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Illustration Friday: Dreams
A day dream for Illustration Friday...singing peacocks!
Four more before I rest.
I am really really reeeeeally needing some time off. I'm drained. I'm tired. And I'm dry. I have four more paintings to go for the gallery walks before I can do that. And that knowledge is just sitting on my shoulders like a hawk hovering over my every move. I have been working on a few paintings that just are not working. So I gave up on them. I was very frustrated with this until last night. I wasn't planning on doing any sketching. I just sat down into my favorite chair with a glass of wine and started listening to my husband and our friend talk back and forth. Then suddenly an idea flashed before me. And I practically sprinted to the studio to get my sketchbook...to capture this little bird before he fluttered away.
Suddenly the flood gates opened and all these ideas poured out again. I couldn't sketch fast enough....some of them got away. But I got all the ideas I needed to complete the four paintings.
That simply amazes me. I've been talking to my husband about how I will never get another idea again in my life. I was done. And I was starting to think I needed to go pick up an application at Speedway or Dairy Queen. And he said to wait...that it would come. I just needed to be a little more patient.
And it did.
Four more to go before I rest.
Four more...And I know I can do it.
The show was a wonderful experience and I consider it a success! I sold three paintings! It was really nice to hang out with some of my old friends as well as meet some new and interesting people. It was crowded all night... Thank you to everyone who came out! Click the image above to see the photos.
Can't see that link? Click here.
Until one is committed
there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,
always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation),
there is one elementary truth,
the ignorance of which kills countless ideas
and splendid plans:
that the moment one definitely commits oneself,
then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one
that would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favour all manner
of unforeseen incidents and meetings
and material assistance,
which no man could have dreamt
would come his way.
I have learned a deep respect
for one of Goethe's couplets:
'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.'
W. H. Murray
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Tonight is the show. The culmination of my boldness on the walls. I'm so excited!
"Summer's End", 16x20 mixed media on panel
Thanks for all your warm wishes about the show tomorrow! I promise to take pictures and post them here...so it will kinda be like you're there. :)
The painting above is the latest for the gallery walks. I'd like to hear what you think of it...it's a little different from my normal.
Here are all the paintings that are in this Friday's show. If you are in Indianapolis, come see them in person! I plan to post pictures of the event here later, too. Oh man...I hope it's a good show.
"Thief", 11x14 mixed media on canvas
This morning I delivered all of my paintings (including the one above) to the gallery for the show Friday. Such relief. Last night as I was framing the last of the bunch I stopped and looked around. All my hard work was all around me...all the ideas I've had were staring back at me. And I felt proud. I did it. I really didn't know if I could get it all done. It was stressful and I was panicked at times. But I did it.
I feel like forcing myself to do this much work in this little time made me grow very quickly. Improving. I tried to push myself a little further with each one...seeing it as a challenge. Evaluating how I did it and refining, changing or keeping. What if I pushed my palette...what else could it include? What if I changed perspective? What would happen it I did a little more with the background?
It's kind of like art school. The instructors assign a crap-load of work, and with each new assignment you experiment and push yourself. Your instructor offers advice, but ultimately it's the amount of work that helps you grow.
Gallery walk paintings, here I come.
11x14 mixed media on canvas
So quiet in here today. My head. My heart. My workspace. It's kind of nice to hear myself breathe. It's nice to hear the little things that the music usually covers up. A small drip somewhere in the distance. The drone of the highway (I always picture it as the ocean waves). The old wood floor creaking for no apparent reason. I sit in here with a cup of coffee and my sketchbook, waiting for my muse to tap me on the shoulder. Then it won't be quiet in here anymore. I am done with all the paintings for the big show (this Friday!) and have a few more to do for the gallery walks. I can't decide whether to use the one pictured above for the big show or for the walks...hmm. Either way really...
Penelope Illustration One Year Anniversary
It's been one year since I left my full time job as an art director. One year ago today I took the leap into freelance illustration. I left my steady paychecks and my 401k. I left stability for this adventure. And I have to say, I don't regret it at all.
It's been really really hard at times, though...don't get me wrong. I've made some bad decisions and gotten really burned by a few clients. I've spent a few days in bed crying, wondering why the hell I did this...I didn't think I could go on being self-employed. And I wanted to give up. But after the initial dark cloud passed, I learned how to pick myself up and move on. And then never to make those same mistakes again. The clouds cleared and I was left standing, a stronger and wiser person.
