Digital recycling...

While I'd love to post a new piece of artwork to my blog every day -- or even every week -- time does not always cooperate. By scanning an existing piece of artwork (in this case an ATC I sent to a swap), I can alter it in Photoshop to create a new digital piece...

And since I'm on the topic of Photoshop, I am going to ask for input. If you could take a Photoshop class (or Photoshop Elements), what are the top 3 things you would like to know more about? ...I may be planning such a class, and this will help me to focus the class plan.

My ta da list for May...

The month of May is always incredibly busy for me, and I'll bet for most everyone. The outdoors beckons, both for enjoyment and for maintenance, and yet indoor chores don't cease. Maybe it's because I am a Libra, but I am always striving to maintain a balance - between indoors and outdoors, work and play, solitary and social. This month, my ta da list reflects how I am trying to lead a balanced life...

I taught 5 art classes - 4 at Stampassion, and one at the senior center;
I began taking regular weekly yoga class --one of the best things I've done for my body in ages. It really works out the aches and pains that creep up on this 40-something bod;
I read three books: The member of the wedding by Carson Mccullers, Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs, and The curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon;
I worked on plans for new summer classes - a class called stamp & collage on canvas, among them;
I planted herbs in my container garden - I love to watch my garden grow and to reap the benefits of its little harvest;
I participated in an ATC swap, themed "all keyed up;"
and I set aside two whole days for plain old artistic experimentation - so far, I used those days for painting, but I have lots of plans to fill these days

I have discovered, with the help of my creative coach, that I am very good at achieving artistic goals when they are obligations -- like class plans, which have hard and fast deadlines, but I am not so good at making time to just play. This is something I've struggled with for a long time, so I am trying to show up for one day a week, just for experimenting. The results be that I discover a new technique or idea for a class, but right now the goal is just to play, with no specific result in mind. For someone who likes a well-trimmed lawn, and a tidy house, and all the laundry folded, and all the chores checked off of her list, this is really not easy -- because the chores are never all finished.

That's where maintaining a balance is sooo important to me.
Work AND play.
All of life is duality.

The unofficial beginning of summer...

That's what this time of year signifies to me...My herb garden is planted on my deck...I shine up the gas grill for a summer of kabobs and marinades...the lawn is mowed...and mowed again...and again...hasta are split and replanted...birds are nesting all around our house...I ease into a four-day work week...and I try to remember how to relax...read a book...paint for hours...feel the warmth of the sun...roll in the grass with Max...and breathe...breathe...breathe...

How I spent my weekend...

These are samples for an upcoming class that I'll be teaching at Stampassion called Stamp & Collage on Canvas. It was my first experience using Tim Holtz Distress Crackle paints. I was skeptical, but I love the palette of colors and after getting used to the consistency of the paints (very thick), and the applicator brush - (very annoying, in my opinion,) I was pleased with the results. Rubber stamping on the painted background was a bit tricky, but I played around with techniques to make it look a bit handpainted. Like so many others, I am infatuated with birds as artful subject matter these days, and the stamps we chose for this class obviously reflect that.

Red Hot...

That was the title of this acrylic collage on canvas, which I mailed into Somerset Studio waaaaaay back in early 2007. I submitted a number of artworks for one of their themes -- "Nature Preserved" -- one was actually published, but I had completely forgotten about this piece after all that time. I love chiles -- both as an icon and as food - hot, hot, hot -- yum, yum yum, so I was very happy to see it published. I also love the color red, and I really love the simplicity of minimalist collage, so this piece gives me a warm feeling right in the center of my chest -- or is that the jalapenos I had with dinner...hmmm??

Anyway, my collage found its way into the latest edition of Somerset Gallery, and it was a treat to find this comp copy in my mailbox yesterday.

Oh, and my good friend Marilyn's wonderful house collage is in there too!!!

Far out and groovy...

A fun little illo. I drew the van just one time, then scanned, copied and rotated it to varying degrees, then added color and texture in Photoshop.

Peace, out.

Just a quick digital illo...

May... time for blue skies, mild weather...endless possibilities.

My April ta da list

It's time for my ta da list again. To anyone new to my blog, this list serves as a record and reminder for me of the ways in which I am following my creative path. Life goes by so quickly that I often feel as though I haven't accomplished as much artistically in any given month or year, as I would like to, and this list reminds me that I probably have done more than I give myself credit for. I recommend it to anyone who keeps a blog or any type of journal. It's also a chronicle of my artistic whims and the ways in which my art and interests evolve over time, which is a helpful tool in my quest for self-awareness.

