Give it Away

"Give It Away" 36 x 48" oil and mixed media on canvas

This painting is available for purchase and it is also one of the limited edition prints that will be available in my shop which opens online this Wednesday.

I have been thinking about the freeing sense of letting go of competition.  I don't mean to say competition is bad or there shouldn't be a winner or loser in a game or sport.  And to a certain degree, a little healthy competition can push you to so your best, but I kinda think that should still come from within. I am speaking more about creative pursuits and living life in general.  In the act of supporting those around you, you surround yourself with community.  Give it away, the good stuff you have, the positive vibe, and I truly believe it will surround you too. I feel that it will just replenish. I wanted this painting to catch that light playful positive vibe. 

In just this spirit I had a lovely bride in my chair at work recently who in the course of our conversation told me one of the coolest stories I've ever heard.  It just endeared her to me even more, and I instantly felt moved to help.  She is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Global Good Fund.  Their mission is to "accelerate the leadership development of young social entrepreneurs tackling the world's greatest social issues". I encourage you to check out this blog post to hear about the awesome work this organization is doing.  Carrie Rich landed in my chair at just the time I was thinking about this sharing of joy, and supporting of one another.  Her enthusiasm for what she does is certainly contagious.  

I am excited to donate 20% of my print sales until October 7th to The Global Good Fund! 

Just another reason to look forward to the shop opening tomorrow. 

Change

This week marked a very big part of my life coming to an end. My work family has parted ways and some of us are continuing on in one direction and the others another. I've shared so any milestones with these loves that it is a bitter sweet ending. It is also the beginning of more than I thought it would be.  I love my day job, not only do I love what I do (I'm a hair stylist), I am inspired by my co-workers and my clients daily. The icing on the cake it allows me the security to pursue my life as an artist as well. When these changes started it became a time to reflect on what I wanted and brought me to this space. I decided to specifically carve out studio time, introduce myself as and artist, and to open up my online shop!

I am hair stylist that loves doing hair and making people feel like their best self and an artist who carries this aesthetic into a more tangible beauty.

So as this chapter closes it has provided me a focus and a drive in the studio and gave me much needed push.

This is a super busy week around here.  My shop is opening, and along with that I am working with a lovely charity The Global Good Fund.  I am hanging a show at The Verandah and starting my Weekend Inspiration post up again with some crazy talented artist that have been inspiring me lately. (I better make sure there is enough coffee around here.)  I can't wait to share all these things with you!

TBT: Looking back

 

 "Grand" 58" x 68" oil on canvas 2005

  "Ghost House" oil on canvas 2005 SOLD

"Docked" 12 x 18" oil on canvas 2007 SOLD

 

I've been spending some time getting things in order.  Doesn't that feel good!?  One of my projects has been to go through my inventory, both physical and digital.  I am really enjoying the look back and seeing where I've been, and I am so surprised by how my work has changed, but really by how it hasn't either. 

"Grand" was inspired by a trip to visit my brother when he was living in Chicago.  It's a stop on the EL.  Often, in my work a word inspires me and becomes and image, like this.  I love the size of this painting too.  Working that large becomes a different kind of physical act that is really fun.

"Ghost House" was one of the first paintings I used the wire/leaf hanging imagery and started to scatter the circles/oval shapes.  Here, they feel like stones to me.  Sometimes, they end up in the air like bubbles and take on a floating effect to me. 

"Docked" is a piece from my college days.  I was fortunate enough to study in Italy and was totally taken both by the landscape and the culture.  Along the coast line south of Naples there were so many cliff side views looking down on jetties with docked boats.  This is one of my favorite interpretations.  This painting has a great home in a beach side town of a family friend.  So fitting.   

Along the way I am getting more inspiration for current work too.  I am just so excited for all the new things happening as well!
My online shop is coming soon, and I can't wait to share some lovely art with all of you.
 

Noise

           

"Noise" 16 x 20" oil on canvas

It's seems the times that I have something very specific I want to express it takes me a long time to find the right imagery, to get it just right. 

This painting changed drastically so many times till I was finally happy with it. 

My approach to the news is to keep my head in the sand. (Which I realize is a luxury and I appreciate it.)  I will scan twitter once in a while to get headlines. I do want to be informed. (I think.) I am a disheartened that there is nowhere to actually hear the facts and just the facts. There is a skew one way or the other to it all. I'd like to be able to form my own opinion and not have it fed to me. On one particular news heavy day it seemed I couldn't escape it.  Then I was stuck somewhere with talk radio. I got this oppressive feeling. The person was just spewing their truths and one stance over and over in different variations. I could've even agreed with what was being said but the manner in which they were conveying it as if it was truth, the only truth, was disheartening and small to me. That feeling is what was behind this painting.  As you can see it took a few incarnations. 

