Papermoon Goddess

BACK IN THE STUDIO, AND ON THE BLOG

2012-02-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

Mackintosh Morphed

After one year plus of grieving, grappling, loving, healing, writing and making a living, I am back. I'm still loving the lure of the encaustic. Other pending projects in the studio include an "art guitar", a memory book from my travels to Paris and London and big format paintings. A version (loosely speaking) of the Mackintosh Rose seems to keep popping up lately. Okay, my version is less graphic, more organic and free flowing, just like the wax. One thing I notice about my work overall is that it does not have cohesiveness. This makes me curious to experiment with creating a series. Maybe to be the best I can be it takes more that just one attempt, further exploration, which I think I'm gonna try with this intriguing rose.

A HIGH SCHOOL INSPIRATION

2012-02-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Do I remember Murf from my days 100 years ago at South West Miami High School? Well, frankly, no. But I do seem to run into him frequently at all the local art festivals. I always recognize the COLORS! His work is simply awesome as you can see.

Story of the beginning of terror

2010-10-31T08:30:00.000-07:00


Portrait of Rainer Maria Rilke by Lucia Portretten

Yesterday I transformed myself. Actually I had some help from a colorist (hair) and stylist. Tyler, the colorist, was my favorite kind of person, very grounded but perhaps a little like Kerouac's "mad ones".

He had an interesting array of tatoos that made me want to freeze the whole salon for a second so I could examine and read them all. As he mulled over my hair I did notice one that I was able to read. It said "Beauty is the beginning of a terrible terror." Wow. There are some major implications here. Did he make this up? I thought not and I was right.

This is a paraphrase of a quote by poet Rainer Maria Rilke. It is from a poem called Duino Elegies
What an interesting statement for someone who is in the business of beauty. So what do you think? Does beauty become terror? Perhaps the terror is found in deceit. Beauty seduces and allows a vulnerability. So now you know. It's the good looking ones you have to watch out for. Happy Halloween.

WELCOME INSPIRATION

2010-09-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend has felt very creative to me. Could it be the moon that is affecting this Papermoon Goddess? I'm also reading the historical novel Beneath a Marble Sky: A Love Story and thoroughly enjoying it. How could it be otherwise? It is set in India and is all about the building of the Taj Mahal. This brings me back to my own magical experience visiting this great wonder. I supposed this must have influenced this mixed media painting that I completed yesterday. It remains unnamed but I'm up for suggestions. Here's what you're looking at: The eye is an image transfer from one of my older collaged pieces. Gesso was the medium used to transfer the image. The rest is a combo of fluid acrylic paint and water soluble crayon. The white pattern was created using an antique wooden Indian printing block. I also even worked on my new book today. If you're interested you can hop on over to my other blog, Kitchens for Living and check out the post about The Intuitive Kitchen.

MAMA IN MIAMI STRIKIN' A POSE

2010-08-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

My mother married my father in 1959 and immigrated to the US from her homeland of Jamaica. The image used in this work is taken from a photo from around that time in Miami. The windows in the upper right corner were also from a building in Miami and they symbolize the very new view of the world she must have had as a stranger in a strange land.

This is a collage using photo copies, found papers, acrylic paints and mediums on stretched canvas. I also used Claudine Hellmuth's peeling paint technique on this one. I wanted an old weathered look. If you'd like to see more bathing beauties, check out Lisa Bebi's Retro Bathing Beauty project at www.lisabebiart.blogspot.com

NEW ENCAUSTIC ART

2010-07-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Encaustics remain my art of choice these days. It seems I just can't escape the allure of melted beeswax. This piece is called Romani. She is a gypsy (perhaps with a secret), you see. She's about 8"by 8" on Masonite. I began this piece by applying many layers of natural unbleached beeswax to the board. The colors of the flowers are actually oil pastels which are compatible with wax and a lot more inexpensive than encaustic paint. The pastels were melted on to a small iron and applied directly to the wax. The image was embedded into the wax and the cross hatch texture was created by carving into the wax and rubbing in oil paint so that it settled in the crevices.
The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax by Joanne Mattera is a great resource if you'd like to learn more about this very sensual and satisfying medium. If you'd like to learn more about my process in creating this piece please leave a comment and I will be happy to chat with you.

BOOKS COUNT!

