Artistic Musings

I was recently at a Star Con convention and learned a bit more about the Steam Punk movement. I have to say an addiction has started, and ideas are flowing like crazy. I love the whole concept of "anything done by magic can be created and done by machines" I am not a heavily machines take over the world kind of person - I like my forests and my magic. But the concept has me enraptured!! I wish to play with the concepts and ideas, they've really grabbed my imagination and run. I was talking to a dear friend of mine and we discussed a picture - since I draw that's fairly natural - and we came up with a wonderful idea. So simple - yet incredibly complicated to draw. I have the under drawing complete at this point, and I am LOVING IT!! The whole concept is Steam Punk inspired. You are looking at the inner workings of a clock, with roman numerals as the actual numerical portion of the clock. You can see all the gears and springs and various other elements. Cur...

My children came bustling up to me yesterday yelling "It's Earth Day tomorrow MOM!!" They were so excited. I love that schools get involved and get the kids so excited. I saw children with artwork everywhere I went yesterday with paintings of their earth. I recall when I first became aware of Earth Day, and shared the news with my brother. That's when I started carrying trash bags in my pocket and collecting cans and cleaning up area's I happened to be in. I realized pretty quick that it was impossible for me to keep a field clean with all the trash people just let fly, but I was content to do what I could when I could. I still keep grocery bags in my pocket, I still collect cans and trash. My favorite part about that habit is that my children do to. I have lost count of the times both of my kids at one point or another have looked at me completely puzzled and asked "Mom why do people always trash the place up, why can't they just find a trash c...

3:02 the clock reads as I toss and turn in my blankets. My heart pounds in my throat, and no matter how I breath, position or lay, I can't seem to make it stop. It's that sheet soaked heart in the throat feeling you get from a nightmare that has successfully scared the hell out of you. Yet I can't remember a single image or thought. Just the constant pounding of my heart. My husband sleeps inches away and I dare not touch him for fear of waking him and enacting his on insomnia. I toss on my pink fluffy robe over my bare skin, it has been like a teddy bear comfort many times in these nighttime ventures. I meander to the kitchen to put water to boil. Hot cocoa is the cure for all middle of the night ills in my opinion. Although sleepy time tea would do me a world of good. I know not why my heart pounds, although I have suspicion. I just pray those I love are alright, and soundly sleep in their own warm blankets. A storm rages outside covering the world yet again i...

Being I am of an imaginary fae like artist the spring rain has powerful reactions on my creativity. It brings forth the season of Spring, that most people associate with the fae . The blooming of flowers, the coming of the bee's, new gardens, and babies. There is just something powerfully magical about that truly first night rain storm. The sound of the silent snow is replaced by the pattering of millions of drops of water, and if were lucky the crack of thunder. The storm that awoke me this morning was of the pattering quiet kind, that drips down the windows and makes one think of warm blankets and hot tea. For me the sound of rain also has romantic properties. Something about that rhythm of the pattering droplets makes me want to dance, and be free. There are so many romantic comedies where a dash in the rain leads to that first kiss moment in the movie. The sound and feel of the rain, the rhythm of the droplets landing on everything around us - it gives the illusion ...

Mondays have become my work days. I am vice/co president of our local art guild and I always have a list longer than I am tall to get done. I'm working on getting organized, and if you've ever known me in real life this is not an easy thing for me. It does not come naturally - in fact random acts of chaos are more the norm. However if I am to really make a difference in my community as an artist and a leader, organization is crucial at this juncture in my life. I don't know how people look like they always have it all together and know exactly how to handle things. I hope my illusion is firmly set in place by the time the guild switches over to new management and board members. At this point in time I am seeking people with skills to place in the various jobs that need to be done, and people that have skills in making it all run smoothly. I have learned a great deal. For one; organizing artists is akin to herding cats - and I'm just as cat like as everyone else...

Ok - so the gang at Grumpy Dragon is fantastic. We had so much fun today!! The potential snow scared off alot of the teens that had planned on coming, but it was still a fairly good turn out. I am thankful that the amount of snow that was planned waited till this evening to fall. I wonder just how big the storm really would have been if there wasn't a collective thought of "please don't snow!!" . Regardless of the turnout I got to hang with my publishers and two of the other artists that are also making coloring books. Hollyn and Claudia are the artists - have to say - they are fantastic - and so are thier amazing ideas. Hollyn started the ideas of the coloring books - and it's really taken off. It was a fantastic day - and a start of a beautiful career for me. Now I get to see where I can really take this thing. See what challenges I can put myself to. I am really looking forward to it, and after today I'm inspired to draw!! There isn't enough...

I am going to the Teen Lit Conference tomorrow - hopefully. Apparently there is a snow storm on the way that may drop bucket loads of snow on our heads. I can't help but wonder what kind of humor the powers that be happen to have lol. I'll take it in good stride though - one of those - what happens happens kinds of things. I have 12 images sketched and 2 complete for my first coloring book, and several books planned for the next 6 months. This has done several things, for one it's got me drawing consistently, and since it's for a coloring book it feels more like play than work. My images and compositions are getting alot stronger with my publishers help, as well as variety withen the image itself. All in all it's making me a stronger artist all the way around that will echo into my further pieces. I love when I take something on for fun, and it turns out to be a learning experience!!

So today started out funky. Funky moods, funky thoughts, and a moody awakening. A friend talked with me through the day - making it oh so much better. After dinner I danced to exercise. I have started doing this to gather my passion to apply directly to my artwork. I move to music to loosen my muscles, gather my focus, and get in touch with all things creative. When I got to a stopping point I grabbed a piece of mattboard and painted the image that had come into my mind. White acrylic on dark blue mattboard. Two figures kissing in the rain. Simple, romantic and a heck of alot of fun. It took me 30 minutes to make, and flowed so easily. I'm liking this new side of myself, I feel an intense sense of freedom. The image I painted is posted at the top :)

I used to dance alone in my living room when I was 16. Dance with the music up and with wild abandon. I didn't care how it looked, no one was watching. I was typically home alone, my mom at work and my brother hanging with his buddies. So i would dance, and use my imagination to create worlds of fantasy and beauty. All innocent. I danced until I was 18 - when I moved out in with a family from church. I haven't danced really since until now. Turn up the music and let my body move to the music and rhythm. Not caring what people think, and carve out times when I am alone. A deep connection to the words and music I feel move my soul. Last night as I danced my imagination took hold and I was in a cavern that reached 100's of feet into the air. I was connected to the primal magic that my written characters tend to have. I FELT my self made prison shatter into a million diamonds. I don't care what my 33 year old body looks like, I can change it. I don't care...