Been busy...

It's been a crazy busy last few months. I had every reason to not make any art- kids had a lot of stuff going on, and my husband started a new business and I was helping out as much as I could. The weeks seemed to pass in a blur of activity fueled by many, many cups of strong coffee.
Though I didn't even have a chance to think about it, I must have kept on making art in order to stay sane. Every free moment (and even moments that weren't free) was spent in the studio.
Here are some of the pieces I completed.

 Ringbearer

 Ripple and Swing

 Paper Birds

Striped Stockings

All of the work, with the exception of Striped Stockings, is available at my Etsy store.

Paper Doll Portraits

Last year my daughters made their own paper dolls from a template. They had a wonderful time coloring, cutting and finally assembling the articulated dolls. The results were so expressive and ... bizarre.

Of course I had to give it a try.

Paloma and the Chicken

Mahalia with Raven

There is something oddly satisfying about making paper dolls of my offspring- I felt a bit like a mad scientist or puppeteer. Let's face it, paper dolls as a concept are loaded with meaning.

When I showed my daughters the finished pieces, they were genuinely baffled that I chose to affix the dolls to the background. "What's the point of that?", my oldest asked.

To me these dolls have become art, but to my kids they will always be toys meant to play and create with.

More works in progress

Been working on a couple of new mixed media collages (more like stumbling through). Managed to do things in a rather bass-ackwards manner, but that's how I learn.

Combining different elements like the drawing, collage and old woodblocks is a challenge. It's sort of like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. But I think I'm figuring out what works, mostly by seeing what doesn't.

Arts Alive Banner

It's that time of year again. I spent the last days of 2012 furiously painting my banner for Encinitas Arts Alive. The banners are painted by local artists and then auctioned off to raise money for 101 Artist's Colony, Leucadia 101 or Cardiff 101. The unveiling party was this past weekend. Up until then, the banners were kept under wraps.
I now feel I can show my banner in progress. To see the final product, as well as all the other banners, please visit 101 Artists Colony.

The banner will be hung on lamp posts along Hwy. 101 from A St. to F St. in downtown Encinitas, CA. 

 

Out of Chaos...

Had 2 shows to get ready for last week (plus the usual and unusual that life had to throw at me) so I hit the 'manic' button. Got a lot done but my studio... well, see for yourself.

I figure it's worth the mess if this can come out of it.

and this.

You can see these new works (and a few more) at the Encinitas City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA 92024 through October 8, 2012.

Neighbors

I've been working on a series of portraits of people in my neighborhood. It seemed fitting- I have a show at the Encinitas City Hall August 30- October 8 and a few of my neighbors are willing to put up with me taking a zillion photos of them while they go about their business.

I thought that it would be straightforward- a simple portrait of each of these people.

Well... it's an interesting process and a different challenge. I'm having fun and learning something new with every piece.

Reminds me: I need to get my camera and hunt down a few more of my neighbors.

Process

I always try to document the making of a new piece- taking photos at different stages. Often I'm so engrossed with the actual creation that I forget (isn't that how it's supposed to be?). Well, I remembered most of the time. I missed out on a few steps.

Drawing the subject, not once but twice.

Drawing with highlights in white gouache.

Spray painting the plywood using leaves as stencils.

The finished piece (untitled as of yet). 

Having a bad art day (week)

I've been given the opportunity to have a retrospective show of my work with a few new pieces included. Great! Except that I'm not entirely sure that my new work is exhibition ready.

So, I've spent the last week working on a new mixed media piece and...

it has not been the joyous experience I had hoped it would be.

I've drawn the same !@#*#^%! image a ridiculous amount of times (you can't see here how I've painted over and reworked the drawing again and again) and just about every time I've come to a point where I declare it unworkable and start again. Then I have a minor freak out when I realize I've wasted a precious day or hour (time has a price beyond rubies right now).

I even blamed the paper. When I visited my local art store to purchase the magic paper (color of a paper bag, velvety smooth texture and acid-free) I got the chance to talk to the owner, Jack, about my deficient art mojo. He told me 2 things that I'm not sure have eased my concern. One- there is no magic paper (not anymore. I guess they USED to make it). Two- we all have a certain amount of really bad drawings in us and, lucky me, I'm apparently getting them all out right now! Thinking about it, it occurs to me that I might be making some very bad art for many years to come if this theory is correct.

I have been encouraged to plod ahead by a good friend who told me to 'just finish what you started'. So, I will...

even without the magic paper.

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.

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?).