Ho Hum

Brothers At An Event, 2008, Oil on Birch Panel, 20x24

Well, it's back to work today. It sure won't be an exciting, awesome, incredible day like yesterday was, but it will be just fine; way better than most days in the last eight years have been. Today seems like a good day for everyone in America to roll up their sleeves, get down to work and get this country straightened out. Not sure if making more art will help much, but it's all I have to offer right now.

On deck for today:

Eleven small landscape underpaintings need color glazes.
Prepping more panels.
I have to tape down gessoed paper on panels in order to do some monochromatic sketches, hopefully I can do them tomorrow. I had hoped to be doing a few of those each week, but oops, have slacked off on that particular goal.

I am finding myself a bit low on subject matter here lately, maybe I used up all my ideas in December when I posted every single day. Or maybe this is what happens when one has a blog for almost three years. But more likely it's because lately, every day here is pretty much exactly the same as the day before, not giving me a lot to write about.

I could display one of my "talents" that people in my real life already know about. A brief question can cause me to go on forever. So help me out with post topics and ask me anything. Can't day I will answer ANYTHING, but I'm a pretty open sort of gal, so will give all questions consideration.

PS. Lurkers are welcome to participate! Email me if you are shy.

The New Guy!

I tried, but was unable to stay awake much past 10pm last night. By the time I drifted off though, it was pretty clear that Barack Obama was going to win.

Although he wasn't my first choice to get the democratic nomination, I voted for him and will support his presidency as much as I can. I think he is a good guy, energetic, smart and willing and able to listen to others.

I gotta think though, there there must have been a point last night where he excused himself and went to the bathroom to throw up. What a load he has volunteered to take on!

Back to art tomorrow....

Today is the Day!

Mid Fall, 2008, Oil on Gessobord, 5x5

I am not so sure about my extended family, but I do know for certain that my mother never once voted. Not only did she not vote, she was proud about not voting. She was hostile and critical and yet completely uninformed about our government and politicians in general. Her common rant was that her vote didn't matter so why bother.

When I was first eligible to vote, it was 1984. I was in college in Minneapolis and had learned a lot about being involved. Granted, I was in art college and we were all a bit melodramatic about everything, including (maybe especially) politics but I was very proud to go in and vote for Mondale/Ferraro. I have voted in every major election since then and when we lived in Utah I began voting in all the local elections as well, with my little babies in tow. It was tough voting in Utah, as the line between church and state was a bit blurry. I was not very happy about having to go to a local ward (LDS neighborhood church) in order to cast my vote. The ladies who checked me in made sure to remark loudly that they did not know who I was; they didn't know me because I was NOT a member of their church, HOW is that relevant when I am voting in a public election?

Anyway, I am off to vote later today. Obama gets my vote this time and I will also be casting my votes for a slew of local seats, including a judge, a senator and various state legislators. A few of these campaigns are pretty hot around here! And we are lucky, no long lines here in upstate NY, our town has about 350 households and there are never more than about 3 people in line to vote (at the town hall thank you!). But any wait at all is softened by conversation with friends and neighbors as well as a snack from one of the platters of home made cookies or banana bread at the registration table.

I loved my mom, but she was wrong not to vote. I intend to set a much more positive example for my children than she did for me.

Sorry, I am Talking Politics Today (edited to add10/27/08**)

I have managed to get some work done in the studio over the last week, but in between that I have also become completely obsessed with the stories about Sarah Palin and her supposed faked pregnancy. A very juicy story and it would pretty incredible if any part of it turns out to be true. And I don't mean incredible in a good way either. Anyway, this blog has had much of my attention as the author seems pretty reasonable and brings up some good points.

It's not like I was going to vote for McCain/Palin though, as I am a proud liberal and registered democrat, but the lack of judgment by both of them, personally and politically, is breathtaking. I am in awe that either of them have gotten this far.

Perhaps it has to do with people like this:


I hope that Obama wins (although I still wish that Hillary was on the ticket) and I think he will, barring, you know, theft of the election by the republican party. However, I fear for him if he does win.

**It has come to my attention that someone who "used to like my art" visited the site I linked to above and left a troll-like comment. At the risk of giving this person too much attention, I would like to say publicly, first of all that I think that that is very rude behavior and second of all, that I am totally fine with someone changing their mind about liking my work just because I like to read what may be considered trash. I also enjoy reading through the National Enquirer on occasion too, just so you know. So if this is a problem for anyone, please feel free to go away. I am just a girl here, talking, making art, and expressing a few opinions here and there, and if that bothers anyone, I understand. But just go away then, there is no need to bug me or the people who do like to visit my blog, ok?

Ch-ch-changes

My head is spinning a bit today, as there is so much going on in my world, as well as the big one, outside my doors. I won't pretend to understand the implications of the bailout that the government has proposed, but I will say that unless there is an independent, bipartisan committee (preferably NOT politicians) overseeing the bailout money, I would be completely against it. Not that my opinion matters of course (although I have made my opinions known to our senator and congressmen), because if anyone at all had paid any attention whatsoever to what I think, we would have a different president, we would certainly not be at war, all of our most needy and vulnerable citizens would get assistance and respect and that everyone would have the right to marry whomever they'd like. The health care system would be more efficient and would cover alternative health care as well and don't get me started about how ticked off I am about government mismanagement of our tax money.

So anyway. I like what Michelle has to say on this subject and will send you over there and leave it at that, before I really freak out.

And on a not unrelated topic, there have been more changes this week in my little world of business. I have been considering leaving two of my galleries for awhile now, as neither of them have been selling my work for quite some time. I do not blame them at all, in fact both of them have been with me nearly from the start, have been extremely supportive of my work and wonderful to work with in every way. But the prices on my work have risen over the last few years and I guess the last hike really put a wrench in the works. I knew that raising my prices would probably cause me to be priced out of certain markets and that is exactly what happened. Even though I feel badly about leaving (I tend to feel guilty about things that I probably shouldn't feel badly about, one of my cute little quirks) I know it's the right thing to do. They should be utilizing their space for work that does sell in their market and I need to streamline my efforts a bit.

So yesterday, a few days after my communications with those galleries, I received a letter from another gallery, informing me that because of issues regarding their space (losing their lease) they would be closing as of November 1. They were great to work with too (I have been so blessed to work with so many good people), and even wanted my prices to be higher, but the sales never really materialized there for me. I had considered leaving them too, but decided against it because I thought they might have been receptive to my figurative work. Um, provided I get it going of course.

I am now down to two galleries (from nine at one point) plus one local gallery that is only open in the summer. Even though this worries me a bit, I have decided to sit tight for now, keep working and just see what happens. Maybe I'll send out the occasional info packet, as I do have a list of galleries that I'd like to approach, but for now I just want to think about things and digest what has happened to me in the last five years regarding this business. I have learned a lot and want to make sure that I stay on the course that is right for me and my work.

In the meantime, though, I do have a little project going and I will describe that next week. Oh and I'll be watching the news and the debate, even if it does all leave me with rather hopeless feelings about what the future may bring. Ack!

And in keeping with today's title, I thought I'd put up a painting that I did in 2000, back when we lived in Utah and I could only paint during Ginger's nap time (maybe), or when the girl down the street would come to play with the girls. I'd say my work has gone through a few changes since then, eh?

A Conventional Clip

Busy day here, but I couldn't resist passing on this link to the best clip ever.

PS. I would post the clip here but have no idea whatsoever as to how to do that and my usual technical guy is probably traveling through Iowa right now.