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The Coffee Girls: Confession #6

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There’s a coffee shop that I go to a lot that I haven’t told my best friends about. It’s not an upscale place. Nothing trendy or anything like that. I’m not sure my friends would even go there if I casually brought it up. Most likely they would roll their eyes and at laugh at my choice. It’s kind of an old hole in the wall place. Trust me, you’d never see it on a list of popular places to meet up. It’s dark, quaint, off the beaten path. However, they don’t know what I discovered there.

The coffee isn’t the real reason I stop in. Coffee is pretty much the same in all the local coffee bars in my area. So it’s not the coffee, though it’s good there. No complaints about the coffee. What keeps me coming back is that I discovered this grande, steamy hot South American blend that makes my mouth water the minute I walk in the door. Antonio. His name is Antonio. He could be selling Folger’s in a dixie cup for eight dollars a pour and I’d keep coming back. Don’t ask me where this place is. I’m not telling.

The Coffee Girls: Confession #5

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I LOVE coffee with creamer. I mean, I really LOVE it that way. Especially if it’s french vanilla… in liquid form. Chocolate mocha is a close second. I just can’t fathom coffee without any kind of creamer. I’ve tried. I really have. I tried three days in a row once. Thought I was gonna die. Maybe I need to try more exotic coffee blends, but I cannot handle my java straight up black. For me, it’s a form of taste bud torture. How others do it is beyond me.

Truthfully, just the thought of a hot cup of coffee in the morning with a heavy splash of french vanilla gets me out of bed with a smile on my face. Have you ever seen a sign that says “I thought I liked coffee. Turns out I like creamer“… well that’s me, I guess. Coffee connoisseurs might shake their heads at me, but I don’t really care. At least I use liquid creamers and not the powdered stuff. Unless it’s the only choice I have. Ok, if it’s the only choice I have, just skip the coffee and give me some tea. Or water.

Empty Bowls: I Love This Event

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Empty Bowls is one of my favorite local charities to be involved with. If you don’t know, it is part of a national event, put on at various times across the country, and has a long history with the end goal to fight food insecurity. If you’re interested in how it came into being and how it has developed… look it up. I don’t need to type all that here.

Anyway… local potters create large bowls for the “collectors club” and the auction event (which are the large dollars portion of the fund raiser) and local artists are invited to paint these bowls with underglazes that turn out beautifully when fired. At least the ones that make it through the firing, not all do. (May they rest in peace, or should I say pieces.)

The community also gets involved by creating and painting smaller bowls at local pottery studios. The fish photo is an unfired bowl from last year painted on a community soup sized bowl. Nothing serious about this one! I didn’t get to see it fired which was such a bummer. I used some really bright colors which don’t show until fired. (I was hoping I could snag it, but someone beat me to it.)

This year, I’m working in the bowl room. We’ll see who gets there first!

Anyhow… as one of the many local artists here in McKinney, I’ve been painting bowls for the collectors club portion as well as the general admission portion for six years now. Thank you, thank you very much. I appreciate that you appreciate all we do, and how much we appreciate the people who turn out to support this. When it comes to the Empty Bowls event, it’s for sure a mutual appreciation thing.

Ok, this is getting too long. As you can see, for the Empty Bowls event this year, I created and painted a cow skull inside the bowl. It would have been a “longhorn” but it’s a bowl… I could only spread those beautiful bovine horns so far. Anyway, I think it is perfect for North Texas and all the longhorns (and shorthorns) in the area. When I took the photo, it hadn’t been fired yet so the colors are really dull. Sorry.

This Saturday is the big reveal reception. This is when the potters, artists, and potential buyers (i.e. the public) get to see all the finished collectors club and auction bowls. I can hardly wait! I wish you could be there. It’s always fabulous! I’ll have photos on my Facebook page next week, if you’re curious how it turned out.

Musings From a Meandering Mind

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The First Week of January: Realistic Resolutions, Sales, Themes

Where do I begin? Ok… how about the dreaded New Year Resolutions. Here are ones I know I can keep.
1. Gain, then lose, then gain, weight.
2. Spend a lot of time in my comfy pants (i.e. pajama bottoms)
3. Read lots and lots of books, just like I always do
4. Ignore house work as much as reasonably possible
5. Take a snooze in the recliner from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. several days a week.
6. Waste lots of time playing games/researching topics (i.e.) goof off… on my smartphone
7. Paint/draw/create. Trash, tear up, smash… then paint/draw/create

This is the short list. I could go on and on and on. Luckily for you… I won’t. Resolutions can be so boring. 

I had a good December at the gallery. Actually, it was pretty amazing in regards to sales. However, being the realist that I am, I fully expect January to be “dry”. To be clear, I’m talking about art, not wine. I have no intention of cutting back on my consumption of wine. No “dry” January in that department! I am a firm supporter of drinking grapes. 

Though I expect sales to be slow this month, I have embarked on a new theme for my artwork. Colorful cow skulls, with horns. (On canvas. I am not painting actual skulls. Though that would be a cool thing to do.) Will they sell? Maybe, maybe not. Themes are often a gamble. Actually, most artwork is a gamble. (Ok, let me be specific. MY artwork is a gamble.) However, am I having fun painting them? Absolutely!! Are they a nod to Georgia O’Keefe? Absolutely not!! They are a nod to a whim. Mine. You can see them on my Instagram page, if you’re curious.

Oh… one more item to my “list”. 
8. Keep putting off updating my website. 

See ya! 

I’ve Gone Back to Alcohol… Inks!

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Once upon a time, in a land far away… ok, not far away, somewhere in the U.S…. a few talented ladies introduced the masses to a medium that was, at first, popular and mostly used by scrapbook enthusiasts for, you know, scrapbooks. This medium was Alcohol inks (sold mostly under the trade name of Tim Holtz and Pinata) and when people saw what they could do with them, they were suddenly hot, hot, hot for creating artwork. Sound familiar?

Facebook groups popped up by the dozens. Books were being published on how to use them. People of all ages were squeezing those little bottles of ink with an unbridled passion. They were stamping the inks, dripping the inks, and blowing through straws to make the inks move until their eyes popped out of their heads. Seems like overnight everyone was an alcohol ink artist.

And I joined right in. Yes, I was one of those who felt the need to take a sip, then a gulp, then immerse myself in them. (Not literally, that would have landed me in the hospital possibly followed by a long stay in a place with attendants in little white coats.)

The colors and color combinations were amazing! I was hooked. I played, created, (got high off of the fumes) for several years. I eventually started painting with them using brushes and sold many of my ink art creations on Etsy. Then it got old. I was ready to move on. My inks, tiles, and specialty papers got pushed aside. For me the thrill had passed. I had sobered up so to speak. I had moved on to… at that time… watercolors.

Well, that long dry spell is over. I’m off the wagon and playing with my collection of alcohol inks again. I say play, because for me, all of my art is play. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it. If it isn’t play (i.e. “fun”) you shouldn’t be doing it either. Has it replaced my love for palette knives and oils? Nope. But it’s an enjoyable reunion.

So.. got any alcohol? As in alcohol inks? Set ’em up Joe and make mine a double.

We’re Not Laughing At Your Art (Ok, We Are)

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When a program speaker for my art club had to cancel, I stepped in and did something I have been wanting to do with this group for a long time. Get them to loosen up and laugh. I think that sometimes laughing at your art is a healthy thing to do. I’ll explain soon.

So, I did a program on The Art Of The Continuous Line. Most of the group had not done these before while some had not done them since college classes.

If you need a refresher, continuous line drawings are done exactly as it’s stated. With ONE continuous line as I did with the orchid drawing seen here. You don’t lift your pen, pencil, charcoal… whatever you’re using… from your drawing surface. This is also often called contour line drawing. Slow and steady. At this point, no laughing at your art is happening.

Then there are Continuous Line Exercises! These are often done as “timed” (I like two to three minutes) or blind… not looking at your drawing surface. Which is extremely hard to do. Most people have to peek, more than once, to see where they are on the paper.

Here’s the kicker. I made the club members do BOTH at the SAME TIME. Timed and blind. (I lovingly call it drunk drawing.) I also had them doing these using each other as the subject. It was so much fun. The results were so funny. I don’t think I’ve heard this group do this much laughing in years.

