Something to add to my list

So I have an actual "when I fall into a ton of cash" list. It is an active part of daydreaming for me.

How would I use cash, if I had it all around me, casual income, excess amounts and no looming bills or what have you. You know what I mean....

Well seeing stuff like this fuels me...it is what makes me want to introduce art to the public, the laying of hands so to speak. Such wonderful things the mind can do and explore:

 



I have also added " take all the classes at AS220" to my list....

you can see all the other ideas under "The List"  at the top of the page.

So far this year....

I took a whole week away from the machine shop to work on my work!

It was a promise I had made to myself as well as much needed focus time, being that the holiday season is over (still haven't made our yearly card, oops) and there is a TON of chocolate still in the house (bad considering I was aiming to go vegan this year)

Let's start with a surprise my beloved made happen for me, I have been working in my "studio" for over two years now with no overhead lighting, I have a floor lamp and a little full spectrum light to help me see at night when I do lino or whatever, but all in all I am really not able to work in the room at night. It ends up being fine for the most part but with my constantly growing list of goals the daylight needs to last a little longer for me. Well my sweetie, had a day off last week and treated himself to a new guitar toy that I have been begging him to just get already! After picking up his new bells and whistles, he stopped and got me a gift too! 

When I came home he told me " I can't keep a secret from you" and gestured over to his new guitar toy....I was so happy for him and he showed me all the sounds it can make. Then he turned and was standing my my studio door and said " I can't keep a secret from you" and opened my door to reveal:

LIGHTS!!

What an amazing surprise!! I was crying I was so happy. 

I love my man

The week off started with me making some new plates in the shy sun, it was great that the sun was SOOO unpredictable as it allowed me to see how little sun I needed to make plate. I was taking risks and they paid off. I made four new plates!

the sliver of sun that allowed me to make the new plates



curing the first plate in a sunny window



These new plates allowed me to finish a submission that I had promised to Fairbanks Gallery,

and as soon as the ink is finished drying I am shipping them off! (hopefully tomorrow)



Listen, photopolymer etching
edition of 15 for Fairbanks Gallery
2011 Cascade print exchange



I also completed some new plates with some images I could not stop thinking about. My work does that to me, it haunts me and flashes the images over and over again in my mind....it leaves me feeling propelled to make it and I find myself shifting things in my life to make it happen.

Laundry, who needs clean shirts when I have art to make!

Fueled by a constant supply of leftover holiday chocolate and I am not even a chocolate fan like that, I feed on what is available when I work so unfortunately it is an easy source of badly chosen food options.

I had a pretty productive week:

of the three times I left the house this week, one of the times I

got a new set of PJ's that make me feel like a 40's moviestar

they were $4

Love the white piping and pearly buttons!!

I did some new TTV photography!!

New images are posted on my folio site

Theo doing his vampire bat impersonation

pulling new work off the press, color images to come soon

they are still unnamed so I am not ready to show them in their glory yet.

FINALLY turned the soil in the gardens, mind you with a rototiller that died mid-way, but I am planting food later today, so soon I will share growing food pictures.

oh and I found out that the article that Society805 did with me just before my solo show, was the most read Arts and Culture article for 2010!!

New Digs!

It has been many years since I have had a space of my own to make art.
Many times over the years it has been a floor in my bedroom or a space in a room.

Not until recently have I had a nook of my own, I had what use to be the kitchen eat-in area. I used up every bit of space...often times spilling out into the kitchen and living room.

Now I have a whole room with a door that closes and no distractions! Well, not real ones like a TV or a kitchen sink filled with smelly dishes.


It was the purchase of the press that took me over the edge, and now after a week of hard work and sweat, I have a versatile open, bright room that I can make art in!

There is still room to grow and I have filled this room with all things wonderful and artsy. Next I think is shelves...but that can wait for now.

Off to make some art!

My newest tool in the shed!

So I have joked as of recent that if I won the lottery I would buy a tabletop press...well I didn't win the California lottery, but I did win one of sorts.

It is well known in the printmaking circles that every printer wants a press of their own.

The word went out last week and I jumped as high as I could...and caught the star I wished on.

I now own a fine tabletop press of my own! I am also proud to say that I am the fourth artist to own it and we are all women! Two of which were past instructors of mine! (little did I know)

Bonnie Blau

Pamela Zwehl-Burke

Nina Warner

and now me!

I have also started the great and fantastic move into my own art making space within my home! Mind you, the move is overwhelming for me, as I am faced with the daunting task of finding a perfect way to organize this space, and I am far from an organized person! But with this beautiful press here in the house and my desire to repay the loan that made it possible, I am all about making a working space for those works and the works that are to happen in the future!

Plus the boxes are blocking the tv.