A Tidbit From The Studio.....

I've been busy. Probably a little *too* busy, as I am still in P.J.s and bunny slippers, getting my second wind back from a looooooong day yesterday.
But here is a bit of what's been going on at El Milagro.

This table WAS clean. It took me two minor projects to get it to this state. 
I know you remember seeing the heart collage/painting after the work was FINALLY returned from the gallery last Fall. I was so happy to get the work back, I just gave it a quick once over, then safely stashed it. 
Well, went to photograph the paintings for files, and what do I discover on this one? 
DOG CLAW MARKS.
Yes, you read that right; the art had been left where a dog could get to it.  Scarred the paper, removed color and took the varnish off. After a bout of cussing (it was a good one too) and a LOT of work, I finally got things repaired and filled with a couple of layers of heavy varnish. The two pieces in the background had to have clay pieces repaired and revarnished also.
Thank you so much Gallery Off Broadway for your PROFESSIONAL CARE of other artists work. Now pass the Excederin.....
Happier notes~~knitting.

This is from sari yarn, though not the type I've used before. It worked up into a nice piece and at the end of the day I was pleased. It's off with it's new owner, who loves it. :-)
I had promised a photo if I had something *crusty* from my new Michael DeMeng  class, and I am teasing you with a PEEK.....

That's all on it for now.....I'll need a day to put a good coherent post together! LOL!
And finally, to end a long and hard working day~~as I was ready to shut the lights down for the evening, I looked out the window, ran to the studio and grabbed my camera to capture THIS:

No color retouch, no adding; this was one of the most amazing sunsets we have had this winter. The salmon glow from the clouds was coming in the house.
I ran out with no coat or hat to try and capture a bit of the warmth.
It was grand!
So all in all, a good day.
A very very GOOD day.


Pax.... 

Unbelievable......There Is ART!!!!

Will miracles never cease......give me some studio time and things actually happen! This all started with an odd piece of light weight brown paper that had come as packing in something. It had interesting texture and I had kept it for MONTHS. It laid on the kitchen counter, getting no closer to the studio until the Great Holiday Sweep, to find the counters and cover them with appropriate pretties. Which is about normal here.....

It was large enough that it yielded two decent size pieces, and I chose to leave the top torn edge, as I found them more visually interesting that way. First I painted roughly with off white acrylic and a float medium; I did not want gesso as I felt it would grab too much. I wanted the substrate to be smooth enough to smoosh things around. Yes, *smoosh* is a very technical term......I also had some paper toweling I had painted with fluid acrylic, on a day where I ran to the cellar for a whole ten minutes. I was having a fit to pull it apart and try it on something.

I stamped tissue paper for the B&W images, then began building color and texture through paint, stamps, embossing and finally, glitter.  The close up below shows it a bit better. I was just having fun, seeing what would work with what and trying to keep the two as semi mirror images shape wise but not content wise. And being extremely impatient, I heated an old iron, got my teflon pressing sheet and heat dried things as I went. It did some unusual texture in the gel medium....not at all bad but too subtle to show up here. I probably ruined the sheet for fabric work but it works great in the studio!!! :-)

After getting the two sheets to a point where I knew I needed to stop, I took the brown paper remnants and some leftover white tissue paper and stamped them for future collage work. I think I could get into making collage papers to sell. There is something quite satisfying in that phase alone! Plus, I collect a lot of brown paper, and other odd papers, and it all takes ink differently....hmmmmmm.....Etsy? After the first of the new year?

But no, this was not the end of the day---I was on a roll from not having had time to work with messy stuff, soooo.....next photo please...

.....I bravely opened the packet of cardstock ATC blanks and got my pack of water soluble crayons and Sharpies and began doodling, producing the two cards below.

And it was FUN! Like I mentioned yesterday, had my hands not given out, there probably would have been five to post, all variations on a theme. They were my moment of complete epiphany for the day---the lightbulb slowly buzzed and blinked a few times, then went on full bore!

