End of the Year

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

May you experience all the joys of the season.

I will return in 2008!

A Winter Wonderland

Okay! So I just couldn't resist sharing these I snapped off this morning. We did get more snow than the forcast indicated for the Washington, DC area! But, oh! What a beautiful sight to wake to. The photo in the upper right tells quite a story, I think...look at all the leaves on the oak tree! What a lovely, early snow. A true winter wonderland! And a great inspiration. Thanks for visiting.

First Snow

I am still trying to get to my studio to paint, but my son's applications are still commanding a lot of time. We really want these things out of our hair before next weekend, too. The information some of the schools ask for is amazing. I know some schools just want you to fill out some forms, but the schools he is interested are asking for lots and lots of stuff. Anyway, it is all for a very good cause. Once the holidays are over, I hope to get back to my studio and get some serious art work done.

Today is the fist snow of the season here. It is very beautiful and puts me in the holiday mood. I feel so lucky to be able to enjoy this special gift nature provides from inside my house. Jonathan and I are busily working on our computers in front of the fire, today.

With all that is going on, I know my postings here will be fewer and fewer as the end of the month draws near. So, in the meantime, enjoy all the season has to bring.

Unfolding

This weekend, Steve (my husband) and I went to his company's holiday party. It was a lovely time, and we actually stayed at the hotel rather than head out into the early hours of Sunday morning. When we returned home late Sunday morning, we found this new friend sitting on a branch of a dogwood tree in our front yard! Jonathan grabbed the camera and took a few shots. For me, s/he was so content and happy just to hang out there a bit to see if it was the place to be. This owl is a good artist, don't you think? S/he was willing to take the risk of resting on a low branch of the tree, happy just to see what was happening around her/him and allowing the next door to open where it might. Sometimes I feel as though I am not a productive artist if I don't spend "X" number of hours in the studio, but maybe I am like this owl...I am doing art as long as I am living my creative life, and all I do has an impact on what I do when I finally make it into my studio.

Friends and Inspiration

Yesterday Flo replied to the "Between Holidays" posting. I had said I really liked working large, but found it difficult right now getting stuck into those large works. Flo remarked working small may help as it also didn't require as much energy (which is helpful during very busy times). In this photo, you can see a few of my doodlings with smaller bits and pieces...maybe Flo is right, I should be more serious about those. Visit Flo's web site at: http://www.florenceartur.com/en/

She has some beautiful work there.

Additionally, Jafabrit commented on yesterday's posting about how awesome mother nature is. She said she had no need to reproduce nature in her art, because she felt as though it was awe inspiring just as it was. I thought that was a fabulous way to see abstract work. I clearly paint from the emotions I feel from my inspirations. Visit Jafabrit's blog at: http://www.jafabrit.blogspot.com/ I am sure you will see what she means.

Oh Yes, Babs left a lovely comment on yesterday's post, too. On her blog at http://wilsonart-babs.blogspot.com/, Babs has a painting of Penelope. Penelope has made quite a stir on the Wet Canvas web site. If you visit her, I think you will see why.

If you look closely at some of the bits and pieces on my work table, you might see the work show up one day as an image all to itself. So, for now, I am thinking smaller. Although, I will not be giving up my large paintings any time soon.

Have a Wonderful Weekend.

More Inspiration

My family enjoys traveling to the Northwest corner of Montana with some regularity. While there are many things which draw us there, the colors are very close to the top of the list. As artists have known forever, nature knows what she is doing.

In this area of Many Glacier, Glacier National Park, Montana the reds and greens of the rocks have become an inspiration for me when I am drawn to particular hues. But it is not only the rocks, but the glacial lakes, and one cannot forget the sky! The beautiful clear skies of the summer are an inpiration in themselves.

In the photograph on the right you can see some of the colors which draw me in. In the photo on the left, you can see a close-up and clearer image of the red rock which is seen on the side of the mountain in the long view photograph. The other interesting thing about this particular rock is the hue actually beomes quite purple when it is wet!

Inspired by Materials

I am inspired by many things, but one place I can go to always be inspired is the local art supply shop or even the online shop. The supports, the colors, the mediums and even the art furniture make my head spin.

