Giving Thanks

"Backlit Jack." Oil on Canvas, 20 x 20 inches.

Hello everyone!

I have written at least four blog posts since my last one - unfortunately, they were all written in my head, not on my key board. I guess it's hard for you to read my thoughts, huh? Yeah. So here's one you can actually read. (hopefully)

Lots of upcoming shows! In East Nashville:

In Twentynine Palms, I will be part of the Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition. The opening reception is on Friday, December 5th, from 5 to 8 pm. I will also have a booth outside near the 29 Palms Inn on Saturday, December 6th from 10 to 4 and Sunday, December 7th from 10 to 3 pm. I hope you will come out to visit me if you are in the high desert! I will have new giclee reproductions for sale along with recent original paintings of desert animals. I am working on some smaller, affordable original works that would make really nice gifts for the holiday season.

The holidays can be a hectic time of year. I hope you will take a moment to list some things you are thankful for. Here is my list, in no particular order:
Things I am thankful for....
1. My husband, who tolerates my art obsession and still loves me.
2. My family, who know all of my shortcomings and still love me.
3. My friends. I really have some amazing people who call me a friend. Wow. I am lucky.
4. My dog. Pono - who drives me nuts but makes me laugh every single day.
5. Collectors of my art - you are the people who make it possible for me to keep painting, and I am so so grateful for you.
6. Appreciators of my art - even if you can't afford to buy my art, or you just don't have the space, I value your feedback and encouragement.
7. Gallery owners who show and help me sell my art. I am so thankful for your help.
8. My blog readers - you!!!
9. Desert critters. Of all sorts
10. A warm house
11. Hot tea
12. Good music.
13. Paint and brushes.
14. Warm slippers

My list could be a lot longer, but I think I got the important ones down. What is one thing you are thankful for this November? Leave a comment and let me know, because I do love to hear from you.

Happy Thanksgiving, my dears!!!

Hwy. 62 Art Tours and other fall things

"Strict Carnivore." Oil on Canvas, 35 x 40 inches

The Hwy 62 Art Tours are over! I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to bump down our dusty dirt road and visit my studio!!! It was a busy two weekends, with visitors from all over California, Nevada, Oregon, Canada, Arizona, and even a few folks from overseas. Incredible! A big thank you, also, to those who purchased a piece of my art. Without appreciators and art buyers, I can't keep doing what I do. I am so thankful to you all. >insert sloppy kisses here<

My next group show is at the Town Burr Gallery in Burbank, CA. It's called "Highway 2 - the journey and the destination." It opens this Saturday, November 8th from 5 to 8 pm. I will have three desert animal paintings in the show, if you happen to be near Burbank. I hope you will stop by to see it!

The rain we had in September has provided us with some lovely fall blooms. Red Amaranth, yellow Chinchweed, and yellow brittlebush.

Pretty stuff, but I'm allergic to most of it. Oh well.

Happy Fall, my lovely blog readers!

Advice

"Oh Goody." Encaustic, thread and ink transfer, 9 x 12 inches

There is a lot of advice flying around these days. Especially if you are an artist, it seems. I know everyone is genuinely trying to help. Believe me, I can use a lot of help! It is nice to know that people care enough to offer advice. There was a time when I would rebel against any suggestion tossed my way. After struggling and struggling, I decided to start listening to advice and feedback. I even began to seek it out. That was pretty good. Lately, however, I have become more discerning. Some advice just doesn't seem to have any merit, at least not for me. Here's the tough question: How does a person know when to take the advice, and when to just leave it alone?

I am not sure I have a definitive answer. What I have decided is that if I'm uncertain about the advice, I have to listen to my own instincts. Sometimes, the suggestion just isn't going to work for me. Here's one example: believe it or not, one of the most difficult things for an artist is to create a regular studio practice. There are so many things in life that tear us away from making art: marketing, household tasks, errands, bills, business, social events, openings, family obligations, ....the list goes on. One thing I have heard from experienced artists is this little bit of advice: go into the studio first thing in the morning. Before you do anything else, go make art. It sounds good. It sounds like something that would solve the problem of distractions! But after years of painting on my own, I can tell you with absolute certainty that this DOES NOT WORK FOR ME. I am not a morning person. Even though I wake up early, I am not *really* awake until around 10 or 11 am. I like to walk with Pono first thing in the morning. (well, I might have a cup of coffee first, and then walk, depending on how hot it's going to be that day.) Then, I like to feed the dog and eat and do dishes and sweep the floor, check email, maybe do a load of laundry, and take care of some of the daily chores. Then, and only then, do I like to work in the studio. I feel I am at my creative best in the afternoon and evening. My muse is singing. All the "tasks" for the day have been cared for - I don't have any pressing things bogging me down mentally. Now I can paint, unfettered, until I am too tired to stand. That works for me.

