April 22, 2010

Happy Earth Day to you

Love the earth for the sake of us big peeps…

…and the little ones too. What a gorgeous spring day for a celebration.

Prints of Love the Earth are available in my etsy shop.

April 18, 2010

How to get unstuck

Five-year-old Nora is definitely on a roll. She’s learning how to communicate with words and pictures and can’t get enough of documenting everything. Nora spent the better part of yesterday preparing for family movie night. She made tickets, money and the sign above. (That’s MOVIE with the extra “V” corrected, 8:00pm with drinks and popcorn and a cost of $5…play money accepted.) When she asked me if she could tape the sign to the door of the movie theater/aka Mom and Dad’s bedroom I said something like…”No tape on the doors. It takes off the paint and makes Daddy nuts.” Admittedly, I was working at my computer and only paying half attention. I felt her disappointment about the no tape, but I repeated that she would have to find a different way to hang her sign. She thought for a moment and then skipped off as I continued to work.

I did a double take when I went upstairs and saw Nora’s creative solution to sign-hanging without tape. A great reminder from a preschooler that with a little creativity and drive there’s always a way around potential roadblocks life throws our way.

April 9, 2010

Things that fly

I love having artists as friends. Not only do they challenge and inspire me, but they’re generous and supportive. Did I mention creative, fun and unique? I treasure them all. I was delighted to find this package in my mail from a fellow Art of Can artist. The wax seal is a big clue as to what lurks inside…

The amazingly talented and creative Dale Busta (the guy who has won Red Bull’s Art of Can like a zillion times) sent me one of his trademark aluminium can bees.

Dale burns the label off the can and welds the pieces together somehow (I won’t even pretend to completely understand his process.) I do know that the craftsmanship and attention to detail is incredible. And if you ever have a project (or want a bee of your own) contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Dale. I don’t think there’s much that Dale can’t figure out how to make.

Speaking of things that fly, do you remember these? Our family went out to dinner at a place that creatively served up kid’s meals on Frisbees. I’m in shock that my kids had not recently handled or played with this classic toy, but now they’re hooked. We’re all having a great time rediscovering the Frisbee and loving a restaurant with a worthwhile take home toy.

Thanks again Dale (you rock.) And thanks to the The Rusty Bucket for thinking outside the basket, box, plate or anything else that doesn’t fly so well outside.

April 5, 2010

Not just for showers in April

I just finished the above painting which was inspired by the spring rain and this week’s prompt over at Illustration Friday. In case you’re wondering about that, the theme of the week was “Dip.” However, I read my weekly e-mail reminder really fast and saw “Drip.” So all weekend, I’m thinking and painting “drip” which led to water, rain and flowers and how the very toughest moments in life prove to be the ones that reward us in the end with inspiration and valuable life lessons.

I very sheepishly discovered my mistake when I went to submit (whoops!) Regardless, I’m happy with the illustration and the inspiration that came from reading an inspirational prompt incorrectly.

I probably could have skipped the true confession paragraph above and played off “dip” with this painting…(not me, ahem, but: the flowers were dipped in rain drops giving them the strength to bloom even brighter) However, that wouldn’t be keeping it real, now would it? And I would never lie to you. Just a self reminder to stop and smell the flowers/slow down especially when reading e-mail. : )

Prints of “Showers often bring flowers” are now available for sale over in my etsy shop.

March 24, 2010

Just how do you do it?!

The long interval between entries over here can only mean one thing. Actually, it can mean many things, but in this case it’s a combination of me sneaking out of town for a few days and then coming back and becoming completely overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with looming deadlines, kid activities and the general keeping-of-the-house in some sort of liveable state. I’m doing everything possible to keep up including working further into the night than I like (all the way through American Idol, the evening news and then some.)

Which brings me to my point today at the risk of sounding cheesy…I think you are amazing. I really do. Whether it’s being able to see over the top of your inbox, taking a walk, making dinner or updating one of the blogs I love to read: I am WOWed. No matter what you have going on behind the curtain, you look pretty great from where I’m sitting. And just in case you ever thought for one second that it might be, It’s not all fancy cupcakes and sparkley glitter over here. I’m one step away from the ‘pile of laundry’ blog post. Now back to more of that looming work I’m talking about, that I really can’t talk about, but hope I can talk about soon.

