Choi to the World

some fish swim slower

I was doing a little rearranging in my studio the other day or shall I say cleaning or maybe just moving junk around. I'll err on the side of diplomacy, I need to be kinder to myself. I came across a template for Swimmy.  He is the character in a children's book of the same title. Etsy launched a group project  asking members to make a swimmy to send to headquarters.  This was in February.  Well mine swimmed over to Etsyland in June. I came across it and thought what the heck, a cool lake dweller would be my creative warm-up for the day. I hand dyed some paper and cut the lovely orange rice paper to make my swimmy an organic rainbow scaled stud.

wacky americana

Ah, the painting is going well. It is interesting to be doing more illustrative work. In college my adviser always led me towards visual social commentary. I did my honors thesis on the subject of blood diamonds and the genocide of Sierra Leone. I am very proud of the body of work I was able to put together for a solo show. I loved doing the work and I was passionate about the subject. I still am. But is is not the only thing I am interested in and it is not something you would want on your dining room wall.

It feels good to be putting the brush towards other things I find of interest the whimsy of humanity and nature which is the direction I am going in now. I am starting off with material that my husband uses for a lesson in his freshman English classes. I'll let the title of my post be the clue. I will reveal more later.

I also have to suppress some other ideas i have which will involve a cross over between my cut paper work and my illustrative work. I wish could work faster....... and I wish I had a maid.

like riding a bike

After I was given an Epson R1800 {yes it was given to me!} ok, I did exchange a little graphic work -- let me say it was well worth it, anyway I was twinkling with happiness for a week. I wanted it so I could print wedding invites and cards from home but also so I could make prints of my work. I thought I would test it out on a couple old pieces I have. One is a monoprint, one a painting. Both have attracted attention over the years so I thought I'd put it in print form using the wonderful archival inks and luscious papers available that make prints from these cool printers so nice to have, frame and decorate with. They both have new owners but I was able to garner them to get them put into a more current digital format.

All this gives me an excuse to paint again, so I can make prints to sell in my shop. I know I don't need and excuse... I was a painting major at one time. So I began deliberation on whether I should transfer to acrylic paint. It dries faster, it is less toxic and easier to clean up. But oil is so much more editable and blend-able conversely, it takes forever to dry. If is switch to acrylic am I sacrificing true art for convenience? I suppose many people would think so. Will I never use oils again? I doubt it. But I am trying to make a living as an artist and in doing so I must make decisions that are best for the business, yep this is a business like anything else and I do have to make compromises that are best for me and my livelihood.

So it was a fateful coincidence that just as I was deliberating in agony over my paint decisions I got an e-mail from one of the local art stores announcing a demonstration and hands-on trial of a new acrylic paint by Chroma. It is called Interactive. It stays open longer so you can blend and lift layers of paint longer than traditional acrylics. I tried it. I liked it and I bought some to start my transition with. It was a bit scary for me, picking up the brushes again. It took me a week to actually do it.

But I did it. I am very excited about a series of images I am planning on painting with my new painty arms. I can't wait to show them off. I have been contemplating and sketching these ideas for over a month now. They are inspired by a lesson my husband teaches. Dinner time conversation is great! In the meantime I will be updating with some of my older work.

exquisite etsy treasury

I just had to include an image of this stunning treasury that Etsy member Lunalove put together. I am a part of it, my Bliss cut paper wedding card made it in. Altogether is is a feast for the eyes. Peep on this for a few minutes.

the simple things

Sometimes inspiration springs from the simplest of things. Well, more than sometimes, I guess it would be more accurate to say most times. Just yesterday I found myself at my sewing machine. The wonderful thing about my sewing machine is its history. The machine was my grandmother's. She was a seamstress. It is in a wonderful old stand that hides the machine away when not in use and has drawers full of all her supplies and collections from over the years. She was a product of the depression -- she saved everything. And now I have it. Buttons -- needles -- pins -- seam rippers -- little tins and jars that hold eye clasps, snaps, tailor's chalk. And there is this...

This sawdust filled pincushion has seen better days. I get a sympathetic heebie-jeebie feeling (like when you run into a spider web) for it seeing all those fabric fibers clinging to it. Something came over me to give it a makeover, which it so deserves. All these years of selfless service -- being treated like some enslaved voodoo doll.

So, I decided to get my tape, needles, a little glue, I garnered some ribbon, a nice little button and a yo yo that I made for another project and voila!

Cleans up nice, huh? Oh, and dontcha just love the wood and hinges from the sewing table? I do! And here she is back in all her pin-holding glory. She looks happy. I think grandma would be happy too.