As I told them. We were there to “loosen up, laugh, and learn”. We did all three. I assured them, “we aren’t laughing at your art, we are laughing with your art. It probably only makes sense to me.

I have since done this program for another group and will be teaching workshops on taking these exercises to the next level with mixed media techniques. Maybe you, the reader, will give it a try wherever you are.

Just be sure to do it with a friend. After all, laughter is good for the soul. So is laughing at your art (from time to time).

P.S. I peeked on this one.

Art: Teaching SOME Of What You Know

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Many people who teach art hold degrees that they earned through four or more years of extensive study at a university.

Then there’s people like me.

I have no degree in art. I am a graduate of the “university of self learning”. (Actually, I have not graduated from that one either. I feel like every day is an opportunity to learn more.) I’m not alone.

I can say with certainty that there are so many fabulous artists who are products of this kind of university. Like them, I’ve spent thousands of hours in self study and have spent large amounts of dollars taking on-line classes with established artists to learn what I know. I may not be an expert, but I do know a lot about the creation of art. Enough about it that I am in a gallery selling my artwork. (Which may or may not be an indicator of what the public thinks is art. I’m laughing here… join in.)

So, several months ago, I decided that I needed to take the plunge and start teaching classes/workshops at the gallery (where my studio is). The gallery Board was pushing us to come up with classes for the “classroom” and several artists were taking the plunge. For a long time, I resisted. I felt like if I taught people what I do… why would they buy my work?

However, after much thought, I decided that the solution for me was to teach, but NOT teach the medium or techniques for the art that I sell there. I would, instead, teach other art stuff. Things I still like to do (mostly at home) when I just want to put down the oils, the cold wax, the palette knives and play with acrylics, mark making tools, collage, pastels, charcoal, etc. etc.

I would teach mixed media techniques! I would make it fun! I would make it interesting! I would make a little more money! I would feel the anxiety of throwing a party and then nobody showing up! (Ok, that hasn’t happened…. yet.)

So, along with continuing my almost daily painting practice and my self continuing education, I am teaching art classes and doing workshops. Come to find out, I really enjoy sharing what I know.

Ok, SOME of what I know. I’m not ready to “tell all”.

En Plein Aire: When Nature Calls cont.

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Part Two

I did it. I participated in my first En Plein Aire event. Not, the monthly get out and paint with others get together which I had been dodging until the days get cooler. No, this was an all day event.

Forget easing in. No…. I went all in. I would seize the day! Until it seized me.

I had my faithful cart (from Academy Sports) carefully loaded with what I thought I would need to survive a hot Texas day at the local nature preserve. I had a small ice chest with a little ice, fortified water, paper towels, cooling cloths, snacks (packaged for a toddler because that was the only thing I could find with sliced apples), hat, a small folding chair (golf spectator type), my pochade box with paints, the tripod for the pochade, bug spray, portable battery for my cell phone (yep!), and numerous other small items in a tote that I always carry with me whenever I go paint.

I left the wine, boom box, portable fan, and pack of Depends at home. Didn’t want people to realize it was my first time en plein aire that wasn’t in my backyard. I did however, bring my “square” card reader… just in case someone walking by couldn’t live without whatever I wound up painting. You know, just practicing positive thinking.

I got there, signed in, picked up my info and goodie bag and headed for the trail along with several others. Luckily for me, my friend Beth had arrived at the same time. Beth volunteers at this nature preserve, so I hooked up with her. She knew where all the best shaded areas were.

After a few minutes of walking, we had arrived and I was ready to get at it! My pochade box, however, was not. It got into a fight with my tripod. Took me about ten minutes to get them to make up and work together. Easy snap on feature, my arse.

Once that was worked out. I could enjoy the day. I was a plein aire painter! Nature sang it’s song through the trees, the birds, the grasses. I was loving it. The heat would be ignored. The bugs dropping from the trees would be ignored. I wasn’t new to tuning things out, I have …

“Surprise!”

Did I mention that we were there during the annual Dinosaur exhibit at the preserve? Moving, life size dinosaurs. There was one right behind us. I knew it was there, how could you miss seeing it? Lovely fellow. However, it was… vocal. Roared a lot. Must have been an art critic at one time.

