Busy, busy, busy chasing my tail...It seems each step forward has a half step back.
Thankfully, I managed to get a ride to have August Rising framed today. Knowing that any excursions into the wildermist of the wintry end of spring has the potential to shut down all operations, I venture out anyway.
Framer-recommended-by-my-sister is attempting to work some timing miracles for me on short notice. I appreciate her empathy for my explorations of new dimensions. Did I mention how thankful I was for the ride to get there???
The Wellsville Art Association Annual Photography Show has come to a close. Elementals, Only So An Hour, and Teasel returned home to the studio today. (Original framed prints are still available for purchase $48.60, $38.50...on the off-chance anyone reading this might be interested in buying them.)
As I work on the composition for my paintings and drawings I tend to utilize a compilation of assorted reference images. Quite often I print these images...then I cut, paste, and tape them to the wall on another paper until they are in the "right" spot. I ran out of printer ink last week. Ordered more. It arrived today just as I sat down to paint. Whew! But wait, "this cartridge looks strange," I thought. "I don't remember it being this wide." .....
So forty-five minutes later, return authorization confirmed, a new CORRECT cartridge is ordered and will arrive sometime between the 29th and the 2nd.
Must paint. Time to improvise. Several surge protectors and a flash drive later my lap top is precariously perched on top of my drafting table as I attempt to map out the pattern of the squares in the first balloon. Enya attempts to comfort me in the background. We manage some small progress.
However, just as out of place and uncomfortable as I was, my lap top decides that this perpetual display is a bit more than it intended to do today. The task manager freezes the screen. (For the sake of the post let's pretend that this glitch has nothing to do with the fact that the poor thing crashed yesterday and barely missed the proverbial trash heap. Thanks to the security system that managed to quarantine the flesh eating virus threatening my livelihood I was at least to take a few restorative measures.)
The remarkably typical not-what-spring-looks-like-in-the-commercials weather has been poking at me all day. Realizing that I am not doing an awesome job summoning the muses in this environment, I call it a day. A little spot of daylight on the freezing sun porch assists with the documentary photo from today's less-than-phenomenal studio session.
As I complete this post I am attempting to stifle the battle between my dishes, my laundry, and my bed.
Thankfully, today only happens once...and tomorrow will hopefully restore the scotoma which so generously permits me to pretend that I am not trying to run a business without a vehicle in the rural wintry regions of Up-State New York.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Beginning Balloon Rally 2013 Project
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| Ketchner (Balloonmeister) |
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| Sky Turkey |
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| Buckles |
And so it begins...
While listening to the Leave Your Sleep album recently released by Natalie Merchant, followed by Carol King and James Taylor at the Troubador
I have added Gesso to my 18" x 24" canvas and I am currently assembling images to fit into the concept of my design.
The committee has clarified their expectations and you will see the changes as things progress.
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| Mystical Breeze |
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| Tony Sax |
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| Conceptual drawing |
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A Right Brain Business
I just attended the 3rd Annual Right Brain Business Plan Video Summit hosted by Jennifer Lee author of the Right Brain Business plan. Although I have been dedicated and steadily moving forward with my studio plans I have been lacking in the "networking" department of my career. Topics covered during the summit addressed many of the issues which have been floating around inside of my head for last few months.
I have been inspired to establish a realistic fair value for the work I produce in my studio and the hours it takes to do so.Project Rates and Guidelines
This session has increased my Marketing Momentum exponentially over last year. While learning about the Right Brain Business Plan concept and attending the summit I entered the competition to become the Official Artist for the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally and won. Images of my original painting will be on posters and T-shirts sold during this event. This is a wonderful, exciting opportunity for me to be involved in this Annual Local Event in an Artistic capacity. I was the events coordinator for this event three summers in a row while I was completing my BFA ten years ago. It will be awesome to revisit this experience from a visual artist's perspective.
