Art crawl prep

Tonight Joel and I attended an organizational meeting for the St. Paul art crawl. This spring I will be participating in the St. Paul art crawl for the first time legitimately (we opened our doors last spring, but was not registered and I showed some older art work). I am using the art crawl as an incentive to get new work done. It is working.

We've decided to go to these last few organizational meetings so we can be more involved, hopefully lend a hand. This event does happen in our community and even if I wasn't an artist, it's an event we love. I'm not sure I like the organizational part of it, but I'll give it a try. I think this year we'll be more observers. Hopefully next year we can be more help.

The art crawl is a wonderful opportunity for the local community of artists to open up their studios and share their work with others. The first time I went to the art crawl (2 years ago) I was a little freaked out going into people's art studios, which are also sometimes their living spaces. But after a while, I realized it was a wonderful opportunity to meet artists and ask them about their work.

Even though it's still a little hard for my introverted self, I'm excited about opening up my studio and hearing what people have to say. Generally, I think people will share positive comments. If they're not interested, they'll simply walk away.

The worst part of being open for the art crawl is that you're not able to go around and see other people's work.

Stay tuned here for more art crawl updates.

A pain in the head...literally

Just a brief update: I've been laying low recovering from some oral surgery. Hopefully I'll be back to full speed in a few days. While I haven't made it to the studio for a few days, I have been trying to keep the creative juices flowing by surfing the net for inspiration, info and such. I found a whole bunch of fun websites, including several that host weekly "creative challenges". I'll be posting some of those links soon and hopefully participating in some of those challenges.

Studio

I am "on vacation" this week...and basically the only place I am going is across the street and down the block to my studio. While I would like to escape the cold, I am staying close to home. At least the studio is always warm...it's a little bit tropical.

I went to work at the studio around noon today. I stayed for a few hours, but didn't feel all that productive. Actually I felt stuck. I took out some watercolor paper and painted some "doodles" ... not trying to complete a painting, but sometimes something happens when the paint hits the canvas/paper. I am moved by color. It speaks to me. Or speaks for me. I haven't worked in watercolors for quite a while (I've been focusing on acrylics on canvas), but I've always liked the fluidity of watercolors. I find it relaxing and if I'm feeling stuck it helps loosen me up.

I went home for several hours this afternoon and went back for a bit this evening. I started work on a few smaller pieces that I'm doing on canvas paper ... partly as "studies" for larger works I hope to complete later on. I didn't feel stuck or worried (too much anyway) on what the outcome would be.

Sometimes it's enough just to enjoy the process.

Welcome

As I write in my profile, I've been finding a way to make art most of my life. But like most artists, making art has not been my vocation, but always something I have done "on the side". During the years I was raising my kids as a single parent, finding the time and the space to make art was hard, and at times, impossible.

But in the past year, my life has changed...my kids are essentially adults now ("in their twenties"...I don't think they're ever truly "on their own") and I got married to a wonderful man after 20 years of singleness. I moved in with my husband in lowertown St. Paul, which has a strong artist community. Our apartment building is surrounded by several buildings that house artist studios...and my husband & I rented one of them! Half of the space is his and the other half is mine. For the first time in my life I have a true art studio where I can paint undisturbed. I can paint and when I'm done for the day, leave my supplies out till I return the next time.

Art is still something I do "on the side", but now with renewed focus and purpose. Yes, I am still making art because it is what I love to do. But I am looking at my art differently. Who says my art isn't "good enough"? Who says I can't exhibit my art and possibly even sell some pieces?

I am determined to make more time for my art. I am determined to exhibit my art and hang it somewhere other than my four walls (or worse having it stored away in some closet).

I've reached that point in my life when it's not too late to dream, but it is getting too late to put your dreams on hold. I don't want to just be an artist "on the side". I want to be an artist in my own right. I may not ever make a living as an artist, but that's not the marker I'm striving for. It's more about pursuing my dream of being an active artist whose work is somewhere other than a closet.

So this blog is dedicated to my journey as an artist and will be a place I share my artistic process. It is also a place where I am looking to challenge myself and welcome feedback. I would also love to hear from other artists and their work.

Welcome.