Re-Purposing my Blog for 2011 - Massive Art Extravaganza!

Okidokie!!
extraveganza
I am getting excited about 2011, and I want to embark on an epic art making experience.
I did a LOT this year, but I didn't blog nearly as much - I found no real point to it.

I kept personal journaling in my sketchbook where I briefly detailed what I did that day, mainly art related. I updated things online on occasion.

For 2011, I want to move that daily record online. It will be for myself, and anyone who wants to follow along. Hopefully it will motivate me to do something even when I don't feel like it. Perhaps I'll even inspire others to find more self drive to do what they dream of doing.
I will also mention any big inspirations that come along on my journey.

New Life in my Art

(re-posted from my other online bloggish places for those of you who watch me everywhere, sorry!)

So - I'm finding new life in my art

Inspired by my friend Steven talking about his new years resolution to make ridiculous amounts of art.

I couldn't wait for January. Last night I ignored my normal evening activities of winding down after dinner by getting online and/or watching something interesting.

Instead I played music and created art until about 7:00 am and then (still awake) I read in my Clive Barker book (The Great and Secret Show) for 1/2 an hour before I felt satisfied enough to ... take a nap.

But what did I create?

First of all, I have a new medium. About a week ago, I purchased a sewing machine because of some crazy idea I have about using string in my work and making bags. I have used a sewing machine maybe twice in my life , the last one being in England (freehand stitch) help create ripped paper + art 'foliage' in an installation. I was hooked after that, but was still scared of the sewing machine. Not anymore!! I've been making embroidered patches on paint rags, and have started making bags.

SO, thats one thing I worked on during my art spree...

The other was a breakthrough in my drawing style.
There are a few things leading up to this.

People have always been interested in the way I draw in my sketchbooks. I made a few attempts at doing work inspired by my sketchbook when I had my studio at the Stutz, but I had other larger experiments I wanted to try, and I was still playing with painting on wood.
Now that I'm at home and don't really have room (or the warmth, or money) to work on large-scale work- I'm back to small.

I REALLY LOVE working on paper but have always had the dilemma of not wanting to pay for frames, plus I'm not a fan of putting my work under glass. So, I've avoided making paper art while I could, and I mainly stuck to panel and wood and the occasional stretched canvas for my 'fine art' pieces.

I also don't have my 10" x 10" seawhite of brighton sketchbook anymore, I need an outlet for my art on paper -

THUS... I decided to just start having fun on the paper I have. My acrylics are in the basement where its freaking COLD, but upstairs I got out my watercolors, sumi ink, colored ink, colored pencils, graphite, pens and had a blast!

at about 4:00 am I was awake and didn't want to stop so I kept going!!
I ended up with three 9" x 12" creations, one 5" x 7", a little graphic design piece for a friend, and two embroidered pieces from earlier in the day.

YEAH!
I am extra excited because I believe I can take this to higher ground. I really enjoy doing it and would like to start offering my services more for design work and illustration (if people want a messy splattery dreamy quality) - I don't mind taking this style into commercialism because I know where I stand with the style - usually my work is so schitzo, that as soon as I start working on a project for someone else, I want to change styles - but THIS is the kind of stuff I do anyway - I think my 'sketchbook art' has finally found a more professional and public place in my life.

Here are the 3 big pieces from that night.
Click to be taken to a larger picture at deviantart.com



I'm going to keep trying to make art daily and see where it takes me.
Stay tuned for my occasional updates and plans for conventions in the new year!
(So far, Horrorhound Indy and Days of the Dead, also Indy!)

Done Done Done! - OH, and Halloween!!

Oh joy - Tasks getting done for the Paranormal Scare Fest this weekend!

- Prints ORDERED (done by Thurs) - Local Printer: Simon Skjodt.
- Magnets are DONE!
- New Backdrop PLANNED!
- some small quick fan art done as extras

So... about the art hanging backdrop - I normally use a 7' lattice work with a black cloth to hang my work, but its so bulky and hard to fit stuff around it in my car when I travel. D and I had planned to create a new backdrop out of PVC pipe, but we delayed too long and I decided that I'll just take the lattice again. HOWEVER, Today D noticed a cheap portable coat rack that works perfect!! Its a little shorter, but its STABLE - I pinned a cloth to it and hung art on it and it works!!! So LIGHT and it packs down tiny!! We plan on testing it tomorrow as a taller structure by zip-tying the base to part of a break-down plastic shelving unit, making it about 8' high. YEAH! Tomorrow we get more coat racks and we will be good to go with a LOT more space in the car!!