I also entered the Wellsville Art Association Annual Photography Show this year while participating in the summit. I have entered and received awards before but this year I made sure each piece had a quality frame and was priced for sale during the show.
Only So An Hour placed First in the Still Life category. Teasel received Honorable Mention in this same category. Elementals placed second in the Open category. I was honored to once again participate in this event with so many other talented local artists.
During my participation in this show I was also invited to teach summer art classes for the Allegany Arts Association Summer Arts Festival. I was skeptical at first but as the summit progressed decided that this would be a good move for my studio and a good way to implement the 2010 teaching portion of my preliminary LEFT BRAIN business plan which has been sorely neglected.
As a result of the summit I also addressed the disorder in my working business plan and feel much more engaged with the time line and events contained there. Not surprisingly this working plan bares some similarity to the methods utilized in the Right Brain Business Plan concept. I am sure this similarity will increase as time goes on.
I am currently completing projects for entry in the Seven Counties Art show in April.
2013 is off to an ambitious start. Here's hoping I can maintain it.
Many thanks to the people who encourage and believe in me as I continue on this journey. You know who you are.
I have been inspired to establish a realistic fair value for the work I produce in my studio and the hours it takes to do so.Project Rates and Guidelines
This session has increased my Marketing Momentum exponentially over last year. While learning about the Right Brain Business Plan concept and attending the summit I entered the competition to become the Official Artist for the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally and won. Images of my original painting will be on posters and T-shirts sold during this event. This is a wonderful, exciting opportunity for me to be involved in this Annual Local Event in an Artistic capacity. I was the events coordinator for this event three summers in a row while I was completing my BFA ten years ago. It will be awesome to revisit this experience from a visual artist's perspective.
I also entered the Wellsville Art Association Annual Photography Show this year while participating in the summit. I have entered and received awards before but this year I made sure each piece had a quality frame and was priced for sale during the show.
Only So An Hour placed First in the Still Life category. Teasel received Honorable Mention in this same category. Elementals placed second in the Open category. I was honored to once again participate in this event with so many other talented local artists.
During my participation in this show I was also invited to teach summer art classes for the Allegany Arts Association Summer Arts Festival. I was skeptical at first but as the summit progressed decided that this would be a good move for my studio and a good way to implement the 2010 teaching portion of my preliminary LEFT BRAIN business plan which has been sorely neglected.
As a result of the summit I also addressed the disorder in my working business plan and feel much more engaged with the time line and events contained there. Not surprisingly this working plan bares some similarity to the methods utilized in the Right Brain Business Plan concept. I am sure this similarity will increase as time goes on.
I am currently completing projects for entry in the Seven Counties Art show in April.
2013 is off to an ambitious start. Here's hoping I can maintain it.
Many thanks to the people who encourage and believe in me as I continue on this journey. You know who you are.
Friday, March 8, 2013
March is Support Women Artist Now Month
The Women Arts Blog is tracking events and activities in honor of this celebration of female creativity.
Visit the blog to learn more about how this event is being observed around the country.
Visit the blog to learn more about how this event is being observed around the country.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Art As a Life Raft
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| Life Raft ~Katie O'Hagen |
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| Still Standing (Frame 6) ~slk |
Her realization that her "art emerged as the only thing keeping my head above water," resounded with me as I have often found that my art is a place of refuge and renewal when everything else in my life seems to be shifting beyond my control.
Her painting, "Life Raft" captures the feeling that art is maintaining life while acknowledging that both are always a work in progress.
In Frame 6 of Still Standing I am attempting to express the fundamental powers of the desire to create. Art moves me to survive the worst of the things life has thrown at me over the years. It provides me with the language necessary to accept and overcome those events and circumstances which threaten to overwhelm me. It gives me a voice to influence change. As I work through the process of making, art gives me the wisdom to identify that which I can control and the serenity to accept the things I cannot. Although the clock may move at fluctuating speeds, art inevitably gives me the courage to move forward.
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