But mostly it's been wonderful. I've learned a lot about myself. Like, if left to my own devices, I will work around the clock. I've also learned that this is not healthy. At all. I've also learned that when you're in business for yourself, you really own your successes. And likewise your failures. It's all you. This messy, beautiful package.
But the thing I really wanted to talk about today is...somewhat embarrassing. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to...well, many of you have been watching my evolution and growth as an artist, so you already know how much my work has changed and evolved and grown since I started. Looking back, I wonder what ever gave me the notion that I could do this. Sheer will, maybe?
I'm not even sure how to talk about this. So I'm just going to spill.
I feel like a year ago my work sucked. There, I said it. I wasn't very good. And I got a lot of rejections that shattered my fragile heart (and ego) like thin glass. At the moment of the rejection I felt like my world stopped, but after the shock wore off (or I just simply got over myself) I realized that they were totally right to reject me. They were looking at my work objectively. And of course, I was not. And it forced me to...and that was really uncomfortable.
Here is an example of my work when I started (please be nice):
I went through a self-induced period of intense growth. Trying different mediums and surfaces...acrylics, oils, paper, pastels, panel, watercolor. I hit a lot of brick walls before I found something that I felt was working for me. And I've pushed in that direction now for some time. Reinvention. Reincarnation.
And here's where I am now:
I think my style is more "me" now. It fits better with my sense of self. It feels more natural and right to me.
That said. A year from now, on my 2nd anniversary, I will probably be writing something very similar to this...about how far I've come in the last year and how much of a dumbass I was on this day. I realize that I still have a long way to go...and that I'm still growing and evolving. I know I don't have all the answers. Hardly. And I'm okay with that. I'm pretty good at learning as I go.
I want to say thank you very very much to everyone who reads my site and has watched me grow (and been patient with me through the hard times). Thank you to anyone who has sent me an encouraging email or left a nice comment. I really do appreciate it. It means a lot to me to have you rooting for me. It keeps me going. I hope that in talking about my whole experience here, I have encouraged you to follow your dreams, or, at the very least, add some creativity into your life.
So, here's to one year.
My studio is trashed. I can't see the floor. I have a hard time remembering to put the caps on my paints when I'm working this much...drying out. But not me. I feel like this completely absurd timeline of getting 15 paintings (add 8 more to that...I hve another two art walks lined up) in two months is making me more inspired. Just as I think "hey, this is it. I have no more ideas in me" I get another. And at the weirdest times, too. In the shower. While I'm driving (yeah, I'm that person scribbling on old envelopes and swerving down the road). While I'm doing the laundry. I scribble them on my hands so I don't forget. Random scraps of paper with words like "tulip tea cups" written on them.
After these are all done and my shows are over, I am taking a break. I'm going up to visit my mom and veg out with her. I could use some of her serenity to rub off on me. To feel myself breathe in and out. That'll be nice.
Fancy yourself a writer, musician, or visual artist? Masterpiece in a Day is coming soon for all you local Indianapolis artists. You can create your masterpiece on September 17th and then hang out for all the festivities. It will be great fun. There will be the competition (friendly, of course), live music from some really cool bands, an art fair, and lots of things to do like crafts, watch other artists, etc.
Am I selling this too hard? Hee. Can you tell I've been put in charge of promotions this year? So, by golly, come on down September 17th and show some support! I'll vote for your piece (if I were a judge...and I'm not...but I'll send you good vibes).
The image above is the poster I did for the event. You should start seeing in around Indy real soon.
And in case you can't read the body copy on the web, I wrote it again below:
On Saturday, September 17, you'll have to bypass the tortured confusion and agonizing self-doubt and get straight to the creative outburst: competition starts at 9 a.m. and you need brilliance by mid-afternoon. It?s free to contestants, and there are categories for writing, drawing and music, not to mention $15,000 in prizes, so get out there, hit the streets of Fountain Square and do your thing. Whatever it is.
Visit Big Car or Discover Fountain Square for more information.
I've been tagged by Lori to write five idiosyncrasies about myself... So here goes:
1. I hate mayonnaise. Hate it. I can't stand to even be near it.
2. I can hit that high note in the song that goes: "Loving you...is easy cause you're beautiful. Duh-duh-duhn't-duh-duh..." Who's that by? (this is a second part of this idio...I never know the words to songs. I will always make up my own.)
