featured........

How lucky am I? Well, Katherine Treffinger, a fabulous artist, is running a series on her blog, asking the question, "why do you show up at your studio & pick up your tools day after day?". She invited me to participate. Well, for those of you who don't know, I very seldom talk about my reasons for doing my art. I find it difficult to articulate, but I admire Katherine's work so much as an artist and felt so honored that she invited me to participate, that I put my fingers to the keypad and typed out my response. Of course this came at the time I was making a transition from acrylic to OILS!!!! I submitted a photo of a 'work in progress' and thought what the heck - not everything we put our brushes to (for those of us who use a brush because I know many of you don't) is a piece of ART! Anyway, Katherine was so nice and kept asking me how the piece was progressing and I would send her an image and then she would inquire again and I would send another image and even when she didn't inquire, I would send another image. Anyway, this is what I started with and click here to see where it is now. While you are visiting Katherine's, take some time to see some of the other artist's that have participated and most of all check out Katherine's work. It is just wonderful!

UPDATE: And even though in the post at Katherine's?, I refer to the painting as 'the ugly' in 'the good', 'the bad' and 'the ugly'?, I was referring to is the first image I sent Katherine. I actually like where this piece is now. The pieces I have been working on all relate to 'blood'. In the good way as in the 'life blood of life'.

criteria......

No, this is not another post about my great adventure in OILs! Well, thank god! No, this is about art in my home (so maybe a glimpse of a bit of oil).  I realized many years ago that a criteria for art in my home? is the 'bored with it' thingy.  As I was sitting drinking my coffee this morning, I realized I have looked at the same painting across from me for at least a year.  It has been in other parts of the house for the past 5 years or so, but  I never get tired of looking at it. I've shown this piece several times and it was almost sold once.  But here it still is and now has become part of my everyday.  I have three others that I feel the same way about.  I painted them years apart, have shown all of them, and over time, they have become my pieces.  A part of me.  If I see a piece of art that I initially fall in love with?, I have to decide if it is something  I will love even more as time passes.  So that is my main criteria for art in my home.  See! Not a mention of 'oil paint' anywhere! 

This is the painting I look at every morning.  Mixed media on canvas.


This piece used to be my desk.  It's a door that I turned over and started cleaning my brushes on.  Mixed media.
This is mixed media with collage and assemblage on board.

This painting is under glass so not a very good photo.  This is mixed media and printer's ink on paper.

get your oils on!!!

I'm actually doing other things in my life right now, but this is definitely the most fun! How many posts can I do about this new adventure? Only time will tell - so if you get bored, I can't blame you! Just click by anything here that has the word 'oil' in it! If you have ever thought, "gee, I would really like to try 'oil paint' - Do It! Go directly to your art supply store, plunk down the money and don't look back! Well, I'm only one person, of course, but this is a definite turning point for me. Below is another progression. Yes, I know, some of you have the big yawn on! God, does the woman do anything else! you ask. Yes, yes, of course I do. But......... Anyway it is now drying and I'm plying other canvases and heavy paper! And of course I am truly doing other things! I'm doing them as fast as I can, truly, so I can get back to my work space! I'm hopeful I will post about something else soon. I truly will. Very soon........Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

still working on it.......

I'm still working mostly on this one piece - since I've already showed you some of the progress, I thought I would post where it's at right now. I'm getting the hang of this medium and finding I can do things I couldn't with acrylics. This is much more versatile and I'm learning how to layer. The place where it is now makes me happy in that I am moving away from a bit of the trepidation and on to more relaxed painting. It is drying now and I will work on it some more tomorrow. I feel it's almost finished. I have a couple more layers I would like to apply. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

making mud......

A quick update on my progress in this journey called 'oil paint'. It's a very good thing I am not product oriented, because so far all I've made is mud! So many differences from acrylic to oil. My acrylic paintings consist of layers and layers of washes. That is not a technique I can apply to this medium. When painting with acrylics, I basically use the same brush most of the time. Again, not so in the land of oil. Things I can do? I can scrape and move paint in a very free way.

Even though I usually work on more then one piece at a time, oil painting demands dry time, or, you make mud. I've made alot of mud. I now have three canvases going. The pics below are one that has gone through some changes over the past few days. Nothing great here - just work! I'm finding I'm excited when I step into my work space. I love a challenge and this is very challenging right now.

