New Nail Polish Style!

Making art.  It's a dangerous game.  If I have any polish on my fingernails, the type of paint I often get into will absolutely adhere to it.  Here's my nice black paint job.

New Painting - Traveling Girl

I had a lot of fun with this painting.  Meet one of my high school students.  I saw this great picture of her and told her if she didn't paint it I would.  Well, we both did!  Here's mine.

First I drew her in.  Easy and straightforward.  Actually, the initial drawing was on a smaller paper, but I was really satisfied, so I decided to use some acrylic medium to adhere it to a bigger board.

Then it was time for color.  I used both liquid acrylics and watercolor and painted the entire thing.  You would note that half her face is pink and sparkly -  well - that's fingernail polish.  This, as many good things in art, was serendipitous.  My daughter broke a bottle of fingernail polish.  Seriously, has that ever happened to you?  We've done lots of polish over the years and it's never happened to us!  BUT, at this point in time, I stood with a broken bottle in my hand, polish filling my palm thinking "Pigment.  Raw pigment.  What can I do with this?"  Because it was the perfect, sunny, sparkly color, it ended up on my young friend.  Here's a closeup of the painting, showing her sparkly side.

At this point, I was ready for collage.  As she's strapped into a car looking pretty and happy on a sunny day, I added happy things - music and maps.  Maps which include some of my favorite places.  If I was strapped into a car on a sunny day, I could take off to any one of these places and be perfectly content.  My other papers collaged down are from many sources - I choose them for color, interest and texture.

The last bit of serendipity was when I was walking down by Hubble and Hudson.  Looking down, I found her earring.  Well, it's an earring now.  I'm not exactly sure what it WAS... maybe something from a combination lock or somebody's watch.  At any rate - I knew what I was going to do with it!


Once finished, another fairly thick layer of gel medium over the entire painting, and voila!  Traveling Girl!  Of course she's for sale - let me know if you're interested.

Hidden

Ok, I did this one in my purse sketch pad. First I drew him, then painted and collaged his hair and beard. At that point I wanted to add some mystery, so I painted some waxy paper yellow and laid it down with some gel medium to partially cover him. This represents the things within ourselves that we keep hidden from the world. Glazing over the entire painting at the end, I collaged his right eye to make him look a little disturbing.

I call it 'Hidden.'

How to Discourage Artists

Tonight I found this really well-written article, and I'm afraid that I have to agree with it.  It speaks well for me tonight.  To be fair, it's not just the church, it's really just everyone.  As an artist, I often feel used, and wonder if there's a profession that matches professional artists for people coming to them to ask for paintings, time, advice and talent.  Often I am GLAD to give it, but it's just finally been recently where I can actually say no without feeling guilty.  I have simply come to the conclusion that I need to protect myself.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/05/28/how-to-discourage-artists-in-the-church/

Les Miserables

It's been some time since I've posted because I'm involved in two very big things right now:
1.  I'm illustrating a book 
2.  I'm in the orchestra of Les Miserables, our upcoming theatre show playing this weekend and the next

This is how I explain my feelings about the show to others, because people have pretty strong feelings about the storyline, both good and bad.  I'm spending an exorbitant amount of time on this collaborative project because its themes hit to the core of my belief system.


There are many people that do not like this production, and many that wouldn't read the book or see the movie.  The reasons are various, but generally fall into the category of the fact that there are subjects addressed that they don't want to think about, i.e., prostitution, revolution and neglect, among other things.

What people don't think about when considering this story is the fact that these elements are balanced out by hope, love, redemption and forgiveness.  In the same way as I'm teaching you the elements of art (space, form, value, proportions, etc.,) there are many balancing elements in this story that together teach us some really serious lessons.

It is my personal belief that as an artist, I find that it's important to show the bad as well as the good.  To admit that there is sin in this world as well as the Hope (Jesus) that we have to overcome it.  If we present only happy la-la land, people are going to look at our art and reject it because they won't be able to relate.  They'll tell themselves, 'Oh, that's not MY life... my life is a mess!'  And then they'll go on their own way without being affected or challenged.  If we paint pictures of ideal cottages with light glowing from each window, positioned by babbling brooks and surrounded by flowers - everything in perfection - they're not able to relate. Personally, I don't know about that life, because my fence is about ready to fall down.

Great stories touch us because they teach us about our lives.  Come and see Les Miserables.  It will challenge you to be a better person. It will also give you a great jumping-off spot for some likely needed family conversation.  And when you do see it, come on down to the orchestra pit and say hello to this flute.  I'm spending four to five hours a night down there because I believe in this.

Tickets at www.cythouston.org.

Routine of Illustrating a Book

Falling into a routine for each picture in the book:

Read the text and notes about illustrations
Email author with questions/comments
Sketch possibilities.  Anything goes, even bad ideas and sketches
Author/artist dialog continues
Narrow down to one drawing
Pose family members in correct positions and photograph (live models at the ready! :)
Do a nicer sketch and send to author
Discussion/comments/ideas from both of us, confirmation that I'm on the right track
Final drawing
Send final to author before coloring it
Paint final.

Repeat.  and repeat.  and repeat.

At this point, I'm close to half way done.  Getting there!

Work on Book Continuing and Back to School!

Well, you're still not hearing much from me because I'm continuing on the book illustrations.  I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but I'll begin to put them out when I can.

I'm also gearing up for school and will be holding six art classes this year.  Daily I'm adding to the student list and preparing for classes.  Thank you, Lord!  I believe one of my gifts is teaching kids, and You continually heap them upon me!  It's going to be a great year.