No really...Thank goodness it's Friday!
I am excited about starting school again, ready to see my students again...but man, it's going to take a bit of time for me to get used to the schedule. But I will. And I will make time for my art. Because I don't have a choice, gotta keep artin'.
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...been on a bit of a roll lately with the artin' for good causes...and not gonna lie, feels AMAZING. Most recent, the donation of three paintings from my 'Word Fixation Series' to Los Colores, a group that buys and collects children's art, craft and school supplies and then repackages and distributes them to needy children in the greater Ft. Lauderdale area. They are doing a raffle to raise some money for the cause. I am so happy that I can offer something to this group because I really do believe in the value of art and want to help make sure that kids have access to art and art materials.
...hmmmm...kind of makes me want to do something up here on the northern end of the county, or in Indiantown.... ...it is going to take some time...but I will get used to my 'back to school' schedule...deep breaths...and...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
The art happenings today...mail. I made the trip to the post office today to send off work for the Aurora Rise silent auction, which will benefit the victims' families. Lucky me, had some company going to the post office to mail this big ol' package off. (Thanks Siddhi and Nottage, ya'll are the best!) The event is through All C's Collectibles in Aurora, CO. I found out about this through art friends on Facebook last week and I knew that I wanted to contribute somehow so...I started looking through my inventory. I figured that the Star Wars and Star Trek pieces would be best for this particular audience so...packed 'em up and sent them to Colorado today. Backtracking a minute...My art pal Jess ws nice enough to take pics of me and the work on Monday just to document the work again before I parted with them. Thanks Jess! After the post office...and trying to figure out where to start in my classroom...which, side note...it is AWESOME to be at the same school for the 4th year in a row, my room is pretty much first-day ready, just little stuff to do!
Where was I? Oh yes, the rest of the day. Well, in my Teaching Blog I wrote about how excited I was today, and how I woke up at 4am. I sure did. What I didn't finish telling about...I passed out as soon as I got home at 4pm and slept til 6:30. Gotta get that sleep sometime. Luckily, when I woke up I still had some sunlight left so I packed up my art materials and headed to the pool to work on CED #221, shown below. Now...trying to decide if I am going to make another piece or go to sleep...hmmmm... Jessie at work...hey, I think I know that girl.... Battled the rain to get down to Jessie's for some art time and hanging out. Took care of some official Art Hive Business in Delray...the magazine keeps getting bigger and better, one confirmed launch party, some event planning and watching Angela work her marketing wonders. Came back and marveled at the wonders of Photoshop at the hands of my graphic designing diva friend, Jess. Wow. FINALLY filled in my planner with the dates for each month and the beginnings of, well...planning. Then...came on home to make CED #219...lack of sleep starting to kick in... Yesterday...I was at the gym and I saw the story about the Sikh temple shooting. I felt like I needed to throw up. I kept fighting back tears. I don't know if it is because of the recent shooting in Aurora...but this story really spoke to me. So, late last night... I made a piece of art in memory of those lost. I don't know what I am going to do with this piece. I think I am going to send it to Wisconsin. Seems like the right thing to do. I have a hippie heart and I like to think that on some level good deeds and beautiful things can help to battle all the hate and evil in this world. I can only hope that I can make a piece of art that can help someone heal in my lifetime. I put love into this piece, and I will send it out with love, in memory of the innocent people that died yesterday in this senseless act of violence. And...as I am writing this I realized that today is the 67th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. My feelings came flooding back from my trip to Hiroshima in 2009, where I was led around the Peace Memorial with a group of Japanese students...an experience that truly moved me. There was a book at the park, and I remember signing it with the students. I wrote, 'Peace is the only truth'. And I believe that. Still. And love is the only way to get to that truth. And my art is my love. As you know, or if you didn't I have been working with some images that were inspired originally by Elisa Mazzone, creating works in my style inspired by elements that I pulled out of her work. Some of the things that initially attracted me to her work were her use of color, and also the contrast of the color with areas of tight rendering, in what looks to be pencil or black colored pencil. Add that contrast to the finished and unfinished, I was hooked. Amazing, simple amazing. What totally made my day? I sent Eliza a message via Facebook to let her know that 1) she was awesome, 2) her work was an inspiration to me and, 3) to let her know about the pieces I was creating based on this month's challenge. Folks, she sent me a response. I got art kudos from my muse. Seriously? Wow. So...with that bit of background...here are the images I had created from August 1-4th (below), all based on her work. Good and Evil by Innes McDougall After I am done jumping up and down and celebrating Elisa's message, I am on Pinterest, pinning some images to my 'Inspiration' board...and I come across this image (below). Holy crap. Those eyes looked right into my soul. Amazing. The quality of the rendering, the eyes look so realistic...the contrast of the black against the color...add that to some splats and drips...which I love...where do I sign up? The piece is called, 'Good and Evil' by Innes McDougall, of the United Kingdom. Here are some more links where I found more work by the artist...
Of course...I have gotta make some art after seeing this, right? I had started a piece late last night, decided that I needed to go off on a detour and focus on eyes...and I was really feeling the butterfly imagery...so I was thinking that I would add a dragonfly wing, and just focus on one eye. That is where I left off that night, and the next morning I come across this image? Meant to be. Sunday morning, I finished that eye poolside. Some detail drawing and shading on the eye and then watercolor on the wings. Honestly, I wasn't going to add any drips or splatters yet, I was thinking after I saw this piece by Innes McDougall that I would gradually work towards this after a few pieces. Then I got a smudge on my paper. Can I digress? Okay, thanks. Being a left hander. I am forever smudging. I know, I know...I should just pay more attention, or keep a paper under my hand....blah. It turns out, my accident gave me permission to go ahead and try to add some of this style to my work. I started another one, this one with a Monarch butterfly reference...then another one, using a red butterfly as my reference. Here is what I came up with; (below) Oh goodness...then I worked on CED #218...girl meets monarch butterfly...still inspired by Mazzone's work...and Alphonse Mucha's hair...started her poolside, but came in because the sky looked pretty dark. I escaped the rain but not a little sunburn. Anyway, here is a slideshow of my Sunday artin'. (below) |
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