From here... to there

Another stab at collage/mixed media. Had a lot of fun slicing and dicing my old woodblock prints (rejects- not ones that were in editions).

However, I had to ask myself if this form of 'upcycling' was really making things easier, or was I really giving myself another way to make things really, really painstakingly difficult! (Aaargh- do you see the tree branches I had to cut out!)

Self-inflicted, so I won't complain but it's still kinda funny... well ... to me it is, ok?

On another note- thanks to everyone who came out to the Leucadia Artwalk a couple of weeks ago. Your energy and enthusiasm were wonderful and I can't wait to do it again next year.

Indulging the wackiness

Just completed a new piece. Well... almost completed- I haven't come up with a title yet. In any case, I had a lot of fun with this. All I had to do was remember how my daughters approach art. Scribble, cut, paste, use as many bright colors as possible and have a good story to tell about it.



I must admit I'm a bit rusty with the whole fun part of creating (sad, isn't it?) but I'm lucky that my inspiration lives in my own house (and is constantly running underfoot). I positively burst with pleasure when she approves of a color choice I've made or likes the way I've rendered a face.



Lucky me.

Leucadia Artwalk

Just a heads up for those of you in the San diego or SoCal area. I will be doing my local neighborhood show this Sunday the 29th from 10 am - 5 pm. I'll be setting up shop in the parking lot of the Corner Frame Shop/Leucadia Art Gallery on the corner of Hwy 101 and Diana. For more information visit Leucadia 101 Main Street

Hope to see you there!

A bit more

Here is another little piece I am working on. It's not done but it's delightful (if I say so myself). A lot of fun the draw and I love when a collage choice actually works! (Can you tell I'm new at this?)



I can't wait to see how this one ends up...

I'll post a pic when I do.

Getting my feet wet (figuratively speaking)

I've spent a couple of years talking about how I just needed to find a new way of making art. I actually got tired of hearing myself speak. Now I've started making some new work. Drawing, colored pencil, gouache, collage- everything but the kitchen sink.


I'm not sure what I think about this recent work. I draw, color, cut and paste and have a blast. But there is always that inner critic...


Oh, what the heck! It's a start (and who says you can't pick up art techniques from your 5 year old?).

Featured on Trice Collective

A nice treat today. One of my woodblocks, 'Personal Iconography' was featured on the website Trice Collective . The site, curated by Sawyer Trice, features affordable art that is available for online purchase. In my case, this piece is listed in my shop on Etsy.

A great concept and a wonderful way to see art selected by someone with a good eye that you might be able to afford. To read more about this site, click here. Thank you!

Wish I Had This Book a Long Time Ago

My uncle sent me a book he found- 'A Woodcut Manual' by J. J. Lankes published in 1932. I've only had the opportunity to lightly skim it but it is chock full of printmaking tips and the wisdom of experience. Check it out...

The author has his refreshingly straightforward opinions (there is even a list of Don'ts under an illustration titles 'My Lord of Missrule'). Here is a quote that jumped out at me,

"Don't let any self-appointed art critic form opinions for you. Never listen to such unless he is saying nice things of you. The professional critic is all too often a sad person, a defeated artist; his function is not to educate the artist whatever else he may attempt on the public. And don't let anyone scare you, because you may be, from force of circumstances, an "odd moment" artist."

Well said and greatly appreciated by those of us in the "odd moment".

... and here's the other one

The other drawing I did after the bad art day. Gouache is sort of fun, I think.

Some more drawings

Squeezed in a little more time this week to do a few more experimental colored pencil drawings. Discovered some old, old photos to use as reference and away I went. It was good to have the issue of WHAT to draw somewhat solved. Now it's just a matter of HOW (and let's not even get into WHY).

The photos are black and white and not in very good shape so, um, there is a lot of room for experimenting with color, tone, etc. I get to play, to fictionalize.

Not everyday has been sheer bliss. Had a bad art day and it left me frustrated and snarly at the world. Want to tear those pages out of my sketchbook but they serve as a reminder that this is a learning process and I will fall flat on my face many times before the get my groove back.

A Small Beginning (of sorts)

I 'fess up. I've been in the midst of 'artist's block' for, oh say, 4 years now. I used to be able to crank artwork out under almost any circumstances. I never waited for inspiration, I just sat down, drank a ton of coffee and made something.

