PROGRESS

My work continues on my next piece. I am gearing up for my show at 'The White Gallery', Richmond, VA on Nov. 17th. I am having to frame some pieces and am also getting photos done of some pieces. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts artists Fellowship deadline is coming up so I am having slides done to prepare for that. There really is alot of other 'behind the scene work' that needs to be done as an artist. It is not the glamorous side but must be done all the same.

I just love this work. I hope I will love it as much in the end. The colors really seem to pop and work well together. Hope you enjoy it. It will be much changed by the end!

JUDGEMENT DAY
Well, judging for Wearable Art was last night. It was really fun to go and see all the different outfits. There was a large variety and skill levels. It is interesting to see peoples interpretations of wearable art! Mine was very tame comparatively. I also did not spend enough time on it. My critique of my work would be that the back out shined the front. The pleated A-line skirt did not really jive with the front. The major critique would be that it was more wearable than art, really. That would be the aspect I would put more time into doing differently next time.There were some exceptionally thought out and constructed pieces. It made me realize that this might not really be my thing. I loved it and it was fun but I am not sure I want to spend my time creating an outfit? Just a question I have to ask myself being that I am always so time crunched.

WEARABLE ART

Here in Richmond, the 1708 gallery has a Wearable Art show each year. It is open to anyone and almost anything goes. So, I took on the challenge to create a one of a kind wearable art piece. Here it is. It is called Treading Water. Let me know what you think? More images to come after the show.

This is the entire piece viewed from the back. I added the shimmer with yarn.
Front of skirt.
Back of skirt.
Front of the top portion of outfit.
Detail of back illustrating pleating, however, the photo did not turn out too well.

NARROWING THE FOCUS

I am very busy lately so in order to figure out how to do all the things I want to do and do them to a decent degree of competence, I have had to pair down on some of the extraneous activities! I was fairly forced into this narrowing of focus thing. The story is, I have two young daughters and I have decided to stay home and mother them. Doing this means I have to be in their vicinity much of the time. Initially this caused some frustration as I was not able to be in my studio painting. Therefore, I took my painting to them.

First, I figured out I love fashion. For starters, I don't like to walk around in sweats all the time so I have to make some kind of decision about what to wear. When looking for items to wear I have become very conscious of their construction and fabrics. Making clothes is such a creative endeavor and fascinating to me. I enjoy sewing and you cant keep me out of the fabric/notions stores.

I began to think I would like to incorporate the things I love into my art in some way. I also have an appreciation for old photos. I think it started from inheriting a bunch of old family photos. They really engage ones imagination. Once again, I found myself interested in the clothing they wear in these images. Then I began to think about how these two things could be brought together with the portraits I already enjoyed creating. My work is now very multi-media with emphasis on fabric....which is portable and can be worked on around my children!

In this way, I took most of the things I spent time doing; shopping, looking at old images on the internet, reading fictional history, sewing and lumped them all into one body of work. As my work progresses I can image I will synthesize even more of my life and into these 'paintings'.

THINKING ABOUT PROCESS

I have been taking a painting class lately and have been forced to think about the process I use to create my art. I have often spoken to people who are curious about how I work, so I thought this might be a good place to discuss what happens inside my brain. I always tell people I have so many ideas of what to create that I cant actually keep up with them. I have begun to try and harness these ideas and formulate a process in order to finish some pieces in less time.

THE JOURNAL

My journal is vital. I use it for so many purposes. I sketch out ideas. Once I create a piece, or if I am in the middle of creating a piece I will often have to write down certain techniques so I will be able to recreate them when I want to. If you always do this in a central place (the journal) you will be able to find it quickly and easily when you need it. I also use it to write down all my ideas. These could be just techniques I want to try. Often times I will think through the whole process and write it down. This saves me time when I actually sit down to try it. Other items I put in my journal are visual images. I collect whatever I see that catches my eye, magazine images, my photos, fabrics, candy wrapper....whatever! Our environments are so stimulating it is sometimes hard to narrow down our focus. I find it best to keep my journal at hand most of the time. I actually keep two just in case I cant find one or one is in my studio and one in my bedroom...as that is were the ideas flow sometimes!

More tomorrow on NARROWING YOUR FOCUS tomorrow. ( I am writing on this topic as this is sometimes VERY difficult for me)!

PLODDING ALONG

Well, I have made a few changes. On the blue piece they are fairly subtle.

On the 'Pink Girls' it is more dramatic. Any opinions?

SCHIZO WORK

So, my work is all over the place right now. Meaning, I am not focused on one piece. It is just a function of having to wait for things to dry or new supplies to come. Sometimes working this way seems to work for me and then other times I feel like I am getting nothing done. I know it will come together in the end but I am in the stage of feeling that it is not coming together. Really when you think about it though. Is anything ever really done? I could work forever and not be finished!

The following work is a smattering of what is going on with my work right now. The good news is I have gotten some pieces into a Christmas show, kicking off in November at the White Canvas gallery, Richmond, VA. Please visit. Here are a few examples.
The following is a stencil which I created for the work that follows it.