Another New Beginning

Greetings - at long last. No Excuses. Back to "work."

CLEAN: kitchen counters and MUCH of studio. Thanks, Sir Todd. It will be wonderful when Sir Todd Organizer gets done. As for now - well, yes, I get anxiety bouts. Another person touching all my stuff and making lots of decisions without consulting.... well... that's where Trust comes in? Lately, he's bee n asking me about stuff more often. Thanks, Todd. And thanks for showing me where you moved the African Violets!

HARD: how everything outside is. As is FROZEN. Can't bitch much about our -11F because of friends dealing with -40 F. No, that's not "windchill" - that's frickin' COLD.

FAST: how birds and squirrels are chowing down on Christmas gift of more sunflower seeds and even fancier goodies. Thanks, Tyler!

Now on to new goofing-offs:
I really dislike pitching paper coffee cups - so this year many will become a journal of some sort. Not a Wonderful Piece of Art. But paper on which to write or paint. Here are the first two:

I like that they will stand up in a lovely arc. And supply surfaces upon which to use up art supplies. And might just lead to new designs for "real" work.

So there you are. May 2014 be a year of great creativity for you, and/or hold the opportunity to witness it in others. If you are not an artist your kind word to one just might keep that person's spirit raised just enough to carry on.  If you are an artist may you have those great chats with folks who admire your work -  (and on those Best days - enough to purchase it)!

It's application-to-art-fairs time for many of us. Months of mixed emotions. Trying to guess which of our works will make the jurors say "YES!" to our images and words. If we appear to be a tad stressed - well... we might actually be more stressed than we appear. And this is during our "down time" - hahaha.

So, forever-head-clanging, I nonetheless join others among our family and friends in making 2014 The BEST YEAR EVER!!

One paper cup at a time....
Fare-thee-well!
Sue

Clean hard Fast: 11

CLEAN - Must do much in studio and on kitchen desk in preparation for new art discussion group. Two of us decided that The Van Gogh Cafe concept could not die. Our little doing will be "Part Art" and will not have to rely on businesses for locations. So... I'm offering our home for this Wednesday's first go-round. Topic: Your Favorite one or Two Art Books. We have enough folks planning to come that we think we can have an excellent evening. Yay! And we will be flexible as to dates, topics, etc.
I'm excited to know that a number of folks who can't make this date (day before Thanksgiving) never-the-less are glad that we are keeping the group going. But on to learning more of the art of un-cluttering. Never as much fun as the accidental forming of the stuff. Onward!!

HARD: to watch and journal complete Packers-Vikings four hours of NFL football that ended in an over-time time TIE. Well, did finish writing holiday cards out to soldiers - unless I do a few more....
If you'd like to join in - simply write cards to addressed to Dear Soldier (cards don't need envelopes) and mail packet to: Holiday Mail for Heroes, PO Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456. These cards go out to a wide bunch of our troops - and I'm sure any extra piece of well-wishing mail one gets at ANY time of year is a good thing. (Now THAT was a wide-ranging paragraph!)

FAST: how I fell asleep Too Early in The Magic Sleep Recliner. From about 7 to 10 PM. Blaming lovely hot mashed potatoes and butter, with fried chicken and veggies. And the stress from writing HARD the four hours of football game. It is done now as a practice for paying attention to outside action and  inward thoughts and emotions. Lots of those pages have words that even young adults might find surprising in a simple red spiral notebook.... I haven't written for four straight hours even in college! And perhaps those hours could have been put to much better use, but how they WERE used. A forced "flow'? Anyway. Then of course, between clanging head and over time of Denver - New England game I could sleep when one SHOULD sleep. But morning has arrived. Many taks have already been accomplished, and it's almost time for a walk. A  Relatively Fast One.

Here is the wall o'bears at Duluth's Blue Lake Gallery. (Except for dancing couple in top row. They should be safey arrived somewhere in Montana  now.) Some bars are older. Some more current. It's fun to see a bunch of them in a grouping!

The acrylic on board in lower right states:"I'm so Bad I'm almost good". Truth. Many layers of "bad" bear underneath the final image. A Lesson in Not Giving Up. One lady bought a print for her son. He is sixteen. I patted her on the back and wished her "Good Luck." Ha! We talked a bit - he sounded like he was an interesting/challenging lad. They CAN turn out to be the best kind. This bear was interesting/challenging.

If you are are visiting BLG,and find these wall pieces are not in your budget there are LOTS of wonderful items there that might be. Bear stuff, yes, but marvelous jewelry, fanciful paper mache animals (to see them is to love them!), and so many other great pieces!

On to finishing breakfast, and woohoo!!, the SUN is wanting to peek out! The walk won't be warm - well it's 32 degrees - that's not too awful for us northern types.

Life Lessons:
1) Don't Give Up
 2) It's FUN to do something nice for others.
3) Bacon, Eggs, Kale & Tea get really cold when one blogs during breakfast.

