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Recently, Babs has shared on her blog that she did some reorganizing of her studio to try to get back her muse (and this is a woman who once fell off the earth). She found one real treasure as you can see when you visit her, but I suspect she is holding out on us. Then Fiona Long said to me, yesterday, she was eager to see some more of my paintings (a nice thing to hear from an artist who says she is an exhibitionist). I responded I was eager to see some more of my paintings, too.
So I decided these wonderful women artists had an idea to be explored, so I started digging in my very messy studio. I pulled out some old stuff and began to realize I had some items which might provide a bit of inspiration for me. I took tons of photos...have you ever noticed how you can see some old stuff differently when you see an image of it? Sometimes I will even wonder who did that! :)
Now these are nothing to even write home about, but it is all a part of the process of creativity and making art. And you know what? I am getting that old feeling back!
These two "drawings" were old, old pieces. I covered the surface of the paper with graphite...just turned it on the side (it was a rectangular shape) and covered the paper with it. Then, I took a white eraser and drew an image by removing the graphite.
In both cases, I then went back over it with charcoal adding the deeper black. It was fun and reminded me how important it is to sometimes return to some basic techniques. And to not worry what things look like all the time.
At one point, I began to have some fun with watercolors. I would just lay it down on wet watercolor paper and let it have it's way. Once it dried, I would use a technical pen to do the simple line drawing. I have several of these which are interesting...and they always pushed me into some words to contemplate. That is very unlike me, but it happened during this time.
And one time I even tried to play with watercolor pencils on too large a piece. This was fun and I really lost interest half way through doing it.
The thing is, though, this was one of those transitional pieces...moving from highly structured drawings to more loose work. I am sure it might be difficult to understand the struggle I had during this time from highly controlled to down right freedom. But like many struggles, emerging on the other side of it has been FANTABULOUS!
So do you feel inspired by reviewing your own work? Does it hit you instantly or is that inspiration gradual? I know I am often inspired by seeing your work...old or new! But today, I have felt something new stirring in me. I will let you know how it all turns out!
Each day, each of you never fail to inspire me with your own blogs and your own words!
Thank You!
As most of you know I am currently working on two series (a loose description for what I do, actually), The Contemplation Series and The Music Series. No, I am not going to show you photos of paintings again, today...promise! But I normally paint with music playing in my studio even if I am not working on the Music Series. It is very relaxing and it also gives the rest of the house the message I am working in there! :)
The little iPod was a birthday gift to me this year. I love it...and normally things like that do not hold a ton of interest for me (for example, I don't have a Blackberry nor do I wish for one). But this little rectangle is great. In the studio I unplug the earphones and plug it into little speakers. When that music is going I relax and sometimes I even dance...and I get lost in there creating my own little world...you know what? The brush and paint really love the music, too. I can tell because they begin to dance together sometimes. :)
Do you listen to music when you work? If so, what plays in your ear? Who do you listen to?
Me? What you want to know who I listen to? Oh, I have lots of musicians I like...Josh Groban, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Five for Fighting, Savage Garden, Supertramp, The Moody Blues, Neil Finn and even the likes of Rod Stewart. There are many more, but this gives you a general idea. If it isn't old, I usually hear about "music you will like, Mom", from my children...those precious ones!
Okay, so this weekend I did spend some time in the studio...some time! While I did not complete anything, I did play some and feel ready to get myself more seriously moving forward.
So I had this old frame I had purchased from Ikea a few years ago. It had glass in it and I had an old pastel framed. The glass broke while the piece was in storage recently, so the frame and backing was just hanging out in my studio, so I took the backing and glued some of my painted rice paper onto it. I added some more paint around the edges. Then I dry brushed the whole thing with silver. This is what it looked like at that point:
So then what? Well, I had this other piece, I had shown you before, I had painted on rice paper. Do you remember it? Maybe I could use that with this bit above as the base. Mmmm, I am not sure. What do you think?
It is kind of difficult to imagine this way, here let me give you a better idea.
Well, I don't know. Maybe. I really have not decided about this. I like the backing a lot and this would cover a little more than I wanted, however I also see how floating this just above the base surface might be very interesting and bring out the base. For now, I am going to live with this one a bit longer. It has been fun to just think about some form of paint again...even if it really isn't art.
But the other thing I did was to paint some glaze layers on this canvas. Do you remember I showed it to you before here. This is what the glazes have done:
With this, my challenge is to paint in landscape format. I always paint in portrait. When I first started this, I thought it would be the next one in my Music Series, but I feel now it is going to be part of the Contemplation Series. I really, really want to keep this simple, so we will see.
So do you ever get this way? Where just painting is what you need to do? I have known I wanted to get back to painting, but am not feeling the confidence right now to bring this to completion. I want to, but I think I have to do a bit of work on my head, right now! This time away...not even really thinking about art...has done me in. ARGH! I think I really do have to spend some time doodling and sketching when I am away from my studio.
What are your thoughts? Do you have advice on this subject of getting your muse back? And any thoughts or advice on these painting bases?
