Saturday, March 31, 2012

Famous Last Words

It seems that the capricious fates love me.....and I say that with a bemused smile and my foot firmly planted in my.........mouth. (ha HA)
 Or maybe it's not that way at all but instead that I'm slowly being taught a lesson and basically need a 2X4 across the noggin to catch on. Again.
So anygettothepointalreadyway, what I'm leading up to in my usual sideways stumbling way is that I just got this message on my Facebook inbox. And after all my moany, whingy, carrying on about having my picture taken , I am a wee bit put in my place.

"I am not sure whether or not I invited you to pose for my series "Artists of Vancouver Island." My daughter Nana Cook said "You need her - make sure she get invited!" So rather than miss I will send this. It would be a 90 minute pose 1:00 to 2:30 or 2:00 to 3:30 PM any day that suits you in April May or June. If you book now I will verify by email and send details which include my address. I hope you will have time to pose!


Charlotte Madison cmstudio@shaw.ca www.cmstudio.ca"

Well, this is picture taking of totally different caliber! And one I heartily am in favor of doing.
Hopefully, I will not be tempted to pose as this:


"The Invisible Man" by ParasiteDemon (seriously, that's the name......ah, gimicky thy name is artist)



.

Friday, March 30, 2012

THE STORY THUS FAR


There you go ...... almost done. "PHOBIA - Image." Working on figuring out 'hyper-realism' in acrylic for the figure. Ordered a swack of books. Has something to do with layers and layers of glazes. Can't wait to try it out......zing!

NO PHOTOS, PLEASE

Seriously, that does it.
I will no longer be in any photo ever again. Ever. Seriously.
Yeah, like that works, after I've said it 500 bazillion times and yet, again, there I am in all my extremely unphotogenic selfdom, in another photo. On the front page. Of the local paper.
I am considering printing up cards to hand out with 'NO PHOTOGRAPHING ALLOWED TO RARE GENETIC CONDITION' .......sigh*
I am so not a happy camper right now.
Bleah.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

First color! No calls! No emails! No alien landings! (darn!)


Well there we are.....not so bad and excited by the first bits of color. LOTS of refining still to do but off to a good start.
However.....Yours truly the artist-so-not-techy clicked the wrong app and now cannot upload pics in the we-did-it-this-way-all-the-time way anymore. The whole freeping folder disappeared.What a smozzle. I weep. But you got to admit I'm stubborn because I just kept trying to find a way back and by all the art gods, a new app popped up. So here we are.
Still and all.....the complete idiocy of the operator is beyond fathoming.
Thank Gods and Goddesses I can paint pretty good.
At least you don't need electricity for that!

**UPDATE.....2 HOURS LATER......Remember that stubborn thing? 
OK we actually just reloaded a whole other folder and put the 'new' pics in there. Also learned to NOT try to 'enhance' the photo anymore because that seems to fratz the whole biz up beyond visual acumen...still weeping. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Poking The Bear

I had to get very cranky this morning.
Emails telling me - after I told everyone I was going in Studio and NOT TO BE DISTURBED - that 'they' told some 'muckity-muck' person I'd phone them back for an interview.
No, no no.
Why is it that those-who-are-not-artists cannot seem to fathom you mean it when you say you are not available period exclamation point for anything short of alien landing in backyard when you are IN STUDIO.
*sigh bloody sigh*
Anywearetryingtogetthepointacrossway, here's what we DID manage after losing our collective cool and finally got left alone:
Start of new Series: "PHOBIA" line drawing layout.

It's terribly faint - I live in a dark little basement apt and even with lights blazing and the flash....well, it just is impossible to get it to be clear. AND yes even Photoshop won't translate without making it so schmecky you can't see it either.
Got to wait for the paint......

