Making Marks

Goulish Delights

There was a time when I looked at ebay on a daily basis. The treasures are endless, and as Oscar Wilde said, "I can resist anything but temptation." So, I had to quit.

Then recently I thought it would be fun to have a part of my website devoted to sending out e-cards. I went back to ebay to look for seasonal greetings. Old post cards are so delightful, and I just fell in love with this one!(That project hasn't come to fruition, yet. I'll let you know when it's up and running.)

Happy Halloween!

Scooter Update

Scooter loves the car now. He nearly had a panic attack in the car when we brought him home from the shelter five months ago. His reaction scared all three of us!

We took baby steps: I just opened the car door and got in. He wanted to be with me, so he jumped in, too. After a few minutes, we both got out. We repeated this several times. Next, we'd jump in and I'd pull out of the garage into our driveway. (Repeat.) Then we took a little drive around town. (Repeat.)

Now he knows that being in the car means spending time with us, and he'll hop right in any time. (Yes, he's completely spoiled! We put his sheepskin bed in the car to protect the seats.)

He teaches me such great life lessons. When I'm scared of or don't want to do a creative project, I know I'll be successful if I take those little steps. Rome wasn't built in a day!

The Business of Art- blogs I read

The information and inspiration available on-line  these days is amazing. I vividly recall my first computer, with a black and green screen and an external floppy drive (when diskettes really were floppy). I loved playing text-based puzzle games. Now I am continually in awe of what I can find at my finger tips, including guidance, friendship and motivation on-line.

One of the on-line stars of art musings, advice and encouragement is Robert Genn of the Painters Keys. He writes a regular letter that can be delivered to your e-mail box in addition to hosting an artist directory and myriad other resources on his site.

I've found a couple of reliable, focused people who write art marketing. One is Alyson Stanfield. She offers a blog, newsletters, individual coaching and classes. Her book written about art marketing for artists, I'd Rather Be in the Studio, is coming out in 2008.

Another place I look for art marketing information is Luann Udell. As a working artist, she has plenty of experience to share regarding getting work out to buyers, and she's incredibly generous sharing  information, insights and ideas. Also, she's a great writer who has a knack for applying life circumstances to art matters.

More Doodling

My goal has been a Zentangle-inspired doodle per day. So far, I'm doing pretty well. The exercise is meditative, but another result is that I have some more confidence in making marks with a pen. Mistakes happen, but they can be incorporated into the design.

I've also been working on more chalk pastel embossed pieces, similar to ones I made during a workshop with Rebecca Wild. On these new works, I've been incorporating more doodling from my daily designs. I decided to have these professionally photographed for either a show submission or possibly for reproductions on cards. I'll be posting photos soon.

Flowers Note Card

These imaginary flowers were the initial thoughts I had when I considered using sashiko for a background design. I was inspired by Japanese design, and I knew I couldn't emulate the gorgeous washi paper that I love. I enjoy the rich details, the unexpected shimmer (in the silver floating petals in this case) and the sometimes startling color combinations.

I've learned something in each of the Gocco printed cards I've made with the sashiko design. The more I print, the more I understand the Gocco system's strengths and how to work with the limitations.

As with all of my Gocco projects, this note card is available in my ETSY shop.

Sashiko Leaf Note card

Inspired by my favorite tree, I made a three screen Gocco print. The leaf prints are mounted onto mellow orange note cards. I wasn't sure about the ochre background at first, but I think it all works together.

You can see the similarity to the Dragonfly note cards since I used the same technique with blending sashiko patterns in the background.  The leaves are printed on a separate screen, and the veins are yet another screen.

Figuring out the layers and steps using the Gocco has been a fun challenge. The last printmaking class I remember taking was in high school. I used a traditional silk screen process and printed a t-shirt or two.  I find the Gocco system to be much more fun and love the results. For example, in the leaf card, I got a rough texture in the sashiko lines by using a crayon for the design. I'm not sure how I'd do something similar with cutting traditional silk screen.

I have one more sashiko-inspired design in the works. You'll be able to find them all in my ETSY shop. I'm charging $3.50 per card or 3 for $10.

Doodle Mania

I have to blame this on Julie who wrote about Carolyn. Carolyn is noted for her rubber stamping skills, but I think her artistic talent extends beyond stamping. When I looked at her blog, I noticed an intriguing doodle called a Zentangle. After some investigation, I decided to order the Zentangle kit, and it arrived yesterday.

This is my first doodle after watching the DVD and reading the pithy "directions" that come with the kit. I made it while the oven was heating up for dinner, so this is a quick little project with a lot of zing. I can see how it will translate into some of my other work, and that's exciting! So much of my work has been focused on color, I'm interested in exploring more pattern. This is a great exercise to incorporate textures and patterns.

My Favorite Tree

Since we've been walking Scooter, I've gotten a new perspective on our neighborhood and decided this is my favorite tree. I tried to take a shot of it from a distance, but I saw that it's really no beauty from that angle. It's loveliness is in the branches and in the leaves. I think it's some sort of maple, but the leaves are rounded and compact compared to many maples I've seen.

What really captures my attention, though, are the colors of the leaves in the fall. This tree drops leaves that are everything from a deep crimson, to a buttery orange to a bright yellow. Since the leaves are so distinctive, I'm sure they are all from this tree.

The leaves inspired a Gocco print, similar to the dragonfly design. I'll post it here soon.

His name is Scooter . . . there's no one cuter

I know this is editing reality, but I had to upload another photo since the first one I posted looks very dark on many monitors. . .

I finally figured out some pet photography tricks - at least they work with Scooter. This image was taken after a rousing game of fetch with the Fat Cat (which you can barely see on the right in the background). And then I went and got treats, so I could snap a shot while he sat relatively still (due to exhaustion) and looked interested. He's in the best spot in the house for natural light, and I turned off the flash on the camera. He hates the flash, and I can't blame him.

He was groomed last week, so he's looking sharp.

As for the info for the monthly training update, we have been working on some new "tricks" to keep us both interested. One of them is for him to sit and stay while I throw a treat across the room. On a command, he goes and gets it. Similarly, he sits and stays while I go hide. Then he comes and finds me.

Oh, and my sweet husband decided Scooter is allowed on the bed when he's invited. That has led to some great cuddling!

The title of the post is from Scooter's theme song . . . we made it up, and we won't be quitting our day jobs to write jingles.