The paint has been flying in my new Oakland Township, Michigan Studio. I have electricity, new lights, a brand new big honking sink, and plenty of elbow room to swing my brushes. Wonderful to be working again!
I decided (in the middle of the studio move...I never said I was smart) to challenge myself to paint 6 paintings per week for a year. Honestly, I'm a bit behind...it's kept me hopping! I've been posting most of them on my blog if you're interested.
I'll be back at Synchronicity Gallery in Glen Arbor, MI this season. (They open in April ~ yay!) And I just dropped off paintings at DCF Gallery in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. How about that! Both galleries are full of beautiful artwork... I'm honored to be included!
We've had a tough winter here in Michigan... I'm looking forward to spring... REALLY looking forward to it...
Hot Off the Easel!
Tumbling Beach Balls 6x6 ~ acrylic on panel
"Tumbling Beach Balls" was accepted into the "Size Matters" show at theGrosse Pointe Art Center. (YaY) The show runs March 8- April 6. There are giant and tiny paintings in the same space... Can't wait to see how they hang it!
#64 Icelandic poppies
7x5 ~ acrylic on colalge
During this "challenge" that I've set up for myself... (6 paintings a week for a year) I've been experimenting with these small floral paintings. They are painted on crumpled tissue, adhered onto heavy watercolor paper... Crazy things happen when the watery color shoots along the wrinkles in the paper. Fun! (and they are proving to be quite popular! :-))
Idea Spark-lers
Inspiration to use in your own creative work....
set up a challenge for yourself...And find others to join you in the madness
This past November, I found myself mostly whining about moving the studio... and pouting about not having a place to paint. I soon realized that my attitude wasn't helping anyone or anything. I decided I needed a goal... something to get me at least drawing or doing watercolor... something to keep me making stuff. (I'm a happier Lauren when I'm art-making.)
So I decided to challenge myself to make 6 pictures a week for a year, beginning on December 1st. Not necessarily one a day... (I know myself too well...that's way too much discipline) Any size, any medium, any subject.
I announced it on my Facebook Studio page and some of my crazy artist friends decided they wanted to challenge themselves too... so we started a group... Challenge yourself. Most of us have challenged ourselves to a specific goal. Some of them are as simple as 2 paintings a month... or paint (or write or knit) for x number of hours per week.
We have all stumbled... and some of us have adjusted our original goals... But we are there to cheer each other on, and be accountable to each other.
It's a really good way to climb out of a creative slump.
2013...What I'm Celebrating...
I'm Celebrating:
watching other people shovel our snow (loving our new condo)
field trips to see art... 2 times in one week!
friends coming to visit the studio...and leaving with purchased paintings (bonus!)
lunch out with an art buddy after a show drop off
a snuggle with my dog
my hilarious friends on facebook
the geek squad
melting snow
good dreams
rochester public library...wowie
getting my Mich. sales tax payment in
happy and healthy sons
that my picture "Moondance" will grace the cover of a book of poetry by Toni Clark..(coming to bookstores in early 2014)
