Saving Stuff for "Someday"

And, many of you know my Mother was an artist, an author, a relentless business woman and tireless volunteer. I'm honored to have inherited creativity, eye for beauty and maybe a healthy dose of Chutzpah, from her, too.
Mom left a lot of "stuff" for me... to look at, think about and most importantly - use. Art, frames, canvas, brushes, beads, wire & jewelry tools, a dremel, clay tools, paint... and so much more. And, then there are baskets, cookbooks, journals filled with her drawings and notes. Because she was ill, so much of this was put away, not being used or enjoyed. So many things saved for "Someday." It made me think about how many things we hang on to for another day. As if we don't deserve to use those special things "now."

Why do we keep the good china for special occasions? Why don't we burn those beautiful candles, or use the fancy lotions we got for our birthdays? Do people still put plastic on their couches?

Why are we putting off our ability to enjoy our stuff and our passions - now? I remember a great Nora Ephron comment about how at the end of her life she'd be sorry if she skimped on the Dr. Hauschka's lemon bath. And, I had a wonderful lunch in Asheville, NC... the chef's philosophy "Don't Postpone Joy" struck a note. Read more about Laurey's here.

I remember those days when I was one of those "starving" artists... and hoarded every piece of  ruby-lith, scraps of fabric, buttons... for "someday." I still laugh when I'm flipping through my stores of paper and find a piece of graph paper from what seems like 100 years ago. I stopped saving things for another day and put it to use now!

I let my daughter use [almost] all of my art supplies. Yeah, she's ruined a couple of brushes, and doesn't always put the caps back on the paint tight enough...but gee, I'd rather encourage her amazing talent than hoard some paint. I can buy more paint, I can never replace amazing time with her in the studio!

I think it's better to enjoy what you do have...even if the dogs ruin it [have you seen my couch? nibbled!].  Use your stuff, drink that bottle of champagne at the back of the fridge, slather on that lotion, wear your "good" jewelry... otherwise, your life is all about just storing your possessions. Oh, geez I sound like George Carlin's riff on "stuff!"

I brought my Mom's dremel tool home. Now I guess I need to read the instructions so I can use it.

Mind over Matter

My artwork is not about the material used, instead it is about the mind, the thoughts behind the composition. What I use as an art supply - is something I happened on as a solution to a problem.

1. When approaching a new canvas, I don't think about the material, I think about the composition. I have long conversations with myself about what I am doing. Every line, every movement is thoughtful.
2. My purpose in creating my work is totally about the feeling I wish to evoke through the portrait, through the image.
3. I use paint to create a face. The colors I wish to use, the decisions about where on the canvas the subject goes... shadows, eye color - everything is in my mind and not influenced by material.
4. I respond to my resource image [real or imagined] and the improvisation starts there.
5. The process that begins once I finish the painting is all about manipulating the materials at hand.
6. Sometimes, the material used relates to the subject or the emotion, but it is not ruled by the material.

I want you to look at the work and respond to the image first. Then, you can look closer to view the materials, then you can think about the process I created to place each piece exactly where it needed to go to create the image.