Life offline

I've been offline almost all week and I have to say...it has felt pretty AWESOME. I had taken myself out of cyber commission because I had some....COMMISSION work to do (and still do) and facebook and Hour Swap upkeep really does eat a big chunk of the day.
I had promised no blogging but here I find myself, cup of coffee in hand...in front of this damn screen.
Not doing Hour Swaps for about a week and a half has felt strange. On one hand it has been nice to not have to report to "the office" every morning and pester the world with For Sale signs (which it feels like sometimes) and on the the other hand I have missed it. I'll be picking it up again next week though and I have been CREATING Hour Swaps....just not posting them every morning.
Why?
I'm getting ready for an HOUR SWAP SHOW!

So I'm balancing this commission project with prepping for the art show which has made me one busy bee.
Yesterday I was feeling a little tired of endless painting and looked outside longingly at the awesome weather and made a decision. WORK OUTSIDE.
So I did and it was refreshing and if the weather holds out that is where you can find me. It is my goal to spend as much time outside as possible.
But I wanted to get back to my real reason for blogging this morning. I want to tout the virtues of disconnecting from your social network for a few days. It truly is a reset button! I still have much to do in the way of breaking bad habits but disconnecting was the first step, next step will be not having ANY meals at my computer or checking emails every 30 minutes out of boredom.
I have discovered it is very liberating to :
1. Not know what everyone else is doing at any given moment of the day
2. Not know what a stranger had for lunch
3. Not know what really gets on Person X's nerves
4. Not have everyone else know what YOU had for lunch, where you are and what gets on your nerves.
5. Have TIME to read, sit outside and have tea, pet the neighbors cat, tidy up your house and get stuff done!

It was feeling like I was reporting to this computer on my every daily action. ROBOT XPR reporting for duty, here is my work MegaComp, I am going to go eat cereal now, yay I got some coupons in the mail for cat food, my cat is really getting on my nerves, i'm going to go eat a tuna fish sandwich now, blah....blah....blah...
And here I am blogging, does the irony never cease! :D
Disconnect. Go Outside. Reconnect with the "Old Ways" before the internet...I think we used to play outside, work in our yards and read? Right?

Golden

I'm not even sure what to say about the events that have just transpired. They have been so challenging, illuminating and made me feel something.....odd...."lucky" is a good word. I have felt very lucky the past few weeks. I am definitely in gratitude mode and the golden sunshine streaming through my window today was the first thing I thanked. It is going to be a beauty of a day.
I guess a quick recap is in order since I haven't blogged much here. I have been so wrapped up with the art of poverty blog and getting everything ready for Good Morning Texas and UNDERGROUND.
So it has been a marathon around here of painting up a storm, getting fresh pieces for both of these things BACK TO BACK. Deciding what I should take on TV and what should go to the Janette Kennedy Gallery and then hustling some vinyl record pieces (which I knew would be hot tickets at UNDERGROUND) has consumed my life the past couple of weeks. Then there was the ride wrangling and supplies I needed to borrow from here and there and everywhere. Meetings to go to, things to schedule and reschedule and ICE! Which threw a big wrench into a lot of my plans but you have to adjust and keep on going. Not to mention my bike TUCO has a flat tire and I need him to um...do everything practically! Groceries and post office runs will not be possible without TUCO!
So, wow...so many people popped out of the woodwork to help me in so many ways that it is hard to feel like a hermit right now. Last night I certainly did not feel like a hermit as I sat in the gallery at UNDERGROUND painting live surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of people and artists and people in body paint and devils on stilts....it was a sensory overload!
My friend Lorena (who helped me MAJOR last night) took photos and I'll be posting them soon. It was a crazy night, my whole stack of business cards disappeared QUICK! My mailing list grew without me having to butter people up.


(these pieces drew rave reviews!)
I had a great spot in the gallery and two pieces in particular had people like moths to a flame, I got so many wonderful compliments and interest in my work that I had a permanent smile glued to my face all night. Wait, it's still here this morning!
The painting I was working on live sold before the paint was even dry (yay Moustachiopus!), old friends and new came out to say hi and wish me well.