Because once I am in the studio, nothing else gets done.

It took me a few years to accept that my way of working wasn't wrong. My way of working is my way of working. So what if the early bird gets the worm? Who wants a worm anyway? Not me.

What about you? How do you decide when advice is worth taking and when it is worth leaving?

A photo of the snake I nearly stepped on this morning. It didn't even rattle. I was the only one shaking. Maybe I needed one more cup of coffee....Advice? Oh, never mind.

I'm pretty sure this is a speckled rattler.

Roadrunner, snakes and art - a desert mix

Ahhhh...fall. This is a wonderful time of year to be in the desert. It's really a wonderful time of year to be just about anywhere, really, but since I am in the desert, I am saying "the desert." Cool nights, warm, sunny days. Can't beat it!!!

I have some exciting news!!! I just found out yesterday that one of my paintings was accepted into the Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition!!! The opening reception is December 5th at the 29 Palms Art Gallery. The show runs until December 28th. I am joined by 53 other talented artists. You can read more about the show here: jtnparts.org. Below is the painting that was chosen:

"Predator." Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches

I am also part of a group show at the 29 Palms Gallery that opens this Sunday from noon to 3. The show was curated by Rhonda Coleman. This show will stay up during the Hwy. 62 Art Tours, if you can't make the opening this Sunday. Here is the poster for the show:

I have been seeing more snakes and evidence of snakes since the rainstorm. Yesterday, I saw a small snake, possibly a rosy boa, that had just caught a lizard. It was underneath a shrub, so I was unable to get a good photo. The lizard was still thrashing around in the snake's mouth! I wish I could have captured that moment, but I really didn't have a clear shot. (plus, there was a lot of quick movement by both snake and prey.) I do have these photos to share with you:

King Snake - maybe if I were a parselmouth, I could have convinced it to come out of the hole.

We spent the rest of the hike thinking "somewhere nearby is a very shiny snake!"

The Hwy. 62 Art Tours catalogs are back from the printers and many have been delivered to information centers in the high desert. You can also see the online version or order one online from the website. http://www.hwy62arttours.org/hwy62arttours.html

How is your fall season so far? Leave me a comment - I'd love to hear from you!

What's new

"Uplift." Oil on Canvas, 12 x 12 inches

We are still digging ourselves out after the big thunderstorm of last week. I am being entranced by the mud - patterns, textures, and quantity. Here are some "mud photos" from my camera phone:

I love mud cracks

These are antelope ground squirrel tracks. So tiny! Such long toenails!

backyard mud patterns

More backyard mud patterns.

It only took 5 days before little bits of green appeared after that rain. FIVE DAYS. I think that's impressive. I am living with the daily hope of seeing a hungry tortoise, now that there's something green to eat. I also live with the daily hope of seeing a tarantula - this is the season!!!!

What's new with you?

When it rains, it POURS

Every once and a while, nature reminds us to be humble. After months of little or no rain, a thunderstorm hit Joshua Tree upside the head. Last Tuesday, at around 3 pm or so, rain began to fall in our neighborhood. I was so excited, I ran outside and ran around the house several times, just to feel the drops hit my skin. I couldn't contain my excitement. The rain began to come down harder. Thunder and lightening. Terrified dog. Hail. Louder thunder and lightening. More rain. Hail. The backyard begins to look like a small creek. Then a river. Wind picks up. Now, my elation is turning into something else. The road in front of the house also looks like a river. More rain. Thunder is now loud enough that I jump each time. A loud >CRACK< and a bright, white light. (We think this may have been lightening hitting the house.) More rain. More hail.

Finally, after about an hour, the rain did stop. We were lucky. No water or mud came into our house or garage. No one was hurt. We ended up without internet for a few days, but for the most part, we were unscathed. Others were not so lucky. One man was killed after his car became stuck in the mud and a wall of water came down and rolled his car over several times. Many of our neighbors have mud in their garages and one house had a car buried in mud up past the hubcaps. Our road is washed out in several places. I have never seen anything like it. Ever.

I am a little tired of shoveling dirt and mud. We had to repair part of our driveway and remove mud from the sidewalk around our house. I am also trying to locate a sprinkler head that was beneath one of our trees. I still haven't found it. Trails that were once familiar paths where we walk Pono are now remodeled by the water and nearly unrecognizable. A reminder of the power of water.

