The Uniball Deluxe

I was hoping to have time to post some more art before I leave for my Christmas vacation (to see my family in Colorado), but the usual running around happened and here I am at work crunching out this one last pictureless post.

I thought this would be a good time to talk shop. Actually, to talk pens. I have recently fallen in love with the Uniball Deluxe. I do not usually swear by one tool or brand, but quite by surprise I found this pen in my house, started drawing with it, and this weekend I went to the office supply store and sought out a back up. This is the pen I have been using for all of my line drawings. It is amazing– good fine lines, solid blacks, and it never quits. There’s something really fulfilling about the feel of this pen against paper (especially on heavier weight paper). What about all of you out there in art land– got any favorite tools? Something that makes you feel good no matter what you’re making?

Well, I have to sign off. I’ll be back with more art just after Christmas. Happy making! Happy Holidays!

Vessels

Wow, it’s amazing how much you can accomplish with an entire weekend on your own with no obligations. On top of being done with classes, my boyfriend and dog went on a hiking trip for the weekend. I love having them with me, so I do miss them, but I feel like this weekend is a well needed time to regenerate from a very busy fall season. Here are some drawings I have done this weekend.

Three Vessels
(6×4.5 inches or 15×11.5 cm)

Big Vessel
(4.25×5.5 inches or 11×14 cm)

I don’t know what these are or where they came from. They must belong to the life I live in my sleep. I have been thinking a lot about vessels lately, and when I went to name the scanned files, that was the name that came to me. It was like something clicked. This morning, in my journal, I commented on how I have been amazed at my consistent art making lately. Part of me is afraid that it will stop, and so I want to hold on really tightly, but the real truth about art making is that you need to let go, open up, and let the world pour into you. In that way, artists are vessels. Happy Sunday!

bees knees

I feel lucky to have gotten to spend quite a bit of time on art this week. It’s amazing how much time just a couple of activities can take up– when they’re over, you really feel it. Here is the product of my new red paint.

This piece is about 27×12 inches or 69×30 cm. I love the expression “bees knees,” and I had fun playing with it here although my favorite part is the “thieves sneezing.” Hopefully there will be more art to come this weekend as I have the whole weekend to myself. Happy creating!

Little Things

This is my first try at Illustration Friday a cool new art site I found. The topic this week is Little Things which I wrote down as Small Things when in the art zone. Anyway, I love little/small things and here are a few of my favorites.

The Color Red

Well, I think I’m entering a red phase. I’m starting a new word painting, and all I could think of was the reddest red of reds. Here is the view from inside my studio/garage

I just got this great easel from my boyfriend for Christmas. I know, I know, it isn’t Christmas yet, but the box got delivered while I was home and it happened to have a picture of it’s contents on the outside. I didn’t even have to snoop or try to guess- there was no way to hide it. So, lucky me gets to start using my Christmas gift a couple of weeks early! It makes me feel very professional.

Before now, I have just been painting flat on a table or with my piece leaned up against the wall. In the spirit of professionality, I got some new paint today- I went full throttle and now I have a full quart each of red, yellow, and blue house paint– my current medium of choice.

I’m looking out on a week with lots of free time (the graphic design class I’ve been taking and the photo class I’ve been teaching are over until next quarter). For the next month I can focus more on making art! Yay! Hopefully there will be many posts to come in the next two weeks.

Sue

Well, finally, a new post and in good color too! I’ve been having some issues with getting true color in the photos of my work. My boyfriend helped me this time around, and the picture look much truer to life. Also, I just went back to some other posts and tried to revamp the color– check out my last post and the Pandora’s Box post to see a closer reproduction of the color in the actual pieces. This piece is another in my series about putting poetry and visual arts together. It’s so fun to pick a sound and really mess around with it. I do love language and specifically the variation in the English language. All of the variable spellings are a nightmare when you’re trying to learn how to spell in English, but they are a goldmine for a poet.

And to follow, here are some things that inspire me:

sunset behind my house

and part of a driftwood dwelling someone made on the northern coast– they even took the time to make blinds for the windows!