I got to meet Joe from 420 Tattoos in Denton as he came to visit his Jimi Hendrix piece he bought from me. I got asked if I did tattoo art because my line work was excellent. I got blogged and promoted by some awesome people like Schmidty who wrote a nice piece about ArtLoveMagic here. And the lovely Cori Berg who used my painting over at her lovely blog Sacred Arts: Healing Art Gallery, cameras were going off all night...it was good vibrations and a nice wind down to all the work I had been doing.
The precursor to this was the GOOD MORNING TEXAS show which had my facebook CRAZY with wonderful peeps cheering me on and cyber high fiving me all over the place. I got some new blog followers and interest in my work, my stat counter went off the chart and I got some nice emails from strangers saying they were impressed with my work and loved my idea. I AM WRAPPED IN LOVE SWEET LOVE.
So Valentines weekend has given all this sweet love to me and I send it out to you. THANK YOU ALL, EVERY ONE OF YOU! You make the world a better place, you bring a smile to my face :) Happy Valentines Day tomorrow and remember to let the people in your life that mean the most know it!

(*my paintings will be on view until Feb 26th at the Janette Kennedy Gallery 1409 S. Lamar in the Southside on Lamar building)

Bang Bang!

Woke up feeling really sore and discombobulated and can only think it was falling four times on the ice, crouching for two hours making a snow owl and way too many hours sitting on a hardwood floor painting this week-that has put me here.

But boy did I have fun doing every last bit of it, even falling! Out of Epsom Salts but am soaking first thing this morning nonetheless. Then I am bypassing all this Super Bowl hooplah by working in my studio today, need to finish a tiger record and then really make some headway on some stuff for Underground. I am feeling the pressure, now just gotta keep remembering to have fun with everything.
I think I will be more fun after another cup of coffee.

New Addition

"The Roots Remain"
24" x 24"
acrylic on gallery canvas

She's officially finished! You can come see her Saturday Feb 12th at the UNDERGROUND show! Whew! Lots of work went into this one!

So Close!!!

Ok my new painting is so close to be doing done, I'm expecting another hour or two of work and this thing will be ready to hang. I had been sitting too long on hardwood floors painting that I just HAD to stop and rest so it didn't get finished last night. I'm a wimp...but I also like being able to walk and stand up straight.
My impetus for finishing is this beautiful SNOW! I want to go play, I want to go play! But can't play until work is finished. WAH!
I'll post the photo of the painting later. I am feeling it is one of my best yet and already see some forms I want to explore in my next canvas.
Everyone enjoy this beautiful rare white snow!

Studio

This is my little dining room/studio and that is the current canvas I'm working on. Heres a closeup shot

As much as I'd love to go take a walk in this 17 degree weather and do a little slipping and sliding on the ice...I'm not allowed to go outside until this is done. Today WILL be the day! It is marathon painting day in the studio! Everyone have a great day whatever you do!

Hot Seat!

I'm sitting in the Hot Seat and that isn't the same as Sitting Pretty- you can read about all that over at The Art Of Poverty though. I wanted to blog about my upcoming show here and why I hope you'll attend.
You should attend because it's going to be AWESOME!
Attended a pre-meeting for it this past weekend and saw a little video of last years event. It truly looks like a good time for all. Live music, live art being created (yes, painting live...come see us artists in action) and a TON of amazing fresh art from your cities underground talents! There will be a sensual art room I hear- ooh la la...with live models. A place to grab drinks or coffee, shirts for sale (really cool shirts!) and just a great interaction of artists and creative people, music and good vibrations.
I'll be working my butt off to get ready for it so please come support the UNDERGROUND artists- all my stuff will be priced economically and will mostly all be NEW stuff created for this event. Everything you need to know about this show can be found here:
UNDERGROUND EVENT INVITE ON FACEBOOK and get to know the awesome crew who puts this event on as well as many other art events around town
ARTLOVEMAGIC and if you are an artist in the metroplex wanting to make a connection with ArtLoveMagic and get in on some art showing opportunities-I suggest you come to this and start chatting with them. Amazing group of people who are trying to help artists out. How rare is that?