This photo of a WIP shows the use of lots of items. Clearly there is black acrylic paint, but this paint has been painted over rice paper in some places, then torn away. Oil pastels show up in the form of "pink" matter. And the sparkly, textured surface is pumice which has been "stained" with acrylic paint. If you look closely along the edge, there is also a line of yellow oil pastel which is kind of dug into the pumice. This little corner is heavy with layers of materials.

This painting has never been completed, but just working with these materials has inspired other works. So when I feel uninspired, I will either head off to the art shop or head for my computer. As has been said before...inspiration is all around us.

Between Holidays

Confusion
24" x 36"
Mixed Media

Available

After 25 people here for Thanksgiving and getting Elizabeth back to Los Angeles, this week will feel like a breeze. Oops! Wait! No! I need to work on those transcripts and other documentation for Jonathan's college applications. Oh well, so much for getting back into the studio any time soon.

But with this block of busy time, I have been thinking about how to incorporate some bits and pieces into my days. I have tended to paint large pieces, but maybe it is time for me to consider the aspect of small work to work on during excessively busy times of my life. Maybe even some works on paper. Possibly picking up pastels again would be a positive move, too. That way I could pick them up quickly and also tote them along easier. The most difficult part for me is I like to use my whole arm and not just my hand when I paint. But I need something and this opportunity is presenting itself. I must have a need to go in that direction. I need to follow the instinct.

The title of this painting has nothing to do with my current state of mind. I try to remind myself that life is really great, but sometimes moving through the confusion gets messy.

Cracked Earth

24" x 36"

Acrylic on Canvas

Available

This is a painting I did after terrible earthquake in the middle east. I was so astonished to see the people living in beautiful parks under lovely, brightly colored cloths since the earth had broken open not allowing them to be able to live in their homes.

This painting represents the beauty on the surface of the earth while below the surface there was sliding places and large cracks which was creating unstablitly for those living on the surface. Since I have never experienced an earthquake (although I have experienced several other natural disasters), I do not feel as though I can say I understand what people in this region were feeling. This painting, though, represents the image that disaster pushed into my subconsicous. I am grateful these people are now back in their homes.

In the United States this week, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Our celebration of the harvest season always gives me an extra time to pause and reflect on all of the areas of my life where I feel so much gratitude. This year, I am additionally grateful for all of you making the effort to stop by here to see what I am up to.

So with a bit of a pause in my blogging this week, I wish you all a Very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving.

A Busy Friday

Today is a busy day around here. Elizabeth (my daughter who is in grad school) will be arriving from Los Angeles this evening. We are really excited to see her. Thanksgiving is next week, so there is a lot to do since loads of family will be here. Jonathan is busily working away on essays for college applications, too.

I thought you might like a quick look at one of the many crazy areas of my studio. This is where I contemplate things, work on small pieces, doodle and all kinds of things like that. Organized...only in my own mind.

Have a Wonderful Weekend.

One More Thing

Yesterday, I forgot to tell you that Lesley McIver's web site is www.glitz.co.nz She is also the link, Glitz Art Glass, in the link list. Do give her a visit. You will be glad you did.

Thankful for a Cold and Rainy Day

I woke up this morning to cold and rain. Oh yes, there is wind tossed in there as well. But Jonathan and I are snug and warm here each with our computers on our laps working away. Hopefully, later today the computer comes off my lap and I can get up into the studio to do a bit of work.

Cold, rainy and windy days can be comforting from time to time, however. I find it makes me get a lot more done than days which call me to be outdoors or to do other things. I suppose all in all, like life, it is a matter of balance. After a hot and humid summer, I am also grateful for the cold and look forward to the snow. Of course, I do not have to go out and get myself to an office away from home, either.

So I am off to get some things done inside today and start getting things in place for a lovely Thanksgiving. I am feeling very grateful, and I hope you are as well.

Layers of Color

Horizon 2 (also titled Looking into France)

24" x 36" Deep, Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Mixed Media

Sold




Yesterday my friend Lesley McIver posted a comment about using color in her glass art. She sometimes feels limited in color choices since the glass is pigmented when she purchases the raw materials. I wondered if layering the colors would make a difference in how the hues were perceived.

In this painting, there is a great deal of layering with the pigments. Some you can see and others are more subtle. But the point it layering the transparent pigments gives a greater depth than can not be achieved by just mixing various hues.

