Progress Photos

The title pretty much explains it all.

Unprimed canvas. I was so excited I forgot to prime the canvas and started painting (which is a big NO NO.) When Jason the new painting professor found out he looked at me like I was wearing white jeans after labor day.

Source photo. I realized I forgot to include a picture of the sink I have installed on my table in my studio. (See below.)

I jigsawed a hole into the table and "installed" my sink really I just set it into the hole but I like to pretend that it was a more complex process. Then I put a bucket under the pipe to catch the initial drips of paint while I'm arranging the dyed thread. After I photograph the thread, I switch out the bucket for a piece of paper and catch the thread on the piece of paper.

Anyways I started painting on Saturday (9.10) and the following picture shows the results of my efforts.

The photo below shows the results of my time in the studio today. (Tuesday 9.13) I was able to focus on the bottom left today. Eventually I will add the red stains that are on the surface of the sink in the source photo but I am trying to get everything arranged and in the process of drying before I begin that.

I'm really enjoying this project and I hope you are enjoying reading about it!

Hairballs Update

I am forging ahead with this hairball project. Ew. I know.

Funny story. I was working in my studio the other day and one of my studiomates walks over and looks at my hairballs drying on paper on the floor and he says,

"Those are gross."

I love this kid because he has absolutely no filter and he will tell you exactly what he is thinking. Then my other studiomate asks,

"Did you just barge into her area and tell her that her work was gross." To which the first replied.

"Yes she has garishly colored..."

"Hairballs." I suggested.

"Yes, hairballs drying on the floor."

But here is the best part he said, "It is a good thing that you are making these with bright pretty colors or else they would be really disgusting."

Its great because that is exactly what I was hoping that the hairballs would be just bright and pretty enough to where you don't vomit when you see them.

Here is a preview of what I have so far.

Blank canvases. This will be the first time that I have painted on canvases since my senior year of high school. Eeek!

Orange hairballs of course they are my favorite.

I love the way the watered down acrylic drips into the drain. It really is beautiful.

That's all I have for now. I am going to start painting this week and I will keep you posted.

Subtle Blessings and Encouragements

Exciting news! I had a show this past weekend with a group of Norman artists who have a desire to breathe some new life into the 20 - 40 year old arts community in Norman. It has been a great experience getting to talk with other artists my age and share our frustrations and thoughts and move together to create change.

The man who brought us together runs the community arts education center and offered us a show in their gallery. Another girl in the group works for the local paper and was able to get our show reviewed and published in the paper. So by doing nothing other than joining OVAC and creating my own website (two things I was required to do for a class that I took last fall) a man found me, connected me with a group of awesome artists, gave me a show and helped me to get published in the paper. Blessing number one. Isn't it crazy how God works through people to show us kindness and offer us encouragement? I mean I am in a pretty dry place spiritually and God comes in and washes me with his blessings.

Anyways so that covers the first blessing. The second and in a lot of ways more encouraging to my art is the fact that a woman someone who I have never met - not a friend of the family's or someone that I met through school bought a piece of art. I was awkwardly lingering around my work. Sidenote: openings are SO AWKWARD because people can never figure out who the artist is...

Here is a guide to figuring out who in the large crowd of people is the artist...

1) If it is a group show they will most likely stand next to or around a particular piece of work for the entirety of the opening.

2) They will be slightly more dressed up than the rest of the guests.

3) They will awkwardly make eye contact with you because deep down they really want to talk to you about their art. They want to hear your thoughts good or bad. Yes this is a very self-centered thing but it is true and lets be honest artists are in fact the most self-centered people you will ever meet.

4) If all else fails go talk to the gallery director and ask who the artist is (the gallery director will be the man or woman who is also dressed up talking non stop to guests.)

So now that you know how to survive an opening I will continue with my story. This older woman approaches me with the article from the paper in hand and asks me which one I am and I point out the little blurb about myself and she talks to me about where I am from and how my work was selected to be a part of the permanent installation at the weather center and then she says "Well I want to buy this one" pointing to the Question of Free Will piece. I almost fell over because it never ceases to amaze me that people want to buy my work that is so heavily based in scripture and deep spiritual struggles that I have. But the more I think about it the less I think it is just a woman buying a piece of art, I think it is more about the Lord using this woman to tell me he was proud of me and to encourage me as I continue making art about Him. He is still whispering to me "I am here."