Tag Archives: creative energy

Jun12

Finding The Time!

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As I get older, my life seems to be flashing in front of my eyes!

Certainly twenty, or thirty years ago my life was much busier, so what makes this time more hectic, or why do I seem to have less time?  One reason could be, I don’t have as much energy as I ounce had, or maybe I’m trying to do too much, and not getting anything accomplished in the end!  All that Bee Pollen makes me go in circles!

What ever it is, it’s time for a change!

I keep busy, and at the end of the day, I’m ready to slow down.  The thing is, I haven’t made time, or felt like I had the time for my creativity!  What I love to do the most, is something I haven’t done in quite a while.  Quite a while could mean a week to me!

I’ve been working on my garden…

Spending time with three of my grand-kids…

Shopping…I had to buy new dishes…

AND, A couple of times one of my girlfriends, and myself signed up for an evening of painting while drinking wine!  Oh yeah, it was fun!  I can’t say any of my paintings will ever hand in La Louvre, but after drinking wine, who cares?

I’m still working on the Hacienda painting, and if I don’t start playing with it, I’m sure it will go into the stack of canvases that are all screaming at me to finish them!

All the time, I still have a dog, and a cat, and a husband that needs to be cared for, and get attention!

So what now?

Then it suddenly occurred to me…….at 4:30 this morning

Instead of laying awake until 7:30 in the morning so I don’t disturb my husband, I need to get up, have my tea, and paint!  Or even write, anything would be an improvement!  I use to do this a long time ago, but our home is small now, and any noise seems to disturb  him.  So for Fathers Day, I’ve decided to buy him – ear plugs!  And, start getting up really early when my creative juices are flowing!

That should do it!

!

Feb26

Practice, Practice, Practice,

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And more practice!

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Recently I was in a workshop at the Artist Tree in San Marcos.  The artist giving the class was Cathy Carry, and if you aren’t familiar with her work, please take time and look her up.  Cathy has a distinct style that I haven’t seen in too many present day artists.  I’ve always been interested in her work for a number of reasons.

  • Cathy is really good at what she does!
  • She is an excellent colorist!
  • A great teacher!
  • Easy to get to know, and willing to share!

So when the opportunity presented itself for this half day class, I jumped on it, and  I wasn’t disappointed!

In my February 4 post, I talked about the class, and a little about my history with Cathy Carry.

Last week one of my paintings that wasn’t working, just found itself with a fresh coat of gesso on it, and the beginning of not just a new painting, but a new technique!  It started out so well, and just like anything else one is trying to master, went downhill…….  There isn’t much else to do to it at this point, except maybe gesso over it once again.  However, I’m not going to do that.

Here is Why!

When I’m working on a new technique, I like to look at it, analyze it,  let it sink in, and give it a chance to talk to me.  That is my process, and in doing that I can see things I don’t want repeated, things I might do differently next time, or even things I really love about the painting.  This painting has all of that!  I have posted pictures from beginning to end, and I don’t think I’m going to go any further on it, but rather keep it so I might be reminded of what direction I want to go, and what direction I never want to go again!

The pictures are also an attempt at stomping back my ego, and get over myself!   After all you can’t be perfect right out of the gate, and how can I develop a style if I don’t practice, practice, practice?  

Taking pictures of my work as I’m painting is one of the ways I find things that might, or might not be working.  I’ve done this for years, and it has helped me a great deal.  As I’m gathering the pictures to include in this post, I’m seeing new things that I like, and things I realize now I don’t want to repeat.  So thank you one and all for prompting me to keep writing, and to me for listening to you.  I’m learning as I sit here and blog!

P.S….As I look at this painting, and trying to figure out what isn’t working, I’m seeing many things that I hadn’t seen before.  I said it was finished, but I’m going to play with it just a little more, and then my intentions are to leave it alone, call it finished, and learn from it!

Feb12

Valentine Fever…

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Recently I talked about making Valentines for my grandkids, and how little time there is left to created them.  Well, I started a couple of weeks ago pressing out the clay, cutting out the heart shapes, and stamping into them.  It was so much fun creating each one differently.

My stash of stamps is numerous, and some of them spoke to me big time!  Things like XOXO, Friends One Of God’s Greatest Gifts, If The Shoe Fits Buy It, and several more.  I used paisley stamps, elephant shapes, and on and on.  When they were all baked and finished, It hit me!  Almost every heart shape would be perfect for a girlfriend, but not for my grandchildren!