March 4, 2010

Art & Soul in Vegas?!

I realize that retreating in Vegas (with two fabulous girlfriends) sounds slightly suspicious. If you happen to be sitting there with a smirk muttering “yeah right” (like practically ever person who listened to me try to explain VegasArtRetreat) here’s posted proof that art was indeed made.

Mind you, the art came after breakfast. We LOVED this particular Paris buffet so much that we dined here every single morning. I can’t think of any breakfast favs that couldn’t be found on one of the many bountiful buffet lines along with the delightful waitress and new friend, Debbie. After a delicious breakfast topped off with a made-to-order crepe we were pretty much (minus girl scout cookie breaks) set until dinner.

Day one class was “Perching Pixies” taught by the fabulous Stephanie Rubiano. Stephanie’s wry sense of humor was a good match for the three of us as she showed us the ways of a jewelers saw and bench block. I happened to be extremely skilled in securing my bench block to the table. In fact, it took all four of us to get it off the conference room table at the end of the day.

Here we are with the freed bench block and one of my favorite instructors : )

I completed my little Nora pixie (now a sturdy wooden cutout) in class. Isn’t she a cutie sitting in great Aunt Ev’s china tea cup? Heather freaked out *quite a bit* that I had the nerve to glue a pixie to one of great-Aunt-Ev’s-china-teacups, but what’s the point of having heirlooms all stashed away? Pointless I say. Besides I have 11 more…plenty for a proper tea.

Day two was “Gridlocked” with Lisa Kaus. I loved this class and Lisa…an organized, professional and helpful instructor. This piece, painted and built on a wooden block surface, is all about my family of five and the sweetness of home. I had so much fun attaching little bits of this and that including an original doorknob from our house.

On day three, we explored the feminine icon with Katie Kendrick. Katie is the warmest soul and a patient teacher. I painted this forlorn gal, who refuses to give up on love. I’m not quite sure were she came from…I kept thinking how she looked a little KellyRaeRobertsish (another artist whom I deeply admire.) Whatever the case, this girl doesn’t feel completely mine, which isn’t necessarily the point when taking classes. By repeating what’s learned in a class, eventually art that’s unique to the artist will surface. The whole point of classes and workshops is taking in new techniques, being open to experimentation and not stressing so much about the end result. Plenty of time for stressing back in Kansas (or Cincinnati.)

On the very last retreat day, we made dolls from clay with Jan Harris (Judy Wise’s stand-in.) Judy couldn’t attend due to health issues and even though she was deeply missed, Jan did a great job of instructing the class. For whatever reason, Heather and I chose to make extremely large dolls (see doll head in oven compared to rest of the class! yikes.) The Vegas air (bigger is better, more is more) must have been starting to rub off or something. Here we were, all intent on getting these girls done, so what do we do? Well…make the biggest versions possible of course. Completely logical. The right brain had clearly taken over.

Here’s an in progress shot…mine is the doll on the left. And as you may have guessed she did NOT get finished that day, but hopefully very soon. I’ll be sure to post the end results when she’s complete. This was such a fun class…kindof makes me want to get a pasta machine and toaster oven all my own to devote entirely to clay. hmmmmmmmm.

So that wraps up my five incredible and inspirational days with proof that art can be made in this sleep deprived city. The fun part, involving stomach-hurting-laughter, was a given with Heather and Claire. I’m soooo looking forward to the next “retreat”…right after I recover from this one. ; )

January 31, 2010

De-Muddling

Maybe it’s that time of year or the weather or something, but I’ve recently caught myself starting to google, half-seriously, “What should I do now?” If only I could bing the Internet to provide a personalized step-by-step artistic path…what to prioritize and/or what to let go. Cold, dreary weather is a creative drain. Fortunately, I was able to snap out of it this weekend to organize my studio. In the process, I realized a thing or two.

I’m pretty sure that one of the best cures for a muddled and disorganized head, is a neat and organized work space. Messiness is distracting.