If you need me I'll be over here with my head in the sand, playing with the kiddos.  And very thankful that I can.

Sunday in the Studio

 A few new "Whispers"

"Cairn" 20X36" oil on canvas

Ahhh.  A Sunday morning with a hot cup of coffee and some studio time is a rarity and AWESOME!! Have I mentioned how much I love my Aunt and Mom who make moments like that possible?!

The kids and I spent the weekend with them since Hubby was working all weekend. So I got some rare weekend painting time. I'm still in this frenetic creative state and there just seems like there is not enough time to get it all out. I feel like the ideas are going to disappear before I can realize them. I was in the zone yesterday but had to break it up to feed kids and put them down for naps. How do Artist Moms do it?  I am thankful for every moment I get, that's for sure. 

Now back to playing with kiddos, feeding everyone, and attempting to keep things running smoothly on the home front.  I'll find some time to sketch and catch up on the paperwork of being an artist too. 

Oh, and hopefully get to jump on this webinar tonight. Wish me luck!!

Time Flies

 Whisper Series TL to BR "Bloom", "Cocoon","Cluster", "Whisper", "Become", and "Stones" 4x6" encaustic on panel

"

 Whisper Series "Rest" 4x6" oil on encaustic

 Whisper Series "Build" 4x6" encaustic on panel

 Whisper Series "Flight" 4x6" encaustic on panel

This series started as a way to work out small ideas and compositions.  I think of them as little moments of thought.  The newest three have changed with a new palette, a little bolder. The 4x6" size is fun to hold in your hand, which the tactile quality of encaustic makes you want to do anyway.  I've envisioned them hung together, but able to stand on their own as well.  The panel is cradled, so the depth would make it easy to just stand up on a bookshelf or mantel as well as hung on a wall. I'll have some pictures of them in interiors soon. 

I spent the first part of my studio day cleaning up, and unearthed a few items I've been look for!  Isn't that the best?  I'm coming close to finishing up a large oil painting too, but It's fighting me.  Lucky for me I may get a few extra hours this weekend to work it out.  

Paulie & Skunk

 "Skunk" 8x8" oil on canvas

"Paulie" 8x8" oil on canvas

"Paulie", "Skunk", and "Bear" 

I completed two new pet portraits this past week.  It's time to get ready for the holiday orders for these, and in preparation, I am doing a give-away on my FaceBook page today.  Head on over there to comment and share and be entered to win am 8x8" oil painting of your favorite pet!

I'm doing the drawing on Thursday.  If your not the lucky winner, don't fret, I'm offering 20% off the regular price until the end of October.

Good luck!

That one thing

You know that one thing that you either dislike doing or aren't good at so you put it off and it nags at you because it's not done. I mean besides laundry, dishes and vacuuming. I don't let that nag at me. Just ask Hubby. Okay, I'll admit that occasionally the dishes do bug me.

That big thing for me lately is my website. Just ask Hubby.  I had a site that was just okay and then I knew I needed to upgrade. Especially after lusting after some beautiful ones by some of my favorite artist.  There will be a whole post about those lovelies soon.  But man the whole website thing intimidated me. That may show my age.  I could of waited until Miss V was 5 or 6 and she could of probably created it for me.  It truly boiled down to being so visual and trying to find a platform that worked well with that right side of my brain. 

I am ecstatic to say I DID IT.  (Picture me dancing around the room here.  Because, that in fact did happen.) I still have to get my online shop open, that will be coming soon.  I want to take a break and just enjoy this high for a few days. That one thing is outta my way, and I feel like I can do just about anything today.  Just maybe not the laundry or dishes. I'm celebrating, remember?

p.s. I'd love your thought and comments!

The process

 (all recent sketchbook pages)

I've been riding one of those massive creative burst for a while now. Although it makes me feel a bit manic and distracted, it is awesome. I know it won't last at least at this level and that's okay. 

I felt it sort it wind down yesterday in the studio. My palette seems confused and my ideas weren't translating well. I've been doing this long enough that it usually means a transition is coming and it's working itself out. So this week I'll let my subconscious work it out while I play with the littles and get the house ready for the back to school rush. Perhaps if there are quiet moments I'll work on my small canvases. 

It feels like I'm standing on the edge of what's next. Hmmm... kinda like the start of a new school year.