Last month, I...
...purchased a year at a glance calendar & organized my events: personal/teaching/art projects/deadlines.
...wrapped up the biggest of my freelance jobs for awhile!! I've got a few more to finish, and more on the horizon, but that's for future lists!
...taught 4 classes at Stampassion, in Latham, NY
...had artist dates with my friend Debbie and my friend Lori, sharing ideas and experimenting with painting techniques.
...participated in a monthly ATC swap and also a collage swap, which was great fun!
...created a series digital illustrations on my blog, based on sketches I created years ago. This was a good/fun exercise to get my feet wet in photoshop elements, which I am preparing to teach
...took all of the photos for the altered chess set challenge -- yes participants -- I will be emailing you soon to take a peak as I write the article for submission!!
...met with Sheri, my creative coach...she always uncovers something beneath the surface that I was not conscious of, and yet once I see it, I knew it was there all along...

This time, it had to do with my need to make art that is just about play and experimentation, with no ultimate goal in mind. If I have artistic commitments -- class plans, articles to write, freelance deadlines (and by the way, I always have them), I don't allow myself to "play" until all the commitments are checked off my list. What happens, obviously, is that I never get to just play -- in truth, I never allow myself too. I keep hearing in that noisy head of mine..."you really need to plan that class today, then you can just paint." But the then rarely comes, because I always have obligations... we all do... but as artists, we need that creative play time.

Last year around this time, I told Sheri of my plan to use my summer Fridays off as art dates for myself... but as you might guess from this blog post, I made very little, if any, art on those days... and if I did make art, it was always art for a deadline or specific purpose. So Sheri has suggested that I try again. Only this time, I'm marking the days on my at a glance calendar, and I am calling them simply "creative play." I am free to do anything I want -- what a concept!!! --- but NOT class plans or freelance work. Just play. It should be wonderful, but I think it will be hard for me at first just to give myself permission.. for a real. day. off. just. for. me.!!!

By the way, this decision get serious about my creative play was prompted by this quote I read recently...

I think the hardest thing is that everyone wants to be good, to master everything in a weekend workshop. Painting is a lifelong process, and instead of worrying about making the perfect painting, you need to paint a lot." -- Patti Brady, Director Golden Working Artists Program

So go paint alot.
Or write, or draw or sew or collage.
a lot.

Images & words...

"Images and words are such fortunate cousins."

Those were the first words in a book I found at a thrift shop last summer. A book about monotypes created by artist Bruno Leti, the foreward (and that wonderful quote) were written by poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe. I am enamoured with words and images combined. I cannot resist putting a well chosen word or quote in my paintings and collages.

Even though visual images are often just as powerful on their own, perhaps it is my need to imbue a specific meaning rather than leaving a piece entirely for interpretation that compels me to add them. Sometimes it is the graphic shapes of the letters chosen for pattern and texture rather than for description. Lately, I've been inspired by my friend Marilyn's collage swap, based on the techniques of artist Kelly Rae Roberts - well chosen affirmations that motivate and uplift both the artist and the viewer.

Today, digital art allows even more exciting combinations of words and images. From digital collage artists to families capturing and recording memories with both handmade and digitally rendered scrapbooks, images and words have never been so fortunate.

Sweet slumber...

I am not at all sure why I've done two illustrations in a row of girls sleeping. I am not any more tired than usual. Who knows from where the muse comes? I have learned through many hours of frustration not to force it. If it's not coming naturally, I try to quiet my mind -- not an easy task -- and listen for clues as to what direction I should follow. Sometimes, it means leaving the art behind for a walk or a movie, and other times it means putting down my pen in lieu of a paint brush. It's the listening that's the hard part.

Good night, sleep tight...

...don't let the bed bugs bite!

That's what my dad said to us every night at bedtime when we were growing up. I don't believe, at that time, my dad new about the millions of dust mites that live on beds, and therefore the accuracy of his statement, but maybe he did and just thought it best not to mention them. It was difficult enough to get us to go to bed at all.

My bedtime as a child was embarrassingly early -- 8 pm until I hit puberty. I dreaded the bus ride to school in the morning, because my friends would all be talking about the tv shows they watched the night before --The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, among others, and I would try to pretend I had seen them too, when in reality, I had to hit the sheets after Beat the Clock and To Tell the Truth. I was sure someone would call my bluff.

Our bedtime ritual included saying our prayers, followed by a shout out to my mother the minute we were tucked in, so that we could have glass of milk. That was followed, of course, by one more trip to the bathroom, all stall tactics to postpone the inevitable.

What I would do for an 8 pm bedtime and to sleep like a child again now!!
Sweet dreams today everyone!!

Take time to smell the roses...

...and to visit friends
...and to spend time with family
...and to notice nature
...and to live in the moment.