Balance

It's Sunday January 30 and I have exactly 12 days to finish a stack of records and about 3 canvases. I am trying not to freak out. I am trying to enjoy every minute of the rush and bustle and I'm trying not to feel so damn tired.
I blame a glass a red wine which I never drink. The stuff makes me feel stuffed up and sleepy. Cute pink shoes which I never wear (because my Nikes are my mainstay) didn't help my already tired legs. Working outside on the concrete didn't help my back nor did sitting on a cement floor at yesterdays meeting.
I am all kinds of sore and tired and stuffy today and unfortunately NO REST IN SIGHT!
Today would be grocery day and grocery day involves me riding my bike about two miles and fitting what I can manage on my back and in my basket.
How much do I NOT feel up to this task today?
But it's got to be done, my friend needs food for her lunches and I need food to maintain some energy.
I spent a good 5 hours on a new canvas yesterday. I was able to work outside and be inspired by the birds, the sun and the sound of windchimes. When the sounds turned to my neighbors kids playing basketball and said basketball constantly rolling behind me onto our porch I decided to pack it in.
I think I will kickstart this day with a hot cup of coffee and a super long soak in a hot bath and hope that puts some pep back in my step. I don't know where the rock is gonna come from but I need to pull it outta somewhere quick!

TGIF

This is yesterdays Hour Swap piece! I would love to do a whole wall of these, it would be so groovy! They remind me of little tiles. By the by, I love little hand painted tiles. Pretty Talavera Mexican tiles...when I'm rich I'm going to have them all around me!
Visions of grandeur this morning, obviously I'm not quite awake. Although the idea DID pop into my head that if my TV appearance made my business boom the first thing I was going to purchase was something I have never had the pleasure to purchase. It is something that I haven't even had the pleasure of experiencing in a very long time. That my friends is a real honest to goodness bed. Sleeping in a bed! Not sleeping on a shabby hand me down mattress on the floor?! THAT is my dream. I will totally be content with a bed. A BED!!!! But back to reality....
It is Friday morning and my TO DO list is so long I was considering blowing off Yoga but remembered that Yoga is doing wonders for me right now. It calms down my anxiety, limbers me up and makes my back feel good, gets my blood flowing and my brain working (hello oxygen!) and takes care of something I promised to never take for granted. MY HEALTH. No matter how busy I get HEALTH and FAMILY take precedent. So to Yoga I go and then the post office and then busy in the studio day....the day looks like a gorgeous one so Im contemplating setting up my canvas outside, hmmmm...
today feels like a good one, hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend!

Motivation

This is yesterdays HOUR SWAP painting which fetched $33! The cats meow...thats my half of the electric bill! These have been well received and really I can't believe how the project has taken off in so short a time.
I am set to appear on Good Morning Texas on Feb 11th! So excited!
But I've already blogged all about this on my other blog and I wanted to talk about motivation here.
Lately I have been getting messages from friends telling me I am really inspiring them and motivating them. Some people are contemplating quitting their jobs and trying to make a go of their dreams. Others are motivated to be more productive, creative...work on their artwork or own businesses. While all the wonderful words telling me that I inspire you are very humbling I must pass your thank yous on to the Universe. Not to sound like a hokey hippie dippy chick but I am just a person who has learned to "receive" and through receiving "giving". Anything I have learned through other people, reading or my own mistakes and successes in life I pass on to you but I am not the source. I am a small transmitter in the Universe, we all are. This may not make any sense and thats ok, I probably need a second cup of coffee.
I will say that one thing I think is very important in trying to make a go of your dreams is believing that you can....sounds very Disney but you'd be surprised at how simple and real this is. Also you must learn to look at your obstacles as "opportunity". Obstacles challenge you, your obstacles are your own very unique problems. No one else might have just the same obstacles as you and therefore you must find your own unique solutions to the obstacles. Not viewing them as obstacles but your own special tools to build on. Aren't these how great inventions are made? Someone sees a problem and therefore a great invention must be made to solve it.
And last but not least and really this should right up there with believing you can- THANKFULNESS. You did not get all the way where you are in life all by yourself. You have existed in a world where people have helped you in some way or fashion. Either by encouraging, teaching or giving you tools you need. Even those bad people in your life who try your patience are giving you something. Thank them all! I thank my really bad job situation for lighting a wildfire in me to get the hell out of there. I thank the people who have been mean to me for showing me that is NOT the way to go through life. Thank everyone and everything for strengthening your armor, for giving you fuel for your fire, for training you for an amazingly hard track you're about to run and the only race that will mean anything in your life. Chasing your dreams. Don't let life slip you by, just decide that you want it and that you WILL get it.

