We're big fans at our house

Well, all of the boys at my house are big fans...of Star Wars. Me? Not so much but I am a big fan of The Big Bang Theory and recently saw a rerun where Penny quoted Yoda. "Do or do not, there is no try."

A couple of weeks ago I was discussing my dreams and plans regarding my career as an artist with my husband Doug and I kept starting my sentences with "I'm trying..." At one point he said to me, "Are you doing this or are you dabbling with this?" I immediately thought of Yoda's quote! Our discussion as well as my attitude changed after that. I AM doing this, I am NOT dabbling. I decided that this change needed to be documented in my inspiration journal and I had just the page waiting for some profound words!!

This background was inspired by the fact that my 12 year old son Sam wants to take a paint ball gun to the walls of my basement studio to give it more character so I thought a quote from one of his favorite Star Wars characters was appropriate for this page as well. If I had to pick a favorite Star Wars character is would definitely be Yoda too. Wisdom is sexy!!

I started this page by adhering strips of book text across the pages and inclusion. Then I white washed over them. Since I don't have a paint ball gun (and no one in this house is getting one any time soon) I decided to try to use a straw to create what was in my son's noodle...I watered down my acrylic paints in my happy colors and sucked just a bit up into the straw. Then I blew through the straw at the pages. I was using too much paint at first so I got some drips and big splotches that really just looked like I spilled paint on my page. Once I figured out to use less paint it became fun, just like Sam envisioned! To remedy the messy parts I stood the book up and sprayed it down with water. Parts still look like I just spilled paint but I can live with that...evidence of something I learned. I used white India Ink for the quote.

Here's one other thing I've been working on...

I started with a sheet of watercolor paper and smeared a blackberry all over it to get that purple background.  I loved the color so much I almost left it alone. I didn't want to lose too much of the purple with the next layer so I started to tangle with a white signo pen. After the first two designs I was on the fence...I lost quite a bit of purple in the tiny circles but the pen doesn't really like to write over the berry so it has a 'carved' (for lack of a better term) look to it which is really cool. It's difficult to see that detail in the picture. Anyhow...keeping more purple won out and I decided to stencil the rest of it with acrylic paint. Now I'm not sure what to do with it...I did make another sheet of berry pulp paper and have considered tearing a small rectangle from it to put a quote on and adhering it somewhere. I've also considered it might just be finished. I'm also not sure what to do with it when it is finished, it's my first piece that is not part of a journal. I'm not sure if it's 'home' when complete effects what happens to it next or not...maybe I'm really just over thinking it! If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a colorful weekend!
Dawn

       

You Can Not Use It Up

Creativity that is...they say the more you use the more you have. I am finding this to be true. VERY true and I am very happy about that fact. When I first started The Sketchbook Project I was scared to death I would not have enough ideas to fill all the pages and I would just end up scribbling with crayons on the remaining pages to get it done by the deadline. (That or I would just give up and not send the book in at all.) I counted all of the pages and made a list of ideas. Every idea got written on a sticky note and put on a page in my book. At first I did not have enough ideas to fill all of the pages which of course just reinforced my fears but I started to work on the ideas I had and as I worked new ideas came to me. Onto their sticky note and into the book they went. Eventually I had an idea on every page and I almost could not believe it. I double checked to make sure that the same idea was not on two pages. As I continued to work even more ideas came to me. Some of the sticky notes got removed from the book and replaced with new ones. Those that I removed I stuck on the wall in my studio. The deadline is January 15, 2013 but I am almost done with my sketchbook which turned out not to be a sketchbook at all. It's really a multi media art journal if I have to put a label on it. When it's done I will share all of the pages like a proud momma shares photos of her first baby. Which in all honesty this is my very first project since declaring myself an artist and there is a part of me that does not want to send it in. I have a feeling I might cry just like the day I sent my oldest son to kindergarten. Until I finish it I will share a page from my inspiration journal...yep, not only are there enough ideas for my sketchbook there are enough that I have three other art journals in progress!

For this page I just wanted to play with mixing colors. I intended to use only red, yellow and blue to create all twelve colors on the extended color wheel. I chickened out and added the three secondary colors as well as blue-green. I did do a lot of mixing on the page and learned a lot about color theory. I just used my fingers to mix the paints right on the pages so it was totally fun which was my other objective! Then I wanted to play with the black and white India Ink I had just purchased. When you blow on the ink through a straw it spreads differently on acrylic paint that it does on gesso or plain paper.  I didn't get the result I was looking for with the white splotches but I learned something new.

Thanks for stopping by and if you feel moved please leave a comment. Your words mean the world to me!

Another Page From My Sketchbook

A tribute to pink...one of my favorite colors!!

