Lenall Art and Life Blog

YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN! 06/24/07

Do you ever have the feeling that you really want to be in your studio making art, but for some reason, week after week, you just can’t get there?

Does it seem that you constantly make excuses for yourself as to why you aren’t in there?  Do the excuses sound lame even to you?  I have to …”weed the garden, go to the store, watch TV, vacuum, empty the dishwasher,  I’m too tired to do anything…”

Have you ever started to read a book, disinterestedly picking it up for short intervals through the course of a week, two weeks, and then all of a sudden you get to a point where it starts to draw you in ---and then you can’t put it down?  You can’t stop reading and you’re staying up till all hours until it is finished?    Then after being all consumed, it takes awhile to even start a new book and the process starts all over again.

It’s kinda like that with a painting for me.

Earnest Hemingway once said, “I always worked until I had something done and I always stopped when I knew what was going to happen next.  That way I could be sure of going on the next day. ” This makes a lot of sense to me?  How about you?

I currently have about 10 or more painting starts sitting in my studio waiting for me.  Some of them actually look rather promising.  Others are going nowhere fast.  I did five of them one night in one energetic sitting.  About two weeks later, I returned to two of them, but haven’t touched them since. 

What’s going on here?

Is it really just a lack of time? We are pulled many different directions everyday. Do we just need to make art a priority?

Is it lack of discipline?  They say that if you make a habit out of doing art every day that you can’t help but be more prolific and that your skills will improve. 

Is it lack of focus or commitment?  Our minds are full of the days doings, our stress levels is high.  It’s hard to get in the zone when you know you only have an hour to play.  We don’t want to be so disciplined that we have to actually schedule an hour each day.  Perhaps trying it might not be such a bad idea though.  It only takes 21 days to make a habit.

Is it lack of confidence?   We don’t know what to do next so we don’t do anything.  Are we afraid of failing, messing it up?  Is it fear of ruining them? It’s only paper after all.  They’re not that precious.

What can we do to help us get over this BLOCK?  I’d love to hear from all of you as to how you get through these dry periods.  I’m sure you have some great ideas.

Here are some of my thoughts: 

1.      Schedule time each day to so some art.  Write it down and keep your appointment with yourself!  Even if it is just a 10-15 minute drawing of something in the studio.  Try to do it in the studio or where you normally do your work.

2.      Don’t allow yourself to make excuses.  Commit to yourself—this is important to you.  Make it a priority.  Stop watching TV or surfing the net and get in there!

3.      Leave out everything you are using on your work space so that all you have to do is grab the brush, pastels, pencils, ink and paint and pick up where you left off.

4.      Make sure you don’t allow your work surface to become a dumping space.  Keep it clear.  You don’t want to feel claustrophobic.  If you have to clean up or organize each time you’ll never get to the art itself.  You can always just keep reorganizing…  A mess can also stop you from even beginning.

5.      Make the tools you use regularly accessible.  Know where they are and put them away in the same spot each time.    There’s nothing worse than not being able to find something when you need it.  Consider enlisting the help of a professional organizer if you aren’t satisfied with your space.

6.      Ensure your space is a place where you are comfortable and that you enjoy being there.  Surround yourself with things you love and things that inspire you.  Paint the walls your favorite colors and play music that excites or relaxes you.

7.      Be like Hemingway and stop at a point where you know what you’re going to do next.  That way when you finally get there, you won’t waste anytime getting down to business.

8.      If you get to a point where you don’t know what to do next—set the piece up in a place where you pass by it regularly. Look at it, and ask yourself “What if?” Try using clear acetate and experiment painting over areas that are not working.

9.      Get a second opinion.  Call a friend, join a critique group, ask your husband or wife, or take a regular class where others can help you.  Take only those suggestions you like!

Now that I’ve figured out what I need to do to help me get back in there and make it happen--  I just need to do it!  Wish me luck! 

WRITING YOUR ARTIST'S STATEMENT 6/23/07

There comes a time when you just have to sit down and do it...  Many of you have never thought about starting this process and have avoided it when asked to do it in the past.  Here are some helpful tips on how to do it.

What is an artist Statement? An artist's statement is a short piece written by the artist to accompany a particular painting or group of paintings. An artist's statement shouldn't be dismissed as insignificant or dashed out in a hurry as it's a vital selling tool, promoting and explaining your work to people looking at your paintings, whether they're potential buyers, exhibition curators, critics, fellow artists, or casual browsers.

At its best, an artist's statement reads easily, is informative, and adds to your understanding of the artist and the painting. At its worse, an artist's statement is difficult to understand or rambles on, is pretentious, and irritates rather than informs (or, even, provokes laughter).

How Long Should an Artist's Statement Be? Better to make an artist's statement too short than too long – most people simply won't have the patience to read a lengthy treatise and many will be put off before they've even started.

Aim at around 100 words or three short paragraphs.

What Should an Artist's Statement Say? An artist's statement should be an explanation of your painting style and subjects or themes. It should reflect who you are.   Add a bit about your approach or philosophy if you wish. Mention your education, specifically if you've studied art (the closer you are to the date you left college, the more relevant this is).  Consider mentioning artists (living and dead) who have influenced or inspired you. Mention any significant awards you have won, exhibitions you have participated in, collections your paintings appear in or significant sales you may have made, and painting organizations or societies you belong to. Remember, though, you're aiming to create professional credibility by highlighting your achievements, not providing a full resume. If you don't have a formal art qualification, don't worry, it's your paintings that make you an artist, not your qualifications.

Help, I Find It Impossible to Describe My Work in Words!
It can often be difficult to explain something visual in words – and after all, you're an artist not a writer! But, as with painting, practice makes it easier and perseverance is essential. You're unlikely to produce a polished artist's statement the first time you try, so be prepared to rework it several times.

Think about how you would describe your work to someone who didn't know you, what other people have said about your work, what you are aiming to achieve in your paintings, your outlook on life. Ask a friend for comments on what you've written (but pick someone you know will give you an honest answer, this is no time for "that's lovely" comments). Write your artist's statement in first person ("I work ..."), not third person ("Mary works ...").

Here’s what Molly Gordon, of Authentic Promotion, has to say about writing an Artist Statement:

You'll need pencil and paper, a dictionary, and a thesaurus.

STEP ONE: Assemble the Ingredients.

1. Take five minutes and think about why you do what you do. How did you get into this work? How do you feel when work is going well? What are your favorite things about your work? Jot down short phrases that capture your thoughts. Don't worry about making sense or connections. The more you stir up at this point, the richer the stew.

2. Make a list of words and phrases that communicate your feelings about your work and your values. Include words you like, words that make you feel good, words that communicate your values or fascinations. Be loose. Be happy. Be real. Think of these as potential seasonings for your stew. You don't have to choose which ones to use just yet, so get them all out of the cupboard.

3. Answer these questions as simply as you can. Your answers are the meat and potatoes of your stew. Let them be raw and uncut for now.

a.      What is your favorite tool? Why?

b.      What is your favorite material? Why?

c.       What do you like best about what you do?

d.      What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?

e.      What patterns emerge in your work? Is there a pattern in the way you select materials? In the way you use color, texture or light?

f.        What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?

g.      What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.

4. Look at your word list. Add new words suggested by your answers to the questions above.

5. Choose two key words from your word list. They can be related or entirely different. Look them up in a dictionary. Read all the definitions listed for your words. Copy the definitions, thinking about what notions they have in common. Look your words up in a Thesaurus. Read the entries related to your words. Are there any new words that should be added to your word list?

6. Write five sentences that tell the truth about your connection to your work. If you are stuck, start by filling in the blanks below.

When I work with__________ I am reminded that___________.

I begin a piece by______________.

I know a piece is done when__________________.

When my work is going well, I am filled with a sense of _____________.

When people see my work, I'd like them to ________________.

STEP TWO: Filling the Pot.

Write a three paragraph artist's statement. Keep your sentences authentic and direct. Use the present tense ("I am," not "I was," "I do," not "I did.") Be brave: say nice things about yourself. If you find that you falter, write three paragraphs about an artist whose work you admire. Then write about yourself as though you were an admiring colleague. As a rule, your artist's statement should be written in the first person. Refer to yourself with the pronouns "I, me, my." If this blocks you, write in the third person, then go back and change the pronouns as needed when you get to Step Four. Use the suggestions below to structure your statement. Write three to five sentences per paragraph.

First paragraph. Begin with a simple statement of why you do the work you do. Support that statement, telling the reader more about your goals and aspirations.

Second paragraph. Tell the reader how you make decisions in the course of your work. How and why do you select materials, techniques, themes? Keep it simple and tell the truth.

Third paragraph. Tell the reader a little more about your current work. How it is grew out of prior work or life experiences. What are you exploring, attempting, challenging by doing this work.

STEP THREE: Simmering the Stew.

Your artist's statement is a piece of very personal writing. Let it simmer overnight before your reread it. This incubation period will help give you the detachment necessary to polish the writing without violating your sense of integrity and safety. While your statement simmers, let your mind wander over the ingredients you assembled in Step One. Allow yourself to experience the truth of your creative experience. Marvel at the wealth of seasonings and abundance of vegetables you have at your disposal. Enjoy the realization that your work is grounded in real values and experience. If you think of things you might have left out of your statement, jot them down, but leave the statement alone.

STEP FOUR: Taste and Correct the Seasonings.

Read your statement out loud. Listen to the way the sounds and rhythms seem to invite pauses. Notice places where you'd like the sound or rhythm to be different. Experiment with sounding out the beats of words that seem to be missing until they come to mind. Do this several times until you have a sense of the musical potential of your statement. As you read your statement, some phrases will ring true and others false. Think about the ones that aren't on the mark and find the true statement lurking behind the false one. You may find that the truth is a simpler statement than the one you made. Or your internal censors may have kept you from making a wholehearted statement of your truth lest it sound self-important. Risk puffing yourself up as long as your claims are in line with your goals and values.

Keep reading and revising your statement until you hear a musical, simple, authentic voice that is making clear and honest statements about your work. Refer to your word list and other Step One exercises as needed. By now your taste buds are saturated. You need a second opinion. Choose a trusted friend or professional to read your statement. Make it clear that you are satisfied with the ingredients on the whole, but you'd like an opinion as to seasoning. In other words, you alone are the authority for what is true about your work, but you'd like feedback on clarity, tone, and such technical matters as spelling and punctuation. Once you've incorporated such suggestions as make sense to you, make a crisp, clear original of your artist's statement. Sign and date it. Make lots of copies, you will have lots of people to serve it to!

STEP FIVE: Summon the Guests.

There's little point in concocting a fabulous stew if you don't invite anyone to dinner. Every time you use your artist's statement you extend your circle of influence and build new branches of the support network for making, showing and selling your work. Enclose a copy of your artist's statement whenever you send a press release, letter of interest to a gallery or store, or contact a collector. Send it to show promoters and curators. Enclose a copy with shipments of your work so it can be displayed wherever your work is exhibited. The rest of this manual will suggest many opportunities for using your artist's statement to express your truth and support your presentations.

STEP SIX: File Your Recipe!

Save all the notes and drafts that you've made. You'll want to revise and update your artist's statement from time to time to reflect changes in your work.

© 1997, Molly Gordon http://www.coachladybug.com
All rights reserved.

ADVISER, COACH, TEACHER, ROLE MODEL, FRIEND, GUIDE, MOTIVATOR, MENTOR…6/21/07

Recently, while looking over the gallery business plan, I read the below mission statement and I started to think about mentoring and all that it means to artists. 