Anyway, Lesley has me thinking about this...so I better get in the studio and see what comes of it.

Please do visit Lesley's web site to see her beautiful art jewelry. Christmas is just around the corner and her work makes the greatest gifts.

Color

Horizon 4


30" x 40" deep, gallery wrapped canvas
Mixed Media






Available







Like most children, I learned about color with a box of crayons. You know that box of 64 was one of the best gifts a kid could receive in my opinion. The thing is, my color learning stopped right there with that box of sixty-fours until I was a college student studying interior design. I adored color and found myself having strong opinions on the subject. From a design (interiors, graphic, industrial, architectural, etc.) standpoint, color can become a huge player in ones work. It is what most people identify with.

Then, along came computers with an additional needed understanding of color. But wait a minute we already know about this color and light thing. We have to understand the effect of light on color, so all of the computer color stuff stands to reason. But it wasn't until I could honestly manipulate color myself with pigments did the full impact of this valuable tool hit me. With color, I feel as though I can make so many things happen.

Now, for me, it is all about control. When you pull together an interior space, you typically are using colors which are controlled by other people and nature. You might choose fabric from one designer and furniture finishes from another. Then nature tosses in her two cents and the designer needs to make it all work together. This is a great challenge and a very rewarding part of the design process. But it is the artist, who can control color with just the slightest manipulation, who can pull these colors all together with the touch of a particular formula of pigment. Yes, it is even the artists in the designer who does contends with color in the design.

Don't get me wrong, it takes so much more than color to make a work of art or a design become cohesive. But color is a very strong element which draws so many people into a work.

You can probably tell, in this Horizon series, I have spent a lot of time exploring what effects colors have on each other as well as what effects light has on color. There is so much more to explore...

Just A Feeling

I recently completed reading the book Blink:The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell. (You can read about it here: http://www.amazon.com/Blink-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316010669/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0453273-1672743?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194884191&sr=1-1 )

The book basically talks about the power of gut reactions and when to know when to trust them. We have all had that experience, I am sure. Creative people seem to depend on them as they move through their days. But in our society of "testing" out everything, most people forget the power they hold. It seems to me the reason people want to read artists statements is because they want to understand the tested way the artist works. I, for one, have to begin painting before I can understand what I am supposed to be creating. My instinct leads my hands rather than my mind. I like to call it painting from my heart.

Knowing when to trust my painting instinct is all about trusting myself. However, trusting my instincts in other areas is a bit different. What Gladwell says is we all have these instincts and knowing when to trust them is often a matter of having a knowledge base about the subject.

I do highly recommend the book, if you have an interest in this subject. The book is well worth reading for the supportive stories alone. They will really help you understand more clearly some of the reasons things happen in life.

I have just started another book, The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life by Piero Ferrucci, which looks like it will be another one I mention in a later post.

Readjustments

Horizon 9

24" x 36"

Mixed Media

Available

.

After a ten hour drive through some bad weather and traffic, we returned home after a good, productive week in New England. I am ready to get back to the studio, and hopefully I can make that time soon.

I have several paintings going, right now. The one I am showing you here is also from my current series.

As you can tell, water and light play an important part in this series.

Once I get myself back to "normal"...okay, so not honestly normal...I will be able to compose more text. Until then, this will have to do.

New England

Ah!

New England in the autumn. While it is well past "leaf season", it is still
beautiful up here. I am traveling with my son as he is looking at some
universities. We have enjoyed a lovely road trip, sans the highway gridlock
on Sunday! Yes, two and a half hours of never getting out of second gear on
my little car!

I have to say it is amazing to watch this process with my son. While it is
stressful for him, I can say his intuition is working beautifully. As a
creative adult, it is good to see someone who doesn't force issues and
spends time contemplating what is important for him.

So while I have not been in the studio this week, I have clearly been
inspired by the beauty of this area as well as the process of decision
making.

What inspires you?

Horizon 1

Horizon 1
30" x 40" Deep, Gallery Wrapped Canvas
Mixed Media

Available

The Horizon Series began when we moved to England in 2005. As it was the first time I had ever lived on an island, I was curious as to what lay beyond the horizons. In addition, I loved the light in that part of the world. The colors seemed to come alive there. It didn't matter if it was sunny or cloudy, the colors exploded all around me.