The Altered Brush Project

My brush arrived in the mail the other day. I am going to alter my brush into a piece of artwork and send it back to Donna Downey to display in the bathroom gallery of her new studio. I am so excited to get started but have a couple of ideas I need to decide between. To see other brushes that are ready to be hung take a look The Altered Brush Project. There are some amazingly talented artists out there!

Here's a look at another page in my sketchbook. I used gesso to prime the page and then scribbled with Watercolor Wonder Crayons from Stampin' Up. I used a water brush to wet the color. I didn't realize how the color would pool on the primed surface so it didn't turn out how I envisioned it. I let it sit for a few weeks trying to decide if I was happy with it anyway or if I wanted to do something else on top of it....then I happened upon the stamp in the clearance bin at Michael's. I loved the quote from Picasso and I decided the page was perfect the way it was!

P.S. If you have any tips on how to better photograph my work or better share it here I welcome any suggestions! Thanks!

Have a colorful day!!

I'm baaaaack....

on my blog that is (I don't think that I was ever missing from any other aspect of my life but I guess I can't be sure myself, can I?) and I've made some changes! Not nearly enough changes but it will suffice for now. I have spent this summer doing many things...We have had "Make It Mondays", "Take A Trip Tuesdays" (which almost never actually occurred on Tuesday, whatever), "Wet Wednesdays" and "Frozen Fridays". The frozen refers to ice cream so of course Fridays were my favorite! We've seen movies, attended soccer camps, made s'mores, played golf, redecorated Sam's room, attended a Fire game, took the train downtown to see Doug's office and have lunch at The Mart, enjoyed time with friends, had a PJ day (or 3) and took our annual trip to Castlerock Lake in Wisconsin to camp with the Bennetts. I think it is safe to say a good summer was had by all and the kids were sad to see summer come to an end.

I have also done one other very important thing this summer...I have decided what I want to be when I grow up! After much soul searching, contemplating, researching, journaling and reflecting I have decided I am going to be an Artist or that I am an Artist (depending on who you ask I suppose).

I posted this to my friends on Facebook:

What are the "requirements" for calling yourself an artist? Do you have to have taken classes, sold a piece of your work, have your work on display somewhere? Is is a title where there are no "requirements" unlike that of say a doctor? I'm curious...what do you think?

My favorite answer came from my friend Jennifer who happens to be an art teacher. She said if you create an original piece you are an artist.  

There you have it, I am an artist!

One other response that I got from my friend Craig who is a performing artist said that for other people to take me seriously as an artist I need to sell my work or have it displayed in a gallery setting. His is a respectable opinion and one I took seriously even though it did not come with the instant gratification that I so loved of Jennifer's.

To that end I have gotten to work! I am participating in what is called The Sketchbook Project 2013. I was sent this humble sketchbook to fill with whatever my heart desires.

When it is complete I will mail it back to the Art House Co-op. My book will be cataloged and then taken on a tour of the country. It will be on display in numerous locations including Chicago during 2013. Once the tour is over it will live forever at the Brooklyn Art Library therefore putting my work on display. This project is making me very happy! It might not be exactly what Craig had in mind when leaving his comment but I'm working towards a goal and goals are good!

If you have interest in this project you can find information or sign up here The Sketchbook Project 2013.

I just received the materials for another project in the mail today! Since it just came I don't have a picture to share yet. When finished this one will be on display in Huntersville, South Carolina at Donna Downey Studios. Donna Downey is a fun and fantastic multi media artist that I had the pleasure of taking a class with this summer. 

Finally, (if you've made it this far thank you!) I have returned to my blog here and figure in this age of the internet I can make this my own public "gallery" of sorts. I am on an Art Journey! Care to come along?

 

Razzberries or Zerberts?

Whatever you call them Bennett has learned to make them...he's cracking me up right now as I type blowing on my leg. It may not be the noise so much as the fact that he's cracking himself up with each blow! Gotta love kids!

Plan B...

Well....Larry let me down on the Hilton Head trip for Doug's birthday. Not in the budget for this year on such short notice. So...Plan B is for the two of them to go to Wisconsin for the weekend, I've requested the time off and looked into courses and tee times. Not sure if they are going to stay at Larry's dad's or at the Bennett's camper. Either place would be fun for the two of them, the camper although less luxurious than Larry Sr.'s new house, is on the lake and they would have access to a boat a couple of really cool bars. Larry can decide...Doug will be happy just to be going away. I'm not as happy as if I were sending him to Hilton Head but I will get over it.

There is just one more wrench threatening to be thrown into my plan...when will Sam's first soccer game of the season be? His coaches are deciding whether or not to play in a tournament Labor Day weekend. If they do that will be great...if not I may have to spoil my surprise and tell Doug of my plans and let him choose if he wants to go away and miss Sam's first game or cancel the trip. GGGRRRRRR.