Poetry, Boots, Bling and Ink.

Did that sound random...because...it is, but that briefly highlights what I have been up to since my last post.

POETRY
For starters...I have been working on my daily pieces, all 16x20 inch acrylic paintings with the exception of 3 canvas panels I painted in Nashville.  I approach each piece slightly different each day...sometimes I start with the poem first, sometimes I start painting and then look for the words...there really is no rhyme or reason (pun intended!)  Working with the canvases and paint has required some planning, it isn't easy to carry around these materials so I have to do the majority of the work at home at my easel.  I did pack paint to take to our recent trip to Nashville, and canvas...which is why those three pieces are on panel instead of stretched.  It still drives me insane that they are not all the same, and I ended up leaving the paintings as a gift for our friend, Justin...if I had it to do over again I might have just opted to buy the stretched canvas in Nashville when I arrived...but...well...oh well.

Turns out...storing almost thirty stretched canvases takes a little bit of space...which we do not have a ton of...hoping to find a space to display this body of work so that they don't just sit around!

BOOTS
Which brings me to boots...I went to Nashville the last part of my spring break for a surprise birthday party. In preparation I revamped a pair of pink cowboy boots that I bought some years ago.  I used E6000 to add an assortment of colored crystals to the tip of the boots, and some polymer clay skulls I made a while back with my friend Jess, one of our random art nights, of course.  I also brought another pair of boots with me, some black ones, that I hand beaded the first time I went to Nashville...that's been at least 6-7 years ago.  My fingers were so sore from sewing the rhinestones and sequins through the boot material...but when I looked down at my feet I forgot about that.  I love these sparkly boots, both pairs.  

And the birthday party?  Justin was totally surprised.  It ended up be not only a great trip to visit good friends (and make new ones!), but John and I had time to have our own mini-vacation...we visited art galleries, distilleries and ate had some awesome barbecue...can't wait to go back!

BLING
If you have read much on this blog...or visited my Instagram...well, then you know.  I love jewelry and accessories.  Like, LOVE for real...right up there with how much I love art. I look to fashion magazines for inspiration and have even been inspired to create fashion illustrations based on what inspires me from the latest collections...but there is just something about jewelry in particular...I love it.  I love to try to find one element, like a color, or a shape, or texture, and match it up somehow with other pieces, or based on something in the outfit.  

So...I am thinking about starting a separate blog dedicated to my love for accessories.  It is still very much in the planning stages, and I am not sure of the launch date...but I think it is coming.  I need an outlet for this other passion of mine, so I am going to create it!  Stay tuned!

INK
The last thing for the update...ink...INK AND PISTONS, that is!  I dropped off three pieces from my March series for their group show, 'Art of the Rising Sun', a collection of works inspired by Japan.  It is a little bit of a haul for my to get up there from Hollywood but anytime they have a show I try to participate if I can.  It is such a cool space, the inspiration resonates off the walls.  Plus, JR and Amanda are just awesome folks.  

And...planning some new INK as well.  Looking to get that in June...and I will definitely be heading there to get it!