rainy day

today is the perfect day to be cooped up in the studio to paint. but i'm working my day job all day long. it's very discouraging to an artist who is inspired. have to deal with angry customers instead of painting like i should be. i can't wait for the day i can make art full time. that will be the greatest day of my life.

Contemporary Art

I've always been fascinated with thinking "outside the box". Contemporary art is a great way of doing that. I got this book entitled 'The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contempory Art'.

I've only just started reading it but it is really a great book for artists who don't really understand contemporary art and even those, like me, who love it.

painting

taking hours out of your day to paint is an amazing feeling. it's great just being in the "zone" and make something you want to make. 

i finished two paintings today! i'm hoping to finish at least one more for first friday.

i'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

spring cleaning

decided to clean up my studio and sell some things for our neighborhood garage sale.  i feel so much better now that the clutter is gone and i have everything organized! i highly suggest doing some spring cleaning if you have the time. it's like christmas all over again..you are surprised with what you find. 

i've also been putting material together for classes i am teaching over the summer. should be a lot of fun. details to come.

commission work

i don't know how to feel about doing commission work. as an artist, i want to do the art that comes out of my own mind but yet i have to make money to be able to make this art. i like being able to make people happy by doing art that they enjoy but does it truly fill my artistic yearning? i think as long as i don't become an artist that solely does commission work i will be okay but it still seems unsettling. but i suppose in this economy i should suck it up until i can afford to paint what i want to.

a rewarding experience

its always great to meet people who actually want to meet you. today, i was at my gallery's reception and a woman came up to me and shook my hand and was thrilled to have the chance to meet me. she introduced me to her family and asked a bunch of questions about my interests and my art. it really makes you feel good, makes you feel like you are doing something right. i think it also makes you realize that there are people out there who do like what you do and to never doubt yourself. makes me want to quit my day job and paint all the time.  financially, that's not such a good idea. some day though. 

keeping my art as mine

being an artist is pretty tough these days, especially with our economy. even though i know my art won't sell i do it anyway because it is what i feel is best for myself. i want to get better at the kind of art that i like making. i started doing small bird watercolors and got bored with it because it's not the type of art that i enjoy.

however most recently, i have been working on abstract work which is strictly based on composition. it is a matter of figuring out what to do with a blank rectangle that is my canvas. i use a basic outline of a figure and add elements of other shapes, adding them and subracting them throughout the painting process. what i would really mean to accomplish is not to have a painting that is easily readable and identifiable but rather one that is mysterious, interesting and thought provoking.

art is supposed to free the spirit not smother it. i think a lot of artists should take the time to realize this and do the art that they truely want to do. even though art is a selfish act in a way, it is something that can be shared and hopefully be inspirational.