we're baacccck!

wow.  i'm absolutely sucking in the blogging department, aren't I?  Much to report over the last three (?!!) months... including (but not limited to) a trip back home to Missouri.  Despite the fact that I was in classes most of the four weeks, I enjoyed getting a chance to catch up with family and friends.  Additionally, I'm extremely pumped about the new crop of Art Ed graduate students.  I had the pleasure of being in their company in both the academic and social contexts and all I can say is that they definitely ROCK both worlds simultaneously.

Speaking of academia, I am pleased to announce that I have finished my coursework for my phd program - woo hoo!  Well, small caveat, I will be finished after I submit this final paper tomorrow (which I'm supposed to be working on right now, lol).  Now on to a late committee building, pinning down that research design, and comps.  Its sad that I still have a long way to go, but I can't discount how far I've come.

So, anyway, without further ado, a much-requested update on my new home.  After an incredible two day drive across country Zoe and I are finally getting settled into St. Pete.  Here are a few shots from our journey as well as the studio updates.

dog as my copilot - literally.  photo taken someplace in georgia (i think).

her incessant panting almost looks like a smile here.

one of z's inaugural naps in the apartment.  this is how you know she's truly accepted a place.

then again, she may just be taking a cue from mom after research overload.

sleeping around... again...

new and improved living "room" - the couch was a great craiglist find dad helped me to score before going back to missouri.  grandpa's grey metal cabinet and tiered atomic lampshade traveled all the way from missouri to be with me.

another view of the living area.  noticeably absent is a tv, which i never watch anyway.  i'm hoping this will be the go to place for art making, snuggling up with a book (and pup), and some cozy conversation.

have i mentioned how obsessed i am with this vintage afghan - bring on the granny blankets!

dappled downtown light - oooh ahhh oooh ahhh...

a paired down version of my library - more books to be coming soon.  i found that these were  one of the hardest things to part with.

the bed"room" area

i'd like to hang some of my vintage starburst clocks above the bed here, but neglected to pack any on the drive down.  perhaps i can convince mom and dad to send a few?  then again, maybe you need that blank wall for some visual "breathing room"?

my dad constructed these awesome ledges for me to hang pictures (as the concrete walls are not that forgiving in terms of decorating whims).  I still have to figure how I want to finish them.  Stain?  Paint?  Suggestions?

here's a close up - I want this set to form a rotating "gallery wall"

this is the view from the bed into the rest of the studio.   Here you can see the additional ledges/shelves dad put together along with a peek at my "office."  The wall with the clocks the entry/"foyer" into the apartment.

here's zoe showing off her very best "cribs" pose

its kind of fun being nestled amongst books when I'm lying in bed.  I also like that using the shelf as a room divider still allows bits of light to peek through this area.

another shot of the desk area.  one shelf is home to my vintage camera collection.  the other is host to a variety of vintage art supplies.

and here's the kitchen.  still totally in love with the light fixture.

its kind of ironic that the objects i seemed to have treasured the most (at least to make the move) were the most breakable.

my beatles glassware makes me happy.

bluebirds for a blue kitchen.

what's left of my orchids after a month away. 

i may have to invest in some realistic looking silk flowers to poke in amongst these greens for a few months until they bloom again.  these two may have to make a visit to auntie marilyn's orchid corner for some rehabilitation ;)

start me up.

after a hectic few weeks I'm finally back in my "studio" (even if by studio I actually mean my cousin's dining room).  notice my "assistants" below.  starting a christmas gift for some special people in my life so i thought i'd share how its been progressing after the last few nights.  pardon the low lighting!

although i love where it is now, this is the first of many layers to come.  below are the inspiration photos from the collection of the lucky recipient (shhhh... its s secret ;).

creative confessions

Creating artwork has been a fight for me the last year or so.  I wouldn't say creation itself has been an issue - as it seems like I'm always piddling around with something.  More often than not it is in the form of something home decor related - scouring antique malls for the perfect something for this display, or that wall.  I obsessively bookmark ideas for what I like to call "crafties" - those "hey I could do that" moment on etsy of interesting scarves, cool throw pillows, diy jewelry, etc.  I feel like I'm always scouring every nook and cranny for ideas and seeing potential in even the most mundane of things - I'm just not so hot on the whole "follow through" thing.