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

DO NOT DISTURB..or maybe that should read: Please Come In, I'm Disturbed Already


I am, I hope, not so thickheaded that I am unaware of what I get myself into (oh, shaddap)......well, maybe I err on the side of hoping what I get myself into will end up being that elusive 'piece of cake' situation that apparently does happen otherwise why do we have that idiotic saying and what does a piece of cake have to do with the ease of something anydumbsayingway anyhow.....but I digress.
When I took on the role as President of our local Arts Society, I was cognizant of there being a fairly heavy load of events and planning and all the astounding amounts of paperwork running a society brings but I remember making the, perhaps laughable, statement to the good people who requested me taking on the position that I wanted to make it clear my ART came first.
Well.....famous last words and all that.
I am now in the unenviable spot of rock and hard place as the deadline for the big Sooke Show I have been going into over the last 4 years is looming ever closer and due to the overwhelming amounts of energy taken up by the aforementioned societal duties, I find my time must now be jealously hoarded demanded.
But the guilt!
There is still so much to attend to for the upcoming Festivals and because the Art Show was such a resounding success, the call for another one in the summer is reverberating amongst the artist community.
Seriously, how can I deal with this without letting either side down - the artist side vs the ardent Arts Society supporter side......I'm just really tired right now. 
I think I need that clone.

The painting: Well, I'm on a roll with unfindable titles and info it seems as I couldn't find out about this painting either and even trying to google image search something about it I admit to giving up after 11 pages. So I tell you what; if any of you good and steadfast readers know what and who about this painting, please write me in the comments and I'll send to the first 3 viable info senders: one of my 'Ice Cream Ladies' reproductions! Remember the appropriate info or email me artist@island.net
And it's such a great illustration for the subject at hand! I do guess it's Mercury shushing what/whomever behind him....those wingy accouterments give it away and being a Gemini and Mercury is the ruling planet - there's another appropriate symbol.
OK....in STUDIO NOW.
Really.
Now.
The End.
Oh, but before I go - the Ice Cream Ladies:


      Chorus Line



Eat, Love, Play

 Glee Club




Sunday, March 25, 2012

A Brush With Greatness....Female Style

Every once in a while, something happens to me that just reaffirms my belief in the absolute magic of life and the people who I meet in it.
Just such a thing happened to me today as I did my 2nd to last 12+ hr long stint for the Art Show.
There I was along with 'Hottie' my cohort, blithering on about .....well, guys mostly, 'cause she's young and I'm full of stories....(won't shut up more like it) and along comes this lovely elderly woman who is fascinated by my little 'Ice Cream Ladies' series that I have displayed as raffle prizes. So, being the ever verbose raconteuse I am, I regale her with my story of how I started painting the series because of being sick and tired of how our society has women terrified of growing old...yadda yadda.... and making her laugh. We start bantering back and forth and her voice is noticeably hoarse, but in a sort of sultry way and she comments that she feels ridiculous to have such a sexy voice at the age of 91 (!!91! May the gods and goddesses bless me with her verve and elan at even part way to that age!) She feels that this voice is perhaps wasted on her and I pipe up with you can always use a telephone and perhaps have a new career, which prompts her to say, "Career? Well maybe I should let you know what my career was." and then proceeds to tell us that she was one of the 'Enigma' code breakers from World War 2 - yeah -that super secret how-we-won-the-war heroines!
Well, you coulda blown me away with a feather! This is a part of awesome FEMALE history before me - and one of, if not THE reason you and I live in the freedom we do! She then bought a raffle ticket and me'n'Hottie are trying to figure out how we can rig the raffle so that she can win the pic she really likes. We carry on like this for a bit when I just turn to "H" and say "This is nuts! I'm just going to give her the painting!" (the power of being the artist at work right there)
Anyheroineworshipway, I walked up to her and did just that and you know what? She cried she was so touched.
Man, no bigger compliment ever given.
Yeah.
That's a stellar day folks.
 Couldn't find a pic of her but I did find this: 

