Today I started making a study for a possible entry into the Rochester Contemporary Art Center's 6x6x2012 exhibit. I have been wanting to incorporate my childhood home into some artwork for a while.

I made a minor change to the Kati as Frida piece - switching the red outline to light blue. I like it better, but I need to do a second layer when it dries to cover the red completely.

It has been sort of a long weekend and I am exhausted. I am feeling good though because I exceeded my art goals for last week. Looking ahead, I think I am going to strive to make some more elaborate drawn studies for future paintings. That is something I haven't really done in a while. I think it would be very benificial because I would like to add some more complexity to my work (through composition, conceptually, and with use of materials) . I am yearning more depth (both literally and content-wise), but I'm not sure how I want to get there. Some time to draw through ideas will do me good. Maybe a trip to the library is in order as well... Okay, time to make dinner and hopefully get to bed early tonight. Back to the kiddos tomorrow!

I think I am going to change the red outline around the circle in my previous post to light blue once it dries...

I really started to call on my inner Frida for this one. Also, the colors with her tank top make me think of the Detroit Pistons (and I'm not even a sports fan). I don't know if I can handle that. haha

 A happy artist in her studio (a dear friend of mine encouraged me to call the spare bedroom/guestroom where I work by its proper name - I will admit, it sounds nice and is somewhat motivating).  SNOW DAYS off from teaching ARE THE BEST!

I guess I made up for lost time tonight. I can't believe how much I got done in one sitting when I didn't even know what I was going to work on today. It felt good. I want to keep working, but I really should get to bed so I can be rested for work tomorrow... 

When I sat down to work today, this piece practically started itself... It is hard to see, but there is going to be a flower in the middle of her forehead. Also, I am envisioning lots of blue...

Done with this for now. As a total side note: I miss my oil paints...

I was looking at Klimt's Portrait of Eugenia Primavesi (c. 1913-14) towards the end.

I completely forgot to post this the other day... You kind of get a glimpse of my work space here. As well as the hilarious pjs I occasionally work in (see bottom center/right - yep, those penguins are my feet... keeping it classy). My work space actually moves from the dining room table to the second bedroom depending on my mood, how I feel like sitting, and what supplies I'm using. One of these days I will work on creating a studio space just for me - maybe even with a desk and a chair... One of these days more accurately probably means - when we get a house - which implies years from now I might actually have an more official space. But this works for now. I'm not complaining ; )

I planned on working more on and possibly finishing this piece yesterday, but I came down unexpectedly with the most awful flu I have had in years. Just imagine all the worst symptoms, put them together, and that was me. From 3:30am to 9:30pm I was a blob on the couch drinking Gatorade and watching Miyazaki movies to lift my spirits. I feel a bit better this morning, but am still sore and achy. I've got company - a good friend of mine - coming for a visit today, so I've got to muster up some energy! I am hoping to get back to this picture on Sunday. Oh, and I am totally thinking that the tiredness and lack of motivation I had been feeling this week had to do with the sickness that was creeping into my body... so glad the worst of that is over...

Happy weekend everyone!

I have been completely MIA from here lately, but I promise I haven't all together abandoned my art. I was busy as you know filling out applications for artist residencies, but in the meanwhile, on my runs I have been thinking a lot about potential ideas for future paintings and issues I might want to open back up in my artwork. Specifically, I would like to reintroduce the idea of memory and see if I can integrate it with the direction of my current projects. Also, I have finalized my list of graduate programs to apply for next fall/winter and have started mentally preparing myself for the amount of *good* work I am going to have to start creating. I practiced a bit on figure drawing, but wont be posting those images here. I'm really starting to feel my creative fire growing. I haven't felt this connected with making in a long time. I'm not sure the reason why, but I hope it stays a while. I am only a little bit anxious to hear back from the residency programs. Of course, I think either opportunity would be a neat experience, but lucky for me, I am a teacher and have the whole summer off to make work regardless of my location. In about a month and a half, David and I will be spending four days in the upper peninsula here:

With this view:

I am sort of viewing the trip as our own little self-imposed artist residency program. I am going to bring my art supplies and David will be armed with his writing ideas and tools. We will explore outside a bit (for as much as we can stand the cold) and spend the rest of the time making. It should be a lovely escape.

