Marshland revisited

While I'm still working on the portrait from yesterday's post, I have also been having another look at other pieces that I did but wasn't completely happy with.

This piece was part of a series on the journey of water to the sea. The original was a little washed out. Part me, part due to the season it was done in. Spring here is slow coming and things turning green slower still and I just couldn't seem to get the right colour mix for this water coming off the marsh into the stream.

So I changed the sky, softened the background and gave it a looser feel that I'm happier with now.

Its on 8 x 8 canvas panel in oils.

The lion cub revisited

Like most artists, I have a 'discard' pile. These are paintings or drawings that were started, then stopped for some reason. Either the piece didn't inspire me, it wasn't matching the vision in my head or I was simply painting badly, so it was added to the pile in a corner of the studio hoping one day I would want to see if I could salvage it.

Over the last couple of days, I have dusted off some of the pile and done some additions, repainting or surface alternations to begin new pieces.

This is one of the pieces that I put aside. Its the start of a portrait of my grand daughter who was here in June. She'd just had a bath and was wrapped up in her lion towel and was posing beautifully for me in the evening light by the window as she had her eye on my camera and wanted to play with it.

As she was dressed up as a little lion I though what more apt but to place a background of the plains of Africa. The bones of that are in place and while minimal in terms of canvas space and values, I hope it will work.

The first attempt at the portrait didn't work and I put it aside then thought I'd pull it out again and see what I could do. More layers and its starting to come together now. I can't find my very small brush to do some more work on the eyelids, so they'll have to wait til tomorrow when I can buy a new brush.

This painting is done on gallery canvas and is 11 x 14 in oils.

Who do you think you are?

Fog bank
oils on canvas panel 9 x 12

I heard it yesterday. That voice. That snarky voice in my head that second guesses and gives me an earful when I do something that pushes me outside my comfort zone or when I do something a little bolder or self serving. I heard it clearly and disturbingly as I walked up the steps of the museum and art gallery, submissions in hand. And it nearly made me turn back. But I pushed the voice aside and continued on.

It's the voice that says "Who do you think you are?"

The voice comes singly or in a group. Christine Kane visualized her voices as a group of high school girls.

Their eyes are lined with thick black pencil. They wear concert t-shirts. Their hair is burnt from too many home perms. One of them steps forward and says, with her hands on her hips, “Who do you think you are?” And then she turns to the others and says, “Who does she think she is?” Then they all take an aggressive step forward.

My friend Joy told me that “Who do you think you are?” jumps in whenever she imagines hanging out on the sofa reading magazines.

A few years ago, I saw Oprah speak. She said that every time she wanted to achieve more, the first voice she heard was “Who do you think you are?”

Every woman I know has her own version of this voice waiting in the wings.

In other words: Stay down, play small, shut up, and don’t embarrass yourself. Don’t even bother because you won’t make it, you don’t deserve it, and everyone knows it, and they’ll all laugh at you when you fail.

So, next time that voice jumps up in your head, here’s what you do:

Answer it.

Really. Who do you think you are?

One time, I was telling a mentor about some fears coming up around a choice I was making.

I said, “…and all the voices in my head are saying, ‘Who do you think you are?’”

And he looked at me and said, “Well? Who do you think you are?”

I smiled and continued with my story.

He cut in.

“No. Stop. I really want to know. Who do you think you are? Tell me right now.”

In a very tiny voice, I told him.

Then he made me say it again in a bigger, stronger voice. And again after that.

He said, “There. Now you have an answer for your voices.”

Now I do this exercise every time those voices arise.

Here’s a tip:

When you answer that question, use language that speaks the truth of your strengths and values

In other words, make it authentic.

It’s tempting to recite something that sounds “lofty” or “holy." I know you know what I mean. “I am a divine being, living in divine perfection with power and grace..and blah blah blah...abundance and light."

Okay, fine.

