Friday, March 28, 2008

Making Art

The first thing I want to share with you is personal. I know I said I was going to stop doing that, but this was also a part of art!

My dear husband decided he was going to make me an ART CAKE for my recent birthday. Now here is the thing...he doesn't really cook unless it involves a grill, and he has NEVER (yes, you have read that correct) baked anything! I thought...OMG, how in the world and what am I in for as far as a mess? But hey, the kindness was TREMENDOUS! So my son went upstairs to his room, my daughter and I went shopping and Steve started in the kitchen! When I returned home 3 beautiful layers of cake were cooling on the counter, the kitchen was spotless and (the best part) Steve was smiling! He insisted this had to be an ART CAKE, and I wasn't sure what he meant. This is it:

I think you will agree with me this was an incredibly sweet and kind gift. The cake was absolutely delicious, and Steve may have started something! By-the-way, "Mumphie" is what they call me around here, in case you wanted to know. I am pretty much only Mom when being spoken of to someone else.

The other thing today is not about cake baking or sweet families (although I could go on and on about the last subject). I haven't been in the studio all week...I know, I am ashamed, but wanted to confess. But I have been thinking about art a lot and doing a bit of sketching and doodling. Most of you know I travel a bit and often have a need to take along art supplies, etc. Today, I thought I would share a bit of that with you.
This is a bit of what I might carry along when going somewhere. The backpack, I gave myself. I have sketchbooks, inspiration books, ink, watercolor pencils and crayons, pens, brushes and a bit of water. The other thing I always have with me is my camera. I am always adding to and taking away from. I keep this downstairs, because sometimes I would rather be down here as opposed to being upstairs. From time to time, I will pull things from the studio to take a long if I will be away for any length of time.

But what about when I am just moving around this area...running errands, etc.? I keep a few things in my purse, too, which are always with me. Here is a sample of those bits and pieces.
I always have to have my little Moleskine. I carry like 3 of these books with me (sketch, address and calendar), a Rotoring sketch pen with extra ink, a set of Copic technical pens and my (new) iPod. The little knitted deal in the corner is what I use to stash the iPod so I can have my hands free (spent time knitting that this week...blah).

So tell me thing things you find helpful to carry with you and how you might find them useful. How do you carry them? What do you do for art when you are not in your studio?

Have a lovely weekend! Next week expect to see some studio work! :)

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim,
Thanks for your lovely comments :) I really enjoyed reading this post - Happy Birthday by the way!! :)
and I LOVE looking at what other people use for their artwork. That picture of all your art materials looks to me like sweeties in a sweet shop. :)

Andrea and Kim said...

Jess! You are very welcome and thank you for visiting me today!

I am glad you enjoyed this post. I feel the same way when I visit an art shop...just like a sweet shop! That is true. By-the-way, I wish we had some of those sweet shopes here in the US like you have there in the UK! Yummy! :)

Thank you for the birthday wishes!

Have a delightful weekend! I am looking forward to that portrait you are working on! :)

Unknown said...

I love the cake - what a sweet thing to do! Happy Birthday!

To answer your question about art "on the go", I am such a homebody that I am surrounded by all of my materials most of the time. But when I go on vacation, I usually end up buying a blank pad of paper and doodling with a black pen. (That sketch is amazing, by the way!).

Lynette said...

Aww Kim, what a wonderful thing your husband did, to bake you a cake for your bd! That is soo sweet! hehe what a cute nickname your family gave you too. You asked what we carry for art when we're out of the studio. Honestly, all I have is my 'eyes' and I'm looking at everything around me and taking snapshots and storing them in my memory for inspiration for my next painting. Sometimes I take a camera if I know there is going to be good scenery.

Andrea and Kim said...

Thank you, Jessica!

You and I are very much alike...I, too, am a huge homebody! I love being at home. But we do move a lot and travel a lot...then there are errands to run. Don't you hate having to wait in some office (like the doctor or for the car to be inspected) without anything to do? I can't stand that! So I carry these things with me so I always have something to work on!

I am glad you like the sketch. The sketchbook is a large one, so I can work on these kinds of sketches over time. It is great fun!

