Pink and Yellow

I can't stop thinking about yellow and pink. I want to use these colors for spring.

My new yellow bracelet. Isn't it fabulous?

I wish I could have this sofa reuphostered in pink. I've been contemplating the blank canvas on the wall. Not sure what it will become.

Display as Art

One of my favorite themes is the art of display. I adore collections, but it is not enough to collect. Collections must be displayed well, and not look cluttered. There is nothing more beautiful than a cohesive collection.

Meredith's Pottery Palette at Apartment Therapy. Meredith has done a beautiful job of collecting and displaying her pottery collection in her apartment.

Bjorg Juto's home, sneak peak via Design Sponge. A cluster of the same object becomes powerful, yet remaining simple by limiting the palette to white. I adore this vignette.

Jack and Carla Fahden via Apartment Therapy. Again, the same item used repetitively makes an impactful statement, while remaining simple. I adore these simple white vases from Ikea lined up.

Cosmic Connections

I believe we are all connected. Isn't it amazing that you can have an idea, and then you learn someone, thousands of miles away perhaps, had the same idea? I spend a lot of time writing about creativity on this blog, and try to show how I am influenced by the creativity of other artists. One of the themes on this blog is creativity influencing creativity.

Today's post is a little different. Today I am showing some works I have done, and then shortly after the work was completed, I found work by another artist which reminded me of my own. The works I am showing did not influence my work, but rather were discovered after I completed my work. Apparently, I had a cosmic connection to these artists.


Untitled, 2008, 18" x 30", acrylic on canvas. It was an unusual occurrence for me to paint with brown. Brown is not typically a color I use, but I felt experimental that night. I remember thinking, I want this flower to look like a light.

Moments after completing my painting, I was stunned to see this LED work by Flickr user LipglossJunkie.

"Lovers," 2009, 16" x 20", acrylic and marker on canvas. I have been thinking a lot about pod people. This painting was just kind of a fun experiment. I like it and may do more.

Moments after completing this painting, I logged on to flickr to post my new painting. I discovered the work of flickr user blinkonmynose. She obviously had pod people on her brain too. And we must have been in psychic rapport.



Untitled, 24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas. This painting was done sometime ago.

After completing the painting, I found this chair. I apologize, because I don't remember its source. (If you know its source, please email me.) The flowers in the chair remind me of my own.



Untitled, 2008, 24" x 24", acrylic and pencil on canvas. This painting was a painstakingly precise one to execute. I am pleased with the borders which I painted to look like a matte.

Again, I went to flickr to post my new painting. And saw this work by flickr user Bluesrose. Almost the same geometry.

I find this amazing, and I love when it happens. I believe we are all connected.

Identity Crisis

I wonder if all artists go through identity crises. I seem to have two styles of painting. Some paintings I just keep piling the paint on, others are very simple. It is fun piling on the paint, but aesthetically, I prefer the look of simplicity.

Paintings from 2009, so far

So far 2009 has started off a little more prolific for me. In fact one of my New Year's resolutions is to be more creative. But these are only the paintings that I'm happy with. I've broken one of my rules a lot of late. I've been destroying a lot of my work.


Dedicated to Bob Dylan. 24" x 30", acrylic on canvas. I've written about this painting a number of times. I'm kind of sick of seeing it. This is one of those paintings that I couldn't stop piling on the paint. Hence, the unintentional eyes and vaginas I spoke of earlier. There is a lot of movement in this painting. Movement is one of my common motifs.





Untitled, 24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas. I don't know what's going on here, except that Jamie Drake had me all excited about purple. Maybe I've been looking at too many Pokemon characters lately.

"Dance of the Pink Booties under the Cancer Moon," 24" x 30", acrylic on canvas. Inspired by a Hindu rug in an old film I saw, and the beautiful full moon we had in January.

"Dance of the Pink Booties under the Cancer Moon, II", 24" x 30", acrylic on canvas. I think this is my favorite painting to date. Even though I adore piling paint on a canvas, it is my more simple paintings that please me. However, these are not as easy to achieve as they look, as I get caught up in perfectionistic tendencies.

Paintings from 2008

"Prefab series," 16" x 20" each. Acrylic and marker on paper. I am drawn to strange vegetation and weather phenomenon. I have yet to master rain, although I've been working on it. This series interests me, I'd like to do more of these.

Untitled, 8" x 24", acrylic on canvas. I am not sure why eyes and vaginas show up so much in my paintings. It's completely unintentional. This is one of those paintings where I just couldn't leave well enough alone, I just kept piling on the paint.

Untitled, 12" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas. I did this one during a snow storm. The influence was vintage Japanese scrolls.

"Six Hours," 18" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas. Probably my most eccentric painting, came from a dream which I wrote about here.

Untitled, 24" x 24", acrylic and pencil on canvas. Minimalism still intrigues me. I like this one a lot. I painted what appears to be a matte on this one.


"Autumn," 24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas.

When I started painting, I always painted on 16" x 20" canvases. My canvases are prestretched. I'm too lazy to stretch canvas. I remember the first time I bought a 24" x 24". It seemed huge! I was so intimidated. Lately I've been painting on 24" x 30" and I'd like to go even bigger. But, that's hard to do in my small apartment.

