Studio Sunday: I Said Forever

Yesterday it rained all day, today no rain, but low 70s. I'm not leaving the house this weekend. Everything else can wait - wait until a different weekend, wait to be done after work on the way home. Wait, so I can paint and create. 

This was the second year I focused on one painting for the whole summer, and I'm extremely proud of it. As previously noted, it's another music inspired piece too: The Banished Heart by Oceans of Slumber. I saw them live back in June and hoped to have the piece done by then - ha. Art cannot be rushed if you want to pour yourself into it. That said, what began back in May or so, would be completed in August, with touch-ups in September. 

Listen to the song. Look at the lyrics. Interpret it as you will. This is my interpretation, fixated on the phrase, “I said forever.”

I've started working on other pieces, some music inspired, some more personal - two are almost completed already, in less than a month's time. Fall is getting here in Texas and I'm feeling rested on this weekend and creative and expressing myself. I'll try to post late this week about visiting the Fort Worth Modern a few weeks ago. 

For now, it's back to painting. 

"When I hold you, I need you
I said forever, I mean forever"

The Banished Heart by Oceans of Slumber.

Currently Listening: Earthless by Doom:VS
Currently Watching: Babylon 5 on Amazon Prime (season 5 now)
Currently Reading: The Peaceville Life by Paul Hammy Halmshaw and Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach, Ph.D

Studio Saturday: Slow and Steady

Today and most of the last week it's been over 100 degrees in Texas, and it reminds me how unproductive this heat can make me. Last year during the summer, my husband and I did our belated honeymoon and traveled. If it's one thing I learned from my productivity last year, it's to focus on one piece - this was especially true with the travel. I started a painting, slowly worked on it, traveled, and came back to finish it. Later it ended up in a show. 

Normally, I work on multiple pieces at a time. Normally, I barely do anything artistic during the summer. Now, I'm working on one piece with many pieces in mind. Take a wild guess on what it is...

Yep, it has a heart and yes is inspired by a band (Oceans of Slumber). This has been my main focus this summer and it's different for me. I'm painting it different than usual. After a month of battling with the idea, I said screw it and do it. Each time I work on it I'm being led where I didn't expect, and I'm happy. I can feel it coming to it's completion - slowly. However, as it comes to a close, I'm thinking of those other ideas, and I'm thinking, maybe I do just start focusing on one piece at a time, just one. Give it all my heart - because I'm going to keep painting hearts. 

Currently Listening: The Density Parameter by Mesarthim
Currently Watching: Babylon 5 on Amazon Prime
Currently Reading: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Thoughtful Thursday: From the Cotton (Self Portrait)

This year, I've noticed I'm falling back into a comforting place that is cotton plant imagery. One day I had this idea for a self-portrait, but different. I was wearing pigtails and asked my husband to take a photo, making sure to show the tattoo on my neck. 

After our vacation, I found time to draw it out, play with some imagery, and me being me, I decided, "screw it, this is good enough, let's paint it." So I did, and this happened. 

cropped picture to add to gallery page soon to come

It's just me, the back of me, sprouting cotton. With this one, I wanted to make sure to capture the tattoo. "Memento Mori" - remember you are mortal, remember you will die. I've loved this phase since I learned it in Art History back in high school. It is my first tattoo and I got before I permanently moved to Dallas. Remember you are mortal so you can live. 

I have so many painting ideas, and I want to revisit my cotton plant imagery, and use it, and tell a bigger story than I did in college.  Hopefully it will all come together, and who knows, maybe someday I can show it all together. In mean time, as Dory from Finding Nemo might say if she were a painter: just keep painting, just keep painting...

Currently Listening: October Tide - Tunnel of No Light
Currently Watching: The Expanse when new episodes air
Currently Reading: The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Studio Saturday: Success, Completion, Vacation, and Attempt to Repeat...

...at least somewhat. Maybe not vacation, not anytime soon. However, to explain: last month, I found for the second year in a row, a Katatonia inspired piece of mine was accepted into the annual El Corazón exhibit at the Bathhouse Cultural Center. The theme was loosely hearts and music, and this fit perfectly. The piece was inspired by the song Decima. I finished the piece in the late summer, so I was ready, waiting for the submission to be open months later. I could have cried. I have yet to go see and missed the reception due to being on 70,000 Tons of Metal, which, funny enough - inspired me to become more of Katatonia fan and fall in love with their music. Needless to say, it's truly helped my work. 

Before heading to 70K, I also was working on a piece that I was hoping to submit to another upcoming show. I'll update the completed piece soon, but after I got back from vacation, I titled and submitted Blind Scopophobia. Yes - try to pronounce it, I can only hope I can say it right. It's a very personal piece for me. I hoped to finish it before vacation so after I could make sure it's good and ready, and after some research, came up with a title. Thus, Success, Completion, and Repeat. Maybe not another vacation any time soon. However, I do have another show I'd like to submit to as well. I'm hoping for the best. In the mean time, here's some progress shots and final photo of Blind Scopophobia. Now, back to a large painting that's maybe 60% complete. 

Currently Listening: Depressed Mode
Currently Watching: Orange is the New Black latest season and Altered Carbon