Now What?

One might say, “It’s back to the drawing board!”  By golly, I think you’re right!  I can only take so much  clay, but it’s still fun to work with now and then, so it’s back to Michael’s for more clay.  I hate going in there because Michael’s always carries things that call to me, and I rarely come out of there with only what I went in for!  I really do try, but things just grab  me!  So on Wednesday, I dragged the pasta maker out once again for yet another go at the heart-shaped clay Valentines!

Somehow I was Having Trouble Getting Back Into The Hearts!

In Michael’s I  found  about six more stamps (on sale for 99c) appropriate for little ones.  The old standbys like, Be My Valentine, or Will You Be Mine!  That’s more like what I wanted to put on Valentines for a three, or a six-year-old.  The  girls are easier to make Valentines for, but the boys just have to get use to them also!  Boys will be getting Valentines for the rest of their lives!

Again – Now What?

Since there are all kinds of projects going on around our house, I’m going to pack up all the “Stuff,” and take it for an Art Day with the Fabulous Five this weekend!  Every month my girls and I get together to share, critique, and play with ideas.  Sometimes we get really into some project, and sometimes we sit and throw ideas around, discussing technique, or problems we’re having with some specific piece of art one of us is working on.  Whatever happens, we all come away from our day together feeling  full of creative energy, and more ideas than we could have even imagined!  All of us agree, that the single most important thing an artist can do for themselves is to share creative energy with other artists.  So yes, I have a great support system,  consisting of four other artists, each bringing something different to the table.  Not one of us creates the same way, but each of us is inspired by the other.  I couldn’t ask for more!

What did you create together?

Nothing!  We hadn’t seen each other in quite a while, so not one of us could stop talking long enough  so we could get some Valentines made.  And after I bought über amounts of clay to make them with!  The clay will go back to Michael’s just as soon as I’m finished.  All in all, we had a great time together with many ideas (not involving Valentines).

Once Again – Now What?

Now it’s back to the drawing board to finish the Valentines on my own.  I’m happy to report that after baking dozens of heart shapes, and stamping into them, I’m so finished!

With all the hearts completed, put together, wrapped, & addressed they are ready to go out the door.  The pictures above are of the four sets of Valentines that are finished!  I don’t want to see another Valentine until I get that box of See’s Candy from my husband in a few days!

 I’m so ready to get back to organizing the studio, and to painting. Mostly Painting…

Feb4

Just One More Class!

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Weeks ago I signed up for a short four-hour workshop with Cathy Carey.  Cathy is a working artist, with her paintings in many galleries!  She is known for the way her paintings  sing with color and movement.   Many years ago she offered a one day workshop to “Paint Like Monet!”  I jumped all over that, and was amazed at the results.  This is when I was still painting in watercolor, and hadn’t dabbled in  acrylics,or  learn what they could do!  So when I overheard her tell someone else that she was giving a half day workshop, I hopped right on it!

I have admired Cathy for her use of color, and how she marries opposites together for many years, and now I have the opportunity to learn more from her!

This weekend was the class I signed up for, and I was excited to be there!

What transpired was a fun morning with each artist having their own spin on the same subject.  What I learned were things I already knew, but never put together in this way!  I don’t profess to be anywhere in the same category as Cathy Carey, but you have to start somewhere, right?   Especially since I’m all over the place with my art!   This class, and what Cathy was teaching certainly spoke to me – Big Time!  The pictures of my art reflect the process.  I’m sure you will agree how far I need to go, but the results were fun, and I’m planning to keep working on her technique!  I love color!!!

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I have to admit, since I’m in love with color, I really like the second to the last photo.  The one with all the opposites, before the final color is applied.  To me it’s a lot more exciting, and it sings, to me!

Jan29

Time Once Again To Experiment!

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What Are Your Feelings On This?

This is the perfect time to start experimenting with our art!  Certainly, if I don’t experiment, I won’t grow.  I have a ten pound box of Cotton Linters sitting in my garage, still in its original box, and waiting for me to decide what to do with it.  The Linters were shipped to me many years ago when I was in my paper making phase, and since then it has been given away (still in the original box), and found its way back home (still in the original box)!  I can’t seem to get rid of them!  But for the last year or so, it has been calling to me….

