...another successful Skype session...this time with fellow Tipsy Art girl, Jess.  This isn't finished, but I am getting there...

So...I basically drew all day long.  Did a little painting...but mostly drawing.  Finished my CED #29...it is a good thing that the month is almost up because each one is taking me a little longer.  If anything, I have enjoyed working with watercolor again...I was starting to really focus on acrylics there for a while...I love the portability of watercolor.  It is pretty easy to pack up my little set of watercolors (yep, same kind my students use), my favorite brush, my Starbucks straw and a packet of salt and I am ready to travel and create. 

Another thing that has happened, really since last weekend when I traveled to Mississippi, was a reawakening of my love for just drawing.  I have been drawing almost every day, any time I can get a minute to sit for a second I am sketching something.  My hands are starting to hurt a bit, but I really like just sitting down with a blank piece of paper and creating the lines that will transform the paper into a drawing, into art. 

One idea I had today while I was waiting for a layer of watercolor to dry was that it would be cool to do a larger drawing...kind of to  'end' my first series of CED pieces for January 2012.  I found a piece of 18x24 Bristol board and started to think... the works this month, and I imagine for every month, are just what I think up and come up with...what is on my mind.  Not making some grand statement, just trying to use color and the occasional rhinestone.  So, I had John take a couple of quick photos of me standing by our bar (below) and I selected one to start a self portrait drawing...which will also include elements of what I have been working on for my CED pieces for this month.

Who knows?  Maybe I will do one a month with the same concept in mind...

Another thought...was talking to my mom, she is very supportive of my work and she asked the question, 'so...you going to sell these?

Ummmmm....yes?  Not sure how yet....Etsy?  The shop in Southern Pines?  Some little gallery here?  Sell them from the back of my Honda?  Prints?  Originals?  So stressful...making the art is easy...this is the hard part. 


I will think about that later...

Side note...looking at the picture and I need to take some of the upward slant out of the eyes...

I really wanted to sit and write some last yesterday and last night, er, this MORNING, when I got back from the show but, alas...not happening.  

Yesterday was a significant day for me artistically.

We had an amazing elementary art teacher's meeting at the studio of Mimi McCallum, local painter. It was just what I needed..time with other art teachers to make sense of the various art shows, lesson ideas, assessments... and, oh yes, trying to maintain artistic self.  I could related to her.  A retired art teacher, now full-time painter with her own studio...done.  Sign me up.  Now. 

Well...I guess I am ready.  The art is anyway.  Let me back up, I am referring to the ANE Chinese New Year Show...it is tomorrow..wait, tomorrow is in three minutes.  Sigh.

Trying something different for this show...the last two events I made a bunch of stuff...and I mean... a bunch.  I had to lug it all over to the venue...and whatever did not sell had to be packed up and hauled back home.  No worries, all part of the experience.  For this show, I thought the better approach would be to make just a couple of pieces and go the route of art prints.

Now, mind you...art prints is a new concept for me.  But it makes total sense.  I don't usually have a hard time parting with the original...but it's uh...hard to do the pricing.  I am always torn.  I want to assign a monetary value to my work that says, yep, I am serious about the art that I make- my time, and talent is worth something.  But...I also want people to be able to have the work if they want it...it means alot to me when someone appreciates my point of view as an artist.  I think that by making a few prints of each piece I can satisfy the issue of compensation and getting the work to the folks that want it.

And of course I will be adding some extra touches to each print.  Just sayin'...a stray rhinestone could end up somehow attached to a print...

So these are the piece that I made specifically for the show;

I also have some bedazzled takeout containers, just because they are fun.  And I am bringing some beads to make some jewelry, not to sell, but to decorate my fellow Tipsy Art Girls.

The best part about the ANE shows is that the whole deal is that it is a live art event.  So if I have something that is not finished... I am actually supposed to work on stuff there on the spot....hence the theme 'live art'  So I will bring the prints of these pieces (Which my gal Jessie is preparing so that they are print-ready as I type this....THANKS, JESS!!)...I will bring the containers and my sketchbook that I have been obsessively filling with faces...and I will drag along my sparkly box of CED paintings..well, maybe on that last one. I might leave those at home...Hopefully I will look a little less like a vagrant en route to this show.

The point is I am trying something new out.  The prints.  Fingers crossed.

Oh yeah...and my CED #24 is done...now the shoes are starting to show the influence of all the graphite portraits that I have been working on recently.  Funny how that happens.

Another productive day...teaching art...making art, now taking a minute to write about it.  Kind of tired so I am just going to make some comments about the pics below...(1) Picture I completed on the plane ride from West Palm to Atlanta on Friday... my trainer is having surgery this week and I felt like this one should go to her.  So I added some jewels and some additional marks with some pens...gonna frame it and leave it for her at the gym in the morning... (2) Random profile pic I drew this morning...I love profiles, trying to get better at drawing them...(3) My Creative Every Day piece for today, #23...also really into drawing eyes, always have been...might as well draw 'em on my shoes... (4) Another profile pic...I really want to add some of my watercolor craziness to these...but I am torn because I like the raw graphite drawing...maybe I will just draw some more of them...

So that's it for today.  Getting a good amount of work done...but I need to make a few more pieces for the next ANE show this coming Wednesday...but for now, sleep.