How Many Times Can One Re-Begin?

The brain wants to be A Blogger, but the brain makes excuses.

Writing can be be exciting, but also something that sometimes feel pointless.

That should NOT be an excuse.
It is time to start doing the mental chin-ups again.

                           Here we go again. One?

Goal

I have an odd, but serious, goal.
No, it is not DRAWING strength.
It is being strong.

For a reason that only a few people know - 

No, I cannot do one yet. But the muscles are getting more muscle-y. Really.
So, here be visualization. 
I have  almost two months...

Best of Luck with your Odd Dreams!

Fare-thee-well
Sue

Our next art festival will be at Shell Lake, Wisconsin the Saturday after July 4th. Time to get back to the studio! And planking....

Desk - Part the Third

One's perception of Stuff is most always interesting. That is as vague and general as I can type.

Here are some thoughts on Stuff On Desk - 

Here is part of the top layer of Stuff on Desk:

This accumulation includes a hand-colored image of a woman riding a horse sidesaddle. My maternal grandmother colored it many years ago. It is beautiful. Can't see it? Believe me - it's here. Right next to Aaron Rodgers' head on a stick. Really.

And an unusual number of wooden coffee stir sticks are here, too. (Well, not NOW - they have been bundled and moved to main studio.) I have a thing about taking stir sticks from coffee shops. Yes, I buy a coffee. No, I usually do not use a stick there. But I do use use them here - to take glue out of tiny glue tubes. To write inspirational sentences on. Once, to paint a picture of a bear.

In the mix are tools I use often, and tools I never use. As the containers, treasures in their own rights, get sorted through, I am sure to find "that thing I spent hours looking for!" Maybe several. Or lots! That treasure hunt is yet to start.

The hand-colored styrofoam coffee shop cup has a story: Several years ago I had to go to Hudson, Wisconsin for a meeting. I liked going to a particular main street coffee place because it had a great seating area right at front windows. I could sit in the sunshine, draw, read, or journal. I always got a "to-go" cup. This day I simply thought, "Oh, the cup company has started using colors on their designs." I was wrong. The barrista and I started chatting. She said that the girl who staffed the later shift sometimes got bored, and would use markers to decorate a few cups. The morning barrista would give these cups to "special" customers! Huzzah for my luck that morning! This cup will not be leaving the top of this desk any time soon. Reasons.

Tomorrow brings more de-cluttering. And, finding more things that will trigger more memories. And one more day before the big Vikings NFL play-off game against Philly. Yes, another football fan lives in this house. He is not a Packers fan. I might just have to cheer for his team. I've done it before, but for other reasons.

The mind is now getting cluttered with football memories... I think it's best to quit typing and go on to the adventures of the evening.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Space 2 -

Fifteen minutes dealing with the various stuff on top of my dresser - yes, there were rubber duckies and rubber monsters among the various varieties of things that had no real business being there.

I boxed up journals from many years - sneaking in short peeks at former days. That IS mainly why I write - to know that things DID happen. And to note life-long stuff I am still dealing with. At least I am not dealing with journals on my dresser. Well, except for the one documenting the Packers winning that now almost long ago most recent Super Bowl. 

So this is what part of this lovely oak dresser looks like now:

Still much to do with books, and vintage hats, and VHS tapes of Packers games, but a good start to note. Photos can remind one of what is possible, and how much more relaxing a clean space is to live with. I MUST REMEMBER THIS.

Today's time was spent dealing with main studio work table. One hour equaled a now useful large work space.

Personal Challenge for January? O.K., so far. Yes, one can always do more, but I am content with steady progress. And spaces relaxing to the eye. And areas now useful again.

Oh, and the surveyor's tripod lamp is no longer our "Christmas tree" again. So the New Year is truly feeling 2018.

On to the grand and not so grand adventures it will hold! And maybe some merry bears doing joyful things.