True as that may be, if that language doesn’t resonate with you, you’ll never feel any bolder, and those high school girls with the black eye pencil will put their cigarettes out on your shoe.

The Co-op of Lack

My theory is that “Who do you think you are?” is actually a Co-op.

It’s a collective body of voices saying, “Agree with us in the lack that we see! Agree with us that there are no other options! Agree with us that no one has any power over life conditions!”

It’s actually pretty convenient.

It’s convenient to have this world-view because it gives you permission to stay stuck. It never requires that you do anything about it because after all, you’re dealing with a whole world-view!

Think about it.

When you say, “I no longer want to work with this abusive client,” you’re also saying, “AND, I believe there are multitudes of others out there for me.”

When you say, “I’m gonna nap right now, and I will be more productive and happier because of it,” you’re also saying, “AND, I believe that there’s more than enough time for me to get my to-do’s done.”

Get it?

Essentially, you’re telling the Co-op that you’ve decided to create a whole new world-view!

Extra Credit Bonus Tip

Let’s be honest.

Most likely there are occasions when you’ve been the one saying, “Who does she think she is?” (Even if it’s only in your head.)

Don’t be ashamed. It simply means that you have more opportunities to shift those old lack mindsets. Usually those mindsets are saying: “I’m feeling small and poor, so she should be small and poor too.” We’ve all caught ourselves doing this.

Even if it’s uncomfortable, you can choose to bless or praise anyone who seems to be taking bigger strides in her life. Then remind yourself again who you think you are, and join her!

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

Looking into the past

Melody - Kate Elizabeth Bunce 1895

Kate Bunce was an English painter and poet associated with the Arts & Crafts movement. Her earliest known work is The Sitting Room (1887), and in 1893 Bunce was one of the artists invited to contribute murals to hang in Birmingham Town Hall. Her work became increasingly influences by Burne-Jones, Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites, and was characterised by strong figure drawing and a clear use of colour. Later in her life she painted a series of decorative pices in churches, often alongside metalwork by her sister Myra Bunce.


^{This piece by Bunce, called Melody, is one of my favourites and is one of the references in the September portrait challenge in WetCanvas. I haven't had a lot of time to draw or paint this weekend but wanted to try a quick sketch to get a feel for the piece and see if I would be brave enough to tackle all that detail in oils later.}

Fish experiments

I like enhancing prints and see how they can transform. The same lines, same structure but each piece appears completely different depending on what I do with it.

So I used the linocut that I made the initial print with last night and started playing with some watercolours. The ink I use for printing is water based, so watercolours work well with it. The first piece if rather dark, in a sombre way, but still gives an impression of fish perhaps at a different time of day - dusk or dawn.

The second and third prints are straight watercolour onto Arches paper. The first is turquoise, the second geranium lake. I was using a block of Arches so it was difficult to get a strong print as pressure wasn't as even and a baren wasn't really required as it would be with ink. However, I like the pastel colours. They could be added to as well but for now I'm letting them stand on their own. I rather like how the watercolour pools and fades, giving a strong impression of water.

The prints are on 12 x 16 paper with the 7 x 5 piece centred. I envisage a border that would use the blank space as part of the image. I have had to scan these images or parts of them as it seems every camera in the house has dead batteries. It will have to wait til tomorrow then I can tinker with framing ideas.

Capelin print

I was sketching in bed last night...yes I know, but that's what I do sometimes...and these little fish appeared that I thought might translate well into a linoprint.

I haven't used lino for awhile as the pressure from the cutting tool onto the harder lino causes problems in a forefinger that I hurt years ago. I remedied this a little today by heating the piece of lino in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It smells strange, but does the trick to make the lino more pliable and easier to cut.

This is one of the first prints and let's me see what still needs to be adjusted in the drawing. I will also play with coloured printing inks and I want to see what happens with a print if I add watercolours. I still need more printing paper as well and need to do a little research on what works well. Finding a Japanese printing paper locally is pretty much a nonexistant possibility, so I'll need to add that to my list for when I next do a mail order. However, in the meantime, I will use some Stonehenge for the final print run of this.