An Early "Happy Thanksgiving!" wish to one and all!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Clean Hard Fast: 9

CLEAN: the interior of my main black back-pack style purse! This is a Big Thing. I can see the things I'm looking for! Coinage isn't weighing down the leather. Pens are one pocket; small notebooks in another! Though wallet and checkbook are both dark they are easily found! For the moment. For moment. But for Now.
Once upon a time I carried no purse. For years only a wallet. Will this time ever come again? It might be something to aspire to. Hmmm. Might have to start shopping for cargo pants - ha!

HARD: to know that our beloved Green Bay Packers' quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is injured. Sports folks get hurt all the time, as regular people do. But we wish magical protections around certain individuals, whether they be family, friends, or favorite public figures. In sports Physics rules. Sigh. Heal well and quickly. We have friends who enjoyed last night's Bears victory at Lambeau Field. Daughter and I toughed out the game at Stillwater's Buffalo Wild Wings till, literally, the last minute. So I have the game - minus one minute - journaled, of course. Woo hoo. And Boo hoo.

FAST: how this past Saturday went at Stockholm, Wisconsin's Stone Fern Gallery. A gorgeous drive there and back along the Mississippi bluff country of central Wisconsin.

This was on ride home, and yes, I know it's not safe photographing while driving at any time, much less along a curvy swervy road. But I clicked till the camera's battery said "No more." Trees are keeping their leaves much later into the season than usual, giving us opportunities for Fall Beauty into even November. The leaves on our apple tree are still green, though most from the maples have dropped.
Saturday's event was fun, if not profitable. Made new friends, ate great pie (the Double Lemon from the Stockholm Pie Company), and drew a few new bears. May have jinxed the Packers last night by getting my first henna design on Saturday. Right now on my left wrist is a beautifully drawn "frame" in which is written: Trust the Bears. Eeek. What was I thinking! It should disappear in about two weeks. Sigh and whew? And always Ha!

FAST: how I'll have to work to create new pastels for Blue Lake Gallery. Heading to Duluth early on Saturday, Nov. 9th, to hang around the gallery (11AM - 3 PM), deliver our goodies, demo some techniques, and basically goof off in a nifty city for a day. Come visit this lovely gallery and clothing shop if you are in the area or feel the need to head out on a road trip. New goodies are being added for you Fall and Winter shopping consideration. And the staff is friendly and helpful. Yes, they are!

Continuing a Thankful November - What are you Thankful for Today?

Today I'm thankful that for about  from 5 - 6 AM the ol' tinnitus was so faint that it was almost not an issue. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, and I APPRECIATE know that if it happened while I was flat in bed maybe someday it will happen when I'm standing up. Gotta love those Simple Almost Quiet Pleasures.

Today smiles will be on face more. Yup. Giving me/us a Smiling Challenge and Smiling as this is typed. Try it? Even for just part of the day? Even if you are alone? Even if you're cynical? Can't hurt, unless you do it too hard or too long. Perhaps a bout a Smiling will even bring on a Short Laugh. Even if this makes somebody mad. It's sort of fun to smile at angry people. Dangerous, yes, but fun. On to it!

Happy Nov. 5, 2013!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Clean Hard Fast:7

CLEAN: the dishes in the dishwasher.
HARD: to realize the number of items we must number for up-coming boutiques. But thankful we are IN  these holiday events! I am "80" for everything. A few years ago we did other venues that required different number. Needless to say this eventually drove us crazy - not a HARD thing to do - and we gave up those events. Simply not worth the effort. Not that we "work smarter, no harder" all the time - haha - but being artist/craftsman "80" makes life a wee tad easier this time of year.
FAST: how I drew today's bear. Grabbed the first piece of colored paper from the bag in Junk Drawer, sectioned off a four by six inch area, motioned to the pastel pencil container (Friendly Farms Small Curd Cottage Cheese Low Fat) to attend to duties, and started in to the mystery of creating Something quickly.

This fuzzy, perhaps dangerous, quirky bruin appeared. Nano-seconds of tiny decisions go into drawing quickly. Yellow pastel ears and curvature of head were the beginning. Next, with black pastel, eye area next blocked in, but no eyeballs. A dark blue pastel teddy-bear "stitched" nose next,(oddly, most of my bears' noses are indigo blue - no, I don't know why), and mouth that demanded to be drawn smiling.

Yellow fur with bit of orange followed, and body contours were outlined in black. (It's taking way longer to type HOW drawing was created than creating the drawing.) Eye decision made - hmm - instantly forming personality. White highlights here and there. More yellow to tone down black.

Still deciding on possible text, or leaving space blank, or putting color in spaces... I think this piece will stay as is for now. I don't know if the world needs another being possible up to no good, but this little guy was fun to draw and now he exists.

