As a child, my favorite saint was St. Francis. I think one of the reasons I was so drawn to his story was his profound connection to all of creation: sun, moon, plants, rivers mountains, animals … somehow that way of living and being has always resonated with me. I continue to gain inspiration from […]
Every time I begin working on a new series, I have mixed feelings. Being held by what I’ve already started mixed with being impelled by what I want to do next. Melancholy mixed with excitement. Curiosity mixed with worry. Delight mixed with feeling vulnerable. Do you ever feel that way when you start something new? I haven’t yet […]
I woke up this morning to a deep quiet outside my window. The window was open a few inches (I like sleeping with cold air on my face.) Most mornings, even as late as yesterday morning, I awake to the chatter of tiny songbirds in the lilacs just outside. This morning all was silent. It was our first snow and I knew my paint palette was going to change with the season.
I’m enjoying the way the season has turned this week — brilliant sunlight alternates with rainy skies and cold, dark evenings. In my studio the sun is lower through the skylight. On rainy days, I’m forced to use the overhead light. At night, I can see a few stars in the black rectangle above my work table. The colors of the season are turning up on my canvases. Darker colors– blacks, metallics, crimson, blood-red, forest greens. Richer for the changing light.
Weekly artist dates fire up your imagination. Get down and whimsical. Do things totally differently than how you usually do. Let your imagination and your body play. Feed your creative self by filling up the well of ideas. This week, look around your home office, studio or wherever you hang out when you are art-making, and see if there is someplace you can hang a line of ideas. Use anything for the line and clips. Read on for ideas for your idea line.
One of my challenges continues to be finding balance in my life. Most folks who have started their own businesses know, that you pretty much have to work 60 hour weeks or more in the beginning. At the gallery, we not only represent our own art (mine and my husband Tim’s) we also took on 14 other artists in the first year — and are expanding to representing a total of 18 to 20 artists in the next two years. That’s alot of responsibility for me to promote and sell their art, and to help them in their careers.
For an artist date this week, take yourself on a color-hunt with your camera. At a time of year (In Montana, it’s late winter/almost spring) when we crave color, this is a fun exercise in seeing. Check out the list of ideas for a color hunt, whether you have a camera or not.
