shared visions art

I have definitely not done as well this year, keeping up with the 30 in 30 Challenge. Ah well. Life changes. Life gets in the way of life. At least I’m working in the Studio more than I had been of late. Eventually those of us who frame our own work have to take time away from doing it, to frame it. I framed 10 pieces this week. Some of which have not yet appeared on this page now that I think of it. This piece is another in my “Quilt” series. I think it’s done, but may yet fiddle a bit with the lower left corner.

Some times working on one thing can get boring. That’s why series were invented. Working in a series also helps you fine tune things. I’ve done several pieces that I would for what I call my “Quilted Collage” series. Most of these started with cutting up and/or piecing together older work. This one is called “Stoke the Fire Within from Without”. Although our lives as artists are often filled with solitary time in the studio, we must participate in life to feed our fire. For many of us Mother Nature is a major muse. So go out side and breathe the air, smell the lilacs, feel the grass between you toes. When you return to the studio you will be refreshed and your work will be more alive.

So far it’s only a few, but it sure is satisfying to finally complete works that have been in progress for quite some time. “Peace, Love & Understanding”. Frankly I think love is the key…you can’t truly have the other two if you don’t have that.

These days are jumble and or lost. Hurricane, power outage, life so not normal. At least I’ve been able to do some art, though mostly I’ve had a sleeping sickness. Not my normal one of NOT sleeping. It seems that for many days now I’ve done nothing but sleep. Even if i was up at 8, I’d be back in bed until any where between 11 and 2. Then some of the days I’d sleep for 10-12 hours. I am normally the type of person who rises to the occasions, grabs the bull by the horns and makes things as orderly as possible. Not this go round. I was kind of in a “denial” mode. …………..so here is what should have been day 4 and then 4/11…but now Day 13. “An Every Expanding Universe” or some like that.

So I’ve been returning to work that has been sitting on my “project shelf” in the studio. This is one that was just kind of “EH”. I was never really sure what was “wrong” with it. It had no oomph. As I went back into it with some more found objects and idea of what the piece was about came to me. It’s pretty hard to have oomph if you don’t even know what you’re trying to say. So here’s to “Keeping It All Together”.

Hmmm, how many can I finish in one day? Since I’m about to take a nap after all my hurricane preparation, probably not too many. I’m sad that I didn’t take a picture of this one before I started re-working on it today. I knew I had shots of it, but it turns out they were phase 3 shots and there that 4th phase was WAY different. But here is the NOW and THEN. I’m trying to decide what to name it. It’s working title was When Angels Dare, but now I’m thinking either ‘Broken Wings’ or ‘The Wing Repair Shop’.

…a year can make. I decided to do the 30 in 30 Challenge again this year, but here it is the 9th and I haven’t done anything. Then again, last year I didn’t take care of a grand baby every day during the week. Nor did I have a hurricane barreling this way. Those are excuses though, something I learned last year. You can create every day if you make the effort. Since I’m being the times, I decided a good “theme” to begin with, would be to finish the many unfinished pieces I have laying around the studio. This one was suppose to go into a self-portrait themed show, but I didn’t get it (or it’s sister piece done in time). Of course, now I see some necessary tweaking. 

So delighted to have one an Honorable Mention in the most recent SoMMA (Society of Mixed Media Artists) show. Not only is this a group of extraordinarily varied and talented artists, but this show in particular is full of wonderful art. I am particularly pleased and truly honored that this judge found my piece worthy. She is an artist whose worked I have long admired and whom I respect greatly. It’s also fun that the piece is one of my favorites (or current favorites).

It’s always fun to frame a piece even if it is sold unframed. There is just something about “wrapping and tying a bow on it”. I’ve framed several of my most recent small mixed media pieces. They are all 8×10 and under. This also give you an idea why artists photograph their work BEFORE it’s framed.

“Don’t Be So Negative”

“The Librarian”

“I’ve Been to a Desert Planet”

So not only did I take up another online challenge, but I also have the continual challenge to actually post the work I’m doing on my website. I really should be better at this, especially since I’m so excited about some of the work…

For now…this challenge was only 5 Days (instead of the past ones of 30), but the trick was to set a stopwatch and take only 20 minutes to complete a painting. The Goal? To get LOOSE! or LET LOOSE!

It was interesting to see how long 20 minutes was when you were concentrating and not dawdling… I kept thinking the timer should have gone off already.