Cleaning Up the Back-tracking

No need for pictures of art-related messes on kitchen table and the studio table.
Art Stuff was created - including this:

And this:

I am quite happy with both. It feels great to feel like doing creative things again. But now there are pastel sticks, paints, brushes, and paper napkins EVERYWHERE.

This is an important time. Yes, one could race off to the Next Thing on the To Do List. However, after the success of keeping things clean and organized through so much of January and February I feel an obligation to the horizontal areas to clear them of stuff once again.

So - time to choose Music to Put Stuff Back By, set the timer for twenty minutes, and enjoy a fresh cup of tea after deeds are re-done. 

Come on Hound - give me the glare:

If YOU have things to do, set that timer, start, continue, or finish the Doing. As we type constantly during NationalModelPaintingMonth - "You can do it!"

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Time to go out and shovel snow
Again
Because it snowed
Again

It is not a bad way to get a good workout

On with sweatshirt and goose down jacket and green crocheted cap and vintage Sony Walkman radio

And regular socks and wool socks
And serious boots
And deciding on gloves

Sweat will happen
And vehicles will be freed

As we, too, will be

FREEDOM!!!!

To the shovels!!

And, the sun is out
It is damned pretty

Keeping On -

Not that it matters much, but as February comes to an end, I am a little bit proud that the cleaned and organized spaces here have, for the most part, remained clean and organized.

The studio table that was completely covered with art supply clutter  is now covered with a large sheet of printing paper - a pastel piece in progress. And two other sheets waiting their turns.

The spaces on the kitchen work desk are pretty much as they were at the end of January. The wooden box of stuff still needs work but the main surface is all useable. And the shelves are still good. Yes, a drawer that shall not be named will be attacked some time  in coming months, but as it is mostly filled with older journals, calendars, and DIRECTIONS to places, I feel it is not so much cluttered as simply full.

I am hoping this bodes well for the rest of 2018. A lesson learned is Look at the surfaces and spaces every day. I forgot to do this and last week had to set the timer for twenty minutes of Put Things Back Where They Belong. But that was all the time it took. And now the coming week can be put to other uses.

Here is a little peek at a bit of "real" art and a month-long attempt at getting a model horse painted for NaMoPaiMo - National Model Painting Month. 

Yes, the cross-hatched bunny is again vertical. I simply needed a something for the background. Art Bunny to the rescue!!

It truly feels good to be motivated to create some things of beauty again. The brain took a much too long "vacation" from caring about things like that. Now to see how long the "CREATE STUFF!!" hangs around.

Having just cleaned the driveway and roof of the recent six-inch snowfall we are not looking forward to a larger dumping forecast to start later today. But there is a celery plant rooting, and sunlight feels warmer on those days we see the sun.

May the day treat you kindly. Dare to goof off in the manner of your choosing? (Do it... It'll be Fun.)

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

On the Surface

In order to get something kick-started I've begun preparing some papers ready for their first layers of pastel.

The bag of pumice is nowhere to be found, so the combination used today is a mixture of clear gesso and inexpensive acrylic paints. I used a paint knife to stir the glop together, and then took a clean small sponge to apply the paint to paper.

The smaller sheet is from a full-sized piece of Rives BFK printing paper. I really like the weight of this paper for drawing and painting, as well as an occassional side-track into actual printing.

Color mix is red, blue, and orange, in two layers.

The glare is from a light sitting on the kitchen floor. I work where ever seems best!

I also prepared two large "mystery" paper sheets. Hubby Todd found this tough black paper at a garage sale. I have no idea as to it's manufacturer, however it is light, yet tough. And takes this paint  and gesso mixture well. 

The tooth produced is excellent for cross-hatching - especially with Nupastels. So I might be starting to get excited about working again. Baby steps and tiny scritches.

Dare to slap some paint on something - it might brighten your day!

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Progress?

No work on pastels again today.

I will lay blame on "super-loud" tinnitus. It was a rare two-pill day.

But eventually a few things got accomplished. Not in order, and not that anyone cares:

1) exercised for an hour
2) worked on 2018 Heart Project for an hour. Iwas going to be more or less done with this for the year, but a segment on "CBS Sunday Morning" about a dad sending his grown children a postcard every day got me revved for sending out and giving away more Hearts.
3) worked on art fair applications for an hour at a local coffee shop
4) journaled a bit
5) "vision-quest" thought and wrote at coffee shop. The gas burning fireplace was the perfect to be near. I was almost relaxed.
6) worked on NaMoPaiMo model horse profect for over an hour. Good to have gesso and first coat of acrylic paint on him, though he still needs more sculpting done on his tail. He is turning out more working ranch horse than polished show horse, and that is alright with me.
7)blogging a probably boring blog post. But the typing is more about being able to cross out the "BLOG" box in the weekly I-don't-know-what-to-call-it journal. The Keep Sue On Task Journal? The Don't Forget to Have Goals Journal?

Now, because the box has not been crossed off yet today, it is time to stop typing and start back reading the Georgia O'Keefe book I'm getting through. I'd had a goal of finishing it two weeks ago, but I will accept the joy that will come in the eventual finishing, and the joy in the reading.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Follow Up

It is two weeks into February.
I am happy to note that all of the cleaned and organized spaces worked though during January are still clean.

Now it is time to start using studio spaces to create new work.

The Test has arrived...

I must face it with both Creativity AND the will to clean up after making messes.

On to the doings!
I might be a little afraid.

Three Crows

One pastel finished. How many to go...?

Spring-y?

A Bird is Chirping Spring-sounding-stuff!!

Coffee Shop Time

If you ask, bears will come.

I have a little ritual from time to time - simply writing "Who is here?" in a sketch book, and then putting the writing tool back down on the paper to see who might show up.

