Inspired by…my artistic affliction

Goodness, I am in the depths of my artistic affliction right now. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry.All I  know is that I am in need of another set of hands,definitely more time and maybe a cup of herbal tea. I need to leave the house and get some fresh air.

So thankful to Art Everyday for getting me back into my paint mojo. I am in love with drawing, but there is just something about getting into my paints and other mediums that just gets my mind exploring.

So what have we here ~ a painted, stamped and splattered background, a drawing or two,a few flower paintings, some manipulated photography ~ all scanned into my computer  and digitally produced in Illustrator.

The only thing I didn’t add was some stitching. Honestly I thought about it, but really, where would it go?! It’s a tad chaotic,but then so am I!

Tomorrows project ~ trying to figure out how to make a pattern out of all this.

It’s Art Everyday month ~ Hop on over to Leah’s blog for more info on Art Everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!

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Inspired by…a case of artistic affliction

I feel a bit of artistic affliction coming on. My blood pressure is up, glue and paper everywhere,ideas are overflowing, I cant sleep… truth be told, I am dreaming in patterns. I have experienced this feeling many times before. First with Flora Bowley and her brave, intuitive way of painting and now with Rachael Taylor and her surface pattern design course.

I know you have heard it all before…. and probably seen it too. But, I am seriously awestruck everytime it all falls apart. It blindsides me! I get caught up in the creative process and BAM..my everyday life starts to fall apart around me. I get lost in my “other” world.

I am stitching, sticking ,stamping, sketching…and now scanning myself into another world. It It is wreaking havoc with my “real” life. Worse still ~ it is destroying my house.

There is sewing happening on the dining room table. There is some stamping and sticking going on in my studio. A bit of  sketching in the living room, Some scanning by the computer. It is mayhem…and I love it 😉

I spared you a shot of the floor because it is even worse.

Tonight it all finally fell apart. The dog came in soaking wet and plopped himself down in the middle of it all.

I lost it….

Something must be done.

I poured myself a big glass of wine, sat myself down amongst it all and observed the situation at hand.  The only way I could see to control the (beautiful) mess was to move up. I need to get things off the floor, off the desk and away, yet I still need to have my work  accessible and front and center. Strategic patience has taught me to leave my work alone and let it slowly develop, but, it must be seen by me. Moments of creativity happen fast around here and I have to be able to react…efficiently and effectively.

My crafty solution…

A bit of airplane wire, some aluminum sleeves, a wire cutter,clothespegs, a couple of nails and a hammer and things are ,literally, looking up…

Stretch the wire, insert and wrap around the aluminum sleeve. Make a loop and  pinch it shut. Hang wire in a reltively straight line on wall, secure with nail on either end.

Clothespeg your art to the wire and there you have it. A”whateveryouwouldliketocallit” wall art display system. The wire is able to withstand quite a bit of weight and keeps everything up off the desk and floor, but easily accessible and within sight.

I then decided to really work the wall and added some “inspiration” clipboards.Anything goes…

Got a little carried away and also made a wire hanger for extra paper I have lying around…

It is probably obvious by now, but I grew up with Ikea.

Ahh…feeling a wee bit better. I have everything off the floor. I have spent a moment and organized my paints back to their shelf.Exacto knife away. I have even taken the paintbrushes out of the water container. Poor things must be water logged by now.

I feel I can breate a bit easier ,my head’s a bit clearer and its definitely safer around here. However, It is by no means finished ….

This pile is growing rapidly. Sketch upon sketch upon sketch.

This is going to need a system…and soon!

As always, any and all organizational suggestions/links are welcome. We need to conquer our scattered ways!

See you again soon!

Inspired by…the curious case of the ripped canvas

A work in progress...more seeds,flowers and ink work to come.

For months now this poor canvas has been staring out at me from  behind all of my other work. Sadly I put him to rest months ago when this happened..

RIP....rest in peace

One big rip.

I am still blaming my artistic affliction for this incidence…nothing is safe in this household when I am in one of my moods.

Well in honor of Louise Gales Color Challenge this month, and some New Years resolutions that have me concentrating on wrapping up loose ends, I have decided to resurrect this baby.

Thanks all for your comments (and support) on how to fix this problem. A special thanks to Serena who even sent me a video which helped to inspire this project.

So can one fix a rather largish rip in a canvas? I definitely know so!

You will need a scrap piece of canvas (purchased by the roll at most art stores), some gel medium and heavy books.
Cut off any loose threads hanging from the rip.
Cut out a piece of canvas a little larger than the rip. Place on back of canvas over rip and place gel medium between two layers. Make sure to wipe off excess on front and back of canvas.

Place some parchment paper on front and back of canvas and lay flat on ground. I used some good old elbow grease to rub it all down and make sure all air bubbles, creases etc were out.
Place very heavy books on top. Let it rest.
I removed books after a few hours (ok I peeked once or twice) and then gave it a bit of time to air dry.
 The final product. Not pretty, but mended.

I added a number of layers of gel medium on top of rip to help level out the surface and smooth it out. Use fingers for this step.

Then I sat and stared at it wondering how on earth I produced that orangey color……
I have to remember to always write down paint colors used on back of canvas so I can remember what to mix when I go back to a piece months (or even days) later.

