Just Wanna Have Fun

Mandala- Talking Together NFS

You know the song “Girls just wanna have fun”?  That is what my daughter and I want to do.  She’s from Minneapolis and here in Sunny Arizona for a week.  We are pretty quiet gals and don’t hardly drink so what to do?  She’s been very busy with her career, remodeling her upstairs with her husband, raising our  granddaughter, plus moving her office to her  home.   So what looks like fun to her is doing a 1000 piece puzzle, going to mom and pop bookstores, going to a casino show, walking outside in the great weather and having great food!  Funnily, that is great with me because we have that quiet time to talk and let down our hair although I now have short spiky hair so that might be hard.

Being with Lisa, who just turned 40, makes me content and so very grateful and joyful and what fun that IS.  That is what us girls call fun.

“My Thoughts Revealed”

Sky Dreams 13x11 acrylic on paper $500

I have many diverse thoughts doing painting.  I can either  paint what I want to paint or what galleries want and sometimes it is a mixture of both.  But  as an abstract artist I have more leeway.  I experiment as much as I can within my health boundries or money boundries.  I’ve covered over some paintings that I had grown tired and some that I have never shown to the world that are  so totally different and the world has changed somewhat.

Next month on Feb 25th 2010 at ArtSpace 7127 6th Ave  Scottsdale AZ  I will be having a solo show of many of my diverse thoughts.   After dealing with sickness the last month and a half maybe I can get going and just enjoy all the fun!

Social Media- does it do it’s job?

Swimming Upstream 39x15 acrylic on door $1900

On my previous blog, “Where are we Going?” I talked about dropping out for a while and not spending time  “doing social media”.   A facebook friend Tamara Ann Burgh wrote, ”how did you feel dropping out? Relieved? Negligent? Productive artistically? How do you feel about coming back?”.  These are great questions,Tamara,and I did feel relieved.  The pressure of doing social media is getting almost too much.  As far as being productive artistically,  that is more about the discipline of being in the studio doing something most days.  Otherwise, anything and everything can throw you off your stride.

I question the word “social” in media because I’m of the opinion that a phone call can reveal more about a person than a few sentences in twitter and facebook.  The media is coming at us so fast you really have to discern where you want to spend your time.  It’s easy to write a few words and think that is doing your marketing for you.  I would like to know how everyone else is doing and if the “social media” is doing it’s job? Please comment.

Where Are We Going?

Garden of Growth 36x24 NFS

It’s easy to get confused with all the chatter of social media.   That’s why I’ve dropped out basically for over a month.  Being in front of the computer drains my energy and my creativity.  I’m now going to take it easy for a while and let the Spirit move me into  doing more art which makes me happy.   The business end of my career I’m going to do some direct mail and see where that takes me. 

As I’m getting older and hopefully wiser I choose to let life flow through me, through my art, through relationships with myself and others and with God.

Who inspires you?

Retro Mood 1-12x12 acrylic $500

Do you remember the song (don’t know the title) but the words are “First gear, second gear. third gear, fourth gear to win the race”?  This applies to my friend Renee Phillips who I’ve never met in person.  I’ve known her for a few years but all of a sudden (maybe not so sudden) she has gotten in  4th gear and is writing for Art Calendar, is back to painting lovely paintings, and makes incredible jewelry (I own “Balance”)  plus she’s writing another book .  Her main occupation is coaching artists to help them in their career.      

I entered one of her juried shows (ManhattanArts.com)(see image) many years ago and she had me send 3 paintings for a show in her showroom in NYC.  After that I had her do some coaching for my bio and artists’ statement.  Through the years we have kept in touch and she inspires me to keep myself going to 4th gear.  I see her blossoming and also inspiring others (including me)with her wonderful spirit.

Transitions

Fall II 12x12 acrylic $650

Isn’t it funny how you go working  along (for me painting and marketing) and then  you come to a turn in the road and don’t know which way to go.  That is a transition.  There’s a stop sign there at the crossroad to give you a breathing space before you start up and make a decision.  Opportunities  ( you think) are everywhere but you really have to think about them for a while before you forge ahead  because some opportunities aren’t the best for you. 

I use to jump on most everything that crossed my path but found out that was wasted energy.  So I’m grateful for the transitions in my life to give me time to think and to grow into some opportunities instead of taking them all on.

Getting Up and Go

Lace & Tea 12x12 acrylic collage $650

Where does Energy go? One minute I’m fine and then suddenly I lost my GO.  That is why I really shouldn’t try to do “business work” when I’m taking a break from painting while my paint dries.  I swear that the internet takes a lot of energy.  I know better.   But hear this, I am so very very grateful to have this problem because I Get To Paint!

What is the Cost?

We Are Living - Mandala NFS

For the artist what is the cost of living without doing our art? What is the cost of losing artists to economics? Asia and Europe love the creation of art because they have lived with it longer and understand if a society doesn’t support the arts we become crass and boring.  Creation is God’s gift to us to bring a society to it’s fullest potential.  Even those who benefit directly don’t really understand the role artists play.

People have a misconception that artists are greedy because of their prices on their art.  I don’t think people understand how much it takes to be an artist these days and they aren’t doing for the money otherwise they wouldn’t work for pennies a day.  So what is the cost to society if you buy a poster instead of an original piece of artwork? You tell me.

Creativity is Hard Work

Soaring Flock 9x6 acrylic on paper $275

I get exhausted when I paint but exhilarated at the same time.  Creativity is hard work.   Making all kinds of decisions like shapes, colors, composition, plus deciding on what substrate to use, texture and what medium to use.  Writers, software designers and all other creatives have to decide on what they need. I think too about how to promote and market myself while trying to have a balanced life.

 

Yes, there are artists who totally eat , breathe their art.  They do remarkably well but have no other life.  It is a choice to have balance but  I can’t stop the creativity and making my art even though it is hard work.  What would you choose?

My Mind and Focus

Dancing With Joy 36x12 Acrylic on board $1800.00

The last few weeks of summer has had my mind in a jumble.  But now that autumn and cooler weather is here I can move forward and be more focused or at least trying to be more focused.  I’ve pulled back on facebook and especially Twitter. It’s so easy to get lost with all of that.  It’s the chatter and games that people that are playing that keep me from really seeing the valuable stuff that is going on.

Good news though, I’ve been striking out in new ways in my paintings.  Enjoying my time with luscious paint.  Time when I’m not in the gym training, promoting my art work or spending time with my man.  My daughter has written a great book and I’ve done a little editing for her.  I am so blessed to have the present now.  The flow is there. I just choose to focus my mind on all the wonderful things that God has for me.