MISSION STATEMENT: The primary goals of the Gallery are to provide high quality instruction at reasonable prices in a variety of classes and to give emerging artists the opportunity to show their work. We are a mentor gallery and are here to help and support art and artists.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 2^nd Deluxe Editions, defines mentor as "n. [from Mentor, the friend and counselor of Odysseus and Telemachus.] a wise and faithful counselor." In the thesaurus, synonyms like advisor, instructor, tutor, master, and guru appear. Current writers seem to suggest a shift away from this one-way teacher-to-protégé instruction to a power free, two-way, mutually beneficial relationship. Are these two extreme, either or positions correct or, can it be both?  I think it can be both. 

Last year, I had the opportunity to befriend and mentor a wonderful artist who was going though a very tough time in her life.  Mentors are often sought out when people are going through some transition.  She didn’t ask me to mentor her it just came naturally.  Rather than talk about her illness, we talked about her future and how she could change her life into something more meaningful and fun for her.   I wasn’t so much the master, I was just a little further along on the journey enough that I could guide her though the path that I had just traveled on.  Brainstorming with her about what she wanted to do was exciting.  As she got well, she was actually changing her future as we sat and visited.  Later she devoted a lot of time and effort into planning and implementing her plans.   There came a time when she no longer needed me and our relationship changed.  This is a normal course for this type of relationship. I miss our times together but feel  proud of her and all that she is doing.   It was a very enriching time for us both. 

                                    

Mentoring relationships can be among the most rewarding interactions you'll have -- if you take full advantage of them. Whether you're interested in mentoring someone or looking for a mentor to help steer your art career in the right direction, these guidelines can help you get and stay connected with the right person.

Tips for Being a Great Mentor

·                     Encourage Your Protégé to Communicate Openly: If she looks up to you as a formidable authority figure, it may take time for her to open up to you. If after your third or fourth meeting you still feel like your protégé is hesitant about speaking up, try asking her some tough questions to encourage breakthroughs in conversation, such as: “If you could change one thing about your art career or your art, what would it be?”

·                     Set Firm Guidelines and Expectations from the Beginning: Determine how frequently or infrequently you will meet. Ask the protégé to spell out what she wants from you; you should have a specific idea about what the person hopes to gain from the relationship, and she should know what you are hoping to accomplish. Find out what skills your protégé wants to develop.

·                     The Primary benefit for the mentor: is satisfaction from fulfilling a role as helper and developer of others and a learning experience for the mentor.

·                     Provide Clear Performance Measures: This way, your protégé can chart her progress. Follow up with her the next time you meet.  Give positive reinforcement, remove doubt and build self-esteem.  Motivate.

·                     Practice Active Listening: This is the hard one for me…don’t dominate the conversation; be an engaged listener and respect what your protégé has to say. A successful mentor’s dominant styles should be: direct, friend/confidant, logical, and questioner.

·                     Mentoring Is a Serious Business Relationship: If your current workload is overwhelming and you find it difficult to devote time to your protégé, it may be better for you to bow out until a later date.  It’s best to meet once a week and face- to- face.

Tips for Being a Great Protégé

·           Take a Look Around: Look at gallery members or other artists to identify people   whom you admire and would like to emulate.

·          Approach Your Potential Mentor: You can't start a mentoring relationship without asking someone to be your mentor. Be very definitive with him about what you hope to accomplish.

·          Know what you want from the relationship: What do you hope to gain from this mentoring relationship? Being pleasantly persistent is the only way to develop any good mentoring relationship. As a mentee, you must assume certain re­­sponsibilities to make the relationship work. Do your part and enter into a relationship with the right mind-set.  Remember your mentor's time is valuable; don't monopolize it. Be prepared to give something back.  Usually mentors expect something in return, but it’s easy to give:  respect, loyalty and gratitude. You must be willing to pay your dues.  As you are the one looking for guidance, the onus is on you to be proactive. 