As long as we exist we can make the effort to create that better world, town, home we wish and hope for, so -  done with the dreaming and on to the doing!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Clean Hard Fast: 4

 Yes, head is still clanging - along to Mozart piano music this dark morning.

CLEAN: not the work desk or kitchen table.
HARD: to believe our outdoor art fair season is over. It went out well, with a lovely, nippy, sunny weekend in Red Wing, MN. I learned that when a man says "I LIKE that bear" it means "I want to BUY that bear." Two different gentlemen at different times of day on Saturday. Thank you, gentlemen. I hope you enjoy your new bruins. Oh, and got to give away two of the Junk Drawer Journals made earlier this year to two new art fair friends who immediately put them to note-taking use!
FAST: how early mornings went DARK. It's 7:05 A.M. - time for tea, egg, bacon, and garden greens. But greens will have to be gathered blindly or by flashlight. Sigh. I still vote for five A.M. daylight - all year round.

A bit over a month ago it felt time to play with new techniques - thus the playing with acrylic paints that happened to be on hand and goofing off with papers - just to see. Here is one result:

Acrylic paint on 7" x 5" paper

I'd started doing mono-prints, but ended up cutting stencils out of scrap backing boards. Yay, for not tossing scraps. The four-inch wide boards can be cut into pieces for three bears. Yes, the designs are limited in size, but forcing oneself to work within limits IS a good challenge.

Papers, were, once again, scraps. But good scraps - either printing or heavy-weight water-color papers.

Paints ranged from garage-sale "craft" stuff to  new good goodies that I had to go BUY once I started loving the results. Especially exciting were the metallics in with or over the original layers.

The acrylic bears have now graduated to being painted on small wooden boards, and folks and I are happy with the results. I even "craft" stenciled two bears onto a canvas tote. It sold at the Red Wing Art Festival, though I wouldn't have minded using it myself. Have a small stack at these tote bags (25 cents each at a summer estate sale) so more of that doing will get done. We'll see how tough the board paper stencils are and how long they last.

Well, typing has taken long enough that a bit of yard is visible. Greens, here we come?

Web-site is down at moment - argh, but Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios is alive and fun.

We are attempting a too-long-in-the-doing vacation soon. And yesterday while working a shift at American Gothic Antiques I learned, at long last, of Kansas City's Oklahoma Joe's BBQ, so new eating plans for KC! We always ate at Gates.Time for a new chowing adventure. Great Art and Great Meats await! Now to carve out a chunk of time. Carve out a bit of time today for creating happiness, joy, and perhaps a piece of art or two. A crow is cawing "You CAN do IT!"

On to the day's Grand Adventures!

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Clean, Hard, Fast: 3

CLEAN: Two-square feet of work desk. This will have to be good enough for today. It IS nice to see the antique maple top under the clear Plexiglass. I wonder what got accomplished by others who have owned this old, useful piece of wood-working. What goodies were stored in those four small drawers? Who dusted the shelves?  Enough pondering. On to Hard.

HARD: to believe how "loud" the old noggin is today. Even with pills and music - well, she's a hard-chiming rascal. Must remember that so many have things so much worse, but boy, would an hour of "peace" be appreciated. Not deafness, but what I used to know as "quiet." There is NEVER any quiet. Oh well. I can still hear. Hoorah for Hearing!

FAST: How the many bugs, insects, birds, squirrels are making use of garden. We have two old wooden chairs set in a sunny corner of the place, and once in a while I sneak off to sit and watch our personal version of "Nature." Today a dragonfly lit upon some basil. Flies are chowing on the rotting tomatoes. Bees are still sucking at the sunflowers. A lucky look up in to the blue sky and wazaah! and yup, a bald eagle glided high above the picnicking crew down below.

The sunflowers are being felled by the black squirrels.... Mixed emotions. Mixed emotions. And once they decide a stalk or head is coming down - it's coming down. That we should have such Focus and Keep at that task till it's Accomplished. There are yet quite a few upright beauties, and it's a Simple Pleasure to photograph them.

We will miss the brilliant colors of plants and skies in the Grey Months a-coming. Not that snow isn't brilliant and the winter skies can be, too. I guess it's the sense of Life and Growing and the Possibility of Green that seems missing from November till whenever Spring might decide to happen.

For now I'll appreciate even the "Autumn" colors of  maturing sunflowers and other garden goodies past their peeks.

These colors are actually inspiring new bears. Woo hoo! Time to get the acrylic browns, yellows, purples, blues, and their shiny metallic friends out to play. I appreciate folks' kind words pertaining to the new stuff. Playing with mono-prints has opened new paths for the bruins and us. And sometimes it's good to start down a new path. Just don't forget your way back! You can view some on our Facebook Page at Sue-Rowe-Studios.

Time to put in an hour at Work-Fun," put on some excellent tunes, ignore the loud personal cymbals, and make some jazzy bears!

The Roycrofters Creed from John Ruskin:

"A belief in working with the head, hand and heart and mixing enough play with the work so that every task is pleasurable and makes for health and happiness."

On to the trying!
Our next art festival is Sept. 14 -15. The Edina (MN)Fall into the Arts Festival at Centennial Lakes. We are "downstairs" this year. Booth 154 - on the north end of the north end. Come walk the path, enjoy the water, and those great wooden swinging chairs, but don't forget to visit the excellent artists "upstairs."

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Clean Hard Fast: 1

CLEAN: part of the living-room floor that had been covered by greeting card stuff, drawing books, and       misc. papers. Now to KEEP IT CLEAN! Dusted under card racks in studio - yes, all the way to the wall.

HARD: to believe how quickly tomatoes ripen once they put their little green head to the task. Have made sauce, tomato basil soup, given some away, & yet a number lie rotting on the ground. Will harvest more tomorrow, and probably give them away - hooray!

FAST: how that first three-mile hike in a long time went. Radio headphones helped hide the head's constant ding ding ding. Got to walk with Bach for a while. Can't go wrong hoofing along to all those great and lovely notes. Made it back before dark. High-point of walk was an in-shape dude striding along in white muscle shirt and red shorts, sporting a really good mohawk haircut, and  accompanied by a gorgeous black German Shepard Dog.

We're prepping for River Falls, Wisconsin's "Art on the Kinni" - Sept. 7th. Because The Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul have hung so many of our originals I've been "forced" to work on new goodies. Yes, I know it's a good problem. I don't know what will be done by this weekend, but we have five more shows in following weekends so the work will be shown SOMEWHERE. And it's been fun to play with acrylics and mono-prints. Might have to frame the large rabbit drawing done during rand Hand event a week ago. It should hold it's own against the bruins!

Here are two of the small mono-prints now part of a Fine Print Show at the Stillwater Art Guild. These are made by layering acrylic paint on plastic, flipping plastic onto printing paper, then burnishing paint on to paper. Some images printed easier than others, and I kept adding more paint where it seemed to be needed. Darned judgement calls! But I'm excited with the technique and plan to do some larger pieces soon.

Colors included black, brown, and the Magic Touch - GOLD. Can't go wrong with a golden dancing bear. But I still love the shapes of sitting bears, so had to play with one here. Playing with a brayer created the large area of dark on lower center bear. What to do? What to do? Why press a gold bruin over the area. Yay for Play!

Now it's time to watch live-streaming of U. S. Tennis Open and cheer on Rafa Nadal. AND keep working through the competition. Little yellow balls and little golden bears.

And don't forget the tomatoes....

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

The Joys of Old Journals - Clean, Hard, Fast

Know I need some promptings toward new things.
So found a journal from 1998.
In it, found a yellow Post-It note reading:

June 18 - 1998 -
  Clean
  Hard
  Fast  -

Use
the words as
a trigger -
don't think -
just write

-----------------------
So I did. For many days. At the beginning of most journal entries I'd print, in three rows, first - CLEAN: (and write first thing that came to mind),  HARD: (do the same), & FAST: (do the same).

Some days words came tumbling out of pen. Other days a bit of mulling had to be done.

The CLEAN part forced me to be aware of home/studio messes that got much better over time; or the satisfaction one gets over cleaning one kitchen counter for the few hours (minutes) it will remain uncluttered. This time, among other cleanings, I'll do as my sister does on her Colorado Springs walks, and carry a bag for the bits of litter one encounters along one's way. Entry from Dec. 1: CLEAN - part of top of desk shelf - I almost threw out $30.00. It was in the dusty posies.

HARD can be hard, but one becomes more aware of what one considers hard. Or it can simply be the truth of parched lawn. Or, from Aug. 8 entry: HARD - to believe I don't have enough brown sugar to make chocolate chip cookies.

FAST makes one aware of time, or not eating (hahaha), speed of decision-making, or of speeding up some part's of a day's production. From Feb. 10 entry: FAST - the fast has disappeared. I must get back to the discipline.

(Perhaps SLOW might become part of exercise - but not for now. YOU may use it if you choose.)

So, back to blogging, again. Sort of like the beginning of the "Bob's Burgers" cartoon. Re- Re-Re...

And with thoughts of all the world spinnings going on & regular local life, too - quoting Mr. Kurt Vonnegut ("God Bess You, Mr. Rosewater") again: "There's only one rule that I know of, babies - God damn it, you've got to be kind."

Going to play with some "easy" printing techniques today - to hopes of producing a few things good enough to show at Stillwater Art Guild Print Show in September. Do have a decent woodcut to frame, but have to try new things. On to the Grand Adventures!
And on to The Bikery - just for the halibut -

Fare-thee-well, (be kind)

Sue