3. I cannot lie. Even small ones. If you ask me if I like your new skirt and I don't, I will tell you that I don't. But I try to be nice about it by saying something good about it...like it's a good length. or "look over there at that thing" and run away.
4. I don't spit out gum. I always swallow it before I know what happened.
5. I can't watch movies that have infidelity or miscommunication as key plot points. For instance: Love Actually. I hated it. I had to leave the room because it got under my skin so much.
I tag:
Katrina
Colin
Christine
Wee
Amanda
I titled this one "Wallflower". Two more to go... but now it's time to go to bed. Night. :)
Illustration Friday: Empty
This week's I-fri topic is "empty". I was going to take this word and challenge myself to do something positive with it, but this image wouldn't let me go. I had to do it...
Last weekend we got up early to go out to breakfast with some friends. Instead of driving, we all jumped on our bikes and rode there instead. It was sprinkling just a little and it felt so good. It's been way too hot here, and the rain made it just a little cooler. I have to admit that I'm really looking forward to fall. Indiana is beautiful in the fall. All the leaves change colors. The air is crisp and clear and perfect for bon fires. Perfect for roasting hotdogs and smores in a snuggly sweater. Ooh, I can't wait...
This one was inspired by a local diner called Fountain Square Diner. They have the best milk shakes on the planet. And all the waitresses are nice and kind of tired. I wanted to capture that...
I don't want to say much about this one because I think it can be interpretted many ways. I'll leave it at that.
Two more paintings for the series...four more to go for anyone who's counting with me. I'm feeling much better about it because I shut off yesterday. I didn't turn on my computer at all yesterday and I only went into my studio once to retrieve my purse. I really needed to get away. To not think about shows or paintings or the job for one whole day. Whew. Time off is so important! I always forget. It was so nice to reconnect with Colin. To really be together without being distracted.
In other news. I got all my collages done last week and hung them in the gallery Saturday afternoon. Saturday night they all sold (and the official opening isn't until next Friday)! So I think I'll make a few more for next Friday.
* * *
Okay, sorry! I should have posted the collages. :)
Here they are:
These are just crappy digital photos. But you can at least see the direction....
So far I've done 9 paintings in this series...only 6 more to go. Can she do it, folks?!
Mark your calendars...The show I'm preparing for every day and every night and every weekend and every waking moment is opening August 26th. It's at the Munce Art Center in Zionsville. I hope to see you there!
Every September there is the annual Masterpiece in a Day contest. It's where visual artists, writers and musicians have 8 hours to do their thing, creating their masterpiece. At the end of the day all the pieces are judged and the winners get stuff (like money). If you don't win, it's fun just to challenge yourself to create something that quickly.
This year they've added a new thing: An art fair. For $30 you can have a booth set up to sell your arts and crafts. (That's so cheap!) It's usually a big event with tons of people so you'd be getting your stuff in front of quite a crowd.
If you live in Indy or the surrounding area, you should think about it! (I'm looking at you Diong and Indigochickie).
Above is the flyer for it. And if you'd like more info, visit Big Car's site.
(And yes, before you ask, I was put in charge of promoting the visual art side of the event and I did the flyer above...so participate and make me look good! hee!)
Another painting for the show. I like this one... It's funny, I never know how a painting will turn out as I'm working on it. It's like walking through a dense fog, just bumping along trying to get to where I ultimately want to be. I wait for those happy little accidents. Those drips of paint that I wasn't planning on, but make the painting that much more interesting. The one I showed yesterday (Moon), my cat walked on when it was still wet. I was angry at first and then I decided to go with it. I added more splotches like the one he initiated. And I liked it better.
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep."
-Scott Adams
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Anyone who is local to Indianapolis and would like to receive some postcards for shows, etc...please email me with your address, with the subject line "I want to know about your shows!" And I will mail you some stuff. :)
Thank you to everyone who's bought a print or postcards since the launch of LopiePop! I sent out one batch of packages last Friday and I'll send another batch out today. The people in my post office are starting to recognize me. Hee... I hope you all get your goods soon!
If you frame them, I'd love to see a picture of how you framed it. If you think about it you could email it to me and I'll put it up on my site. :)
Another painting for the show. I call this one Moon:
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© Penelope Illustration. Stealing
is not nice. |
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