ARCHIVES: October 2010

small victories
Intention happens eventually

Nothing like spending half a month both under and besides the weather. But I'm seriously on the mend, as are my troubled feet, and yesterday we had the good fortune of being loaned a car for the day. It was the exact car I'm pretty sure I want, only in a different color. Mine would be a medium green. Yep. Mmmmm.

We ran some much needed errands. We delivered smalled paintings to be shipped to South Florida, where they will be on display and hopefully sold. We stopped at a fabric store where I bought stuffed creature making supplies; felt squares, embroidery thread and a few other things. And we went to Valley Forge, where we breathed the closest thing to fresh air we could find in this congested corner of the world.

I've been wanting scenic photographs of rolling hills for the longest time. I finally got them, over a hundred. Taking the pictures doesn't take much. It's just a matter of getting out there where you want to be. I've been looking for geometric variations in the picture plane, nothing flat. It's as simple as that. I also got wonderful close-ups of grasses and meadows; visual details that will come in very handy some time soon. Next I need more space to work in, just a little bit more to start. Maybe I'll do some of these on paper, with artwork storage always being a brain-twisting adventure around here. I've already got a portfolio folder and that has a place to live as long as it doesn't get too fat.

Intention. I have too many creative ideas, and that is definitely not the worst problem to have. Little by little they get the attention they deserve.

posted October 19, 2010

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creative fun from almost nothing
Off-season flu edition

In my tiny little studio, where all I really want to be doing right now is pack everything up and move it all to a larger studio, sit a few pieces of watercolor paper all prepared and ready-to-go for oil painting. Since I have blocks of good quality watercolor paper, but no big flat table for working in that medium, nor room for one, I thought I would use some of it for oils. Not as drippy.

It seems like this is a really good time for developing a series of exceptionally inexpensive pieces. There is no such thing as cheap high-quality work, unless the artist creating that work is either doing it for free, or actually paying to sell their work after all costs are factored in. This is a difficult equation. But I thought I would try. Sort of a two-session indoor-air sketchy try at painting still-lifes. I haven’t gotten very far.

That was the plan this past weekend. The germs of the world had another plan. I was to get the flu. They say that you know it’s the flu because of how sudden it comes on AND how it feels like you’ve been hit by a truck. Definitely the flu. A very late last-season flu? An unusually early this-season flu? Who knows. Day one was awful. By day two I was on the mend, and I continue to recover, so for that I am extremely grateful. I’m not steady enough yet to paint. I thought about flu-painting with a shaky hand, but decided that was silly.

Meanwhile, how are you doing? Creatively blocked? Feeling super-duper stuck and uninspired? Not in the mood for any creativity exercises or activities or lessons? That’s cool. We all go there from time to time. But to keep yourself in the loop, do something. Just use your materials. No creativity expected.

• Gesso canvasses, prepare panels, sand frames.
• Paint a dresser or a chair or a wall one solid color.
• Weave, sew, knit something in one material, one color or type of yarn only.
• Photograph just one thing; either the exact same item or scene or person repeatedly, or choose an object like a coffee cup, and shoot a few dozen different ones, but your chosen object only.
• Carve or build a pure geometric shape, such as a square block or a pyramid.

Need a break from creating anything? Do either of these instead:
• Clean your studio or reorganize your materials.
• Dream with an art supply catalog. Pretend you get one free item per page. Yay!

Bonus points if you get new creative ideas along the way. No demerits if you don’t. Either way, you win.

Keeping myself literally in the loop, I’m crocheting a scarf this week, which is nothing but a long skinny rectangle. It’s a plum-red heather wool, and I’m using the V-stich, which is super-simple, quick and elegantly lacy. In a few days it’s back to painting.

Every month a new creativity lesson is posted. See the archives for the full series.

Creatively Unblocking Creative Blocks
Author: Alexandria Levin
ISBN: 0-9743267-1-2
Published by Painted Jay Publishing
www.paintedjay.com

posted October 5, 2010

 

All images and content ©2009-2010 Alexandria Levin