All is good

tridium  9"x12",  mixed media

Here is a picture of my latest work. As you can clearly see, I have started working in a different direction. I have wanted to do work of a symbolic nature for some time now, so I started sketching ideas and found my mind so full of ideas. A good place to be. More to follow.

a peek into the sketchbook

Haven't had a lot of time this past couple of days. I was able to do some sketches and add a little to the larger painting. I think the trick is to start out with some smaller sized paintings. I would probably feel like I have accomplished more, cause right now, when I look at the large painting on the easel I feel guilty for not having more time to work on it.....note to self, pick up some smaller canvases!!

I have never been a landscape painter, (though I really enjoy looking at them) but lately, I wish I was. Outside has been absolutlely gorgeous. We had a large amount of snow fall and it left the trees and houses covered. When you look outside it's like looking at a black and white photograph. I just love it. One of the many blessings of living in the snowbelt.

little green apples

Here is a painting that started off as a demo for a class. I finished it this weekend in preparation for another larger painting. I always tell my students that painting and drawing are kind of like bicycle riding. If you haven't done it for a while you are a little wobbly, but in time, it all comes back to you.

The biggest problem I have is finding the equipment/tools that work best for me. I use to know it like the back of my hand, but since it had been a while I can't quite remember which number brush works best and which brand of paint was it that I liked the most.

Readjustment

OK, enough whining get to work!! Life has now returned to normal, or as normal as my life gets. I started prepping some canvases for painting when I realized that, even though my painting area looks so quaint in between the corner windows of the bedroom, the light was facing me and not the canvas. Turning the easel around was not a possibility, so I spent this morning rearranging the bedroom. Now the room doesn't look as quaint, but the painting area is very functional.

I need to go to my sons basketball game and then he is spending the rest of the day with a friend. The other children are off doing their own thing today and I find myself with some time to paint. I have all these ideas running around in my head. Of course, I am a little hesitant. I have not done a lot of painting for 3 years (feels like 30), so I am not as confident in my skills as I use to be. I have been doing many painting demonstrations for classes though and they all seem to turn out nicely. So we will see, I will post pics as soon as there is something decent to see.

Hoping this "getting back into the swing of thing" period passes quickly.

When it rains, it pours.

There is something about the new year that makes me feel as if it doesn't start out right then the rest of the year is a wash. I know that its not true, but it still lingers in my mind till about mid February. Anyway, we ended up having a snow day on Monday. What I thought was going to be the last day to relax before work starts up again, became a day of one problem after another.

First I woke up to no heat. So I bundled up and headed out onto the snow covered roads to get kerosene to heat with till my fuel delivery came (it was scheduled for Tuesday). It took 2 hours to get the fuel and after all that the furnace still didn't work. I tried every trick I know, which is not many, and then called the furnace repair man, cha-ching. That was not the end of it though, my new dryer started to blow cold air.

Now I was tired of dealing with everything breaking down and was hoping that once I dealt with the dryer that would be it, but no such luck. Wednesday the repairman came out, he said it wasn't the dryer it was the electrical outlet. But before we could get the outlet replaced the upstairs toilet was leaking and the water was dripping right near the dryer. So, we had to repair the leak before we could fix the outlet......I know this sounds crazy, but its my life.... to wrap this messy story up, I now have heat, a dryer and a working outlet...I no longer have a working downstairs bathroom.

So if this is what 2010 starts off like, I am a little scared to see what is coming ahead.

Perfect Day

Today is the perfect day to stay inside and paint. Its snowing like crazy out here in the snow belt. I love it, as long as I don't have to drive in it. So, I just sent my ex-husband (a long story, that I may get into later, but for now, he comes over a lot to see the kids)to the store to pick up groceries for the week. I am ready to go back to work tomorrow (that is if we don't have a snow day, which I am secretly hoping for). The house is in decent shape and I don't have to babysit my granddaughter. I am freeeeeee!

The pictures are of my front yard and back yard.

just have to get this out

Its been a year since I last posted and for some reason I feel the need to put my thoughts down on......well, the computer (paper sounds so much better). This past year has been a wild one. A year ago I was sitting in a house that had been under construction for 3 years and didn't look as if it would get done any time soon. Today I look around and my children are in their new bedrooms, the new bathroom is wonderful, the den is nice and cozy, I love my new entryway, but the best is my new kitchen!! All is good and I feel so very fortunate to have such great friends that helped me get everything finished. I am truly grateful for all that I have been given and still wake up and can't believe this is my house.

So, how does this relate to my art???? OK, when the construction first started (3 years ago) I had to pack up my studio space to make room for my sons bedroom and the new den. I had every intention of working. I was going to sketch, paint in a smaller format....etc. Well, you know where the best of intention lead. But looking back on the past few years, I don't feel all that bad. I painted 4 bedrooms, painted the den, entry way, stairwell and upstairs hall, the new bathroom and just finished my living room. I started painting my bedroom and the kitchen and will have those done.....soon. And I also tiled my kitchen back splash myself, combining different tiles, ceramic and glass, to make my own unique design. So, no I have not been making paintings, but yes I have been painting and creating.

Now, for the future, I have just spent the past couple days arranging my bedroom to make room for a painting area. I know that it is not the ideal situation, but it will have to do for the next couple of years. I will only be working in acrylic so I won't have to worry about fumes, and since my room has two large closets, one will be filled with art supplies and the other clothes. For the first time in years I feel like working. It's amazing how your environment effects you mental state. For so long I have felt creatively blocked, dull, dead inside...now, I have sooo many ideas, I can't wait to get going on some new work.

pphheeewwww! now that felt good to get off my chest. Now to get back to work.

I just read the title of my blog, hehehe, lots of chaos, now for the art.