New Crafty Art Space...

I was laying in bed last night, thinking about all the topics I want to post about here in my little corner of the country, my sweet little blog. It's so exciting to read new comments and check out the blogs of visitors. I love blogs because they allow you to feel so connected, so in touch with people you otherwise wouldn't know exsisted, and vise-versa. I live in a tiny little town in New England, and believe me, I don't meet a lot of new people in my work or personal life. Of course, this could be because I keep myself so busy in my own little self-contained world that I haven't made a new friend since high school (with the exception of my dear friend, Pam, whom I met at my previous job). I think there might be something wrong with me. I'm perfectly content to be nearly friendless! Of course, I do have three older sisters and we are closer than close, so I suppose I just don't take the intitiative to meet new women friends. Geesh, this isn't coming out very well at all. I am trying to say how much I appreciate and enjoy "meeting" new people here via my blog and others that I visit, and instead I sound like a grumpy hermit!

Well, hopefully (if you are still reading) you will forgive my faux pas and see the underlying message: I like meeting new people! I like friends! I like you! :)

Anyway, lets just get on with it shall we?

So, the picture above is a photo in my new craft/art room. You know, I can't ever just say "ART" room because I don't really think of myself as an artist. Creative? Yes. Dabbler? Yes. Artistically inclined? Perhaps. But ARTIST is so scary and professional sounding. Anyway, we recently moved rooms all around the house: The dining room became my husband's band room (he's an EXCELLENT drummer), the dining room table is awaiting storage departure and is left stranded on the front porch, my craft room was moved up to my husband's previous band room and we now have an empty bedroom where my craft/art room used to be. Whew! It's exhausting to write and believe me, more exhausting to move it all!

I would love to post more pictures of my new room, but it's still in a bit of disarray. Also, I just noticed when I took this picture, that my hubby's old cymbal clock is still on my wall. I wonder if he's been missing it?

Playing with Altered Art...

Today was a day off work for me...I love days off! I was secretly pleased that it was rainy and chilly out~no excuse needed why I couldn't work out in the yard, why I didn't want to spend time lounging on the beach. I have been looking forward to getting my hands sticky and smeared with paint and glue for some time, and today I finally got the chance to play.

The top left photo is the front cover of the new altered board book I'm working on...I made the Mona Lisa figure with a clay transfer technique and added some beads and wire to put her together. The photo on the right is one of the page layouts...the book's theme is following your dreams and taking time to listen to yourself, something that is very near and dear to me.

The Art of Wabi-Sabi...

Wabi-Sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, honoring the cycles of life and cherishing the passage of time.

My sister and I were talking about Wabi-Sabi this weekend during our walk to the local farmers market. It was a beautiful, perfect summer day; not too hot, but sunny, a cool breeze drifting around buildings and through tree limbs. Gorgeous. But I spent much of the time worrying and fretting: I forgot my sunscreen, I need to hurry, hurrry~must get back to go give a massage. I don't feel like giving a massage on my day off! On and on the naggy little voice goes until I barely notice the beauty of my surroundings, I'm too busy listening to that stupid little negative voice.

I need more Wabi-Sabi in my own life. I need to take time to fully and completely enjoy moments, to forget about all that is not going right in my life and focus, enjoy and really LIVE moments like our morning at the farmers market.

Today I woke up grumpy. I've been feeling grumpy more days than I'd like to lately. I'm making a pledge today to do less thinking and more enjoying. To breathe more deeply and worry less often and to take time to see beauty in every imperfection, even those things that are imperfect only because they aren't the way I want them to be.

Painting, Painting, Painting...

Good morning everyone! It's before 6:00 and I'm up and ready to face the (rainy) day. My teacher told me this week that in the past 35 days, it's rained 28!

Speaking of my teacher, he again chided me for not painting like I'm painting with watercolors. The truth is, I'm not sure I even like watercolor painting~but I will try this week to really "get messy" and let things run together and see what happens.

The first painting above (the more watercolor looking one) was based on a photo~it's alright. But, the underneath it, the one with the bright flowers (though these really look much brighter and more vibrant in real life), I like! However, my instructor said that I'm controlling the paint too much and suggested I spritz the whole painting with water~AGH!

I know quite a few of you are the creative types...what are your favorite mediums to work with?

First Painting Class...

Finally, after years and years of saying that I really want to take some painting classes and learn "the rules", I did it. I work at a college and my classes are free (this is why I took the boring job there), and I finally singed up and am enrolled in my very first ever painting class: Watercolor for Beginners, and a beginner I am!

Here is the quick synopsis:
Class Number One: YAY! Watercolor paints, paper and all sorts of information on brushes, various techniques, etc.~what fun!
Class Number Two: Paint will not go where I want it. Paint goes everywhere I don't want it. Paper curling and buckling, creating little pools of paint and water everywhere. UGH! Homework:First watercolor painting (see above).
Class Number Three: Felt fairly smug (thought masking of birch trees pretty clever, as well as pretty leaves/branches), and one other student a definite beginner like me, so no worries. Well, didn't this other student pull out at least EIGHT beautiful watercolor paintings! I couldn't believe that she hadn't painted before. I felt a very sick feeling in my tummy and that horrible feeling from grade school that I hadn't done my homework properly. I waited and ooohed and ahhed over everyone else's work somehow hoping that the teacher would forget all about me. But no, he asked if I could show my pieces. I dragged out my tree painting (which I once thought was pretty, now looked hideous to me). He "hhhmmmm'd" and asked what I liked about the piece (Uhm, now that I see everyone else's...not much!). The final verdict of the class is that I'm trying to paint like I'm using acrylics in watercolor. Well, yes. I love acrylics! When you put them somewhere, they STAY! Also, it was determined (kindly) that I have a bit of a control issue. Um, yes. Definitely. My teacher suggested I loosen up, let someone order for me the next time at the creemee stand (gasp! and possibly not get my regular choc/van twist with sprinkles?), and have fun.

Well, easy for him to say. Giving up control, even of a creemee flavor, is a very tough homework assignment.

I'll keep you posted...