...back to work! -really!

Phew. Moving is really not great for my creative output... obviously.

And though most of my art supplies are still in another state, I've managed to scrap enough together to start a commission piece and my christmas cards.

...give me a week and I'll be back with many more new things. I am -so- ready to work.

I can smell the paint already!

Hunger Monster

I love hot glue. LOVE it. They had us use it at the -Muppet Making Workshop- at Faerie Con last year, but I think I was distracted by the Barge glue (can't readily get that here... I wonder how they came by some...). So a week of stitching on fur and minutes of glueing in eyes and on feather eyebrows and I am done with the Hunger Monster! Wheeee! He's modeled off the Weight Watchers 'Hunger' Monster... (I think I said all this in my last post, eh?)

I could not be more pleased. He stands so well (weighted feet) and oh! the hands. I had such fun 'sculpting' them out of the fur... and how happy am I to use ping pong balls for eyeballs?! ^_____^ I am just so slow on the uptake... my dream was to work for the Jim Henson company... but I never thought to use ping pong balls for eyes!? *shakes head*

But.. now with the power of hot glue (and a few spare white orbs) I am soooo ready! Aaaaafter I make my Autumn themed doll set.. and some holiday ornaments... and the last commission I have to do. :D

This big fuzz ball will be winging his way across the country soon, so if you want a hug (he is extremely huggable) send me word! I make no promises about the doughnut cravings that may follow ;)

in the deep dark...

...basement, is where I am. Away from the sun and heat and my art supplies... which is making it hard to create.

I have my personal computer set up, but not hooked up to za nets, so I haven't been able to bring you the photos I promised. Sorry 'bout that.

I am though, despite the above, working on a project or three... and shall get you images post-haste. I am currently working on the Hunger Monster from the Weight Watchers commercials. I found the fabric on Fabric.com... though they messed up part of my order, I can't complain about the quality of the orange fur I went to them for. It's nice stuff! And- Oh! What a mess I'm making! Orange fur all over the house... I have the vacuum ready at all times.

He'll be done by the end of the day... if I can get my hands on some ping pong orbs.... well, just one really.

Hope all is well on your side of the screen!

Drat! Missed the weekend...

Okay... so I know I promised pictures... but at the moment I'm sitting in the middle of bits of my computer on a laptop that does not have the means (as far as I know) of resizing the photos I have to share... this limits me greatly.

That said... I've a new set of dolls I shall be beginning work on within the day... inspired by a walk along the Helderberg escarpment with friends and family this last weekend. Moss and lichen and rocks, oh my! So... rather earthy.

I also plan on starting a series of 'monster buttons' (I'd make more necklaces, but my source for the wood ovals seems to have drifted away! Darn internet businesses'!) that will be, as one might suspect... little monsters you can pin on jackets and such. Wearable art and what.

Life continues in my new space rather well... if a little timeless... I haven't seen a calendar in weeks! At least... I think its been weeks...

...back to work!

Okay... so most of my art supplies are still in small boxes in larger boxes miles and miles away from here... but I shall not allow that to stop me from working on new stuff! Oh no! I've set up a little makeshift art corner (here in the basement where I currently reside) and with a lamp and working light bulb I shall begin - once more - to create stuff!!!!

I shall return with images and other visuals... no more of just this text stuff! Oh no!

Where is my mind...

Sorry for the delay, not only of photos of the show... but with updates in general. I am in the middle of one of those dratted things called 'moves'. I'll be back as soon as I can with info and images. (Though maybe not of the show itself... I forgot my camera.) -______-'

A Saturday night update

Sorry I've been quiet here for longer than usual. I've been busy with not a whole heck of a ton and more than some must deal with. The show goes up in the morning and I'm ready for the upcoming move... I'll be back with pictures of the show on the marrow... oooor later on that day.

I hope all is well with you all out here... happy thoughts and good wishes...

Friday evening - 17th of July

What an amazing weekend I had, friends! I went to, and participated in (Matron of Honor!), my first wedding! I'm still smiling :) Love you, L + R!

When I got back I went straight to work finishing up Alice... I am so very pleased with how the images are turning out! I'd hoped to have the last three images finished today, but was distracted with a walk in the rain and some business card designs for my most deserving little sister's business. A hazzah for the massage therapists out there!

I am eager to return to my work at hand... so I'll leave you here, but will see you next week (or earlier) with good shots of the finished show!

Just a mid Monday update!
First we have a sketch I did for my good friend Meg Karper, who is a constant source of inspiration and friendship. Our paths keep missing each other. One day, Meg! I will hug you, lady!
This image is a computer colored hand-sketch like the last one I updated this blog with. They always look better on the computer screens. ;) I wanted to make it look like an old scroll, but I didn't have the heart to age it as much as it should have been... and the colors really would need to be brighter to make it look more 'authentic'. :)

The next picture is of the newest doll commission: Rose Red. She's Snow White's sister from the comic: Fable. I painted her pants with roses and styled her hair... I suppose I could have cut it shorter, but I rather liked it this way. I really like her smirk and her tennis shoes. I do believe I am getting better at these little creations. I am certainly more pleased with the hands and feet.. and faces... and bodies... and clothes. So, yeah. Wheee!

The next (and last image for this post) is one of the new buttons I'm working on. This one is indended as part of the Rose Red commission. It's surprising the difference between working on the pendants and these buttons. I can't imagine it's more than half an inch in difference, but it is certainly a little less challenging to work even this little bit larger. I'll keep you abreast of the button + pendant progress. :)

I'd best get me back to Alice! I'll post some images of the show in the next few days... I'll be out of town for the later part of the week, so I'll probably have to miss my next Friday update. Take care and enjoy the day!

It's a cold - cold summer...

There is something to be said for cool summer days, but this getting a little ridiculous! I really don't want to have to wear a jacket in July! That said it would be perfect weather for sculpting, if I hadn't just packed up the majority of my art supplies. I finished the last commissioned doll I had real specks on. I'm not sure when I'll be able to work on sculptures again...

The necklaces are -still- drying. I should never have used that blasted stamp to sign them... but I do so love how it looks. <3 I'm sure within the week they shall be done and I shall post them along with some of the art I've been storing up for Etsy. Did I mention my plan to make buttons? I figure not everyone wears necklaces. We'll see how that goes, eh?

Take care out there!

Summer, oh sweet summer

The Alice show is coming along nicely. I'm waiting for the ink to dry on the pendants and today it is cool enough to sculpt. I also finished up the remaining wooden ovals with some of the unused thumbnails I'd sketched out for the Alice show. Including the, though I say it, rather cute image of the Mad Hatter with the many hats and the tea cup atop the pile.

The last few days I've spent sitting and looking at reference pictures... *flexes*

I'd say more, but I must get me back to work. See you next week!

Weekend? Where'd you go?

This last week I spent mostly in the Creative Oasis writing and working out what I wanted to do for this next show. I am much pleased with the idea of painting classic scenes from Alice in Wonderland. I have 9 frames left (unless something sells at the CO between now and then) so it will be a 9 piece show.

I've re-read Alice and picked out some scenes, all of them the favorites... though there are some good between scenes that can get a little forgotten... it seems to me to defeat the purpose if I plan drawing from a beloved classic source to do the least remembered scenes.

I plan on having a dark haired and eyed Alice, modeled after the original Alice - Alice Liddell. Really, in the book he gives very little physical description of Alice, other than her constantly changing height - of course... At the end of the book he mentions that her hair is ever falling in her face, but really it is her character not her form that is important. Still, I thought it might be nice to try and work a little history into the illustrations as a whole. And... who wants to go up against both Tenniel AND Disney? Pfft.

See you next week!

Pendant progress

Saturday before the next Sunday

So my next media/design/plan, have I mentioned this... necklaces? I'm gathering up the bits right now to make one of a kind hand painted pendants. I have (what I hope will be) lovely wooden ovals heading this way right now. Yay for Etsy/Artfire! This morning I found the perfect ribbon/necklaces for them. I could not be more pleased.... 20 color options and the come complete with lobster claw clasps! Wheeee! These are going to look sharp.

I'm also really pleased with where my pencil work has been going. I think making these dolls has been really good at working my real+fantasy cannons into one with a little more ease and detail.

Hope all is well with you lovelies!

early morning update

I have always (mostly) loved doing what I do because I rarely have any idea of what I'll have when I'm done. No plan works out as I planned it and often by the time I'm done I'm not sure what that original idea instructed I do as it's grown into whatever it's become. I don't know what fun it would be if everything worked out just as visualized... wouldn't it just be like printing? Or maybe just an exercise in skill? I like what comes of my initial foggy concept.. my brain kinda works in clouds of color and perceived weight and space... I can't actually visualize faces, I know them more by movement and dimension... if that makes any sense...? It means I can't draw from memory with any accuracy, but I can get the 'feel' of something down on paper.

But enough on my faulty brain... back to work!

mid-day update

New commission time, yay!

A new month and it is soooo green!

The weather outside is so lovely... I miss gardening. I've missed gardening for years, an ever present ache... but now, with the budding mornings, it's almost intolerable.

The word a day thing worked poorly for me. My words were rather weak... I need better ones. Not to blame the words... but the first word I pulled was windy... air flow is an almost constant in my work.. I have a few pages of ideas though, so it was hardly a waste of time. I think I'm going to try and focus more on the August show. I'll keep up the word thing, but I really need a solid goal to work towards, I'm already so vacuous that having too large an area to work in... and well, I get befuddled.

Working on, what I hope, is the last draft of the first story in my collection of short stories. I hope I can keep it under 100 pages >_<' I'm trying to be frugal, but I guess I really like words or something.

I plan on making some jewelry in the near future featuring some original tiny images. Shall keep you posted in that regard. More stuff shall be posted to Etsy in the near future.

Hello Friday the 29th!

Another week slipped past again and I have little show for it (in the way of art things... I had a really good time with friends this last week) But I did manage to finish two dolls and a new plan <--- building off earlier plans.

In order to get ready for this show in August... get things up on Etsy and generally - keep myself on track (it's not that I do anything else, but I fall into spots of floundering): I have collected a bunch of words - cut them into strips - put them in a piece (okay, it's a crock... but 'ideas from the Crock' just doesn't have the ring I'm looking for... that said.. it's probably closer to the truth!) from the amazing Charlie Hughes and shall draw a word everyday and make it a goal to finish that word in paint, Sculpey, story form... whatever, by the end of the day.

Wish me luck! And if you have any words... send them my way!

See you next week... hopefully with five - seven new pieces. Hazzah!

Busy week +

This week, I think, will have to count as the first week I didn't make anything at all. I just didn't have the time... which I hear people say often, but for the first time in a long time I simply did not have the space nor the means to work on anything that wasn't just ephemeral concepts and story ideas.... so I have nothing to say! I'll try and update this week mid-week with the finished pieces from LAST week.

I ordered some lovely looking locks off of Etsy while I was taking a moment to waste before cleaning the fridge....

I'm excited to see what I create with them! I don't have the space or, really, the right to fill up the apartment with my work.... but one day I'd love to fill a room with my world(s). It will take me awhile... but oh what fun!

For now... I'd better get back to cleaning...

And I start again...

So the next 'plan' I have is a series of short illustrated stories. These I plan on self publishing on lulu or whatever company seems like a good bet. (I've seen a few other artists that have gone through them... which is kinda how I found them... so I have no worries.)

This is will give me both a goal and fulfill the age old desire I've had to had my own book. It will also give me some much needed confidence in my work... it's hard to put yourself out there as a free lance illustrator when you haven't really illustrated something.

I'd also like to try my hand at a weekly comic strip... I'm not very funny though... it'd be more of an exercise for me AND give my site new material.

Of course I'll be keeping my self busy trying to get my Etsy site a little more stocked... it may or may not be worth it... but after I fill a page or two with new pieces and still it isn't catching on... I shall try advertising in the local area... mural painting, ad design... whatever it takes... I don't want to go back to another mindless job filled with stressed out unhappy people.

All in all, I'm sure to be busy making the house a total mess and pestering the neighbors with audio books.

Oh! I have a show in Aug. I'm batting around ideas... and really have to get myself to figure out just what I want to do... paint? extra extra detailed illustrations? realism? a story? Do I want dolls? I want to spend a great deal of time on each piece as I'd kinda like to see what I can do!

Enjoy the weather!

week 17 - May 8th - Spring

This week I've been taking it rather easy, which has been nice. Some work here and there, some time spent with friends, more than my share of napping mixed in. Had a wonderful night learning the basics of belly dancing. (thanks again, Rowan!)

