Bohemian Art Buffet
Short and sweet
by Bohemian Art Cafe on 01/27/11Is a blog supposed to be short and sweet or a place to share what's actually running rampant in one's mind? If the first, consider this my practice at conciseness. If the latter, look out for more long posts rambling on in the future.
Consolidating into a single art studio
by Bohemian Art Cafe on 01/27/11
I recently decided to rent space at the new Pendleton Art Center that will be opening in Middletown, Ohio. I've been extremely fortunate that I've been blessed to have five art studios (albeit, two are rather smallish) to work from in three different locations--a time travel spread of several hours apart. And I admit, I've been conflicted in letting my two art studios go at the Oxford Community Art Center (though I continue to be a member of the Art Shop Co-op, will have a solo show there and will be included in and assist with currating three other shows there in 2011.) Even with the sorrow of leaving my sweet studios there and the enjoyment I've gotten from meeting people at the 2nd Friday night open studio events, I'm really looking forward to losing some of the craziness of wanting a certain supply and realizing it is two hours drive away...having to schlep stuff from one studio to the next and back again each time I work on a different project...not having what I need at hand at the time the inspiration strikes...all of which does tend to make me feel a little flitty/flighty, for which I generally am not known.
Still, it looks like it will be anywhere from another 3 to 5 weeks before I can get into my new studio and there is a lot of refurb work I need to do--not to mention that the supplies and displays and counters and items I'm planning to put into the studio are stacking up in every available space (and overflowing into other's spaces besides my own.) I've been attending auctions to get the tile flooring (21 cents a square foot--a REALLY good price), $40 for 17' of counter and shelving (all I had to do was um...get it deconstructed from the wall it was attached to, carry the sections down a flight of stairs and stack it in a truck--and then the reverse once I get into the studio), $200 for three extremely sturdy glass display cases, $2 for 10' of book shelving where I can finally get all of my collage and assemblage materials and/or art related books placed, $40 for two industrial lights, $40 for a smoke eater (really important when soldering!), and a new glass kiln for larger scale glass work and casting for $200. I'm becoming the auction queen. Was sadly disappointed this week when I missed out on the art closet at a high school I was bidding on by only a single dollar--I quit too soon and lost out on some amazing items...but decided that the money I "saved" would enable me to purchase a new front loading enameling kiln which I've had my eye on for a while now. I did win the remaining items in the art classroom--which means I'll have several really great tables for classes, a bunch of shelving, even a stainless sink if I want to figure out how/take the time/energy to pull it off the wall...treasure!!! Not to mention the "found objects" I'll glean from the art classroom--a box of tiles I can do artwork on, several boxes of unopened terra cotta clay (which I can use in my pottery kiln), screen printing squeegees and materials...
Soooo, I'm itching to get into my new studio. Even though I still have to put in the flooring, paint, move counters and install them, move ALL my art supplies, rebuild my light table and install a window in the studio wall...I'm ready. I attended a construction open house there this past weekend and found out they plan to have the first open house on April 1st! Now I can feel the wheels turning again.
In the meantime, I have collage and assemblage supplies spread over my dining room and in two of the studios as I'm working on the solo show--which I was asked this week if I minded if it got moved from March to June of 2011 at Oxford Community Art Center--for which I was fine--it means more time for me to collect MORE found objects and create MORE pieces for the art show.
In the meantime, I'm updating my website for the first time in a LONG time--it's so important but seems to always be one of the things that is last on the list to complete and I've scheduled my classes for the year--although I might add an intermediate stained glass class and some Friday night something to do in Middletown art nights.
In the meantime, I'm working on getting two paintings together to take to the Artists of Oxford Community Art Center show for February--I'm submitting an abstract and my Dance Latina watercolor.
In the meantime, I'm finishing up my syllabus for my homeschool consortium class (a great little set of classes--I wish I'd gotten to take something like this when I was in fourth grade!) and working on creating overhead transparencies of art for the class.
