Remember when I said, “Don’t court your muse”? I must admit it is hard. Creating when you don’t feel like it isn’t ever easy. I am a member of several artist Facebook groups and a common theme is “what do you do when you don’t want to paint” We all have our “go to” plans, I have several. 1) Look at other art. Find some […]
Stampedes and other obstacles
When I was young and had boundless energy, I was involved with a performing troupe. We would create costumes and travel to do performances wherever anyone wanted us. Singing and dancing, we were a merry bunch and there were several of us; male and female. I remember getting sideways with some of the women a time or two and I wouldn’t understand what I had […]
Love is love, but business is business
I lived between a Cop and a Social Worker for 5 years. I had no political opinion that whole time. It wasn’t that they argued, they were capable of having intelligent discussions, but I felt that the détente was fragile and me picking a side might upset the apple cart. They understood my concerns and until the social worker started running for office, my political […]
Success is an Iceberg
I love Facebook pages. I am a member of several for various things (too boring to mention) but I also join artistic Facebook pages. One is administered here locally by Helen Parsons called Spokane Art Calls. Never met the lady but she runs a tight ship as pages go and she posts pictures and memes all the time to keep her page feed fresh and […]
Pudding on my shoes
Some days, life is a bowl of pudding and you are trying to swim in it. I gave myself a break today; well, kind of. I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. We all have those days. I gave myself an extra hour, I have that luxury. It was hard to get up though and I got dressed and put on my […]
Wasted Opportunities
I write with a heavy heart today, a gentle talent went home. Bob Walton was a wonderful man and a generous mentor to many artists. I had known this man for most of my 50 years and he captured the mountains and light on canvas in ways that Thomas Kinkade could only dream of. I was raised around artists, they were my uncles, aunts, surrogate […]
Competition is fine but always remember, We are in this together.
Just before I was given the residency, I was juried into an amazing national organization of Women Artists. They arrange for competitions for its members but they also support each other with knowledge and networking. I had been trying to join the organization and was encouraged to do so by a member I saw on a regular basis. I tried to jury in 4 times […]
Teaching others; a lesson in humility
In the residency program, I am required to offer 2 classes per session. Here is the good news, I get paid an hourly for standing up in-front of people and telling them how I do it. The bad news is, sometimes they don’t need you as much as they think. Here I am, with 3 eager students. Each one of them clutching their untouched boxes […]
Pastels vs Chalk and other questions; discussing your medium and being nice too.
One of my favorite authors, Dick Frances, wrote a book about an artist. He actually wrote at least two but the one I’m thinking of was an acrylic painter. His family was faintly appalled with his vocation but were even more embarrassed with his choice of medium, “Not oils but those frightfully common acrylics.” The Character went on to explain to the reader how amazingly […]
Time Out for Prep
There are times that the muse sits on my shoulder and tickles, itches, pulls and tears at my ears. “Hey!” She says, “Pay attention to me!” I can envision each step of the next project to the point where I feel the pastel in my hand stroking the surface of my painting and clearly see the color laying down for me. I know the size, […]
