Stepping out of the Zone

Is it Monday already?

Having a few days off really spoils oneself, doesn't it? I had Wednesday through Sunday off and got a whole bunch, a WHOLE BUNCH of artwork done, 7 pieces altogether would you believe?!
I also was whittling away at my article during my days off. I figured I would take the creative approach to keeping notes about my process and put them in the big BIG HUGE journal I have that I received during our Paris Swap. I totally made note keeping fun. If I only could have brought my markers and stamps to college, life would have been so much easier! I wish I had beautiful handwriting, I have a tendency to scrunch up my words together, sometimes barely even waiting to finish one word before moving on to the next.

During this time off, I day dreamed about what it would be like to throw the corporate world away and turn to my hands as well as my mind to make my living.
What was my conclusion?
I need a sugar Daddy. LOL
No seriously, I'm a modern woman here. I can take care of myself--but not yet by myself. I still need my day job, but I do believe I could make a decent living if I could focus the majority of my day on my artistic life. I might be a skinnier gal and have to take a few less trips to Starbucks--but hey, I'm about to have to make that choice anyway with the rising prices so what the heck. Well, what the heck is Insurance money. That's pretty much the only reason why I won't quit my day job truth be told.
Well until that day comes along, I'm satisfied to create on the side and have fun in my own little world. I'm hoping soon it's going to branch off into bigger things--time will tell!

In my last post, we ( meaning me) started a discussion about what you are doing to save money these days. Be sure to check back in the comments and read what others are doing--and please share yours if you missed the post!
Several of you mentioned using what you have, ENJOYING what you have whether it be the food you already do have or utilizing the (art) supplies you own before going out to the store to by more. That's a great tip. The picture above denotes pieces of scrap I use over and over again in my pieces to create texture and use as stencils. Nothing fancy and probably mostly things you have in your stash. I've been doing good at saving things that I think will work in my art. Almost too good. I've got a growing stash of 'texture' tools as well as papers that I can pull from at a moments notice. That's saving and recycling, right?
Although, I must admit, I did visit an Etsy shop recently of a new friend called Remember Yesterday and bought some cool vintage goodies to use in my collages. I received them today and the shop owner through in some goodies from her art store--Kathy's collages and assembleages are wonderfully crafted. You must visit!! Very reasonable I might mention (as we are trying to save $$)

See here--I'm working on my 'secret projects'(which are completed now), utilizing one of my used up gift cards! I've used the credit cards and gift cards before to spread on paint on my collages, but only recently started working with modeling paste and found that the cards are perfect for laying on this medium as well. Who needs an expensive palette knife??

I need to do a few touch up on these pieces before I list them, but they are pretty much completed. I had a coffee shop in town in mind when I made these, I even used their cups they use for inspiration. I doodled and journaled on the background using a brown charcoal pencil. That's the first time I used a brown charcoal pencil.

I love the distressed look it generates as I worked the yellows, creams, and oranges in to create the warm and funky background.

Makes me want to grab a cuppa Joe...something I drink entirely too much of. I do get a lot done every day thanks to my pal Joe.
In other good news, I prospected two more shops that I potentially can put my art in. One is going to be perfect for a couple of bigger pieces. The other, my friend Amy put in a good word for me to one of her friends that owns a shop and I am going to chat with her about potentially being a featured artist for August. It's all very exciting. I'm glad I've started to network and get to know other people and artists in my area. It's taking a big step for me because outside of work, I'm pretty much a loner....making friends and getting out in the world pretty much doesn't happen for me so it's definitely outside of my comfort zone. I'm fine once I get to know people, but generally I'm not the social butterfly that gets involved in a lot of things. Amy is helping me along with ideas on how to feature myself in galleries or shops, and I'm doing my best to encourage her to send her work off for publication, too.
I'm hoping this last 5 months of the year brings many good things to those of us who step outside of our comfort zone and just try...just try something new and brave and scary all at the same time. You never know where that road may lead. It leads no where if you don't at least attempt the journey. That's one thing for sure.