......and what this is, is a photo of the 'Collossus' computer that the girls (and that's not an epithet because they were all in their early 20's at the time) used to break the German code to discover the secrets of the Nazi war machine.
Take a look at the size of that baby.
So, there we go kiddos, tonight's bedtime story as it is almost 11pm and I'm off to bed.  Then gotta be back at Art Show headquarters at 8:30 am in the morn to wrap it all up - ie: dismantling all the screens and plinths and boards and making sure all the artists get their work.
Considering I got up at 8:15 this morning, I might be pushing it a tad.
Good thing I live 5 mins away from town.
Bonus!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Riding on the Coat Tails of Fame

Go here: www.blackrockresort.com/2012/03/a-west-coast-artist-katsumi-kimoto/

and here's the story.
I've known Kats since he was a lot shorter than me and considering I'm all of 5' tall, that's a while ago. Just like the story says he would watch me draw and paint and one time he said to me "I want to be an artist too, Marla" at which point I said back "If you want to be an artist, Katsumi, then be one. Just follow what your heart tells you."
The rest is history. The thing about this little story and the above article is that we never know what we may say to children that will stick or be taken away to become a part of what they are. This little bit of life fills me with heart bursting pride for a young man that I lovingly call 'my honorary son'.
I cannot think of a higher compliment to see how successful and accomplished he's become.
Life is good.
(and just one little beensy complaint, but the pic that is attributed to me isn't mine. It's actually Alison Tremain's....it's this kind of thing that keeps me from having a swelled head. A good thing, I'm sure.)
And I guess we need a pic, huh?


Is this not fantastically wonderful? Really, I wish this was my painting. "Budding Boy" by Julie Heffernan. This captures all the wonderful feeling of having sons and seeing them set off into whatever Life brings.
Ah, boy....having an extreme 'mumsy moment' right now.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE FOUR LETTER WORD?

Ordinary Life - Portrait of Mom 1951
Mine would be S O L D.
And....THISONETOO:

Chorus Line 2

It's...SHOWTIME!!



Yessiree, boyds and girbils, it's the Art Show and the major if decidedly only reason your ever faithful art maven has been absent from her post. Since Monday last, we have put in around 8 to 10 hours every day with a memorable 12.5 hr stint hanging work until the BlackRock Resort - where the show resides - kicked us out because we were hammering too much.
Ah...the joys of setting up.
Opening night reception we had around 125 to 150 folks partee-aying down and sold 8 works to boot!
The first full day - yesterday with yours truly 'the Prez' and her fantastic coordinator 'the Hottie' at the helm for a 12 hr shift - sold 5 more.
ZING!! 13 in 15 hrs.
Can we claim success?
Indeed.
More pics you say? Certainment, mon chums!

I do not know that lovely smiling young man, but the enjoyment of the show is most evident.
And look!


By all that is arty.....a good pic of SURFER, DUDE.
Will wonders never cease.......ok, off to my 2nd 12 hr shift day and, yes, I did actually agree to doing that. It only gets 'strange' after about 7 hrs when me and 'Hottie' descend into weird mayhem of eerie laughter and coded saying banter.
......you just have to be there.
I promise an in depth report after a day of sleep......or two.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Entries for the Art Show

Just finished a 12 hr day to get it all done. Here we go:

ENTRY # 1
SURFER, DUDE
Spare Parts sculpture from found objects


ENTRY # 2:
BEACH WALK (after De Sorolla)
acrylic 24" X 24"
in handmade beach wood frame



ENTRY # 3
CHORUS LINE (2)
Ice Cream Ladies Series
24" X 24"



Ah...we are beat. It was the mad painting marathon since Friday evening that has me knackered. But we 'gots it' done; and that is one of the things that makes me look bemusedly at the artists who come to the art show blithering on about not being able to get anything done to put in the show. You can ALWAYS get things done but you have to put your shoulder to the wheel and be willing to pull late night duty.
Allrighty, that's enough 'Mumsy' talk.
I am looking forward to seeing what the 'peeps' bring in over the next two days. Someone I know says she's putting in something that resembles a limp penis with an afro.
Well, that's Art for you, isn't it......

