miz katie art journal 020810

This is a story about Black Francis. He is a white boy I know who wishes he had black skin. I remember smiling when he told me that, and asking why. He said he would play better music if he was black, and he would live in the south. “Oh! Well, you could live in the south, anyway,” I said. “Yeah, but it wouldn’t be the same,” he replied.

I never forget little things. Sometimes, it is just a word or two of a conversation that mean nothing, really. Sometimes it’s a look or the way someone smiled. But, to me it stands out, and I carry it with me for years afterward. Gripping tightly, unable to let go. It’s how I commemorate moments that are now frozen in time.

I’m not going to lie to you. I am not one to keep secrets all that well. Oh sure, I can keep my mouth shut, don’t worry about that. But, sometimes, those little things of yours that I carry with me end up on pages of my art journal or hidden down deep within layers on a canvas. It comes out. It has to.

Everyone has a story. And, it may not always seem it, but I listen deeply to hear what you have to say. I think about conversations long after the words have been spoken or written in an email. I sift through, pick things out, and slip it into my pocket. Carrying it with me; keeping it safe. If you know me, you may find pieces of yourself stuck all over my artwork. Or perhaps woven throughout, if you look closely enough.

 

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little red is finished

little red riding hood

I think she’s about done. I will still mess with it for a couple days, like I usually do..tweaking this and that. But, for the most part, I’m breathing a sigh of relief.

I know I said I was going to vlog more of this painting, but I had some issues today. First off, I started recording when I wasn’t suppose to. So, I have a long video of me and Greg talking about Little Red, and he was making suggestions on how I could improve it. It’s rather amusing to watch..er, I mean, listen to. Neither one of us are on camera, but you can hear our whole conversation. Every now and then, I step into view, and mess with Little Red’s cape.

It’s funny because he asks me if I’m filming and I say, “Yes, come in and make a movie with me.” He tells me he really doesn’t want to. heh! Then I laugh and tell him, “Nah, I’m just kidding. It’s not recording.” haha..oh, but it was!! I really don’t know how to work this part of the camera at all, yet.

And, it used up most of my memory card, so when I went to record myself, it would only record a few seconds. By the time I realized what had happened, I had painted quite a bit..maybe like an hour. A lot of transformation can happen to a painting within an hour.

Secondly, the weather is so lousy that I have to have the lights on to paint. That’s causing a glare and well..what I did record didn’t come out all that great.

Thirdly, I just wasn’t feeling the camera today. I needed to get in tight with the canvas, and couldn’t figure out where to sit the tripod in order to shoot it correctly. You would have only seen the back of my hoodie, trust me.

So, long story short, there is no video, which is what I said to begin with, but for some reason thought I had to explain. It’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I’ll have some better shots of this soon. Close-ups. If it ever stops being cloudy and snowing. sigh. As always, it looks much, much better in person than what I can capture on the camera, especially in this awful dreary weather. We have no snow on the ground, yet it’s snowed almost every day for a week. Doesn’t make sense, huh?

Oh, and her dress is really pink. For some reason it’s showing up white.

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little red riding hood

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5 or 6 hours of painting condensed into a little over a minute. I think I’m finally getting the hang of video editing. Still not my forte, but I can at least do basic stuff now. That’s all I ever wanted to do, really.

If you want to subscribe to my YouTube channel, I’ll probably be updating about once a week. Not sure if I’ll always write about it here when I do.

Little Red will soon join Grandmother and the Woodsman on my wall. Greg isn’t crazy about me selling this series. He wants to keep it, and he said that over and over in his whiny voice the other night. Still, I’m not sure I’m going to listen to him.

I don’t have any feelings either way, really. To me, being a working artist is kinda like being a surrogate mother..I nurture and love the piece all the while I’m painting, but I never forget it’s not mine to keep. So, I’m detached from the painting right from the start. Even the ones I turn out liking more than I should, I don’t usually have a hard time selling them.

Maybe I’ll just buy Greg a print.
He’ll get over it.
haha

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elle moss photography

This week’s artist interview is with photographer Elle Moss.

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself and the art you create.
I am a full time photographer and a mom to 2 and have been married to my wonderful Andy for almost 17 years. I live in Saline, Michigan.

2. Are you a self taught artist or have you had training?
Although I have taken a few classes in photography and digital imagine, I consider myself mostly self taught…and still learning!

3. How long have you been selling your art?
i started selling on Etsy September 2007.

4. What is your favorite piece in your shop right now?
Right now, I am loving this:

 

elle moss photography
available here

 

5. Do you use Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or have a blog? Please share links, if you do.
Facebook
Twitter
blog
diary of a mod housewife
My website will be up next week.

6. What or who inspires you?
Remedios Varo
Holly Andres
Janieta Eyre
The Beatles

7. What are 3 of your favorite websites?
other than flickr, imdb and etsy…
Art and Ghost’s Blog (I love her work)
Female Photographer’s of Etsy (fPOE) (an etsy team i started and LOVE.
Little Brown Pen
sf girl by bay

 

elle moss photography

 

8. What are 3 of your favorite Etsy shops? (links, please)
Sea Unicorn
ArtQuirk
Old Age

9. What’s the name of the last book or movie you watched?
Book: The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls (FABulous!)
Movie: The Invention of Lying (i heart ricky gervais!)

10. What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Hang out with my family.
Cook vegetarian, whole foods dinners.
Dance.
Discover new towns and places…love road trips!
Drink wine and watch old movies from the 30’s.

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Five (links) for Friday

five for friday

 

Tim’s Sally – I found Mindy a couple years ago on Etsy, and she’s been a constant favorite of mine ever since. I can’t get enough of her artwork.

The Gritty Bird – she likes to ramble, so we have a lot in common.

Buttons Magee – she welcomes you into her home, serves up food, and gives you a tour around with pretty pictures.

Artsyville – oh, my! all the bright colors! and she’s my neighbor, too. well, sorta.

Gaping Void – cartoonist, raw, edgy, funny. Warning – strong language. Not for those easily offended.

Five links for Friday..enjoy! If any of them strike your fancy, why not let them know?

If you’d like your blog or website to be considered for a future post, please comment, so I can view your site.

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goodbye, girls

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