Until next time, be good--and be thinking of new ways to enjoy what we have and or save a little bread for Sunday dinner. :)

Some Things Change, Some Things Stay The Same

"Hometown Friends"
6 x 6 on deep edged stretched canvas

I almost hesitated on posting this little new piece as the colors didn't come out as vibrant in the photos as they are in real life. I did take them outside but perhaps the sun light was not in the best position for me to capture the true essence of this piece. I still have a lot to learn with photo taking. A lot. But I am getting better and I do realize the value of having great photos of your work when you are selling your wares, not to mention, I want to keep my archive of paintings for future uses of prints so I want the prints to look as closely like the originals as possible. Speaking of archives...I need to get my tail busy moving my pictures to cd before this computer blows up from all the abuse I've given her, loading her with picture after picture after picture!!

This weekend has been pretty laid back for me. 4th of July came and went with little fanfare. I opted not to go anywhere this year. Instead we ran errands in the morning, went grocery shopping for some grillin' goodies, came home and relaxed outside with the new Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine, DS played with the neighbor girls with the slip and slide, the went with his Dad to the fireworks (it seems to have become a routine that his Dad takes him to the fireworks each year....I guess it's a guy thing and the new wife doesn't like me taggin along so I stay home..lol), and then a friend of mine came over for some grillin out and some wine. All in all not a bad 4th, but I do miss the bigger get togethers my family used to have each year and then all of us walking down to the lake for the fireworks show.

After my friend Linda left at about 11, I settled in for bed but was rudely awoken about 1 am by furious knocking and the dog barking. I go to the front door and there's no one....but there is a taxi in my driveway??? huh??? The dog is still barking and so I go to the back door....and yep, it's What's His Face. Drunk. Just came from the "DANCE" Club. I say Dance loosely, or nudely rather. He wants to stay here AND for me to pay for the taxi because he is out of money!!! The taxi won't take him to where he lives because it's too far.
Did you hear me when I say he WANTED ME TO PAY for the taxi after he spent all HIS money at the club????

Oh my goodnesss...well since this is a family show, you don't want to know what came out of my mouth.
Needless to say, the night was not good. Yesterday morning wasn't good either since I had to end up paying for gas to take him home and I was ill from the night before, mad as all get out at the audacity of him to actually think I was going to pay for the f***ing taxi!! No Bleepity bleep bleep bleep Way!!!

The bright side to the story is that he is actually working and can pay to go to the club himself.
He is still begging me to take him back because he has done everything I wanted him to do. Got a job, got his own place, and not doing drugs anymore. That doesn't erase all the pain and suffering I had gone through though. Nights like the one described above is a scaled down night like it used to be alllll the blessed time. Ridiculous.
There is still the looming issue of the drinking that I can't get passed either. Not that I'm a prude and detest everyone that drinks. I enjoy a cocktail from time to time. I can't be around alcoholics though. Too many bad memories from my past relationships and other events in my life with alcoholics in other close people's lives. You never know when that switch is going to be flipped and the happy fun person is turned into a monster from hell.
It doesn't take much for that switch to be flipped.

I do have to say though, the bright side of this whole adventure is the amount of artwork that my experience has inspired me to create. It's that escape that I started with to get away from all the sadness, anxiety, and depression that I have turned into a gateway for my new passion. Not everything I create has come from this experience, but the the idea of painting and creating is rooted in that need to go to another place and escape in my mind.
Now it's become a way of life.
I believe it's time to move. Over 3 rooms in our house as well as just about every storage area and built in cabinet houses my artwork and supplies. I need a bigger place for the rest of us to live, but then again, I like to create out in the open, not in a separate room.
I can only imagine what someone would say if I did start dating again about all of my art supplies in the area that used to be my dining room. LOL I'm not sure they would understand the journey I've taken to get to where I am today and why it is that I do what I do.

Then again, I could always point them to my blog and just say read it.....you may just begin to understand me from my posts and artwork.
There's still a lot yet to discover yet. I'm just not so sure I'm ready yet to open up to anyone else to join this journey with me.
No, I'm prepared to walk alone for a while yet longer.

This last piece feature is called:

"Through the Window of His Eye" which is the 3rd in my Faith Collection. This one depicts the window to which I am looking at as I see myself and the approval I"m looking for, for using the new skills I've been honing. The gifts HE gave me. I'm hoping they are being put to good use in His eyes.

It has helped to save me and my sanity.
(((((UPDATE-I have mounted this now and it is currently available in my Etsy shop. Mounted on a 12 x 12 black and gold masonite board. It looks striking on this 'frame'!))))))
*****

Next post--my FANTaBuLouS swap package from Katie!!!!!! You won't believe all the wonderful goodies she had in store for me!!

In The Village

Newest Mini Collection:

"In The Village"

I'm definitely in my blue period lately. I'm not sure if I'm trying to reach out to you for help or shouting out loud that I love my blue paint! These 3 pieces are my latest in my on going collections of three mini canvases collections. Featured is my whimsical home town I so dearly love.

Has anyone moved away from where they grew up?

I moved 660 miles away from my hometown back in 1998. It seems like eternity. It seems like yesterday. I'm not sure I'll ever capture the same sense of belonging like I did back home. Home will always be where I grew up.

I wonder if my boys will feel that way one day when they grow up and move away (if they do move away...which I hope they don't, but I can't stop them if that's what they decide to do). That's what children do. Fly away and make new homes. New nests. Hopefully they will remember fondly the place they grew up.

It saddens me that I have lost touch with my child hood friends.
I guess that happens. People grow up and move on, move away and loose touch.

I do have some wonderful memories of my dear friends and all the fun we had during high school and college. I remember many difficult times, too. Times that as they were happening, I wondered if I'd make it another day. Those times, both good and bad shaped me into the person I am today-for better or worse, it's who I am.

This new town that I live in, is starting to feel a bit more like home but still--it's lacking many things that I had back in NY.

The biggest thing it's lacking in, is family. I do miss having my clan so close at hand. Being 600 or so miles away from those that you were born from and entangled with through blood, bond, memories and love--is more difficult than one might imagine. The beautiful thing is though that my memories are still very clear of my days,

"In The Village"

As I look out at the sunset, I remember fondly how there was once a beautiful glistening lake holding her hands out to the warm golden ball as she said good night to me each day. Some things, you never forget.

Beautiful One

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend!! For us, we decided and by we, I mean ME, to stay home rather than to travel this weekend. I definitely feel that before the gas prices go down, we have to take a stand and just point blank change our ways. It does put a damper on things as far as feeling like you are chained to your surroundings, but on the other hand, it may surprise you how many things there are to do close to home. Not to mention if you do have to spend some money on entertainment, why not spend it close to home in your own community rather than throwing your dollars elsewhere?

DS found entertainment with the neighbor girls with a slip and slide that we bought at Walmart for 7.94 cents. Not a bad expenditure. We also took in a movie ((saw Chronicles of Narnia)), ate some Chinese food, had a cook out at the house and pretty much chilled all weekend. Don't get me wrong, we will travel a bit this summer but we did opt not to go home to Mom in NY or to see Dad and sis in Florida this year--again we, meaning ME; but we will go to Myrtle Beach a couple of times as it's only 2 1/2 hours away and we get free lodging..lol; and perhaps another amusement park, but we definitely are revisiting our gas consumption and overall shopping habits. Definitely need to do more.

Good news is that I got a little promotion at work so I'll have more vacation time coming up to sit home with..LOL, and have decided to challenge myself by doing 52 pieces in 26 weeks.

This is the first completed work since I decided to set out the challenge. I am not going to include small works like my magnets or ACEO's, those will be icing on the cake. I'm talking medium to large pieces. If nothing else, I will get better at what I do :)

This dragonfly picture is called "Beautiful One". I believe dragonflies are messengers from beyond, and this one is coming to tell me that despite my insecurities and doubts, I'm beautiful from the inside out. Despite the different textures, and colors, it comes together very peacefully and evokes a spiritual sense with lots of hidden light emitting from all over the piece.

I'm embarking on a collection of some spirtual pieces. I think I need to narrow my focus into a few collections so I'm going to do items in the following themes: (((subject to change..lol))

1) Spirtual/Inspirational (2 pieces completed)

2) Whimsical (completed 9 pieces)

3) Altered Thoughts of Woman (already completed3 pieces)

4) Abstract Doodles ((I have some ideas on this one but yet have to complete anything in this category)

5) Nature (featuring florals, birds, trees)

How does that sound??

Well I better get busy, I still have a few things to finish up on-work is still crazy as well. Right now, I am managing two branches and mentoring 2 people (co mentoring one of the peeps actually), and handling the drama that goes with it all. It's going to be busy busy like this for me for a least another month as some new changes are on the rise on the work front. More details later :)

Things Are Looking Up!

New pieces completed:

"Things Are Looking Up"

Part1 The Egg

Part 2

Cracking Up

Part 3

Birdie

**I'm offering these separately but if purchased together, I will apply a 20% discount to the entire purchase**

I hope everyone's week was good. I had yesterday and today off, originally I took it off because I was hoping I might be able to go to
Art & Soul
but after debating about it, I think next year will be the year that I try to do something of that magnitude. I do know lots of people going between the NCMMG that I belong to, as well as my Sweet Goodness Swap Sister, Jane--so I can't wait to hear all of there stories and experiences!

Nope...instead, I'm preparing for a yard sale. Art & Soul, or Yard Sale. HMMM??? What was I thinking???? Seriously, it's more about the money than the choice about going, it does look like fun though.

Who knew preparing for a yard sale could be dangerous??? I found that out yesterday when I was taking about DS's bunk bed, well taking off his mattress. I pulled the mattress down and hit the ceiling light which promptly crashed down within inches of my head in big ole glass shards!! A piece did stab me in the shoulder but it was small thank goodness. I could just envision myself bleeding to death with this huge piece of glass attached to the top of my head. What a way to go. Like some crazy horror movie..lol. Then later on that evening when I was putting everything back together and vacuuming up my mess, I stepped on some glass, fell backward, knocked over a bookcase, fell back onto the vacuum, and clocked my head against the wall. My war wounds are plenty from this seemingly safe and easy (well not easy) task of cleaning out the boys room for a yard sale!

Thank goodness today is a new day and there are no major tasks for me to do for the yard sale. It's amazing how much better I feel already with about a truck and half load of stuff taken out of here. Makes me think about what I've been doing and how I've been doing it. I was going to yard sales and thrifting every single week without fail. And the house was getting fuller and fuller and fuller--until finally it was busting at the seams! I had an obsession to replace everything I had lost and THEN SOME. All for a dime on the dollar...lol. Things were getting out of control. This is a good thing now, and believe me, I could do more. There still is a lot I could scale back on and not really miss. I think this year I need to seriously consider what I need and how much I need before I go anywhere. Even before I go to Walgreens, Michael's..etc. Two of my most favorite shops on earth..lol :) I believe without so much, I'd be more open to new things and new ideas. Clutter and things really do cloud our minds and create disharmony in our worlds.
Things to think about.

Have a artfully great weekend!

A Nest of Her Own

Here is my latest artwork:

"A Nest of Her Own"

((((Description taken from my Etsy Shop))))

Created on wood about 1/4 inch thick. Original piece included in my Series of "Altered Thoughts of Women". 1st two pieces in the series are now sold--be the third to own one of my quiet inspiration pieces, which gives a voice to my growing self realization that I am worthy as a woman, deserving as person, and growing into my own skin now as an adult.

In this piece, I convey my desire to have "A Nest of My Own", not just a home of my own, but I long to live somewhere that I can plant my roots and truly belong. I have always loved botanicals and incorporating flowers in my paintings, as flowers give me hope. Representing the roots and beauty I so desire in my life. Have you ever felt this way?? Hopefully this original artwork will speak to you and you can give her a good home.

There is a ton of texture and detail embedded within this piece, as well as areas of metallic sheen achieved by dusting pearl ex powders over the layers---so much to discover!!

This artwork comes UNFRAMED. Sides are painted and back has been finished. Can be framed or set on an easel for easy portable (and affordable original art)!

Thank you everyone for the sweet comments on my new do. How come no one told me that one side is longer than the other?? LOL I need to go back this week and even myself out a bit. Unless, I walk around with my head tilted most of the time!

Hope everyone had an artfully great weekend!!

*****update: Also available in my etsy shop is REFLECTIONS IN THE SUN !! stop by and check it out!

Learning to Love--WIP

I bet everyone was thinking I truly took off with the singer from Rock N Roll band, didn't ya?? Nope. Hate to disappoint ya, just had a very busy work week it seems so not a whole lot of progress on the art front. I did manage to get some playtime in yesterday in between errand running, cleaning, and checking out the tornado warning yesterday to work on this piece I started back in January.

Here is the progression of my latest piece:
"Learning to Love"

12x12 canvas, layers of yellow, tan and pink. Texture is created with using a brayer and decorative wall paper. (((I cover my work surface with Freezer Paper---it's the bomb!!!)))

For this step,I've added some additional colors, paper cut outs, and sewing patterns, stamped with some found items (bottle caps, doilies, and more).

At this point in the painting you can start to see the garden growing and the picture to start to come to life. A lot more texture is added through more found stamps (bubble wrap, drywall tape, more stencils). I added the door to symbolize one stepping out of her comfort zone, opening the door to new things, new adventure, new experiences.

I used both graphite and charcoal pencils to draw on my girl and the flowers in the piece, as well to define different parts of the painting that just sort of happened. By this I mean, I started to find more flowers within the layers of paint and stamping when I really looked. I outlined my blooms that just sort of popped up from seemingly nowhere. On my lady, I gave her shirt texture by carefully stenciling with drywall tape. I used a glaze with the paint on her skirt so that the underlying textures and colors would still pop through.

Added cut text and distressed with brown paint.

I'm beginning to color in the garden and draw/paint the face. Completing the face is the most frightening thing for me to do. I'm terrified that I will trash the whole painting by making a face that doesn't look good at all.

And this is where we are at today.... a few more details still left to attend to then paint the sides and varnish the piece. For the final picture, I'm definitely going to have to take the photo outside as these are not reflecting the depth of color and texture although it is good enough to give you an idea an how this piece has progressed. What do you think so far??

*****

Swap news---Stay tuned to Sweet Goodness Swap blog---we are about to announce our next swap on March 24th!!!! Whooooo hoooooo. I'd like to give a hint---but my Goodness Girl pals-Rebecca, Heidi, and Leigh Anne might get mad.....oh heck, the girls will get over it. Besides, I think Rebecca gave notice a few days ago--heehee!! Okay--here goes, we are doing a new color swap--this time with not one, not two,but a three color theme!! And-and--theres a great theme behind the colors. I have a small very obscure hint hidden on my blog already.........can you guess what it is??

*******

Next post I'll show you the finished piece and do the last meme I was tagged for by my fellow Carolina Mixed Media pal, Nanette.

Have an artfully good Sunday!!

Almost Invisible WIP

WIP
Almost Invisible

I'm still experimenting this week. I so very much want to be able to paint and draw portraits well. This is going to be the year I learn to do just that, mark my words. This is still a work in progress, the background done yesterday then my lady today. She's Almost Invisible, like a shadow in the night with only the light of the moon showing just a few of her true colors. Can anyone see her? Can anyone hear her? She lurks behind the flowers damp with moonlit dew, sad for all that she is not, but hopeful for all that she may become. Watch as she grows.
Maybe taking a break was good for me. I am eager to see what I come up with next. I do believe that with focus, habits are created so hopefully one of the habits I have instilled in my every day is to do something, anything relating to my art. It can only get better from here :)

Thanks for stopping by and for all of your words of encouragement! I truly appreciate your thoughts and comments!