And, if you feel the need to de-clutter - just set a timer for ten, fiftenn, or twenty minutes and focus on one space. It is seriously doable! Good Luck!!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Art Supplies

This is one reason I try to carry art supplies in purse or computer bag at all times:

Antsy lad became concentrating artist. 
He created a focused-lad drawing, featuring a lovely blue sun.

Now I have to go home and work at creating art.  Focusing on a pastel cat. It will be fun and a challenge.

But right now I'd much rather continue sitting at cozy busy coffee shop, sipping a Thistle Milk tea and stitching stuff on to paper. And helping spread the love of art as far as it can go.

On to the day. May it be of your choosing. 

I heart the power of art.

Fare-thee-well.
Sue

Too much art.

Yesterday my art brain cup was filled to overflowing.
The Milwaukee Art Museum has plenty of amazing stuff.
I apologized to sculptor, David Smith, as I zipped by.
I apologized to Andy Warhol.

 Georgia O'Keefe paintings slowed and stopped me.
As did the Marino Marini painting and sculpture.
I am a sucker for Marino Marini.

The Mark Rothko painting was garish this go-round. Funny how that can be. On another day it might have ben sublime.

We strode past Old Masters.
We stopped at modern glass.

We will have to return.

On to today's doings. They might involve art. They might involve animals. They will involve pals. And Racine and Kringle.

But first  - off to Milwaukee's Rummage-O-Rama. 'Cause that's also how we roll.

Maybe we will discover a million-dollar art work there. For five bucks? On to the possibility!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

A Day

Today:

I finished listening to "All Quiet on the Western Front." In light of yesterday's bombing in Manchester, England I am once again left numb and void of reasonable thought. Dead is dead. Even while in the midst of the novel, written by a veteran, I  cannot imagine the horrors of the real Great War. Watching the many real time videos and news reports from Manchester I cannot imagine the true horror of being at the venue.

So I shallowly watch a bunch of multi-millionaires play "serious" basketball. And I keep trying to paint and draw images and words that might matter to someone.

Yesterday's efforts yielded this work-in-progress. Another in the Bear Dream Series. 12" x 12". Acrylic on canvas. No, I have don't know what I'm doing. I only know that a "plain" dancing bear is starting to get boring. And so one tries things. We shall see if future work on this piece will be "successful." Do the work. Dare to play. Sometimes playing is hard to do. Sometimes play gets serious.

Now it's time to get back to the basketball game.
Art fairs have been applied to. 
Emails have been answered. Not enough, but some.
I am done adulting for today.

Bourbon, anyone? I'm pouring.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, and for many many years, I led a different life. There is a hobby called Model Horse Showing, and I customized plastic model horses for myself and other competitors. The most popular plastic horse figurines used were made by the Breyer Molding Company, which was, at the time, located in Chicago, Illinois.

With hot water, soldering irons, Bondo, varieties of epoxy putties, sand-paper, grinding tools, primers, paints, and patience, we could create, or attempt to create, the equines of our dreams. Yes, our horses often sported real hair manes and tails - from a wide variety of fibers.

Below are only three of hundreds(?) of models I made. (I am still a poor keeper of records...) Most were produced and sold to pay rent, buy groceries and gas, or pay for trips to and from model horse shows - both in the U.S. and Canada. Some day I might type of years spent judging at these shows - but not today.

Arabian stallion - So Bask Fireworks (from Proud Arabian Mare)

Spotted Mule - Sunshine's Oh-Oh Be-Bop (from Classic-scale Duchess)

Appaloosas colt - Sunshine's Cocoa Dial (from Running Foal)

The baby above is one of the few customized models I still own, but that's O.K. The life-long friendships formed with folks around the world is ever so much more important. Most of the ribbons and trophies are gone. Many of the friends are now mad typists on Facebook.

This post is simply to illustrate that one person, if time and interests allot, can live a bunch of different lives. Some people only knew me in the model horse world, some only in flea market/antique shop world, some in the relatively new life as full-time artist. All of these worlds offer fascination for a life-time, but, darn, one has to choose whether to spend a whole life-time completely in one world (a fine choice for some) or decide to romp in a few other widely-different realms.

