Thanksgiving Break has come and gone...sigh. It was a good one, that's for sure. I did not work on my acrylic paintings- nope, not one bit... which was one of my goals... but I did finish up my 'Movember' series (gotta post those) ...and I feel pretty good about the series overall. I was originally trying to gradually go back to less color and more of a 'sketchy' feel, kind of like the first pieces...like a return to the original image...but I loved working with the rich colors from the Prismacolor markers and colored pencils...so, just gave in and went with it. I created a piece in honor of Black Friday even though I did all of my shopping that day on-line (and I am FINISHED!) and the final piece in the series is in honor of all those moustaches and beards that will be shaved off now that 'Movember' had ended. Moment of silence, please.... Okay, thank you. Now here are the last two pieces...and me, being silly. (what's new, right?)
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Okay...so it is NOT the great pumpkin- I was there. But, it was daylight...so...might have to check again later! Very eventful week...and per usual by the time I edit some photos and make time to updated my site, well, I lose some of the motivation to write about it all. Luckily, I have plenty of pics to everything! For starters...can I just say that we printed out first photos in my high school digital photography class and...after that first photo came off the printer and I could hold it up for my students- it was EXCITING. Wow. So great to see their work in my hands instead of on the screen! Each student was able to select what they felt was their best photo from the first four assignments, and I am so proud of them! Hooray! Besides my excitement over the photographs...oh, and the middle school art is up to, I need to photograph that display, they did a great job on their line projects! Where was I? Oh yes, besides my excitement over my students' projects, there are many other good things... enjoying being a part of the NSU learning community...which includes the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale! I made my way over to the AutoNation Academy of Art and Design Open House this past Saturday and I am ready to make some connections, as a teacher, a student and an advocate for the Museum and Academy...hopefully more to come... Other happenings this week- friends. Lot's of friends. We have had some friends from back home in Florida and it was great to reconnect with these folks. Mackie, Justin and Ryan- we seriously miss you guys already, and it was great to be able to introduce some of our old friends to some of our newer friends here in Florida (thanks for coming down to Hollywood, Jen and Jake!) . Feeling blessed to have such great people in my our lives. ...and after everyone parted ways...quiet. Back to normal, which for me meant a couple of hours drawing at Hollywood Beach, today I sat at Mamacita's Mexican Bar & Grill right on the boardwalk. I may be addicted to cafe con leche, seriously. It was a productive morning, finished up my daily piece, and even made two angels for the super sweet waitresses that let me overstay my welcome at my table by the beach. Thanks, ladies! ...new pics are posted to the 'Recent Works' page, check'em out! (if you are feeling lazy I posted them below, too- no worries) I have really been enjoying this series, having fun with my ladies and with the Halloween-inspired motifs. ...and just like that...the blog is up to date, and I am ready for another week, hopefully full of art adventures! -J
Having fun so far with my Halloween theme! I found this photo, not sure how old I was....or what I was supposed to be, what the...? Anyway...I sure do love Halloween! So far I am having fun with these new pics...figure I might as well go with the natural style characteristic that I already lean towards..big ol' eyes, small nose and mouth, crazy expressions, combination of b/w and color...drips, splatters, drips and salt texture....might as well. So, here are the first eight pieces... Real quick-like...this past weekend I had a South Florida first...I rode the Tri-Rail. I took it up north to see my art friend Jess, and it wasn't half bad. I could sit for an hour and just draw, she picked me up...got some dinner...then made more art while hanging with my Jess and Sof. Yes, please. ...that was Friday of last week...Saturday I was up bright and early to work on my art (shown in the two far right pics above) and then headed to Stitch Rock with my fellow Art Hive Magazine bees, Jess, Angela and Sof. Art Hive was one of the sponsors so we were there to distribute magazines and take pics from the various social media outlets. Not only did I buy some amazing HANDMADE gifts (and a few things for me!) but I was able to help promote these amazing artists. What an awesome thing to be a part of! Why helllloooo there. Got a minute to chat, er...ummmm...read? Good, because I finally have a moment to sit a update my blog. So here goes. Have I mentioned I love summer? I think I professed my love for summer in a previous post...just want to reiterate that feeling. One perk to the teaching gig is having summers off. But I am by no means 'off' from my twenty-four hour a day job, which is maintaining my sparkle and making a go of this art thang. I digress. The week before our trip to NYC and the wedding in NJ was a busy one. I made a quicl slideshow to show some of the week in pictures, but I didn't do captions and I don't know if the pictures were very self-explanatory. So here is a