Sunday, October 21, 2012
Stitch Fiber Art - Incognito
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Mindful Studio - Day 5 Erotica
I wasn't very mindful yesterday. I left all my paint brushes in the water -- not a good thing to do.
My sketch today started out as a caricature but then I turned it into a bit of erotica. Of course, it looks ridiculous, but it is a move in the direction of my artist self.
I actually really get excited painting and drawing erotica. Ultimately, I want it to be kind of subliminal with beautiful colors all around it. Hopefully, by the end of my 21 days, I will be able to create this.
My sketch today started out as a caricature but then I turned it into a bit of erotica. Of course, it looks ridiculous, but it is a move in the direction of my artist self.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Mindful Studio: Day 4
I am supposed to come up with my virtual artist thumbprint--my slant on the world.
I am supposed to be mindful AND RESPECTFUL of this. All this I am supposed to come up with after making the lists I did yesterday. Maybe, I just don't get it yet.
Today was my son's 40th birthday. He did not want to turn 40. The lady he was dating did not respect him today and did not even consider his feelings. He is attracted to beautiful women, but they are little princesses who do not know how to treat a good man!
My practice today, was a scene from one of the lakes my son was jet skiing in. The scene is more of a watercolor sketch, but since I have not been painting much, it is going to take a while for me to get to the project that will be my virtual artist thrumbprint -- whatever that is!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Stitch art: Getting started
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Stitch Therapy - Materials
Yesterday, I purchased two 10" embroidery hoops; a bunch of different color threads and needles; and some off white cotton muslin. I came home and put some material on the hoops -- sad to say I had to figure out how to use the hoop as I don't recall ever using one before.
I didn't find any stretch boards and I don't have a sewing machine so I will make do with what I do have.
The 10" hoop does not lend itself well to my Catholic theme in honor of my parents -- at least not the way I currently have it designed. I think it is too chaotic anyway so I may have to make two. I do have two children so that might work out well. My only problem is I only have one Scapular and one designer head.
While creating my mindful studio, I found a few old pics of my grandmother and mom. Perhaps one will have these pics while the other has the old scapulars.
I am stressing a little about the length of these workshops and the time we have to finish them. December is going to come up really fast!
I didn't find any stretch boards and I don't have a sewing machine so I will make do with what I do have.
The 10" hoop does not lend itself well to my Catholic theme in honor of my parents -- at least not the way I currently have it designed. I think it is too chaotic anyway so I may have to make two. I do have two children so that might work out well. My only problem is I only have one Scapular and one designer head.
While creating my mindful studio, I found a few old pics of my grandmother and mom. Perhaps one will have these pics while the other has the old scapulars.
I am stressing a little about the length of these workshops and the time we have to finish them. December is going to come up really fast!
Mindful Studio - What makes my heart beat a little faster?
The Summer Day
... Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?--Mary Oliver
Twyla Tharp says:
“Everything that happens in
my day is a transaction between the external and my internal world. Everything is raw material...Everything is usable
I am to pick out a them that makes my heart beat a little faster; makes me want to go further .... erotica is what comes to mind. I love doing erotica. I want to be able to create a beautiful painting with subliminal erotica. To date, I have not really be able to accomplish this.
As I read the list of possible triggers for Day 2 of this workshop, I am attracted to the following: hands, feet or face or other body parts; collage self portrait; a favorite shape; collage in general of anything; art journaling. But the subliminal erotica is what makes my hear beat faster and excites me while engaged.
So, in an earlier blog, I mentioned using images of my son and grandson -- perhaps, this will not be the case.
What comes to my mind when I think of erotica -- its fun to draw body parts; its fun to look at them; it's fun to imaging being those parts or touching them; its fun to imagine whether others see what I see or think what I think; is it about love or beauty? The images are hidden, yet oh so obvious when you mind goes there; the drawing is colorful and beautiful.
Erotica is sometimes with one person, male or female; sometimes male and female; female and female -- women's bodies are so beautiful; or a combination.
Erotica is my second pick -- tomorrow, I will discover what I will choose for my project!
Mindful Studio Workshop
In addition to the Stitch Therapy workshop, I am taking the Mindful Studio Workshop -- This is a 21-day commitment during which time I hope to cultivate a feeling of positive and playful engagement and create an art-making practice within the safe community of 6 Degrees of Creativity.
• Create a flexible working plan
I am committing 15 minutes a day to my practice. I chose this tiny chunk of time so I would meet or exceed my commitment. Yesterday, I began creating my studio space. The room I use is a studio, workout room and space bedroom for my grandson. It is very cluttered and not at all conducive to my art.