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Cotton Linters, they are the cotton fibers pressed into large sheets of rather soft paper.  It is easily  torn up, and run through the blender.  The pieces  get pulverized to the point of being put on a screen, filtering out the water,  and dried flat – making handmade paper!  (This is the simple version!)

10# of Cotten Linters just waiting for inspiration!

10# of Cotton Linters just waiting for inspiration!

What on earth could it possibly be saying?

I only have vague ideas of what to do with it, but that ten pounds keeps just on the edge of my creative mind.  There isn’t any way I still want to make paper, but  I was thinking of preparing it the same way, and putting it into a mold of some kind to create a raised, molded image to place in a mixed media piece.  I know this sounds vague, it does to me too.  But like I said it seems to be circling the creative mind constantly!  If it can be pulverized in a blender, why can’t it be pressed into something with a shape.  Now I’m thinking if I put Elmer’s Glue with it, i could make some harder shapes.

OMG, just think of the possibilities!

This is how we come up with new ideas that  haven’t been done before, this is how art is created!  Trial and error!

Has anyone tried to do anything like this?  I’d love to hear about it, or your thoughts, and ideas…

I’ll definitely get back to this subject at a later date, but for now, I’m letting it simmer, and marinate up there in the old cabasa!

Jan25

I Believe…

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I Believe…

I believe in many things, but today I’m keeping it to ART!

  • I believe you must believe in yourself!
  • I believe you must live your beliefs!
  • I believe you must choose the people carefully to ask for a critique!
  • I believe we must keep working at our art, and grow!
  • I believe there are no mistakes, only opportunities to be more creative!

Each time I lose steam, and this is one of them, I have trouble getting back into the swing of things.  Usually it’s after the holidays…like now!  Sure there are many things going on in our lives, all our lives, but why is it that some people can shove all things aside, and keep creating, and some of us just can’t seem to get our mojo running?

I sit in front of my computer and... I got nothing!

That’s not like me!  My husband tells me I always have my soapbox dragging behind me, and I’m more than happy to stop, and climb on…  I really hope I’m not all that bad, but given the right prompt, I will, and have…climbed on my soapbox.  Rarely do I drag it out for religion, or politics, those are touchy subjects to many people, and we all have our own opinions!  Isn’t that what makes our country the great country that it is?  So, I try to stay away from those two subjects.

What will you talk about?

I’ll talk of art at the drop of a hat!  It doesn’t have to be a fancy hat, any old hat will do…..  I love hearing other artists talk of technique, better yet, watching them work.  We can learn so much from each other, maybe even creating a spin-off of something we have seen somewhere else.  I still find creating a bit intimidating at times, especially if I’m over saturated with art.  For example, I became fascinated  with Pinetrest many months ago.  I couldn’t believe how much inspiration I got from that site.  It pushed me to create many things  I hadn’t thought of, and I haven’t seen anywhere else.  But somewhere along the line, I felt like I was on overload and had to back off!  It almost zapped  my creative energy.  So I rarely go onto that website prior to painting.  If I have any ideas at all, I stay away!

Here’s what I just finished!

Tuesday morning, I went to the Escondido Municipal Gallery to participate in the “Artful Inches Fundraiser.”   Several artists donate their time to do a little painting on a portion of about 40 feet of watercolor paper that has been hung on the wall.  Over a period of three weeks,  artists come and go, leaving their  painting somewhere on the paper. Eventually the paper is all filled in, and the fundraiser begins!

Next month on February 9th, there will be a reception, the public will be able to purchase a section of the painting with the help of their selected size of matting. The prices vary depending on the size of the mat!   Last year was the First Annual Fundraiser, and it was a huge success!  The money supports the annual Student Art Show in April and participating teachers.

When I went in to paint, I hadn’t any idea what I would do, but I found myself alone to do it!  The room was empty, no one was painting on Tuesday morning except me!   So I was able to spread out and jump in!  This felt oddly freeing, being able to have such a huge space to paint without interruptions.  The picture above is what I created…..It just popped out of me – Journal Style!

  • I believe we should never compare ourselves to another artists!
  • I believe each of us is unique!
  • I also believe artists are incredibly fragile, even if we don’t think so!
  • I believe each day we have to work at stomping back our ego!
  • I believe I love what I do, and want us all to love what they do also!
  • I believe we are all connected and we need to share our creative energy!
  • I believe that my small group of close Artsie Fartsie girls are of significant importance in my life!