by Susan Lobb Porter | Art |
Oh my sweetums, I have been away. Not away away, like needing a ticket or a boarding pass, the kind of away that would require me to bring home souvenirs like little plastic Eiffel Towers or sea shells with ‘Florida’ painted in flowery script across the smooth side. With glitter pen. By someone in China.
No. No. No. Not that kind of away. Trust me, I would’ve sent you all postcards from Paris. Or Milan. Or sweet Jesus save my soul…MIAMI.
I have been away in my mind…engrossed in every day workaday life. Tired of week after week where the temperature hit 100 degrees every day. Maxed out on fruit popsicles. In short, I was in the summer away place…August.
I do NOT like August, even though it is the birthday month for three nephews and one dearly departed dog. Oh wait, the dog died in August. Which goes to prove my point about the month. It sucks. Except for the nephews, of course.
Even my laptop went belly up in August. Last week.
But butbutbut BUT THAT’S ENOUGH WHINING!!!
It’s ten degrees cooler. I have a new computer. AND I PAINTED TODAY!!!
YAY!! Handspring time, I’m BACK!!!
So I was in the studio today and I pulled out one of my layer canvases. Think it’s 24 X 30 inches. You’ll have to trust me, I didn’t measure it.
I took a look and decided I saw a face on the right. I decided to make a painting based on the image from the art journal I showed a couple weeks ago, the one up above. It was uber popular on FaceBook. So I made a few marks, blocked in the figures and let the party begin.
Oh, having so much fun! So GOOD to be painting again. I just had to document it. Look, here I am, paint brush in one hand, camera in the other. And yes, I’m a lefty. Like Leonardo.
Another detail. Added some text which may or may not get painted over as part of the back ground.
Here’s where I left it tonight. Lot of work to do still but I probably won’t get back to it before next week. Have a day job, y’know. And this upcoming weekend is all about concrete. Friday Mr. Spouse and friends will be pouring the walkway around the new studio, which means no access for me.
But I’m doing concrete too! No, no…not concrete…cement. But close enough sez she who knows NOTHING about either one. AKA moi. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday I’m going to be learning cement sculpture at a workshop by Deborah Bridges. You have to check out her site, her work is AMAZING. We’re going to be making ‘orbs’ in this workshop. YAY! I’m so excited about that! OMG, can’t wait to show you guys. I should have something to show you Monday.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
I don’t need to buy Exacto blades ever again. Or India ink. Or any kind of eraser. Ever ever NEVER again.
It’s one of the benefits of moving the studio. Drawers that hadn’t been opened in years proved to be treasure troves. Like Captain Jack Sparrow or his arty cousin hid their booty in my drawers. Which somehow sounds wrong…but at the same time, sooooo right.
Which reminds me, I need to invite Johnny Depp to the new! improved! Studio Grande. He would be impressed with my new drawers. I’m sure. They’re organized. His doubloons would feel right at home.
So, now that things are getting unpacked and put away…or thrown away…or given away, it’s beginning to feel normal. Like a real studio. It doesn’t echo any more. It’s…substantial. Because of all my stuff. The walls are covered with art, the windows allow the breeze to flow through.
I’m LOVIN’ it!!!
In a few days I’ll drag up Mama’s wonderful red leather chair for the comfy corner. Because every studio needs a place to sit and exhale. And Mama would like that, like that her final gift to me was a place for art to happen.
And now, speaking about art….
Oh my sweetums, I have discovered my NEW favorite arty tools. The BFF of arty tools! I MUST share them with you. Look! (arrow pointing down)
Markers? Oh, but these are NOT ordinary markers. Oh no indeed! These are acrylic markers! ACRYLIC. Jump up and down time for sure. Go ahead. Do it. Because look at how much fun they are. Check out the arty journal pages I’ve been flashing all over FaceBook this week. Acrylic paint. Acrylic markers.
The journal is inspired by the daily prompts from Michele Morton Bergh’s e-class Prosperity Blooms. If you want to see more pages from the journal, check out SLPorter Mixed Media on FaceBook. I’m posting journal entries there every couple of days.
And if you haven’t checked out my new blog, Big Bold Beautiful YES!!! oh my absolute GOODNESS…where have you been??? Check it out here. Right now. And then come back and tell me how much you love it. And tell all your friends. Because I’m not desperate for attention or anything, I just like to have my, umm…ego stroked.
And if you’re a pirate, that makes it even better!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art |
Stopped at a store on the way home from work tonight. Found a book on a sale table. A book of quotes. Pithy, profound things other people said once upon a time, the repeating of which make you sound pithy and profound.
Just what I needed! Because original thoughts are so over rated. I’ll never have to have another one again. Imagine that!
Well, needless to say, I scooped that puppy up before it could grow bookish legs and run away. We were meant to be together.
We spent the better part of the evening getting acquainted. I read words of encouragement. Of inspiration. Birthday greetings. Holiday offerings. Whatever you need for any occasion.
And it sparked my creativity. Yesterday I showed a journal page. The one with the typo. And the scary eyed muse.
An then I showed the unfinished fold over.
Said I’d show it again when finished. Didn’t have a clue when that would be because I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do. Until tonight when I found this pithy profundity by e.e.cummings: “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
Well that was it! Just use the quote and a photo of moi. A baby photo. I could do an image transfer. Then again it was late, I’d been working all day and my back was behaving badly. I decided to do a collage instead.
First thing I did was decide on the photo. Like this deer in the headlights stare. Someone was probably dangling something bright and shiny off camera.
I scanned the original black and white and altered the color to what I thought would work better with the paper. Then I cut. Glued. Painted. Should not have painted the quote, should’ve used a pen or marker. Oh well, it’s a journal. And it’s mine. Who cares, really…
Here’s what it looks like now.
Oh, and I fixed the typo on the inside page.