In the meanwhile, I am storming straight ahead because 2 months from now is the Detroit coffee house show with Mish (who will be visiting this Monday so we can finally discuss details - along with sipping on tea and enjoying our day off from teaching the kiddos). I have been itching to really delve into the work of other artists like I used to. I can't wait for a spare afternoon to spend at the Grace A. Dow library in Midland. They have an amazing art collection (and an even more impressive oversized art section). I could spend hours there. On that note, I saw the trailer for the sixth season of Art:21 and decided catching up on that series would be a great way to stay inspired. If you haven't seen it, check it out:

Trailer: Season 6 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century" | Art21 from Art21 on Vimeo.

Watching the preview, a name from the past came ringing in: Rackstraw Downes. I enjoy his work and its elongated perspective a lot:

Well, I will leave you with that. My Love is home and we are both hungry... dinner time! ...and then back to making. Maybe I will have some images to post tonight.

Second application complete! Ahhh, I am so glad I will be able to get back to painting tomorrow!

One residency application down, one to go. Now, if only the post office was open so I could get it in the mail immediately and out of my mind! Sorry, no pretty pictures to post. Time for a break : )

This week has been really wonderful. I have allowed myself to relax and to scale back my self-imposed stress a bit. I sat on the couch for hours reading every blog that I have ever bookmarked. I sat on my bed in the comfort of the afternoon sun and pet my two adorable cats. I watched Parenthood, New Girl, and Happy Endings on Hulu. I perused Pinterest, made cookies, ran through the woods, bubble-bathed it up, played my guitar, and looked for Waldo with my love like a little kid. Need I say more? I feel at ease, content, inspired, and rejuvenated. I feel ready to pick up where I left off before my mini-vacation. Which is great because this weekend I have a LOT to do - like finish the piece I started last weekend and finalize applications for two artist residencies that I would love to be a part of this summer. So, here is to the importance of allowing yourself a break. It is amazing how long it took me to be able to really, truly let myself relax.

And, the great thing is - something awesome came of my Pinterest browsing. I found this artist, Sean Mahan:

I think I can definitely garner some inspiration from this work... what do you think? 

Artist Statement Wordle:

David and I had our fifth consecutive weekly meeting to talk about our creative pursuits, dreams, goals, and practical concerns... I can't believe we have actually kept with the routine, as I predicted we would be done after one meeting! I am happy to say this week is going to be a bit of a break. I am planning to focus on applications to two summer artist residency programs (sounds hilarious coming out of my mouth - like, what am  I thinking?!) and taking my time to finish my most recent painting. It will feel good to complete those applications and then I can focus solely on making (with the spring Detroit show in mind). Also, I went to the library today and got a few more books on botany/botanical illustration that I am pretty excited about. ...and I may have gotten a few Where's Waldo books as well - is that so wrong??? haha Okay, a bit more preparation for teaching tomorrow and then it is time for sleep!

This might be too centered. I'm not sure if the gaze sets it off enough or not. I think yellow suits Mish well though. While I was shooting to finish this by the end of the day, I'm going to give myself more time. I don't want to rush it. That was a lofty goal anyway. I put in a pretty good chunk of hours this weekend. More than usual. So I feel okay, although I do need a break. Time to spend the last wee hours of the weekend with my Love...

Progress on another 2x2 ft. piece today...

Just read this blog post by Susanna Coffey on The Unbeautiful as I was looking at her work to reference some composition choices. If you are unfamiliar, here is one of her pieces:

Fall 2011

Also, her post led me to another interesting artist I had not heard of before, Judith Raphael.  I found this image appealing:

Converstion Two/heated up 2006

I would write more, but I have got to keep plugging away at this next piece.

I wanted to make a small study tonight, just to keep me going... This weekend I will start something larger. I'm not sure I really like this piece. It just reveals my guilty pleasure of painting orange slices...