Today I met Alvin. 

What is written here is all I know of him.

Now he has lots more dotty fur, but his outlook on life is still the same.

Good luck, Alvin. Thanks for showing up, even if you really didn't want to.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Shucks. No Books....

Yes, I took that 25.00 gift card to Barnes & Noble. Yes, I took my time.... About an hour and half. Magazine section? Check. Art Section? Check? Dscount tables? Yup. Music? Nope. I have more than enough to listen to already. Nature Section? Check. I am not one for fiction these days. I have enough marketing and you-can-do-it tomes already. Same with sketch books and journals. So - after actually trying to buy a new printed-on-paper something I spent about half of funds on a set of three water brushes.

I will use these tools. They won't take up much room. I had no idea Barnes & Noble sold art supplies. And because there is still a balance on the card I will be back...

I also found out that although there is a coffee shop inside this B & N they do NOT take Starbucks gift cards... because this is not a Starbucks Coffeeshop.  Color me at first semi-confused. Sigh. Iwas simply trying to use up some of the card. I  do not love Starbucks coffee. Oh well - coffee another time - at another place.

Sunday holds a morning adventure on the last day of the 21018 Art Shanty Porject in Minneapolis. I have wanted to attend these doings for some years. But it took a friend agreeing to go along to do the trick! Morning will be nippy, but we are hardy folk and should be peachy.

Now it's time to watch a few far more talented hardy folk perform at the Winter Olympics. Go, Teams! And Individuals!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Options

While cleaning my kitchen desk I found a $25.00 Gift Card for use at Barnes and Noble.

It is time to try buying NEW books/magazines/other!!

I "NEVER" do this.

So, off to the forced Adventure. The closest B&N has two full floors of possibilities.... I could get anxious. I am trying to put books into hands of other readers by way of donating to Little Free Libaries. But. Perhaps a needed Treasure is just there patiently waiting. For me...

Eeek!

Deadlines

The Three Crows pastel is finished.

But "finished" in pastels is sometimes a relative term. This is the image submitted as part of an art fair application this afternoon.

Deadline?  The packet mailed had to be postmarked today. So - that is why this piece is done. Done-ish...

After burning the CD and packing everythiny needed, I went back and looked at the procession of images leading up to this one. There was one with many darker areas. It somehow appears more "magical" - even though it is clearly less finished. So.... these crows will probably get re-worked. They are O.K. to me - but not magical. Mysterious - but not magical. And mysterious is fine, and something I am trying to convey. But...... magic..... crows.......

And time for experimenting..... There is nothing to lose but suede matboard, some chalky dusty stuff from little colored sticks, time, and hope.

And right now there is Hope.

Fare-thee-well - 

It's been an ever-long day - 

Sue

www.suerowe.com

Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

In The Works

When nothing else works - back to cross-hatching!

Work in progress - 10" x 8" pastel of some of "our" backyard crows.

I am daring to play around with composition - using my photo as jumping off point. Still much to decide - but a limited palette of colors and the choice to stay with straight lines helps. Sometimes boundaries are a good thing.

The current state of this piece is already much changed from the above image. More layers. More subtle shading. Birds more delineated.There is a glimmer of hope.

Whew.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Hearts

Yesterday I brought a small bag of only handmade hearts to  the What We Need is Here meeting at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, Wisconsin.
No, that the ones below - these are long gone - mailed to about sixty-two people in February and March of 2017. And they were simply Hearts - not on cards. But so pretty in their own right. (I now "heart" gold glitter glue...)

Part of 2017 Heart Project

I put a pile of paper hearts in red and gold and white and purple colors near our coffee and bagel and other sweets refreshments - and simply invited members to take some if they choose to do so.

Many did! Hooray! They smiled. I smiled. And now there is reason to make more! Might even have to BUY gold glitter glue - the horror!

Note - We need not keep February as the the most saturated month for giving heart-shaped things. Heart-shaped things need not be Red.

Eventhough many cards are yet to be finished it's time to start addressing envelopes today. If you'd like to be added to the list - simply send your good ol' snail mail address via Facebook or website.

And this is all done in order to do something else, rather than be working on Serious Art - LOL. Really. Feel free to add more hearts to your own world of friends and family! It can be Fun! And double Heart Warming!!! Woo hoo! Heart-Heart!

O.K. - time to re-keep accomplishing. One hour of sold exercize finished this morning. Now on the the practice of easy on the eats...

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

www.suerowe.com

Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Eeek. Accountability.

For a person with a serious goal for 30 Day Personal Challenge - I have eaten entirely way too much of too many delicious things today.

Accountable?
Yup.

On to the being "better" tomorrow and most of the rest of the month.

I am done eating for today.
Seriously.

Being accountable isn't much fun.
How can I work it into BEING fun?
Hmm....

Oh, and there is the Super Bowl going on.
It is different then one is not a fan of either tea.
Perhaps it's back to reading a book on Georgia O'Keefe's early letters. I have spent other Super Bowl evenings driving back from Green Bay, Wisconsin art fairs. Prince did the half-time show one of those years. We watched it at a cafe in the middle of the state. I hope to never forget that half-time show. I have almost forgotten tonight's one already. Sigh.

On to the excitements of tomorrow!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

February Personal Challenge

First - a simple sentence of semi-amazement:


The spaces that were cleaned in January are Still Clean!!! Yes, this is the original photo evidence, but the surface, on February 2nd, is still clean.

Second - February's Personal Challenge(s):

1) Get to (xxx) pounds by last day of February - or give sixteen particular people seventeen dollars each.
2) Zip up a particular favorite pair of jeans.

On to the next Adventures!!
Eeek!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue 

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios