Psst...

The Wild One

(weekend giveaway on soulemama!!!)

next issue of Taproot 

(in the mail!!!)

I promised I would have some fun and exciting news to share today and I can now tell you that it involves a giveaway on Amanda Blake's Soulemama blog (fun) and the next issue of Taproot magazine (exciting).  I have been a sponsor on Amanda's blog for the past two months and this weekend I will be giving away The Wild One (shown above) and answering some interview questions there.  If you leave a comment on her blog the day of the giveaway (not sure if it will be saturday or sunday) you will be entered to win (fun and easy).  And I'm super excited about the next issue of Taproot, not only because it is a collaborative thing of beauty, but because my painting The Social Workers will appear inside its pages. I'm heading out the door for a long weekend with my parents so I have to run but I wish you all a fun, exciting and lovely long weekend!

bees, birds and butterflies...

Coexistence

(she dreamt of a hive among the houses)

In Between Dreams 

(hearing the message and giving it wings)

More color and plenty of lovely creatures are making their way into my work these days as our early Spring breaks open and spills into Summer.  Tomorrow morning we'll be packing up the car and heading to Michigan to spend the long weekend with my Parents.  Once we get back the kids will only have one week of school left...crazy how that happens!  I am definitely ready for the seasons lazy mornings, unstructured days and picnics at the lake.  But, before I leave I have some fun and exciting news to share so if you get a chance check back in tomorrow : )

playing with wax-

Three very creative, talented and kind women from Wisconsin spent Monday afternoon here playing with wax and the results were truly inspiring.  None of them had worked in encaustics before but all had experience creating in a variety of mediums. I had sent each of them some basic process information and a few websites to help them think about what they might want to create and I have to say these women hit the ground running. They each had an idea of what they wanted to create but I was truly impressed by their openness  to the medium and all that it offers an artist.  As they layered and fused they really embraced the process and I could see that this was not the last time they would be playing with wax : ).  I spend most of my days alone, working in the company of music and hens, so I really enjoyed and appreciated their company, conversation and enthusiasm and I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all. I'm heading into the studio to open up the big window, turn on some music and finish up a few new paintings...what are you up to on this gorgeous Wednesday afternoon?

saying goodbye to clutter-

And saying hello to a beautiful, clean, well lit space to create.  After meeting a big deadline, packaging up lots of work for shipping and having an "intern" in my studio over the past few weeks I'm afraid my bits and pieces had taken on a life of their own.  As I tried to get some painting done mid-week I found myself uninspired and overwhelmed by the mess of newsprint bits, gold leaf, blocks of all shapes and sizes and the bumpy wax spills covering my work table.  After avoiding the studio for two days I decided to get on it and cleared everything out.  I recovered the tables, sorted through the paper bits, keeping what I still loved and getting rid of what I didn't.  I came across many buried treasures and got right to work in my shiny and clean space.  I've heard that artists are notoriously messy and can can create in a sea of clutter and  chaos but I just can't do it.  It's like the clutter creeps into my brain and muddles things up.  In addition to needing to clear my head,  I have three women driving down from Wisconsin on Monday for an Encaustic Workshop* and needed to prep my supplies for that class.

H a p p y w e e k e n d t o y o u !

  

* I think a lot about teaching and while I don't formally advertise classes, if you are anywhere near Chicago and are interested in playing with wax, you can contact me and we might be able to set something up for your group of 2-4 people.  

Be who you are-

Black Sheep In A Red Hat

2.5"x3.5"

As I mentioned the other day, good words seem to be jumping off the pages these days.  When I came across the phrase "Black Sheep" I knew it would fit one of my figures perfectly.  When I was a very young,  I remember the term "the black sheep of the family" having a negative connotation.  It was the person who got into trouble, took off for distant lands, marched to their own tune, the one who didn't do what was expected.  Now that I'm all grown up, I see the term in a completely different light.  The "black sheep" to me is the dreamer, the seeker, the artist and traveller who is open to the world and embraces change and opportunity.   I really like this dramatic little piece. Maybe it's the red hat, maybe it's the fact that I love sheep, maybe it's the solitary figure on the black background which says so much to me (it may just be that I may never come across the words "Black Sheep" in print again and so this piece is completely unique). Well, I'm off to the school garden for flower drawing and a chalk mual but I have two other pieces close to being finished, so I'll see you back here later in the week.  

Whether you celebrated Sunday as a Mother or a Daughter (or both) I hope your day was lovely.

slowing it down-

Today is a quiet Friday and I am embracing it fully.  The three painting pictured above were started two nights ago and they are slowly developing.  I thought they might be finished by today but last night I realized I needed to slow down and let them breathe.  They are full of new colors and familiar images and I like where they are heading. There are chores to be done, a garden to be tended and hens who need to be hugged and somehow, after a very busy week, today it feels like there is time for all that. 

 Happy Friday : )

Glamour Girls...

Glamour Girl (superhero)

Glamour Girl (love)

Hello from the middle of the week.

Good words seem to be jumping off the pages these days.

Love and Superhero are two of my favorites.

More new work to share Friday.

Thanks for visiting.