·                     Do Your Homework: If your mentor suggests you to do some follow-up work to help you develop your professional skills, do it. There has to be accountability in the mentoring relationship for it to be effective.

·                     Two "musts" to be a good partner are: listen, and second, implement, act on advice, put things into effect.

Mentoring is a power free, two-way, mutually beneficial learning situations where the mentor provides advice, shares knowledge and experiences, and teaches using a low pressure, self-discovery approach.   Mentoring is one of the single most important assets the gallery offers to our members.  Every one of us participates in it regularly-- in either a formal or informal manner.  It’s a great comfort to know that we have all that talent supporting us along our journey.  Being a member of the gallery ensures we don’t walk the path alone!   Think about Mentoring as a way to give your art a jump start!!

Are You State of the Art? 7/7/2006

Recently, I had the misfortune of being told I was not being offered a position selling real estate on a team with a new construction Townhome site because I was not “High tech...” 

It got me thinking and I thought I’d pass along my thoughts to you.  Are You, as an artist, “High Tech” enough?  Is it important?  Do we have to be?  I decided yes to both questions.  What do you think?

Last year, I took the plunge and had my friend, Jill Goodell’s, son, Alex, create a art website for me.   www.alexgoodell.com   Alex is very creative and well trained and did a very nice job.  I have been proudly adding to it ever since.  It has become, a chronicle of where I’ve been art wise and where I am going.  So far 1400 people have visited it.  WOW!!!  That’s a lot of people.  Check it out.  www.lenall.com   But have I taken advantage of these visits?  Probably not.

We as artists need to ensure that our websites are working for us as silent salesman.  Ask yourself:  Do you have prices, sizes of available art?  Have you added paypal as an opportunity to buy now to take advantage of impulse sales?  Have you given collectors means to get hold of you---email address and phone numbers?  Have you done an Artist Bio?  An Artist Statement?  Have you got a visitor counter to measure who comes on your site?  Can you tell where visitors are coming from?  Do you have a space where you tell them where your art is being shown now and in the future?  These are just a few questions, but there are so many more questions we need to ask ourselves.

One artist I know, Tracy Roos, has a great website.  www.tracyroos.com    It is a very personal and professional site. You can easily get lost in it!  It’s got it all going on…She is definitely an Art Queen and has been very successful in marketing herself as both an artist and art teacher, not just locally, but internationally.    She sells collage sheets, rubber stamps, jewelry and art.  Tracy has told me that one-way she gets people to visit her website regularly is through her online “Dare to Dream” journal.  People visit regularly to see what’s happening in her life.  She has a very loyal fan base.  She also has a blog site where she offers up “Artsy Inspirations”—tips, how to’s, etc.

Here are some other great websites that work well for their owners:

www.artbeacon.com/tuppermalone

www.lizwalkerart.com

www.Teeshamoore.com

www.suziewolfer.com

www.northernbrights.com

www.amanarts.com

www.greatstuff4you.com

I am sure there are many more artists out there who have great web sites. 

Blogging might be a great addition to your site. Look at Robert Genn Painter’s Keys Twice weekly newsletter   www.painterskeys.com   Remember, when someone buys your art, they are also very interested in knowing about You.  You are your art.  You are the key to your marketing success.  You also have to make it happen!  Don't be accused of not being High Tech! 

ZYDECO at the BLUES FESTIVAL 7/01/2006

If it's July, it must be Zydeco Music!!  Portland is known for it's 5 day 4th of July Weekend Blues Festival.   It always has a full list of very talented music artists.  We always seem to be drawn to The Zyedeco Swamp Romp Stage where the mostly New Orleans based Zydeco bands are featured.  Today was no exception and we were not disappointed.  First off the weather is wonderful here---warm and clear.  No chance of rain at all.  We spent the evening watching 3 different groups strut their stuff.  My favorites were "T" Broussard & the Zyedeco Steppers and Curley Taylor & Zyedeco Trouble groups.