We lived in The New Forest in Hampshire where ponies and Highland cattle roamed freely. There hedgerows still defined and protected property. Cottages and small English Villages dotted the area. And people took their time as they moved through the days. All of that was very, very different from the Washington, DC Metro Area from where I had moved and have since returned. Maybe it is this difference which sparked these new sensations and wonderings. Southern England was (and I am sure still is) a lovely, lovey place to experience life.

For me, travel and moving does a lot to spur on my creativity.

Back to Blogging

Of course it has been forever since I have blogged. It is sad, really. Like most artists, I prefer to be in the studio. The thing is I want to blog. I like to write. So I am back. Hopefully, I can keep this up better.

Recently I have been considering the placement of some of my current series in a gallery. So I thought I would post an image here to let you see some of what I am doing.

This particular painting is from my Horizon Series - Horizon 3. It is a 30" x 40" deep, gallery wrapped canvas done in acrylics and oil sticks.

It is for sale. If you are interested in this work, email me. If you have any comments, please leave them.

Dealing with Life...

Sometimes, it is only feelings which create a painting. Three Hundred Sixty-Five days ago, my dear friend, Ruth, lost her battle with breast cancer. When I arrived back in my studio...I had been away for several weeks...this is what came out of me. I literally didn't know what had happened until I stepped back from the canvas to see what I had done. While it is still difficult for me to look at this painting, it is one that needed to come out.

Since Ruth's death, I have found that getting into my studio helps me to move through these very difficult times. While there is little more I can say, I can show you the painting. Do you ever have moments like this? I know Ruth taught me so much while she was here, but she continues to teach me about life. Sounds like things people say all the time, but it is so true. It is easier to understand once you can stand back from the issue.

Work in Progress

Last week I talked about how taking photographs to remember certain things which are interesting and maybe one day be able to use that for an inspiration. I posted the photograph of the apple tree on my parents farm. It is an old tree which really has two messages...one of giving up and one of being ready to go!

Today, I am going to share with you what I have been working this week. It is not complete, but I thought you would be interested in the direction the photograph took me! Very different, but also very much inspired by that particular photograph.

Do you have these kinds of inspirations?

Part of the Beginning

A few afternoons this week, I was able to get into my studio and work on a couple of projects there. In the last post, I talked a little bit about what is inspirational. I use my digital SLR a lot to capture bits and pieces of what calls out to me. I do not tend to be a people photographer, but sometimes parts of people hold an interest for me...my people photos are really snap and shoots. Anyway, back to the inspiration...with the canvas I am currently working on, this image of an old apple tree on my parents' Virginia farm prodded me along. While the final result will not look anything like the photograph (thank goodness), it is what inspired what I am currently working on. So stay tuned to the end result.

Do you ever find a photograph and being to wonder about the parts and what they really have to say? I think this old tree has a story to tell. Do you?

Do you find inspiration in all kinds of places? I know I am so very inspired by natural things and many people are. I am also find inspiration in other places as well. I carry my camera around a lot and take photos that many people would not take. For example, food photos can show some of the most amazing textures. Are you inspired by retail? I know I often get bursts of inspiration when I spend a bit of time exploring art supply shops or farmer's markets. Beautiful shop displays can tons of fun and very inspirational. I also find that store fronts and street scenes can get me going.

This is a photo of The Tea House in London. It is the greatest little shop on the inside. You can probably imagine all of the tea leaves, the tea pots and cups, the tea tins and all of the tea making necessities you might find inside this shop. But the exterior is tremendous fun and draws you in to enjoy the inside. In this photograph, take a close look at the light, the textures, the shapes, the lines and the colors of this photo. Do you feel inspired to create? I know I have a few things cooking in my head.

She's Back

Finally after months of trying to get settled after this move, I am working towards some reasonable form of life. I have found this transition from Europe to the US a difficult one. I never thought returning to my home country would be so difficult, but I am missing the people of England so much. I am slowly settling into our home here and very slowly getting the house into a place we can call home. Surprise of surprises, I was even able to make it into the studio recently. True enough, I only prepared some canvases, but I was in there enjoying myself.

