Scarlet Fever

Well, we've had scarlet fever here at our house for the past week! I didn't even know scarlet fever was still around, though I've heard tales from my parents of how dangerous it was when they were little. Turns out scarlet fever is a type of strep infection that causes fever and sore throat and a rash...thus the 'scarlet'.

So combine scarlet fever with Christmas and three kids at home from school and a husband (h.s. principal) also home from school, and you can imagine how hectic things have been around here.

I'm hoping to get back out in the studio today for a little while to play...

I've been busy

Everyone's been home this last week, but obviously I've squeezed some time in for playing in the studio!

I've been thinking a lot about my art, lately, in an introspective kind of way. I have an artist friend whose opinion I respect. She looked at what I've been doing lately and gave me some asked-for criticism ("what do you think?")

So now I've been pondering what she said. She liked all the collages, but didn't think I should continue with the ones with layers of text and vintage photos (like the angel a couple of posts ago, or He Sings a Savage Song, or A Savage Place), recommending instead that I focus on landscapes/abstracts. She also thought that I needed to work on developing a style that was readily identifiable as ME. I'd thought that that would just happen on its own--thought that I could even see a style emerging... Up until now, I've really viewed my art as playing--therefore, I could follow my instincts/desires and do whatever kind of art I wanted to do. Obviously, part of me really feels like continuing along that path. I love working so intuitively--starting on a background by tearing out a page from sheet music or a dictionary, then letting some piece of that text lead me to an image and an idea, then listening to the words in my head to finish the piece off... I've thought that my art had a story/message--not necessarily the same for everyone, but there's a thread there that I liked.

So right now I'm just thinking... And getting lots done while I do it--but still so confused.

Hmmm...

One of many landscapes I've been working on the last couple of days... I reworked this idea on a larger stretched canvas that already had texturing over it... I'll try and post it below. I think I may like the first, smaller, untextured one better...

In the Midst of a Desolate Plain

Inspired by my new book, The Cabinet of Natural Curiousities...

I've been scanning and printing and cutting for days. I have enough fodder for a lifetime of collaging.

This one brought to mind:

"In the midst of a desolate plain there stood a lonely tree..."

An Angel for me

I've been working on this for quite a while. I'm not sure it's finished, but wanted to share it here and garner some feedback. This one was so fun to do and sort of took on a life of its own.

I never know how much to write about the process, or about all the thoughts and poetry that float through my head while I'm creating. Each collage seems a synthesis of so much, to me...

There's a story here...

one of the comments for "Mama's Little Helper" read

" very cool image. you have this lovely character here. I am wondering about her story. You know there's a story there. "

And of course, there is a story here. I have other pictures of this little girl (her name was Hazel Moore)--baby pictures, pictures of her with her baby brother--even a partial scrapbook that she made when she was in her twenties and thirties--she turned out to be a tall, large woman who always seemed to be laughing and having fun. She looked like the kind of person I'd want to be friends with.

It's so nice to know when a story has a happy ending--and she looked like such a serious child! Go figure...

Playing

I was just playing with some transparent fluid acrylics, here (Golden's Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Quin. Nickel Azo Gold, Paynes Gray, Pyrrole Red, and Transparent Pyrrole Orange). This kind of stuff makes me happy--there's no pressure to do anything but play.

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Tammy to write five things no one knows about me. I'm not so sure that there ARE five things no one knows, because I talk so much, but I'll try:

1. I believe that trees have spirits, because one time when I drove by a fire I could hear them screaming in pain as the flames licked at their feet.
2. I almost did not make it through the two-year-long post-partum depression I experienced after the birth of my last baby. I was completely convinced that my family would be much better off without me. Driving across the bridge on the way from town to home was a struggle every time; sometimes I had to stop the car and wait until I thought I could make it across.
3. I am writing a novel.
4. Someday my college roomie and I are going to do what we call 'the Mary Stewart thing' in Greece--Mary Stewart is one of our favorite authors, and some of the books we like best are set in Greece. Other than that, I have very little desire to travel.
5. I love teaching with a passion (whether it's math or writing or art); I think it is probably what I do best in all the world, and I do it even when I don't know I'm doing it.

Now I need to tag five people--this is the hard part! I'll tag McEwen, Laurel at Studio Lolo, Emila (who has been so kind to my Katie), Diane, and my Katie. Whew! That was hard!

Mama's Little Helper

Here's an offering for Illustration Friday...It's been a wild week around here, so I'm glad I got out in the studio today to do a little work.

A Savage Place

I've been working on this for ages, it seems. I'm still not sure if the blue in the center is right...

I just realized that I've used "savage" twice in as many weeks. I guess it's my new favorite word, along with "fierce." Wonder what that means?

Thought for the Day

You can't paint a thin line with a fat brush.

Literal truth, of course. But also true in a figurative sense.

Journals

I spent the morning making journals. I stitch decorative paper to the edge of each page, and include glassine envies and manila tags. I love these journals--the pages are heavy cardstock, so I can use a Sharpie pen without it soaking through. I've posted samples of my journal pages on my website.

Illustration Friday: Mask

I started thinking about all the different ways that women mask themselves to hide who and what they really are. This is what came of it!

He Sings the Savage Song

One word. No explanation.

1. Yourself: creative.
2. Your partner: wonderful
3. Your hair: shaggy
4. Your mother: gone
5. Your father: Michigan
6. Your favorite item: paint
7. Your dream last night: crying
8. Your favorite drink: pepsi
9. Your dream car: jaguar
10. The room you are in: living
11. Your ex: physicist
12. Your fear: laziness
13. What you want to be in 10 years: busy
14. Who you hung out with last night: family
15. What you're not: active
16. Muffins: apple
17: One of your wish list items: flooring
18: Time:little
19. The last thing you did: eat
20. What you are wearing: jeans
21. Your favorite weather: chilly
22. Your favorite book: Ishmael
23. The last thing you ate: soup
24. Your life: amazing
25. Your mood: worried
26. Your best friend: faraway
27. What you're thinking about right now: escape
28. Your car: big
29. What you are doing at the moment: waiting
30. Your summer: hot
31. Your relationship status: married
32. What is on your TV: nothing
33. What is the weather like: gorgeous
34. When was the last time you laughed: morning

Fun! Feel free to grab it!

Playing with Photoshop

Jenny wanted me to draw a picture of her, since Emila drew such a sweet picture of Katie. Here's my attempt, using my new pen and some new filters from Mister Retro.

Might

Here's my offering for Illustration Friday, inspired by a poem my Dad quotes to me (tho I think the actual quote is from a different poem...)

Mr. Meant-To had a comrade, and his name was Didn't Do
Have you ever chanced to meet them?
Have they ever called on you?

These two fellows live together
In the house of Never-Win
And it's said that it is haunted
By the ghost of Might-Have-Been.