sans camera

Did I mention my camera is toast?  Well, it is.  And it's really hard to capture some things without a camera.  Like the sunset we just saw.  And the paintings I'm in the middle of.  And my wacky dog and her funny antics.  Can't wait until I get the hand-me-down camera from my sister.  Then maybe things can get back to normal! 

Well, as normal as they get around here.

sprint towards spring

I've a few cards on Etsy that expire on April 7th.  I could reinstate them, I guess.  But I'm also thinking about the upcoming season of Craft Fairs.  Which is hard to do, with the mountains of snow we still have on the ground. 

But I'm thinking about them nonetheless.  I think one Craft Fair per month should be enough to get everything back into the swing of Craft Fairs.  I only did one last year and it was pretty successful.  I wish I had more energy or courage or hutzpah (did I spell that right?) to do more and really get out there, but my inner critic pops up and I end the year doing less than I had wanted.

On a positive note, I have found a great way to frame my smaller pieces and I think that will help sell them - they're so tiny they're easy to miss, so the new framing should make them appear a lot larger, but still small enough for work cubicles.  I envision these little canvases finding homes in the places I used to work - also known as Cubicle Land.  A nice way to brighten up the boring beige and grey of most cubicles.

Oh, and did I tell you?  My camera died.  Apparently the main processor just went kaput!  It's going to be tough to take photos of the upcoming spring buds without a camera, so I'm busily researching my options.  Any suggestions?

for Martinique

Weddings are such fun, aren't they? Well, if you're not the one getting all immersed in the details, that is. I love telling brides-to-be about some things to keep in mind. Like getting everyone's camera's sync'd to the same time (seriously, this saves so much time after the fact). And having a laptop for everyone to download their photos to, so the couple has all the photos by the end of the evening (well, not the photographer's but everyone elses').

At the dentist's office today, longtime dental-friend (yes, dentist offices can have nice people there - they're not all masocists) Martinique told me about her upcoming wedding. How much fun! They're going to Vegas, baby. It'll be blast, I'm sure. Anyhoo, that's why I've posted Harrison & Sunny's Wedding Album so she can see what a fabulous showcase a digital album can be.

Here's a little teaser... just in case you don't go to the link above.

 

My name is Michelle

Hi!  My name is Michelle, and I'm a magazine addict.

I have issues with magazines.  I love them.  I hate the environmental impact, but I love the feel and the look of the ones I'm obsessed with and even though there has been a kibosh on buying magazines in my house for the past two months, I've broken down and bought 8 in the past three days.

Cloth, Paper, Scissors
Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studio Edition
Somerset Digital Studio
Art Journalling by Somerset Studio
Somerset Studio - the Art of Paper and Mixed Media - 2 volumes
Artists' Cafe - best of Somerset Studio Art & Design
Artful Blogging- visually inspiring online journals by, who else? Somerset Studios

The fun part about all this, well besides the fact I get to read all these magazines and absorb all the fabulous information, is ... I also get to try out a lot of the techniques!  I learn about so much in every issue.  I want to run away to a little cottage and shut myself away and just do every single thing talked about in each magazine.

A tad impractical, so that is why I've decided this most likely borders on an actual issue, instead of just being funny.  But it's an issue I'd rather not resolve, truth be told.  I love my magazines.  And after a few months of not buying any (I have enough to tide me over I think) I'll most likely go on another spree.  And oh what fun that will be!

for real

For a while now, I've been making art and making small attempts at selling it.  I've created an Etsy site, I've gone to multiple craft fairs, and I've actually managed to have some commissions come my way.

And there I sit.

I attended an opening of a gallery show last night.  It was at Art Central, and it was one of the First Thursdays the collective hosts.  Samantha daSilva's students who have gone through Level 2 of her classes sum up their experience with a show.  This was one of them.

What I saw, not just at the show of the students but all throughout Art Central, was an incredible variety of what people consider to be art.  There were canvases I really liked, and canvases I really disliked, and others I was more intrigued with how the artists did them rather than the actual end product.

But what I took away from the event was the fact that I already do a lot of the same techniques.  I already produce a certain type of painting.  I already have pieces worth selling, worth collecting, worth putting in a show.  I had, until yesterday, always considered myself a bit of a hack since I lack professional training at a place like ACAD.  And truly, there are things some painters did that I simply can not do - like figure drawing or realistic paintings.  But abstract?  Multi-media?  I think I've got a grasp on those. 

I'm not saying I'm done learning - by no means!  I've just signed up for a Level 1 session of classes for abstract.  And I may look at a drawing class or something more outside my comfort zone. 

But what I am saying is... I don't need to feel 'less than' other artists because of my lack of shows or lack of training.  I'm starting out, so that's to be expected.  I just need to put more work into the business side of art and I think I'll get a good boost of confidence by getting out there and being more involved in my path's trajectory.  And who knows?  Maybe shortly I can post about a show I'm putting on!  :)

The Business of Art

I was just at a class today put on at the Calgary School of Art put on by Samantha daSilva all about the Business of Art. So not just making my art in my studio…but selling it too.

The class was overfull, with 11 women looking to take thier art to the next level and I was very impressed by the information provided by Samantha, and the level of success already acheived by the attendees. Of course each of us has our own way of doing things – one described her highly organized approach to experimentation, and another professed to not keeping track of the shows she’s been in and her desire to be more organized.

As well, we spoke briefly about each going away and doing our ‘homework’ from Samantha and perhaps getting together in a month to touch base and share again. To that end, I’ve included all the websites for those of us who have sites, and for all the other ladies – they can comment to ask me to email the list if I’ve missed them in my email (which will happen after I’m done with this blog update).

Class of February 26, 2011

DarleneBeckFineArt.com
drogar.com/corevitality
PatriciaLangevin.com
LeilaMcDowell.com
VanessaKary.com
Karen-Oliver.blogspot.com
KennedyInk.ca

As for the ladies not on this list, I have their email addresses and will forward everyone in the class this list, along with the email addresses of the ladies sans websites (but not for long, right? we’re all going to set up websites, right?)

So, as for everything I learned? Well, let’s just say I have a heck of a lot of work to do, so I’ll sign off and get on it.

LLAP
Michelle

Does life imitate art?

Last summer, I had the priviledge of cat/house-sitting in California and I fell in love. With a horse.  My husband doesn't like this horse, and my Mum humoured me with my facination.  But every chance I got, I took an apple to that horse and took his picture.

Then one day, while touring Calistoga, I found a painting and I've always wondered if it was the same horse the artist tried to capture.  What do you think?

And later that summer, my Mum took this photo of my Dad's dogs.  Below is a paiting from another artist in Calistoga.  I am so amused by these two photos and two paintings, I just had to share!

thankful

As per this blog post I recently read I was reminded to think of things I'm thankful for.  Alrighty then.  I think it can all be encompassed into one overall thing I'm thankful for - my ability to create.  If I weren't in the position in life that I'm in, I wouldn't create what I do, and how I do.  If I weren't with my husband, I wouldn't be able to pursue creativity as a career.  If I didn't have my family & friends as support, I wouldn't trust that I could create as a career.  And if I didn't have my little dog, my heartbeat at my feet, I wouldn't be in the mood to create anything uplifting.  So that's what I'm thankful for.  oh, and Thanks for asking!

so, this begs the question... what are you thankful for?

Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson

(posted with the understanding that the word 'God' to me doesn't mean the same as what the word 'God' may mean to other people.  Feel free to take it to stand for Good Orderly Direction, as I do.)

14 going on 65

Mum at 14

 The characters of the story - Mum, Andrea (my sister), and me. Aren't we a stylin' bunch?

Andrea at 14

me at 14



 Here's Mum & me in California this past summer.

me & Mum, last summer



And here's Andrea & Mum at Pigeon Lake in 2009.

Mum & Andrea, summer 2009

I'm not sure what fun antics we're going to get up to, but Mum has requested we all be in Montreal for her 65th birthday this June.  There will be dining, and shopping, and eating, and sightseeing, and dining again (I think you may see a trend here).  I'm certain we'll hit a couple art galleries, and hopefully a garden or two.  Because I'll have my handy camera with me and will take a zillion photos!  Maybe one or two of them will be nice enough to show everyone.  :)

Can't wait for June!