Friday Favorites - Happy New Year!

Click photo for picture credits
The last week of the year for so many, myself included, is used as a time to reflect on the past. It's like time gives you the chance to start fresh and wipe the slate.

I tend to use the term resolution loosely because I think they are a bit pointless. You make them and within a week or two you you've forgotten all about it.

Instead, I like to reflect and to find places in my life to purge - relationships carrying dead weight, excess clutter, undo stress, etc.

Once I start letting go of a lot of things I often I wonder why I didn't do it sooner or better yet, how I let these things creep into my life in the first place.

One of the things I regret not doing more last year was allowing myself to grow as an artist. I focused more so on the selling aspect of it instead of the enriching aspect and in the end it left me feeling a little burnt out.

I will do a few shows in the Spring and a small handful in the Fall but that's it for this coming year.

One of the other things I regret is not focusing on myself as much as I should have. It may sound more than a bit selfish but I have a tendency to allow things to consume me once I start focusing on them.

EFW did that a bit to me this past year. I got so caught up in trying to move the group forward and all the planning, the weeding and the organizing that I think I lost a part of myself in it all.

However, with as much time as EFW took from me this past year I'm very proud at how far the group has grown. This year was truly the year our little group started making strides and we can only hope for that stride to continue into the new year.

Also, EFW allowed me to get to know and become friends with some truly awesome people I wouldn't have otherwise. For someone that's completely and totally socially awkward, that's a huge deal.

The biggest thing I'm proud of for this year? Getting my butt in school. It took having a little crisis over turning 30 to get there but I'm there and I'm enjoying it.

What have you decided to do differently this year?

When Did This Become Art?

I came across this video while browsing the blog, ArtHash, and was interested in hearing your opinion. The video is an Andy Rooney opinion piece from 60 Minutes discussing the current state of public modern art.

In many ways I see his point of view. A lot of times I feel like some of the public art is dumbed down a bit for the masses but then I also think maybe it's just something I don't get. I've never been a huge fan of modern art in the first place.

What are your thoughts?

Inspiration

See these magnets?

I bought them from someone's kid for a school fundraiser. I didn't think twice about them either until I received them.

Once I opened the package I was immediately drawn to the background in the images. I love the colors, contrast and blending! The green on is my favorite.



I've had them out on my desk while I tried to work on my canvases this weekend. They didn't exactly help me with the technique but at least they provided some good eye candy for me.

The Most Fantastic Brushes in the World!!

Okay so they may not literally be the most fantastic brushes in the world but I think they are pretty swell.

Until my doctor can figure out why I'm still having trouble with my arm (because right now he has no clue) I'm trying my best to figure out a way to go about my life without pain.

Writing hurts the worst, followed by painting and it kind of puts a kink in things because ideally I would like to do both on a daily basis.

The doctor suggested using fatter pens to write and I thought that it could translate well with paint brushes too. Turns out...I was right!!

The first one I found at Michaels. It is the 1" Robert Simmons E57 Angle Shader. I would have preferred a wider brush but it was the biggest I could find at the moment.

I've never heard of the brand and wasn't sure if it was a good quality brush or not so I just went with it. Thankfully I had a coupon because this guy was about $15.

It's held up really well to my abuses so far. The bristles are keeping shape and staying inside the brush. I like how it paints too and if it keeps holding up the way it has been I may invest in more of them.

The second brush I found at Hobby Lobby purely by chance. I almost missed it because it was down in the very bottom on the shelf kind of hidden.



It's a #50 Masters Touch Gold Nylon Jumbo Brush. I planned on buying one off of Dick Blick in the same size but a different brand and I figured this would work for now so I can test out the size. The wooden handle is over an inch wide!

I'm not super thrilled with this one but it serves it's purpose. The quality of the brush isn't all that great as the bristles are already starting to lose their shape. I may have to spring for the better one pretty quick.

I'm still digging the size though and it's served it's purpose for the time being.

I painted off and on all day with minor pain thanks to these guys. I'm still pleased with my purchases even if one isn't the best of quality.

Blotchy, steaky and monotone

Hello, my name is Jennifer Williams and I am a glutton for punishment, ha ha. I figured my arm was already hurting me all this week so I'd going ahead and punish myself with painting. I haven't painted since early September when I was getting ready for the Loteria Show.

Not quite sure where my logic was in that decision. My arm is now throbbing but I got a TON of painting done! I spent the entire past week watching videos for the Texture Town class I'm taking and have been chomping at the bit to get some paint on a canvas.

My first two attempts weren't the greatest you'll find. They are blotchy and streaked and no where near blended like they are suppose to be. They have now been painted over with white paint.

My third attempt came out over blended because I was using too much glazing liquid. I missed the part about wiping your brush between each color. I forgot to take a picture before adding more stuff to it.



My fourth attempt came out monotone because I used too much paint. You're seeing it here after I let it dry and then put some magenta glazing over the middle of it.



*Sigh* I'm off to rewatch videos and to figure out how to get this right. I'm also on a mission to find brushes I can use without killing my arm. Wish me luck!

Details in the Fabric

It's not often I hear a song and just have to make something based upon it. The last time I did that was with this journal page for "Pocket Full of Sunshine" by Natasha Beddingfield.

I've had the CD "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" by Jason Mraz since it came out but have never heard this song on it before. I'm not sure if I just kept skipping it or if I just wasn't paying attention.

I heard it as I was leaving work today and the words just struck me. I listened to it over and over until I got home.

Songwriters: Mraz, Jason; Wilson, Dan

Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed
Instead of running around
And pulling all your threads
Breaking yourself up

If it's a broken part, replace it
If it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it

And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything will be fine

Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything
Everything, it will be fine
Everything

Are the details in the fabric?
Are they things that make you panic?
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

Hold your own (Are the details in the fabric?)
Know your name (Are they things that make you panic?)
Go your own way (Are your thoughts results of static cling?)

Hold your own (Are the details in the fabric?)
Know your name (Are they things that make you panic?)
Go your own way (Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine?)

Hold your own (Are the things that make you blow)
Know your name (Hell, no reason, go on and scream)
Go your own way (If you're shocked it's just the fault of faulty manufacturing)

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Hearts will hold

I'm still not sure what I'm going to be making based upon this song but hopefully it inspired you a bit as well.

Texture Study

It's so amazing how you change the way you look at things once you are taught. Everyday you see concrete walls, trees, buildings, etc but don't give it a second thought.

I'm currently doing a texture study for an online class, Texture Town taught by Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen. In the class, one of the lessons teaches you how to break down what you see to find the colors and details of the picture so you can relate what you see to your paintings.

It sounds easy enough in theory but until I was taught how to do it there were SO many things I hadn't noticed. It's strange when you think about it. Instead of seeing objects you're training yourself to see things in parts.



My assignment for the class is to find my own texture in my everyday surroundings. I wasn't able to find as many things as I wanted around the house but I was able to get some decent textures in.



What do you see in each of the pictures?

WIP Wednesday - Time for a Face Lift

I've been finishing up custom orders this week but don't want to show my progress on them for fear they may spoil a surprise for someone. While I was off last week (in addition to taking a gazillion pictures while redoing my Etsy shop) I began yet again to update my blog layout.

About once a year I get bored with the look of both my website and blog and feel the need to give them a complete overhaul. Call it my inner nerd or what have you but I take pride in finding new things to update.

For once, I'm still happy with my website but decided my blog was looking a little dark. This is what it looked like previously.

I've decided for the first time to go with a white blog. It's a nice change of pace. I still have a bit to clean up but I'm happy with it.

It's almost like wiping the slate clean to start fresh. I feel like I'm constantly finding little things to tweak here and there so it will be ever changing.

Do you have the urge to constantly change things up on your website or blog?

I'm back, sort of

So my school work is done until it starts again in January, I completed all my shows for the year, the larger commission piece I had due is done and things are finally slowing down.

I don't think it could have happened at a better time either. I have no clue what was going through my head thinking I could get everything done and not pay the consequences. Especially shows every weekend.

I've been (admittedly) sick since Thanksgiving. Realistically I've been sick a lot longer than that. I finally broke down this past week and went to the doctor after I was forced to call in sick to work.

I can't keep from getting sinus and upper respiratory infections. I'm back down to getting one of the two every two months (versus every six weeks when I started allergy shots).

The doctor is strongly suggesting we get rid of the dog. No way in hell Cory is going to let that happen. Instead, he finally consented to getting hardwoods. I mentioned it to my doctor and he said that could be a workable alternative.

I did a little set up at my office on Wednesday and then was wiped the rest of the week. SO glad I had it off! I used that time to redo my Etsy shop, work on custom jewelry orders and to start listing a bunch of stuff.

I'm going to be listing almost all of my original artwork jewelry. I redid my light box (I have a post on that later) and changed out all the pictures in my Etsy shop.

I have a bunch of new pendants I'm working up to list including two different zebra prints in both black and white and black and hot pink. The Love pendant I created has quickly become one of my best sellers.

I think for now I'm going to stick with online only for the next few months. I need the down time. I'd love to just be able to paint without having to.