2010-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't realize it, books fall under the Papermoon Goddess domain too (especially if the're the still-made-out-of-paper type!). Ok, I admit I spend a lot of time reading but I like to think that all I read about enriches and inspires my ability to create. You can click the Shelfari link on the right to take a peak at my book shelf. A good book is indeed a work of art. One thing I REALLY love is a good book about art. The best I have read this year to date is The American Painter Emma Dial: A Novel by Samantha Peale. I just happened upon it in the library and I was seduced. If you have ever struggled with self confidence, and the creative process (who hasn't) you might want to check this one out too. Samantha Peale really gets it. If you are an artist you will connect with this book. I think we have all felt the range of emotions experienced by Emma in this novel. On a universal level it is about a journey to self

NOT YOUR GRANDMA'S CROSS STITCH

2010-06-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have always envied those who have a gift with the needle. Sewing is not one of my accomplishments but I have dabbled from time to time in cross stitch. There are two big reasons why I only dabbled, briefly. One is I bit off more than I could chew. Lesson one- a beginner does not need to tackle a behemoth sized project right out of the gate because YOU'LL NEVER FINISH IT! Lesson two- most patterns out there are really (how can I put this) LAME. I'm not one for pigs, chickens and bunnies and frankly most cross stitch is not hip. Well thanks to

Heather Holland-Daly, there is hope! My friend Vicki told me about Stitch Graffiti: Unexpected Cross-Stitch (Unexpected Cross Stitch). There are some really fun and funky projects in this book. She will take your hand and gently explain the basics in a way that anyone can understand.

PS If anyone wants a pattern for a two foot by three foot face of Twiggy, email me.

SAMPLE ART

2010-06-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've had the time of my life creating a package full of artsy goodness for a fellow dabbler in California. One of my favorite components is this cool refabbed Formica sample. Yes, it is a large (3" by 5") laminate sample which means it also comes with a hole in the top. Since it was there I put a key ring in it. The image is a gesso transfer. It's probably too big for key carrying but it MUST have some other use besides just being cool. Hmmm...

COURAGE & CREATIVITY

2010-05-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Holocast wasn't the only atrocity committed during WWII. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor the United States government interred Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast for the duration of the war. Conditions were sparse at best. The Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery in Washington DC is currently exhibiting The Art of Gaman which features art made by residents of these 10 internment camps. Much of the work was done by people who had never before expressed themselves as artists. Arts and crafts became essential for simple creature comforts and emotional survival. The word Gaman means to face the seemingly unbearable with dignity and patience. To me it is a testament to the power of art.

ART FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

2010-05-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

Just trying to get a good shot of the acrylic mixed media piece. Although I'm not a big fan of my chubby toes, they did add an interesting element to the shot. I used Jacquelyn Sullivan's technique (from Acrylics, textures, layers and metallics) here and the figure just sort of emerged. What can I say?

Sunday Morning

2010-05-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday Morning is a mixed media painting I recently completed and here's how it was done:

First I coated 140lb water color paper with two thin coats of gesso. The background of blues, oranges and yellows was completed with pastel chalk using a sprayable fixative between colors. This way I could control the blending. The straight lines were created using the side of a ruler. Masking tape does not work in this case, I think, because the porous nature of the water color paper. Straight lines are fluid acrylic Paynes Grey mixed with heavy body Quinacridone Magenta. The figure is a stencil made from a magazine cut out painting in from the edges I used heavy body Carbon Black acrylic. It took two coats for total opaque coverage. The palm frond is combo of water color and acrylic greens, turquoise and white. (Watercolor does not work well over fixative, just sayin.) There are accents of Titanium White acrylic. Now I can relax with that cuppa!

START WITH YOUR HEART TO GET TO YOUR ART

2010-04-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've spent time with the Papermoon Goddess and frankly I miss her. It's time to check into my heart and return to my art. Who knows maybe I'll even resurrect the etsy shop! After a year filled with many changes, including getting married, I have been working passionately to create and promote my "work" blog which is www.kitchensforliving.blogspot.com. It is about creativity too but in the area of my career which is kitchen design. Since my last post I have made progress in my "art life". The best thing is I now have a studio where I can get away from it all, create and not worry about the mess! Check it out. Yes, it's in the garage. I could have done this a long time ago. The only down side is I have to park outside, but that's ok. It is comprised of an abandoned computer desk, an extra cabinet from work, a table literally from the side of the road and a donated glass top which I use when working with wax. I also took an amazing workshop this past January with Anna Tomczak who does amazing things with art and photography. I will post more about that soon. Other than that I'm still playing with wax. I invite you to follow me in my journey and I will strive not to go away again for so long!

