Outlines

Geting ready for Outlines, an all day Block Party and Artisan Market at The Stone Fox here in Nashville. It is going on Saturday, August 3rd 2013, 11am to 4pm and you should come.  I am finishing up some new stuff that I hope to have for sell.  Lets see if I get done in time.

Here is a preview....

These are done on a nice medium weight cream paper that is printer cut off, the excess from a print job.  I then took left over dye and striped and doted away.  I really enjoyed how the dye bleeds and moves on different papers.  Then impromptu folding accordion style.  Cut outs are from old black and white paper, also printer excess.  The no book is complete with out Letraset words and title.

Not sure if it is done but getting close, The Dog & The Rat.

I added a tab to close these blue and red ones.  It is super cut with contrasting color.  The red striped one is hiding thou and has not gotten the added closure.

I really liked this one white but as you can see it got a spot of dye on it, opps.  So I am going to paint some on it.  It will change and evolve.  

This one needs one more panel done.  Clouds, home, corn and dog, chickens and okra, what will be next?  I also sewed the back mountain folds together to give more of a book feel.

Check out my new labels!

I thought they turned out nice. Old Letraset on recycled sticker paper makes pretty good labels, all reuse!!

Come to The Sone Fox Saturday to see more!

Colors

Don't you just love color.  Me too.  Bright colors and muted colors and all the colors in between.  

Hope to get a lot of work done this week but do not have too high of hopes.  Hehehe, I mean I wanna paint but I need to network and well just plan work.  That takes a way from the painting.  But I think I will be able to find time in there.

Outlines at The Stone Fox on Saturday, August 3rd from 11am to 4 pm Artisan Market and all day Block Party!  I will be there selling my art wares.  Come see me!

on a Walk

Lets talk about my walk yesterday.  I try and take Esther on a walk most mornings.  We sometimes just train, sometimes go on great adventures and sometimes make it to the park.  We both enjoy this time.  We get to admire the neighborhood and (hehe) check out everyones trash.  I have scored nice things this way and am always trying to look at trash and waste in different lights.

I learned two things on this last walk.  One was a way to make art.  I am attracted to abandoned piles of plastic, wood and metal.  I want to embrace and twist and turn each one of them.  That would be crazy, okay.  I know that, I set rules.  No bringing home new material.  But is that holding me back.  Then I notice a pile that I had noticed before.  I decide to organize the pile, put like with like, stack it neatly.  I wonder if the neighbors will notice their now neat stack of trash.  I will bring the camera with me next time.  I think I will change it around if the pile is still there or I might move on to another and arrange it at whim.  I am sort of excited and ended up finding three great artist doing similar fun recycling photography.  I am so inspired.  Trash here I come.

I found all three of them on a blog I am following Design for Mankind and am very thankful for the information right there all nestled together.

First Artist I looked at was Alejandro Duran.  He has a series called Washed Up that addresses the issue of plastic pollution washing up on the shores of Sian Ka'an, Mexico's largest federally protected reserve.  Beautiful shots of color coordinated trash.

Second is Artist Meredith Allen who photographs clear plastic bags.  They are so honest looking and abstract, not at all like how we view trash bags.

Third Artist is Margo Weyer and her series is called streetcombing.  Simple clean and crisp.  She collects while running and is concerned with our consumption habits.

I love all three of the these Artist and the vision they are able to execute.  I am by no means a photography but am going to attempt to document my trash journey.

Second thing I learned is not that many people on my street recycle, not as many as there should be with a free recycling service.  I think I am going to help them by putting information about Curby on their trash cans.  The rouge recycling bandit who leaves information about how to recycle better in a handy spot, your trash!

Growing

So as I work away most days on my art.  I am alone and being alone causes ones mind to wander around.  I think a lot about my art and what it is, what it means, how will people perceive it.

Found inspiration again looking at one of my borrowed books from the library called Artist Communities.

