Art happening all the time

Making art is not a  job, exactly, more like a way of living. That's why it's hard to answer questions about it. There's no perceptible ladder of advancement, and no reliable measure of success (no, it's not about selling frequently, that can be a sign of catering to other people's taste, and can be given more importance than it warrants). I am in no danger of falling into that category! And it's not about shopping for art materials, though that's a temptation.

It is about seizing whatever happens as material.  This morning, aneighbor stopped in with two houseplants to show me for various bits of suggestions about what to do next for them.  

One was a bromeliad, actually in nice shape, with nice little offshoots developing. It's related to the pineapple, and reminded me that I've been meaning for years to get a fresh pineapple and try a start from it. Which I may still do.

But it had a totally dead and dry bloom in the main cup.  So I removed that to show him how to water the plant, no, not in the soil, you fill the natural cups, just like rain in nature. Anyway, I confiscated the dead flower, because it's beautiful, and he said I bet you'll do something with that.  I showed him the completely severed stub end, which shows it was already off the plant, just resting in place in the cup, so he wouldn't fear I'd done it in.

True!  It's a great model of shapes, light, shade, hard edges, just beautiful.  And against glass pieces, interesting contrast.  And, with the new doodles from last night, might be a good printed out image on silk.  

 Take a look and see what you think.  Do you have any faves of which images to put over which? remembering that the silk is transparent.

And, since a friend dropped in unexpectedly, hadn't seen her in ages, I lost a couple of hours studio time, so that will reshape my evening plans.  Not going to stitch, need to catch up in the studio.

 This is the primo place, pole position, you might say, in the local newspaper.  The pic is from an arts festival a couple of years ago, and I look a bit demented, but other people say, no, it looks so happy!  so I go with it.  And the other pic is of sample artist books. I'm working on the artist book series, AIR 2017

Next Thursday, the first week, I'm showing books created from a single sheet of paper, and I have some already done, to show in a post early next week, and some materials for anyone to try making one for themselves.  All the Thursdays in April, Plainsboro Public Library, do come.

And, it being vital to be well ahead of the game,  today I'm creating and assembling giant portfolios to store artworks in accessible and interesting ways. That involves sorting artworks into categories, since onlookers like categories -- currently watercolors, transfer images,  monotypes, then drawings, so there's four portfolios needed right there.  This is for a later week. Pix later.  Each week a different book form, all accessible to beginning makers.

Meanwhile I may end up with an array of portfolios.  They're fun to make, and you can use them for all sorts of storage, patterns, newspaper clippings, pix for ideas, etc. There are still a lot of people who like physical images as much as electronic ones.  Though I have to admit to a little Pinterest guilty pleasure..

Artist Book Residency Prep under way

April is going to be a busy month around here.  My Artist in Residence stint is to be four Thursdays in April, 2-4 p.m. in Plainsboro Public Library, please stop in and watch or try your hand.  

It's a drop in, no charge, event, you can watch, chat, try, at will.  It's for adult participation only this time around, but kids welcome to watch.  I'll bring in materials so if you want to try, there will be enough to get started on while you're there.  Most people can't stay the whole time, but stop in when they can.

It takes a lot of background work to make this look easy and flowing!  so here's what was up yesterday, at least some of it:

And I'll be showing with Creative Collective in two exhibits both starting April.  One is in West Windsor Library, for the month of April, and here's what I'm bringing to that exhibit:

Then, April to early July, at Chambers' Walk Cafe in Lawrenceville NJ, and here's what I'll be showing there

These are all artworks which are now printed on transparent silk and layered. They look different from different angles, and in different lights, interesting effects of having separate images overlaid on one another.

Aside from what I'm showing, Creative Collective shows are really good, plenty of award winning and exciting art is the norm there, well worth seeking out.

Did I mention that at some point amidst all this, all my windows at home are due to be replaced?  don't know yet when, still waiting for the contractor to get them...we shall survive all this.