In the meantime, I'm brainstorming the educational portion of the wall murals I'll be doing for the Oxford Community Art Center this spring and also brainstorming possible funding sources to cover the educational portions.
In the meantime, I'm reading five different art books before bed (one chapter out of one book each night except Saturday and Sunday).
In the meantime, I'm researching and preparing myself for the next onslaught of public art proposals and teaching proposals that need to get out the door before March 1st.
And working on getting a number of glass art pieces into the kiln for fusing in the mornings after coffee but before beginning the other "in the meantimes".
I'm averaging about 6 hours of sleep a night but I'm guessing that at least two of those hours per night are spent dreaming of artworks I'm currently working on, art related tasks I need to take care of, or new ideas for new public art works. It's a good thing I'm a night owl...because I get a lot of work done after the house is asleep. One of the few drawbacks so far to moving my studios out of the house...what will I do with my time in the evenings then? Oh yeah...maybe I can work on the digital development of the art calendar I've put on hold or finish writing the next draft of my book on overcoming fear to do the things that give life its joy and meaning. Maybe I'll even just snuggle up with my sweetie and the cats and...relax.
How to Be an Artist whether or Not I win the Lottery
by Bohemian Art Cafe on 03/15/10
There are soooo many things I know I could and would do differently if I were to win the lottery--how it would change how I DO being an artist!
1. I'd hire staff--someone to work as my personal assistant and do the mundane b.s. that takes up so much time and who could make phone calls/do follow up/mail things, help keep my files/receipts in order, and help update my website, post to twitter/facebook and second life, and other stuff I need help with that take away from my creativity time.
2. Hire accountant, attorney, internet website guru, maid service, gardener, chef and personal trainer. Afterall, I've got to keep all those balls in the air but I really need time for creative endeavors.
3. Hire a kick butt marketing team to work on getting my art out into the world in lots of ways.
4. Purchase a great building where I can have my art studios (all five of them combined into one), classroom space, a space for selling art supplies, a gallery space, and spaces available for other artists to have studios and create, create, create. I'd love to have a fabulous location that is artistically supporting and culturally attracts he community.
5. Buy high quality art supplies, get all of my completed artwork professionally framed and finished.
6. Submit my professional finished artwork to museums and galleries and competitions.
So, the thing is, while there are a lot of things that winning the lottery would make things soooo much easier to accomplish so much quicker, I CAN'T wait to win the lottery to do the things I want to do with my artwork. I've got to do what I can a little at a time to still accomplish the goals I want. The trick is juggling time effectively and using the resources I have (time, money, supplies, contacts, etc.) to the greatest advantage to meet those goals.
I just have to keep focusing and complete steps one at a time so that I get momentum going and keep achieving what I want to achieve. Time is ticking....and there are no guarantees for tomorrow.
Life is Art
by Bohemian Art Cafe on 03/03/10
After two weeks away, it was GREAT to get back to watercolor class. I am trying a different method and technique--mainly...less water = more control and SLOW down and think about what I'm trying to create/paint. Am working on a South Western landscape with some buttes and mesas and that huge sky and clouds. The clouds are a challenge but I'm about half way done.
Spent a while in the glass studio tonight. Set up the kiln to 1450 degrees. Am letting the copper pieces I'm going to enamel oxidize. Have about a dozen small circular flat pieces, 4 copper rings, and a couple of bowls I found at a thrift store. Oops...one of the pieces was soldered together--didn't realize it and the solder, of course, completely melted. Thank god I had the metalworking gloves on to pull it out of there. Going to clean them up and begin designing some jewelry pieces. One of the other pieces I got from the thrift store had some sort of a varnish or something on it. YIKES. It caught on fire in the kiln (but went out quickly--messy but vacuumable). Yet another thing to be aware of if you're using copper pieces you find.
I have to admit that setting up the website and redesigning it is actually fun--when the tools work right what a difference it makes!!
I try to find ways every day to fit in creativity. Some days are more about it than others but creativity and art are always on my mind. Afterall, life is art.