brief explanation of some of those pictures... Well, for starters...Art Hive Magazine was in the news! Hooray! Co-Owner, Angela, was on the South Florida Business report talking about how the magazine started, what we do, who we are...you know all the good stuff. She looked amazing and did a great job...all that acting and modeling experience helped out, no doubt! I hope that the news station knows that they picked up a new demographic thanks to this story- the 13lb. cat demographic! Next up in the slideshow...John, Jessie and I headed over to Ink and Pistons to ear cover their one year anniversary event for the Art Hive FB page and blog...and to see my work, of course! Hooray! The weather has been pretty bad around here (still is!), but they lucked out- no rain and a great turn out to celebrate their awesome establishment, see art, check out some hot rods, eat from the food truck and there were even some folks getting tattoos! ...next in the slideshow...some pictures that don't really look like anything else on my site...and with good reason- this was totally new for me! Jessie forwarded me an email from a guy that wanted a commission for his father's upcoming birthday. Of course I said, 'Yes! I can do it!'...and then had a mild nervous breakdown when I realized just how intense it was going to be...a 16x20 version of desiderata in the Middle Ages 'Illuminated Manuscript' style painted with acrylic on vellum. It was tough, but I did it! And not only did I surprise myself, but the client liked it, too! And I earned some money for my trip! Hooray! The last part of the slideshow shows me finishing up the last pieces in my June series, 'Childhood'. For the last part of the month I was working on these pieces all at once rather than one at a time due to the materials and techniques I was using. I did gel medium transfers on the canvas boards, using my favorite childhood character from coloring books and I even used my own drawings that I had changed over to coloring book images...then I did a little painting here and there with acrylic paint, mostly backgrounds and large areas...then...the fun part. I used a heat gun to melt the crayons I had been using all month, switching the angle of the heat gun, standing up the canvases to create drips and move the melted wax the way I wanted. I also made drips and splatters and in a few pieces put the heat directly to the crayon and just drew right on the canvas with it. Very different from how I usually work, lot's of fun and experimenting...made a bit of a mess. You know what? Kind of made me feel like a kid again...what an proper ending to the series! So that was the explanation of the happenings pre-trip. Then we went on our trip to New York. New York is always a good idea. I love going to New York, I just wish I had more time! In our short amount of time there we visited John's cousin in Brooklyn (our host, thanks Cat!), visited with old friends and one of my fav former students, got a tour of Kenneth Cole from a buyers/designers perspective...swoon!! (thank you, Kerri!) checked an amazing exhibit at the Met (see below), and even left some angels and crayon tags here and there to brighten someone's day. We were only there Monday afternoon til Wednesday mid-morning...it was busy, and fun! Oh...and I packed for the ENTIRE trip (including my cocktail dress!) in one bookbag! I can't believe I did it! I wish I did have a full week in NYC...if I did I would need 2-3 days to truly experience the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I feel so overwhelmed and wonderful every time I enter those hallowed halls. This time was no exception,
For this trip, we had a specific goal...to make a beeline for the Punk: Chaos to Couture show..and we did! It was amazing! I was really struck by the overall setting for the show, how much work must have gone into creating the backdrop for these punk-inspired fashions. As for the clothes- what's not to love? Being Inches away from a Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen...Dolce and Gabbana? Yes, please. There are no words. I wish I had pictures, but alas, not allowed to take pictures in the exhibition. Sigh. But here are two from the Met page, directly linked to that page...please, please, please check it out! Even if you aren't into fashion you can appreciate the music side of the exhibition, or social/cultural ramifications, or just the way they transformed the exhibition space! So today I spent about three and a half hours at Barnes and Noble/Starbucks...a little longer than my usual Sunday ritual but I didn't go the beach in the morning so I suppose it all evens out. I started two new fashion illustrations, one is for a Great Gatsby-themed show I am participating in...and I did a little angel bombing just because it has been a while. When I got home I resurrected the ol' teachin' blog and I spent some time writing about some of the projects we completed at art camp last week. And now...before I go into nap mode or otherwise lose motivation to blog...here is a wrap up of the morning's events...I am sure I will draw some more, maybe even make a trip to Michael's later this evening. Gotta get some sleep, I am helping one of my former teachers with an AP workshop tomorrow, which I am really excited about! Trying to catch up on blogging after a non-stop schedule…dramatic pause… It has been cra’y. I would venture to say it has even been cra’y cra’y. There, I said it. The last time I sat down to write was last Wednesday, after I got home from the second basketball game for the week. Thursday