During this transition, I have been thinking about how I am going to have to go back to some of my previous techniques for keeping my life sane and for keeping my creativity flowing. For me, that is a balance of things. I know my yoga is an important part and I have been doing that several times a week for a while now. I also find interacting with my young adult children keeps me fresh and ready to go. But one of the old techniques that worked so well for me before that I have just re-discovered is journaling.

Now journaling means a lot of things to a lot of people. I think it means what helps you process your ideas and thoughts. It helps with organization of perceptions and feelings. This happens in different ways for different people. Some people like to just write, some like to doodle, some use photography and others use a variety of techniques. Like me, there are people who do or have kept multiple journals at the same time. I know this will be effective for me again as I try to keep up with this new life.

I had let some of my coping techniques go when we were in England, because my day to day life there was like a journal. I wanted to soak it all up in a different way. It was great for me then, but now I do have to get back to what worked for me before. I think it will work again to keep me clear and open to all the possibilities my life has to offer.

What keeps you going? What is a part of your life that remains important to keep your creativity alive and processing? There are many factors which need to come together for me, is this true for you, too?

Listening to Myself

It seems as though I am always needing to learn lessons. With this move (about a 6 month process) I have had to learn how important it is for me to maintain my health and keep in front of me what that means and how I need to do that. I need to be able to successfully handle the issues which arise and keep myself healthy no matter what pressures are placed on my shoulders.

Yes, I have gotten ill after a week of trying to help my family settled into our new home and move forward with their lives, as well. In doing that, I totally forgot to take care of myself. As with my old habit, I put myself at the end of the 'to-do-list'. Everyone seems to need things from me, moving back near family also requires me to focus more on other people than I have had to do, having young adult children who are venturing out in the world and a husband who travels requires me to be the terra-firma for many. I am sure the issues of me needing to meet the needs of others as well as being very sensitive has made my body scream...."for god's sake, you are going to have to stop". And since I didn't listen, my body made sure it happened by saying "take this". That put me back and I have been ill all this week.

I am still looking forward to getting my studio set up, but it will happen as soon as I can do it with focus. I know now I need to take care of my whole self and that means evaluating and refocusing. Then, I can move forward with my art and creative endeavours. I am so excited and eager to get back to that part of my life.

It is time I need to allow myself...and patience!

Getting To The Work

Do you ever mean to get to things, but continue to do other things trying to make room to do them? It seems as though this is happening to me a lot these days. I don't like it, but that is what is happening.

I think sometimes I try to create the right conditions or make the room in my head to get to the things I want. For example, there are a few friends I need to email or phone, but I want to be able to make plenty of time to connect with them. While they would probably like to hear from me briefly, I find I want to have lots of time to talk with them. Because of this, I do not connect with them at all! Or I would love to be able to have a day to spend creating, but because I do not have a full day (or days) to give to this, I do not do that, either.

I think I really get into the flow of some things and just do not want to break that experience. Most people, trying to be helpful, would say I should schedule the time to have for myself. For most people, this would be a good suggestion. But for me, scheduling creative time means closing me down.

Ah, but is this just my way of procrastinating? I do not think so, but maybe I am convincing myself. Is it really fair of me to expect myself to be able to have the time I need (and I really do need it), when we are in such a period of transition? I do not even have a studio or a corner with materials, at present. But I honestly think it might be an excuse about making connections with my friends.

The good news about the blog is it makes me face and evaluate those issues. I learn more about myself by reading and writing rather than talking. What helps you? Are you finding ways and time to be creative? Do you ever find yourself putting off what you really want or need to do?

I continue to make changes and continue to learn...

Have a very creative day.



I

Being Authentic

Moving around helps me to take stock much of the time. I rarely get a chance to settle into any place, so I have found it is important to be settled and true to myself. Just maybe the moving helps me face that reality with greater clarity. I suppose that depends on each person's personality.

One of the items I picked up recently was the current O Magazine. This issue is all about being authentic. While I suspect many artists do not have problems with being authentic, I wonder if we are really authentic to our art. What does being authentic in art mean? Are we sometimes forced to tweak our authentic-ness to pay the bills?