Work in the studio has been interrupted somewhat by the storm frenzy and by husband coming home after being away. Nevertheless, I am gearing up for the Hwy 62 Art Tours October 25th & 26th and November 1st and 2nd. I have framed half a dozen small jackrabbit drawings and I am getting things wired for hanging, photographed and hung on the wall!!! Very exciting! If you haven't been to the desert for the Art Tours yet, I highly recommend it. You have a chance to see the studios of many area artists during the best time of the year (weather- wise). I will try to put in a word with the BIG GUY for no big thunderstorms during this event. ;) For more information about the Art Tours, click here.

I'm going to try to have some of these drawings available for sale online soon. I'll keep you updated!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

Desert wonders

I have been working hard in the studio - so hard, in fact, that I haven't been sweeping the floor, dusting, cooking, or much of anything else. (this is unusual for me.) I haven't been very good at photographing everything I'm working on, either. But there will be an onslaught of photos soon, I hope.

Unless I have more days like today, where I worked and worked. Worked. Scraped away. Worked. Spilled wax on my favorite t-shirt, dropped a wax-filled brush on the floor - getting more wax where it shouldn't be. Then, I did a lovely jackrabbit drawing, transferred it to my encaustic painting, and then realized I had made it too small!!!! Aaargh......

Tomorrow is another day.

I did want to share with you the wildlife moment Pono and I had on our Sunday hike:

Yes, that is a roadrunner in the talons of this amazing hawk. I am not sure what kind of hawk it is. Cooper's? Red Tailed? Does anyone know?

Here is a  photo of a recent encaustic:

"Legs." (coyote) Encaustic, thread, twine and ink transfer on panel. 10 x 10 inches

I swear there will be more soon! I'm not trying to be a tease.

I leave teasing to the rain. I heard it poured in Yucca Valley - 6 minutes away. There was flooding in the lower desert. Here chez Pono? We got .02 inches. WIMPY!!!!!

More Desert Creatures

Pono and I had a magical encounter with a desert tortoise yesterday morning on our hike. I took a video of it with my phone, which I had hoped to share with you. However, I can't seem to get the video to upload. Sorry about that. Photos instead...

Today's morning hike was all clouds and drama. As usual, no rain.

The studio has been absorbing most of my time and energy.

"Talking Roadrunner." Encaustic, thread, and ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches. 

There will be more work to share with you soon.

Thanks for all of your comments and emails! I cannot tell you how much it means to me.

Art and the rational mind

You may not know this about me, but my husband and I lived in Hawaii for a few years. We lived on the island of Maui. It was an incredible experience. We loved being near the ocean, where we could snorkel, surf and swim, but I also enjoyed having a chance to learn more about Hawaiian culture. I took a beginning hula class and really loved it. We miss it, but life had other plans for us, and now we are in the desert. Lately, I have been pining for Hawaii, for some of the things there that touched me so deeply. Since the hula was such a big part of living in Hawaii for me, I have been watching videos of hula to reminisce.

Some of you may be more familiar with Tahitian hula, rather than Hawaiian hula. Tahitian hula is much faster than Hawaiian hula. The dancers tend to wear elaborate headdresses, and the movement is focused more on the hips and less on the hands. There are two different kinds of Hawaiian Hula. One is the Auana hula. This is the Modern hula - the one with guitars, ukulele, dresses, flower leis - the one most of us are familiar with. My favorite kind of Hawaiian hula, however, is the ancient hula, called Kahiko. There is a lot of chanting, the dancers are usually adorned with greenery rather than flowers, and the instruments used are mostly the rhythm instruments like the Ipu (which is a drum made from a hollowed out gourd.) I have attached a video of women (wahine) performing kahiko hula, so if you haven't ever seen it before you can experience it for yourself.



It's often interesting for me to think about why I love the Hawaiian hula and chants so much. I don't speak Hawaiian, so I don't know what they are chanting most of the time. Yet it touches me deeply, and sometimes when I watch a hula performance, I am moved to tears. Have you ever loved music that is sung in a language you don't understand? What I have decided is that when we hear or see something that really touches us, it doesn't necessarily touch us intellectually. It touches our hearts. It touches our souls. Visual art can be like that too. There is always this initial desire for people to "understand" art. We think maybe if we understand it intellectually, then we will really be able to enjoy it. I don't think that's true. I think if it's something that touches us, it can touch us without our rational minds. It goes beyond that - it goes deeper.