Time seems to be moving faster and faster these days, am I wrong? It seems like just yesterday I celebrated the new year, and now it's almost May. I am trying to spend this fleeting time more wisely and productively as I get older, and to appreciate all of the people that I am so fortunate to have in my life.

Thank you for visiting.
Nemaste

Happy Earth Day!

I have done my share of damage to this precious planet, I cannot tell a lie. My vow is just to do better, buy less, recycle more, to reuse and repurpose where possible, and to encourage others to do the same.

What not to wear...

...apparently virtually everything in my wardrobe!
The arrival of spring weather necessitated that I pack up my winter wardrobe over the weekend and swap it for my summer clothes, which I store in totes in my attic. Unfortunately, as soon as I opened the lids of the totes, I could hear Stacy and Clinton in my head, exclaiming in horror at what lay beneath the lids. I could not believe that I even deemed most of this stuff worthy of packing and lugging up to my attic! So one by one, I emptied the totes and discarded (to charity) all of the items that I reluctantly admitted to myself I would not or should not ever wear again. Much to my dismay, however, this ruthless purging of my pathetic wardrobe was not met with a $5000 Visa card and a trip to NYC. Instead, I found myself staring sadly at the remaining contents of my now spacious, little, almost empty closet and pondering how many ways one can wear one pair of ivory trousers, one pair of black trousers, two floral prints skirts and four neutral tops. Now there's a creative challenge.


Here are a few of the rules I used to decide what to keep and what to donate.
It was time to let go if:
-- Aretha's "Freeway of Love" was a top ten hit when it was purchased.
-- it had shoulder pads.
-- it had text across the rear end.
-- I had cut off the sleeves, neckline or legs.
-- it reminded me of Molly Ringwald.
-- a strategically placed piece of jewelry would hid the stain.
-- I thought I should save it for a halloween costume.

Aaaaah, spring is here!

Finally. This is another illustration I dusted off, scanned and then colorized in Photoshop. Happy Spring!

Fun discovery...

While going through some of my endless file folders of papers and things I've saved, I came across a file of black & white line drawings that I created several years ago when I was entertaining the idea of starting my own rubber stamp company. Curiously, my style was very much along the lines of Impress, Savvy, and Amuse -- some pretty successful companies -- but my drawings never made it out of that file folder...until now.

I'm using Photoshop to digitally color and otherwise enhance them, and I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

The art of celebrating life...

One of the projects that has taken up a lot of my time this spring has been design work with my friend, event planner Lori Stachnik, for a Bat Mitzvah celebration.

The event took place last Saturday evening, and Lori invited me to stop by just before the guests arrived to see all of the pieces in place. My job entailed providing graphic design services and a lot of hand work for place cards, programs, tags for favors, and digital artwork for t-shirts, signage, and tote bags, to name a few. The theme was a sort of magical wonderland that included dogs, butterflies, lots of pink, an animal trainer, music and an amazing explosion of color and decor.

At first, in spite of the fact that I love to work with Lori, and that this was a great freelance job for me, I found myself disapproving of the excess that such an event necessitates. I was (inwardly) judgmental of how much such an event must cost, and how that money could be spent more responsibly.

Then I stopped by, just as the family was arriving, and I realized that I had it all wrong. I saw a mother, beaming, full of love for her daughter. I saw family members embrace and shake hands, eyes bright with surprise at all of the wonder and magic that greeted them as they entered. It was a celebration of life and an offering of gratitude that they could be together for such a happy occasion. It was not excess. It was abundance -- of life, love, family, friends, beauty, whimsy, and magic. It was also the culmination of a team of wonderfully creative and talented professionals putting their artistic mark on this event.

Of course, a small gathering of friends and family can be equally abundant and rewarding, but I went home that evening realizing that every now and then, it's okay to create an evening of magic.

The photo montage above is just a glimpse of the event, just before guests arrived.

Aaaaaah. A Sunday of Art-Making...

I played with a technique by Kelly Rae Roberts that was featured in two issues of Cloth Paper Scissors. The finished piece may be my submission for an affirmation collage swap hosted by friend and artist Marilyn Rock. I am in the process of making several more, so I am not sure which one I will swap. Marilyn cautioned that making these could become an addiction. I loved working on what affirmations I would use. It was definitely an exercise in self-awareness.

Cindy Dean is cooler than James Dean!

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I won a handmade flower pendant on Cindy Dean's blog a few weeks ago, and even though she is in the middle of moving to a new home this week, she managed to find the time to send it before the move -- but if that isn't cool enough, she sent me not ONE, but TWO (see picture) of these totally cool and stylish pendants, and they are even more fabulous in person than in pictures. Thanks again Cindy!!

I am continually amazed at the generosity and overall goodness of the artful blogging community. Cindy has inspired me to do a giveaway of my own, and I will be posting it soon!!

