by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Life |
Nah, I’m not actually falling behind. I’m in mega-production-painting-my-butt-off-mode again. I’m just honoring the end of Daylight Savings Time with the obligatory whine–which bring us to—
WARNING: Seasonal Whining Alert
Right now it’s pitch dark outside. Pitch dark. As in BLACK. Feels like midnight in every sense of the word, complete with my body being wrung out tired and deliciously ready for bed.
And it’s only 7:30.
I must be coming down with–holy crap, I AM coming down with… (drumroll please) the dreaded dark ‘n dreary days of autumn HIBERNATION SYNDROME!!!
Oh noooooooooooooo!
All I want to do is eat bread and potatoes and slather butter over everything. I want to STUFF my face with carbs. Dive head first into a plate of mac ‘n cheese. And have a steaming cup of tea by my side at all times.
But that’s enough–ENOUGH!!–I say of this whining. You came here to read about art, right? Well, then Imma gonna show you some ART.
First I’ll show what’s happening in the studio.
This is what’s happening. Using up all sorts of watercolor paper and rag board that’s been lying around the studio for ev-ah. Slapping a couple coats o’gesso on it and then, my dearies, I shall paint ’em up, stick ’em in some matts I happen to have an abundance of and SELL those suckers at my next show. Every one of them. For millions and millions of dollars.
I will make a fortune and retire to the south of France. I’ve never been but I hear it’s a very nice place.
I have no idea what I’m going to paint yet but here are more papers drying on the studio floor. I started the one with the figures ages ago but since I had a fresh bottle of gesso and a paintbrush in my hand I couldn’t help but white out the background.
And then there’s this, the start of my new series, CALIFORNIA GOLD.
California Gold # 1
Mixed Media on Canvas 24×24 inches
2014 Susan Lobb Porter
I showed this on Facebook last week as a work in progress but I think it’s finished now. Maybe a few final tweaks but pretty much what you see.
That’s enough about art, I’m going to go to bed. And probably dream about carbs…umm…nom…nom….
As always–
by Susan Lobb Porter | Clutter challenge, Life, Studio |
Do you remember a couple months ago when I was bitten by the Tidy Fairy right on my tidy bum? Bit so hard I actually blogged about it throughout the month, showed photos of the resulting spartan simplicity of my-life-as-tidy. 
Do you remember that?
I kept up my little tidy spree until one day…LIFE happened. The Tidy Fairy was kicked in the corner with some errant dust bunnies when the it’s-not-the-flu-but-it’ll-knock-you-on-your-ass-for-a-month bug came a callin’. And as I slowly recovered from not-the-flu I found my tidy motivation was belly up under a pile of crumpled tissues.
I. Did. Not. Care. The rooms I dealt while drunk on the elixir of cleanliness have maintained–to a certain degree–their new found sense of order. But the long abandoned kids’ rooms upstairs along with my studio out back, those places the tidy fairy never made it to, remained magnets for clutter.
In fact the studio became positively frightful. Things mysteriously appeared where there was no space for them to appear. Except for things I needed, those disappeared who knows where. And then the walls closed in. Overnight. Poof! Just like that. My once spacious studio took on the proportions and feel of a gnome hole in the side of a hill. I was ready to shut the door and walk away. Seriously. Take up knitting or something. But when I heard Alyson Stanfield was running her Organize Your Art Biz class again, I took it as a sign from the Universe.
Universe: Don’t quit painting. Clean your studio. Organize your art biz.
Me: Umm…okaaaaay!
After just a few days I can honestly say this class is where I need to be right now. Not only is my desk–including drawers–organized–they even close now!!!— I had a major AHA! about the studio and how it functions…and how it can function MUCH BETTER!
Universe (via Alyson): Studio and office should be separate.
Me (thinking of the empty kids’ rooms upstairs): Riiiiiiight!
So in the next few days I’ll be moving all the non-painting, non-art making stuff out of the studio. Shipping supplies, matts, prints, books. Canvasses–yes, all those blank canvasses I buy by the case, especially those huge suckers that take up so much room. And the finished ones that aren’t sold or hanging anywhere else–all that will go to Firstborn’s room, my soon-to-be new office. Which means I have to organize that room first.
But envisioning the studio as a fully functioning work space is all the incentive I need. Room to move around. Throw paint. Teach classes. Shoot video. Ohhhhh, I am positively swooning! Come back next week to see how this goes. There will be photos. Maybe even a swoon selfie…. As always my sweetums, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this in the comments below. And by the way, has anyone told you this yet today— 
Well, you are!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Life |
It was a dark and stormy day, this day before the day before Christmas. Or the day after the day after the solstice, however you want to look at it. The wind was HOWLING, like it was coming to getcha, the rain was sheeting sideways and then the power went out. A cold, blustery, sucky kind of day.
But with four skylights, three walls of windows and the foresight to warm the place up early, Studio Grande didn’t need no stinkin’ power.
So I painted.
And scribbled.
And ended up with layers and layers of background on three canvases. Three canvases ready and waiting. But you only see two here. Trust me, there are three.
Sometime during the afternoon the power came back on. Sometime during the evening I reminded Mr. Spouse about leftover chili in the fridge he could nuke when he got hungry. Sometime around 8:30 I wandered back home, had an apple and cheese, some tea and Christmas cookies and stretched out alongside Mr. Spouse on the sofa.
We watched the reflection of the Christmas tree lights on the blank screen of the TV. Chatted about this and that. Precious Man Dog (AKA Bean) traveled along the top of the sofa cushions, climbed across Mr. Spouse and squeezed in between us. Sophie came from the other direction, crawled over me and began chewing on her brother. They wrestled atop us before spilling down to the floor.
All things considered, it was a very nice day.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
Coyotes are back. They summered elsewhere with the kids. Not that they sent a postcard or anything. Hello Porters. We’re dining on tastier bunnies down the hill. See ya in September. Love Wiley E. and Fam.
No. One day there were here and then one day they weren’t. Sure was easier to sleep. But now they’re back hunting in the woods and fields around the house. Waking us up in the middle of the night. Not a gentle dreams interruptus, more like the soundtrack from a horror movie. I wrote a post about them last year, complete with a few photos. You can see them here.
When I finally did get up, I had a leisurely breakfast, alienated a number of people on FaceBook (there’s an election coming up, remember) and then headed out to the studio where I cranked up the music.
And painted.
And collaged.
And scribbled.
'Sophie' by Susan Lobb-Porter
And ended up with this.
And these. Although they were all (and some still are) works-in-progress.
And at the end of the day… a tired girl. Happy girl. It was a good day and I can’t complain about that!
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!
