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.

Etsy Store Revamp

I've been so focused on creating new work that I have put off updating my Etsy Store. Shame on me. I've made the changes and I'll be listing new work as I finish it.

I finished this piece, Night Flight, a few days ago but couldn't photograph it because my lovely subject broke my camera. I think this may have influenced my choice of background.
But now I do have a new camera and, frankly, it works better than the old one!

The Spaces in Between

This is my latest piece, a portrait of my eldest with a somewhat unusual hair style (I think she looks a little like Ziggy Stardust).
I enjoyed using negative space- my tendency to to fill a surface with all sorts of details or colors. Now there is room to breathe.

Been too busy making art...

I confess- I've been too busy actually making art to post it to my blog. Here are a few new pieces...

I'm not sure this one is done. It's got me stymied.

I've got another one I'm working on that I need to get back to. Enjoy!

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.

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). 

I submit...

I gave up and gave in, and it shows in my newest piece. Mixed media using stuff I have (old woodblock prints, plywood from the shed) and using techniques I've been tinkering with anyway (that explains the spray paint).

Have no idea how it will hold up, or if it's even any good. But I liked making it... and I still have tons of plywood out in the shed.

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.