Painting on the brain

Busy month!!  I had pieces to finish for Taos and those are off. I  have a show in Kerrville, Texas that opened on the 26th (www.kacckerrville.com).  I have a new gourd commission to work on, and I'm working on a tattoo design for someone.(!)   I juried a show at the Upstage Gallery in Topeka this month. And another First Friday is around the corner - 3 new paintings will be at the Eclective and probably a new "sculptural" gourd piece.  Plus some new jewelry - always new jewelry...(wow when I type all that out it looks like I have ADHD).

But, what's been on my mind lately is painting.  I have finished 3 large (2 at 30"x40" and 1 that is about 5' x 6') in the past month.  I started 4 little ones that are really 1 painting.  I also have a show in the fall that I have committed to doing about 3 paintings for.  All of a sudden I want to lock myself away and just paint. Hard to do now that summer vacation has hit for my 2 boys.  I know, I know - let them paint with you!  Sometimes that is great - other times - not so great.  We may have to start painting Jackson Pollack style in the backyard!

I ran across a lady today in New Mexico who is a daily painter.  She makes a finished painting EVERYDAY.   And, she is about to have a show open next week that is 150 paintings done in 150 days that are $150 each. I think this is fascinating.  I would love to try this. Right now, I do not think I could pull this off.  Of course, if I lived in New Mexico, I think I could pull it off easy.  Or that's what I like to think.  Reality is probably not the same.... This painter averages sizes around 9x12 and smaller.  That would mean I would have to start painting small and I almost never do that. That in itself would be interesting.  Maybe I should try 150 paintings in a year and see what happens?  If I commit to this (don't hold your breath), you will be the first to know!

Up and Running

Well, The Eclective is off and running!  A week ago we actually got it all pulled together and had our grand opening!  Between us and 2 other new places in NOTO, we had over 1,000 people come through! It was overwhelming! But exciting - I think things will seriously start to change down there over the summer and next year.  Best part of the opening was that all 6 of us in the Eclective sold pieces!  YEAH!

I have been down in the studio working almost everyday, which honestly, is a new record for me I think. I was a little worried I would not like having all my work out of my house and elsewhere, but I am finding that I feel like I need to get down there to work. And, when I'm there, I am getting a ton done.  I think its because its all right there. No going down the stairs and to the garage to clean out gourds.   While I almost make it to the garage, I get sidetracked by laundry or dishes as I walk through the kitchen and laundry room.  There is no phone ringing or computer to distract me either.  Its great.  I also have enough room in the  new studio to have multiple tables up. Now I have one for gourd work and one for jewelry work and I can leave all my messes out since each medium has its own space.

If you haven't been down to the Eclective yet, we are at 900 N. Kansas Ave.  Right now we are only scheduled to be open on First Fridays and first Saturday. But, you can always shoot me an email and come visit!

The Eclective: Eclectic Art Showroom & Studios

Wow! So it's been over a month since I touched this blog.  Bad bad bad!  I could make up lots of excuses like holidays, birthdays, and life in general, but everyone has that stuff don't they?

But - I'm here now and my latest news is that I am moving my studio from our spare bedroom and garage to a collective studio/showroom space in the NOTO district in Topeka.  If you are not familiar with NOTO, it is an older neighborhood in north Topeka that is getting a face lift as an arts district. Check out the NOTO website at www.notoartsdistrict.com.   The building is located at 900 N Kansas Ave and is undergoing some renovations.  We are lucky to have a building in fairly good condition considering it's age.   Our name will be The Eclective: Eclectic Art Showroom & Studios.  The other artists include Renee Johnson, Pat Abellon, Cora Spencer and Pam Renovato.

I am very excited about the move and the ability to have everything so easily accessible and to not be running up and down the stairs, or sweating/freezing to death in our garage.  And if I'm honest, it will be nice to have an "office" to go to. Although NOTO is a good 10-15 minutes from my house, it will be nice to have somewhere to go away from home and have interactions with people.  Other news is that I have recently purchased a jewelry kiln to make silver clay jewelry and I very excited about starting this new adventure. I will still be doing gourds, and the occasional painting, but my love of jewelry has started to split my time with the gourds lately. I also plan on making some of the beads and elements that I will add to my gourds, which is also something new and different.  So keep watching for my sporadic blog updates (I'm much better about Facebook updates), because I will have pictures and announcements and hopefully all kinds of excitement in the upcoming months.

Obviously our sign is not done yet - We are NOT Kaw Valley Health Products ;)

Crash

So- yeah, I've not been very good about blogging huh?  Too busy and too hard to remember.....But since part of it IS due to actual work, I can't complain.  I've gotten a number of gourds done and jewelry too.  Taos got some new work, and I took a load of my art to the Upstage Gallery in Topeka - gourds, paintings and jewelry so my inventory is pretty much all out there.   If you are in town, head down to the Upstage and see all the great stuff. Lots of other artists with great stuff too.

So, I'm getting ready to start on a new adventure. I bought a jewelry kiln. My jewelry fetish has taken over and its time to get to something besides stringing beads.  I have a few pieces made with metal clay and I just got some more clay, so as soon as that is dried, I'll be firing it up for the first time. Hopefully before Christmas. Wish me luck - I hope they turn out well.  I'll post anything semi-acceptable here.