I need a studio space. I hate the mess, and canvas is expensive and takes up a lot of room. I am thinking of experimenting more with paper, colored pencils and water color.

Not much work to show for an entire year, but I have notebooks full of doodles and collages. I am fortunate that I never want for ideas. Only time. Never enough time. See more of my work here. And, here's my shameless plug. All of my work is for sale.

I want to quit painting

2008 was a difficult year for me. I started the year with an easy job that I didn't really want to leave. But it didn't pay enough and I had no health insurance. I got in serious trouble when I needed medical care. I was unemployed for a time, and then I landed a high paying job that will eventually give me a heart attack. 2008 was a year spent mostly worrying. The good thing that came out of it is that I got so sick of worrying, I just stopped. I don't really worry anymore. It's too draining.

The bad thing that came out of all that stress is that my painting suffered. I didn't paint much last year, so my soul suffered. The ideas continue to flow, but I don't have much time. When I do have time, I'm tired. Painting makes me happy, and conversely, my best work comes out of joy.

I suppose this happens to all artists - I feel like quitting. The next couple of posts will focus on the act of painting, as I try to remind myself that the journey is more important than the destination.

I would love to hear from other artists? Do you ever feel like quitting?

Happy Valentine's Day Ya'll

I'm one of the people who feel excluded today because I'm single. That said, there is nothing more romantic to me than seeing a smart, strong woman being loved by a smart, strong man. Image from Heart and Soul Magazine.

Friday Night Getting Comfy

I adore all white interiors, and I adore pops of yellow and pink. I've written of my love for yellow and pink many times. Today while perusing Desire to Inspire, I saw the lovely home of Carolyn Quartermaine. I have posted pictures of her home before. (see previous post here)

I adore it! I have been thinking of this image all day! I couldn't get home fast enough tonight. It was a long, hard week. I knew I was in the mood for all white interiors with pops of pink and yellow. But it would have to be quick overhaul, because I am tired and just want to curl up. When I arrived home, I had a package from Thailand.

The pillow covers I ordered from Ebay are here! I breathlessly opened the package. At first I was disappointed.

They are not the ones I ordered. I wanted plain pink. Apparently they were out of them and the shopkeeper substituted. They left a note that if I was disappointed, they'd refund my money. I'm not really a pattern person, but they are kind of pretty. The fabric is absolutely stunning. Oh well, the price was some ridiculously low sum, something like $1.99 for the pillows and like $5.95 for shipping.

I pulled out some yellow and pink glass. Ahh. Just right for candle light. Throw the covers on the sofas, with pillows and blankets and voila! An oasis to curl up in. Nothing to think about tonight but candlelights, soft blanket, sofa and a movie. If I don't lie on that sofa soon, it's going to fly off into outer space. And don't look too closely, the floors are dirty. But there's always tomorrow.

I have a painting in mind, but for now I enjoy contemplating the blank canvas.



Excuse me, my jasmine tea is calling. TGIF!

You Go Girl!

Ms. Obama is too fabulous for words. She is an integral part of the exciting change that is happening in our country. And damn, she looks great in fuschia.  I wish I could draw - I want to design dresses for her! I am sure every designer in the world is clamoring for this honor. Oh, to be able to affect positive change in the world, to be powerful and beautiful and to wear the most beautiful dresses in the world. And, oh yeah, her husband's not bad either. Image from Vogue.  Michelle, thanks for being an inspiration!

Yesterday was a Good Day, Vol. II

My girlfriend got sick of all the analyzing and excuses. Not to mention the crying. So she sent me the following cards.

Thanks, girlfriend, you are so



and

Images from Whimsy Press.

I finally read "He's Just Not that into You" by Greg Behrendt. Might as well, since the movie is out. It was a brutal read. Greg is compassionate, funny and very, very honest. I used a whole box of kleenex when I read it.

My gosh. I feel like such a fool. He never liked me. Time to find someone who will. No more wasting time.

I'm going to stop talking about him. I'm going to stop crying. Shit, Mary J. Blige says it much better than I ever could in her song, Enough Cryin'. My new theme song. Check her out.

Mary, thanks for being an inspiration. You go girl!

At the Thrift Store

Yesterday I went thrifting, and had a good time. Here are the things I bought:







Vintage trays. I always need trays. I love these! An orphaned blue milkglass cup and saucer. I wish they had a pair, but I will keep my eyes peeled for a mate. And pink chopsticks, because every girl needs pink chopsticks.



I bought a new purse.





Here are the things I didn't buy.



A pair of silver shoes. I got a serious thing for silver shoes. I probably would have bought these if one wasn't broken. I seriously considered buying them and placing the unbroken one on a shelf as art.







I've said it before. I'm glad I can't sew. I have enough obsessions. But wouldn't this fabric make a fab pillow?




No, this isn't a painting. It's actually the fabric of an evening dress.

It would make a great painting, though, wouldn't it?

Through the miracle of flickr, I learned that this tea set is by Larry Laslo (see flickr user Studiosmith). I consternated over this set. Love it, but it doesn't really go with my current aesthetic. I'd like to buy gifts for the bloggers who have enriched my life. One of those is Anna, at Door Sixteen. I think this would look great in her home. For now, it's a virtual gift.

It was a good day. Now I need to rearrange my apartment. Stay tuned.