My March ta da list...

Is it just me or are the months flying by at the speed of light? And yet, winter still hasn't quite left us here in the Northeast, even though it is clearly notated on my calendar that spring arrived fifteen days ago!!!!!!!! I hate pulling on a hat and scarf and mittens in April. Waaaah. But enough whining. In spite of my obvious blog-neglect, I was very productive in March...

I met with my creative coach, Sheri, to help clarify my goals for 2008, and I also finished writing a brief contribution for her upcoming book!! (I will definitely tell more when it's published);
I sent a brief list of questions to my altered chess set participants to be the basis of an article that I have to get busy writing this month (thank you all for getting back to me so quickly);
I read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (a great little read about breaking through all the resistance we put in front of making our art, whatever that art may be -- even reading books about making art);
I created & taught a class at Stampassion called Polymer Clay Kitchen - we made faux recipes for jade, bone & lapis lazuli. and then turned the clay mixtures into jewelry pieces. I don't work consistently in clay, but when I plan a class like this, I am always reminded of how tactile and satisfying it is;
I taught another session of Spotlight on Art Journals at Stampassion (I love, love, love this class -- it is unbelievably satisfying to introduce students to the concept of an art journal and watch them relax and create spontaneously);
I planned and taught a class at the Watervliet Seniors center (we made cards for Easter & St. Patrick's day);
I continued to work on several freelance design jobs with a friend who is a spectacular local event planner -- Lori Stachnik Events -- contact me if you need an event planner in upstate NY. She is amazing!!!
I signed up for my first yoga class(es) and I absolutely LOVE it -- another recommendation if you're in the Troy, NY area -- she does great classes. Here's her website (I also added a link a the right);

And, I created a new class for Stampassion, called Home Sweet Inchies, inspired by artist Patti Gramza, who posted similar ones on her blog a few months ago. I love working in small formats, and I have always loved the house shape as an icon, so this was a very satisfying class to plan. I will teach the first of three classes next weekend! Here are some samples at the top of this post. I will also be creating a collage sheet for this class, and I will be offering it as a giveaway to a few lucky blog readers, so come back soon. I'll be posting the sheet early next week, along with details on what you need to do to win one!!

Scattered thoughts...

I have been away from my blog for so long that I don't know where to start, so as a compulsive list-maker, I am starting with a random list of things...

1. Blessings...
The past couple of weeks have heaped so many on me it's hard to count them all. My niece is home recovering from her fourth open heart surgery and we are all thrilled, and my husband is also home recovering after vascular surgery which is also a great relief. I am also blessed with so many bloggers, friends and family who have wished us all well during these past few weeks. It makes all of the waiting and enduring so much more bearable to know that others are out there rooting for you.

2. And good fortune...
Before I left for Boston with my husband, I was the extremely lucky recipient of a blog giveaway from felllow blogger Cindy Dean. Among Cindy's many artistic talents is creating wonderful soldered jewelry pieces, and her latest creations are these wonderful flower pendants, made with faceted beads and collage elements in the center. The first time I saw one one her blog I was CRAZY for it, and I had every intention of purchasing one at some point just to treat myself, but then Cindy had a giveaway and announced that I had won!!! For me this was better than the lottery -- okay maybe not the mega million, (because I could buy thousands then!!!) but it still made my day.

3. And classes to teach...
Home sweet inchies, inspired by fellow blogger Patti Gramza, is a class I will be teaching at Stampassion this spring, along with a class called Polymer Clay Kitchen, where I will share recipes and techniques for faux jade, bone, and lapis. Yummy!!! I also have several other class plans in the works, but it's too soon to mention them!!!

4. And a brief update on the altered chess challenge -- I am writing an article about the experience and sharing the comments of the participants -- more to come on that too!!

Gratitude...

The heartbeat of our family is my niece Avery, who, as I began this post, was undergoing her fourth open heart surgery to repair a congenital defect (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). She is a constant reminder to all of us of what is truly important in life, and what is not. She is a gift, a balm, a constant source of hope, and strength and unconditional love. If I am feeling angry, or petty or in any way less than charitable, I have only to think of her to set me back on the right path.

She is now out of surgery, and reports from my sister and her surgeon confirm that she has done amazingly well and her "stats" are excellent. She will need to be sedated for several days as she begins to heal, so if you read this post, please say a prayer, think a happy thought, hug a loved one -- for Avery!

Creative flow...