_______________
HALLOWEEN
---------------------
Ok, I have to at least mention the awesomeness that was this weekend, but its late and I havn't been feeling like expounding upon my experiences poetically - so expect a quick version~

First of all, on SATURDAY, D performed at the White Rabbit Cabaret with Taylor Martin, Berry Rice, and Gavin Rulon - I acted as his assistant. Also at the White Rabbit was the Hasenfeffer troup + http://www.whiterabbitcabaret.com/ - Excellent dancing/choreography!! Very clever. An Excellent Halloween show!!

On Sunday, friends of ours were getting married!! Dru and Maria at Garfield Park. What an excellent idea, awesomeness all around, very pretty, spooky and fun. Afterwards was the Reception at the Melody (reception hall) and the Mel itself hosted a Halloween goth party - also popped in there to see what was up.
I'll have to post more pictures when I get a chance.

(Lyd, D, Dru before the wedding - photo by Devon Kaser)

Afterwards, our good friends V and N stayed over where we ate pizza and discussed snakes, hermit crabs, various states to live in, fluffy bats, traditions, etc until 5 am. It was good.

connections and mental track hopping + update

I can't help getting excited when I make connections.

I was looking up free movies on Hulu and came across 'Lifeforce' -
I remember renting it a lot as a kid, but I can't remember it.
I really am hoping this is a movie that I have weird memories about, but for the life of me
I haven't been able to find - I explain things I remember, but no one else seems to be familiar with my description... perhaps I made up memories to go along with this movie.

SO. I go to look up a trailor and come across a foreign Lifeforce poster.
It looks REALLY familiar ... sorta like the Crimson Glory - Transcendence album cover.... I show D and he confirms that it IS the same image!

*brain jumps tracks*

SOOooo I go find the album and see that ~YES~ it is... I wonder if they had permission to use it? Because it definitely goes along with the theme of Lifeforce, so I'm assuming the poster came before the album. (by 3 years) They credit the artist of the Album (Takashi Terada), but thats all I can find.

*brain jumps tracks*

No longer concerned about finding more clips from the movie to see if I can find the lost images from my child brain, I go on an online quest to see if anyone else has noticed this connection.
I see one small blurb in a blog response and seemingly deleted entry on an IMDB discussion from the movie.

Anyway, here are the 2 images.


_
EDIT!
I JUST noticed this ALMOST goes along with the art of my previous post and my obsession about people in 'womb - like' structures. *excited, I just made another connection!... well, more personal mental connection. *
_
Update?

Today I spent time with my sister's family and went to Ethnic Expo in Columbus (IN.) - I experienced 'Rose Lemonade' from the Pakistan food booth - I don't think I'm ready to incorporate 'rose' into a drink flavor, it reminds me too much of purfume... or perhaps their batch just tasted a bit too chemical.

I'll do a bigger art update later.

people in wombs, again

I feel like sharing today's art. (and yesterday's)
Why am I obsessed with the image of people in wombs?
I know, its about growth and rebirth and the constant search to 'become' oneself. The incubation period, waiting to grow into this huge flowering flora. Thus, my dream to be wholly myself, and recognized for who I am, and the fact that I won't feel 'grown up' until I am making a living from what I ~DO~.

So yeah. People in wombs, eggs, seeds and cocoons.... waiting to emerge.

Don't make me psychoanalyze all the earthy roots and striations in my work.

ANYWAY.
Thought I'd upload a recent drawing and a digital practice of nearly the same image - I anticipate making an oil painting of this image, and I'm playing with some ideas to solidify it in my mind before I throw myself into a full painting.

First is a 9" x 12" watercolor and ink on thick 185 lb paper (slight texture)
(I found a new love of paper, it comes in a pad labeled 'Acrylic' - reminds me of the heavy hot press paper I like, only this has slight more texture)

(by the way, this colorful watercolor and ink
brain explosion is available for $60.)

Then I decided to play around digitally, because I did not feel like painting quite yet - however, I think I am much better at traditional painting than digital painting. Plus I like physical work, but I do like to play with digital works every so often, I never know when I'll need to use it in the future. I started in Corel Painter 11, but this program frustrates me as I am not used to it. So, I ended up moving it into photoshop to finish it.

(this work is not available,
its digital and was just for practice.)

Ok, Enough blogging for today.

BANG!!

Now that I have your attention...