If you haven't experienced Zydeco you are in for a treat.  It's origins are French Creole.  The term Zydeco stems from the Cajun expression, les haricots, meaning "snap beans aren't salty," which, was the Cajuns' way of saying, "we're so poor, we can't even afford meat in our stew. Les haricot became Zydeco, and then it just became 'are you going Zydeco' - are you going to party?  That's the most widely accepted origin of the term." 

Purists tend to distinguish Zydeco from Cajun music, although there is a difference.  Where Cajun music incorporates primarily Celtic, French, African, and German influences, Zydeco is more of an R&B, Caribbean, Black music.  Cajun music would probably be your waltzes and two steps, and Zydeco is more of a shuffle and R&B groove, or even a boogaloo, or a Bo Diddley beat.  I think the term Zydeco is evolving more than the term Cajun is.  Cajun is more of a purist music, where Zydeco might be a mulatto music or something that's constantly evolving.  Today not all modern Cajun music is sung in French. In earlier years, the fiddle was the predominant instrument, but gradually the accordion has come to share the limelight. Some would tell you that cajun music is dance music with or without words. With its heavy syncopation, it would be easy to make that claim. However, so much of the culture is is expressed in the lyrics that one cannot separate them from the music. But, no doubt about it, Cajun music was created for a party either a small get-together or a foot-stomping crowd intent on having a good time.

In the past 4 years, the festival has featured a number of different bands that all are a little bit different.  But of course, you cannot think of Zydeco as merely polka-like.  I have seen all kinds of styles--tonight a group played it like rock, another song sounded like rap music.  I like it best when the lead plays the squeeze box and sings well.  Not all of them do both.  Some of the leads are just singers, not muscians.

In the early 1950's Zydeco gradually developed from the music of the Creoles in southwest and south central Louisiana. At at earlier period, Creole and Cajun music were quite similar but after World War II, Creole music took off into another direction, incorporating elements of the blues and rock and roll. The accordian replaced the fiddle and electric instruments, drums, and corragated metal washboard (called a 'frottior') were added.

Everytime I watch these groups I get very distracted by the dancers from Portland.  There are probably over 50 dancers from various Swing Dance groups, who spend the day equally competiting for audience attention dancing.  They are really fun to watch.  The cajun dance is usually a two-step or a waltz, while Zeydeco, is a syncopated two-step. A cajun will cover the dance floor while the Zydeco will do all his dancing in one spot.

It takes me back to my dancing days in Seattle.  Right out of college, I took classes with the Experimental College at the UW.  Had a blast.  At one point, I was asked to be the instuctor's partner.  We even danced on TV.  Can't remember, it must of been "Am Northwest."  I remember that I got my hair cut for the program and the beautician basically sheered me saying "no one should have all that hair."  My hair was so thin I was almost bald.  Bad hair several months... About that time, a friend of mine from college introduced me to her brother, Rowe, who liked to dance, and soon we were dance partners.  We danced most weekends for free with very great big bands at the Seattle Center.  It was really fun and we became rather good dancers.  Alas, I haven't danced like that for a long time.  I usually sit watching them wishing I was dancing with them!!

Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts 6/30/2006

I had a very full weekend!  It started off on Friday with a full day at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts.  I met my artist friend, Susan Hook, at 11:15 and got home at 9:30.  We went to 4 different presentations and walked around and viewed the art in between.

This is the fourth year I have entered pieces into the Festival. I decided to take a different approach this year.  I entered two of my paintings that I really liked and wanted to try juring into several more shows in the near future--- "The Gathering" which took a second place ribbon in the Village Gallery of Art Juried Show in May and "Tree with a View,"  which was juried into the Beaverton Arts Association Showcase 2006 in March.  I did not want to sell these two yet so I priced them very high with the intent to give them exposure to this very well attended show.  I felt fortunate, both pieces got hung in good areas.  In addition, I wanted to enter them into the juried competition.  I'll post pictures of these two paintings in my photo album.