Maybe the rational mind is a barrier between us and an ability to be touched by art. (Music, dance, painting, sculpture - I am putting all art into this word right now.)

I am curious to know what you think about this. Do you think you have to understand the words of a song to enjoy it? Do you think you really have to know what a painter is thinking in order to be touched by their painting?

"Untitled - arrangement on blue." Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches

Saturday's Coyote

If you find that you are sick of trying to find something good to watch on TV or Netflix lately and really want to be inspired, I highly recommend this interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAk4cwjvJ0A

I think you will LOVE it. I did. (With a shout out to Elena Ray for recommending it to me - thank you!!!)

Here's a new one from the steamy encaustic studio:

"Trotting Coyote." Encaustic, thread and ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches.

If you don't have time to watch the whole interview, I have cherry picked one of my favorite quotes from it:
"There is no creativity without vulnerability." ~Brene Brown

Drawings

I have been doing a lot of drawing this year. It feels good. I have always loved to draw, even when I wasn't really that good at it. I think I am getting better, but I can see there is always room for improvement. I realized that I have shared a lot of these drawings on Facebook and Instagram, but I don't think I have posted them here yet. So here are a few of the drawings. (Beware of a possible jackrabbit overdose.)

this is a personal favorite

They were all done in this cool sketchbook I bought with a beautiful tan paper that was made from coffee bean bags or something. (unfortunately, the paper doesn't smell like coffee - wouldn't that be cool?) They are pretty small - only 5 x 5 inches or smaller. I am continuing my ongoing exploration of light, form and shadow.

Larger drawings in the works, stay tuned...

In other news, my show of desert animal paintings is still on display at Grateful Desert Herb Shoppe in downtown Joshua Tree. (right next to the Health Food Store.) They are open every day from 9 to 2 pm. (from 8 to 2 on the weekend.)

It is not too late to sign up for the Summer Art Camp that I am part of. There is an early sign up discount - if you sign up for the class before July 28th you save $20. More information is available here:
http://www.carlasonheim.com/2014-summer-art-camp/
The class I am teaching for Art Camp is also about light and shadow. I will be sharing some of the things I have learned about getting the values right when painting in color. There's a lot more to it than just my one class, though, There are 8 different artists teaching! The best part is that the lessons and videos will stay online for one year - so there's plenty of time to do each class. Won't you join us?

I hope everyone is managing to stay cool!

Forever a Student

"The secret to mastery in any field is to forever be a student." -Martin Palmer

One of the goals I set for myself this year was to learn new things. In order to achieve this goal, I have recently taken a class in Encaustics from Stephanie Hargrave. I loved the class, and I loved having a chance to learn how to work with encaustic paint. I am still just getting the feel for the medium, and Stephanie gave us many new techniques to try.

You may be asking yourself, "what the heck is encaustic paint?" Encaustic paint is beeswax mixed with pigments and damar crystals. The damar gives the wax strength, and of course the pigment gives it color. The wax is applied in a melted, liquid state. The word "encaustic" means "to burn," so each layer has to be burned or fused into the previous layers. I have been working with the encaustic on birch panels and really loving it. I love the way it smells. I also love that you have to work quickly, before the wax cools and hardens.

The wax is melted in cans on top of a flat griddle. I started out using a heat gun to fuse each layer, but now I am using a torch. (I love the torch!)

The first few experiments mainly involved just practicing applying the wax, and learning how to fuse each layer. Then, we progressed to adding color, incorporating paper and tissue paper into the painting, and then we learned how to work with different types of line. These first two photos were paintings I did where I used some handmade paper.

7 x 5 inches

8 x 8 inches

The handmade paper was something I have had for a while. I made it with the expert help of my friend in Colorado, Sally Mather. (thanks, Sally!) She showed me how to make paper when I visited once. I am so grateful to have talented friends who share their knowledge with me. SO THANKFUL! I love the textures that were created when I applied wax over the paper. 

"Desert Tortoise." Encaustic, thread, twine, ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches

"Sitting upright." (jackrabbit) Encaustic, thread, twine and ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches

The second two images are the most recent encaustic paintings I've done. With these two, I was practicing using thread and twine to make lines. I also tried a technique where I did drawings in pencil, scanned them, printed them with a laser printer, and then transferred them to the warm wax. I love how they turned out, and I am probably going to try doing a few more like these. Stephanie, if you read this, THANK YOU!!! I loved your class!

