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February 27, 2008

The Faces I Know

Yesterday

Today

Detail #1

Detail #2

This piece is again exploring a new theme I want to take on. I have trouble completely defining it. I've talked it through with Joel pretty sucessfully and then fairly clumsily with Cat.
CreateHere has another art show in March that I'm going to try with all my might to be ready for. Between a funeral, memorial service, teaching school, Clothesline show organizing, small group hosting, baby shower planning and general Mom duties I hope I can have a piece finished by March 5. Whew. But this is how I like to be. I've been slowing down a little too much and it makes my artwork suffer. The March show has a literary theme to it. There were not many quotes left to go from, but the one I picked was from A Lesson Before Dying. It's from page 175 and it talks about fiddling with a radio dial to find a good station. I found some good antique radio pics via flickr so I dove into the geometry of drawing radio dials the other night. I hope I can achieve a good illusion. If any of you have some insight on that book that'd be great because I really don't have the time to read it.
Thanks for all your well wishings for our family. We will say farewell officially to Papa Hull this weekend. I look forward to seeing what his military burial will be like.

fine art | By | 12:03 PM | TrackBack

February 22, 2008

Ole Faithful

Joel's grandfather passed away today. He had been very sick for awhile. He was quite a character! He wore overalls all...the...time. I think I saw him in a suit for Joel's cousin's wedding. He will be missed. He crept around and didn't really get involved with all the hub-bub at family gatherings. When he spoke up though it was enough to silence the din and say something profound, totally random, or goofy. He would tempt Josiah with a stand-offish exterior and then when Jos would touch all the many buttons on his overalls Papa had a sound for each one. It was a great scene to watch. Joel resembles his grandfather in stature, wit and facial features. When I first met Joel he told me he couldn't wait to get old so he could be just like his Papa, "I just want to have an excuse to wear only overalls and Birkenstocks all day".
The first Thanksgiving that Joel and I were officially together, engaged perhaps, Papa lead us in prayer before the meal. He said he had [x] amount of children, grandchildren, etc. to be thankful for. Then he added, "Well, I have one more to add this year". He was talking about me. I was the very first in-law grandchild. That made me feel pretty special.
We have been praying that Big Papa would no longer be in pain. This did not mean we wanted him 'all better', we knew he had a better place to go. Going home to Jesus is hard for those you leave here, but for him, it's his life journey's reward.

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February 21, 2008

Yeah Baby!

For an actual visual of what's happening see Amber's post on her family's wonderful enjoyment of 'red-neck sledding'. The audio is totally worth hitting the play button. You won't be disappointed.

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February 20, 2008

Beautiful Play

Here's a random video I made that kinda reflects what we do on a random Sunday morning (since we do church Sunday night). It also shows the many exciting things available in our "to be developed" Jefferson Street Park. I'd like to do more mini slideshows with music but you know I just don't need to feed my addiction anymore than I already do. Enjoy! (And family, I have no idea what music it is, it's something that's just on the computer, I haven't figured out how to import tunes into my movie maker.)

And I pretty much finished my Bird and Egg piece, check it out on my flickr.

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February 19, 2008

It needs something

I think it needs a warm bright color somewhere and definately some cropping. And some interference, mmmmm. But I love this bird and the berries and the eggs. It's just part of my new experimenting and pining for BIG surfaces and areas to paint.

fine art | By | 9:21 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 17, 2008

I am a Gen X'er

Oh my my my. I am such a Gen X'er today. When I am by myself quietly working on art I take a secret jouney back. ABC helps me with this. They have been putting up a new episode of My So Called Life online each week and I look forward to watching each new slice of time. I can't say my life was exactly like Angela's, but man, it's eery sometimes. I had a Jordan Catalano in my life and sometimes, whew, it's like reading my diary. The clothes, the music, the hairdo's, the awkwardness. I love this show. I did when it came out and I still do. I guess it'll go on a wishlist sometime.

How many other X'ers can relate to this. How many of you had a Jordan Catalano? How many of you can guess who mine is? No don't answer that, seriously. I love John Hughes films but I was a little kid when those teen-agers were around. MSCL is my memory.

I guess I've been thinking alot about "memory" and "the familiar" as I work toward a new body of artwork. Fuel for the fire,eh?

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February 16, 2008

New Generation of Insect

I finished this little guy up last night. This is really different but it's what I call a 'happy mistake'. I had kinda ruined the surface of this paper with too much acrylic. Mixing acrylic and watercolor/gouache surfaces pretty much determines that once the acrylic is down there's no other option than acrylic. I like how this one turned out. You kinda hafta like pink, but the red oxide brown makes up for it. This little beetle ends up looking pretty neat with a think line of blue. I wish you could see that the beige color has a little bit of orange interference on top, it's shiny. Interference is my new toy *smile*. I'm trying to figure out if I should put it in my etsy shop now, or wait til after the Clothesline jurying to have something representative of what I want to try for the next year or so.