I marvel at design, craft and sewing books that manage to keep a single focus from beginning to end with beautifully, illustrated step-by-steps along the way. This is not possible in actual life.

I believe in being prepared for any occasion. However, it’s also important to be able to see what you already have.

I sorted through overflowing fabric bins and let go of uninspiring pieces. Extra stuff adds weight rather than inspiration.

Now the challenge is to keep things in place while I let go of January. Hello to a clearer, warmer (fingers crossed) and brighter February.

January 7, 2010

Filling up on inspiration

When I start a painting or a series of work, I almost always use an inspiration box before I begin the piece itself. For me, an inspiration box is an empty plastic container that I fill with any papers, clippings and embellishments that even remotely relate to the piece(s) I have in mind. I never end up using every item in an inspiration box for a piece, but the exercise helps me zero in on suitable elements without being overwhelmed (and believe me my stash of stuff can be quite overwhelming.) Pictured above is the beginnings of my latest piece, “A New Day” if you’re recognizing inspiration.

The other place that needs to be constantly refilled with inspiration is the artist herself. I try to make it a point to kick myself out of my studio on a regular basis which is how our family began 2010. We visited a new-to-us-museum for a sensory-filled day that started with the age of the dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs that were juxtaposed with modern glass art in a room nearby. If you look carefully you’ll notice similarities (a rib cage pattern to the right and a cloudy blue sky at the bottom.) See how one can play off the other? Not saying that this artist was dinosaur-inspired, but he/she certainly could have been. The more I look, the more dinosaur shapes I see.

The industrialized shape, texture and color of a replicated railroad station proceeded those organic places we visited. There’s lots to gain from these types of displays too. I am especially fond of the curved “ALL ABOARD” signage.

Floor number two brought us pure eye candy…the vibrant world of Barbie. (A sea foam green and hot pink inspired painting is in my very near future.)

After a full day of exploration, we ended in the world of Egypt where I found this comforting proverb. My 2010 is already feeling more inspired. Lucky too…based on daily coffee spillage. How do you find inspiration?

January 2, 2010

Happy New Day

I’ve been thinking about beginnings and endings a lot lately. Freebie calendars with the new months of 2010 have been popping up in the mailbox for weeks making me think about all of those days. Days that have shaped and formed who we are, but how we still determine who we will be in the days ahead. I thought about new year resolutions…starts and hiccups to becoming who we want to be. My whimsical translation? A broken shell of old days resulting in a renewal of sorts…a fresh beginning.

While I did intend for this piece to be new years appropriate, I think it’s even more important to remember that fresh beginnings can happen any day. Taking on a whole year and placing all of that resolution weight on January 1st is too overwhelming. If we don’t get it right today, there’s always tomorrow.

*prints available in my etsy shop.

November 23, 2009

Piecing together inspiration

A few weeks or more (that’s heavily leaning on the “more” side), the sweet Ruby Jane from Ruby Jane’s Retro Fabric selected me and others to create tutorials with her fabric. This is part of the exchange program over at Totally Tutorials which connects supply sellers to creative types with free supplies for tutorials.

I was completely charmed by that little piece of nostalgic fabric when it arrived. I turned ideas over in my head. I wanted a project that would go together in an hour or less (for this crazy time of the year), but that involved my learning at least one new technique and/or experimenting with one new material.

In an unrelated yet related venture, I happened upon this charming 1944 children’s dictionary at a rummage sale. It was a no-brainer purchase. And it reminded me of the exchange fabric and how I needed to get a tutorial out into the world. After all a deal’s a deal.

Paging through this dictionary was delightful. I scanned a few snippets of my favorite smile-inducing definitions from the book.

I love the colorful, scalloped edges on the sides of the pages and all of the fancy trims used throughout the book. As I was reading this dictionary page-by-page, something clicked. I had an idea for my tutorial. The final product wouldn’t be wheel invention, but it would combine nostalgia with practical and provide an opportunity for me to experiment with an unopened material that’s been on my shelf for some time. And I realize I’m being all secretive-like, but I had to explain the inspiration before the project. And honestly the project is not quite done yet, but I promise the easy step-by-step tutorial is coming up next. Perfect *I think* for holiday gifts.