Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Procrastination and Shimmer Paint

I always seem to feel the most creative when I'm in school. And the majority of my creative ideas are geared towards avoidance of my actual art assignments. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to imbue my own secret meanings into whatever still life/landscape/ misc. subject matter I am required to paint, and in so doing, fool myself into believing I am creating the art simply because I want to.

This semester, it's been a struggle to do so. Partially, I think I really psyched myself out with the grand ideas for 2010 and wore myself out with excitement by January 2nd. And 2009 was amazing, but exhausting. I feel like the majority of my lifetime unfolded in 2009. But I digress...

Despite my mental exhaustion, I'll try to follow the rules at school, and in other areas of responsibility. But I've  been trying to take a little time to make these quick little paintings just for me. Mostly little busts and profiles, like miniature paintings or cameos. It's keeping me sane, for the most part. And I find it soothing to make little works that I can fuck up without having a mini panic attack.

This one's made with a cheap-o prange set, a cool metallic set from Art Supply Warehouse and a small travel brush (it's got water already inside of it!) Her face isn't finished yet, but I'm pretty delighted so far.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Watercolor Rorschach Tests

My earliest memory of watercolors was in a summer art program at age 5 or 6. The teacher was trying to teach us color mixing to create the brown of a tree trunk. My efforts resulted a puddly, rainbow-colored tree trunk. When my mom came to pick me up, the teacher showed her my sloppy, soggy rainbow tree and told my mom I had quite the imagination. It was the first time I heard the term "Creative license" used. I was devasted. I hadn't meant to take "creative license," I was attempting to be representational, dammit! It may have been that moment that watercolors became my artistic arch nemesis. And also my favorite media to observe in galleries and watch other artists excel at, with undying admiration!

Determined to conquer my fear of the medium, and even learn to love it for myself, I enlisted in a class as my art elective. And gasp, needless to say, I am in love. I think there must be some fear involved in falling in love, or it doesn't seem real. Just to see those translucent colors mixing and separating on the palette, or a well-made mistake on the paper... a drip, a splash, blooming, spreading, bleeding, salted, splattered. a beautiful mess.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

All that Remains of Fall


A Portrait of Mortimer 12/09
created for my musical muse, Josh.
(become friends with Mort the skull on facebook!)



Untitled Still Life 11/09
my final in class assignment in Painting class last Fall.
I think once it is framed, it will claim a home in the hall at the top of the staircase in my mom's house. My sister likes it because it has an almost steampunk quality to it.