by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Process |
Studio Grande in living color. Yummy luscious living C-O-L-O-R!!!
Look at that! Don’t you just want to dive in face first because it’s so EXCITING! Brushes! Paint! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh….
First tonight’s brushes…my special friends. The new favorite, the scrawny guy on the left. The one in blue. Came from a bin of cheapies at the local crafts store. OMG, I LOVE THIS BRUSH! Cost me under two bucks and he (’cause he’s a he) he’s a freakin’ work horse! I painted an entire canvas with him yesterday, a 28X30 inch canvas.
OK, so here it is from yesterday, a work-in-progress. But this is all the work of my new little friend.
Fast forward to tonight. I came home from work and headed down to the studio. I had the painting itch. Thought this girl might like to evolve some more. Figured it would be cool to show pictures of the process.
So I started taking them. The brushes up above.
The water.
The palette. Oh look…a yellow heart! And a while, umm…I dunno.
The process. Yes, yes, I know. I’m using the other brush. Must be cheating on Mr. Best Brush. Go figure.
And then…oh noooooooooo! I dropped the camera! All the way down to the floor. Where it bounced. And beeped. And stopped working.
Damn you, gravity!
IT STOPPED WORKING!!!
My beloved best ever in my pocket or purse all the time. My Canon SX210 STOPPED WORKING!!!
I thought about rushing in to town. Getting another one before the grief set in. Replace my camera with another and pretend the whole thing never happened. I’m an artist. And a blogger. How can I function without a camera???
I HAVE TO HAVE ONE!!!
But a trip to town would cost me the light. And a whole bunch o’money. And I had the painting itch. So I stayed in the studio and painted. Made quite a bit of progress. That I can’t show you. Because I don’t have a camera.
You’ll just have to take my word for it.
And if you can recommend a camera I’d be most obliged.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Studio |
My latest canvas…
The new! improved! Studio Grande!!!
Sheetrock’s up. Taped and textured. Next step is priming. And then painting. First I have to pick the paint. White. But which one? There may be fifty shades of gray but there are approximately fifty thousand hundred million Shades Of. WHITE!!!
AAACK!
But the door will be painted red. Red I can do.
This view is from the door. Cabinets will run the length of both walls under the windows. We’re picking them up at Ikea this Saturday.By Monday they’ll be built and in place, waiting for the concrete counters that Mr. Spouse will pour the following week.
Cross your fingers, girls and boys…the counters WILL be poured next week! Yes. They. Will.
Going to put a vent fan on the back wall between the two windows. That will be where I do encaustics and spray stinky stuff.
Another view of the wall o’windows. I just love this wall.
And a view from the encaustic area towards the front.
Still have to take the tarps off the skylights.
Still have to do a lot of things. But we’re getting closer. And I’m thinking knowing my art is going to blossom in here!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art |
“When you got nuthin’ to say, give ’em pictures.” Mark Twain
Okay, Mark Twain didn’t really say that. But a hundred something years ago, Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, spent a fair amount of time here in California’s gold country. Some of it right here in my town.
So I figure a man known for exaggeration and literary license, a man who might’ve walked the very land I call home, would give me a 19th century equivalent of a high five and tell me to go for it. Lie through my teeth for a great quote. He would. He really would say that.
Not that I’m lying. I’m just being...creative.
The point is, I’ve got nuthin’ to say tonight. Because I’m as deep fried as an order of the Colonel’s extra crispy. Mr. Spouse was in Dallas this weekend and I’ve been left to my own devises. Which means I’ve been PAINTING. Happy happy happy dance time! I’ve got seven…SEVEN canvases going this weekend. Two are done, one damn near and the rest are somewhere in between.
Got nuthin’ to say…BUT I GOT PICTURES!!!
So here’s a peek at a couple of the paintings. Crappy photo alert. Snapshots with the old point and shoot.