Here are some of my most common creative "roadblocks" -

1. Getting lost in the ritual - whether it be endlessly searching/gathering things (as described above) for use in a piece "someday" or putting off beginning work because I feel I have to start with a clean studio.
2. Questioning myself - Is this really going to be any good?  Is this too crafty, too academic, too personal, too cliche, etc. etc.  I am always doubting the intention of the work.  Creating a series of work and/or attempting to answer the "who am I" as an artist is often debilitating.
3. Explorama - I am interested in trying out so many ideas or materials that I become easily overwhelmed - and end up with countless "false starts" or heaps of barely used supplies.

The following is a narration of this case in point.

my (mostly clean) studio

This is my studio.  I take great pride in organizing and reorganizing it - generally to the detriment of actually creating anything substantial.  Last weekend when I had finally committed to a painting instead of working on it I ended up spending most of my time cleaning :(  Does this happen to anyone else?

So - the piece I wanted to paint - that's another issue in and of itself.  Here's how that story goes:

small printed fiber piece - in progress

This is a small fiber piece I have been playing around with.  I have been creating digital paintings on photoshop for awhile and on a whim (LAST SPRING) I stumbled upon the realization that I could actually print directly on fabric using my $40 ink-jet printer.  No special sheets, no bubble jet set, no freezer paper funny business - just cotton taped on all 4 sides to a piece of printer paper fed through an inkjet.  Cool huh?  Despite my knowledge of this (and my initial reaction on how revolutionary it would be for my work) I have made only 3 - count them - THREE - pieces using this method.  

stitched detail - a good start, but a long way to go still

This one was the most recent playing with some imagery I scoured from old magazines, patterns painted with custom photoshop brushes, and some rudimentary stitching.  My plan is to go back in and embroider parts of this, but who knows.  The scale seems to bother me a bit - I feel like I don't take things seriously unless they are large pieces, instead of the peasly 9 x 4 this little guy is (silly I know!)  I am dissatisfied and already moving on to the next thing...

collage mess playing with mirror image technique

Here is the next thing.  I spent 3 hours going through my stash of old magazine images and photocopying (and mirror imaging in photoshop) several examples I liked.  I then began cutting them out and arranging them in this composition.  That got me thinking about...

digital idea sketch for a new painting - in progress

... these possibilities.  I began considering what these images might look like as part of triptych painting.  Another detour I've been looking at lately is vintage color by number works (love their kitschy glory).  I photoshopped some cloud images to have that color by number feel (using the cutout filter) and have used them as part of the background.  The two figures (originally from a Lucky Strike ad) I think have such a wonderful framing gesture.  The triptych format and the contents (especially arranged in this mirror image fashion) reminded me a lot of old altarpieces.

Matthias Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece (1500s)

But...  I'm not sure if I'll claim that symbolism, but perhaps the nod.  I do like the idea of using all of these images of this ideal advertised life in an almost religious way.  So here are more peeks...

digital sketch with text experimentation

Further exploration led me to start thinking about incorporating text.  Here are a few of my ideas.  Shockingly, this propelled me enough to finally get my butt to the store and get started on this bad boy.  Here are a few images of the work in progress:

collage detail - I tried glazing with gloss medium and latex

the paper is bubbling more than I'd like in a few areas so I'm considering a resin coating over the whole piece
(but is this a stall tactic for actually completing the work? hmmmmm....)

So, this is where I'm going to leave it right now - a 5 ft by 3 ft teal and butterscotch question mark.  I'll keep you updated on my progress.  Hopefully I don't fall back on my usual ways :(