New Year

So it's almost 2012, and I suck.  Not really, I've been working!! I got a new day job, which I start on Jan 3rd!!  It's not art related, but it'll pay the bills for the art.  I did another fall artscene in Rockford, with Tab.  Having trouble selling sculpture, but I sold a painting recently! Yea!!

In 2012 I'm going to concentrate on documenting my work, as I make it, after I make it, and keeping up on gallery exhibit info on my blog, facebook, and website.  I'll try to write again soon! hopefully it'll be a weekly thing...:)

SHow! SHow!

Ok, so I have conquered my artists block with a new round of classes...how will i beat this when i graduate?? I'll deal with that later.  I have a show Oct 1st and 2nd in Rockford, Illinois.  I'm pretty nervous, actually.  I'm showing with my sister, tab, who really intimidates me (she's also a big big inspiration) and I think that's making it worse.  Instead of stressing myself out more, i'm using old work with a new twist.  I kind of refurbished" some of my old pieces...and i think that'll do.  there was something about all of them that was missing, so i think i like them more now.  they're mixed media now. fools! no one will know. 

artist's block

i don't know if anyone is reading this, but it maay help me to get it out.  i have artist's block.  not just with painting, but with any form of art, and art in general.  these past semesters of classes i've taken have forced me to look within myself and analyze my work in  a way that disturbs me.  i am taking a stand and getting back to my roots and i'm done making work that i think people will like.  it's making me hate art knowing what i know about the art world.  i don't want to be a part of it, honestly.  i've lost a bit of wonderment in this maze of critiques and criticism and scrutiny...not that i've ever had a bad critique, but i'm questioning the teaching style that comes with critique, and i think in my own teaching(if i ever do, god willing) i'll choose to go easy on the critique.  i want to make work like i used to, when it was fun, when it was from me, not some teacher or another student's opinion, but my own heart. that sounds cheesy... something has gotten lost along the way, and my art stopped serving my purpose.  i don't know waht i'll do now, but my attitude towards the "art world" stands- i don't want to be in galleries, i don't want shows, i don't want awards, i want to be able to get my inner thoughts out, and i can't do that with others' opinions in mind.  i'm done. 

POST SHOW

well, during show, i suppose.  i had a wonderful surprise at my senior show on thursday.  winning any kind of award was not something i expected- when you go out on a limb, people either embrace it or trash it.  well, peopple really embraced it.  eve5ryone loved all of them (expecially the ants, which were my favorite, too!), and i was honored to be nominated by the staff and picked by the chancellor, it's so nice to be validated for your work.  i feel very good about my review coming up and i'm sooo glad the semester is over so i can paint freely again.( without deadlines) and look for another job. that i need to do too. well, i'm rambling,now, so i'm done for today.  i also should say that i appreciate my parents getting along for my sake. i have a great family.

Paintings!!

I'm done!!! with my paintings, anyway... heres some pics.  i still have my sculpture to work on, and my paintings are so huge that i don't know if they'll fit in the gallery.  that could become a problem...

stuck

this is a closeup of my first painting...

i get this every time i make a line of work, every semester, every class, i get to a point where i can't think, i can't dig deep with my creative thoughts and assignments.... what do other people do in this situation? being a person trying to balance a real life- with my family, job, other classes, etc, and my art work life- one where i express myself and release creative processes, it's so hard to balance those two sides for me.  wow i just got a little personal. seriously, though, i have artist's block and maybe a little life-block as well.  how do people stay balanced among all the chaos that life gives us? this happens to be a recurring theme in my work as well in effect- two sides, two worlds, double meanings, i don't think my work would be as strong without this struggle but how do i maintain my sanity???

almost done!!

I'm done with my etchings...i learned a lot making my paintings.  i need to figure out how to combine xrays with a sculpture....any suggestions? i'm very happy with my work so far, but  I need to figure out how to present sculpture with paintings without it looking too busy and detached.