I've not changed my status in life since making my own way in the world as an artist. In fact I'm broke. Poor by the worlds standards. But damn if I am not SO happy to be doing what I love to do everyday. Something that fulfills me and that other people can enjoy. What I was meant to do. My goal is not to be rich and famous but simply succeed at doing what I love to do. My purpose. Everyone has one. JUST DO IT!

Keeping your head above water, making a wave when you can

Yesterdays HOUR SWAP piece went for $10! Congrats to the winner, a fellow woman artist for snaggin' that deal. I really liked this piece and can see me doing some similar stuff in that theme and color palette. It inspired me-there I said it!
I think it would be cool to show who these people are who are collecting my stuff -some seem to be other artists and some are people in my community who have businesses, etc. Isn't it interesting to see what everyone contributes to the world? So if time permits I will be posting up a little info or pic of what these people do- who they are...I have lots to catch up on, a treasury and some blog lovin' for my fellow Etsy peoples.
Trying to knock out two boxes and then get down to serious business. Big paintings. Did I tell you? I'm gonna be on TV!

1/25/11 Unbelievable

Here is yesterdays HOUR SWAP piece which I am pleased to say went for $42! WOW! Amazing! The bidding went on hot on the heels of some interesting news I got yesterday.
Last week I posted over on Craigslist about my Hour Swap in order to gain some more readers, get some more exposure, etc. Fully prepared for the usual couple of spam letters I get from posting over there. Strangely I didn't get any spam. In fact I got ONE solitary email and it simply asked if I was located in the metroplex.
Usually I wouldn't answer such a question from an anonymous Craigslist responder but the address it came from intrigued me, "wfaa"...which is a local TV channel. So I responded with a "Yes, Im in the metroplex and thanks for checking out my art" message.
Yesterday when I got back from my supply run and gym I see another email from the same person and it reads
"I’m a producer with Good Morning Texas at WFAA/Channel 8.
Would you be interested in coming on the show to talk about your “Hour Art Project”?
It sounds like it could be a lot of fun."
UNBELIEVABLE! And this couldn't have come at a better time, I'm eeking through what looked like the last month of me "living my dream" trying to be a self employed artist and was about to hit Craigslist employment section when this little piece of gold bonked me on the head!
So much to do to make sure this opportunity is as productive as possible. Things like this do happen?! To regular ol' poor artists like me?!
You should keep up with my other blog - it seems to be quite the buzz right now!
THE ART OF POVERTY

1/24 Get Movin'

Spent a lot of time in the studio working on orders this weekend and finished these "Tiger and Honey Bear" themed pieces. Today is Pilates and supply day so almost no time in the studio but I am going to try and push myself to do my Hour Swap. It's going to be a tight squeeze.
Then I have another box order in the queue and then...time to get serious. I have the UNDERGROUND show to prepare for and won't be able to do much but get ready for that- all extraneous projects will have to wait until after Feb 12. There will be -if all accounts are true- a LOT of people at this show and the more pieces I have prepared for it the greater my chance of selling and I need to sell bad. Going to be putting some major mileage on my studio...consider me Miss Hermit until this show is over.
And if you know any artist you know this is the equivalent of hanging a sign on your hotel room doorknob that says DO NOT DISTURB. :)
It's go time and I feel the fire under me! Everyone have a great Monday!

