What happens at the studio, does not stay in the studio....

Greetings Internet!
Here are some updates from the studio.


First of all, took some old stretcher frames, removed the old work and started some new pieces.
Its been a while since I did a big painting. I wonder what my automatic drawing style will look like bigger, and as a painting. We shall see!


2 new pieces in progress, the first one is about 36" high.

OLD WORK

I also saved my largest college painting from the basement. I will be removing the work and restretching canvas on the frame for a new work. WOW, thats going to be epic!! 7 feet high!


Of course, its very easy to get sucked into another dimension while at the studio. Dave somehow got himself locked on the other side of these window doors. You can't blame me, I had NOTHING to do with it... I just took photos. *chuckle*



This girl is looking more and more realistic every day. The mannequin almost needs a name now!


My sister Carolyn visits the studio all the way from MIAMI!! (few weeks ago)
Ok, she was visiting because of a hospital scare with dad (false positive on heart trouble, all ok now) But I'm so glad she had a chance to stop in before going to the airport.


Had another visitor to the studio yesterday - This is Natasha working on her leather masks. We met her at one of the horror conventions, and she was passing through Indy for the Pagan Pride Festival and the Fishers Renaissance Faire. Mmm Leather Tasty.


Oooh more storm trees!!
I plan to many a lot of these.
My regular ones are $60 - $75. These smaller ones are available for $40. (6" x 6" masonite)


A tree woman in progress on yupo paper. 8" x 10".


Ok Ok, not everything on this blog post is from the studio.
I helped my dad out with the Columbus, IN. Iron Pour on Friday last week - this is the sand block I carved. Iron was then poured into it and I have yet to see the finished product. I'll post when I do.


Here are more sand blocks other people did. We sealed them with some sort of fluid,
and set fire to it. 
For fun. 
...and to seal the sand block/smooth it out for the iron.
There were about 100 community sand blocks.

keeping it going, studio, wwchicago comic con sketches

Here are some sketches form Wizard World Chicago Comic Con.
By the way, it was a blast. And getting to meet some of my favorite artists is always inspiring!
Ok, be prepared, I have a lot of photos to share. The rest can be seen at my facebook. If you havn't already seen them. But this is a different format, for differently formatted people...


A Nagaesque woman-snake, and "Brain Girl" - "Brain girl decided she didn't want to be a plant, she wanted to be an AIRPLANE instead!" (This was a drawing I did later in the day and was quite loopy by then - Saturday was exhausting by the sheer numbers of people that just existed at the convention.) Both 5" x 7" Sumi ink drawings still available - $25 ea.


Book page paintings - "A Dark Thought" and "Secret Information". Both still available $25 ea.


"Swept Away with Dreams" - 8" x 10" sumi ink and watercolor. (still available, $45)


Meeting with some of my favorite artists - Bill Seinkeiwicz and David Mack. I also Meet James O'Barr, but he was absent from his table when I had my camera. Also, Mark A. Nelson - to see more photos, from this event - go to my Facebook album


A bit of advice for all you BIG artists out there, dont get stuck with only ONE TABLE! Poor Larry Elmore, trying to fit 100+ poster prints on his one table. Mixup in table distribution!
Also, image of me drawing my 'assignment' at the Drink and Draw event.


STUDIO pretty much set up! Here is a work in progress I started a few months ago. I think it looks like fairy graffiti. Also, a peek at my walls.

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.

Updates - open studio - art - stuff

I've been BUSY. BUSY. BUSY.

This past week was the Stutz ART OPEN HOUSE!
(over 70 artists open their studios to the public for 2 days of madness, entertainment and art - this happens once a year, so its pretty big)
With the help of Dave - it was a blast and I made a good great profit!

I made a bunch of 5" x 7" small artworks for the show but surprisingly, my buttons sold like hot-cakes. I sold a few small paintings on wood - its EXCITING when someone wants to buy something I've already made! Overall, I had a FREAKING GREAT response to my bizarre art. I even made a 'Warning' sign out front - something about nudity, strange pathways, ambiguity and darkness - This amused people. ~You CAN'T say I didn't WARN you!~ haha.

As always, after a good BIG show - I am left with more solutions for future shows - this time I ordered a lot of boards and bags - I can seal my prints and originals on paper in these - it looks professional and it will be great for my next convention. Dave encouraged me to order more for the future - it also inspires me to make MORE art on paper - its easier to flip through these than the art portfolios I was putting on my table last time.

Below is a video of my studio set up the night before the show.



----More Art Updates---

After work today - I went to the art store! Part of my profit *HAPPILY* goes back into buying more supplies. :) I got some standard things I needed more of, and I got some new things to experiment with. I eyed the airbrushes and air compressors, but I'm not ready for that yet. Being a mixed media artist can sure get pricey!

I stopped by the studio to pick up my new order of boards and bags (D's bright idea to have them sent to the Stutz - this way they get signed for by the Stutz crew and I don't have to go chasing after it when the postman comes to my door when I'm not here!)

While there, I made a new work on wood - acrylic and ink. I MAY or MAY not seal it with shiny epoxy pour-on stuff. It needs to be sealed somehow due to the ink.


"Storm Tree Dreaming" 7.25" x 8"
acrylic and ink on wood
(available for $80)



AND... here is one 5" x 7" - an example one of the styles I was playing with before the show - Painting directly on book pages.



"Dead Speak" 5" x 7" acrylic on text pages.
(available for $35 - combine with another 5" x 7" for $60)


----------Last but not least---------

Please send healing thoughts to someone very close to me who's having a very rough time with pneumonia.