At least we are talking art again here!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Well, after trying to edit yesterday's post about 6 times, I have given up...I can't even return it to normal! I am sorry you have to contend with this, but the control is now out of my hands! It is very annoying! ARGH! I might try again. later though!
Is this why I do not normally post on the weekend? Nah....
Seriously, my apologies for the ugliness of the font on yesterday's post.
I promise Monday will be back to just the large font and large photos!
Have a Good Weekend!
Today I am just going to share some more inspiration shots as well as the other five Excellent Blogger Awards.
This is just some paint on a page of my sketchbook - nothing more.
You know there are so many Excellent Blogs I read each day. Yes, most of them are Art Blogs, but I also read other blogs for inspiration. Being able to narrow down the Excellent bloggers to 10 has been brutal. I really wanted to say everyone on my blog link list and these 10 others! But a part of the responsibility of the award was selecting 10.
This is a collection of tiny pots and a raku heart rattle. These sit on a desk in my living room.
Here is the last 5 for the Excellent Blogger Award:
Lynette Clay who I had a conversation here with last week. She writes the blog Original Art by Lynette Clay and always has a kind word for every blog she reads.
Jessica Torrant who writes Art and Life as well as Look See Saw. I am always amazed at artists who can document while they are working. For me, it is like an open studio...how do people do that?
Wurzerl writes a gardening blog, Garten - Impressionen, in both German and English. Her photographs are fabulous, her encouragement is awesome and her kindness is consistent. At the moment she is on a bit of a sabbatical, but visit her blog's back posts. They are wonderful.
Belinda Shinshillas writes a blog of the same name. She is a fabulous painter and poet, and she writes her blog in both English and Spanish. Do visit her blog and continue on to her web site.
And for some beautiful art, visit Danielle Le Bris' blog, D. M. Le Bris. Her art is clearly her blog! You will enjoy the tiny paintings she shares there.
I think you will enjoy each of these blogs, so please go and enjoy! They are truly wonderful people.
Now this is a little part of my inspiration board. Yup! Those are wine corks! The post cards I purchased in Vienna...they are lovely, so click to take a closer look. As you can see, there are just little bits and pieces here.
So there you have it for today. I am kind of like Lynnette these days...she said she was trying to get her muse back and get herself back in the studio. I think my muse may have been visiting me in the night since I have been awake since 3 this morning. She is probably poking at me to get back into the studio. I always have a bit of a struggle to get going when I have been away. Do you have that problem? When you are away from the studio for some time, getting stuck back in is somewhat of an issue? I may be shaking myself free today, though! Let's cross our fingers!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Today I am running a test and sharing some of the inspiration nature is providing in my yard this spring. 
Some people would call this a weed. I call it sweet and a great color inspiration, too.
Yesterday, I asked if anyone had any suggestions for me to improve this blog. Everyone was so nice about that, and I even had a suggestion to reconsider the black background. Well, I am a rebel, but I have told Chewy ,who commented about this, I would ask other people for their suggestions. Please go to the comments on yesterday's post and read what we have talked about there. I do not want to even try to express it to you in my words. If you don't want to comment here, but would like to give me your opinion, send me an email (find it in the column to the right).
I just love to see the new growth on the trees in our back yard here. Do you remember these with all the snow a few months ago?
These azaleas are just beginning to bloom out now. They must have been planted by the original owners. I bet they were really small when they planted them.
As you can, hopefully, see I have posted larger photographs today and also increased the size of the font. Does this make a difference on the black background for any of you who have issues with it?
Do you remember this dogwood tree when the owl was found sitting on the branch? I shared it on a post in early December.
Here is a close-up of one of the dogwood tree branches. These are the most interesting flowers to watch as they change color throughout the spring.
I hope you can also find some inspiration in some of these spring photographs from my yard. I always find it interesting to see photographs from other areas which are so inspirational for me. Travel, as you know, is one of my huge inspirations, so this is a way to see another place through my eyes...sorry Lynette, I am sure this isn't all that great for you!
Let me know your thoughts on the larger font and photos.
These two "drawings" were old, old pieces. I covered the surface of the paper with graphite...just turned it on the side (it was a rectangular shape) and covered the paper with it. Then, I took a white eraser and drew an image by removing the graphite.
In both cases, I then went back over it with charcoal adding the deeper black. It was fun and reminded me how important it is to sometimes return to some basic techniques. And to not worry what things look like all the time.
At one point, I began to have some fun with watercolors. I would just lay it down on wet watercolor paper and let it have it's way. Once it dried, I would use a technical pen to do the simple line drawing. I have several of these which are interesting...and they always pushed me into some words to contemplate. That is very unlike me, but it happened during this time.
The thing is, though, this was one of those transitional pieces...moving from highly structured drawings to more loose work. I am sure it might be difficult to understand the struggle I had during this time from highly controlled to down right freedom. But like many struggles, emerging on the other side of it has been FANTABULOUS!
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