Teeny sketchbooks made from junk paper

 

I like making sketchbooks out of junk paper. This one was teeny, only about 2 inches square, held together with staples and duct tape. The cover is discarded magazine covers.

When you have something that is made from nothing then you don't worry about making perfect drawings. I think he looks like Peter DeFazio, but he isn't...

Speaking of magazines if anyone has old fashion or interview magazines they don't want, send them my way. I especially love "Interview" (thanks Toby) and "W".  Love to cut out figures from them.

More strange but true...

ok... this is probably only interesting to me, but ??? 

Over the last year or so my totally straight hair has been turning curly! 

Google says this is not uncommon, that every 7 weeks your hair can change. 

I gotta tell my sister!

Has this happened to you?

 

An Experiment or Process...

You may remember the woman in the painting above. She had a few problems. I didn't like her much. The painting embarrassed me for some reason. 

So... I decided to paint her again, but on paper this time. Same dimensions, same basic composition. 

It either got worse or better, sure didn't stay the same. I can't say I like this one either.

 

And then this strange accident occurred. I held her up to the window backwards and there was another painting living inside the one above! And this painting is interesting and spontaneous and full of energy. I like this one the best of the three. However, I don't think I'll leave it hanging in the window...

I think this is kind of a miracle, the magic painting inside another painting.

Kindle drawing... she might be waiting for her veggie burger to arrive...

Tomorrow is Monday, studio day. 

I don't want to just blah, blah, blah report here a la "this is what I have done". Maybe what is more interesting is this feeling of not knowing what is coming next. I have 12 blank, prepped panels ready to go. Looking at drawings, going to go xerox stuff tomorrow. 

No words, I just have to make stuff.

oh... has anyone read The Night Circus? I loved it...

My friend Shelly Jo

This is my friend Shelly Jo (and Ginger). We have known each other since I was 19, we met at Girl Scout Camp. Along with Aggie the three of us have had some amazing adventures. We were all photographers together and attended the Photography Ovular in Southern Oregon in the early 80's. (We are talking some serious feminism here, and a whole lot of fun)

There are so many accomplished things to know about my friend Shelly Jo. She is an expert backpacker and makes most of her equipment... AND she just got done walking 700 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. Yes, you heard it right, 700 miles!

 

We got to hang out in the studio where Shelly made prints of a cabin she had stayed in. The prints turned out great! 

 

I love you lots S.J. (and Mr. Monty was pretty smitten with her)

Process Shmacess (as Kristin would say)

 Making a mess, evolution, ruining something I liked, process....

You could call this painting all of the above.

This painting, "The Grim Reaper", got to the state below... I liked it, I even liked it a lot, but it wasn't quite right, wasn't quite "enough". In my mind it didn't jump or sparkle, but I couldn't figure out what it needed.

  

I took a photo, took it home and fed it into PhotoShop Elements which I do not know how to use. I played with the filters. The image below does not exist in reality, but I love the drama of it. However this didn't help my painting. I still didn't know how to make the spark happen.

 

This is where I'm at today, it's not bad but I'm mourning the loss of the painting that was the first state. Because of course now I know what the original painting needed, the red box on top of the green striped rectangle. That's all, just one small thing would have made it work.

Now the Grim Reaper looks like he is wearing the flag. Gotta get a bit of green-gray in this image and that is IT!!!

So, for those who think this is about talent it's only me stumbling around in the color wheel trying to make sense of things.

It's Interesting...

Recognition feels good. Really good. Here is my piece at the entryway to the mayor's art show. 

And, above photos of Ginger and Karm and Connie and Dale. 

The reception was very fun. 

My sister gave me a book titled "How Georgia Became O'Keefe". In it I found the following quote: "Flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am free"

There is something quite freeing in this as I know the warmpth wears off and what is left is the art and why are we doing it? All I know is that I can't wait to get into the studio this week...

Oh, and one other thing... I overheard a man talking about my painting. He wanted to know why Lincoln was dressed like Elvis! He didn't seem too happy about it!