An Artist's Desk - Poetry

Hello, Wonderful People,
You know, it seems that my desk does not often enough have PAINTING TOOLS on it, but alas, that is life for us all, methinks.

Over the years I have written a lot of poetry.  For the most part, I have cherished it myself, and shared it with only the very few whom it would most closely affect.  Recently, someone I've never met found a poem on my blog and asked if she could use it at her sister's memorial service.  It made me realize that I'm being selfish not to put these poems of life out there.  Wherever 'there' is, I'm not sure as yet.

So, my desk is covered with poetry that I'm gathering from the spider-webby portions of our computer and various other dusty places.

I've illustrated others' books - maybe it's time I do my own.  Maybe I'll put these together and illustrate them.  Hmmm....

My poetry is very meaningful and poignant, moving.  The poem shown on top of the stack is one I wrote after returning from Cuba.  Two completely separate worlds.  At the left you see a little sketch and some jotted notes - this is usually how a new painting idea comes about.

There's a paint roller by my (Paris map purchased in Paris) coffee cup - always a favorite with my students.  My art 1 students and I will be doing messy outdoor painting today - YAY!  One of my favorite things is to get messy with kids.  So much fun!  We will be painting with latex and acrylics, painting with credit cards, dripping, throwing... ahh, yes.  Springtime.

Up in the far left corner you see another stack of papers - highschool graduation requirements.  As homeschoolers we are plotting Noah's high school path.  For homeschoolers, that means planning NOW, in March, for the following school year, 2015/2016.  As a teacher, I am already taking registrations for that year as well.  Here we go again!  Another adventure!

High Wire with No Safety Net

A quote we all surely appreciate- "Plenty of alternatives exist to being an artist: an anarchist, a one-man band, a high-wire act with no safety net."  - Matthew Daub. Anybody I know agree with this? :)

Another Painting Sold - Chrysanthemum Mono-Print

Here is a lovely painting that just sold today.  I'm going to walk you through the steps I took to create it. You can click on the pic to enlarge it.

This is a Chrysanthemum Mono-Print.  It means exactly what you think.  One Print.  I couldn't in my wildest dreams create another painting like this.  It's always an adventure working in this medium, and I never quite know what I'm going to get!

My love affair with wood began six years ago when our youngest son was ten.  He wanted to take woodcarving.

My thoughts were that I could either drop him off and go waste time somewhere, or take the class with him, which I REALLY wanted to do.  Picture in your mind eight or nine little ten year old boys, and at the end of the table - ME!  Yep. :)  It was great.  I think I had the most fun, too.

It wasn't long before I realized I could carve wood blocks.  I  began ordering the blocks and dove right in. For this painting, I carved a chrysanthemum into about a nine inch square block.  We don't even want to TALK about how long it took to carve!  It's tiring work for the hands, but really rewarding and enjoyable work, and one of the few types of art I can work on while with others.

This painting was done on YUPO, which is a totally non-permeable 'paper.'  What this means is that the inks and paints I laid down had a chance to mix and do cool things before they dried.  It's basically like painting on glass - very difficult and unpredictable. This one has about three layers of color, iridescents and golds laid down for the background.  The process is messy and fun, very right-brained.  However, the technique is so iffy that this painting represents quite a number that didn't turn out.  I generally have six or seven layers and something can happen during each layer. Sometimes I have a simply gorgeous 'happening,' and the last layer ruins it.  We don't want to talk about THAT.  It's just the nature of this beast, and makes it that much more rewarding when one turns out so prettily.

Once the background was finished, I painted the woodblock and laid it on the surface.  Twice.  After several more days it was dry enough to work the top layers, giving it added texture and depth.  I adore working with warm and cool colors in this way because the cool colors recede and it looks as if the golds and warm colors are literally floating above them.  It really exudes a warm and peaceful feeling.

Just a little Graffiti

No, I'm not going into the graffiti business. I just want everyone to know my name is Cindy.

Honestly, though, graffiti has exploded into the art world in a big way, just look at the work of Banksey or Shepard Fairey.

