Finding Purpose

I've been thinking about the purpose behind both my business and personal goals ...

...trying to distill thoughts and feelings into just a few words.

What is it that I want for myself? What do I wish to give to YOU?

My answer is simply this:

Find Joy

Be Inspired

Create Beauty

I've revamped my Artists Statement to better reflect these ideas.

In a world where too often, the images we feed ourselves are full of violence and fear, my goal as an artist is to create beauty, to uplift, and to remind us of the strength we all possess.  In a many layered process I gather intriguing materials both old and new. I marvel as plain cloth absorbs dye and changes appearance. I cut, piece and stitch, print, paint and embellish. Slowly order emerges from disarray, beauty from chaos.

The tactile nature of cloth, its texture, richness and malleability are what have drawn me to this medium. Fabric has a history almost as old as humankind; we cover ourselves in cloth every morning and wrap ourselves with it at night. Quilts hold a particular fascination for me. During a time when creative women were not allowed to be artists, they were able to stitch together beautiful works of art imbedded in objects of utility. My quilts are freed from utility and allowed full freedom of expression as fine art.

Thanks to Alyson Stanfield's book, I'd Rather Be In The Studio, this was easier than it might have been. She has a great list of questions to ask yourself.

She's coming to Durham on May 20th and 21st for a fantastic No-Excuses Art Marketing workshop. It's part of the Professional Art Quilter's Alliance - South spring conference but is open to the public. I'd love to see you there! You can look here for the workshop description and to sign up.

http://www.artbizcoach.com/durham/index.html

Have you thought about the reasons you do what you do?

What are your gifts? Why do you create? What is your purpose?

If you have any thoughts or critiques on my statement I'd truly appreciate hearing those as well.

Faces on Friday

 Staring myself in the face late at night. My kids recognized the one on the left. PROGRESS!

I need to figure out how to do noses and lips in profile.

 At the airport - surreptitiously sneaking glances at people waiting in the terminals.

Isn't it funny how we draw what we THINK we see rather than what is there.

It's taken all this time to realize how far back to draw an eye in profile.

It's usually way back behind the nose and I've been drawing it too far forward.

Late at night and I don't want to get out of bed to look in the mirror so I made up a couple faces.

The one in the middle is from a photo. Still such a long way to go - but I'm having fun!

For Your Inspiration: San Xavier del Bac, Tucson Arizona

San Xavier del Bac

Tucson, Arizona

Ceiling detail, crossing

lower walls - nave

On-Line Class: Color Theory

If you are serious about learning color, how it behaves, 

how it interacts with other colors:

I highly recommend this course with the fabulously talented
Judy Coates Perez

Color Theory
9 weeks, on-line, $60.00

It is a basic, beginners course.
It is technical yet very clearly presented and well written.
I've read through the entire course and promise that if you actually
DO THE WORK that you will come away with a much clearer understanding of color interactions.

Here is how Judy describes the course:

Did you know the color choices you make can transform an average piece of artwork into something spectacular? Be surprised and delighted by the effects and illusions you can create by understanding the mysteries of color. In this hands-on experiential class you'll learn key color concepts with visual examples, mix new paint colors, and create helpful charts, all providing you with the tools you’ll need to see color in a whole new light. 

As part of this class you will start a color journal and learn to mix color using textile paints, creating charts to address the different color theory principles.

Lessons include:

The color wheel

Color Schemes

Tints, Shades and Tones

Value Color Studies

Complimentary Color

Transparency

The class website is designed for students to work at their own pace with each lesson accessible at any time. The lessons include color diagrams and examples with explanations of the different principles for working with color. After each lesson you will blend colors and paint swatches of color to make a chart to fully understand each weeks lesson.

Head right over HERE to sign up.

You won't regret it.

2011 Resolutions

Last week I posted my reverse resolutions for 2010

I'm going to be brave and post my resolutions for 2011 as well

1-Begin each day with a Prayer of Gratitude

2-Practice Discipline

That's it.

A freight train can be moved in a different direction by pulling a simple switch. 

Over time, great canyons can be carved into solid rock with a trickle of water. 

Small actions can create big results. 

(I got to DRIVE this freight train in Kamiah Idaho!)

Do you have any short and/or long term goals?
Can they be distilled into a simple word or a phrase?

I'd love to hear about them.

Faces on Friday

Week Two of my 365 Faces 2011 goal

I wonder how long it will take before my drawings look like the person I'm drawing?

Above and below are the same two kidlets.

Length and width are something I need to work on.

 Some of my kidlets are even asking if it's their turn to be drawn each evening.

Mr. Almost Perfect looks serious in the sketch - but will NOT stop making funny faces.

My little pixie friend thought it was great fun - she really does look like a baby doll.

Neighbors and unsuspecting strangers are fair game.

These profiles actually look quite similar to the actual subjects - ah - progress!

 And yes, I can't count. I'm still enthusiastic and some nights draw more than one.

 I did spend moments here and there this week making a sweet little box to put the 3x5 cards in.

You could make one too by following Jane's tutorial here.

For Your Inspiration: Wickedly Wild Flora at the Sonoran Desert Museum

 

I love this desert.

I can't help but thinking that perhaps Dr. Seuss might have loved it too.

 

Still. I think I'm glad not to live where every green thing wants to bite you. Ouch.