At such a big show--over 1000 pieces it is hard to even get a painting noticed let alone win an award or sell.  I did not win an award nor did I sell anything.  I have been told that this is not a major selling venue.  It has so much potential that I would like to challenge it's organizers to perhaps re-think the 40% commission they charge in addition to the entry fee.  If they charged less, artists would feel more comfortable pricing their work more reasonably and thus the buying public might be able to afford to buy more pieces.  If more pieces sold I bet LOFA would make more money.  Do the math!  Go for volume!   Make it Win-Win.  Make everyone happy--LOAF/Artists/Buyers. 

My only complaint about the festival was the turn In/Registration process.  One. It is always on Fathers Day.  Couldn't it be on the day before?  My father lives in Seattle...   Two. The process involved 4 lines that took me almost 2 hours to get through.  I'd like to help next year.

Congrats to my friends who won awards in the open show!  Nikki Blackwood, Karen Landey, Carol Barnett.  Nikki even sold all 4 of her pieces!  WOW!!  Also congrats to those I know who were juried into the other segments of the show!  Carol Levy, Stephanie Brockway, Karen Landey.  In addition, Linda Aman and Allen Greene who were invited into the Chronicles exhibition.  One of my favorite parts of the day was running into artists that I know.  It was good to see so many good old faces.

The presentation done by the Splash Critique Group was really topnotch!  Very professional.  Susan and I went to 4 different demos and panel discussions.  I learned a lot and enjoyed the day.  Their show was very professional and interesting also.  Later I was standing outside the show near the restroom and I had an "Ah Ha! Moment."  When my friend came out, I said, "Susan, look into that room and invision us in 10 years.  We can do it."  She agreed.  I have been wanting to be a part of a good critique group for the past year.   I long for good solid critique.   I found that current groups are reluctant to add new members and that I would have to start one myself.  I have set a goal to form a core group within a year.  I invision meeting once a week to paint socially and holding a critique session once a month during one of these meetings.  I'd like to book other artists for demos and mini workshops.  Members could also offer a mini workshop for free.  Friendship and art.  We can do it and aspire to being like Splash.  It will take a long time to hone our critique skills but it will be worth it as it will definitely improve our painting skills. 

Enough for now.  Thanks for reading.  Lenall

A New Beginning 6/29/2006

   I decided to start a blog today.  During the past 6 months I have been journalling weekly doing "The Artist Way and "Walking in this World" by Julia Cameron.  These 12 week courses were done with a sub-group from my mixed media art group, The Portland Art Collective.  AW was definitely a positive experience for me that opened my eyes to many of the positive and negative things we go though as artists.  I enjoyed the weekly check ins with the Yahoo Group, particularily reading others posts.  Many were absolutely beautiful and meaningful to all of us.  Sorta like group therapy. The best part of these books was the Morning Pages and Artist Date.  Morning pages are meant to be like a sneeze--letting all the negative stuff or things we are thinking about in the morning.  Once we write about them we can go on and be productive in our day. The solo Artist Date is a great vehicle for filling our creative well with things that mean something to us or help us grow or just purely for the joy of it.   Both of these things have fallen by the wayside in my daily life and I want to pick them back up as I found them to be very useful and enjoyable. 

My blog will be about me and what I am doing, thinking, and feeling.  I don't know what to expect and how often I will blog but I do plan to be regular about it.  Don't expect Sex,Drugs, Rock & Roll--as they won't be found here.  EXPECT ART & LIFE!!

I don't want it to be a negative space, but I fully intend that there will be some ranting.  I will try to keep it to a minumum!  If you drop in, let me know what you think ...

Lenall