Spent the morning with my nose buried in a book. An e-book to be exact. One I bought from Kelly Rae Roberts a while back and promptly stuck in the virtual I’ll get to this later pile, AKA downloads. It’s called Flying Lessons . I’m only on part 1 but I’m flying. Already.
It’s about goals and blogging and selling your creative work online. Imagine that... It’s about knowing your passion, facing your fears and going for it. And it’s written by a woman whose done ALL that and more.
And then it’s about the nitty gritty DETAILS. But I’m not there yet. I’m only on page 33 after spending half the day on it. Because it’s the sort of thing you have to think about. Ponder upon. I can tell you one thing…I’m very excited by what I’ve read so far.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Meanwhile, I finally photographed a few more of the oil and cold wax pieces I made for the show in November. These aren’t the final photos but are good enough to post here.
Beneath the Surface. Oil and cold wax on cradled board. 2’x2′
Crop Circles, oil, cold wax and plaster on cradled board, 2’x2′
I can’t remember the name of this one. Calling it Crop Circles for now. Because it’s late and I’m tired. The right name will come.
Just a quickie today because this is so much fun it stands on its own. Sit back with a cup of tea and a nice little square of dark chocolate. Or a piece of lettuce if you’re on a diet.
Most of all enjoy the music of Yo Yo Ma (who plays the cello WAY better than I ever did) and marvel marvel MARVEL at the digital magic.
Hello my sweetums…I’ve got such a treat in store for you! Really, a TREAT. Jump up and down. Get all excited. And then go grab some dark chocolate.
Go ahead, I’ll wait.
And while I’m waiting I’ll gaze adoringly at Precious Man Dog. The real deal is curled up against my thigh, crowding the laptop. But since there isn’t room here for all of you, the photo will have to do.
And yes, he is a cute as he looks.
He also loves me unconditionally. Totally. Worships me, even. And that’s why (ta ta drumroll please) Bean, AKA PMD, is on this week’s bliss list.
Bliss list? Yes, B.L.I.S.S. Everyday things that rock my world and make me smile with appreciation. And gratitude. Because gratitude is a big deal. And, umm…Universe? About that lotto win, the one next week? The one I’d be most grateful for? That would make the list for sure.
Now, back to the chocolate. Break off a small piece. Don’t eat it, savor it. Challenge yourself to experience it with all five senses. Take your time. Take as much time as you need. And when your senses are so full of chocolate goodness you’re about to explode, take a nibble. And let it Melt. On. Your. Tongue.
Ohhhhhhhh…bliss.
And then there’s the tree sweetened oranges. The oh so juicy, oh so sweet, eagerly awaited bring-on-the-first-hard-freeze addition to the produce aisle. The most insane burst of citrus in the world. Oh yeah…these suckers are on my list for sure. My bliss list.
Which is going to be a regular feature here at Arty Life. Because art is all about opening your eyes and SEEING the world. Appreciating the ordinary. Elevating the ordinary.
Why?
Well, Liv Lane, of Choosing Beauty fame, is inviting everyone to participate in the little bliss list. According to Liv, it’s “a chance for all of us to celebrate the little things that brought us hope and happiness this week.” She believes that “when we focus on the sweet stuff of life, the sweet stuff multiplies. And by sharing those small gifts in our lives, we help others notice the gifts in theirs.”
Well, I’m all for that! So every Friday (yes, I KNOW this is Saturday) every Friday I will share a list what was good that week. Of the little things that made me stop and appreciate the moment. And I hope you’ll share your lists in the comments section. And once I get the technical stuff figured out I’ll have links to other blogs who are doing the same thing. Notice the gifts and spread the luuuuuuuv.
But I’m not done yet. There’s still some bliss to share.
Like the satisfaction of a day spent in making art. A WHOLE day!!! These are works in Progress. Time well spent in Studio Grande painting in the zone.
After a day on my feet wielding a brush, a well deserved snuggle with Studio Quat.
And always, Miss Munchkin Fairy Princess. In my thoughts and heart even when she’s not visiting her Grandma.
Friend Christina is cleaning. That means if I’m not careful, if I have my back turned or am otherwise engaged, I will discover all sorts of CRAP on my desk. Just. Like. That.
Some of it I even want. Some of it I can use with my class. But the pirate eye patch? No. No no no no no! Even if Johnny Depp wore it once upon a time. Which he did not.
I took the empty pencil tins. The nice ceramic jar for brushes. And half a dozen little bitty used canvasses that someone will be happy to paint over. But I really scored on the books. Collage anyone? Altered anything?
Disclaimer: I don’t cut up beautiful photography books. I photocopy them and then do the cutting.
Is this a beautiful little booty or what? Yum yum yum, I know there’s something I can do with this.
And I’m always a sucker for mother and child bonding.
Oh look, Mummy…those people are on a floating booty barge!
And now it’s time for some Grungetastic manipulation.
This style is called Worn. Looks like it’s been through the washing machine. It’s an upgrade purchased through the app. Another 99 cents. I really like it, maybe not for this image. Something where the action is lower on the page.
There are hundreds of variations I can do with this image alone. Picking only one is a challenge. I see using any of these as a transfer added to a painting. Or used as an element in a collage. Or whatever else my heart desires.
Right around this time last year one of those big Oh! birthdays was barreling towards me. Sucker was coming fast. I had to either jump out of the way or get steamrolled by another decade.
Well hell, I didn’t have time to get old. There were still too many things I had to do. Like breathe. And discover my bliss, much less follow it.
Because I’d spent all my life doing. Not being. I’d put my dreams on hold and taken time out to marry and raise a family. And then took care of my elderly mother. These were all good things and I’ve no regrets, none at all. Well, maybe one…I wanted to live before I died. Live for me.
And then I heard about SmARTist, a seven day telesummit professional development conference for visual artists. Call it a whim, call it a hunch, call it a major leap of faith…I decided to invest in myself. To revive the art career I’d carefully put in boxes and packed away when Firstborn, AKA Baby Marine, went to war.
I scraped together the money, because it wasn’t cheap, took the time off from work, told Mama even though the car was parked in front of the house I WAS NOT HOME and then, for seven days, I sat in front of the computer and filled an ENTIRE notebook with incredible insights and information.
By the time the seminar wrapped up I had booked my first show in seven years. Seven years. I had no current body of work. My mother was living in my studio so I had no place to make art. And worse…no clear vision of what I wanted to do. But I booked the show for November, figuring that gave me time to work things out.
Mama died last spring. Everything was put on hold as I took care of her through her final days. It wasn’t until June that I began making art again. And then there was no stopping me. I developed a strong body of work. Built a website, developed a blog. Been in two shows. Got a new studio under construction. I’ve been expanding my horizons through online classes and international networks of artists and writers.
I’m finding my creative tribe. And my creative vibe.
And it all started with SmARTist.
I’m spread a little thin these days. Got a lot going on, online and off. But when I saw the list of speakers and topics for SmARTist 2012, it was a no-brainer. And it starts today! YAY!!!
Other people my age may be looking forward to retiring but me? No way–I’m just beginning a new career.