The print is about 4.5 x 7.5 inches.

Feather

Sometimes words are superfluous and objects stand on their own. This is a pristine feather found in the garden from a Northern Flicker woodpecker.

Woodpecker photo credit Nature's Pics

Often they wake me in the morning by drumming on the side of the house. Not really popular at 5am, but still beautiful.

Otters

I've been fiddling with this sketch of some otters for the last week and it frustrates me. I don't know why I decided to go so loose with it as I like some more detail in animals. But I was pressed for time and pushed ahead anyway just to get it done where in fact,I should have abandoned it or started over.

I really need a piece to grab me to give it my full attention and do it justice. This just didn't do that for me. However, that's ok too. I never expect every piece to work out as I want it. Its all part of the process of creating.

This is on a half sheet of Stonehenge in coloured pencil.

Study of Roland

Of all the things that I draw, I enjoy people and animals the most. There is something so unique to each face, almost like sculpting on paper.

This sketch is a study for a painting that I will do, most likely still using a limited palette, as it suits itself so well to skin tones and limits my decision-making as well!

I did this quick sketch on brown paper with coloured pencils, very loose. I like studies and look at them as warm ups for the real thing. It gives me a better idea of what I'm trying to achieve in terms of the under drawing and I often use the studies as the basis for the painting and refer back to it often as a guide.

The head shape for this gentleman is different and looks a bit off in the drawing. In fact the back of the skull is rather flatter than usual and I may adjust that in the painting.

Roland is one of the choices for September's portrait challenge at WetCanvas. Its not as good as having a live model, but the next best thing when I just want a face to play with. I'm always looking for new faces, so if anyone wants to be immortalized, feel free to contact me!

White on black

I love the contrast of white and greys on black paper and this face appearing out of the shadows becomes sinister and appealing at the same time.

Like scratchboard, working light to dark takes a bit of thought as you're letting features form themselves. They become apparent only when you form the light around them, like negative space.

I'd forgotten I started this piece and don't recall the reference for it or when I did it. I think it was done with white charcoal or pastel perhaps. Maybe even coloured pencil. It was unearthed when I did a studio clear out last week. Its amazing what you find when you clean up!

When earth, sea and sky combine

While I had some time off last week I wandered a bit and sketched. While the weather didn't always cooperate, there was always the car to retreat to if rain and wind threatend to take me away.

This was one of those times. The day after Hurricane Bill, the sea surge was strong still sending waves up against the cliffs with deafening, hypnotic sound. The cliffs and sea were littered with seagulls who weren't venturing far in the rough waves.

For me, this is perfect weather. I love stormy seas, but also know well enough to stay clear of them too. Strong waves carry people off in an instant. The daredevils often don't live to tell the tale.

So I sat in and out of the my car, perched on top of a cliff overlooking Middle Cove and watched the sea, sky and earth merge and tried to capture the moment on paper.

This is my sketchbook with the brown paper and blue ink from a Micron .25 pen as my Rapiograph decided it wouldn't record for me that day.

Joy

I found some photos I had taken of a friend's daughter and remembered her day of 'dancing' for me. She was 3 and full of energy, flinging herself around the room in the late afternoon sun, wearing her 'princess' dress.

The expression on her face was pure joy. She loves to dance and move and dress up. Her titian hair glowed with light against the shadows and her face showed her pleasure. She was alone in the world at that very moment enjoying herself to the ultimate that she could.

Oh to be able to feel that pure abandonment for the moment. We have glimpses of it as adults, but society has trained us to not give in at risk of being labelled inappropriate or mentally ill. Pity.

Business cards for artists

Today I've been cleaning up the studio as my tables seem to be invisible under a sea of paints, pencils and papers. I finally have regained some space and between sorting I played around with a couple of small watercolours - trading card size. I rarely work this small but its sometimes fun to try to see what I can fit on a small card.