Then came all the parents with their kids. Kids who were there to see, squeal, cry like they were being forced to sit with Santa, and to roar back at the dinosaurs. Isn’t plein aire painting great!!

Stay tuned for Part Three. Or not.

En Plein Aire: When Nature Calls

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Part One

No, I’m not going to write about the need to find a place to empty my bladder when painting outdoors. Although I must admit determining where I wind up and how close it is to a “facility” is a high priority for me. Yes, I’m a wuss.

Now back to the tale. Or trail.

Several months ago, I joined the newly created local en plein aire group. I didn’t join because I love to sweat, fight off bugs, and haul painting supplies for a mile. In fact, I’m quite the opposite. I love air conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter, no bugs, and indoor plumbing. However, as a local artist, I wanted to support this new group and the amazing artists who love to paint outside.

So, I paid my dues and continued to paint. Inside. Paintings of landscapes and seascapes and things that are, of course, outside. At this point, en plein aire was only in my mind. My paintings continued to be from my imagination or photos and painted in my studio or at home. Like the one to the right which was not painted outside.

I LOVE nature, but not when it’s hot. You do not want to be around me when I’ve been sweating. My deodorant doesn’t want to be around me when I’ve been sweating. I guess if you paint outside with others it’s just something everyone gets used to. Or maybe that’s why everyone sets up so far apart. Actually, it’s not that bad. I just feel like it is.

So the group continued to meet and paint. Without me. However, I was on my way.

Stay tuned for part two. My first en plein aire event which was “all day”.

People Watching Is Like Bird Watching

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The gallery where I have my studio is a co-op and one of the requirements of being in a cooperative art gallery is that you have to work there a few times a month. So, (in addition to time spent in the studio) I get a lot of opportunities for people watching… and unintentional eavesdropping. Ok, sometimes it’s not unintentional. I am, by nature, both creative and curious.

I have to admit, I do like to people watch while working at the gallery. It’s kind of like birdwatching in your backyard. Like the birds, some arrive by themselves, some with their mates, some in groups. Some come in with their young in tow. You can hear soft twittering to loud cawing. Some are from the area and others are just passing through.

Watching and listening tells me a lot about our visitor. For example, those who know their stuff from those who, in a word, don’t. Those that don’t know their stuff try really hard to get attention. They strut, they flap a bit, they make a lot of noise while they tilt their heads back and forth surveying the art… all while trying to impress whoever is closest. “Look at the definitive aspects of the piece in how it’s being interpreted.” WHAT?? Yes, that circle is interpreted very circular and that square is very square. And just so you know, I would never embarrass anyone by saying something. Unless asked. Even then, I am gentle as I explain what I know about the artist, their artwork, and their technique.

Or I totally agree with them. Saves time.

Like birds to my yard, some of their songs can be irritating at times. Such as: “these look like a little kid did them”. NOT A CHANCE, LADY! Ok, it might look simple, but it’s a developed technique, and a kid couldn’t do it. (Unless the little kid is an art savant… and they do exist, but not at our gallery. We wouldn’t want the competition.) Or the songs can be quite enjoyable, “I just LOVE how this was done. I just want to step into the scene” YES! That’s what the artist hopes you’ll feel. Or even songs that are sweetly amusing. Such as “Look how realistic this is! It’s amazing!” WELL, Sir, that’s a photograph in a frame.

So, as artists, we just smile and enjoy the sighting. An art critic now might become an art collector in the future. We definitely want the bird to come back. So we do our best to encourage and not discourage… unless they are an absolute looney bird.

Now… back to bird watching (I mean people watching) the visitors in the gallery. Like the birds that come to my backyard, I appreciate all the visitors that stop in. Okay, some more than others. What is important is that each is special and unique in their plumage and by their nature. Also, each comment or encounter can lead to one of the following: 1) a private laugh shared with another artist as we roll our eyes, 2) a teachable moment with someone who is truly interested to know more, or 3) an enjoyable conversation with someone who happens to really connect with a piece in the gallery.

Watching and listening. Whether it’s people or birds, it makes time spent around them much more enjoyable. Most of the time.