Thanks for visiting me, Jessica.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Lynette! Yeah! I have the greatest family...they are just perfect for me.

I can see where your camera would be one of your greatest tools when you are out. I love my camera, too...but sometimes I can't keep my hands still!

Thanks Lynette! You are the great observer!

Yellow said...

Hiya Kim, thanks for the comment on my blog about the trees. I've recently posted about the stuff I take with me when I'm out and about. I sewed a pencil roll out of a woven placemat I picked up in Ikea. The stripes on it acted as great guide lines when I sewed the compartments, and the thick weave hid the stitching. I added a strap round it recently so that I could tie it rolled up, so even if it fell on the floor while I was out it wouldn't unroll and spill my pens and pencils everywhere.
I love looking inside other people's art bags.

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Yellow! Those trees are really great!

And what a lovely idea to make the pencil roll from a placemat...Ikea has some lovely ones, that is for sure!

Thanks for visiting me here.

Katiejane said...

Kim, Great cake! A big HOORAA to your hubby. Happy Birdday to you.
To answer your question about filing inspiration, since I work in glass and make tangible art, when I go out it is usually to an art show or gallery showing. So, since taking photographs is usually frowned upon by other artists, I take a small sketchbook and a pencil. If I see something that I might want to put my own spin on, I quietly make a small sketch with words and arrows describing the item I saw. When I get home I twist this idea around in the workshop until it becomes mine.Usually the thing ends up looking nothing like the original that I saw, but the seed was planted and grew.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Kate! Thank you so much...funny how my husband now is more interested in reading this blog! LOL He will be pleased to read your note! :) Thank you for the birthday wishes!

Hey! So you are a sketchbook keeper! Perfect for a quick idea for a cartoon for your stained glass...very cool! It is like a design sketch/idea book! It is nice to be able to carry such a simple kit with you, too!

Thanks so much for making a comment here...I do appreciate it!

~Babs said...

Great cake & great nickname, Kim!

I have a large (old) canvas bag that is school bus (happy) yellow.
It holds paints, brushes, knives,and small watercolor papers,and a canvas or two, no larger that 8x10.It travels with me when it seems I might have a few minutes on the other end to paint. The last time, I forgot papers or canvas, so I used what was handy,,,,sheetrock.
PS: Great drawing!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hey Babs! I knew the whole cake thing would make you giggle! :)

Ohhh, now your canvas bag sounds just like the ticket...my kind of item! You can carry quite a bit in one of those bags, and it sounds like you sure do just that!

Now, sheetrock painting sounds interesting! How did it turn out? I wonder if you could get some interesting effects with the raw material and some fun stuff with the mud, too?

That kind of drawing is what I end up doing most of the time. I have some ideas running through my head, right now!

Thanks Babs!

Unknown said...

Kim, I love the cake! Your husband is very funny and gifted for the art-bakery, tell him that:) LOL this cake is a hoot!!!!! Lovely!
And about the things you carry along with you, for me it is pretty much the same things. For the everyday-life (which means metroing) I take a big Moleskine and two ink "technical" pens. If I go out in order to get some air in my head for new inspiration, I take the camera, too.
When I travel, I take several sketchbooks, watercolour paper in different sizez, watercolour and gouche and a pen case full of pens and crahons, a whole big rucksack full of artthings:), and a few books. With that, I feel fine. Clothes I keep to the minimum...
Don't worry about not having spent time in the studio, I'm sure this time will preciously show up in your future work,
Have a wonderful week
Andrea

david mcmahon said...

Happy birthday. What a great cake.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Andrea!

Oh he will love hearing your words...I can't tell you how proud he is of himself for this one! I will give him your message!

So it sounds like you and I do carry along some similar items. Tee Hee...few clothes and lots of art supplies...now that sounds familiar!

I did spend most of the weekend in the studio, so I will have somethings to show you soon! It have to say it was a lovely time.

Thanks Andrea!

Andrea and Kim said...

David, thank you so much. I think the cake was great, but I am taking on a skewed view of that issue :)

Thanks David!