Anyway, that hasn't been the case for awhile and it has been bugging me. I could blame the kids but there are plenty of working artists out there with kids and other demands on their precious time. I could also try blaming the internet, or craigslist (refinishing furniture isn't always fun but it sure is satisfying) or the inevitable mid life crisis or, or... the cat, perhaps?

So, after some healthy procrastination, I finally (!) sat down, drank some coffee and started to draw. It was awful. The drawings were terrible, my ideas didn't work. Ugh.

Despondent, I hopped onto the internet for some inspiration (I said I never waited). I found Bret Pendlebury's Etsy shop and his work brought a smile to my

face. He also has a blog http://bretpendlebury.blogspot.com/

With the gears finally turning, I found some old photos of people and started to draw and to color. Got totally absorbed, forgot to drink my coffee. It's a shaky start... but I had fun.

A Little Inspiration

I was watching my daughter draw yesterday and feeling both envious and inspired. I had given her 3 pieces of black matboard and she lay across the floor and tackled them with her colored pencils.

She just drew and drew, a narrative forming like a stream of conciousness. There is a princess, a dog, raindrops, umbrella, suitcase and a turtle... all on one panel.

Watching her, I wished I could create like that- without the critic whispering in my ear, the thousands of images of artwork much better than mine flashing in front of my

eyes and the hesitation that holds my hand and freezes my mind.

I hope for her that she will never lose her ability to create so freely. For me, I just wish I could regain it.

Thank you!

The Valentines Lino Cut Workshop at the Encinitas Library was last night. Despite my nervousness and the daunting task of teaching tons about relief printmaking in only 1.5 hours, it went quite well. Lots of participants, lots of enthusiasm and some wonderful printmaking happened.

I want to thank Jim Gilliam who organized the event and the exhibit. It would not have happened without his hard work. Thanks also to the volunteers, Terri, Judy and Carolyn, who helped to set up, assisted during the workshop and did such a speedy job of cleanup! I'll also put a shout out to my favorite purveyor of art making materials, Jack at Rhino Art. Thanks for getting us the supplies we needed, researching better options and making cutting boards for each participant ( we only needed one band aid!).

I hope everybody had a good time and learned enough about relief printmaking that they might want to try it at home. Thank you.

For those of you in PDX

This month I've got a show up at Brian Marki Fine Art in Portland, OR. For more information, visit the website http://www.brianmarki.com

Brian has been selling my work for many years and it's wonderful to have the opportunity to have a show with him at his gallery.

If you are in the area, please check it out.

Cheers!

Lino Cut Workshop (just in time for Valentine's Day!)

I'll be teaching a little lino cut workshop in conjunction with my exhibit at the Encinitas Library. Learn how to create a relief print for your Valentine (or for yourself). It's free and supplies are provided. Here are the particulars-

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 6:00-7:30pm
Encinitas Library, ages 14 to adult

Limit 25 attendees, RSVP to Jim Gilliam, 760-633-2746.

Article in Blend

My work is used as an example of Color Relief Prints in an article by Victoria Chick in the Big Blend Magazine. Click on the link to read the article-http://blendradioandtv.com/Art/index.htm

Also, the show of my work, 'Woodblock Narrative', is up in the Encinitas Library (Jan 19- Feb 25). Check it out if you are in town.

Exhibit at Encinitas Library

I've been matting and framing work for the last week in preparation for my exhibit 'Woodblock Narrative' at the Encinitas Library from January 19th- February 25th. It's a real pleasure to have been selected to display my work in MY library (ok- so I'm a bit possessive. I do go there quite often). Hey, it's my community, where I live, shop, take the kids to the park, go to the beach, drink my coffee, get my car repaired, meet my friends and work. I imagine all the people I know, and don't know, who also share this community wandering into the library's Community Room and seeing my work. I wonder...

Well, enough of that- I'm the first exhibit of the year so I didn't have that much notice to get ready (that and I work pretty slowly these days). So, back to cutting mats and piecing together frames.

Kirsten Francis- Art

Here it is- evidence that I've joined the 21st century. Welcome to my blog. More info to follow.