Speaking of learning, if you think you might want to learn some art this summer, I am teaching a class as part of Carla Sonheim's new Summer Art Camp! The class I am teaching is called "Paint a Monster," and it is a class about learning how to paint light and shadow. (Using a Monster Finger puppet!) There are eight different artist/instructors in this art camp, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. If you sign up early, you will save $20! (Click the link above for more details, won't you please?) I hope you will join us for this fun online class. The material stays online for a year, so even if you are busy this summer, you can still take this class!!!

Finally, we had a wonderful opening last night at Jenny Q's Grateful Desert in Joshua Tree. I have eighteen paintings of desert animals hanging in the shop, and the show will stay up until August. So if you missed the opening, don't worry! You can still see the show the next time you are downtown. (Local folks) For those of you who live far away, maybe I will have a chance to make a short video of the show for you to see. Thanks to all who came out!

Seattle to Bainbridge - a ferry ride

I escaped to Seattle and Sequim, Washington for a few days last week. I was filming for another online class with Carla and Steve Sonheim. It will be part of a Summer Camp class - I think there will be eight different instructors, including yours truly. I will be teaching a class about painting light and shadow (with a monster finger puppet.) Stay tuned - more info coming soon!

I really thought that I would get a brief reprieve from the desert heat while in Washington. However, Seattle set a record for heat one of the days I was there - 95 degrees! It was a little bit cooler in Sequim, though. I even wore a sweater! And socks!

There was also a magical ferry ride from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on a clear, sunny day. It looked like this:

The last photograph was taken while on the Hood Canal bridge. My dad and I and a bunch of other cars had to wait for the sailboat you see on the right hand side in this photo.

I also had the opportunity to check out the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. It's been open only one year. Featuring the work of artists in the Pacific Northwest, it is worth a visit. Fred Lisaius has some of his work on display there right now. He is another of the talented artists teaching classes online through Carla Sonheim.  I got a chance to meet him at Carla and Steve's studio in Seattle. I also got a chance to meet Niya Sisk, another artist who will be part of the online Summer Camp coming up soon!

"Midlife Crisis." Collage, acrylic and oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches.

In other studio news, I will be the featured artist at Jenny Q's Grateful Desert this Saturday, July 11th during the Second Saturday Artwalk in downtown Joshua Tree. The Artwalk is from 5 to 8 pm. I will be there, along with some of my desert animal paintings and reproductions! Stop in and say "hello" if you are out and about. Grateful Desert is located next to Natural Sisters in downtown Joshua Tree. The other galleries and shops will also have special artist events, including the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist in Residency program at JTAG.

Growing up

"Moo." Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches.

I have to say something. I have been holding it in for too long, and if I don't get it out, I might pop. Why do we think things that are cute or fun are only for children? Why is it that only children get to have fun? People see my paintings and drawings of animals and they say, "Oh! That would be so perfect for a child's room!" Or "You should illustrate a children's book!" Well, I hate to quibble with you people, but I did NOT paint those animals for kids. I painted them for adults. I painted them for me!!! I painted them for YOU!!!! And you know what? I think adults need stuff like this a lot more than kids do. Life gets too darn serious, old, boring and ugly when you grow up. If you aren't careful, you will end up surrounded by plain white walls, grey clothes, and one old, dusty book about something boring and serious that you've already read on your bookshelf. That's why you need me and my art. Because I know how to have fun. I know the value of cute. I understand what cute can do for your outlook on life. Oh yes. I do.

"i love everybody." Oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches.

And we all could use a little more of it.

There. I said it. Have fun. Giggle. And jump rope for a while. Or swing on swings. And find something Cute! (preferably something with sophisticated shadows, just for an element of truth.)

Roadrunners

Wanna see something amazing? Yeah, I knew you did. Watch this:



I've been seeing a lot of roadrunners lately. Yesterday, I was making lunch and I kept hearing this noise. At first, I thought it was just the wind. Then, I realized it wasn't a normal wind sound, so I opened the front door and startled a roadrunner from under the front eaves. I think he/she was after the baby birds that are cheeping away there.

"Sauntering." oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches.

In other news, I will be the featured artist at the Grateful Desert Herb Shoppe and EcoMarket in downtown Joshua Tree next month. The downtown galleries and shops have events for the Second Saturday each month. So if you find yourself in Joshua Tree on July 12th, from 6 to 8 pm, come on down to the Grateful Desert and say "hello." I will be showing desert animal works only.

I am heading to Seattle soon for one week to film for another online class with Carla and Steve Sonheim. It will be part of the "Art of Silliness" Summer Art Camp, which will begin at the end of July. I will keep you posted here, or you can sign up for my newsletter:





What are you up to so far this summer? Has anyone read any good books lately?