3rd Place

I won 3rd place at the Pink Ribbon Art contest held at La Grange Memorial Hospital. The hospital has decided to keep my piece and it will be hanging in the waiting room at their new imaging center. Cool!

Pink Ribbon Art Contest

Last week an email came from the La Grange Art League with an entry form for the Pink Ribbon Art Contest held at La Grange Hospital's Breast Cancer Awareness Lighting Ceremony on Thursday September 30th at 6pm. It's largely due to breast cancer that I decided to explore my creative side so I entered the contest and donated my piece. Boy, putting this together really pulled a lot out of me! I'm glad I did it. I'm not sure what will happen to it. It may be part of a silent auction or it may be hung in the hospital during the month of October. I guess I'll find out at the Lighting Ceremony. Either way, its for a good cause. It will benefit the hospital's breast cancer education and outreach fund.

Note to self: I really need to start scanning things before I frame them. It would make it so much easier to show.

Oh Grasshopper...

As most of you know I have a raw studio space in my basement. One day I'm hoping it gets finished but right now it has some walls, some electric, a concrete floor, bare bulb overhead lighting and too many spiderwebs. Most of the time I'm down in the cave by myself and while I love the peace and quite, it can get a little lonely. Especially if I work in the evening. Lately my daughter Evan has been hanging out with me. We watch TV, talk and work on our stuff. I love spending time with her... she rocks! I'm working on a piece that has magnetic paint under it. Evan thought that was a great idea and came up with her own magnetic piece made from scrap wood and aluminum foil. The picture doesn't do it justice. The magnetic flowers are really good! I'm not sure she's finished with it yet, but I thought I'd give you a sneak peak.

CREATE Retreat

I had a great day today. Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine is hosting an art retreat in Rosemont this week. I signed up for a class with Alisa Burke called Larger Than Life. I've been following Alisa's blog for a while and I like the graffiti-styled art she creates. Her seminar was designed to help you work on a larger scale, something I have trouble with. Lately I feel like I'm sending money out the door faster than it's coming in so I really was starting to regret spending so much on a one day class, but was I glad I did! I love the way Alisa works. She just gets those creative juices going and it's fun to work in a room with other people eager to learn and to share. I worked on 3 canvas and even managed to finish one. It's a different style for me, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm feeling a little more confident about working on a larger scale. I plan to hit the studio tomorrow so I don't lose momentum. I borrowed a few pictures from Alisa's blog to show you what I did. Isn't it fun?

Rusty Paper

The other day I decided to make some paper. I tried a new technique... rust. I can't wait to work with this paper. Here's how I did it. I wrapped tissue paper from the dollar store around a piece of rusty metal (I found it in the street!) and then I poured white vinegar on it. I left it outside in the sun for the day. That's it! Isn't it cool? I can't wait to use it.

Kelly, Jane and Katie

Since I've been creatively blocked lately, I decided to read up on a famous artist who's work I love and interpret what I see into something of my own. A bit of an exercise meant to get the creative energy flowing again. I worked on a few things inspired by some of the "big guys" like Picasso, Chagall and Miro, but I'm still not coming up with anything of my own. Also, I've been reading a few different collage books. One in particular is called Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts. It's all about inspiration. Kelly's art is whimsical and feminine. It's so different from my own work, yet I appreciate her use of color and incorporation of texture. I created a piece following some of her techniques outlined in the book and the piece is working for me, but I just can't seem to complete it. Well, my friend's daughter Katie is going to Cambridge England to study for the next 3 weeks. (Lucky girl!) One of the literature courses is a study of works by Jane Austin. A HA! I figured out just what it needs! I incorporated my favorite Jane quote onto the piece, "Where shall we see a better daughter or a kinder sister or a truer friend?" Yesterday I took it to Hobby Lobby to have a matt cut. The sales girl asked me if it was a print by Kelly Roberts and the another lady said I should give it to someone special. Well, I was thrilled to be confused with Ms. Roberts and proud of the gift I created for special young friend who's off on an exciting adventure. I was so excited about how it turned out and encouraged by the feedback from the ladies at the store that I rushed over to Katie's this morning and gave it to her. She loved it! With a book that inspired me, validation from strangers in the store, and one little excited tear from the daughter of a friend I'm happy to report my creative slump is over... THANK YOU KELLY, JANE and KATIE!

It's not happening today either.

I need to do something to get the creative juices flowing. I spent a few hours yesterday in my little studio and all I could manage to do was clean it up. This morning, the same thing. What's going on? Maybe it's time to get inspired. I think I'm going to spend a few hours this afternoon looking through art books with a glass of wine and my sketch book. I'm hoping that will do it. Wish me luck!