I needed to create, to leave behind the rain, the dark clouds, the dark thoughts.But when I climbed the stairs to my neglected corner of the universe my spark fizzled in a storm of clutter, disorganization, and sheer chaos.
The spacious room lay buried under piles of past and future projects and felt crowded by the ghosts of the people I have been.I knew that to create something new I must make space for it.And I must make space for the person I want to become.
So I cued up a few podcasts* and set to work.The initial thought to “tidy up” quickly mutatedinto a need to move furniture, store objects of questionable worth, and contemplate new organizational strategies.
Some tasks came easily.Putting away the art supplies that littered the horizontal surfaces, tossing paper scraps and old notes into the recycle bin, finally throwing out those weird little fabric scraps I kept for absolutely no good reason.
Part of the fun of tidying up is rekindling the love for adored possessions.In this instance I lingered at my bookshelf.It could use an hour devoted to simply cleaning it out.I tossed out old jewelry making catalogs, workshop instructions for digital scrapbooking and Photoshop Elements, and pulled a pile of graphic design magazines out to recycle.But this is where I began to falter.
I had purchased the magazines at a used book store.I had spent hours pouring through the magazines marveling at the digital secrets held within their pages.But with a rudimentary understanding of Photoshop and zero understanding of Illustrator, their secrets seemed closed to me when I purchased them.But now- now is a different time and I am a different person.I speak these languages!And while technology has changed drastically, I thought those magazines could still hold some valuable lessons for me.So I put them back on the shelf for another day.
I didn’t finish tidying up the space or clearing the ghosts.I stuffed some of those ghosts into pretty little boxes along with a considerable collection of mostly dried up ink pads from my Rubber Stamping days.There remain other ghosts- an English teacher who defends her laminated posters of illustrated literary elements, a crafter or two who dabbled in polymer clay and jewelry craft, a wannabe photographer, the mother of two Lego obsessed children.But it takes energy and commitment to exorcise ghosts, and they don’t make too much noise.So, I left them for another day.
*Would you like to know which podcasts I am listening to? Click the links below to listen for yourself.
An uncomfortable but necessary look at our nation’s education system and how earnest intentions can cause more harm than good.
In the Studio
I attended my first live event early in May.I spent many weeks preparing- and afterwards I needed some downtime.I have been working with such an outward focus and I was missing out on the joy of doing for the sake of doing.So, I returned to play!My wonderful children and husband gifted me new liquid watercolors for Mother’s Day and I took them out for a spin.
The image to the left is a page from my sketchbook: dragon with Snapdragons. Ink and liquid watercolors. The previous image also comes from my sketchbook and is a leafy seadragon, further play with my liquid watercolors.
I am already preparing my next visit with you- a reflection on journals.During my studio cleanup adventure I revisited my journals and I am looking forward to sharing them with you! Do you keep a journal?
On October 21, I opened the door to a large white elephant, who now stands in my studio space- long trunk curled delicately around my nib pen and newly inked freckles splashed across his face. I resented his intrusion at first, but after a lengthy conversation- we found we see eye to eye (as long as I am standing on a step-stool!)
There are ONLY seven days in a week- but I skipped THREE prompts this week. There! I said it. That is NOT to say I didn’t create everyday; I did. Nevertheless, sharp pangs of guilt and resentment- resentment at the “things” that got in my way and perhaps a little resentment at the prompts themselves- pricked millions of little holes in my happiness. So, I took a tiny bit of time to think about my priorities in life and art.
Over a cup of chamomile tea and a handful of peanuts, my guest helped me realize blindly following a random list of words was not the way to reach my goals, honor my intentions, or guide my day. That might sound like I just wrote off the whole idea of Inktober. Nope. Quite the contrary!
The spirit of the challenge is the key- not the prompt list I choose. The opportunity to share my work with others and see their work during this lovefest of a month provides momentum, encouragement, and support. It’s up to me to honor my intentions and respect my authenticity. And if that means I miss a few prompts, then so be it.
I had so much fun creating all the images presented here. Too much fun! I hope you enjoy them. And remember, I will give away one 8×10 print of an Inktober artwork in November. To win, subscribe to this blog and leave a comment. Each comment is an entry- so if this is your first time, I hope you will visit previous posts.