Unknown said...

Kim I forgot to say that I love the mark-drawing! So textile, and contemporary! Great marks,
love
Andrea

sukipoet said...

Lovely cake and cool husband. Interesting to see what you carry with you. I have that same rotring pen but was disappointed that the ink wasn't waterproof.

you are invited to enter a contest on my blog to win a box of maple sugar candy. See blog for details.

Andrea and Kim said...

Thank you Andrea! That means a TON from the "Mistress of the Mark"! I will speak to you a bit more about this...

Thanks so much!

Andrea and Kim said...

Suki!

You sure do know how to tempt me, my dear! I am a real sucker for maple sugar, I have to say! I will clearly be visiting you to be sure! :)

You know that pen is quite lovely to work with and I, too, was disappointed with the ink. And the shop also sold me additional water-soluble ink. I am on the look out, though for some water-proof india ink for this pen...I just love the way it feels in my hand, so I can't stop using it. If I find what I am looking for, I will let you know right away!

Thanks for commenting here and also thank you so much for the heads up on the maple sugar candy contest!

Mary Richmond said...

i'll add my happy birthday to you! i am looking at 54 myself this year so you're still just a young'un ;-) and i don't know why i love to see artist's pictures of their supplies and travel kits but i do!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hello Mary! Thank you so very much for the birthday wishes. Now I would have never in a million years guessed that photo of that very young woman on your blog was more than 40! You shock me truly!

I am glad you enjoyed the peek inside my backpack of treasures!

Have a Lovely Day!

San said...

Wow, your husband is a keeper! What a fabulous cake for Mumphie. :-)

Thanks for this glimpse inside your backpack. You are better organized than I. Most people are.

Jinny Holt said...

Not been blogging too long and like my arts and crafts have found them to be very addictive hehehe
I have really enjoyed reading your blog-thanks for sharing and that cake look scrummy
best wishes
Jinny
www.jinnysartsandcrafts.blogspot.com

Andrea and Kim said...

San, I am not all that organized, really. My entire family (an engineer, a writer and a historian) always shake their heads in disbelief when they see me work through things or try to "organize". They keep threatening to get me one of those home organizer people...but that is NOT going to happen! No way could I deal with someone arriving here trying to tell me how I had to live my life!

The thing with the art supplies is I can't stand to just wait for anything and if I am gone for any length of time I start to miss them. Al La...this backpack!

Steve is going to love hearing what you said...he is really into all of this stroking. LOL

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Jinny! I am so glad you commented here! It is always great to know of the lurkers...very exciting.

I have to agree with you about blogging being rather addictive. I hope you have found the community to be as warm and friendly as I have. I feel this is a lovely group of people here.

I am about to hop over and visit you now...see what you are all about!

Welcome and do just jump right into the conversation here.

Thanks!

fiona long said...

Hi Kim,

I'm back! I love the cake! How wonderful!

I like to carry things around with me too and can feel a lttle lost without them. I always carry those self propelling type pencils and a little sketchbook (like a moleskine) so that whenever an idea strikes, I can write it down. I can forget things otherwise and some of them are gems. I love reading through this book from time to time. It's an important part of my creative process.

I also carry a camera all the time. I can snap away at whatever my latest obsession is, as and when I find it (at the moment it's holes and openings). I also like to take lots of process shots as I create something. It's a good record but I also find it an important self teaching tool. I can look back and reflect on whether I overworked something or could have pushed it further.

If I go away overnight, I try to remember my dream diary sketchbook too.

It's so interesting to see these parts of your creative process Kim! Very brave of you to display the inside of your handbag to us too! ;-)

Andrea and Kim said...

Well, Fiona...at my age, it isn't so brave! When you have children, it is as though you are on exhibition at all times! Tee Hee!

Oh yes...notebooks and things to write with are a must...I totally agree! I really must do the dream diary thing. I try to keep a meditation diary, so that is similar.

Agree...the camera is a must! Openings and holes...I can't wait to see what comes of that!

I am SO VERY GLAD YOU ARE BACK, MY FRIEND! I have missed you!