What is Going On?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I have never felt less motivated in my life. I have a group show coming up in a few weeks, and lots of work to be done. And I haven't done a bloomin' thing all weekend. Except read "Harry Potter"...which at this point, I don't feel like doing either. I don't even feel like eating! (although I have been...)

It's uncomfortable, but I don't feel bad. I just feel...well, it's frustrating, with all the things I could, and should be doing. And normally, I'd force myself to do SOMETHING. But I'm trusting that I'll feel differently tomorrow. And I know that if I force myself to do something, anything, now, it won't change a thing. I'll still go to sleep tonight feeling vaguely unfulfilled...

So here, go to this link instead of listening to my mind wander...
http://faboolosity.blogspot.com/

Photo Overload

The extreme heat in the studio notwithstanding (is that one word?), I finally managed to push past my resistance and shoot some of the newer work. I needed to do this to apply for a local co-op, but I always feel like I'm winging it, and consequently, I avoid it.

They came out better than anything I've previously done....but when I'm rich and famous I shall pay a professional photographer.

Work Bigger

I did these sketches after I visited the North Tahoe Arts Studio Tour a couple of weekends ago. I felt inspired to move in a bit of a different direction. I'd like to work larger...and remembered from a documentary I watched on Dale Chihuly that he sketches LARGE. And in color...

I got out a huge newsprint pad I have and did these. Don't know if I'll do anything with them, but they were fun. Need to try sketching in color next. Don't know what he uses in those squirt bottles of his...



Yesterday, I saw a piece I did a while back that's hanging at my dad's house. It's very different from what I'm currently working on. It's 2D, for starters, and utilizes collage, with fabric and mirror. The more I looked at it, the more I want to re-visit that vein. I used hardboard, which I bought, and I really don't like to buy stuff like that. I remember how hard it was for me to order that. I'd like to start with some "found" pieces for the base. Possibly the ancient-looking Chinese chest that I found at the thrift store and dismantled...because it was already falling apart...

More On Focus

Harry-Potter-reading-sessions aside, I've been thinking alot about focus, after reading some of Lisa Call's posts (see last entry). Sometimes I hear about another artist's way of doing things, and I want to be like them...but really, it's just about taking what you can learn from their process, and if it helps you, making some changes. I'm not like Lisa Call, from what I can tell. But I do appreciate her vision and focus, her drive, and especially her ability to scrutinize her process. As a former graphic designer, I can't afford to scrutinize too much; I know from experience that I'll scrutinize the life right out of my original sketches... But I would like to be more present with my own process, and get really good at what I do. I want to work at a higher level.

And I'd like to be more focused on my goals. I know the basic dreams I've had all my life. Sometimes, though, I try to push things through when it's not the right time...so there's that. How to stay focused on the long-term goals when it's obvious they're a ways off? Oh! patience, I guess...

On another note: when I read these posts over, checking for typos (yeah, I know about spell check; never use it!) alot of times they cease to make sense...does this make any sense to you?

Focus

This woman is focused: Lisa Call. Visit her blog for her post on what we sacrifice for our art. While I don't like the word "sacrifice", and I see it as more of a "balancing" of various elements of my life, I sure do respect this woman. Her focus and drive are phenomenal. It is making me think about my willy-nilly way, sometimes, of going about this thing I call my art career. And the attention to the details of her process makes me want to go into the studio right now, and really pay attention. And to really focus this blog.

I am somewhere between feeling inspired, and feeling unable to move.

North Shore Inspiration

I'm a blogging fool. I am also procrastinating heavily... (see my other blog post for today at the Underground Artists page...)

Anyway, I spent this past weekend looking around the area at some of the shops and galleries to see if any might be right for my work. (They're not.) It was somewhat discouraging, but two things made up for it:

1. I got to visit with my North Shore artist friends, Carole Sesko, Eve Werner, and Sara Zimmerman, who are all incredibly talented and cool and nice.

2. I met one of the three artist/owners of Riverside Studios, a beautiful shop/studio in Truckee. This was inspiring to me, not only because of the great works in leather, pottery and jewelry, but because these people weren't finding what they needed, so they created it. And also because of how that led to the next things in a very organic way: the potter became involved with some Sunset magazine projects and local eateries, creating pieces for them. She's very busy!

I envision a path like that for myself, which is hard, because when you don't really know what it is, how can you imagine it? What I do see is a career/life path that follows that general pattern: following my instincts and moving forward with a certain amount of trust. Events following organically, not forced or even planned, really...it SEEMS hard, but it should be easy, really.

Yikes.

Launched: Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture

Well, I'm finally allowed to make this public! Actually, it's a bit anti-climactic, because the site launched a couple of weeks ago, but I've been so busy that I didn't get around to blogging about in until now.... (You remember, I wrote about a big secret awhile ago? Well, this was it...I had a REAL photographer over here taking pictures of me. It was cool.)

ANYWAY, Becky Bell, a long-time Tahoe local and extreme back-country skier and mountain biker (she's nuts), decided the real Tahoe needed some representation, to promote the more authentic aspects of our town. Her purpose is to value the local culture by promoting local arts and businesses with her site, through content, ads, links, etc. And it is awesome. Good work, Becky...Becky? Well, she's out there somewhere, working on the site; poor woman never stops....

So, go to her site, Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture. And support local Tahoeians. Tahoeites. Tahoers....er, local Tahoe artists and others who make Tahoe real, and a really, really cool place to live.

Oh, and she wanted me to say that I am the Inspirational Director for this project. I have a business card and everything.