was conference night at my school and I knew I would not have many folks stopping by so I brought plenty to do…well, I thought I did. I get to school, check my bag and... my current pad of Bristol board is not there. Now, not a big deal…but to me…kind of a stressful situation. By kind of I mean- I WAS STRESSED. I like to pull all of my paper from the same pad of 11x14 Bristol Board until it’s all gone…and…I had tucked away twelve 4x6 angel sketches that I intended to paint for Atlanta…all left at home. You would figure, no big deal, right? My job is in an ART room for crying out loud. But…it just wasn’t the same…I needed my Bristol board pad…sigh. Luckily, I found a pad of 11x14 watercolor paper probably one I had tucked away for such an occasion. I made myself get over the fact that this paper had a texture to it and moved forward. Instead of resketching my angels to paint I had the idea to create collaged angels, so I proceeded to paint solid pieces of paper, to cut out angel pieces and then construct. I think in my mind I was thinking that this would not take as long. Ummmm…no. Not only did it take just as long, but I had a blister on my hand from cutting the angel parts out by the time I was finished. On a positive note, the angels turned out pretty good, and I did finish twelve to take with me to Atlanta. More on that later. Next up…inventory. I haven’t completed inventory yet this year, haven’t even started my new spreadsheet. Now that I think about it…might want to check and make sure I did inventory for December 2012…oh man… My pal, Nottage, stopped by to help me take pics...here is what inventory looked like... Next day...it was a half-day of teachin' and then I traveled to Atlanta for CHEERSPORT Nationals. This was my sixth year judging. I had to double check- six years?! Yep. Judging this particular competition is a big deal for me, it is probably one of the largest if not the largest cheerleading competition going on right now. This year there were almost 1000 teams. I get to see awesome cheerleading routines from across the United States...see my 'cheer family'...and...there are vendors there selling sparkly thangs. Wait...and I get paid? What.... Oh...and I got to visit with our cousin Jen and her family. Done deal! Pic with Shelby and Stuart A highlight of judging CHEERSPORT is finding Shelby Stout for my annual hug. Shelby and her husband, Stuart, started the March Forward with Hope Foundation, an organization that provides financial assistance to families battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Stuart and Shelby started this in memory of their daughter, Hope Stout, shortly after she lost her fight with cancer. I met Shelby that first year I judged nationals, I think. It has been so long...anyway, I felt a connection to Shelby. I think it is from losing my best friend, Amy. Now, Amy did not die from cancer, she was killed in a car accident...but I have witnessed firsthand the struggle that her parents, John and Jennifer, have gone through losing their daughter. I can relate to wanting to see the memory of someone you love live on, even when they have passed. So every year I seek out Shelby Stout, sometimes with art in hand, always ready or my hug. I am so inspired by what Hope's family is doing in her memory. Makes me want to do something in memory of Amy...wheels are turning in my brain...will have to think on that a little... So this year, my gift was one of my small angel-collages. Then I started thinking...I need to make a bigger one for the Stouts, they could auction it off...or reprint and use it...something. So I made an 11x14 angel painting and delivered in on Sunday. I hope they can put it to good use : ) Speaking of angels. I left some angels in Atlanta and FINALLY...someone let me know they found one! Yay! I got a notification via Instagram that someone found one of my paintings...hooray! I posted a few pics of my 'angelbombing' from the weekend...I even 'angelbombed' my roomie, Karen! One thing that I was thinking...besides I LOVE the idea of leaving art everywhere for folks to discover...I may have to rethink what I am calling it...now, I picked 'angelbombing' because I was inspired by 'yarnbombing'. I just worry about the negative connotation of the word 'bomb'. For example, when I was leaving my angels in the Georgia Congress Center, I made sure not to use #angelbombing in my Instragram posts, fearing someone might read and just see the second part of the word and panic. Silly? Maybe. Anyway, something that I am considering. ...alright...trying to wind this looooong blog post down, gotta go to the gym and it's getting a little late if I want to get some sleep. (or come home and make more art!) More things worth mentioning...I started some new pieces...one drawing was inspired by the cheerleaders and their big ol' bows...and...ummm...I started a new mini-series on the way back inspired by the ladies I saw going to the church service on Sunday...all bundled up in fancy coats and (hopefully FAUX) fur hats. They looked so glam. I tried to sleep on the plane, but then the word 'baboushka'...it's not the right word, I know...but in my head I thought of that word and I made the connection to these ladies...so I started five new pieces... So...that's about it. Oh, wait. I also may have met a contact on the plane to get get some of my work printed on shirts...hoping that will pan out, fingers crossed...and...about to send some designs I have been working on (not shown on the site) to my contact in CA...again...send me some positive vibes, folks!
To end...here are the pieces from my 6-day hiatus from my blog...just posted 'em tonight to the site and to my blog, FINALLY! Mackie, on the interwebs. The last days of January were...a blur. Teachin, artin', travelin'...it just escaped me and I didn't MAKE time to blog. (notice I didn't say 'have') In my defense, Mackie was always on the computer when I did want to blog, so I am not totally to blame. Look, I even have proof! So, uh...here's a wrap up of the last bit of January. Last weekend I traveled to Daytona for a Florida Art Education Association board of director's meeting, John came along and we stayed an extra day to have a mini-vacation. Some great networking for next year (more on that at a later date), planning for conference and gave my Youth Art Month report and then, just some quality time with my husband. Good times! One of the biggest take-aways from the weekend (beside a little tan!) was meeting a very special lady. On Sunday, per usual- I am up way to early...and John, well..he is not. So I head out with my art bag to find a spot to draw and while I was wandering around I stopped in the hotel gift shop to look for my mandatory jewelry purchase (I buy a piece of jewelry every time I go on a trip, at least one piece...uh, sometimes more) and I met Alma. I knew there was something special about this woman as we quickly bonded as I looked for jewelry. Turns out....she had experience in the jewelry industry, designing and was the perfect person to help me select something- we chose a bracelet in a gunmetal mesh with sparkles all over it. Her husband was also in the industry, and she also worked with galleries and spoke candidly of selling work and attending gallery parties. We talked fashion, of silk scarves by Lanvin and Bottega Venta, her love of green to compliment her once auburn hair. I could clearly see that hair in my mind, this amazing woman before me with an amazing head of red, sassy hair. Alma asked me if I was an artist, and I said yes. When she asked if she could see my work I happened to have the pieces I just finished with me, so I took them out and put them on the counter. She loved my work. I talked to her about trying to do this whole art licensing thing...and she told me to keep going, not to stop. She said many encouraging words, and it was such a sincere moment. There were a few times I just had tears in my eyes, that I had by chance come into contact with such a kindred soul. So, we went back before leaving Daytona, after lunch on the pier and some 'angel bombing'...and I gave Alma the last of my angels that I had with me. This angel, in a zebra dress and red heels, was reaching for a star inscribed with the word, 'inspire'. How fitting. I promised Alma that I would see her again in the fall. And I will. I had these intentions to write this big ol' diatribe of my work for this month, what I was inspired by...to try to explain it all...but well, I have two unresolved pieces I want to complete and another one for February (more about that later)...and that is all I can think about...how to come to some closure for the month of January...so here is just some rambling comments... ...started with the idea of 'darkness'...I interpreted it as ladies with dark hair with tattoos and piercings, which I think is lovely...in the 6th piece of the series I added a peacock feather tattoo which prompted me to go off on a tangent with a peacock feather motif...then I tried to reel myself back in, only to get distracted by calla lilies and dragonflies in my tattoo designs...then I started thinking, 'I need to work with my backgrounds more', so I focused on that...then I kept thinking about a phrase I love from an Avett song...so I started working with text...and then, another piece of text, a quote I love: ...so I started thinking about light and dark, and duality...how within each one of us we have the potential for both good/bad, light/dark...and I guess the Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 fashion illustrations I completed this month, heavy with black and white graphics and pops of yellow were still in my head and inspired my colors...so I created a piece that included a portion of the text, and then went on to just the idea of the duality...and then, wait- I met Alma and she inspired me to create a picture of a fiery red-headed muse whispering in my girl's ear...then back to my black/white/yellow images...and now I am trying to close up the series. I have the last two pieces, still painfully unresolved. My goal is to include many of the elements from this whole month...don't know how it will turn out...but that is where I am at. Enough for now. Gotta go make some art. Will post final pics tomorrow for the series as well as the first piece in the new series and all kinds of other things related to art, cheer and sparkle...
So...its the first day of a new month, new theme...and it is...drum roll please... 'ROUND' My automatic thought was to work with a halo, inspired by Byzantine iconography...a style that really appeals to me. Where else could this go? Embellishing? Why, yes- that thought crossed my mind. A return to my beading/drawing/painting combos....another thought I had. Incorporating circles in the composition...working on circular canvases and surfaces...yes and yes. For tonight, going to start simple, one Graphitone pencil, a cup of water and my paint brush. CED #183. Angel Wings, Pacific Beach CA So...continue pity party...me, cats, hanging out at home with Netflix, pillows, Aleve and a heating pad. I decided to work on my June self-portrait while I watched that 80's movie, Heathers.By the way, that is one crazy movie. I digress... I had the idea when I was in California to do a variation on my usual 'angel pic' as the inspiration for my June Self-Portrait. I should probably give some back story on the angel pic...John and I take 'angel pics' every year we go back to visit San Diego. There are some wings painted on a wall just around the corner from our old apartment in Pacific Beach. I think we first discovered them shortly after we moved into that little studio apartment, we were always walking around, reveling in how great it was to have so much cool stuff within walking distance. And then one day we found those wings. It was 2006. We took some pictures, I think that might have been the day that we walked to the jetty. When folks came to visit us, we had them take 'angel pics'. We still have some vertical frames up in our place with the pictures of the people that came to visit us during our short time on the west coast. When we left CA, we each took an 'angel pic' then headed out for the long cross country drive with our two cars and all of the belongings we had out there. I loved living in California. For me, it kind of represented really stepping out on our own. We didn't have anyone out there really, so everything was what we made it. We found jobs, found a place to live, made friends- everything was on our time. I am often torn when I think...would I want to go back? On one hand, it is so far. But there is a certain amount of life that it brings int both of us. So, for now, or from now on, which ever it may be...we promised ourselves that we would go back every year to visit. And we have. We moved in June of 2007 and we have been back every summer since, taking an 'angel pic' at the end of each trip. So that is the story of the wings. And here are some 'angel pics' from 2006-2012. Kind of fun to look at 'em, at least for me. What does this have to do with my portrait? Yes, thank you for getting me back on track. ('You' of course is my imaginary audience) I took my regular pic, but then I had the idea to get John to take a picture of me holding my blank sketchpad in front of the wings with the intention of drawing that picture... My idea was to use that drawing and somehow insert it into the photo to make it look like I was holding the drawing of my picture. Now, keep in mind that I was doing this using my limited graphic design skills. My friend Jessie (yep- the one that I was supposed to be with in Miami)...anyway, she would be my go-to person to get the image inserted and have it high resolution, etc. So...what I did tonight is kind of like a preliminary. I am not 100% about what I made tonight, certainly not the image inserted into the image...but also about the actual drawing...might redo that.
Well, here is what I came up with; Now that I have a minute to sit and process...even though it's almost 2am on June 6th...I am going to rewind and go back to June 5th. One of the first things that was significant was checking my email to find that my angel paintings from my first Etsy order made it to Missouri and Nevada- and that they liked my work. (see pic below) More important- the work served as a tribute to their friend. Awesome. Looking at that email, and seeing my work in the hands of the folks that I made it for, and feeling like it really did serve the purpose for which it was created...truthfully? I teared up. I got a little verklempt. I.love.sparkly.flamingo. And then it was on to my adventures in flamingo embellishment, which I wrote about in the previous post. (scroll down) I really would love to go all Sandy Skoglund style and fill an entire room with an entire flock of these fabulously sparkly fowl. Hmmmmmm...maybe I will. I started off really motivated...worked on the flamingos and then, well...there was some lost time. But I did get back into my creative zone, started pretty late, but I made some art nonetheless. Well, let me back track...I figured out what I wanted to do for the next ANE show. It's a Star Trek theme and I had some ideas, but I wasn't 100% sure of what I wanted to do...and I will post more about it later as I start creating the work, but let's just say that the pieces will fit my pinup theme for the month of June. Back to my CED #157. It's done. Found a cool picture of Bettie that really inspired me...and well, here is the work, shown as I worked on it (below) Bettie+ flamingo. While I was working on my CED I had the idea to combine my Bettie-esque figure with the pink flamingo that I worked on earlier today. It isn't finished, but it is well under way. Just something for fun. Or maybe this is a small-scale study for a larger work? Either way, you can bet that there will be some sparkle. And finally...when I was getting my workspace ready I found some old sketches in one of my pinup books. I have no idea what I was planning, or when these three pages were completed...but I felt like I found buried treasure. Even though these may not go with my current projects, I may revisit them for future inspiration for works.
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AuthorArtist and Art Teacher
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