Saturday, October 24, 2009

Empty

I need a break from all children all over the world. Open to suggestions!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Elusive White Rabbit

This story begins in January of this year. I made a resolution to submit my artwork to the mixed media publication Somerset Studio. I would check out themes in each new issue, until I found the one that I wanted to use: Alice in Wonderland...perhaps with a slight nod to Tim Burton's new movie. I created a mood board with the colors and materials I wanted to use in the piece. Before I knew it, my blank canvas board was *almost* complete! There it sat, propped up on top of " art purgatory." In my improvised studio area, art purgatory is the wall mounted coat rack that I use to hang inspirational items and finished or *almost* finished pieces.

The deadline for the Alice in Wonderland submission was a not-so-ambitious October 15th, and before I knew it, the week of the deadline was on my doorstep. My piece was not finished. However, several days before the 15th, I did manage to add the finishing touches to my work and called it "done."

Before I knew it, the deadline had come and gone. I got stuck with my finger on the start button. I never sent the piece in to Somerset. I have decided I am officially losing myself in things I do not care about. I want my life to be art, but my life is getting in the way.

The piece is ironically titled : Late.


Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Book it, sister!

I will preface this stream of conciousness with the fact, that, I love books! As we all know (I hope), books are an easy way to find inspiration when you are in an artistic slump. Thus, I made the decision over the weekend to continue a tradition my Mom started of collecting Caldecott Honor-winning books for my son. Luca is only 15 months old, and at this point, he does not even pretend to listen when I am reading to him. However, there is always the rare occasion that he does sit and listen (last night he managed to get through the rise and fall of "Max, King of the Wild Things" in Where the Wild Things Are before he got mad that a page wasn't turning and tore part of the cover). Plus, I have come to the conclusion in the past couple years, that the artwork in children's picture books is mostly amazing and always worth exposing your child to- even if they can only sit still long enough to get a glance.

In addition, these books are a cultural connection children get to have with their peers. When they grow up, they will remember what their mommy and daddy read to them before they went to sleep. Evey generation has something they can all remember about growing up in particular decade. The books that were popular when you were little are part of these memories. Books are like songs in a way. You can relate to the characters and the stories and they become a part of you and when you are lost they will always be there. All of this is why I love books, especially childrens picture books, and they are inspiring to me, as an artist and a person in a world that is crappy sometimes.