My house has the fragrance of an open field of grass, I've smoked it with sage and sweet grass to better prepare me for my new life ahead. When I move from one house to another I like to feel that little touch with my ancestors. I'm only an eighth Cherokee but my father was so proud of this heritage he kept it alive for me and my siblings. He was close to the tribe living Talhequah in his last days. Influence from our elders is very important as humans and as artists. Respecting our past helps us face the future without fear. We evolve and mold our selves with our friends and family as the rocks smooth when they tumble aganst each other in the rivers flow. We become ourselves by the choices we've made, the alleys and paths we've found ourselves traveling. Our being insists that we all express our innermost energy, bring it to light for our followers, our children and our heritage. On simpler terms we must express so anyone will truly know us. So many of my artist friends including me have had difficult childhoods rising to adulthood we struggle to be known and have gained the control of the young person inside. The young child who must have control of something that wasn't allowed in childhood. Now the adult or coming adult acts out or expresses themselves in unacceptable behavior...Controlling something..... When art and creativity could be the very release of the pain and fear that continues until maturity, true maturity and awareness of being and seeing clearly our own path.
This sounds like a bit of a sermon, sorry, but I truly believe that art has saved my sanity and opened my vision to a fuller more expanded thinking of life and dealing with people in the world. I have some pity but not much for people who whine about their circumstances. I realize we must go to our friends for help occasionally but that's not what I'm talking about I mean the guy on the corner who is begging for food, work; something. We have places to help to get people on track if they would take the pride off their back and get on with it. Everyone is creative everyone can think for themselves. It is written to "keep your own council" find a way to make it work for you that is within societal boundaries meaning the LAW. :) Look to art to guide you. SR
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Since I'm having trouble even writing this thing I'll just plunge in and hope for the best. All of you more savvy in this tech world can chime in and help me figure it out.
I'm an artist I write with a pen and ink; I work with hand and intuition, while technology is fabulous and I embrace it, it still seems redundant when you can quickly paint a painting or draw a line.
I've always said "know your tools" and this is one I will master to "include" in my repertoire of tools.
Today is a mingling day for me I get out of my house/studio and actually mingle with, of all things, people. My friends are mostly artists so I'm having lunch with an artist friend we don't talk about art too much but we discuss technical things about the process. I find I speak this language fluently. Talking art was a lot of fun even in school I had to find my niche with the "unusual" classmates who didn't quite fit in. We could discuss artsy fartsy stuff and be perfectly understood. I'm sure there is a niche for every one if we just search for them. Some of my friends believe they are ethereal thinkers, different from all of us; but in reality we are all the same. We are simply people who have intuition for tactile elements of our existence. We are the ones who must touch sculpture or look deeply into a piece of work that is layered or molded with emotion. We express our "selves" through our color and stroke with the feelings even we are not aware of at the time. I'm always amazed at someone else's interpretation of my work. I paint for the sheer joy of process. It thrills me on so many levels that when I'm finished I feel completed.
And after lunch today I can become my hermit-like self for a few days, do my work and begin again. I'm preparing for another show in May also I'm preparing to sell my house; therefore I have to contradictory things happening. Messing about in the studio and cleaning it for sale. That's the life we choose we are always in some sort of Yin and Yang of it. Conflict makes art.
These Blogs are fascinating little tools one can talk about oneself all day long and no one can interrupt. Don't you think that's fascinating? I don't really talk about myself so much as I talk about the art. Me talking about doing the art is only done in workshops I conduct or lessons I teach.
In concluding today's missive I feel as if I've written a page in my latest short story or poem or even painted a bit on the work I'm doing in the studio. It's very relaxing too, talking about what we know. Isn't It?
Please comment on this or any other blogs I write and ask any questions you might have that can help you perform your art. Your process is always interesting, your discipline is essential and your dedication is lifelong. Don't ever neglect your "self". Thanks for reading. SR
I'm an artist I write with a pen and ink; I work with hand and intuition, while technology is fabulous and I embrace it, it still seems redundant when you can quickly paint a painting or draw a line.
I've always said "know your tools" and this is one I will master to "include" in my repertoire of tools.
Today is a mingling day for me I get out of my house/studio and actually mingle with, of all things, people. My friends are mostly artists so I'm having lunch with an artist friend we don't talk about art too much but we discuss technical things about the process. I find I speak this language fluently. Talking art was a lot of fun even in school I had to find my niche with the "unusual" classmates who didn't quite fit in. We could discuss artsy fartsy stuff and be perfectly understood. I'm sure there is a niche for every one if we just search for them. Some of my friends believe they are ethereal thinkers, different from all of us; but in reality we are all the same. We are simply people who have intuition for tactile elements of our existence. We are the ones who must touch sculpture or look deeply into a piece of work that is layered or molded with emotion. We express our "selves" through our color and stroke with the feelings even we are not aware of at the time. I'm always amazed at someone else's interpretation of my work. I paint for the sheer joy of process. It thrills me on so many levels that when I'm finished I feel completed.
And after lunch today I can become my hermit-like self for a few days, do my work and begin again. I'm preparing for another show in May also I'm preparing to sell my house; therefore I have to contradictory things happening. Messing about in the studio and cleaning it for sale. That's the life we choose we are always in some sort of Yin and Yang of it. Conflict makes art.
These Blogs are fascinating little tools one can talk about oneself all day long and no one can interrupt. Don't you think that's fascinating? I don't really talk about myself so much as I talk about the art. Me talking about doing the art is only done in workshops I conduct or lessons I teach.
In concluding today's missive I feel as if I've written a page in my latest short story or poem or even painted a bit on the work I'm doing in the studio. It's very relaxing too, talking about what we know. Isn't It?
Please comment on this or any other blogs I write and ask any questions you might have that can help you perform your art. Your process is always interesting, your discipline is essential and your dedication is lifelong. Don't ever neglect your "self". Thanks for reading. SR
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mybrushstroke
Today is the 26th of February can you believe it?
This year is moving too fast for me and yet not fast enough in some areas. I told you I'm preparing for a show in May at Istvan Gallery, new in town the gallery is a cool place to see new and different artists' work. If you're in OKC drop by there sometime.
Since we've had no Winter to speak of our weather has slipped quietly into almost Spring and I'm still waiting for Winter. Spring is too soon I have too many other things I was saving for Winter.
Preparing my studio is a big job as you might imagine. I will keep you informed as to sales etc. I will have lots of artsy stuff to eliminate. I am even going to sell my king sized canopy bed.... $900.. I think having a new experience will be great and a queen sized bed would be interesting maybe even more fun. We never know, do we?
This year is moving too fast for me and yet not fast enough in some areas. I told you I'm preparing for a show in May at Istvan Gallery, new in town the gallery is a cool place to see new and different artists' work. If you're in OKC drop by there sometime.
Since we've had no Winter to speak of our weather has slipped quietly into almost Spring and I'm still waiting for Winter. Spring is too soon I have too many other things I was saving for Winter.
Preparing my studio is a big job as you might imagine. I will keep you informed as to sales etc. I will have lots of artsy stuff to eliminate. I am even going to sell my king sized canopy bed.... $900.. I think having a new experience will be great and a queen sized bed would be interesting maybe even more fun. We never know, do we?
Some things I have ready now are: a small "dorm" refrigerator.... $35. works like a charm has a tiny freezer and all,
A drafting table............$20. that needs some help in the adjusting screws otherwise is a great surface.
There will be more I'm sure as I go along. It would be helpful to eliminate these items to give me more room now. So let me know if any of you are interested.
Now on to more artsy stuff.
I've been working with resins lately; drawing, collaging or painting then building a frame to hold the liquid resin. the end result gives such depth and glow to all the work underneath that it simply enhances your work. It does magical things to a charcoal drawing, or anything that dry like pastel. I would encourage anyone to try it. Let me know how it works for you and what you think of it. I'm enjoying it very much. I'll continue to do more just not all the time because I am always drawn, pardon the pun, to figures any way I can do them and larger than I do the resins. The resins are little jewels.
I love to do the figures in acrylic though I find oil very rewarding sometimes I work on one of each at the same time due to the drying time of each. I've worked acrylic into a place of comfort where I can make them look oil-like so the outcome of each media is equally fulfilling for me.
I guess that's all for today I hope you will keep doing creative projects what do you have to lose. It is time well spent and meditative for today's crazed world. SR
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