Read this today,  "More and more frequently in this culture it is demanded of creative people to succeed by one criterion: what sells and inevitable, what sells best.  But for most creative people the marketplace is at the end of the process.  If they land there, and are commercially successful, it is wonderful.  Their paintings sell, their music is played, their novels are published, and so on.  But that is the end process.....Any serious work begins as a small seed planted in a soil of lonely confidence."

Growing as an artist is very important to me.

I liked reading this as I prepare to present and find ways to make a living as an artist.

Library Day

Went to the library today.  Oh how great is the library?  Pretty great, they have books on everything and our downtown public library has puppets, lots of art books, marble stair case, some of my favorite people, and crazy good people watching.  Plus, got accosted by group of women on a scavenger hunt!  So you know all around fun.

Got some really great books on art, bookmaking and recycling.   My favorite subjects.  Read this great thought on art making I can't get out of my head.  Artist Dolph Smith talks about the 'act of nature' and how magical it is in art making.  When things just happen and you have no control can be very beautiful and inspiring.  He talked about how he loved Davy's Gray, how its can separate into the three pigments from which it was blended.

Been dying!  Boy do I love dye.  Have some left over fabric dye from a class (Jacquard Procion Mx to be exact) and love dying paper and pretty much anything in arms reach.  Such cool effects and well acts of nature as the color pools and bleeds across the page.

Check them out.  I ready adore these.  I did the purple layer today.  I work in layers and multiples.  Right now I might have 10 in this series I am working on but say 4 different series going at one time.  I shuffle about 40 to 50 pieces of paper and board around at a time.  Have a great drying rack but it will only hold so many.  So usually once my rack is full, break time.

The white and beige dots were made with this handy contraption.  I think it is packaging material.  I have two that have been laying around waiting to used in something, perfect print material.  

I can't wait till I run out of these colors and I start making natural dye.  I am dying to try!  Ha Ha dye jokes.  I am excited about natural sourced dyes.


Silly Technique of the Day- Swish up your paper if you don't like it, especially after you have applied paint or dye.  Don't get to excited when doing it or paper might tear.

Art Supplies

So I don't buy art supplies.  What did you say.  Well, that is the general rule.  There is always exceptions to the rule but that's the rule.  It challenges me.  I have to think about how I can make that or get that effect with what I have (which is a lot) or buy it used.
There is a lot out there and once you start looking people want to give you stuff.   Yep people will give you supplies, art supplies.  Will they be newest and cleanest of supplies, maybe not but learning to work with what you have is very rewarding and great for the environment.

Sourcing things that are in abundance is also a great practice.  

It is hard to let stuff go, aka recycle it.  I feel like everything has at least one more life to live as ART.

NEW Work: Smush Series and Fun

Smush Series 

Here is a taste of the Smush Series.  I am finishing up about 30+ in this series. they are approx. 5x7 inches on illustration board.  Made with monoprinting, squirting, squishing and plain old painting.

 Fun

Things that I save...

I save (and use in my art) glue dots and tape.  Glue dots or bugger glue as I recently heard it called comes on all kinds of things; cards, meat trays.  I removing it from its source and sticking it on wax like paper for reuse in the future.  I use it just like glue or tape.  Love old tape also.  Hehe, I have a tape wall.  I take the used tape and if it still has tack apply it to my tape wall.   I have stuck it on a board before for easy portability and convenience.  Reference the tape wall when you need a piece.  I have a wide variety of different types and colors all because I am sourcing it.

So I have a love/hate relationship with plastic bags.  Okay I really just hate them but they are everywhere and are very useful.  I have a box dedicated for used plastic bags, clean of course.  Most products come in plastic, look how the bag opens. Open carefully or cut a clean edge if it tears.  I like the soft plastic the best as opposed to the crinkly kind.  I keep all sizes and store artwork in them, give work safely to customers or even use as a gluing surface.  Works perfectly after gluing to keep the area clean and will not stick or damage areas if glue seeps out.  Once you start looking for the bags they are everywhere.  Designating a box to store them in, keeps it organized and easily accessible.

Both picture are available on my etsy site here and here.