This program was temporarily interrupted by finals...

I was in the throws of my annual series on a Handmade Christmas when BAM! it was finals week and all other activities came to a screeching halt. I had displays to make, polishing to do and the hardest thing EVER for an artist...editing. I won't go into it right now, but one of these days we are going to have to talk about the secret hell and blessings of editing. Until recently, I never really knew it existed beyond term papers and conversations.

Before we can return to our previously scheduled programming, I have to share with you the final critique for sculpture 1. You really have to see the diversity amongst the students and their work. I learned so much this semester from both our wonderful professor Annie, and my classmates who had a variety of backgrounds and experience. There were some of us that were totally new to 3-D expression, some who had already chosen it as their specialty and some who were expanding on their successful illustration or painting backgrounds. Some were 1st year students, some were graduating seniors. It was a hybrid of experience, age, interpretations and interests. It was probably the most significant course I have taken in art school and it has definitely inspired me to become a sculpture major. There is something about the conceptual experience in 3-D that is so much more consuming than 2-D. I learned to access different parts of my creative self and while it did not come naturally, I enjoyed every sweaty, stumbling step of the journey. I am a better artist for it.

We created four pieces during the semester. The first was a clay bust of either a self portrait or a morph between two or more things. The conceptual was as much a part of the grade as the execution.

Next we made sculptures out of wax which were then cast into bronze. Once returned to us, we had to painstakingly remove the excess metal, grind down the surface to a more refined piece and use a patina to add some contrast. This is a difficult process that involves a lot of heavy machinery, patience and determination.

Our third piece was again made of clay but this time we were free to express ourselves anyway we would like. And our forth piece was a plaster carving. We made large plaster molds in a bucket, then used a chisel and other tools to carve our blocks into a masterpiece. It was very physical and tedious but most of us enjoyed it.

So get some popcorn and a drink, sit back and enjoy this slide show of our final critique....

Painting Spree - almost there!

It has been really intense painting so much these last 10 days. Essentially, I started this run last Tuesday afternoon, took a 3 day break over the weekend due to various commitments and have been painting like crazy ever since. I finished the casual composition painting and got my grade back: a B-.

My work is improving but there is a part of me that feels frustrated that I was not able to put more time into the important details. Normally, I would have had a week to complete each painting - the suggested time dedicated was 12-20 hours per piece. Obviously, I did not invest that into my work which means I missed the end game. The part where you see what is there rather than what you know. The lock down vibe where it is just you and the canvas. Sometimes I love this but, to be honest, it also REALLY stresses me out because I had destroyed a good painting last April while in this zone.

It was a lot of wet on wet work and I went into an intuitive frenzy, painting what I "felt" rather than what I saw. Next thing I knew my perspective was demolished, my ellipses where cockeyed and there was no reconciliation. I'm eager to address that fear before closing this chapter because it will be at least 6 months before I pick up a brush for any kind of school work. I don't want that anxiety festering.

Hence, of my last 2 assignments, one was offered as extra credit - flowers. I really want to learn flowers so I am going to combine a high key with a floral set up so I have 2 days to work through it and learn everything the class has to offer. The last required painting was our choice - either a casual set up or High Key. I really like High Key but have mixed emotions about how my last piece came out.

High Key set Up (light values)

On one hand I love what I did here. There is a Renaissance feel to it that speaks to me. On the other hand, I know I could have push it so much further and I have issues with the bowl ellipses which I am sure everyone can see but I hate to draw attention to. (I would love it if ppl. thought it was intentional and brilliant - denial is a powerful thing).

Finished painting using only light colors to define objects and shadows

My low key painting was definitely harder. In the composition, the right side of the bowl disappeared into the shadows although the set up photo does not show this because I don't know how to photograph in that low of life light with my camera.

Every time I tried to take a picture with the light turned low, the camera would leave the shutter open for 5-10 seconds and the picture would come out blurry. There was just no room to pull out the tripod. The challenge was making the bowl disappear while communicating the depth between the foreground and background.. Also, in order to retain the lighting, I had to depend entirely on the otto light I have mounted to my easel. This light caused a lot of refection on the canvas so I could not always see the subtle changes in color. Blah, Blah, Blah... it came out as it came out. I was done- I ran out of patience and the clock was ticking.

Last night I posted a treasure trove of new items on my Esty shop. I've had these beauties for a few weeks now but did not have time to photograph nor post them. Last night, I needed the change in pace so I got busy. I have a lot more to add but first things first.