Below is one of Shepard Fairey's images, known all over the world.  Not only is he a graffiti artist, but has broken into all levels of the art world, creating a brisk business venture, and

even a line of clothing!

Basically, as an art teacher, I wanted my older students to at least know the origins of graffiti, whilst at the same time striking a balance of encouraging them to NOT produce it.  My kids and I actually do COLLECT it, however!  We consider it a pretty fun cleanup job.  :)

The art began on the humble 'Hello My Name Is' sticker, as you see on my desk.  I passed these out to my students while I talked so they could make a couple of their own for NOTEBOOK use!

After a short period, street artists found that these stickers needed improvement, and found their answer - at the Post Office!  Those stickers were weatherproof - you know, through wind and sun and hail....  Well, as it happened, used as graffiti stickers they proved their worth.  Long lasting and difficult to peel off.
During this period, artists were already graduating from words and their own names to pictures and more complex ideas, and quickly moved into private in-house sticker manufacturers. We've come a long way, baby.

As for me, I'll stay on the legal side and just continue COLLECTING them.  If you scroll down all the way to the bottom of my blog, you will find pictures of us traveling around Europe collecting stickers. :)

A Much Younger Artist

Well, we are having SERIOUS computer problems in this house!  Our 28 year old son looks at me as he clucks and shakes his head.

You may not hear from me for a while, or at least see any pictures of what's going on in this artist's life.  I was trying to load 'The continuing saga of the artist's desk,' but none of the pictures will show themselves on our computer. 

In frustration, I choose a random photo, and this is what we get - me when I was in my 30s, and our little cutie girl.  Loved that hat.  And now that we're talking about it, I wish my hair still looked like that, too.  Wow.  Endless hair!  Ah, well.

Since this is a blog about art, we ARE sitting on my piano; it's been well used and well loved.  Music is art.

And, one of the highest art forms in this world, mother-loving your kids into beautiful people.

Painting Outside

 Our back step needed paint, and today was the day.  I have a lot of small cans of house paint that were given to me, and they're namely cool colors - greens and blues.

I can do greens and blues.

Since this is our BACK porch, we're personalizing it.  Who needs an ordinary one-color step?  Boring!  I took it through a number of colors, and now we're giving it some nice footprints.

I laid mine down in green with my Sketchers that have the soles with a cool design.


Melody was next - barefoot, of course!

We decided to do our cat Calypso's prints too - she wasn't just thrilled.  As for ourselves, we dipped her in the little brown tub and Melody set her on the step.  Furry marks.  You can't even see toe prints because she's got so much fur.

As you can see, you CAN'T find any kitty prints.  We had to get the paint off her quickly so we threw her in the pool.  I know, not nice, but we do this now and again with our cats.  If they fall in, we want them to be able to get out by themselves.  At least once a year, we toss cats into the pool, guide them toward the steps, and try not to chuckle.  Okay, not true.  We laugh out loud.

Then we get a blanket, and cuddle and dry them.  Super fluffy, slightly damp, mildly offended and pool smart cats emerge.
Anyway, we were too busy to get photos of her prints!

The Continuing Saga of the Artist's Desk

Okay, here we're looking at a heavy duty staple gun, staples, and archival tape.  There are so many things involved in being an artist, and many of them do not have to do with creativity, they're just plain, hard work.

Framing.  One of my least favorite jobs.  Right down there with dusting and cleaning toilets.  Oh, wait - I'd rather dust and clean toilets.  But the job's done now.  My hands are sore and I think they'd like a little ice water soak.   But, I've got FIVE paintings framed! They'll be heading to the frame shop for wires manana.

There are a couple things coming up - namely our Gallery change out, and the Woodlands Art League Judged Show.  I've entered five paintings in that show and may put in two more.  Going for ribbons.

Back to the desk, let's see, there's a new Liquatex medium I can't wait to use - you add this to paint and it gives an iridescent touch.  Sounds like fun!

You see a stack of photos, my awesome fam on the top, and a couple others that I'll use as reference material for something, someday.

You'll also see a hammer and some other tools - this afternoon was outside painting day with house paint.  My next post will tell you what we're up to out there!