Authenticity in my art is creating what I need to create when I need to produce it. For me, this means not working in a series the way critics often want to see us work. It means using materials in various ways and listening to my instincts about inspirations. It means allowing myself time to develop what needs to be developed in my work. What does being authentic to your art mean?

Does this compromise my ability to sell my works? I don't think that is so much the case (the moving around doesn't allow me a stable base from which to sell a great deal, however that is a different issue). Being authentic, itself, is a way of working in a series. Additionally, creativeness and authenticity allows me the ability to make connections in my work which may not be obvious to others.

In the O Magazine, several people talk about what it means to be authentic. A fashion designer discusses how her professional life has developed since she made the decision to not follow the trends. A musician discusses how staying true to herself has made the difference in her life. And there are other wonderful examples of how people have stayed true to theirselves and how it has made the difference in their lives.

Consider what it means to be authentic in your art. How do you remain true to yourself? For me, I understand no other way, but my way is mine.

Where Oh Where Will It All Go?

It seems the last of the winter weather is clearing out for us. With temps in the low 50's F, I am feeling Spring 2007 is just around the corner. Today, I have been going over the plan sketches of our new house trying to decide how to set up my studio space. It seems there is a call for lots of space from the men in my life! I suppose they are wanting to spread their wings after living in our little European cottage. Well, that is fine. I can find space for my work.

Our air shipment arrived and I quickly pulled out the few things I had in there. How nice it was to see those boxes of pastels and make a mark on the page with them. They felt so nice in my hand. I also had some metal bits my friend, Silke, had given me tucked in the bag of supplies. A few of those escaped from their containers and made me wonder what it would be like to combine oil pastels and metal bits. I think that will be something to try out soon.

But I am still longing for my paints! I have a feeling, though, painting on the house walls will probably come before painting on Kim's canvases. Oh well, that wall painting is going to give me time to gather more inspiration. I have painted so many walls in my day, I should be able to crank those out quickly. I just have to get them all planned out, so I can get them taken care of.

Mostly, I think we are all just eager to get settled. We are going to have to wait, though. We still have 3 weeks before we close on this house. That is probably just enough time to get things ready so we can toss everything else up in the air, again!

The mark on the page makes the biggest difference in my life...but I have to make the mark!

Yesterday, I purchased a few technical pens to make a few marks on the Bristol while I wait for the air shipment to arrive! What a difference that has made. Today my spirit is much brighter. It is very cold here today, but my son and I ventured out to meet my daughter for lunch downtown. It was lovely to be out in the cold air, then arrive back to have a cup of tea by the fire while I put a few thoughts down here. What have I learned? Do not trust your air shipment will arrive close to the same time you do when moving. I just trusted the process too much. But without this happening, I would not have been allowed the chance to re-evaluate what is important to me. So, in the end, I still won. I just need to remain focused on my intentions and my needs.

Now, back to those marks while I wait for the other items to arrive....

It is a lovely day.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

This morning I woke up to some winter weather, again. It really makes me want to paint, but I do not have my studio! I do not even have paints! I purchased a small pad of Bristol a few days ago, so I am going to pull some pens out and see what develops there. I really want my studio items to come so I can begin to sit up my space again. I had some basic items air shipped, however they have also not arrived. I know the challenges are there for a reason. I just have to be patient with it all. Sometimes these challenges are to remind me how important it is for me to do my work and meet my needs. It also reminds me of the other supportive work that needs to happen.

I know when I am able to paint again, I am going to have so many forms of inspiration. I know slow and steady is a positive pace for me, but my life doesn't allow that so very much. Instead it challenges me to work in other ways and provides me with tons of inspiration. Lucky Me. A focus on the positive keeps me working.

Getting Started

Creating is something that is very important to me. I find there are many ways to feed this need, but painting is one of the most rewarding ways to satisfy my cravings. Since we are in the middle of an international move, I have not had the opportunity to make marks for a while. I have intended to create a blog for some time and felt now is the moment.

My work is greatly influenced by physical locations, emotions and materials. When I get going in my studio again, I know I will be unstoppable. In 2006, I painted over 50 canvases. My intention is to begin to get these up on a web site soon. The good news is, even without a web site, clients in the United States, Europe and New Zealand have begun to collect some of my paintings.

I am eager to get back in the studio....