I'm still thinking of that grant and have received a lot more confidence about the ideas milling around in my head

fine art | By | 4:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 15, 2008

MMMeh?

Yesterday had the potential of being really nice but it was just ok. Joel and I don't do Valentine's Day. And before you feel really sorry for me I'll say, "As long as he makes some days romantic and sweet I'll forgive him for the faux holiday made up for the end of winter retail slump." Ok, now you can feel sorry for me because I didn't spend any time with my husband on Valentines. I did get to love on my kids alot and have a nice relaxing play day with them yesterday. We walked and had hot chocolate at Niedlov's and fresh peanut butter cookies made there later on.

We played on the St Elmo playground making "family sandwiches" down the slide (me on the bottom, Jos in the middle and Eden on top). I did get to go to one hour of the opening of Heart of the Neighborhood and have a pretty (although not quite stiff enough) drink. Cat joined me since Joel was still at work. I walked home with Cat and met Joel at the door as he went to Nocturne and took tickets. I hung out with my kids and we watched Batman until Grandma and Grandpa showed up. I debated whether I should take my mom up on another hour of babysitting but my weary bones, lack of desire to drink, and the face of Josiah when he said, "Are you going to put us to bed?" They've had too much babysitting this week I think. My neighbor Jan stopped by to tell me my "Bird of Hearts" was the only piece that sold at the Create Here Heart of the Neighborhood Show. Great! Is it God's blessing or the fact that I priced it too low? A little bit of both, that's $65 bucks I didn't have before! Joel called at 9pm from the din of pre party hoopla and asked if I would be staying home. He guessed right. He did however bring the eager Thompson's over to the house (since we are around the corner from the party) to give them some hope of living here? Maybe? Join us will you? The rest of the evening is not worth mentioning. I tried to get work done but was preoccupied with too much dramatic TV and inner spirit churnings of sorts. I do hope your Valentine's day was joyful. It is too much for us to have high romantic expectations, it is, however, fun to cut out big read hearts out of paper and see little children OOo and Ahhh over mylar balloons.

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February 14, 2008

Leggo my Valentine

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February 12, 2008

A Good Idea that Pays

I told Cat a while ago that if I didn't want to be a frustrated artist/mama I needed to stop taking showers, never sleep in, never go on walks by myself, etc. Because these activities get me into trouble. I spend that time whether 10 minutes or 2 hours daydreaming, thinking, trying to put together the next good idea. The next inspiration. I love the magazines that are full of great style, wonderful art and fashion, but looking at them too long makes me realize that I am getting frustrated. It's that frustration that there is someone more talented than you are. There are lots of people more talented than me. I know many of them very well. But now my frustration is weighted by a deadline of great worth.

They are giving out money. Up to 20K for one person. Money can grow on trees but you need a kick ass idea to get a basket for that tree. I got my home from the same pot of money and now I have the opportunity to write a grant and get more money for an idea. A great big fat honkin' awesome idea. An idea that I don't have. Man, that makes me want to cry a little. So many of you, my blogland friends, are overflowing with great ideas. This is not how God built me. I am not really a brainstormer. I impliment, I baby step, I learn from mistakes. So far I am growing and changing my style. It's working, I make money making art. But as I said, there are many people more talented than me. This opportunity came about the same time Lent has so I spend time that I am quiet with just God and the dark praying about the future. Can I tell them,"Look, I am talented, I am a mom, I need a financial boost to get that next big project started. Here's what I want to paint."

Cat got to go to the meeting yesterday for the grant and filled me in. They are looking for something really unique. That makes me want to cry a little too. See, I really am not feeling unique. I know many of you readers are huffing that I'm down on my self right now, but this is a cut-throat business. I want to represent something amazing, powerful, techinically wonderful and current. Yet I am flawed and although I am made in God's image I am fighting my way out of a sack of inadequacy.

When I complete a portrait, for example, I am not patting myself on the back normally. One of the first things I do is thank Jesus. Because I don't do this by myself. I do it because God gave me the gift and I am giving it back. Doing a portrait is scary. I'm always terrified of failing.

