Goofing off

I have been away from my blog a bit. Truthfully, I have been "goofing off" in the studio. Playing with my art supplies, reorganizing and nesting. I believe in giving yourself permission to play and recharge. The photo is of a weird growth on one of our many oak trees. I am guessing is it some sort of house for a bug, it looks like eggs stuck in a tree and because of the color you can see them from a distance. This is how my mind wanders when I am in the goof off mode. I am storing up little inspirations, what ifs and wow that worked moments while enjoying the warm weather and smells of summer.

This is a face in my 3"x5" journal that sits on my worktable. I glue down random paper and make a little painting or collage at the end of the day with the leftovers. No stress to cover a large journal page and I think that makes these little experiments so fun. I feel productive even though I am goofing off!!! Hope you take some time to do the same...an hour, a day, just play.

Max - too much play!

Cycle of Nature

I just finished packing up all my paintings and display for Artwalk in San Diego this coming weekend - April 28-29th from 11am to 6pm. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends and relieved that I was able to get everything done. We leave tomorrow, just need to add the toothbrushes and of course, the dogs! The above painting was the last to be finished and took on all sorts of colors before the final version. I  love not knowing where I am going with a painting until, all of a sudden "I arrive." This painting is large 30"x30".
Here is a photo of one of the art dolls I created for the event. These were so much fun and gave me the chance to use up all the little bits I have been hoarding for a special project. Needless to say, I went to the local hardware store and bought more wood so I can make more of these when I get back. ..

Lastly, I made the deadline to finish my sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project Limited Edition Project . 

One of the spreads will be selected to be included in the Sketchbook Project Limited Edition Vol. 1. This will be a collaborative series of art books created by 5,000 artist participants from all over the world. I can't wait to see what comes from this project. Here are my final 2 spreads: 

This is the center spread. I used faces left over from my doll project for the page.

This is the last page. I wanted to keep it simple. This is a stencil I made from my favorite collage "face." I use a Copic Marker spray system for the paint. 

More pages from the Sketchbook Project

I just finished 2 more spreads....only 3 to go! I took an image for each spread and cut it into 2 pieces, one at the neck and the other I cut out the eyes. I then worked off each "piece". It is amazing how different the 2 spreads turned out.

2012 Sketchbook Project Limited Edition

I have been working on my second Sketchbook Project book this year. They provide you with a sketchbook and you art it up and send it back. It is an exercise for me in letting go. I am trying to enjoy the process and learning to let go of the final "product." The theme I chose is "Create and Capture." Not sure I am sticking to the theme, I guess I will see when it is finished. It is due at the end of April and I am forcing myself to do a spread every other day, so I am not racing at the end. I removed the pages of the original book and replaced them with Lenox 100 printmaking paper, so I could use water media. I did a matte medium resist technique with a watercolor wash and am working off the design that is left. This is what the pages look like when I start:

Medium Resist with Watercolor Wash

These are some spreads I finished today....only 5 more to go to finish!!

Flora Bowley Class at the Teahouse Studio

I spent 3 wonderful days with Flora Bowley at the Teahouse Studio in Berkeley, CA. last weekend. It was a great experience having the time to dive into painting without the usual distractions of home. I realized that I paint better when I am surrounded by folks in the process of creating also. There is an energy that is quite different that working alone in the studio. The Teahouse is a great place to take a class and I highly recommend it. We were treated to fresh, healthy food and all the tea and coffee we could drink. The above painting went through tons of different versions before it arrived in its present state. I did my best to dive into Flora's methods and keep my own painting style. It has helped me with the most difficult part of painting for me, I never know what to do with the backgrounds. My "folk" come easily, it is those darned backgrounds!! I have 4 more canvases in process, trying to get ready for Artwalk in San Diego April 28-29, 2012. 

Studio notes and Art is You - Petaluma

I will be teaching an evening class at Art-Is-You in Petaluma, California in September. You can check out the class info by clicking HERE. I will also have a vendor table for their Saturday night venue. This class combines paper, fabric and a little pencil magic. It was so much fun, I made a bunch of faces...I couldn't stop. The cool thing is that they can be made into a pin, sewn on a doll body or attached to a journal. I have a bag of them just waiting for a project. 

On the studio front, I have been taking an online class with Flora Bowley . Her process is wonderful and terrible all at the same time. It requires really letting go, which is an issue for me! I am struggling and will post some pics when I get through the next lesson. I am supposed to be getting ready for Artwalk in San Diego in April, but it is all good.....as my wise hubby says - "whatever you have done will be the right amount."

You may have noticed that I changed the name of my blog. I have spent some time looking at the paintings and collages I have been doing lately. It is always a good idea to take a look at what you are doing as a "body" of work and evaluate where you are and look for the direction you are going. I am always pushing myself in new directions and have noticed that my pieces are starting to have more of a story. I have always had difficulty describing my art and the "folk" who populate it. My "peeps" are definitely an unusual group with oddly distorted features, soulful eyes and quirky natures. Somehow it brought me to "Urban Folk-tales." A new direction!

Online Class with Misty Mawn

I have been doing an online class with Misty Mawn called Open Studio Workshop. It has been an inspiring journey. I have been a bit frustrated because I have been out of my studio for almost 3 weeks, so the only exercises I have been able to keep up with are the Journaling Prompts. I intend on revisiting all of the lessons once I get settled in. Here are some of my pages....

Expressive Self Portrait

I really loved the exercise called your life landscape. I just do not seem to be capable of doing a simple landscape. It does not seem complete without adding some little strange creature....

The most difficult exercise for me was to do a collage page with NO PAINT! I used every marker, crayon and pencil I owned, but love, love, love this spread. 

What Fuels Me? What Feeds My Soul?