Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Baggies and Ziplocs

Baggies and Ziplocs………..my whole world for the next month is compartmentalized into baggies and Ziplocs…. at least to get there and to get home.

When I pack stuff for the trip to France, I need to make sure that all is separated in case some artist paints or facial cleanser or all that other stuff leaks out into the suitcase……….Even in my purse, I happened to think that all those little cables for the i-pod earphones and stuff would get tangled up unless they're in a bag. Maybe if airport security has to inspect stuff they can re-arrange it better in bags…oh well, it’s a thought anyway.

Right now, I’m slowly finalizing the last stuff to pack in the bags. When Pat gets here with her digital scale so I can make sure I’m not over pounds in the art supply bag, I can finish up arranging some of it. Decide if a few things can go in the other checked bag.

So, as usual, it is hurry up and do stuff so you can then sit and twiddle thumbs with time left over.

By going to Dallas today, we can try to relax, have a nice dinner and take our time with getting to the flight tomorrow.

Gotta put some pj’s in another bag to leave at Cyn’s condo or I’ll have nothing to sleep in since everything is packed :>/…..one more bag.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Why Do I Create?

I was going through a lot of old email this morning and saw something I wrote not too long ago..........it feels so strange sometime to read later what you write, almost like reading something from another person.

On "why do I create"................

Hum.............why do I create? I don't know, it's just in-built into my self. If I didn't paint, I would do something else creative. I do know that I can't really spread the creativity around too much or I become scattered and don't have any focus. Still, I consciously, for the most part try to keep an open mind when I'm doing whatever I'm doing. I'm always looking for a better or more interesting way to go about whatever. I'd say that it starts out doing it for yourself.........for some people it may stay that way. Now, however, I also like to have feedback from others who know this creative urge...and of course, I like the money that comes when people actually pay money for what I make. It's a tightrope you walk when you start to make something others are inclined to buy.........keeping on doing what you want to do and trying not to think of whether or not someone else will like it. I'm inclined to think that I gravitated to abstract work in the beginning because I felt I could do what I wanted without as much judgment from others about what they thought I was saying. Now I know that it doesn't really matter if it's abstract or representational.......people just have gut feelings about what you are saying.........even though sometimes it's their own voice they are hearing. Someone asked about how you feel showing your work...............I don't know if I feel like you HAVE to feel totally unnerved by showing your work at a show to be an artist as someone suggested. I am always feeling the butterflies until I get to talking to like minded people and relax a little. Sometimes that happens and sometimes you feel uncomfortable the whole evening. I definitely feel uncomfortable talking about my work in a formal manner...........conversations one on one are fun and even invigorating in the right circumstances.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Panic Time

Panic time on what am I really taking to France.....I've been thinking it and talking it but haven't done anything but make a big mess all over the house pulling stuff out....now how much of it will actually fit in the bags??? I already found that the new zoom lens didn't fit in the camera bag...but I found something else that may work better and will hold the laptop as well.

In the studio......I'm folding/cutting paper to place between foam-core board as I will have to work small on paper. Placing lots of paint in ziploc bags, thinking of what brushes and mark makers, etc I need to take with me.....along with stuff to use when I collage elements I find on the trip.

One of our residency group came up with a good idea today......adding each other's blog links to our pages so our friends can keep in touch while we're gone all the month. I'll set that up if I can bumble around in the template with ruining something. A couple of us don't have blogs, Raya, Pat Stephens (humm...Pat may have one but I'm not sure if she still has it up). Karen Jacobs, Annette Bush, Robin Walker and our ex-pat group member, Ellie Clemens do have blogs.

Ten days left in the countdown........

Monday, March 13, 2006

How could I have forgotten Spring Break?


How could I have forgotten Spring Break? My two grandkids here in town are out for the week with no where to go..holidays and summer. I can hear the video games getting louder and louder in the living room.........and scooby doo in the bedroom. All that aside, we love having them here...8 and 5 1/2 years old. They may go somewhere with their parents at then end of the week but will come by every morning through Wednesday.

I did get something accomplished the other day that I could call "art related"....need some of those art related activities every day. I had to unframe a couple of pieces since my publisher, Canadian Art Prints/Encore, wanted me to get some transparencies made.............so I finally got them re-framed. I now have about seven pieces that they may make reproductions of on in the future.