So what makes me worthy of money that another mother-of-two artist in the Chattanooga area is not? What can I offer that is special, unique, altering to the everyday? I don't know, that's why I keep praying. I tell myself that if I "just didn't have to do _____" I would have great ideas. But that's not how God made me either. He gave me a gift, and he gave me a family. Neither one of those things should fight each other. The approval of man is not what I live for, neither is the accumulation of money, but I do want to have an opportunity to give God glory with a new large body of work. Could that be enough?

fine art | By | 3:52 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 11, 2008

What to do on Valentine's Day

I pulled my act together just a smidge in order to get one piece in this show. I hope it's worthy. If you love it come and buy it!

Heart of the Neighborhood 5:00 – 8:00 PM
CreateHere @ 55 East Main St.
Come out for a RedHot cocktail party/art opening/live DJ. Eat your heart out at this show by Southside artists with multi-media, cupid-inspired pieces. Free. Questions? Call CreateHere at 648-2195.

fine art | By | 4:56 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 8, 2008

Bunny Money

Another commission! This one is just like Finn, and I love this one. I hope to get some better pictures of it in the daylight today. This ones off to my former Starbucks barista who I got to know and we were totally unaware that we both went to Covenant. And she happened to play soccer with my super SIL. Small world over black and white mocha's.



I am also incredibly thankful today because after having a depressing bill paying moment yesterday, God has blessed us and I sold a Metro painting last night on Etsy! God is good, and He pays attention to all our worries and requests. Hallelujah!

fine art | By | 8:41 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 7, 2008

Gnarly

There are lots of things I'd like to write about but I am observing Lent this year and the one thing I told myself I would limit is my internet "fun" time. So my daily hour of play is almost up. Literally like 30 seconds left. So I'll catch you here tommorrow. Think about what you should be doing instead of reading this. Go, be outside. Talk to an actual human that's not online. Make some art. Write a letter to someone on paper with your favorite pen. I'm going to start dinner and finish a bunny.

Later.

the spirit within | By | 3:56 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 3, 2008

A life changing five.

It's Josiah's birthday. There's only 40 minutes left of his birthday as I'm typing this. I wanted to write about my boy before his birthday is over. It's amazing looking at the pictures in his baby book and realizing how far God has brought us all together. The wierd part is Jos probably won't remember a lot of those times. We found out he was part of our life while we were in Norway and had almost no money left. Almost my entire pregnancy we were still in a tight spot and waiting on the Lord to provide a self-sustaining life. I have almost forgotton how hard I worked to get him into the world, but all I have to do is look down at all my stretch marks and remember I was almost 175lbs when I went into labor. Shizamm!

Josiah is my precious friend. I will miss him so much when he goes to school this fall. But even as I look at his precious baby dimples in every picture I have of him, I know him as a five year old boy now. He asks me wonderful questions, he remembers everyone by their first name, he asks me to pray for him, he tells me he loves me and gives me slimy kisses on the mouth. He's my boy and he changed my life forever. I am glad when I have time away from him so when we reunite he runs and greets me with great drama and huge hugs. I think he's the most handsome boy in the world. I love the glow of his coppery head of hair and the fact that his eyes are grey-blue like mine. I love how lanky he is! I love how well he sings, and that we end every bedtime ritual with our little song of blessing and sing it LOUD. Josiah always says, "I think we waked up the whole neighborhood." Sometimes he jumps up to see if he can see anyone out his window, mad that they've been woken up.

I might have been a little crazy to host a party for 4 little birthday boys this Saturday, but to me they are all worth it. Happy Birthday guys! We had a great costumey time full of running, charging, chasing, eating, and most of all celebrating! May God bring this great army of men to great faith and change this world. May they be fathers that love their sons, husbands that love their wives, irreplaceable to their daughters, and warriors for the Lord. Boys are a blessing, I have been so blessed by mine.

Happy Birthday Juden, Josiah, Elisha and Kaiden!

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February 2, 2008

Getting Ready

I'm up late again waiting for my primo eBay auction to end. A pair of jeans for $113. I wanted them to get up to $150. I wanted to work a little bit more for the Birthday Costume Bash we are having tommorrow but I've been feeling icky, getting better though. Josiah, Juden, Kaiden and Elisha all amazing birthday boys. Josiah received a kind gift of a Superman outfit to borrow for the party from Oliver. I've heard that Joshua Caleb Green will be dressed in pirate gear. Joel is going to be Darth Vader. I think, now that I'm on the mend, I will be Cat Woman, meeeeee-yeow! I'll let Eden decide what she wants to be tommorrow monring. It'll be great to see so many friends. We will miss those that can't be there, we love you all! I hope we have enough treats for everyone. Either way, I will love celebrating these boys. Boys are wonderful. I have never been so challenged to use my imagination as I am when I'm with my son. Josiah's birthday is Sunday, I'll try not to get to sappy before then.

family | By | 12:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack