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.

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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......