Also Shayla at Shayla's Art Diary is in the process of finding non toxic alternatives for doing her art. This was prompted by her chemical sensitivities. She has been posting safer alternatives not only for the chemically sensitive, but also these alternatives help the environment. I have been reading and taking heed. I highly recommend a visit to her blog. I'm going to start cleaning up my own personal 'art' environment and try some of the things she has posted.

I want to wish you all a very Happy Easter! See you all back here next week!

experiments.....

Well, I was able to work in the studio today and I got to try my hand at my new oil paints! I have to say, they are just yummy. They move totally different across the painting area and will take some getting used to obviously. The photos below are just little ventures into playing with them. These are all experiments and it was really fun! Will be messing around with this new medium for the next few weeks. If I get anything I like, I will post it.

UPDATE:  Some of you have asked about my header - It's a face I cut out of a canvas.  The header was made because I wanted to make some wrapping paper for a gift so I put the pic in the computer, turned it sepia and printed it out on rice paper.  Of course  I was really rushed and couldn't care too much about being neat, but my friend loved it.

Bonus week!......

This past week has been that whole thing of 'the good, the bad and the ugly!' - but I want to share 'the good' - I believe it was Wednesday, after a day of 'the bad' that the most amazing package arrived in the mail. The outside of the package said 'Australia' - OMG! OMG! Jo Horswill!? Could it be? Yes!!!! it was. Jo is absolutely one of my favorite artists. I could go on and on, but please just visit her blog here and see for yourself! This is what was inside -
An exquisite little hand made, and get this, 'quiet book', with gorgeous papers. Then there was the most amazing little collagraph and etching wrapped in silk thread. This was all wrapped up in another piece of beautiful paper with a silk ribbon.





I was totally humbled by this incredible gift of art. Jo's work is so exquisitely executed and her attention to detail is amazing. Thank you Jo. You will never know.

And then yesterday another, yes!, another package arrived! This time from Daryl at onthem104! Now I knew this was coming, but I didn't expect to find what I did. During a cleaning of a closet, Daryl came across some art supplies that she no longer used and asked me if I would be interested. Oh, yes PLEASE! Always grateful for any sort of art supplies! Well they came yesterday and when I opened the box, I found oil paints! I don't know what I was expecting, but was just thrilled to find this bonanza! I'm an acrylic painter and have wanted to make the jump into oil painting, but the initial cost for materials has been over my head! OMG! Oil paints! Plus two little canvases! I kept making Jim look at the contents.
"Look! Look! Oil Paints!"
"Uh, huh. That's nice. "
"Look Mr. Gracie! Look Mrs. Peevey! Oil Paints"
"peep, peep, preen, preen, peep...."
Daryl, thank you so much. Again I'm humbled. If you've never visited Daryl's blog, get there! She is an amazing photographer and shares her photos on her blog!



And since this is an art blog, I will add a pic of a little 5" x 5" acrylic, muslin on canvas that I've just finished.

Thank you ladies! I'm in art heaven here! (and I've finally stopped crying about it all)

on inspiration.......

There is alot of talk about inspiration! I personally think it is over rated. I have had this discussion many times with artists of all kinds. Visual artists, playwrights, directors, film makers, writers, etc. Yes, there is plenty of inspiration out there and I get my share, but what I do mostly?, is work. The work of being an artist or director or writer, etc., takes doing the practice daily. Inspiration or not! For me?, mostly not. Hard work and plenty of it is what ignites inspiration for me. If I waited to be 'inspired'?, I would never get any work done. The photos below show my work area. I have a very small shed in the back yard about 10 steps away from the house. Small is the operative word. If I waited for my dream work space?, well, I would still be waiting and not working. I walk in each day and do something. Even if it is just to tidy up a bit. But usually?, I work. I pull up my stool and start! Something, anything, but I do the practice. I show these photos of my work space only because it is not ideal. It's just a space. A small space. I feel fortunate to have it and I smile each time I close the door behind me.

this is a picture of the half door that I hung outside my workspace. I want to see what mother nature can do to it.



work tables!



the pic below is a little corner that holds my work board now covered by stuff that has no home yet!

and this last pic is the opposite corner!

My point being, sometimes there is more talk about the doing instead of just doing. Doing my art won't wait for the perfect space, for the ever elusive perfect inspiration, or the perfect anything! I just do the work and most days I love it.