This is one of them, Fields 1 , acrylic on paper.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Books, books, books

Books, books, books..............which ones to take on the trip to France? I've been saving the highly recommended deKooning by Mark Stevens. Then there is the catalog Heaven and Earth from the Anselm Keifer show I went to in Fort Worth. It certainly deserves more than the cursory glance I've had time for lately.

The other day I got my complimentary copy of Paul Dorrell's book, Living The Artist's Life. I've really enjoyed reading it and getting to know another artist's personal thoughts about their life and making their living selling and promoting art. Thanks, Hillstead Publishing, for the copy to bloggers.

My friend, Ellie, says she has the DaVinci Code and I never got around to reading it....this is certainly the countryside made famous in the book....right there at Rennes-le-Chateau and the land of the Cathars....then there are the digital art and collage books I bought and haven't taken the time to really read and absorb. Oh yeah.........then it might be fun to have novels to read....oh my, guess I'm gonna have to pare down all the books as I do have a wheeled carry-on but not much room in it after the laptop, etc.

Packing should be interesting...........you know what they say, get all the stuff out you want to take and then put half of it back. Clothes will take a back seat on this trip.

Tuesday, March 7, 2006

I'm humbled

Today Dana Reeve died...........I'm humbled in the face of all that life put in front of her. I knew that she had lung cancer but I just thought she would be fighting it for a long time to come.......44 years old and too young to die. I'm not one to pray too much but I pray for her young son...as he's had to face so much in his life.

Thursday, March 2, 2006

Packing it all in the bag




It's down to the last 28 days before the trip to France. We have a lot of discussions going on about packing all kinds of stuff.........and wondering how much will all this weigh or how much space in the baggage.

I checked yesterday on the AA.com site and checked baggage is limited to 50 lbs per piece. without extra fees at each connection. My plan is to only take one piece of checked luggage. So, off
to the studio to put all the acrylic tubes I ordered (I usually use big jars) into plastic ziplock bags (just in case of leaks) and weigh them....looks like on the scales they could weigh between 6-8 lbs as it's not exact on the old bathroom scales.............and this is only the paint.

I can see this will be a challenge. I can see no way around working on paper instead of stretched canvas so I will be cutting a lot of watercolor paper in half and then sandwiching it in between foam core board with bulldog clips. Work can always be mounted on panels when I return or matted and framed conventionally behind plexiglas.

This time I'm also taking a lot of electronic gear.....a new small laptop, digital SLR, I-pod and all that with their appropriate cords, cables and chargers mentioned in an earlier post..........so into the old rolling carry-on for that as I will not check this kind of stuff. (sorry about the image of this....black on black with no flash is not easily photographed and also looks blurred)........as you can see, this will all take a lot of thought, and precision in placement.

I can see right now that the house and studio will be a big mess while all this arranging, packing and re-arranging goes on over the next few weeks.

Ahhhh, but just think of what fun it will be when we get there!

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Planning for France

Oh my........Today is March 1 and we all leave for France on the 30th. I know that sounds like a long time but believe me it goes by quickly. Six artists going to the South of France for an art residency for a month. We ran across this link to Photo of the day . It changes every day for the region. We'll be going to a rural village on the edge of the Aude and Ariege departments......... Sainte-Colombe-sur-l'Hers.

The residency is offered by Cat'Art and I think will certainly be a catalyst for a new art learning experience for all of us. We won't be under any pressure there and can roam the region, work in our studio or just hang out and talk about what we're absorbing.

I drug the old rolling carry-on bag to the computer room last night to start fitting in all the electronics I'll be taking........laptop, camera, all the adapters, cables, etc. for the ipod and other stuff that may suddenly crop up. I'll take one change of clothes (if they fit in) and toiletries/personal stuff. Everything else will go in the checked bag. .......including the art supplies. This isn't a fancy place so no fancy clothes are needed, thankfully.

We won't have daily access to the internet but I hope to add to the posts frequently while we're there. Guess we'll have to travel over to an internet connection now and then and see how that works out.

This is gonna be so much fun............