Monday, December 28, 2009

still going.....

Hello - I hope this finds everyone anticipating the coming new year. We had a wonderful Christmas with family. We ate, we played, we reminisced, and dipped our toes into the world of geocaching. It was a fabulous way to end 2009, holed up for four days in an old Victorian house out at Fort Worden. I still have a few days left for my December challenge and will be in the studio again starting tomorrow. I wanted to let you know what I learned from working this way for the past month. Working fully focused for short periods of time brought me back to a place in my art practice that I left for awhile to explore a new medium - oil paint. I have found my way back to my favorite palette and the mixed media I love. Of the eleven pieces I finished thus far, I probably have maybe 3 to 4 decent paintings. As you know, I've been playing with the work like puzzle pieces and will probably mount some of them together. I think the best part of this challenge is that it has been so fun. The photo below is a pic of the last one I did before we left for our Christmas break. I had 75 minutes that day. I'm eager to get back to work. I'm full of new ideas. Will share more after the New Year. I'll be slowly sliding back into blogland to see what you have all been up to.

20 comments:

Katherine said...

Jeane Just wanted to wish you happy new year and tell you how grateful I am to have befriended you this year. One of these days we will meet.

May 2010 be fantastic for you.

Four Seasons in a Life said...

Glad to learn that the time was spent relaxing, recharging your energies and finding pleasures in Geocashing, a game my son plays.

We need to try other creative venues things in order to find our way back to that which we love.

All the best for 2010,
Egmont

mansuetude said...

i love these last posts Jeane and your art, it really gives my mind a place of imaginative stillness and joy.

Great explosions of Creativity and success to you in 2010.

blessings!

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Yes indeed! This experiment has really worked for you Jeane! Yesterday I sent that height-weight challenged man in the red suit packing and today - its onward and upward, and out to the studio. And at least it is not so bitter cold...

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

I have enjoyed following your December challenge and can't take my eyes off the three in your sidebar. Three more days to go...!

Jeane said...

Katherine, so nice to see you here - have missed your voice - many blessings to you also in 2010 and I see you have posted so am heading your way later today :) ps - yes, we will get serious about hooking up for a meeting this year

good morning Egmont - that reconnection with family and then, bam, we are all back to our lives - the geocaching is going to be fun - happy new year to you dear friend :)

thank you mansuetude - I'm running on the energy I built up in this past month - it was a fabulous jump start - the best for you and yours also in 2010 xxo

LOL Leslie, that's so funny - cold is an understatement as far as work space, but work I did - sounds like you are reved and ready to jump into the new year - see you on the path :)

Hi Mary Ann - December was a good month for art practice, that's for sure - much learned - off we go into the new year :)

lynne h said...

jeane, i think the key word here is 'fun'. that is it, don't you think? xo

Maggie Neale said...

happy end of the year to you, Jeane...discovering your work and the woman behind it is one of the blessings of the year for me. This last piece is terrific! So much about it speaks to me. I am trying to wait til I move into a new studio space Jan 1 to begin my creative thrust into the new year.

The Painted Lady said...

As the proud owner of one of your December challenge pieces I have to agree this method really works for you. Art and play are kindred spirits - don't you think?

I agree with Blue Sky Dreaming - the three in the sidebar are mesmerizing!!

Best wishes for the New Year!

~Babs said...

We did a bit of geocaching a couple of years ago. In warm weather it was fun!
I love each piece you show us,,just great, all the random markings,,and of course your colors are always some of my favorite.
Did you mean you are back to using acrylics again Jeane, or are all your current works in oil? Maybe I missed that somewhere.

Here's to us getting to see more of your works this year than last!
I think you're up for the challenge!

fheathermoore said...

Somehow your work always reminds me of cracked plaster walls. You know the grey plaster walls you see? It's as if you are painting over plaster and in this one, at the bottom of it, it looks like you've painted over the black fungus you get when dampness is seeping through those walls. I know it sounds gross, but that's what it reminds me of. That's not meant to be offensive lol. I'm just amazed that you manage to get it looking like plaster! Hope you have a great New Year! xxx

Daryl said...

Super duper .. but I love ALL your work .. Happy New Year xoxoxo

Jeane said...

yes, I do Lynne, but I also think, at least for me, that each time I work, I want to discover something new and I also want to get better - so it's more then having fun for me and in fact this would be a good post - Happy New Year dear friend xxo

thank you Maggie, ditto! - am so eager to hear/see your new space - blessings for 2010 xxo

It really does Erica - I have learned so much this past month and will apply those ideas to my work in the next year - yes, I do think art and play are kindred spirits, but it is alot more for me - it's my personal language xxo

hello Babs - no, I'm using oil and that has just broadened the things I can do,but I'm also back to mixing it up with my other favs like pencil, charcoal, pastel and a huge fav - graphite - the best to you for the coming year dear Babs, xxo

hello Heather - thank you - I take all you said as a compliment - my esthetic is the old and crumbling - cheers to the new year and creativity :)

Daryl! love, love, hugs and kisses to you dear girl! I got my NY in Ten seconds book yesterday and geez, I needed that in November! love from here, xxo

Melinda said...

I'm so excited for you thinking about the next year! May you have many, many happy days in the studio with unlimited art supplies.

So glad, too, that you had a wonderful Christmas! It's great spending time with those you love.

Lyn said...

Reading what you have to say, seeing your great productivity is extremely encouraging to me...but meeting you in person, really tops them all..What a special time!
The very best to you and loved ones for the New Year!!

Jeane said...

Hello Melinda - thank you - I'm excited too and hoping for the unlimited art supply wish! I'm so loving watching the Grand Canyon come to life under your hand - such an amazing project - Happy New Year!

Dearest Lyn - ditto! Have the Best New Year! So looking forward to being back in your neighborhood next year! xxo

Bebedores do Gondufo said...

Happy New Year 2010.
http://abebedorespgondufo.blogs.sapo.pt/

Shayla said...

Love the little roundish entities at the top and the elegant black marks.

BLACK AND WHITE said...

Happy new year, Jeane! New inspirations too!

Rochelle said...

sounds very interesting... short, focused spurts daily. I need to do that with all kinds of things -- exercise, writing, meditation, tidying up, etc... It's a good plan for art and life.