Six Appeal

2009-02-08T05:27:00.000-08:00

Despite the recent slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in my life I made it back to the art table yesterday. It was one of those days that left me searching high and low for the creative flow. I did, however, complete one small canvas, 6" X 6". The background is composed of a blend of water color crayons after which I decided to employ the Jonathan Talbot technique of "liquidless adhesives". (I had the pleasure of participating in a fantastic workshop of his a few years ago.) If you are working on a collage composition with many components you are likely to want to play around and reposition the elements numerous times. Once you get the exact arrangement that you want it's difficult to deconstruct, coat each piece with adhesive and then re-assemble exactly the same way. In Talbot's method you coat each component, as well as the substrate, with acrylic medium. This "busy-work" allows me to ponder composition as I prepare the individual pieces. Once everything is dry I create my composition and adhere it all with the use of a tacking iron which melts the medium and sticks everything together neatly. The theme of this piece is Asian with a whimsical twist. If you'd like more details on this technique check out Talbot's book "Collage A New Approach, Collage Without Liquid Adhesives. http://www.talbot1.com/book.htm

Florida's Own Art Heritage

2009-01-15T11:51:00.001-08:00

Being a native Floridian and artist, I have always been intrigued by our very own group of artists known as the Florida Highwaymen. Circa 1950 there lived a modestly famous landscape artist by the name of A.E.Backus, nicknamed "Beany". He was born and raised in Fort Pierce but lived, at times, in the Carribean including Jamaica. Although racism and segregation were still very evident in the deep south at the time, Beany, a white southerner, became mentor to talented young African American artist Alfred Hair (shown above). Hair quickly learned the money making potential of oil paintings and was able to recruit his friends who were eager to rise above manual labor wages. Together they produced local Florida landscapes and took to the road often bartering or selling out of the trunks of their cars, thus the name Highwaymen. There was, in fact, at least one woman in the group as well. Sadly, Al Hair was murdered and without his organization skills all the artists went their own way. Many continued to produce. Apparently several of the original artists are still active today. Highwaymen art is most notable for the crazy color pallettes they used. Are the colors really that far fetched? Some say that for a moment in time, during a sunrise or a sunset, just for a second these colors really do exist. What do you think?
Check out the documentary here on Netflix.
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Highwaymen_Florida_s_Outsider_Artists/70024933?trkid=490909

Have a great weekend!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

Best wishes to you all in 2009. Join me in holding thoughts for healing and the highest good for our amazing country and the world this year. My laptop could use a prayer as well. She is very sick at the moment and we're trying to bring her back from a very nasty virus. However life goes on, so for now I'm reporting from 508 Lake Ave. Yes, I've been away BUT I have been busy networking on Face Book. If you have an account you can find me under Gloria Graham Brunk and PLEASE check out the Masters Kitchen Gallery page where you can see some of my kitchen creations. You can also become a fan.

One thing I have already done is clean out my most honorable art cabinet. Everything is ready for me to make art! Yes, you're looking at it, THE DOOR TO CREATIVITY! Note the pile of, as of yet, unread books to the right. Alas!!

Red Rider Christmas!

2008-12-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

Here's to hoping we all get our own versions of Ralphie's-

"official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time"

My favorite moment of the classic movie "A Christmas Story" is when Ralphie is about to find out that dreams do come true. Thanks to all my blog readers. Have a fantastic Holiday. Looking forward to lots of art and fun in the new year!

New Digs!

2008-12-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

I'm back! As some of you know, most of my time lately has been consumed with the BIG MOVE. That's right. Masters Kitchen Gallery has now officially moved 3 1/2 blocks to 508C Lake Avenue cozily nestled in between a to-die-for Indian import shop and a soon-to-be kava kava bar! We are on the same block as Starbuck's and Kilwin's (dangerous). We just finished accessorizing the displays on Friday so I thought I'd take some photos of our new creative haven to share with you. Spread the word!!

Beloved India

2008-11-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of my visit to India. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I carry the spirit, color and love of India in my heart and my amazing visit certainly sealed this within me forever. My favorite thing about India is the people. They were sweet, kind and unfailingly looked you straight in the eye. As we traveled through villages I would remove my sunglasses so I could connect in some small way as we looked at each other with curiosity but also with the recognition of our commonality. It breaks my heart to hear of current events on CNN but instead of dwelling on this I would like to share something incredible I read. This is from today's New York Times.