My horoscope the other day...
"You can unblock your creative flow and ease your frustrations by letting go of the need to think too much. Simply enjoy what you’re doing and your creativity will flow naturally. You will find relief if you can focus your attention on the specifics of your task instead of worry about the future."
I taught one of my art journal classes over the weekend (at Stampassion in Latham, NY) and that horoscope was the perfect piece of advice to share with students. Of course, in order to get everyone warmed up, I do teach some quick background techniques, but art journaling is such a personal act that I don't like to give too much instruction or advice. I prefer to give encouragement and ideas and prompts, as well as a room full of art supplies to play with, and see what emerges. It is amazing to watch what happens when that creative energy starts to build up in a room. The class is three hours long, but we could easily have continued for five or six hours once we got started.
I was excited to teach this class again, as it's one of my favorites, and we decided to offer it at the request of one customer who had missed it the first time around. This is always a bit risky because we never know when we have saturated our market for a certain kind of class, so I was thrilled that it filled up.
I marveled at the abandon with which the students in this particular class took my techniques and just embraced the moment. And I love that they leave with a work in progress, something they can add to and make completely their own.
After a class like this, I feel immense gratitude to be able to get others excited about art and about claiming their own unique artistic voice.

Favorite quote of the day...

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It is a gift to the world and every being in it. -- Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

My February Ta Da list

How can time fly so fast, yet winter drag on so endlessly? This year seems already to be flying by, and I am starting to feel just a hint of the panic that always follows my grandiose plans for the year, when I realize that I could do it all, if I didn't have a house, and a dog, and a full-time job and all of the blessings and curses that go along with them. I did not spend nearly as much time in my studio as I had hoped to this month, but I did teach a class, and I am in the midst of planning several others -- right now I feel like a juggler who has all these balls in the air, and I am about to throw a few more into the mix, because it's just not quite difficult enough yet!!!

So these are the creative endeavors I tackled this month (I question my choice of words sometimes - it felt like tackle this month, rather than enjoy):

I read a bunch of children's books, as preliminary research for my children's book (which I now know already is going to take longer than the rest of 2008)...Among the books I read (and enjoyed thoroughly) were:
Lefty and Righty - A Tale of Two Feet
Backbeard and the Birthday Suit
Backbeard: Pirate for Hire
Bean Thirteen
The Truth about Cousin Earnie's Head
Four of the five are by local children's book writer and illustrator, Matt McElligott. He's a friend of a friend, and I hope to meet him this spring for some direction on my plans for a book of my own.

I continued to do freelance design work (and hand assembly) with my event planner friend.- I designed and assembled 200 place cards and 200 bags w/ handcut butterflies for favors. This is one of my juggling projects. I have many items in various stages of completion for this event. I do little bits each evening when sitting in front of the tv is all I have left;

I taught my first seniors class for 2008, and I am currently planning another one for next week;

I met with my creative coach twice - this is always so helpful to me. By talking out loud with someone skilled in listening and so supportive, as well as having "homework" to produce within a time frame, I am always able to clarify what I want most -- when I can't have it all at the same time.

I finally charged my iPod (a Christmas gift!!) and bought some iTunes -- this may be on the fringe of "creativity" but in spite of my job as a graphic artist, my blog, and my side job as a digital illustrator, I am somewhat of a techno-phobe when faced with new media, so I am listing this accomplishment because it's sooo hard for me sometimes to embrace new things.

Leap dog...

It's Max's birthday today, and although he's four years old, it's his first REAL birthday, because he was born on Feb. 29, 2004. In spite of the 2,500 (or so) walks I've taken him on -- twice a day every day for four years -- in every kind of weather that the Northeast can dish out, it seems like just yesterday he was a puppy, and I was alternately in love and suffering from extreme sleep deprivation. Although he was an adorable puppy, he's an even more wonderful dog, and we have settled into a comfortable routine that suits us both. Most days, we head down to the local bike path at about 6 am and walk for 45 minutes or an hour, meeting up with his other dog friends and their owners, among them Tank, Jet, Bullet, Paige, Zoe, Kip, Scruffy, Buddy & LouLou, to named just a few. Then we return home for breakfast, a few rounds of fetch with his favorite toys, and he settles into his recliner until I return from work, when the routine begins again. He can sit, and he can retrieve most of his toys by name, but otherwise, he's not especially talented, and that's just fine with us. No human can greet you with as much enthusiasm as Max, and when he cocks his head just the right way, he'll make you believe that he understands just what you're saying, and it's fascinating. He is the reason that every day of the year, I go outside, breathe fresh air, and appreciate the miracles of nature.
This was Max as a puppy. Curiously, after his first grooming, all those dark markings disappeared, and he became the silvery charmer above.

I want to be in control!

...and sometimes, I don't get to be, and when that happens, I get all discombobulated...and grumpy...and sometimes, downright mean (mostly to my husband)...who is the reason I am not in control. (this time).