Now I know why people MAKE THESE. Sorry...you're dealing with a Type A personality, and sometimes the simplest of concepts do not translate into Anne-Land. I just don't see it and go my merry way and that's that. But it was wonderful to have this small project while stuck in front of the TV and I'm thinking maybe I should take a pack with me to the hospital when I am unwillingly confined, craving intellectual stimulation, or just trying not to lose my mind. (more like the last option...)

So that was my studio day. I think the two top papers might get mounted on a black 12"x12" canvas panel each; they look great hung as a pair. But I need to think that out yet. I'm feeling like I need texture for the bakground areas. In the mean time, I'll probably tinker with the collage papers and ATCs.

And then I have the church work that needs to get notes made, so my time is getting busier and busier.

And oh yes, I have to wrap the goodies for DH for Christmas before the hospital stay. Ack.

Thus, I am off to try and accomplish a few things and hope y'all have a creative and good day, with little things to show at the end of it.

The small accomplishments are the biggest of blessings!

Pax.

Letting Go

This was from the last meeting I lead for the Co-Op. One of my friends from Logan snapped the shot; there is a serenity to it that I did not feel at the time but now I see as a foreshadowing of things coming.
While I enjoyed my time (and there was a tremendous amount of it) spent planning and working for the group, it has been through a lot of life-related issues and counsel with friends that I realized I need some downtime for myself, for other work, and to grow in an artistic manner.
Letting go of anything you love is the dearest and hardest gift you can give; it is a portion of your life and heart that are lost forever but it is necessary to make the separation. I have no doubt that I did the best I could, I've made mistakes, I've had good times and hopefully others have too.
Other opportunities have presented themselves of late, and it was with a great deal of introspection that I made the decision I did.
And I was ready.
Often our guidance in life, in our jobs, in our spirituality comes in quirky ways, in little things sent at the right time, in painful separations and in the realization that we are on a finite path and must make the best use of it.
After church service today, I will be in my much neglected studio again and be working on something special......and I have missed that freedom. In fact, it is rather hard to feel at home here again, with the very small amounts of time I've spent within these walls of late.
Art, in whatever form you make, requires sacrifices---and it mimics life in that respect. That is why I always sign my correspondence with the tag line "Life creates Art. Art creates Life." Both need nurturing. Regularly. Continually.
Treat yourselves to a day of artistic nurturing, with no sad looking back but only joyful looking forward and the realization of how wonderful each and every persons life-path has been and how blessed you were of the other paths that have crossed yours!
Pax.

Early Morning, Bright Photo!

I tried to pick one of the brightest pics I had for this morning; I had a late night after having the opportunity to chat with a friend I've not been able to really talk with in ages. We bemoaned the lack of time for exquisite gourmet cooking (yes, I used to do that, and quite well too!), the quality of raw food available and how a whole generation of people have never eaten *real*, farm grown, fresh food stuffs. It reminded me of how much I used to grow and how we basically spent Summer having the garden provide almost all our meals. How I miss those wonderful harvests and the incredible flavors of produce straight from the ground!
This evening DH and I are off to meet friends in Wabash for a bit--we've been trying to hook up for the longest time and with everyone's schedules tonight happened to work. Yipee!
I keep asking myself when life became so hectic, and bit by bit, I am paring down. I want quality time--studio time--time with friends and time for more work with my church.
Sometimes it is easy to be swept away by the moment and become involved in far too much. Harder still is the ability to step back and let it go. With some sage advice from good artist friends of mine, I have taken that first step and while it feels a bit odd, it is also like a weight has been lifted off me. Yes, there is still work for finishing up some loose ends, but after that's done, I will have more of my own responsibilities back and less of those belonging to others.
Saying no can be good, but let me tell you, it's hard.
Studio time is worth it though; health is worth it, peace of mind is worth it.
Now to start some serious thinking on a fiber class I will be teaching in the Fall, incorporating the elements of the outdoors into personal work. That's exciting!
And yes, I am still working on the fiber piece I had posted here earlier---the hands just have not been too cooperative. Check back in soon for some fiber art content!
In the meantime, here's hoping you have a bright and productive day, filled with beauty and creativity!