Morning Coffee

I spend most mornings here at my computer with my morning coffee. I may wake up full of creative ideas and itching to get into the studio but sometimes the world wide web is a little distracting...especially youtube, etsy and facebook....which seem to eat a good part of the morning for me. Before I know it the morning is over and it's time to make lunch and there my whole morning has been wasted. So before I head into the new week I am going to start utilizing an old friend of mine called "Morning Coffee" which is an app designed to open up all the sites you frequent daily. You can even configure it to open certain ones on certain days etc... Then every morning I will systematically go through each site. Email- check. Other email- check. Website analytics-check. Etsy store peek- check. My blogs updated-check. Any blogs I wanna follow- check...and then last but not least Facebook- and here is where I am going to implement another old friend. My watch. I'm going to give myself a set amount of time and then LOG OFF when the watch goes beep! Seeing the tabs open will remind me Im on a mission- get through each one and close it.
I should then be able to get more done in a day. Like go to the park and get a good run in, visit my duck friends (shown in the photo above) and enjoy the outside world before heading into the studio and working. I have found this to be a vital part of my creative process- going outside and getting my blood flowing.
I will have to log in at various points in the day to post stuff to Etsy or communicate with people about orders, etc. But I am going to use the watch method this week and really monitor my time. I feel like I didn't get as much done last week as I should've. My creative challenge to everyone this week is to monitor how much time you waste online, by waste I mean staring at the computer screen waiting for someone to comment on your facebook or boredly scrolling through the internet when you need to get your laundry done. Sometimes we just need that down time. But sometimes I think my downtime might be more fulfilling if it was spent in a bubble bath, reading a book or doing some good old fashioned meditation.
Namaste!

New Day

Sometimes you just wake up feeling like it is a "new day". Well, of course it is but you must also turn the page in your mind. All yesterdays problems, events and things to do are over and things begin anew -with new outlook, idea and color. Its a cold 33 degrees but from my window I see blue sky and golden sun pouring over the fence. A new day. A good day.
I forsee a good run and some mileage on my shoes today, warm meals made from scratch and the completion of orders which I am so thankful to have.
Yesterdays HOUR SWAP project is featured above, it went for a high bid of $20! This has been a good week for me in the DIY money making project department. I am full of gratitude and humility at everyones interest and kindness.
This weekend I'll be posting some spotlights and doing a little local spotlight on a neighborhood business I adore. Love where you live!

Too Cold

It is just much too cold for waiting on downtown streets in sweaty clothes for late buses. I'm going to do my yoga and Pilates here at the house today and hope to get some running in this weekend when the temps climb up a little. Wuss....yes.
Plus I'm doing a studio lock down day and working on orders and getting some stuff done.
Featured above is yesterdays Hour Swap piece, you'll have to visit my other blog to find out it's fate!
I've been featured in some treasuries this week so I'll try to do my gratitude blog either today or tomorrow.
Everyone have a great Friday and weekend!

Nothing from Nothing

11/19/11 HOUR SWAP PROJECT
"Ripple Effect"
7" x 7" acrylic on wood panel
Winning Bid: $10
My Pilates teacher has a little saying she likes to throw out there while we're struggling to not die on the floormats in a half crunch we've been holding for a full minute...she says "Nothing from nothing equals nothing! Something from something equals something!" Which of course means- your effort will provide gains and she is right- not only has my effort in Pilates already provided me with gains (or losses I should say, bye bye 3 lbs!) but it is a good thing to remember when you're working on other parts of your life. Put in the effort! Things aren't just going to magically happen by themselves. So when sales were NOT coming through my door via ETSY I figured I had better put some effort in and use the ol noggin'...that was the impetus for my other blog. 2 Blogs is not so easy to keep up with- especially when you're trying to keep your content varied. And then add on to it that one blog requires you to work for it, work hard so that you not only gain readers but buyers! But something from something equals something and I'm in it to win it.
I was feeling silly yesterday and have been enjoying watching Sanford and Son on Antennae TV (33.2 here in DFW) so yesterdays HOUR SWAP was..."Fred G. Sanford" and he sold at a bid of $10! A steal! I painted him not only because he is funny but like me- a little entrepreneur doing what he had to do to make it. In his case- collect junk. In my case hustle artwork.
I updated my website with more about the project and hope to see this thing grow- at least get a little handful of pieces into the hands of those who would like to collect art but can't afford to- not at gallery prices anyway.
Today I have orders to work on (YAY! WORK!) and do you actually think I got my Christmas tree taken down and anything cleaned yesterday?
Big Fat No.
Nothing from nothing equals nothing after all...or a bunch of dirty dishes, hairballs and a dirty house.
Wah.