'Catholic Girls Wear Plaid' by Susan Lobb-Porter
Remember this one from last week? Catholic Girls Wear Plaid. I’m thinking it’s done now.
This one is going to have something to do with a poodle skirt. I think. It’s still way early in the process.
'Spike Anne' by Susan Lobb-Porter
And this little guy, ‘Spike Anne’ (5X7) is a fun pup I think I’ll include in my children’s collection. Did I tell you I’m going to have a children’s collection? Well yes, I am. One of these days… FYI, if memory serves me right, and it doesn’t always these days…Spike Anne was the name Mr. Spouse and I called FirstBorn when he was in utero. Figured we covered our bases with that one.
So that was my weekend. How was yours?
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Random Acts of Art |
Random Acts of Art has moved to FaceBook and taken on a life of it’s own. Check it out. If you like what you see, join the party. In less than two weeks we’ve grown to over 200 members, people from all over the world are making things, hiding things, stacking things.
And posting the photos.
There are some amazing photos.
Tonight we’ve been wowed by new member James who stacks rocks into seemingly impossible creations all against the backdrop of rivers and mountains. Stacks that sooner or later, probably sooner, will tumble either on their own or helped along by nature or man. James knows his creations are temporary. In his words, “But like the brightest leaves of fall, only there for a moment.”
It all comes back to release. Non-attachment. Seems like that’s been a theme lately. Making things, letting go. No need to stake a claim with name or credit. Random. Acts. Of. ART.
But doesn’t that go against making my living as an artist?
No. Not at all.
In fact, it enhances it.
Because giving something, without any expectation of return, feels GOOD. And when I’m feeling good, the art flows from the feeling good place. The place inside me that’s bold. That takes chances. That isn’t afraid of blowing it. Because if I do…it really doesn’t matter.
Releasing my little arty tokens out into the world makes me a better painter.
Huh? Yeah. It DOES. It. Just. Does.
And that, in turn, gives me the confidence put on my big girl panties, go out into the world and sell my art.
Imagine that!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art |
Last week I promised a painting would be finished. The contrived kitty would morph into something...else… with da muse.
Here it is, the contrived kitty. Gag me…playing safe. Being coy. Aarugh…da muse was not impressed.
So I dove right in. Took a plunge off the deep end, paintbrush in hand. Holy crap! The creative waters were COLD! Cold enough to take my breath away.But when I came up for air…oh man, it felt sooooooo good. So good I said (without consulting with da muse), Hey everyone! Look at me, yoo-hoo…over here. I’m on fire! And I’m gonna have this baby done by Wednesday. Hold. Me. To. It.
Promises are not a good idea when it comes to predicting the creative process. As soon as da muse heard the dreaded P word she curled up with some chocolates and a good book and told me I was on my own.
Which was fine by me. I was on fire, right?
Umm…no. I was so NOT on fire, I even began cleaning the house.
And then a discussion began in my Random Acts of Art Facebook group. The group that morphed from the RAA Wednesdays blog hop. It’s a happening bunch of creatives, let me tell you. In 10 days it’s grown to 192 people from around the world, every one of them hiding little pieces of art in public. Come on over and join the party.
But I digress…the discussion evolved around signing or not signing our names on the art we leave out and about. As I’ve explained to the group, there’s no right or wrong answer to this. It’s a personal decision. For the record, I don’t sign mine. I’m releasing something I made out into the world with NO expectations for the outcome.
Just letting it go.
Today I decided to jump start da muse by applying that same philosophy to the creating process. Just. Let. It. Go.
Ohhhhh…she liked that! Especially when helped along with Springsteen and Paul Simon.
So here’s where Catholic Girls Wear Plaid is now. Still not finished. And most definitely a crappy photo alert. I don’t know why the black is so washed out. But you can get an idea of where it’s heading.
Maybe I’ll get around to finishing this week. But I know better than to make a promise. Till then, my sweetums…may your days be filled with peace, love and chocolate!
