a cup of tea and a pencil

I'm working on getting better coping mechanisms.  in the long days past (aka last month), if something damaged my calm i would sit down with an entire pizza, or a whole order of deep fried pickles or mozzarella sticks.  i can't do that anymore.  for one, if i eat that much cheese i will be doubled over in pain in an hour, and two, if i eat that much (or any really I'm discovering) gluten i'll blow up like a balloon and feel nauseous for weeks.  so no.  and in the last couple of days i've needed a coping mechanism.

now, a little back story:  i've always considered myself an artist. (admitedly, for about 80% of that time, i'm not sure why i did, i wasn't producing any art)  i have always drawn.  i don't remember a time in my life wehn i ddin't have at least one, if not ten half finished sketchbooks littered around the house.  i have worked in crayon, conte, pastels, oils, acrylic, ceramic, and a couple of times in mashed potato.   i minored in art in college, with an emphasis in sculpture.  i once made a replica of a combat boot out of wire.  had i ever finished my bachelors degree, i was invited to go to San Francisco College of Art to achieve my masters.  i don't say this to brag.  i say it so you know how engraned in me it is.

so when the world was swept out from under me, instead of killer food, i picked up a nice cup of tea and a pencil.  and here are some of the results:

i'm not sure what inspired this one, but i think i like the elongated neck.  

a more "realistic" Wonder Woman.  i'm only about half finished with this one.  

that little red monster

i was....  pissed.

you know that level of mad where you see it from the other side and realize just how ridiculous you are being?  that "why can't i let it go, i can't let it go?  oh, i can't let it go because i have so much MAD invested in this mad" level of mad?  yep, i was there.  i was laughing i was so upset.  like laughing at how... just ridiculous i was being.

no, i'm not going to get into what upset me.

but my husband.  gods i love that man.  he is seriously the most supportive person ever in the history of everty ever.  he listened to me vent.  and i did.  i ranted and railed.  i shook my fist at the universe and didn't use all my fingers.  he held my hand and patted my back.  he told me everything was going to be ok.  and when it was over, when my vitrol was spent, he did the most amazing, most wonderful thing.  he walked with me upstairs, went into our storage area and drug out all my canvas' and my easel.  he moved stuff around in the play room so that i have an area to paint in.  he even reminded me i have an almost new set or oil paints that i haven't even popped the seals on.

so for the past two days i've been working on a painting.  im not great with oils, i really need to practice.  i'm considering taking a painting class (acrylics, but the skills transfer) at a nearby art studio.  maybe even see how much renting some studio time would cost, but i'm not taking that train of thought seriously.  we have children, not studio time, and i have a responsible steak a mile wide, that's money that can be spent better somewhere else.

here is my piece so far.  it's still in the very early stages, so a lot is bound to change.

Art for art sake

Im blessed to have some amazing artists in my life. Dani at Heartroot Studio, Deina at Gentile Soul Arts, Jeremy Miller, Heaher Ray among others. Each and every one of them is someone I look up to and am inspired by.   My daughter is very talented and I can see her becoming an amazing cartoonist someday. I draw and paint myself, though I dont count myself in their category.

I love Van Goth, of course (oh vinny you magnificent bastard). And Cibot. Truth be told 'Fallen Angels' is in my openion one of the most beautiful paintings of all time. I think Cibot has been shafted in the fame department.   I am thankful that I live in Omaha, and I can visit whenever I like.   I could sit and stare at it for hours.  And have.

But my all time favorite artist? Well, that would be Shag .  Witty, wild, and so deliciously pop.   I love his brash takes on consumerism and his satire and his retro flair.  Basically everything I hate about hipsters, I love about his art.   (And yes, I understand that in a lot of ways , im a hipster too.  Shut up) 

If you've never checked out his art, please do.  One in particular,  'Wives with Knives', is one of his that I absolutely love.   And hay, even if you dont like his stuff or any of the other artists stuff ive mentioned, you checked out a new artist.  Go you.

In art, as in life

Ive been cleaning up my sketchbooks lately. Both the big one I use for serious stuff and the little moleskin 'pocket' sketchbok I use as kind of an art journal thingy. (Thingy being a highly technical term, of course)  I've started to notice something about my work.  I do a lot of line drawing. They are simplistic, even cartoonish (I am still a bit rusty after all). But most of what I notice is that i use a lot of negative space.  With my work, its as much about what I don't say as what I do.  To me that negative space is so important, that i dont want to muck it up by doodleing there.

The negative space lets the mind wander.  Lets it wonder.  Lets it think of all the mysterious and beautiful things that could be there.  Removes all limitations, and allows for endless possibilities. It allows the viewer to be an active participant in the art piece. Its as much about the viewer as the artist, each participating equally.

And I see a lot of that in life too.  Its as much what you DONT say or do in life as what you DO.  So let your negative space be your endless possibility. And make it as much about you as the people around you.