Readers who know me from art fairs - well, now we have something "new" to discuss. Readers who are in "The Hobby" will smile at these vintage goodies, and see (and rejoice?) how far the artistry in the industry has come from the good old days of the 1970's and '80's. All these different times have been important to the whole weird life I've lived so far. I hope you enjoy being part of the Adventure!

Now it's time for a late-night (for me) last cup of tea.

Enjoy your world or worlds, and if you choose - strike out to discover a new one in a minute or tomorrow. There's still time...

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Finishing the Started.

Yes, that first day of the New Year it was easy to scribble FINISH 30 started bears. the Ideas for Doing are always easier than the Doing.

But some things have been done. With the help of Todd the Helpful - two already-finished bears are now framed.
One small pastel is finished:

As found in stack:

Now:

Sigh. Comparing the two - well, I like parts more of the more abstract beginning image. There's a Lesson for us. Should the water have remained purple? That thick dark orange in sky sure was nice.... But I like the zig-zag stripe down the bear's back here. And the sun's brightness gives more comfort than the previous more brooding sky. Mixed emotions. Always mixed emotions. Dark vs Light. Too much vs too little. That's how it goes, and you never know what folks will think the "better". I want to get back to being Bolder. Bigger, simpler shapes. Shapes that GLOW.

There are LOTS more bears to go - on to choosing Number Two. Glow, Baby, glow!

Comments are welcomed. Sometimes we artists need all the help we can get -

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

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

Never Give Up

Only TEN years after being created - this little oil-pastel found a new home... Yay! We've hung it a few times this art fair season and at Minneapolis' Powderhorn Art Festival a lady came to inquire about the piece.

She'd seen it two shows ago, and yes, she'd like to buy the cubbie.

So

this is a short lesson

on 

Not giving Up.

On to preparing for the art fair at Duluth, MN's Glensheen Mansion, Aug. 10 - 11. May the air be warm and calm, the grass be green and cool, and our backdrop of Lake Superior be it's usual Superior backdrop.

On to the drawing up of lists, and then the brave attempts  to cross off those those little boxes of completions.

The sun is peeking out from somewhere, Mozart is tinkling from the MacBook, and I must tear myself away from Facebook updates.

Here's a peek at our garden. It continues to amaze and mystify:

On to our hours. Have fun. Make something. Make somebody Happy. Pat yourself on the back. Relax? Breathe in. Breathe out. On to it! (Ain't got time to make pesto right now. Argh.) (So it goes.)

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

30 - 16: Lambeau

Greetings-

It's grey and wet and cold, and breezy in Green Bay, Wisconsin; we are warm and dry and watching reality-TV shows on antiques and junk and estate sales in a motel room spittin' distance from Lambeau Field.

Last night we got some good bar food to go from Stadium Grill. Watched Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed get married. It's fun being shallow now and then.

Hoping to get to Lambeau Field later. First, we must clean out the car, meet RT for coffee, and see what the day brings.

I did a little journaling early this morning - mainly to the point of needing to allow myself to relax and have fun with the images and words again. To not think of "pressure" and "must do" and "should do." When fun goes out of art it shows. Boring starts. And dull, and not-caring. The bears know when I'm trying too hard-not hard enough. I have to give art supplies and themes due respect. And also simply clear the brain to allow fingers to scribble at will. No rules. That's hard these days. Or New Rules. Or Different. When the bears get boring the bears get bad.

NO BORING BEARS!!!

On it it-

oh, and of course, GO PACK!

- Sue

Options

Fun and games in the Northland. And playing around with the sky. Once upon a time I was a crazed basketball fan and here are a few borealis bruins going at a game. Maybe.
This is my kind of art sky - full of textures, subtle colors, dramatic shapes, and more than enough "jumping-off" points.

These clouds are long gone now - but the image reminds us to appreciate The Moment - whether caught or not.

Not enough time to reflect on moments at the moment. This sky will have to wait a bit longer to be appreciated or used. Such is the blessing and curse of the artist's life.

Windy day today equals short choppy thoughts.

After Thanksgiving

Now through the Holiday Season we will have a great gang of our bears downtown Stillwater, Minnesota upstairs in American Gothic Antiques,the shop where they all began.

There are also some piles of older pieces downstairs here at home waiting to be sorted through. Most are smaller 8 by 10 things - some will probably be stripped of frame and mat and spoken to kindly with the usual sad yet truthful, "Sorry, old pal, but you didn't make the cut....,"and, sigh, ripped in the ritual four quarters and tossed gently in to the waste basket. Some will be rescued, and some will hang around to inspire further pieces. A few will graduate to be new cards and magnets - if not offered as Art.

We bought some baked goodies for this weekend's Open House at the shop, but also got out the recipe cards and whipped up brownies and dream bars from scratch. it's been a while since eggs, flour and sugar have been beaten in our kitchen. the new oven is much more the pal than our last one. I can trust this beast to do what it says it's going to do - sigh,

So, on to the wonders of black Friday (I'm not venturing out till daylight) and the coming weeks.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all-
- Sue

A Hug for the Bears

It's that time of year when some of us artists can use a hug. We have survived the winter and are now looking to the Spring and Summer with wonder, hope, and a nagging fear of impending doom. Will our new stuff meet with approval and sales? Does it really matter if we exist in the universe? You know - the usual stuff.

So it was a tiny miracle that, when simply bringing some new greeting cards into Duluth, Minnesota's Blue Lake Gallery I was granted a joyful hug by gallery clerk, Susan C. THANKS, I NEEDED THAT! We'd never met, but through the bears she now knows a bit of my warped personality - and she can relate! So Sir Todd, my long-suffering husband, looked on once again as two chatterers take off at warp-speed. We soon went our separate ways - but my out-look for the upcoming season has been lifted. Whew.

Now, back at work, I have to keep remembering that we all never know when a gesture, word, note, or call will do wonders to make another folk's life even a wee tad better. It's time to do some small thing to pass on those unexpected hugs and pats.

On to the day!
Sue

Cleaning Time

January. Third. Two-thousand-nine......

What are we doing? Cleaning!!!!! Sorting!!! Ripping up and tossing out! Finding the "new" iron below the pile of pillow cases. Seeing empty horizontal spaces when we open certain doors.

In the studio the whole space under the table is empty. Todd will have to tell me where he put some stuff. The other stuff I know. Every piece of paper and mat-board have been touched and considered. The unused pieces have been sorted from the artwork. The artwork has been re-sorted into ripped and trashed, stuff saved for future possible inspiration, and actual showable pieces. I feel an hour of recreational burning coming on. I am not a complete hoarder - whew!

It's time to go scrape palettes now. The work desk will be tackled soon - but right now it's time to scape paint.

- Sue

The Next 21 Days

Wow, talk about lack of noting....
But on to the re-inventing. Twenty-one days will find life at Sunday of the Ely Bluebery Festival - truck-willing and creeks don't rise.....

I'm slightly spoiled now from the Blue Ribbon and valuable prizes awarded me and the bruins at the Stone Arch Art Festival in Minneapolis in early June. Taken aback and truly amazed. "Thank you!," to all who helped make it happen. Ya yust neffer know, ya sure, ya betycha.....

So on with the mission. Food, family, friends, work....l

I've keeping current with book-keeping, I can durn sure type here a few times a week.

One down. On to the twenty. A different me for Ely.
Today holds ordering mats, matting and framing, working on pastel originals, figuring out a new tee-shirt order and making some calls.
First, coffee with the crew at Fresh Fields, and bringing home a loaf of multi-grain bread to Tara, Brit, and Tyler.

Lucked into seeing the Federer - Nadal Wimbleton match. awe-inspiring - even for a I-don't-know-anything-about-tennis sort like me. The not-giving up not-giving-in I-can-still-win even-in-the-dark energy of both so equal. A joy and pain to see. Thanks, dudes, for the honor.

Not really balanced - don't really care.

-Sue the slightly daring