One Step Forward...

Life Book 2013 - Week 30
An awesome lesson by Dina Wakely on healing.
I love her journaling style!

THREE STEPS BACK! That's how I feel when things don't go as planned. Just when I start to get motivated and commit myself to creating art everyday...life happens!! I'm overwhelmed with distractions that keep me from doing what I say I'm going to do. Or am I just making excuses...I'm tired, gotta work late, moving my office to another building, getting kids ready for trips, swim meets/banquets, blah, blah, blah. Does it ever really end? I make time for coffee every morning, I wouldn't even consider going a morning without it. Then why can't I make a habit out of making art? Why do I let life discourage me? What's that saying...if you do something (or try something) 25 times, it becomes habit or you learn to like it. I need to create a habit out of art. I have goals to reach and if I don't get off my butt and get busy, I'll never reach them. I'm making a little progress now that the office move is over, kids aren't as busy and I've modified my hours at work so I'm home earlier some days. But unless I make the time, life will happen again and I'll be right back here.

Palette Knife Experiment

This little painting (10" x 10") started out with some papers, paint and doodles...and then it just sat there, with all the other unfinished paintings. I guess I got stuck and didn't know what direction to go once I got to that point. Then, of course I wanted to try another new technique so I took the doodling that was already there and turned it into this single flower palette knife painting. It's a very fun and free way to paint and keeps me from trying to be too precise and perfect. I hope to can work more palette knife work into my paintings.

Life Book Week 25 :: Expressing the True You

Wow!...is this the true me? That's puzzling, or maybe a bit disturbing...doesn't matter. I had loads of fun working on this lesson from the amazing Mitsi B. I guess the fact that this was an overly large journal page somehow took the pressure off to create a masterpiece and allowed me to just play and experiment like I haven't done before. It didn't have to make sense or mean anything, I just painted whatever I felt like painting and didn't care if I MESSED IT UP! It was kind of a challenge for myself to see if I could let go enough to just paint without over thinking. I purposely chose colors out of my comfort zone, even colors I dislike and I'm still happy with the outcome.

Above is the front. Below is what I've started for the back. We're suppose to paint faces with emotion...Yikes...another challenge.

Art, Art, Art on the Brain...

Art journal page started quite some time ago. After penciling in the face,
it just sat there unfinished. Got brave and just did it. Now that I've done a few faces,
they are starting to become less scary (to paint, that is). 

I think about art all the time. I can't seem to get enough. I wake up thinking about it, everything I read is art related, I watch art tutorials on my computer and my phone and I'm always thinking about getting into the studio to create more art. It's with me 24/7.

If I only spent as much time creating art as I do thinking about creating art I'd be well on my way to fulfilling my art dreams. I put so much pressure on myself to create something beautiful and perfect every time, that it keeps me from creating anything at all. I've never really embraced the process of making art. I've always been more interested in the end result, which completely stops the flow of creativity. My brain takes over and I start questioning every brush stroke, every color choice, every shape, just everything. Then I stand there, staring at my work, frozen, not being able to do anything for fear of ruining what I've created so far.

This is a problem...I know! Honestly I love messy, imperfect art -- I just have a hard time creating that way. However, with the help of the great instructors in the Life Book 2013 online class, I feel myself starting to let go just a little bit. When I tell myself I don't care about the results, I feel myself taking risks and experimenting -- seeing how certain colors mix together, trying colors I normally wouldn't use, and...GASP!...painting faces, super scary! 

So, let go Denise. Don't be concerned about creating art other people will like or buy. Be free and create whatever you want. Have fun, experiment, explore! 

Let go of PERFECTION :: Embrace IMPERFECTION.

I started working part-time (well, more like full-time) a little over six months ago. And for 3 months before that searching for a job consumed all my mental energy and attention. During this 9 month period, I did little or no art except for a small amount of art journaling. Now that I'm adjusting to my new role as a working Mom, I find myself craving more creativity. Here's where Pam Carriker's book comes in (as mentioned in my last post here).

I read her book "Art at the Speed of Life" when it first came out, but I don't recall it having much impact on me at that time. I plucked it off my bookshelf a few weeks ago so I could read something at the pool. It was literally an "Ah-Ha" moment. She MUST have been thinking of me when she wrote it - busy, easily distracted, artist wanna-be me! It was certainly the kick in the butt I needed. It's gotten me out of my think about art mode and put me into doing art mode. Her "Declaration of Reclamation" (below) helped narrow my focus and gave me somewhere to start.

To this declaration I added my own list of goals and actions that serve as a roadmap to help me accomplish my goals and gives me a reference for those times when I need a little help deciding what to work on. I'm trying to do something creative everyday, even if it's simply applying gesso to substrates or gluing papers in my journal. Pam's book also helped me remember that I really love mixed media, especially decorative papers, and got me moving back in that direction. I've spent a lot of time jumping back and forth between techniques resulting in a pile of unfinished work and a heap of self-doubt. Now I'm back on track, determined and ready to "Just do it!" Thanks Pam!

Studio and Attitude Adjustment

I don't think I ever posted a photo of my revamped art table which was actually, oh... about a year ago! So after re-reading Pam Carriker's book "Art at the Speed of Life" I decided to truly get organized and serious about getting some art DONE!!! I'll post about how motivating her book was to me another day and keep this one about the studio. Wanting to keep costs down I salvaged from all over the house. I bought a door from the hardware store and set it on top of a wire storage rack I had in the garage. It's the perfect height for working while standing or for a tall stool. It's big enough to layout several projects at once and after being secured to the wall, it's very sturdy. At one end of the table I have a small bookcase storing my art books and reference materials with a paper towel roll mounted to the side (you can kinds see it up there in the bottom right corner). Little cubbies and drawers hold all my supplies so they are accessible and I've labeled everything so I can find just what I'm looking for. I even spent time sorting and organizing so things I completely forgot about now have labeled homes. 

The wall above my art table has a storage shelf that I found in another room not being used. The newly labeled baskets hold extra supplies, texture tools, emphemora, old cards, and paint mixing supplies & bottles. There's vintage jars holding sponges, paint brushes, and button. And I keep my sketchbooks handy for reference. 

This end of the art table has a roll out card I keep my paints and miscellaneous supplies in. I have Stampington & Company Publications, Cloth Paper Scissors and Professional Artist magazines on the files along with my ever growing collection of UNFINISHED WORK. I seriously want to stop this habit of starting a project and then NEVER FINISHING IT! I either get annoyed with it or I should say frustrated with myself or I get distracted by some new technique I want to try and I move on to yet another project. I honestly have 40 to 50 pieces started...just sitting there...feeling neglected and forgotten...hoping to be re-discovered one day.  

Sunday at NARF

Sunday's adventure found us at the Newport Autumn Rowing Festival (NARF).
I don't know much about rowing, but find it interesting and a little mysterious.
So when a friend invited me to join her to watch a young man from USC row,
I thought it would make a fun Sunday morning.

It was a beautiful, hot day in Newport Beach and the event was much bigger than I expected.
Teams from all over California and the Western states were here.
Here I am above with my Paige and Scott overlooking the beautiful Newport Back Bay near the finish line.

The adorable young man we came to see here is Ben, who is in his first year at USC
and behind him is his mother, Robin Glasser, who is well known for her illustrations

 in the Fancy Nancy series of children's books. 

Thanks to my friend Jessica and her daughter Kayla for dragging us down here for some 

unexpected fun and adventure!

Patience and Persistence...

journal page background

Been feeling a bit down lately! Still looking for a job...not a specialized, technical, 

one-in-a-million job. Just a simple, entry-level, part-time, administrative job. 

Who'da thought that would be so hard, time-consuming, emotionally draining, 

leaving me with so much self-doubt. 

 

I won't take it personally (even though I want to).

I know my number will come up eventually.

I know I've got what it takes.

Patience and persistence will get me where I want to go.

  In Life and in Art!

 

Now, if I could really listen to myself and apply what I just wrote

 to my art making, I'd be doing great!

 But, I'm finding it very difficult to take these emotions and idle time and put it to canvas.

It's challenging to focus and get into the groove when my mind is so preoccupied.
I wish I was better at just letting go and being in the moment.

I wish I was better at not over thinking everything!

I wish I could trust that everything is unfolding just as it is meant to be.

I need to trust!

 

 

And Yet I Continue

Quite a few layers on this one so it took a bit longer to finish. Little bits and pieces over the last few days. I was really trying not to think too hard on it and just do what came to mind. That's always how I WANT to work, but seldom does my brain allow me that freedom. I like that it's playful and messy! Wishing you happiness as we slide into the weekend...ENJOY!

...And Another

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence -
is the key to unlocking our potential.” 

- Winston Churchill

Well, a painting a day may be out of the questions,
but I may be able to tackle a page a day or every two days.
As long as I don't get all fussy about it and just work quickly,
I CAN DO IT!

Another Journal Page Background

Another fall journal page background. Just playing with backgrounds and messily getting paint onto the page. I like messy, but my brain wants to make it neat and perfect...inner turmoil sucks! Once I finish the page I simply use it to write my TO DO list for the day and some random notes...nothing special.

Make it a Great Week!

TGIF

Today I am celebrating Fall. Eating my pumpkin spice bagel, taking the day off from finding a job and painting a fall inspired journal page. Yep, been looking for a job for about a month now and -- nothin'! It's a very time consuming and emotionally draining process, especially when no one calls. It might be easier if I: 1) would take a job in ANY industry, but I want to work in the Building and Design Industry; 2) was willing to work full-time, but I AM a Mom after all, and that comes first; and 3) had relevant work experience in an actual office that doesn't date back 18 years. Oh well, today I'm NOT going to worry about it and I AM going to enjoy doing other things.

I'm always amazed at artists who can complete a painting in a day...I can't. I either get tired of working on it, get frustrated and need to set it aside awhile, or need to let it dry before going on. Even the journal page above wasn't done in one day. I'd like to consider it my painting for the day even though it's only a journal page background.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

In the Studio

If God brought you too it,
He will lead you through it.

The quote above I borrowed from Teresa McFayden. She suggested we write it down, remember it and use it. So that's what I shall do. It's a great quote to remember when you're stuck! Like the painting above. I put it aside for the last few months because I didn't like the direction it was going and didn't know what to do to change it. So yesterday I started repainting the background and I'm liking it better. The paintings below have also been sitting around a while...I let them sit so long I forget what my intensions for them were. I'll continue to play and see what happens.

  

Inspiration Banner

I picked up this cute little banner at the Portland Saturday Market while I was there last weekend. She had many pre-made banners with saying or you could buy the letters to spell out your own. After much deliberation, I decided on the word "CREATE" to keep me motivated and inspired. I placed it right above my art table where I can see it all the time. You can check out more of her photo banners here. Enjoy and make it a great weekend!

Art = Happiness!

"Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." 
-- Herman Cain

This is the first page of my new art journal, more like an art testing ground. I had created this background over time from leftover paint on my palette but there it sat, I just didn't know where to go with it after that. While doing the laundry recently I saw the T-shirt below of my daughters that I absolutely love and thought I would copy it onto the background I had already created. Genius right? Well, I love, love, love it. I love that it's not perfect. I love how the black negative space forces you to notice the colors and patterns in positive images. I love that it's bold and graphic. I just LOVE it...can you tell? There will definately be more art of this type in the future. Thanks for stoppin' by and have an awesome day!