Art Junk Girl~

Some thoughtful discoveries....

Dear Friends,

First of all, I want to thank you all so much for your kind, encouraging words & wonderful nuggets of wisdom that you left for me on the previous post regarding my painting conondrum. I want you all to know that it helped me so much. I took a break the last few days from the "painting thang" to kind of regroup. I came up with an additional and enlightening discovery while working in my collage artjournal last night. Even though I know you all are right on the money that it's really about being stretched, and that I am indeed out of my "comfort zone", I did, however, discover another reason for my frustration while working on the painting below.

First of all, I hadn't worked on my art journal for a few days, and collage, after all, is my "therapy" if you will. Especially scrap collage. When I sit down to do an art journal entry, I have a host of goodies waiting for me in a nice little box. I have images, words, letters, familiar papers and writings to tell my "story". So many tools and tricks to say what I want. Sometimes, one image can say it all. That is the wonderful part of mixed-media art...you can have your cake and eat it too! Sometimes I don't really know what I am going to "say" on a page.. I do know (now) that when I grab an image, it's purposeful. I pick one up, pass up another, then finally go to one that reflects what I feel at that very moment. Yes, I do think about it that much. For this is how I express myself. Those things that I cannot put into words, I find in the bits of papers. So, you see, THIS, I feel is ONE of the reasons I got SO frustrated with painting the other day.... I sat down to compose my story, but I didn't have the ability, or skill to translate onto the canvas what I felt inside.

This is how personal art is to me. I know some of you may not understand this and others of you will. I feel I was trying to play a song, but I didn't know how to read the music. So, when I was done, the part of me that wanted to speak or "sing" was muzzled. That made me very frustrated!
So, where do I go from here? Well, for one, I cannot stop my regular shin dig (my journalling and collage) while I'm painting. The painting cannot take the place of the 'work' I do in my journal. For now, I will approach painting without so much emotion...I will try to start back at square one and learn the basics. I will be easier on myself, and I will certainly take a class to see if that is something I want to pursue. So, my friends, this is where I'm at right now. I've learned a lesson I didn't know was going to be in the curriculum! You all have been wonderful teachers and classmates on my art journey here! I thank you all SO very much for listening and helping me through this. I hope to share more of my heart and my colors with you this year. xoxooxo lia

Painting and whining....alot

Ok, my friends....I have quite alot to share today. I'm going to get down to the nitty gritty about this whole painting thang. I've learned alot in the last month of this experimental class of mine. What have I learned? I've learned that painting is really hard...I've learned that I really, really, really need to take some "real" classes. I've learned that I have a huge propensity for whining and self-loathing when it come to trying something I don't know how to do. I've learned that whatever people ask for their paintings should be triple that because painting takes a long time, alot of skill and loads of concentration. I've learned that making squares and doing collage is much, much, much easier for me. I've learned that I like playing more than I like trying to make something that's, well, something you can hang. A blank canvas and nice new paints expect something from you. I think I've broken the world record for telling myself how much I totally suck at this and that this really, really wasn't a good idea. So, I am hanging up my brushes and looking into some classes. I have alot of thinkin' to do. Has anyone seen my art journal...looks like it's time to work some things out with my leftover paint...thanks for listening my friends. Sorry if I was a downer today, but this is just how I feel. Inside and out. xo L.

workin' on the studio move again....

workin' on the studio move again...., originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Yes, put your hardhats on, we are going back into the basement studio redo episode again...big Bruno cleared some storage boxes to make room for my art junk yesterday. I promise to have more pictures soon. It's been a few month, eh? I had definitely put this on hold. Out of site, out of mind. I just closed the door...but I am itchin' for more painting room, so I'm back at it. Speaking of being "holed" up in the basement, talking to myself as I paint, that hasn't happened yet. I have remained somewhat the same person since I started painting. I still have both my ears and life is good. (some art humor there for ya. hee). Ok, tooo much coffee today! Gotta go take mother dear to the airport. Be back with another studio update soon. I think I should give Bruno a day to recover. xoxxo lia

It's all about painting right now....

Dear Friends, I wanted to update you all on my painting "class". It's been going pretty well. My "teacher" has me painting everyday. I am really enjoying it and I'm glad I am sticking to it this time. My "classes" here at home vary. Sometimes they are held at 11 p.m. when the house is quiet, for I have found that painting requires a bit more concentration than other things I've worked on. I don't know if it's necessarily a "concentration" thing per say, but definitely one where you want to be "in the moment". It is, to me, by nature, a very relaxing activity...SO, if I hold class during prime time noisy hours at home, it doesn't work as well. My "classes" last until I get tired. Some nights they are 20 minutes long, and sometimes 2 hours. The main objective I have is not "skipping" class...for if I skip a few days, I get out of my groove. I've come to the conclusion that I am a firm believer in the "creative habit". You must make it a habit or hours, days and years will go by and your paints get all dried up, as well as your energy and resolve.