The writer Suketu Mehta captured brilliantly the dogged, resilient compassion of Mumbai in his book “Maximum City: Mumbai Lost and Found.”
In remarks he has given based on the book, he spoke of asking a man named Asad bin Saif, who worked at an institute for secularism, whether the chaos and slums and filth made him pessimistic about human beings. Here is how Mr. Mehta continued the story:

“Not at all,” he responded. “Look at the hands from the trains.”
If you are late for work in the morning in Bombay, and you reach the station just as the train is leaving the platform, you can run up to the packed compartments and you will find many hands stretching out to grab you on board, unfolding outwards from the train like petals. As you run alongside the train, you will be picked up and some tiny space will be made for your feet on the edge of the compartment. The rest is up to you; you will probably have to hang on with your fingertips onthe door frame, being careful not to lean out too far lest you get decapitated by a pole placed too close to the tracks. But consider what has happened: your fellow-passengers, already packed tighter than cattle are legally allowed to be, their shirts already drenched in sweat in the badly ventilated compartment, having stood like this for hours, retain an empathy for you, know that your boss might yell at you or cut your pay if you miss this train, and will make space where none exists to take one more person with them. And at the moment of contact, they do not know if the hand that is reaching for theirs belongs to a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Brahmin or untouchable, or whether you were born in this city or arrived only this morning, or whether you live in Malabar Hill or Jogeshwari, whether you’re from Bombay or Mumbai or New York. All they know is that you’re trying to get to work in the city of gold, and that’s enough. Come on board, they say. We’ll adjust.

New Encaustics!

2008-11-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

Here are my first attempts at encaustic painting since the California experience. It has taken me a while to amass all the accoutrements. I was able to purchase encaustic medium which consists of purified, bleached beeswax and damar resin on line. However, I found the actual encaustic paints to be just too expensive to buy ready-made. Instead I decided to make my own paints. To start with, I selected three pigments, which are in powder form, from my local art supply store. I chose black, white and Indian red. I also found a jar of gold metallic pigment amongst my supplies. Whereas I'm not so sure I love the results, I did enjoy the very sensual process. First there is the heat and the texture of melted wax and my favorite perk of working in encaustics, the wonderful aroma. Mmmmmm.

Long Time No See

2008-11-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a busy week. We are heavily into the process of relocating our cabinet showroom three blocks east into the heart of Lake Worth's main street, Lake Avenue. Sadly, this doesn't leave much time for arting. I am pleased to say, however, that I've turned my attentions back to the study of encaustic painting (see earlier post). Here is a sample of a piece I completed this summer in California. I'm calling this one "Eye of the Storm". The image is of Mata Hari, hmmmm. I will post three new pieces this weekend. I can't believe it has been SO HECTIC that I just remembered today was the day my etsy shop was featured in the art showcase. Alas! I had intentions of telling you ahead of time so could check it out. So if you haven't visited my shop on etsy yet now is the time! http://www.papermoongoddess.etsy.com/

Original Papermoon Goddess

2008-11-08T06:40:00.000-08:00

Today I thought I would resurrect the original inspiration for my alter ego, Papermoon Goddess. Here she is. This is a spread for the Art Garage travelling art journal project. The theme of this book was Magickal Women. The piece was done with acrylic paint, rice paper and various mediums. There is an original haiku on the left page.

Imprint her image

upon the face of the moon

her strength never wanes

The character after the title is the symbol for moon. THANK YOU everybody for all the great comments :)

New Art!

2008-11-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

As promised here are two new pieces I completed last weekend. I will be listing these in my etsy shop but you're the first to see them.

The first is called "Catch of the Day" and, as you can see, she certainly thinks she is. Of course it is another in the Mythic Mermaid series. I see her as the creator of her ocean world playing with orbs of energy that swirl around her. No nets will contain her.

I call the second piece "She Left a Piece of Her Soul" and it is truly a mysterious work. Believe it or not, the figure, which is the focal point just seemed to have appeared. I recognized a figure in the shape and decided to leave it alone for the most part. The strangest thing of all is that different people seem to interpret the form in various ways.

See my etsy listing for more details on both these pieces.

A great big thank you to you for reading my blog and for the comments. It's nice to know someone is on the other end.

Jasper Johns Waxes Patriotic

2008-11-03T12:37:00.000-08:00

In honor of this monumental upcoming election day I thought we'd take a look at this most famous work by contemporary artist Jasper Johns. Thank you to Alice for the suggestion! This work entitled Flag was completed in 1954 and was the result of a dream the artist had. It is arguably the most famous modern encaustic painting and is actually a mixed media piece involving collage and oils as well as encaustics. (See previous post for commentary about encaustic painting). Johns is credited with being a pioneer in the development of "pop art" in the 1950s. The detail photo shows the wax mixed with newspaper. I'm looking forward to picking up my studies of the encaustic technique that I began this summer in California.

Please vote today and stay tuned for new art to be posted this week in my etsy shop. Check the blog for a preview coming soon!

Where were you when you saw great art?

2008-11-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

I recently finished an interesting book called Fear & Art by David Bales and Ted Orland. Note: that's not fear OF art but fear AND art. It's a very deep philosphical examination that explores the things that limit our artistic expressions, kind of like the phenomenon of writer's block. Somewhere amongst the musings I came upon this passage which got me remembering: "our most personal histories hold crystalline memories of absorbtion into evocative work. Sometimes such moments are part of why we become artists, and the works that moved us take on heroic importance."

I can think back and recognize these experiences because I still remember these moments in time just like I remember where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I remember in 1983 being witness to Christo's Surrounded Islands off the coast of Miami.

Then in 2003 I sat for several moments on a bench at the Tate Modern in London astonished at the scale and intensity of a Jackson Pollock abstract

In 2005 I was witness to Boticelli's Birth of Venus in Florence.

I know I have been blessed with these moments. The result today is when I wrap a canvas in paper, paint an abstract or create a collage using my favorite mythic mermaid this experience lives on. What are your most intimate memories of how great art has affected and influenced your own creativity?

Picking up the threads

2008-10-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

If you have recently found yourself overwhelmed and engulfed in despair and negativity this post is for you. I am normally a happy and optimistic person but everywhere I turn today holds only more of the same sense of hopelessness. This is a force that can rob our souls in the blink of an eye. How do we find the way out? Are we dependent on what the rest of the world around us does? I don't believe so. Here is what we can do today. I call it picking up the threads. The threads are those small things that you have forgotten about or overlooked, the things that bring joy. Usually they don't even cost any money. I invite you today to find yours again. My threads are warm enveloping hugs from the people I love, hot baths, good books, creating art, doing a good deed, practicing yoga, sharing a smile, visiting the ocean. Sometimes I forget to stop and sense how good these things feel. These little things, little threads woven together create the tapestry of your life. Let us support and help each other rediscover the threads. Pass it on and leave a comment before you go. What are your threads?

Ugly Duckling Grows Up

2008-10-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

Happy happy Monday! Yet another Happy Birthday, this time to my friend Linda! Did some yoga and spent some time in the backyard with my book on Saturday. Sunday was art day and time to work on the Ugly Duckling Project. I stuck with it and to my surprise the end result was even better than I had hoped for! The first photo shows how I obliterated the ugly dark red wine stains with my handy dandy gesso. Once that was gone I felt there was hope! The second photo shows the addition of nickel azo gold paint. The third piece is a detail of the painting taken after I painted over the tin foil and inserted patterns into molding paste. (You must use an additive in the acrylic paint for it to adhere to the foil.) The last shot is the final master piece which is currently residing in the showroom of Masters Kitchen Gallery (my work). What should I name it? Leave a comment with your suggestion. I just might take it!

Hand to Heart

2008-10-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

If you are an art history buff, like yours truly, you will know about a big trend at the turn of the last century called the Arts & Crafts Movement. No, it wasn't about crocheting doilies or making toilet paper concealment (not that there's anything wrong with that). It was a reaction to mass merchandising and industrial production. A certain group of crafts people and artisans felt strongly that the things we use must be infused with a little bit of the soul of the creator rather than a product of cookie cutter manufacturing. Unfortunately, although we have been left with wonderful furniture, architecture and household items, the movement was doomed due to one small detail. The high cost of handmade production and distribution put these intrepid souls out of business

Guess what? They're back. There is currently a huge underground movement of handcrafter/artisans threatening to break the surface. Think of the popularity of the DYI concept and such sites as http://www.buyhandmade.org/ and http://www.etsy.com/. With mass production sited as a major cause of global warming and recent concerns over Chinese imports the concept of "handmade" is back in vogue.

Etsy is a huge success story because we have something now that we didn't have 100 years ago. You guessed it, the internet. Etsy, billed as "your place to buy & sell all things handmade", is an online craft/art show featuring more than 70,000 sellers and many more buyers. Although the enterprise is enormous it allows a one to one transaction, the fellowship of community and healthy competition. This also makes the products affordable as sellers have little overhead.

If world culture is up your alley check out http://www.novica.com/ which features handcrafted gifts from all over the world. Purchases usually come with a handwritten note and picture of the artisan!

So as you begin to ponder your Christmas (shudder) shopping lists, think about giving a gift that is handmade from the heart and I'll bet more often than not you'll save a few bucks in the process!

Above is a photo of Mary Chase Perry Stratton who is considered an icon of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. She’s important from many different aspects, as an artist, a woman entrepreneur, and a technical innovator.

The other photo is an item from one of my favorite sellers on etsy, Pat's Pottery

http://www.patspottery.etsy.com/

Ugly Duckling

2008-10-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend. How about yours? Birthday month continues. Friday night we celebrated my dear daughter's 13th (October 15th) by going out to dinner with the family. A good time was had by all, though I probably ate too much! Today is her dad Greg's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you both. Here's to hoping you have a terrific birthday week.

Sunday I began a new art project. It is one I've been thinking about for a while using a technique by Jackie Sullivan which incorporates multiple layers, textures and acrylic paints. It is completely abstract which demands that the principles of design work in whatever direction the canvas is held. I thought it would be interesting to show you the process. Unfortunately I did not think of this until I'd already completed a few of the layers. This is my first attempt at this technique and, dare I say, it is in quite the "ugly duckling" stage at the moment. So far I have layered acrylic paint, tissue, foil and cheese cloth. I am hoping that when complete you will not even recognize these elements. This is a very different way of working for me. I usually work completely intuitively and, whereas there are definitely intuitive aspects to this method, I am following exact steps in a certain order which kind of interrupts it. Big mistake number one was the red wine. No not because I drank it but because I used it in the painting. I really hate the dark dried blood look. I think I will try to work it over. Stay tuned for the next progress report. Now that I've posted I guess I really have to stick with it. You guys are keeping me on my toes!

Birthdays & Breaking Free

2008-10-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

So how was your weekend? Mine was quiet but I did go to a great party for my dear friend Vicki. So as Sarah would say, I'd like to give a shout out to Vicki and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK. Why celebrate for one day when you can do it for a week? Since we're on the topic of birthdays, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear number one son Graham who became 21 years of age on October 1st. Let's drink a toast to a great guy who is the man behind the scenes in our family always helping, always there for us all.

I also watched Sex in the City again but with Joe this time. We laughed we cried...

I did manage to carve out some time to create. The above is created on a 6" by 6" canvas over frame using metallic acrylic paints and an altered magazine image. It is entitled "Breaking Free" as she seems to be breaking free of the golden nets that have held her submerged. I will be listing this work on http://papermoongoddess.etsy.com/.

Art & the Economy

2008-09-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Artistic expression has always been a reflection of our culture. This got me thinking about the times we are living in. How will they be portrayed in the artwork being produced today? Oddly enough, a bit of Googling does little to reveal the answer to that question. Only time will reveal how we tell the story of mortgage meltdowns and bank failures through visual art. We can however, survey the wealth of creativity left to us by the artists of the Great Depression. Artists’ materials were simple and at times raw in nature. Black and white was often all that was needed to communicate the angst that was felt. On the other hand, the notable colorscapes of Edward Hopper and Diego Rivera capture a sense of hopelessness and frustration.

The first example I show here depicts the horror of Black Friday. It is entitled Dies Irae (Days of Wrath) by James N. Rosenberg and was completed in 1929. It is a black and white lithograph. The faces at the bottom call to mind a version of Munch's Scream on Wall Street!

The second example is by Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Rivera’s work frequently featured layers of activity as well as layers of meaning and this work is no exception. Rivera, in his autobiography My Art, My Life, has this to say about his 1932 fresco, appropriately entitled “Frozen Assets”.

“The most ambitious of my frescoes represented various strata of life in New York in the Great Depression. At the top loomed skyscrapers like mausoleums reaching up into the cold night. Underneath them were people going home, miserably crushed together on subway trains. In the center was a wharf used by homeless unemployed as their dormitory, with a muscular cop standing guard. In the lower part of the panel I showed another side of this society: a steel grilled safety deposit vault in which a lady was depositing her jewels while other persons waited their turn to enter the sanctum. At the bottom of the panel were networks of subway tunnels, water pipes, electric conduits, and sewage pipes.” He commented later that, “although there was embarrassment in some quarters about the frankness with which I represented the current economic crisis in “Frozen Assets” my exhibition was well received.”

You can view more stirring art from the Great Depression at

http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/artgallery.htm

Passion

2008-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

"If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you."

The above is a quote by T. Alan Armstrong and I have no idea who he is but I heartily agree with the sentiment. Passion has always been a driving force in my life. It is the energy that brings ideas into fruition.

The meaning of passion runs the gamut from intense desire to emotional suffering.

Something With Lovers (seen above) captures the intensity of passion.

It is today's addition to my etsy shop. http://papermoongoddess.blogspot.com/

New Art!

2008-09-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, time to get down to the nitty gritty- my ART! I have been saving some dreamy mermaid images that have been calling to me from my over crowded art armoire. These are two pieces I completed yesterday. The first is called Looking Ahead. I'm really happy with this one and I think it is because of the vibrancy of the metallic paint but also the positioning of the image. I turned her so that she is looking up. Her expression is so clear and determined she inspires me to forge ahead! The second mermaid beauty is ready to enjoy her hard won bounty as her ship comes in. The title of this piece is "Clearly Her Ship Had Come In". Both pieces are created on 6" by 6" stretched canvas and are ready to hang. I have added them to my etsy shop. If you haven't been to etsy, it's time!!! It's a great place to find original hand crafted gifts.

My etsy shop can be found at http://papermoongoddess.etsy.com/

(still) New & (already) Improved

2008-09-18T13:05:00.002-07:00

Ever since I began this blog I’ve been pondering ways to make it user friendly, appealing and successful. I certainly did my homework yesterday. Considering I have no prior knowledge in this subject, I have amazed myself and fumbled through. Here are two big changes for YOU, my dear reader. First of all I invite your comments on any or all of my posts. If you’re not used to the drill, simply click on “comments” at the end of whatever post you want to comment on. If you have a url (website address) it will ask you for that. Or just click “anonymous” and you can post without revealing a thing. If you choose this option, remember to include your name in the post so I know who you are.

Secondly, you can now be notified every time I add a post to the blog. Just click on this option which is located in the upper right hand corner of the blog, enter your email address, follow the instructions and you will be notified via email every time I add a post. Voila’! Nothing to remember and nothing to miss.

Let me know what you think.

Art of the Home

2008-09-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I became a kitchen designer was because I wanted to make my living in a creative way. As luck would have it I have been quite successful in developing a nice little clientele in my sunny corner of South Florida. That creative drive comes with being an artist. I have found that seldom does an artist have only one creative outlet. It kind of oozes out in many different ways. For me this has included belly dancing, fabric painting, mixed media, collage and of course writing. A few years ago I had the interesting experience of co-authoring The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Remodeling Your Kitchen, Illustrated. You see, there is even an art to remodeling your kitchen. At this point in time, I yearn to marry my art to my work in kitchen design which brings me to the original and unique subject of kitchen art.
What do you have in your kitchen? Have you thought of the kitchen as a place in which to express yourself creatively or maybe even a place to enjoy your art collection? In my daily travels I have begun noticing the artwork in my clients’ kitchens. Is there any at all? So far my survey has shown me that veggies and fruit are popular subjects. How can they be portrayed in a different and interesting way? What other subjects can make the leap into the kitchen? Can abstracts find acceptance into the heart of the home? Here are some likely possibilities

Wine- Bottles, glasses, cheeses, collages with wine bottle labels

Kitchen Utensils- ie the forks entwined (brilliant!)

Recipes- Written in calligraphy, with decoration, creatively presented, collaged elements

Collections- A collection of pottery or even antique cooking utensils can add color and style to any kitchen. All you need is a shelf and a little bit of wall space.

All can be personal artistic expressions in the kitchen.

Kitchen art can also be budget friendly. If you are remodeling your kitchen, once you have met your storage needs, you don't need to fill every nook and cranny with cabinetry. Leave a little breathing room and a place for art. When you get tired of it, change the art and create a whole new feel!

How do you create an artful kitchen in your home? Comments welcome

A Saturday Night with Palin & Clinton

2008-09-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

On my way to work today I was wondering what creative thing I could blog about. When I got on the computer, I found that SNL (Saturday Night Live) really hasn't completely lost it's edge. Apparently the hit of the weekend was an opening skit featuring a pseudo Palin and Clinton at the podium. Tina Fey's likeness is absolutely uncanny! I say, why not add a little humor while at the same time thinly (ok so maybe not so thinly) veiling the truth. Get the message out...

Creative Politics

2008-09-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

You read that right. Creativity can also be applied to politics. I read a great op-ed piece today by NY Times coloumnist Tom Friedman. You can read it here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/07/opinion/edfriedman.php

In it he quotes former MIT president Chuck Vest who says, "Both candidates have spoken a lot about change, but in most areas of need, innovation is the only mechanism that can actually change things in substantive ways. Innovation is where creative thinking and practical know-how meet to do new things in new ways, and old things in new ways."

Americans have always been leaders when it comes to innovation and it is time we foster that thinking in our young people. Instead of looking back and crying about outsourcing let's focus on education so we can be globally competitive.

Those who can creatively diversify their careers are the ones who will always have work. Take my son Graham, for example, as he studies business and economics, he does computer repair, teaches as a substitute and writes a column for the local paper. He gets paid for all of this. Remember the saying, "Never put all your eggs in one basket"? It has never been more true.

(If you could not access Tom Friedman's article above try this link)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/opinion/07friedman.html?th&emc=th

Everyone's Pain

2008-09-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Edvard Munch's The Scream is arguably one of the most recognized pieces of modern art in existence. What began as an expression of one man's pain has become the human symbol of pain angst and frustration. Munch's work did what great art does, it connected us and brought us together by giving voice to the suffering that is part of the human experience. Painted in 1893, the work is derived from the personal experience of the artist. It was inspired by an actual stroll at sunset. Munch said, "I stopped, leaned against the railing, dead-tired, and I looked at the flaming clouds that hung like blood and a sword over the blue-black fjord and city...I stood there, trembling with fright. And I felt a loud, unending scream piercing nature."

Materials used to create this work were utterly simple consisting of tempera (poster) paint, pastel, chalk and ordinary, untreated cardboard!

Today the image is reproduced on posters, key rings, refrigerator magnets and more continuing to unite us 100+ years later.

An Indian Art

2008-09-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

If you ever visit India, one thing you will notice is the richness of color. Women everywhere sport vibrant glowing colored saris. This sari, reputed to be the most expensive ever, offers not only color but is studded with precious stones and woven to honor artist Raja Ravi Verma.

Verma's paintings are considered to be among the best examples of the fusion of Indian traditions with the techniques of European academic art. He is most remembered for his paintings of beautiful sari clad women, who were portrayed as very shapely and graceful. His painting called "Lady Musicians" is shown in this picture.

Woven by Chennai Silks, this sari weighs 15lbs and will set you back a whopping $100,000.

Thank you to Jayati, one of my blog readers in Mumbai, for sharing this item with us.

Entombed in Wax

2008-09-01T08:32:00.001-07:00

If you have perused the links to other blogs I have listed here, you will notice that many of them have to do with my latest creative pursuit, encaustic painting. In a nutshell, the medium of encaustics is all about painting with beeswax mixed with pigment. It is an ancient method of painting used by the ancient Greeks even before oil painting! It's a challenging technique that takes some getting used to but the results are as permanent, or as temporary as you want them to be! Pigment in wax will never degrade or change color but a painting can be changed at any time by remelting the wax. I had the pleasure of being introduced to this new (to me) form of expression by Artista, Creative Safaris for Women in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I spent three glorious days in July covered in colored wax. I met some wonderful, creative women and was thoroughly impressed by the Artista group including our instructor Bill, Chris, Jackie and founder Bev Sanders. Bill introduced us to many ways of working the wax but one of his favorite things was "entombing", or embedding images, or objects into the wax. You'll find yours truly fourth from the left. http://www.artistacreative.com/creativeSafaris/encaustic_painting.html

Art Journals of Peter Beard (& Yours Truly)

2008-08-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Lately I seem to find the most interesting boob tube programming on the Sundance channel. Such was the case the other night when I happened to catch a documentary about photograper Peter Beard. He is known for his photographic forays into the wilds of Kenya as well as his cutting edge fashion shots. He was also close friends with Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa. Imagine my surprise when they showed him feverishly working on an art journal! I connect this medium with the current flock of internet-marketed-mixed-media-part-time-artistas (self included). His work incorporates his daring (literally, think charging elephants) photography with ink drawings, paint and even animal blood! Shown here is one of his outrageous art journal collages and one of my own created for an international traveling art journal project I participated in last year.

Creating a Look for Fall 08

2008-08-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

It's one thing to slavishly follow the fashion mags but it's much more intriguing to find the new elements and create a look that is unique as well as stylish. Ok, money is always a factor but you don't have to bankrupt yourself to look sublime. To quote a recent New York Times article, "The best style is almost always a result of an unexpected combination of good and less costly things, of masculine and feminine elements, with a sharp eye toward what’s in fashion."

Take for example the vest. It's hot this fall. You can find one for your 13 year old daughter at Kohl's for about $12.99 or you can opt for a more fitted bustier version from Bloomingdales with a much heftier price tag.

The Gap's new executive VP of Design, Patrick Robinson is touting the "New Shape" for their fall 08 campaign. The New York Times gives them a big thumbs up saying, "The clothes are indeed compelling. The trench coat and shirtdress styles and the muted colors — a variety of grays, browns and purple plaid — are at once basic and fashionable." Notice the layers, great for a Florida winter (45 degrees in the morning and 75 in the afternoon) and functional in cooler climates where buildings can be overheated. I approve. What new trends does your eye spy in your own neighborhood?

A New Beginning

2008-08-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

This blog is all about creativity. I am a mother, artist, kitchen designer, a writer and belly dancer which are all highly creative endeavors. I'm also a passionate book lover which means I also like to get lost in the creative musings of others. You will find all this and more at Papermoon Goddess.

Creativity is a two way street. Yes, there is a certain satisfaction and personal benefit in the process but the second half of the equation is all about connecting. I have never been one to think my life was so compelling that one would rush to the computer to read about it. That is why it has taken me so long to take this important step. I do, however, believe in art and it's power to connect us. Ultimately through reading this blog and viewing my art as well as art musings, hopefully I will connect with you.

Grab a cuppa or a glass of cabernet and join me on a creative journey!