“Best thing since sliced bread!”- or in my case, cold cuts! Why do I overlook the humble cold cut sandwich for dinner? No stove, no oven, no dishes, no worries! And that means more time to make art. And goodness knows I need as much time as I can get this month. The first week has been a whirlwind-
I have experienced so much in the first week of Inktober that I know October 31 will find me much improved. And the promise of growth motivates me to keep going! Many experienced artists advise new Inktober participants to be easy on themselves, plan projects that work within their time constraints, and don’t fret missing a day. Well- that’s not me. To play with Eliot’s immortal words, if I goof up this Inktober, I will “go out with a bang- not a whimper!”
To that end- each and every composition I have created this week relies on a calligraphy brush. Not a marker, or fineliner, or even a nib. I am familiarizing myself with a few calligraphy brushes. I have added color with watercolor and photoshop when I could do so within the 24 hour deadline. But pushing to finish a piece so quickly leaves me feeling as though I could have done better. So, I have decided this month I will accrue a number of inked pieces which I can color later.
Each prompt includes the potential for surprise- and sometimes I need to remind myself of this. In the final days of September I created thumbnail sketches for a few of my favorite prompts. but other prompts caught me unaware and unprepared. Potted plant was one of those- and I surprised myself by creating two inked line drawings! Bird nest was one of my quick idea sketches and I executed it late one evening. The end result was “cute”- not my usual style. I hastily filmed a reel and posted to Pinterest. SURPRISE! Eighteen hours later I had over 2,000 views and a “like” from Ohn Mar Win. OMG! I didn’t see that coming!
So, now a surprise for you. I plan to give away one print from one of my Inktober drawings when Inktober is complete. How to enter? First- subscribe to this blog. Be sure to confirm your subscription. Then, simply respond to this post with a comment about one of my Inktober drawings. I will enter your name in the drawing. The winner will receive an 8×10 print. (If the winner resides outside of the continental United States, I will send a small mini-print instead.)
Enjoy the show! I’m off to stock up on cold cuts and sliced bread!
The larger-than-life hookah-smoking caterpillar interrogated the bewildered Alice who had stumbled into the most curious of gardens. Often, in my own wild garden, Iam the inquisitor, peering more deeply into the green foliage curtain to scrutinize an unfamiliar visitor. New faces prompt me to ask, “Who are you?” And even more significantly, “Who will you become?” Recently while picking through the greens in my garden, I was startled by a great hairy presence- the likes of which I had never seen. I ran inside to retrieve a ruler; I wanted to thoroughly document my latest discovery! Fully 3 inches long and as thick as one of my fingers, the little beast was making quick work of a sorrel leaf. A hasty Google search provided a possible identity- but I wasn’t entirely convinced. The best step forward seemed to be detaining the creature- so I placed him (or her?) in a plastic tub with some leaves and a piece of netting. I wanted my family to see this marvelous creature.
The family also performed a Google search and we concurred. This was a Salt Marsh moth caterpillar. Never mind that there are NO salt marshes anywhere near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The moth is attractive, but a little disappointing in the size department. I just assumed a caterpillar this large would produce a moth large enough to charter for trans-Atlantic flights. Nevertheless, I gave the caterpillar a pass.
This is not the first garden guest I have sought to keep and protect. Unlike other Oklahoma gardeners, I look forward to discovering a horn worm amongst my tomatoes. I am not always lucky enough to host one, but when I am, they have a special place in my garden. I have seen them decimate a plant, and so I am prepared to sacrifice a plant each year. These chartreuse anamorphic fellows with their chubby legs transform into hummingbird moths- a creature that has enchanted me since youth.
I love tending to the “humanity” of my garden. The plants bring happiness but I find utter joy in witnessing those plants provide for the creatures who live here. I watch the cardinals alight on the trellises then dive into the green masses in search of bugs. I spy on shy lizards in the undergrowth and the vulnerable tree frogs clinging to leaves. New insects frequently lead to new investigations- who are you? who will you become?
These are the same questions I ponder when I gaze at my children. “Who are you? Who will you become?” I ask myself nearly daily- “Who are you? Who will you become?” and in these turbulent days of pandemic and social awakening the significance of these questions becomes all the more apparent. These are the questions we should all be asking ourselves. The Salt Marsh Caterpillar and the adventurous young Alice have much to teach us.