I like to plan and organize and check things off of my list. I like it when things happen the way I expect them to. And while I know that control is an illusion, I live quite happily within that illusion much of the time, until life pulls the rug out from under me.

The events that transpired were not earth-shattering, and in many ways, the change of plans worked in my favor, so I was surprised to find myself floundering. Now what do I do? I actually had a weekend free that was not supposed to be. I should have used that time wisely to accomplish one of the dozens of other things on my list...but instead, I wandered and squandered the time I had -- because I couldn't change gears quickly.

Now I'm wondering if I've always been this way, or if it's because I'm not as flexible and easy-going as I was at 25. I welcome a change of pace and I am refreshed by new opportunities, but I like to plan them, and anticipate them. I don't want them thrust upon me. And that's a problem.

I am reminded of this quote:
"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

I must keep him in stitches.

(Here's a little digital collage I made today, just for fun.)

A sneak peak...

at the altered chinese chess set challenge...
For those who've just stumbled upon my blog for the first time, or those who don't commit every brilliant post I write to memory, I issued a challenge back in November, to the first ten readers who wished to participate. Including myself, the challenge began with ten participants, and nine were able to complete it within (give or take a week) our allotted time frame...

It has been a wonderful month at my mailbox (or more accurately, my front porch), where every few days, I was treated to another amazing work of art that began as a $2 Chinese wooden chess set and evolved into a unique work of art.

Here I have cropped photos to offer just a peak at a fragment of each of the amazing pieces I received. All of them are fabulously creative and entirely different, but I've made a few initial observations...

2 chose to retain the set's original Asian theme;
3 chose to keep theirs as a type of game;
3 went with themes evoking nature or used natural elements;
2 highlighted girls/women in their pieces;
2 are designed to be wall hangings

(obviously some pieces fit into more than one category here)

I want to publicly thank all of the participants for taking on the challenge. I issued it at an absolutely crazy time of year -- the winter holidays -- and everyone jumped in as though they didn't have a thousand other things to do. As I mentioned in my original post about the challenge, my plan now is to write an article about our experience (with the help of all of the contributing artists), as well as to create an art piece for each of the participants that also serves as documentation of everyone's creations.

My January Ta Da List...

I am continually reminded that the creative flow is a fickle process. Sometimes I have so many ideas for blog topics and art in general that I have to stop what I'm doing to write them all down so the don't forget them....this month has been the opposite. I think that my list of resolutions posted last month left me a bit paralyzed. I was struck with a sudden feeling of regret for having declared so much so publicly...oh no, now I actually have to try to DO all of those things --- otherwise I'm not the only one who will know that I've failed.

The purpose of my "declarations" is not to set myself up for failure, but to motivate myself by making my ideas more concrete and real. I blog a lot about this because I believe it so strongly. So why, then, am I regretting my ambitious new year's resolutions? Because some these resolutions, I've already discovered, are actually a lot of hard work, and that always strikes fear in my heart. Do I really want to work that hard? Isn't my full-time job, and home ownership, and teaching classes, and writing articles enough? Why do I want to add more to that? Maybe I don't. But I think I do...and I know I will not be happy with myself if the next eleven months flies by and I have not at least taken steps in the direction of my ambitions -- there, I said it. I am ambitious. And then I feel guilty that my ambitions are not all more altruistic.

But then I teach an art class, or make something with my own two hands and some paper and paint, and I am reminded once again, that even if what I do is not heroic, it matters.

Art matters.
Creativity matters.
to me, and to those in my classes. I see it in their eyes, and the expressions on their faces as they engage in the creative process.

So, on the creative front this month, I...
taught three "inchies" classes at Stampassion, and they indeed energized me and reminded me why I make art;
I had an artist date with my friend Debbie, which is also always a powerful reminder of how sharing the creative process makes it even better;
I participated in a monthly ATC swap, which is always a fun way to share art;
I had my first session (of three) for 2008 with my creative coach, Sheri Gaynor, and my focus was mainly the children's book I want to write and illustrate this year (which is the main reason for all of my paralysis -- this is major hard work!!!!
...and I worked with my friend (and event planner) Lori on a number of freelance design projects. Lori and I always work so well together, that this too is another really great reminder of why I do what I do.


I will leave you with a picture of Sammy the squirrel, a daily visitor to my back porch. He began visiting when I hung a bird feeder (that my dad made), and originally, I was annoyed because I would find Sammy swinging with wild abandon from the feeder, while my hungry little birds chattered noisily in nearby shrubs. But I also figured he's probably hungry too, so now I leave extra seeds scattered around my deck, and he hasn't needed to cimb into the feeder since. And talk about an ambitious, goal-oriented creature. You have to admire that!

Winter haiku...

Footprints in the snow
chilly march across my deck
for a peck of seed

Blah, blah, blog...