Mid Week Mess

This was created for yesterdays HOUR SWAP project, if you're keeping up with that you know a lucky person is getting a painting that took me ONE HOUR to create in exchange for one hour of their hourly wage. That one went for $9! Follow my other blog The Art Of Poverty "Experiments in Unemployment" if you're interested in getting an art piece for insane prices....like $9! Or if you're interested to see how crazy it is trying to live off your own wit, skill and creativity. It's like Survivor but I have yet to succumb to eating grub worms or killing my chickens!
I looked around my place yesterday and noticed....wow, this place is a mess. For all intent and purpose it looks like Christmas is still going strong in my living room. EVERYTHING holiday is still up down to the cheery wreath on my front door-which tells the whole world you're slackin' or still waiting on a late delivery from Santa. I would be the former.
I promised my Mom I'd lunch with her today and then I have band practice this evening so my studio is not gonna get much action today but if I can I will be disassembling anything holly and jolly and starting to put my cave back into place.
Somehow Im going to try to squeeze an Hour Swap project in but it's gonna be tight. Hope everyone is enjoying hump day as much as me! WHEEEEE!

Buzzin'

Yesterday was a day of fun experiments on wood panels. I bought these nice little 7" x 7" wood panels and decided to see what I could do in ONE HOUR. The end result was this:


As I sat there trying to decide on a nice price to list it on Etsy - the idea struck me...how about charging one hour of someones hourly work wage for one hour of my painting time on this painting. It would be fair and affordable and would get my work to someone who might not be able to afford it otherwise. Not sure how to accomplish this on Etsy I decided to make it a purely Facebook and Blog experiment. Want to see what happened? Go to: the art of poverty to find out!
Above is another wood panel I did just for kicks, I'm playing with my paper cutter and this piece kind of reminded me of Matisse and his cut paper forms and colors. I am itching to get at a canvas but know I need to create some smaller works for Underground before I can.


I also have an order for a France Gall box and I need more valentines in my shop as we approach that holiday. I also need to dust off my bass guitar and get in tune for The Shapes show coming up. We start practice this week!
My other blog has definitely lit a fire under me and made me put my foot to the pedal on trying to create more money leaves on my tree. Not sure if it is pure luck or what but I had a sale last night in the Etsy shop!


Wave bye bye to Mr. Tiger Record!
Time to go update my other blog and in case you're interested I'll be doing another "HOUR SWAP" today so stay tuned to the Art Of Poverty blog to see if you can get a painting for like $12.78 or see if I sink or swim....da da dunnnnnnnn!

(pictured above: Papercut Painting Vines on Wood $15 in my etsy shop and "Against The Grain-The Hour Swap Project" 7" x 7" acrylic on wood panel)

Monday Motivation

In light of me doing a hardcore grocery run on my bike yesterday (in the mist and cold) and my body telling me to CHILL- I'm skipping Pilates class today. I know, I know.....shameful. I suppose at the last minute I may still jump on the bus but doubtful. Theres a big parade downtown and the buses will be running wonky. Yes, I can make up excuses till the cows come home :)
BUT-I will be doing a neighborhood run and possibly a bike ride to celebrate the 60 degrees we're climbing up to today! WOOHOO!
Yesterday I started a new blog called "Experiments in Unemployment" here http://theartofpoverty.blogspot.com and it is pretty much self explanatory. Check it out if you wanna see me try to stave off impending doom! Oh no!
I also baked my first gluten free loaf of bread yesterday and must say- pretty tasty! Not sure that I have gluten problems but am experimenting with various known problem makers and trying to cut stuff out of my diet to see if I can't find the culprit of my ailments.
There is really too much to do to even wrap my brain around right now so I leave you with a photo of my delicious loaf of bread!