Saturday, March 10, 2012

NOT EXACTLY AS ADVERTISED


AND........here it is "Surfer Dude". You may notice it isn't movable. Well I learned that when you make 'movable' sculptures and think that you can willy-nilly use any old bits to make them with......it doesn't translate. The metal parts that made up the very cool, if I may say so, figures actually made them way too heavy to be able to turn up and down on the cams. No matter how many times you remake them.
The lesson for today is:
READ the instructions first.
Anywhatanidiotinahurryway, I just reconfigured it all into a standing sculpture on it's own.
Being as I still have 2 paintings to do and Monday is the drop off day.
Here's a close up of his face:

....ah boy....we're still lousy at taking pictures.....

Some things just don't change.
Come to the art show and see it in person. That'll do it. Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet, B.C. March 17 to 25th. 10 to 10 every day.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Whatever you do, don't look down.....don't look up either.....

There is no way to accurately describe the complete insanity of my life currently...... Remember that great plan down there in the last post of the fantastic 'automata' sculpture I was working on?
Well, we've rebuilt it 3 times now. AND remade the 'Surfer dude'. AND recut the cogs 4 times. AND run to the hardware store so often all the 'guys' know me by name now.
Add to this the fact I still need to paint 2 paintings. Icluding making the stretcher bars and stretch/prep of the canvas.
For the Artshow.
The day to hand in work is on Monday.
I'm on the 'intake' table.
From 10 am to 4 pm.
Then I have to interview 3 people for a coordinators position for the Art Society.
After which there's a special emergency meeting of the art society board. I'm Prez.
All I can add to this is that I broke my toe last night too.
Eesh.

The painting is a mystery. But I sure like it! It came from a blog called stephaniebeth.tumblr.com except when I went there to find out the title and artist - it was nowhere to be found.
Perfectly understandable in the current chaos of this time.

And 'spellcheck' isn't working.

Ah, Life is nothing if it isn't an adventure.

Friday, March 2, 2012

And Now For Something Completely Different....

Greetings, Planetary Cohabitors!
Ok, that's a bit weird - even by my standards - but it's a way to introduce my latest creative craziness....Automata. Automata is defined as : toys that move by hand cranking built on a series of rotating cams. (note:No batteries included!! There isn't even a slot to put them in!!) However those initial 'Toys' have morphed into a whole art form of it's own; I guess you'd say they are 'kinetic sculpture'. Up above is a simple illustration of what I'm going on about.
Here's another somewhat more complex and certainly 'sculptural' piece:


All this started by me wanting to create a special piece for the upcoming Art Show here in town and being as my 'robot sculptures' have been pretty popular I thought I'd make one of those and basically we morphed into turning it into a moving sculpture....hence the Automata shtick. Here's what started that little sideways move:


Ah, great screaming chihuahuas...what a miserable photo...anykodakisnotmyfriendway, it's a 'surfer dude' built out of found bits which lead me to creating this:


..the shark. The Shark. ( had to, had to) And for those of you not as coastal as I am, that's an old fishing lure along with bits of attitude by way of sawtooth hangers and the tip of a pizza server which I cut with my super duper brand new 'Aviator Snips' -( I am in LOVE with those)....ta da!
Yes indeed. The end product -we hope- will be a whole moving sculpture where the surfer dude goes up and down as the shark goes up and down and the bird...did I mention there's a bird too?....goes up and down all at different times.
Y-E-A-H.....that's the plan....speaking of which...here is the plan:
Now if any of you talented readers are so inclined to make one of your own I invite you to do so. All I ask is that you let me know and send me a pic. Hopefully you can take better pics than me.....which is probably a given.
The first Photo of Automata is a piece by Kazu Harada from a great website Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. http://www.cabaret.co.uk/
and the second photo is a piece by Wanda Sowry www.flickr.com/wandasowry
go get inspired!