I had a few difficulties figuring out the colors used for this piece. The new colors may be a little off, but whatever…at least it’s not ripped.

This is an awfully long post…

Off to continue work on this canvas…Part two and more info on the color challenge to come this weekend!

Thanks for popping by. If you have any suggestions or advice on how to fix a ripped canvas, please share!

Have a great weekend.

Inspired by….a deadline

Oh goodness, what have I got myself into this time…

I thought I would embrace the art community. The “real” one. The one  where I live.

Up until now I have been concentrating on my “online” community. The safe one.The one where everyone wears rose-colored glasses and loves your work. My kind of community!

I applied for our upcoming Art Council “In your dreams” event . I was accepted. All good.

I started my project here. Unfortunately it was brought to an abrupt end when this happened.

RIP....rest in peace

Yes, that is a big rip in my canvas. A gentle reminder that while it is fun to spread out on the floor with your canvas, it can also be a hazard to leave it there.Wondering why I am painting on the floor and not at my easel? You must go here

The life and times of the artistically afflicted…it is a hazardous life indeed.

I am still not entirely sure how that rip got there. I have blamed the dog, my children, providence…
In time, I will accept that I am the only one to blame.

In my artistically afflicted kind of way. I can imagine that I leaned it up against something because the floor became too full with paper, glue and paint. The desk was already busy with my sewing machine. The kitchen table with my computer and journaling material…

Can it be fixed? Well, that is to be determined…all suggestions are welcome!

So with one week to go and no extra canvas hanging around, I have had to come up with Plan B

This!

4ft by 4ft doodle -y- do

A 4ft by 4ft doodle. All to be filled in by next week. Easy.. if I wasnt leaving to Seattle tomorrow for 3 days. Easy if I didn’t have to do a million other things…

Which once again brings me back to my original question.
What have I got myself into this time?(It doesn’t even fit on the dining room table!)

It is all beginning to feel very reminiscent of university..final exams…shouldnt have gone out the night before..

I can feel an all nighter coming on.

On the brighter side of things….at least I have a project for my Creative Everyday goal!

Ahh, the joys of rose-colored glasses!

Inspired by …my artistic affliction

Blogtoberfest day 18  (for Illustration Friday ~ Scattered)

I have said it before and I will say it again… I am Artistically Afflicted.

I know I am not the only one out there. My goal is to collect all of you like-minded souls and make a community of us.

Are you Artistically Afflicted?

• do you have at least 3 projects on the go?
• do these projects  involve many different mediums
• do you have sleepless nights wondering what you could produce if you just…
• are you brave and fearless? Will you spend three hours creating something and then cut it up? or paint over it?
• do you have glue, paint or any type of medium on your hands right now?
• look around you…is your work spilling over into other rooms of the house?
• do you have an uncanny ability to move from project to project without realizing
• do you think you have a form of attention deficit disorder?

Are you shaking your head thinking “yes,this is me!”

You, my friend, are Artistically Afflicted.

Oh, the places you will go!  It may be just the best affliction you will ever have!

Sorry, got a little side-tracked there. My post for Illustration Friday this week falls under the theme – scattered. (how appropriate..) I have read a number of times now on various art blogs that I should just cut my art work up. Trust me I am often thinking I should just throw it out so this is one step better.

mixed up media

Ok I have cut up. I have re-applied. I have added. Hmmm…interesting.

May have to explore this concept a little further…..

Cut it up...why not??

All part of the creative journey. Explore..create…get out of your comfort zone.

You never know what might just happen!

Please feel free to add any crazy ideas of your own to the comment section. Always thankful knowing I am not the only one out there!

Inspired by…my carefree, loving ways

Blogtoberfest day 15

a little quote designed by penelope

A few of you have pointed out that I havent actually been blogging EVERYDAY. All I think is how lucky for you..do you really want to hear from me everyday? I would love to think that you do!

I know that was my game plan when I signed up to participate in Blogtoberfest and I have tried really hard. Cmon now…I have only missed two days. (Sarah…stop scrolling down to count!) But I dont want to blog everyday. I am not good at random blogging.

So I have made a conscious decision to try not to blog everyday.

Creating ~ blogging ,painting ,taking pics ~ is  my means of letting loose, going with the flow, allowing myself freedom , discarding my perfectionist ways…..

The way I see it is that by missing a few days of blogging, I am doing just that…

Letting go

Look at me not following the rules!

So I am heading to the city for a few days…living and loving life.

I will try not blog. I will try not think about blogging…..that’s the challenge I am now facing.

One step at a time….

Have a happy weekend!

Inspired by my …artistic affliction

My husband is away. The kids are at school. I have become the mad woman….

The dining room table..

We are no longer eating at the dining table as I have one, maybe two paintings in progress.

the kitchen counter

The kitchen counter is off limits too. Some paper cutting and collage going on here..oh, and my computer just in case I get the sudden urge to blog.

no coffee here...

My paintbrush photo-shoot because it is oh, so important to have a pretty header. Look up!

my studio..

Now, really, who could get anything done in here? Much to messy and way too many distractions!

Ar-tis-tic Af-flic-tion v. to have great distress caused by an overactive imagination.

And finally….painting the walls too.Why not??

I may be Terminal.