I did finish a commission of the Silk Specter from Watchman. Her design was rather a challenge and finding all the bits to make her work was practically a scavenger hunt... and just to complete her outfit it took three hand bags, a shirt and a ladies scarf! But I do enjoy looking at items for the materials they're made out of... and not the object itself. Yay for the Goodwill!

I'm about to start another commission: a purposely disturbing doll. So I'll be listening to a TOOL and trying -not- to make it look cute and friendly. There is often a fine line... a line some people don't even see... I'll be going right for evil(ish)... wish me luck! I want to try making posable fingers and toes on this one... so, extra creep factor + interactive perching.

The strange little blue weasel guy was/is an unfinished piece from Gateways... he'll get to stay here with me and shed feathers and creep out my husband. >:D

The Show: Gateways

The show went up and looked better than I could have ever pictured... if I let my brain wander that far forward. Rowan had gone -all- out with the space, from floor to lights! The walls had a fresh coat of the most lovely warm yellow and the baseboard... well, photos will do it more justice. Richly upholstered chairs and a beautiful table freshly refinished with a mosaic of sea greens and reds by the lady herself gave the space an ever more friendly and warm feeling. I've always liked the space... but the wow of the new and improved space was truly wonderful!

And so then we set about hammering nails into the perfectly new golden wall... And if I had planned a set of colors to go with the new walls I don't think I would have differed the pallet I used for this show one bit. I'm really glad I changed the idea, this collection looks great, though I say it myself. It was so fun to see the dolls not sitting on my art-table/kitchen table/sewing room ;) or on the sofa. I had tons of stuff (dried leaves and sea shells, gem stones and flowers) to put with them, but after tucking in a few vases and bowls, the idea of adding any other than the work done in/for the Creative Oasis seemed unneeded and utterly superfluous.

The opening was great fun! (and the food was amazing and I forgot to get out my camera... again.) Lots of people showed up, lots of friends and their friends and new friends. I think I was smiling for the five-six hours it ran. I really enjoyed the whole experience... it was really my first opening where people um, well, showed up and the feedback-vibe was so warm and positive. I did really well too, not too many brain freezes and I even walked up to people to offer answers to their questions, if they had any.

I wore my orange shoes.

---

I hope this isn't too long/boring... but here's a slide show of the show from start to end: Gateways

business card

I thought it turned out well. :) Now... back to dolls!

Wheee!

edit: that image was Waaaaay too dark: vr 2!

Friday before the show - week 16

I'm not even sure where to start... I think I've been non-stop sculpting, gluing and sewing this last week solid.... I finished seven and a half dolls and one more illustration is begging for ink. I've managed to get a doll done a day! Though on those days, I have done nothing else ( and when I say 'day' I'm really talking about 20 hours solid of work and usually touch up the next morning). But it has been wonderful to wake up and work and go to bed with a totally new creature to add to the growing mass of creations.

I've made mostly monsters and little impy creatures... yesterday I took all that i had done out to the sofa/work space to judge what the last doll (and a half) should be... I thought I had a decent line up only asking for a few more monsters. ;) So yesterday was spent with fur.

My poor brain... I'm not sure if it has been all the glue, staring at tiny things hunched over for hours at a time or the Sculpey fumes, but I feel utterly odd... as though the greater part of my brain has shut down to make room for the drive to do nothing other than make. I think maybe I can now understand all those crazed people who bring their lap tops on summer vacation, only, I doubt more than a quarter really enjoy what they do. I LOVE what I do! And finally having a solid reason to create again has been overwhelmingly wonderful.

Still, I hope I can slow down a little bit after the opening... because right now I'm sure if someone asked me a question I'd answer with: Huh? fur, what? What were you saying? I have to finish this doll.....

So I'll see you next week with show update-photos.... right after I finish this doll......

Week.. aw, let's just call it: Spring! finally!

OH my lords.. I'm totally scatterbrained (cool daylily by the way... really cool!) right now... and the drunks are bellowing at the moon, which really has been going on -all- day.

I don't want to post too much ;) 'cause I'm still in the middle of the last few pieces for the show... but how about an image of what happens when art happens in a one bedroom apartment + an artist whose idea of organizing is using the box AND the lid as storage units...

Week Fourteen... right?

I don't know why it is taking me so long to work on this show.... well I do... Because I'm trying to put a little more thought into it... and where thoughts and my art work meet there is a stranger murky place. I can put pencil to paper and things happen... but I wanted to think before I set to work. I hit a wall after 13 images... and I wanted at least 15...