I think that sums up my blog lately. A bit lackluster. I am working on a number of art projects but they're not ready to be unveiled yet. So, I've decided to spice up my blog a bit by posting a nude photo of myself. Just click here.

I knew you'd look...and as you might have guessed, that's not me...if it was, I would be walking around nude everywhere, and I'd have a nude profile photo at the right. But it's a good segue into the story I wanted to share today -- another minor office catastrophe -- the kind that keep my colleagues amused and from which I escape, still employed, but with just a little less dignity than the day before.

I was at work one day, several years ago, and I received an email from one of my female colleagues whose office is just down the hall. The subject line was something vague, like "information for you" and when I opened the email, there appeared to be a photo attachment, named: "me-nude.jpg"

Well, of course, I opened it -- just like you clicked on that link -- and it unleashed some kind of nasty virus through my computer. I knew immediately what I had done, as my monitor blinked and my cursor flew around on the screen. And I also knew that, now, I'd have to tell my I.T. guy what I'd done...and how I'd done it. It went something like this."

K - "Hi, John, this is Kerri. I think I just unleased an email virus on my computer."

J - "Uh, oh, what exactly happened?"

K - "Well, I received an email from Nancy A. with an attachment that was named "me-nude," and well, as you can guess, I opened it, and bad things started to happen on my monitor."

J - "Why would you want to see Nancy A. nude?"

K- "I didn't exactly WANT to see her nude, but if I'm sitting at my desk and any colleague sends me an attachment named "me-nude" I'm going to look. Wouldn't you?"

J- "(laugh) No! I don't want to see most of our colleagues clothed! I'll be over in a minute to fix it, but first I have to send an email to everyone here to warn them not to do the same thing."

Great! Please tell this story to the other 85 employees here.

Footnote: Nancy wasn't sure whether to be flattered or a little scared -- probably she was both. She resigned the following year, and she didn't give me her new email address.

Not every dog is as lucky as Max...

Some need people like Bernie to help them find a good home, and people like us to help them do what they do.

Hi blog readers. Today, I added a button at the right to donate to A Place to Bark, a no-kill animal shelter in Tennessee run by artist Bernie Berlin. She rescues dogs and cats from certain death, brings them back to health and then finds good homes for them. This donation challenge is awarding the charity with the most individual donations at the end of January, with an additional $50,000, which would enable Bernie to do so much more for her rescue operation. The winner is not the person with the highest total donations, but the one with the highest number of unique individual donors, so three individual $10 donations from different people is better than one $50 donation. Please help. And if you enjoy a good cry now and then, visit her blog and look into the eyes of the recipients!

Two of my favorite philosophers

An uncanny likeness, don't you think?
I cannot take credit for this observation, however --- It was my friend Alison who pointed it out to me, and one quick google search later, I found these two images, which I could not resist sitting side by side. I should mention that I actually think Ellen is quite attractive, but isn't it amazing what happens when you place her next to Thoreau? She looks much better next to Portia de Rossi. And then of course, there are some of my favorite quotations by each of them:

Henry David Thoreau...
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.

There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.

Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.

Ellen Degeneres
Human beings only use ten percent of their brains. Ten percent! Can you imagine how much we could accomplish if we used the other sixty percent?

In the beginning there was nothing. God said "Let there be light!" And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better.

I'm a godmother, that's a great thing to be, a godmother. She calls me god for short, that's cute, I taught her that.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.
and the motto by which I've lived most of my adult life:
I don't need a baby growing inside me for nine months. For one thing, there's morning sickness. If I'm going to feel nauseous and achy when I wake up, I want to achieve that state the old fashioned way: getting good and drunk the night before.

See how they have the same powers of observation, too?

Size matters...

...and sometimes, smaller is better.

I have always preferred smaller formats in my artwork, from greeting cards to paint canvasses to my graphic design work --(I hate designing bus shelters and billboards -- and fortunately, I have a colleague who likes that work, so she takes on all of the "big" design jobs, whenever possible.)

So when I started following the latest mixed-media trend of creating "inchies," I was not at all surprised to find that I love them!!!! I think the trend originated with fabric artists, who began by making and swapping 1-inch by 1-inch squares of fabric, quilted and embellished with beads and fibers. I saw these miniature masterpieces for the first time last year on someone's blog, and I knew I wanted to try my hand at paper versions. I must confess that the first few I made were a real challenge. A one-inch square is a very, very small art canvas, so it's easy to overdue it. But a dozen inchies later, I was hooked!

I developed some design guidelines for myself that made working in this teeny, tiny format very satisfying, and I'll be sharing them in a class that I'm teaching at Stampassion (a wonderful rubber stamp and mixed-media arts store near my home) beginning this Saturday. This is the display board I made for the class, with my first (but definitely not my last) "batch" of inchies.