I'm also going to start a series of paintings. I dreamt about it about a month ago and its time to start.  Actually, I have 2 totally different series I want to do. One is using paintings and gourds and will center around "green" art.  Gourds are green you know! :)  Even had a dream in which my grandmother (who died several years ago) told me to paint them and I'll find a gallery to take them. Anyway - its still on my mind so I will start tomorrow. Did sketches today, bought canvas and paint and I'm ready.  Only I'm not doing the "green" series - it doesn't have a name yet, but highly personal so this should be interesting....

So, to prove I HAVE done something since I disappeared from my blog - here's some images of pieces that are either at Taos Blue or The Upstage.

Back on the Horse

So finally KPK is over and my bad attitude is lifting and I can finally work again. Last week I managed to get 8 gourds cut and cleaned and this morning I have been staining and spraying and painting.   I ran out of UV spray, so now I have to take a break and go get some more supplies. (Don't you just hate it when you get in the groove and then get stopped for one reason or another?)   I have a bunch of work to complete in the next few weeks for a Holiday ArtFest at the Upstage Gallery in Topeka, and for Taos Blue.

So, I also had an idea for a whole themed show, gourds, paintings, mixed media, you name it.  I have no pieces done yet, and no place to show theses pieces rolling around in my head, but it will come.  I have been thinking alot about recycling and how things break down - or don't break down.  I want to do a show of pieces using recycled materials and/or things that will break down eventually. For example, my gourds, if left outside, will eventually disintegrate and go back to the earth. I have even made a funerary urn for someone out of a gourd.  I also want to do some paintings on this theme too.  I have no idea when I will get around to it.  I even had a dream the other night that my grandmother (who passed away a few years ago) told me - do the pieces, you will find a gallery to show them  in.  Hmmm - sign that I should definitely do it or just my sub-conscious pushing me?  My plan is to start this in December or the first of the year when all my Christmas rush stuff is done.  I'll keep you updated.

How I got into gourds

So with the KPK show, I have been asked alot lately  "How did you get into gourds?".   I know it seems like a totally random thing right?  Well, its a long story...

Its sort of starts all the way back in college.  As an art major at a liberal arts college, we took all kinds of things - there was only slightly a "focus".  I was a painter.  But I took ceramics and found I loved it, but got into it kind of late.  One semester I spent so much time throwing on the wheel till late at night, that when I would go home I would do nothing but dream I was throwing on the wheel. Not very restful sleep.  Anyway, I loved it but just didn't see going into it.  The cost of the kiln, wheel, glazes, etc. - not to mention the space needed to do all that.  So, I graduated and that was that.

Fast forward a few years and I am pregnant with my second son.  I had back surgery while 4 months pregnant.  Before and after I found I could not stand or sit for much time, much less stand at an easel to paint.  At that time I was also a very frustrated painter and was having a really hard time with confidence in my work.  So, while at an art fair, I found myself buying a gourd.  The artist had seriously under priced them.  When I told her so, she said I grew all these and just needed to get rid of them!  So I took the gourd home and studied it and got a few free from a farmer.  I decided to start playing and see what I could do with them myself.   Needless to say, I loved it and I started doing tons of gourds. I decided to sell them when I had no room for any more!  I also felt a freedom to do anything and nobody could say anything because at that time I didn't know anybody else in the medium.

I also get asked where my ideas for each gourd comes from.  (Shrugs shoulders).... I don't know - how does anyone decide what to paint? I might be inspired by the shape of a gourd, or the skin of the gourd might be especially cool. Sometimes I have a really cool bead or fetish or some other item to put on it. I am inspired by ceramics and sculpture alot.  I have a file full of images that have sparked some kind of idea in me.  I never copy them, but take that vein of thought and run with it.  I have to change it and make it my own.   I especially love pine needle coiling and am finding that I do that on most of my gourds now. I do occasionally use philodendron sheaths or palm stalk or some other natural material that would be great for a rim of a gourd. 

The only thing I don't like about gourds is that when I do a show in the Midwest, I feel I have to explain them.  For example, if someone asks me "What kind of art do you do?"  I say gourds, but I HAVE to say NOT chickens and snowmen and birdhouses.  My work is more like ceramics (and is often mistaken for ceramics).  If someone asks me that question while I am in the Southwest, I dont' have to explain myself, they already know what I am talking about.   While I know my gourds are still a form of craft, I believe they are a fine art craft which is why I call them fine art gourds.

Kansans Paint Kansas

So its the final countdown to the show that has been taking over my life lately.  I have another TV interview today, WIBW if you are interested.  I had one Monday with KSNT and I think it went ok.  So today, I have more errands to run for TAG but hopefully this is the final stretch. I am SO ready for this to be over so I can think about something else and actually get some work done!! 

I do have some new jewelry pieces done so those will be at the gallery too.  SO - here are my gourd entries for the show.  My thought was to avoid the stereotypical "Kansas" things - sunflowers and wheat. Instead I went for Native American Kansas because I figured nobody else would do that. The other one is a tornado - while it still says "Kansas" to me, I tried to not be obvious about it.  Very different I know - that's the point. 

Prairie Thief Pot

Spoils of Trade

F2 (Tornado)

Anyway, if you live around Topeka, I hope you make it to the show!  Sunday the 26th from 2-5.  Food, wine, music and art!!