time here)
fabric postcard - overdue, but I'm struggling with this one too, and she said she's ok. I have started it (but then I did 3 previous versions that I didn't like, so....)
2 8 x 11 paintings green - not due till June

I had to drop a art quilt swap I was in. I hated to, but the timing was killing me. It looks like it will be an ongoing thing, so I hope to pick up some spots after I have to finish that baby quilt I'm working on. But I gotta get that quilt done and that is what's stressing me. I only have 4 more months. So, once I get the due now stuff out of the way, then I can focus on the quilt and work on the tarot cards and green paintings here and there for a break from the quilt.

So, this weekend is the time I've alotted myself to get those first 3 caught up and hopefully the postcard too. Once those are done, then the heat is off.

Resolutions

2008-01-09T07:40:00.001-08:00

I know...every year you make em and break em almost as fast.

I made quite a few this year, which is unusual for me. I usually try to keep them manageable, but I still end up only doing 1 or 2. So this year, DH and I made categories of resolutions and put at least 2 to 4 in each category.

So...for me and my creative endeavours these were my resolutions

more bigger art
less time playing on the computer at home (yes, this is related to art as the computer time digs into creativity time)
take at least 1 artsy worskhop or mini course
finish the baby quilt (before June)

So...today I will tidy up my creative space so that I can reasonably tackle my resolutions. Wish me luck. Oh.... and if I don't post for several days, I'm either lost among the clutter or the dust bunnies ate me.

Struggling through Zetti

2008-01-08T05:41:00.001-08:00

I've agreed to participate in a group tarot card project through Illustrated ATCs.
I'm excited about (and intimidated by) the 3 cards I need to make. You see Zetti is like a foreign language to me. I understand the basics and love seeing Zetti art, but for me to create something in that style that I find pleasing is a whole other matter.

My 3 cards are The Fool and The Five and Six of Cups.
I've created a couple of prototypes of The Fool to work my way through it all, and I've come up with aspects of each that I like and want to incorporate into the final product.

I like the face of whistling guy #2, I sorta like the donkey with chicken legs idea too though.
I really like the edge of cliff in #4 and like the sky and swirlie idea there too.
I like the pogo rolly thing in the last guy, and I like the sun, but I don't like his tummy hanging out like that. *sigh*

So far the 5 and 6 of cups are only at the pencil sketch stage. *double sigh*

Art journals and exercising creativity

2008-01-07T07:53:00.001-08:00

I fear that I lack creativity. I tend to paint and draw what I see, quite literally only what I see, exactly as I see it. Now maybe I'll look at something and notice something that another person might not, but it's still a literal interpretation. And I so admire the abilities of others to interpret and to create something new!!! I want to go there!!

So how do you start exercising creativity?

Not really sure, but to start, I bought and were given a few art journals. I never got into them before and am always amazed when I see other people's journals exploding with creativity. I think getting used to carrying one around and using it for ideas and doodles or whatever might help with my creative issues. Also, if I carry a journal with me while we travel, I can sketch and paint on the road. I bought this little watercolor field kit and just adore it. It's so handy and I love the quality of the paint.

So, here's the plan. One journal for at work, a teensy one in my purse, and another one or two laying around the house.

Here is my first journal painting. Done while on a recent trip to Portugal. This tuft of decorative grass was right outside our apartment window and we were both just enthralled by it.

My first post

2008-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

My first post on my blog. Where do I start?

Ok, I'll start with why I need this.

To get motivated, to get me off my butt, to help my creative process. And I'll be honest, maybe a little tooting of my own horn a bit too. It doesn't matter if NO ONE reads it. By posting, I'm hoping I can work through some of my creative issues. Like inspiration and allowing my art to grow.

This blog is really for me, but you're welcome to come along for the ride.