Shout, shout it out...

shout, shout, shout,
shout it out!

(Sorry, that was just a brief flashback to my cheerleading days, before my reindeer jump became a bunny hop.)

I have been waiting to post my annual list of things I hope to accomplish in the coming 12 months -- call them resolutions, intentions, goals -- my buddy Cindy prefers goals, and I think I agree. It's an action word - like "Dave Beckham scores another goal!!" Anyway, I digress.

I wanted to give some real thought to where I hope to see myself at this time next year.

First and foremost, I am setting a goal to be healthy and strong- both mentally and physically. I did not take the best care of myself in 2007, and at 43 years old, this neglect is beginning to take its toll on me. And let's face it, if we don't feel well, the rest of what we set out to do suffers. (Okay, it's January 4, and everyone in the world has made this a resolution, but I mean it.)

Second is my main creative goal for 2008. I plan to write and illustrate a children's book, for which I already have a story concept and ideas for the illustrations, which will be hand-drawn but with a cool digital twist. I have a lot of research to do regarding the children's book market, and how to get published, so I do foresee this project taking a good chunk of time. I hope simply to have a refined draft to present to a publisher by the end of 2008.

Beyond those two goals:
I will continue to develop and teach classes at Stampassion in Latham, NY;
I will treat myself to one good creative art class of some kind this year.
I will continue to seek magazine publishing opportunities that fit my schedule and whims;
I will create some mixed media collage pieces for sale and open an Etsy store on my blog;
I will develop a proposal for a class at a new venue - possibly something in the Troy, NY area, which has some wonderful alternative art opportunities - I am thinking of an art doll class of some kind, specifically.

...and that's it.
My creative coach, with whom I am looking forward to some new sessions in the new year, taught me not to make this list too long, because then, instead of focusing on the things that I did achieve, I might focus on the others that I did not, and feel failure when in fact I was actually quite successful. That is too true -- she is wise and knows me well (many of us, actually). This list of just seven things is probably already way too much, because some of these things are rather large projects, but I have listed them in order of their priority, so if something at the bottom finds its way into 2009, that's just fine with me!!

So if you have not already done so, declare a goal, an intention - something more than a wish - and work to make it happen this year! Just by bringing it into the open, forces start working to help you reach your goals!

My last ta da list for 2007

Holy crap, it's January 2008.

Why do I attach so much expectation to the turning of the calendar from Dec. 31 to January 1? It's just another day, another "x" on the calendar, another 24 hours in a lifetime of thousands, but I always hope to feel differently -- to be filled with more hope and promise and energy than I had the day before. And in some ways I do. Even if it is just another day, the dawn of a new year is a strong reminder of the passage of time, and the importance of using it wisely.

And I feel better about hanging up a new calendar this year than I often do, because I declared out loud (and on my blog - in writing) my goals and intentions for 2007, and I achieved many of them. Among them were getting my work published, and as of this month, my work has appeared in six different magazines: Somerset Studio, Somerset Home, Somerset Life, Take Ten, Artful Blogging, and Crafts & Things.

I will be declaring my intentions out loud again this year, but today, I am going to start with my December Ta Da list, which is modest, as the holidays took just about all of my time an energy. Still, here is a list of the ways in which I spent my life creatively in December...

I prepared for the holidays by decorating, cooking, and making handmade cards for a very long list of friends and family;
I planned a new class to teach at Stampassion in January this month - called Intriguing Inchies;
I made handmade holiday ornaments for the "stamper chicks" (which I have yet to share with them, as our holiday gathering was postponed to mid-January due to and ice/snow storm)
I made gift baskets for friends;
and I made ATCs for a swap - the theme was Portals (very fun)!
...I also took almost a dozen books out of the library - not one of which I opened this month -- why did I think I'd have time to read?
And an article that I wrote back in Dec. 2007 was finally published in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Crafts & Things magazine. I write this announcement with mixed emotions, as I had submitted the article to The Rubber Stamper magazine, but the magazine was sold to the publisher of Crafts & Things while I waited for actual publication. While this magazine has made improvements to its content in recent months, I was a bit disappointed with the photography that accompanied my article, which was small and did not highlight my samples as well as I had hoped. Also, I have been teaching classes at Stampassion for many years, and the Rubber Stamper would have been a better venue in which to highlight this article and project. Still, it was goal achieved, and I was even paid for my efforts, so that was quite rewarding.
As I write this, some of my work is also in the newest issue of Somerset Life, but I have not received my copy yet, so I haven't actually seen it. I will post a picture and a big whooptie-doo when I get my copy.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, creatively inspired new year.