Upcoming Shows and updates!

Greetings Bloggers!
A lot has been happening, and I've been forgetting to post here!

UPCOMING GROUP SHOW:
November 20th - STUTZ HOLIDAY EXHIBITION
About 40 different artists....!
There will also be 6" x 8" original works of art by various artists available for $100, half the proceeds will be donated to Brooke's Place (www.brookesplace.org), a nonprofit organization providing grief and loss support groups and counseling for children and their families.

Click on the image for more information
____________________
NEW ART and EXPLORATIONS

I will be the first to admit that I am not consistent in art. I do not stick to one thing. I explore and have fun. This quality may or may not deter me from pursuing more illustration jobs. I have been feeling especially disjointed these past few weeks, and as an artist, I'm not sure who I am anymore. I am starting to appreciate and explore abstract work.
My latest exploration involved wood blocks, plaster gauze strips and glass pieces.
I'm not sure what I think yet. These are WORKS in progress.


However, I finally got back to drawing strange faces a few days later. A place of comfort and interest for me. -
A few days ago, I was browsing some fantasy art, and was inspired by Mark A. Nelson - I love everything about his work, but I was particularly interested (this time) by his color sense and cross hatching. The idea of colorful crosshatching stewed in my brain for a few days until I came up with this:

A larger image can be seen at my deviantART page for now.

That is all the news for now!

Productivity!

ART
Hallelujah! The studio is already having an awesome affect on me. I spent over 6 hours in there today makin stuff. I gessoed out the wazoo, I worked on 4 new pieces, I cut up thick paper into six 8" x 10" pieces and three 5" x 7". When I got home, I worked on one 8" x 10" piece with watercolors and pens to near completion, using a reference for a figure...
I am VERY excited, and I just can't hide it, I'm about to lose control and I think I like it. *breaks into dance*
WHY am I excited? Without the separate studio, I felt like I could work on art at ANY time, which also meant I could put it OFF at any time too. It has also been a while since I've been able to work for such LONG hours! Usually I get distracted at about hour 2, and go do something else in the house - but its about at hour 2 that I start getting really good ideas!
I will post pictures soon.

FOOD
I made butternut squash soup yesterday with crab meat. I have never TOUCHED a butternut squash before, but I was CRAVING the soup badly... so I figured it out and it was a success! Now I just have to figure out how to more easily cut up a butternut squash.

THE REST
The Juniper berries are attacking. Run!

New Studio happiness

Today has been great.
Despite the COLD and WET outside from 2 days of rain, I finally made it to my new art studio at the Stutz building. D came along and we got there right at 6:00, the time the building closes. This was actually good, because it forced me to find out the procedures for how to enter the building after-hours. The night guard controls the garage door for car access (temporary for unloading stuff), and then I had to find the right doors with key-card access after I parked on the street. I've never used a key-card before, its new to me, kinda sci-fi.
I DO get internet - which is great in many ways - one of the things I was thinking of trying was setting up a small web cam and streaming live video while painting.

I brought some more items, arranged everything, and started painting. I worked on a large painting I had started month's before - it now looks like a rainbow that ran into a briar patch and exploded. I forgot the camera, so pictures will come later!
I also stretched canvas on some small wood blocks, and gessoed them.

This is really going to help with my SELF DRIVE.

We left around 11:00 (5 hours!)
___________________________________________

In OTHER News..... PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD!


MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

thats all for now.

STUDIO:
Tomorrow I can get my key for the Stutz Studio building! I am very excited.
WHEN I have the studio, there will be portrait sessions. There will be strange art makings and weird art happenings. There will be creative experiments, colorful failures, and exciting successes.
AND its in walking distance to the main downtown library. *JOY!*

OILS:
I have recently revived my interest in my oil paints.
While working on the second Cthulhu-esque commission, I drifted off into that intense art state where time did not register. I painted until I was FINISHED, and realized that it was 3:30 am and I had not yet eaten dinner. I have not felt that state of art for a while, and I was so excited. I think I am ready to do some serious artwork.
Here is the outcome of that art session:


Recent EVENTS:
Yesterday was a big day for being social. First there was the 'Goth Picnic' - a different sort of social event for the goth and alternative community in Indianapolis. Finally, a chance to converse with my fellow darklings, rather than shouting at eachother in a nightclub. It was at the IMA gardens, I did NOT realize they had that much property in the garden! I shall have to return when I feel the need to escape the city and take pretty pictures. The day was chilly and the skies threatened rain with dark clouds, yet it did not rain. Perfect day for a goth picnic!
That EVENING, we attended 'vampire' themed club event (the theme was loose, but the cover was discounted if you were wearing fangs). A good night of music, sticking glow sticks in our noses, discovering a new tolerable energy drink ('Roaring Lion' or something) and of course, being social. It was good to see some out of town friends as well. :)

Friday, D and I attended a FREAK show at the library! The Blue Monkey Sideshow. A man hanging a bowling ball form his ears, someone lays on a bed of nails... I was quite impressed with the man walking, jumping, laying his hands and even his FACE (while a patron STEPPED ON HIS HEAD) all on a pile of broken GLASS. Very cool. And of course, there was Z'ja Dega and his human blockhead routine (we missed his 'through the tennis racket' act), and the ever impressive CREMBO - one of the best MC/Barkers I've ever heard. (who also does his own tricks when called upon) I need to upload some photos!

Today: I am dedicating to grading papers. Ahhh Teaching. Maybe a bit of art later.