Well... I still have a few days to get it all together...

Happy Easter!

The Mad Scientist Bunny is for D... when he wakes up. ;)

Week Thirteen.

I completed all the pencil work for Gateways... or I had until I decided a few more images couldn't do any harm... so D and I will be getting a few more frames... I can always not use the images, but so far I've been exceeding pleased with everything I've come up with. There are a lot of monsters... and books and more flowy things than ever before (which is saying something)... I have magic hats and dream herders and stars and grass and, well, all the things I normally have, but(!) they all fit into the 'idea' of the show.... Gateways: change: transformation...

Next week/this weekend I'll be coloring... and then on to dolls! Wheeeee

sketchbook pages

I always thought seeing an artist's sketchbook was interesting... I never had one small enough to fit in the scanner... so here's a glimpse of thumbnails for this next show... most are just doodles as my pencil wonders.. there are a few ideas in there worth finishing, I think.

Week Twelve.

So here I am, a little less than a month from this last show and I'm having yet another re-think of the 'idea' of the show. I really love the concept of the Storyteller and the illustrations to her story and the story within the story, or what-have-you.... but I think I won't be as pleased with the end product in the space as I might be in a smaller area... The Creative Oasis is a rather large space... and I fear that this idea will show a single idea, which is good in some places, but I don't think the most useful (or fun) for me to show what I can do. It would be subtle and thoughtful (at least I thought so)... but I like many ideas and colors...

So... I'm going back to the idea I had before this last one... at least for this show... Gateways

Bold colors... individual pieces, as I usually do... though I may try to tie them all together with words still... I'll see what happens.

I think that will work better in the space... and allow me much more freedom of both pallet and subject... I don't want this to become too much of a habit for me... but I think this is the 'better' idea for this venue.

So.. back to work I get!

Week Eleven.

Two days lost, but to friends and planning... so I'll probably be able to come to terms with it... I'll work all the hours I can this weekend to make up for the missed time.

I did finish one doll.. my second tiny doll: Weir

I think my thought process was: I'll work small to big... but after working on three of these little guys and all three ended up having extreamly different looks... I think I'll start with the big Storyteller first and then work down from there... I don't want it to look like I just grabbed whatever dolls I had sitting around.. I want these to look like they go together... in some way... I thought the same color scheme... but that will be tough for me to do...

I think this way of taking on the task will be the 'best' or at least work the best for me at this time. So... that's kinda a week lost... but I hope to finish the more-finished second little doll... and toss them up on Etsy.

I love and HATE working this small.. I end up spending hours on their little faces... I'm sure it'll take me little more time to make the large Storyteller than it took to make Weir... So, unless it's a size that people seem like like... well, I'd better stick to 12+ inches for awhile... at least for my sanity!

I'm just crossing my fingers that stories manage to dig themselves out of my head while I'm working on these characters... I feel like my brain is full of jelly when it comes to that...

We'll see...

Eureka!

I have it... the perfect mix of all the things I want in this coming show in April...

One large doll... reading a little book to a collection of strange and varied characters... and the book itself will be illustrated by the 13 framed images that surround them (as well as the larger illustrative cut outs) and then, as the hand out/booklet... I'll have the 13 images and the story.

Dolls. Illustrations. Story.

And... the titles will just write themselves! Ha ha!

I've sketched this idea enough... now I can make it.. and bring people into one of my sketches... and then into that sketch with sketches... and then they'll have a piece of the picture in their hands.

I'd best get to work... I have so much to dooooooo!

(oh... and my first Etsy sale this morning. Whoooo ha!)

Buttons!

Inspired by buttons could be the title of this post. It's sad for me to think that this is meant to be the height of my mental prowess (if that would could -ever- be used with me as as the subject!)... I honestly fear for myself.

Ah, well.

So! After excitedly receiving not one but two buttons from Etsy sellers I thought to myself... heeeeeeeey (e's elongated to show the slowness of my thoughts) I could have buttons too!

So, buttons I shall have. And the Busy Beaver Button Company shall be making them. They don't know this yet... but soon... soon.

Here are some ideas I whipped up without doing a whole heck of a lot... ie, anything new:

thoughts? votes? etc etc and so forth?