I'm still tossing around ideas for a new business card. I have a layout in mind, just looking for the right graphic for it. A small piece might work for a card, but it has to be the right one.

There is so much differing advice about how an artist's business card should look. Layout, graphics, information...it becomes mind boggling after awhile. I want something simple, that will have impact. Something that people would keep instead of tossing, hence the thoughts around aceo size pieces and how they would translate into a business card. The image and name only on the front and the information on the reverse perhaps. Colour, paper, printing, embossed, plain, interactive??? There are so many possibilities now. Of course all come with a price tag and we all can't afford cards that cost $4 each to produce.

Here's an opinon about business cards.

What is your opinion? What do your business cards look like? Do you have a time tested card layout that works - i.e. people keep them? You get contacts from them?

Here are a few links to business card design and suppliers.

Live Studio: Artist Business Cards
Creative Bits

Print Business Cards
Vista Print

One minute

I have a love/hate relationship with warm up gesture drawings. They do kick your hand/mind into the mode for a longer drawing but if they go on too long my mind starts to lose interest and want to get into the 'meat' of a longer drawing.

These drawings were done today at the Group of 77's life drawing session which are held on Thursday mornings and have done so for nearly 30 years. Unfortunately only on holiday time can I take part. I so long for an evening drawing session, but it seems that I need to start something myself if its going to become reality.

But back to gesture drawings. It always amazes me at just how much information I can put on paper in a single minute. I look at overall shape, not detail and try to put in place the lines that make up a curve and turn into a gesture. Only then does it become a useful exercise and not one in frustration.

And I got a note today from Elizabeth Scammell Reynolds, who is a fine art appraiser in St. John's and who was the /judge at an art association show last year that I took part in. She critiqued the three pieces that I put into the show and gave very positive feedback. One of pieces - Curled - which you may remember from back in February 2008, was given first place in charcoal on paper.

Why it took so long to provide the information, I don't know, but good news is always good news even if it is late good news.

Premature Harvest

The garden and greenhouse have done well this year and are producing lots of vegetables. A variety of different types of tomatoes were planted as well as hot and sweet peppers in the greenhouse. I love the heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers. These are seeds that have their roots traced back hundreds of years in some varieties, not being crossed with other plants to change/improve characteristics.

The fruit of the heirloom plants isn't as prolific but the taste is there in spades. And the names are always so exotic... Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Earl of Edgecombe, Black Krim...

I pick some of the vegetables most days and harvest ripe or fallen ones for my own immediate use. I had a bowl of my harvest on the kitchen counter the other day and with the sun on it, I liked the contrast and shapes and decided to paint it.

This is 11.5 x 9.5 on 300 lb Arches paper. There are still a few tweaks to make perhaps but overall it gives a good impression of the nooks and crannies of the pepper against the tomatoes.

Capelin companions

I started this piece a few weeks ago using 140lb stretched paper and it seemed so flimsy and just wasn't cooperating. However, I pushed through and the paper did, more or less what I wanted it to do, but I did go out and buy some sheets of 300lb paper which are wonderful.

This piece is 12 x 18 in watercolour. I drew random capelin on the sheet but when I was calling it done, it wasn't letting me say so. The botton left corner was too empty so I added in another fish over the blue background and now that fish has become one of my favourites.


The second piece is a companion of sorts and is 15 x 19.5 inches on 300lb Arches paper. I'm still not sure if its complete or not. Its sitting thinking about it. It was designed to be less 'busy' than the first. These were based on some photos I took of capelin from Middle Cove beach, taken in late July. These little fish are getting a lot of service and the freezer has a stock of them for when I want to do more prints.

Bluebird of happiness

This little ceramic bluebird caught my eye and fit nicely onto a leftover piece of 300lb watercolour paper, about 8 x 8 square.