I just haven't updated for a while and felt it was TIME.
(also, copied from my dA account)

New work is on the way, as I have been busy in my NEW!!(or rather renewed) Leaky Basement Studio!... as I am no longer in the Stutz (my year of free studio ended, and I am not rich enough to afford an external space yet, although I'd like to go back as having a downtown studio provided some awesome opportunities I do not have now, like using it as a professional meeting place in which to show strangers my work.)

My brain keeps going back to stop motion action... maybe I'll have time to work on it one of these days.

I cannot wait for the Horror con shows in November.

SKETCHBOOKS
I have ordered a sketchbook from Art House Co-Op for the SKETCHBOOK PROJECT.
http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects
I finally gave in. I like the idea of it, even though I'm basically giving away free art for it. I am still in 2 minds about it, and not sure how my brain will conform to the idea of doing a 'sketchbook' with a specific theme vs. the random shit I throw in my sketchbook normally. At least most of my art goes along with the theme 'science project gone wrong' - also... I am torn between doing something really kickass and creative, or saving my super duper creative kickass-ness for something more ... sellable. I think I'll just put some crazy 'wrong-science' doodles in and send it in. I have till January.
BUT I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE regardless, I am a huge advocate of Sketchbooks as art. So, I consider it my donation to the world of sketchbook art ... PLUS it will be in their permanent sketchbook library collection, with a library code and everything. ^^
Tho, speaking of sketchbooks, I am inspired to start carrying a smaller mole-skine like sketchbook in which to do awesome work in for myself.

One of my inspirations for this is Nomi Chi - Her sketchbook work is Epic and awesome. Her art is kickass too, but I really really drool over the sketches.

COMICS
**I was included in an article about Comic Artists -
I may not really be doing 'comics' yet, but I slid in under the umbrella! Thanks to Stuart Sayger for leading the writer to me!

EVENTS
ART vs ART main event is this FRIDAY at the Vogue!!!

That is all for now!

Stutz Residency ends with a BANG! And an art show! Also other updates

SEPTEMBER 3rd - First Friday - 5-9 pm

See the Stutz Press Release for a great description of my and Patrick's work.

_____The Stutz Residency_______

In August 2009, so many of my career seeds sprouted at once, kickstarting this year into one of the best yet. I was offered 2 part time art appreciation Teaching jobs and I was one of the 2 recipients of the Stutz Residency Award - This allowed me to have a free studio for almost a year at the Stutz Building in Indianapolis.
My self drive went up, my professionalism spiked, and I met some pretty cool people while at the Stutz.

_____STUDIO?________

Now it is ending - I'm in the process of packing up the studio and bringing things home. (where am I going to put all this STUFF?! I have a big basement... but that means I have to organize, clean it again and possibly get a dehumidifier)
I'm in the process of talking with some buddies about possibly sharing a space, but the expense would be something to consider NOT lightly... I'm at a point where my art is just starting to take off. If this trend continues, and I do well at the next events I've signed up for - I shouldn't have a problem, but I don't want to make any deals I can't deliver yet.

I'm actually looking forward to working at home for a while, and have all of my supplies in one place. My biggest concern is keeping a downtown presence. Having a professional space to show people my work is a huge advantage. In the meantime, I will start looking for businesses in which to hang my work (cafes, shops, etc)

____CONVENTIONS, Especially horror ones_________

My biggest focus right now is finding events to vend at. Specifically Horror cons. Financially, I tend to do best at these events so far, and I really love the people at atmosphere. I have truly found a big branch of my family in the horror entertainment industry! I am not surprised by this, as I have been mad about dark and scary things since I was a little child. YES, its true darnit. I remember drawing monsters in kindergarten. Sure, they look like squiggly lines if you can find those old drawings, but I remember they were monsters.

This last weened I was at Paranormal Scare Fest (in TN) - while it was small and poorly attended, I'm not complaining. I'm not sure if it was fluke, mistake, luck, or talent, but I managed to do quite well at the event while around me I heard many grumblings and vendors were leaving early. I ended up spreading my prints out on the empty table next to me and stayed there till I was the last one.

_______Non-Money Talk________

I find myself talking lot about vending and events and advertising and building funds, etc. Sometimes I feel I've lost touch with expressing experiences and emotions. Perhaps my dilemma is the fact that I don't like to talk about specific people online without their permission. I don't speak other peoples business. And I havn't been in the mood to express my own emotions and/or personal stories online. I almost feel that it is a 'chore' to relay these experiences, so I stick to the basics of what, where, and when. Then, when I AM in the mood to ' blog' or whatever, I'm way behind on my stories, and there is too much to tell in one post, so I simplify it too much.

________ANYWAY____________

thats about it.