Tomorrow I'll turn in the last painting and then I have to prepare 20 tag album kits for camp on Tuesday which is a really nice creative transition. I am also looking forward to playing with my kiddos, cleaning this house and earning some moola. I'm working with a new client on Sunday which is going to be SUPER fun! I'm teacher her daughter how to scrapbook while creating an album for a friend...Teach a man to fish kind of thing.

I can't wait to hear from back porch quilters on the status of my quilt. I hope it has arrived in North Carolina! I'll check on that today. Busy, but loving that my todo's have nothing to do with dry cleaning nor spread sheets - just art, life, art!

Academy of Art Homework Day

My school week goes Tuesday to Monday so Monday's are dedicated solely to art. I always have a nice start on my projects from the week before but it takes an entire day get everything "submission worthy." I spend most of the day completing my assignments; then I edit, touch up, photograph, correct, photograph, correct again, photograph once more while whispering a prayer...then I enhance the images and post my work. I also have to participate in the discussions and take tests for both of my classes. It is a challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating detail oriented day of discovery. Most times, I love it. Once in a while, it is horrific. Today was fun...

Last week we had to create a Chinese take-out box and chop sticks holder for my Graphic Design class.


This week I had to create two gift boxes. One was from a template they provided and the other was up to us. They also encouraged us to modify the supplied template to make it "our own". I decided to do a floral motif throughout. I transformed the provided bow box into a whimsical "bloom box."

I used an adorable flower print from K & Company and converted the bow closure into a flower that matched the flowers in the paper. My other project was a petal box (in keeping with the motif) which I did with another K & Company print that reminded me of Monet's "Waterlilies."

For my Analysis of Form class, I had to start working on a structure /automobile drawing to be done in pen and ink. We are learning 2 point perspective via architecture. I did a thumbnail of a building with a tiny European car in front. I am working from a very interesting photograph I found on google images.

I will not be posting my thumbnail because it is pitiful. It was a useful exercise however, in that I was able to work out some of the angles and determine proper placement of the various details.

I love the feeling of a pen on paper when I am drawing, but it is also scary because you can't erase. This fact has caused me to learn a lot about how my hands express what I see. My default tendancy is to draw with my feelings rather than with thought. I can now see how lazy and impulsive my hand is when I am not focused on my subject. I have to laugh at those times when I was trying to hurry or I was distracted and I scratched out a crappy drawing. I would get so frustrated because I could not understand why it turned out so bad. I was holding on to some elusive fantasy that I would suddenly get struck "Di Vinci"and then masterpeices would roll out of me effortlessly. I now know that to create art, you must work. You have to throw everything into it. You have to take in that that you see and then express it with your hands. Your eyes tell one part of your brain and that part tells another part and then a message is sent to your hand to move this way and that way so that lines appear on paper and eventually, your sight is given life. One has to be aware of this process if one is going to master it. And so today I began learning.

It's official!

I'm going back to school at the Academy of Art University. for a second BA. I couldn't be more excited. I start in two weeks. I'll be taking my classes online so I can still do the mom thing and continue working from home. Everything fell into place to easily and quickly, it just blows my mind. I'm currently enrolled under Illustration, Graphic Arts but the pure Graphic Arts program looks super appealing - I am also dying to take a half a dozen classes in Fine Arts including a book making class and jewelry making! I wish I could go to school forever!

Yesterday, I ordered my class supplies from Utrecht Art. The class materials list is already in the Utrecht system so you don't have to hunt around for everything. I checked over at Dick Blick just to see if the prices where OK and surprisingly, they were comparable or less with the AAU student discount and the awesome Fall sale they have going on right now. I am SOOOOOOOO excited to get everything! I was "required" to order some items that I have been coveting for months. Prismacolor Premiers and Verithins pencils. and Caran d' Ache NEOCOLOR II Watersoluble pastels.
I am enrolled in 2 classes- Analysis of Form and Materials, Tools and Comping Techniques. They sent me a stack of DVD's which include all of my tutorials. I watched a few Modules and the projects look so fun! I am feeling a whole lot of gratitude right now (and a chunk of fear too - you know -the whole "what if?" song and dance.) My husband has been incredibly supportive, as has my family and friends.

On another note, both of my kids will be starting school in the next couple of weeks. Aidan is going to Kindergarten and Eva starts preschool. There are no more babies in our house. I'm grateful that the diapers are a thing of the past, but I miss the baby smell (and the lack of the word "no!") Lots of exciting things on the horizon. The trick is enjoying it.