I'm not a collector of knick knacks as they only mean something else to clean, so the ones I do have a sentimental value and are few. Some only come out seasonally. Lately I find myself looking at vintage pieces and recall a little ceramic eggcup that I received one Easter as a child and wonder what became of it. It would make a great little drawing or painting if I can track it, or something similar down.

Be like I, hold your head up high,
Till you find a bluebird of happiness.
You will find greater peace of mind
Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.
And when he sings to you,
Though you're deep in blue,
You will see a ray of light creep through,
And so remember this, life is no abyss,
Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness.

Bluebird of Happiness
Words by Edward Heyman and Harry Parr Davies, 1934

And for those who want to visit (or revisit) some classic music of the 30s, have a listen to what was a huge hit at the time.

Yupo cat

I found a half sheet of Yupo in my stash and another couple of sample pieces in a box and wanted to try it again. Yupo is a unique surface to work on and has benefits and frustrations, depending on what you’re trying to achieve.

Its not for the faint of heart who like precision, that’s for sure. Yupo is synthetic plastic so watercolour sits on the surface instead of soaking into the paper. Strong, impressionistic work seems to work well for this surface , as you have little control over the paint flow, except to try to concentrate it in areas.

There is no need to mask areas because you can go back into a piece and with a clean damp brush, take it back to the white surface in a second with no paper damage. Yupo is virtually indestructable unless you decide to poke holes in it or crease it.

Water reactivates the paint so you need to do a little planning before you put down colour or try to add layers of colours as they will shift before your eyes. I found on this piece of yupo that on area in particular was being very resistant to accepting colour. I persevered and won in the end. Perhaps a fingerprint or similar changed the surface texture a little, I don’t know. But this paper has its challenges.

Overall, I like it for strong impressionistic pieces, but don’t think it would ever become a constant in my stash of watercolour papers. Like drafting film, it is something different to try with a variety of mediums. Experimentation is always fun and you never know what you’ll learn along the way.

Still fishing

Capelin
8 x 6 oils

I'm back from my little break and it was rather good to be able to spend some time catching up and concentrating on producing art and tying up loose ends - many of which are still loose.

I enjoy blogging for several reasons, but time away from what often turns into daily writing is a good thing. It refreshes my mind, gives me time to think and explore other options.

I've immersed myself in art and not so much marketing, as I had originally intended. I do have a week off next week so I have plans to work on some marketing tasks then and produce more work.

I have made progress on several projects and made inroads into several others. This little 8 x 6 capelin in oils is one of a series of fish paintings that seem to be producing themselves almost. I have some more tweaking to do with this one, but its close. I can't explain why I find painting or drawing fish interesting but they do capture my imagination.

The pen and ink piece that I'm doing is still in progress but I'm getting there. I'm hoping to have it ready for the local government art procurement deadline on September 11th, but don't know if it will be completed in time. If not, there are other opportunities later in the year.

I have so many ideas in my head and never enough time to complete them all. One piece at a time...

Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. ~Denis Waitely

Production break

Moss covers the forest floor everywhere

The carnivorous pitcher plant is Newfoundland's provincial flower
and grows in damp, boggy areas.

Snowy owl

I need to spend some time concentrating on art production and marketing for a few days. I have a deadline looming and a project not close enough to completion for my comfort. So I need to knuckle down, ignore the online world more or less, and just do some serious drawing and painting.

Sales are picking up for me which is good, and I have to produce to replenish stock for sale. I also need to do some marketing and administrative work. New business cards, greeting card prints, applications for grants, research and photography for a new project on local landmarks, etc. etc. There is so very much to do, but I would have it no other way.

So stay tuned, I will be back within the week! Meanwhile I'll leave you with some images that I've taken in my travels. This is the Salmonier Nature Park which has a wonderful wooden walkway through mossy forest and displays with indigenous animals along the way. These animals were brought to the Park as injured, unreleaseable animals where they live out their days in comfort.