I didn't get very far yesterday, but today, I was able to organize and create a space in which I can work. While organizing, I found some printed materials and printed shots of my son and grandson. I think my project will be to produce an image of one or both during this 21 day period using a charcoal sketch, water color and whatever feels good -- perhaps some pastels on top of the watercolors.
Tomorrow, I should be able to play. I will begin with a charcoal sketch of both images.
Through a combination of themes and prompts, I hope to:
• Identify my personal strengths and strategies
• Connect and commit to my true artist self
I am committing 15 minutes a day to my practice. I chose this tiny chunk of time so I would meet or exceed my commitment. Yesterday, I began creating my studio space. The room I use is a studio, workout room and space bedroom for my grandson. It is very cluttered and not at all conducive to my art.
I didn't get very far yesterday, but today, I was able to organize and create a space in which I can work. While organizing, I found some printed materials and printed shots of my son and grandson. I think my project will be to produce an image of one or both during this 21 day period using a charcoal sketch, water color and whatever feels good -- perhaps some pastels on top of the watercolors.
Tomorrow, I should be able to play. I will begin with a charcoal sketch of both images.
Monday, August 6, 2012
6 Degrees of Creativity
In conjuction with the The Art Therapy Alliance, 6 Degrees of Creativity is an on-line workshop that I started a few days ago. It is "a community dedicated to art-making & themes exploring transformation, social change, and using art for interactive creative goodness." There are 6 different workshops led by instructors from the art therapy community. You can find out more about 6 Degrees of Creativity here.
The first workshop I am doing is the Stitch Therapy: Fiber Art Painting workshop. So far, I have gathered and purchased some materials for my project. The workshop explores by using fiber art as a method for personal awareness and healing. We are asked to use new and recycled materials to create order from chaos and put together scraps and bits of everyday life. The workshop will explore themes of repairing & layering – slowing down, enjoying to relax and engaging in a meditative process to feel the materials and hear them as we pierce the fabric with a needle and pull thread through.
As I began assembling my materials, I did a few different things. First I found an old tshirt that I have been saving for years, fully worn and almost thread bare. I began cutting it for a different designer tshirt look and then decided to cut out the memorable part of the shirt for some future project -thinking I might do that with all the tshirts I won't wear.
Then I found a variety of Rosary Beads from my parents home and my Central/South America travels and think I might make a Catholic piece in honor of my parents. I am no longer a practicing Catholic, but I took the beads that were hanging over my parents bed and have had them near my bed for over 6 years. Along with the Rosary Beads, I also had my old Red Scapular which I received for confirmation in 1958. I decided to add it to my project.
In the meantime, I did a bunch of research about the scapular (not even remembering its name) and found out this one is a red 5-fold scapular "The Lord promised that whoever wore his Scapular he would grant a great increase of faith, hope and charity every Friday."
I don't begin to understand this, but I have saved it for a very long time and now here it is. These are the pieces I plan to use but since this is a stitch therapy workshop, I will want to incorporate the stitches into the project which could end up being 2 related projects!
The first workshop I am doing is the Stitch Therapy: Fiber Art Painting workshop. So far, I have gathered and purchased some materials for my project. The workshop explores by using fiber art as a method for personal awareness and healing. We are asked to use new and recycled materials to create order from chaos and put together scraps and bits of everyday life. The workshop will explore themes of repairing & layering – slowing down, enjoying to relax and engaging in a meditative process to feel the materials and hear them as we pierce the fabric with a needle and pull thread through.
As I began assembling my materials, I did a few different things. First I found an old tshirt that I have been saving for years, fully worn and almost thread bare. I began cutting it for a different designer tshirt look and then decided to cut out the memorable part of the shirt for some future project -thinking I might do that with all the tshirts I won't wear.
Then I found a variety of Rosary Beads from my parents home and my Central/South America travels and think I might make a Catholic piece in honor of my parents. I am no longer a practicing Catholic, but I took the beads that were hanging over my parents bed and have had them near my bed for over 6 years. Along with the Rosary Beads, I also had my old Red Scapular which I received for confirmation in 1958. I decided to add it to my project.
In the meantime, I did a bunch of research about the scapular (not even remembering its name) and found out this one is a red 5-fold scapular "The Lord promised that whoever wore his Scapular he would grant a great increase of faith, hope and charity every Friday."
I don't begin to understand this, but I have saved it for a very long time and now here it is. These are the pieces I plan to use but since this is a stitch therapy workshop, I will want to incorporate the stitches into the project which could end up being 2 related projects!
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