So, I digress, as per usual. I did want to update those of you that are following my painting adventures. I say adventure because anything that is new and inviting, and colorful and exciting, is an "adventure" to me. Right now, I keep painting because I want to find my voice...what I want to paint and how...what is my favorite thing? What makes me happy? These are the questions that go through my head with every stroke. I'm looking at patterns, things I repeat. I'm looking at the colors I tend to use too much, and I'm reaching for different one's. I'm telling my critic to hit the ROAD! My critic isn't as concerned with my results as with just telling me I am too grown up for this. After all, that is one of my main "tissues" with my critic, as those of you who have followed my journey know. Many of you identify. We have decided, however, to keep on keepin' on, regardless of the unwanted resident critic says. I've found a few ways of silencing the critic...
1. Just get started. The critic's number one success is getting us not to even get started.
2. Get lost in the process. When the critic says, "if" or "but", I get a really bright rebellious color out and splat it down and say, "so there"!

3. Do something everyday. Making creativity a habit helps us to learn to live with the critic, know it's tactics and have the resolve to follow through anyway.

Sooo. those are my thoughts on painting lessons this month. Here are a few of the things I've done in my wallpaper book. Have those of you that wrote me gotten out your paints yet? If so, please leave a link so I can come see! REmember, safety is numbers. WE are gonna bust our critics and share our colors with the world! :) xo lia

p.s. I will share some links soon on favorite artists I'm discovering online...as soon as I get that organized! I'm finding that I am drawn to abstract painting and of course, mixed-media, mostly with emphasis of a portrait of somekind. more on that soon, in the next "episode".

collage: "love letters" by artjunkgrl

collage: "love letters" by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Dear Friends~
Happy Valentine's Day!! I know I haven't updated much this week... Things have been kind of nutty here in artjunkland. I'll be back to regularly scheduled programming soon. Have a terrific weekend everyone! xo Lia

p.s. I still love squares! hee hee.

Field of dreams...

Good Morning My Friends!

I'm having a pretty good mornin'. For one, I got to see my two college "babies" this weekend, and that always gives me a boost, and two, I got to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
I live on the east coast, a place where you never really know what the weather will decide to do. It can be freezing one day and summery weather the next. This complicates the morning dress routine. My daughters always ask me what the weather will be. My answer is always the same, "it's still winter, it's cold, wear your jacket".... I would say that it is generally pretty mild as far as blizzards and such go, but it can make up for it with it's humidity in the summer. That is why I looove the early spring and fall here. The air is very crisp and refreshing as the humidity has not set in, yet.
Yesterday, I spent the whole day outside. I just stood and looked around at nature and wondered how we can ever really be at a loss for inspiration. I also thought about the fact that I really do not get outside enough every day (other than jumpin' in and outta the car!)
With the advent of the internet, I've enjoyed being able to see pictures of dreamy places at the click of a button, especially since I don't get to travel much. But, I wonder how all the eye candy sometimes lures me away from being in the great outdoors enough, and just taking a break from all the technological distractions of our world.
Well, yesterday, as I stood outside and felt the fresh air brush against my skin, saw how the light shadowed over the stadium I was in, heard the music playing softly in the background, I had a swirl of creative ideas come to me. I felt so energized. I think I've forgotten to take time to smell the roses. The "real" roses. The world around me. I hope to take time this year to just be inspired by what is around me. I want to find a way to do this regularly.
So, that is what is on my mind today. Thinking, dreaming and noting how truly beautiful the world is and how it's just waiting for me to discover it, touch it, and work it into my art and life so I can enjoy it again and again. Well, I just wanted to share my thoughts on this with you today. Have a wonderful week my friends. xo lia

a journal page...second time around~

Iittle journal page, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

This journal page was reworked with some paint over a previous sketch I didn't like and some paper bits glued down. Another journal junk bites the dust. It's the last page in a drawing pad journal I have. Right now, I'm really into working in my moleskine journal. You can read more about that on www.journaljunk.com.
Have a good week everyone. I'm getting LOST tonight...is it me, or is Jack even better lookin' than last season? What's that? you are a Sawyer girl...huh? I'm lovin' Jack. Hope big Bruno isn't reading this...
xoxo Lia