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

No Excuses and Goofing Off - 1

This morning I grabbed a piece of white mat-board, three tubes of acrylic paint, and my newest toy - a flat-ended wooden coffee stir stick. There are no excuses if you want to make something.

Working wet on wet is fun. Now I see things I'd have done differently, but was working fast and having fun.

All in all - not a terrible result.

Colors used: Cadmium Yellow Medium, Alizarin Crimson, Titanium White

Go find some paints, pens, or pencils that you haven't touched in a while. Use what paper or canvas is at hand. Work quickly. This is goofing off and having fun. We have to remind ourselves that we deserve a bit of fun every now and then.

On to it!
Summer is leaving at an awesome clip. The robin splashing in the birdbath will be gone in a bit. Go splash something while the splashing is good!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Summer Color

Summer Greetings on the Last Day of July - sigh.

I want way more July, and even some bits of May and June back.

Here we are not hurting for water. 

I almost feel guilty typing this.

The sunflowers tower.

The basils and tomatoes grow wherever the pumpkins allow them space.

And every so often I allow some time to play with art supplies.

This guy's name is "Big Bob."

He is pretty much an acrylic finger painting.

On a thick wooden board.

The owners of Ely, Minnesota's Mostly Moose and More shop bought him during 

the Ely Blueberry Festival.

He's probably had his fill of almost everything.

Eat or nap? Eat or nap?

Anyway.....

Here, we are back to dealing with tomatoes. 

No time to nap.

Volunteer tomatoes gone really wild!

Yes, almost too much of a really good thing.

Like the garage-sale supply of paints and drawing implements.

So a bit of early morning harvest, and then back to making art.

Art  fair season is in full swing - 

and we are happy, busy, and tired almost all the time.

We appreciate our many customers!

The stories, suggestions, new ideas.

THE LAUGHS!!

But now it's back to making "product."

If the tomato plants can do it, well, so can we.

Produce something today!

On to it - 

And Best of Luck to all hard-working Olympians. 

May your mistakes be minute, and may you be judged and timed fairly.

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Spring into Action

Some scrap watercolor paper, a hand-full of watercolor pencils, a bit of ink, and an hour at The Bikery . These bears are fine with goofing off, mixing it up, joining in. Lots of us, me included, need a bit more practice at this sort of thing.

Allow yourself to find ten minutes (or more?) to just scribble a bit, dig in the dirt, LOOK at a leaf, think an "opposite" thought of your usual thinking. Daring, yes, but well worth the effort. Heck, do it during TV or radio commercials. I usually use those times to tidy the house, but that's not much in the way of goofing off.

Spring is here, but fleeting. Let's go draw a bud that's due soon to bloom. Or dance among the blossoms.

Fare-thee-well and Good Luck -

Sue

Attempting the Pinnacle for Fun

Attempting. Yup. Sometimes we know what we're doing well enough that it's time to go out on a limb or scale a different peak or dance a new dance. Even if we really don't want to do the deed. Why? Because, maybe, eventually, what we don't know how to do NOW will someday be what we are expert in, or at least we will be able to appreciate those who ARE the experts.

And, woo hoo, just trying might be Fun. What a concept. Goofing Off Theme again.

We have treated some smaller, various-sized pieces of Masonsite board and every now & then I say goodbye to the pastel pieces and hello to the various tubes of acrylic paints we tend to pick up here & there. Ya can't leave a reasonably-priced art supply item at the yard or estate sale. No, it must be rescued & introduced to like creatures stored for future use. Then, if it is a tube of something, it will dry out & get tossed (sad) or be used (happy). We like happy art supplies better. (I'm listening to Mozart right now & kinda wish I was slapping paint on something instead of typing about slapping paint on something).

Anyway, so the piece pictured is a start of something. I have no idea what. I have fear of both dancing and pinnacles so it's fitting that I should attempt a bear dancing confidently on a pinnacle - right? Problem now is - what to do next? Fear is creeping back into the decision-making. Argh. I like the form and attitude, but now what? Be brave, little bear-painter. It's acrylic paint - you can have do-overs. Do not stop with this attempt as you are suggesting to others to goof off. GOOF OFF! The beast can not fall off the mountain - it's a flat surface. The bear is in no danger. But there must be Change involved. Yup, our old friend, Change. And Chance. Oh oh. Change and Chance. And old tubes of color to play with a relatively new bear. And this is for Fun. Fear versus Fun. The bear doesn't care. The peak doesn't care. So back to that pile of paints and on to the mountain.

On to the daring. Dare to play a bit today?

"A healthy manner of play is necessary to a healthy manner of work." - Ruskin

On to the goofing off on the pinnacle of your choice!

- Sue

Pastel Magic

Some days pastels have to be loved for themselves.....



Having a bit of fun with a five by seven inch space, fuzzy board, and favorite shapes.


Playing with color. Playing with shapes. You have your own favorites. Use them - or dare to put a triangle where you'd always put a square!
I don't know why a sentence/thought will pop into the head, but I always try to write it down if it shows up. Ya never know if it might lead to the whole new next series.


These marks were made with some of the softest pastels on the table. Mostly Terry Ludwig goodies.


The marks ruled the composition. I tried to stay out of forcing anything. Play play pop pop. Very few areas of layering. The intensity of colors and their relationship to neighbors' colors and shapes became the main point of this little piece. Don't know if it's finished. But I do know that it's fun.

Goof off for even the tiniest part of your day today. In art, in taking a short walk, in ordering a different kind of coffee. In seeing how long you can hold your breath; dare to skip two, or maybe three skips down the sidewalk. It might be when the Magic happens!

Fare-thee-well and Good Luck!
Sue

Home for a Day

Greetings-
Home after a lovely weekend at the Glensheen Art Festival in Duluth. Minnesota. Major road construction through that part of Duluth, but the shuttle system brought costumers in fine and dandy.
Because it was the first time the show was both Saturday and Sunday it was wonderful to not tear down at the end of one day. Plus, the artists were treated to a wine/beer/pizza evening (for nominal fee) on the banks of Lake and Superior and up at the mansion. We were also invited to tour the interior of Glensheen at our leisure. Built in the early-1900's, fittings and interior design were state-of-the art, and as antique dealers we only drooled occasionally. Note to self - order gold-leaf ceiling for studio.... Last year we'd taken one of the guided tours - if only I remembered all the facts..... Todd, Tyler, and I made some new friends and had several of those intense/funny/no topic barred chats that go so well with pizza and beer. Plus our table crew sang "Happy Birthday" to Todd - whether he liked it or not!

The grounds are delightly to walk through - some hollyhocks appeared to be ten feet tall. The swiss chard, cabbages, and other vegetables are thriving (is Glensheen a deer and rabbit free zone???), and the various shaded pathways lead to pockets of perennials throughout the compound.
The business end of the show went well for us - and the folks we chatted with on Sunday appreciated the second day being added to the event. Some artists were not as pleased.

All in all it's good to be home. Tara and I sat outside The Bikery this morning and basked in the sun with our coffee and cranberry scones. Then we scooted into the shop when a table became available. Sketched a little - relaxed a lot. Right now I want to lie down in a hammock in a library or bookstore and read with my eyes closed. The humidity is down, the temperature is perfect, and the day is yelling "keep goofing off!" So that's the plan for the day. On to it -

Sue