Laments of the Easily Distracted

"In The Deep Mid-Winter", 18x18" mixed media on wood panel. That cool grey is actually silver... so of course, this looks better IRL. The metallic gives it a glimmer when the sun hits it. I'm counting this as one of my 100 Squares, because it's square, and I really wanted to hit the 50 mark by the end of the year. By going larger, I got distracted....

Sometimes I feel like i have the attention span of a gnat. I totally admit it... show me something shiny and I will immediately forget about what I'm doing. It's getting worse as I get older. Sometimes I will start 3 or 4 different projects over the course of a day, and not actually get anything finished. It's quite annoying.

Another problem I have is that I get bored easily. I think that's why I have embraced abstract art the way I have. My figurative work was interesting for a time, but then it became almost formulaic for me, and ceased to be a challenge. And once I'm bored of something, that's it, I can't do it anymore.

Abstract work is different. Every painting presents a new challenge. I think my process suits this aspect of my personality... I start by making random marks, and then I have to make that into something that works visually. The more I do the faster things go.... it's almost like playing chess; I'm improving, but I can't yet see a few moves ahead and figure out in advance if something is going to work or not.

Sometimes things go very slowly. I will do something I have never done before, like try a new medium (I've mixed moulding paste in with my paint on this one to hold my brush marks) or something I'm not sure will work (like this piece, where I stuck peeled off bits of dried paint onto my board before I started). Then have to figure out how to make it work. A future experiment is to give a panel and some mark making tools to my nephew's 3 year old daughter, and then work with what happens there. That should be fun.

The advantage of working small is that even though these experiments can take longer than usual, nothing really takes all that long with you're working on a 10x10" panel. 2018 has been all about the small. But I do think it's time for me to move into the world of larger pieces, so while I still have half my 100 Square Project to finish (this is #50 guys! I hit the half way point!!), I will be starting to work a bit bigger. I've got some 20x20 panels, some 24x30s, and a few 30x40". I've also been toying with the idea of doing another large diptych... even though I'm not sure where I'll put it when I'm done. There are not too many walls in my wee house that can manage a 40x60" painting.

I have some other plans for 2019. Right now I'm working on a schedule of sorts, so my followers can catch what they're interested in. In the world of magazines (where I worked at the beginning of my career) it is an "editorial calendar". I figure this will make it easier for me to create regular, predictable content instead of the haphazard way I've been doing it for the past few years. It'd be good for me not to be sitting down on a Sunday night wondering what I'm going to write about on Mondays blog post. This happens with alarming regularity.

I'll also be migrating my new art releases over to my proper website... because that's really where they should be if I'm going to be serious about selling these things. I'm trying to think like a business owner instead of a flaky creative, being distracted by every shiny new thing that comes along. I've managed to find a focus for my work, and now I need to focus everything else. I'll be adjusting as I go along and see what resonates with my followers... so please, if there is something you'd like to see, let me know and I will do my best to accommodate.

I'm taking a couple weeks off the blog to catch up on other stuff. Maybe even do some social outings and get in touch with friends I haven't seen in a while. I know I need to do some Christmas baking, since I've been asked if the usual cookies are going to make an appearance this year (I totally slacked off last year, and only made one batch of each. Not enough for sharing. My work friends were disappointed).

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, with time enough to do the things you really want to do, not just the obligatory stuff. I'll see you back here the first Monday in 2019.

Peace and Light,
Marianne

New Painting: Mystic Journey

"Mystic Journey", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

This is me trying to do a monochromatic painting.

When I started, I was thinking light grey and white, maybe a bit of metallic (that orange is actually bronze. It doesn't photograph well). My original thought was to put some darks and colour underneath that may show through in little bits here and there, but overall it would be white. It appears I am not in a state of mind to do that right now. I put the dark parts on.... then I liked it too much to cover it all up.

It's not an unusual thing for me to end up with something totally different than I was intending. Since I work completely by gut instinct, once I'm in the zone all plans go out the window and I just follow what is happening on the piece.

I tried to explain this to someone recently and they just didn't get it. He thought I had been working from photos when I was painting my recent landscapes. Even showing my process videos didn't convince him... I'm pretty sure he still thinks I'm working from photos.

My plan for 2019 is to start doing live stream painting sessions. I imagine these will be long and boring, and I'll have no viewers after the first couple are done. Posting my time-lapse films always get a great reaction...I get the feeling people are curious how things come together. But it can really take a long time to get things just right... when it's sped up to 4x the speed it seems like it would be much easier to watch. I'll give it a go anyway, and see where it takes me. At the very least I can answer whatever questions pop up from people watching.

My open studio last weekend went really well... thanks to everyone who came out. It was great to see so many old friends, along with a smattering of new faces. Quite a few pieces went off to new homes. I realized, as I put everything away, that every year I add to my collection of original works on paper that go into storage and only get pulled out for this one event. They proved to be quite popular again this year. I think I may try having a monthly "flash sale" of paper pieces at a deep discount... that way my young collectors can snag something at a great price, and I can clear out some space. Win/win, right? 

Calendars  featuring my abstract work are still online, for anyone who may be interested in ordering one. I've got about 35 left... given that the Canada Post recent job action made sure I couldn't guarantee they would arrive in time for Christmas, I consider this a huge win! Having an e-commerce site makes life so much easier... I remember when I did this in 2015 I had a spread sheet trying to keep track of orders and which ones I had shipped... it was a bit stressful as I was sure I'd miss something. Now it's all there on the website, and I can mark them shipped as I send them out, and it keeps track of how many I have left! Oh the wonders of technology!!

I'll be here next week, but I'm going to take a couple weeks off from the blog over Christmas. I need a break... and I also need some time to figure out all the little technical details of the things I want to launch in January. I'll keep y'all posted when I figure out what my schedule will be. Any ideas of things you may want to see? Leave me a comment, and I'll see what I can do. 

Guest Post: Sandra Morris Jager

December 2nd is my 2nd annual Studio Sale! There are details and a map on my website for those interested in coming out. It's a perfect opportunity to pick up that painting you have had your eye on, or a gift for the art lover in your life. My entire inventory will be available, plus calendars and a brand new collection of 10x10 squares, ready to go at studio prices.

As an added bonus, this year both of my talented sisters will be joining me in Mississauga and bringing out some of their work. My home will be overflowing with art! Here is an introduction to Sandra's work, who makes luxurious, hand-woven wearables. Last week I featured my sister Brenda, so be sure to read that post as well!

_______________________________________________________

One of Sandy's hand woven shawls

Sandy, at work on the loom

If anyone had told me ten years ago that I would be a weaver, I’d have said that they were crazy. After all, I had a busy home-based fashion business, specializing in bridal design and dressmaking. But after doing this for many years, including a return to school for more formal technical education, I burned out and needed some time off. I took up knitting, which eventually led to spinning. Yes, with a spinning wheel, not a bicycle (though I do that too). It is how you make yarn. It seems only natural in retrospect that I would end up sitting in front of a loom at some point. After all, a love of textiles has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I’m all about colour and texture. Like my sisters, I paint and draw, but my favoured medium is cloth. I am a relatively new weaver, having only been at this for six years now. With each project, I learn something new that I can apply to future endeavours. Weaving is a multi-faceted activity which combines a variety of elements to produce a finished piece. Some of these seem very obvious to me, yet may not to those without exposure to the process.

First, there is the choice of yarns. This is where I start. The fibre type, whether wool, cotton, alpaca, silk, or another fibre, will dictate many of the characteristics of the cloth; its drape, loft, and warmth. Also too, the yarn diameter and texture play an important role. Colour may be what we first see when considering a piece, but it probably has the least impact on the attributes of the cloth itself. Having said that, for me, colour is the second most important choice I make.

  This has led to experimentation with hand-painting dyes onto my measured yarn (the warp) before putting it on the loom. So much more interesting than flat colour! This also guarantees that no two pieces will ever be the same. This is particularly the case with my tencel scarves. They are dyed with a technique involving snow or ice to break the chemical bonds in the dyes, resulting in unpredictable watercolour effects and sometimes unplanned colours. Next up will be combining these hand-dyed warps with handspun weft yarns.

Layered onto the yarn is the choice of pattern. Weave structure determines whether one yarn dominates or if both are equal partners and how dense or drapey the finished textile is, among other things. Sometimes the marriage of yarn, colour, and pattern is a gamble and other times it is a perfect match. As with all thing artistic, creative play can be as valuable as experience in putting all the elements together to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional piece of cloth.

I’m looking forward to sharing my passion and some of my work with you next weekend!

Another lovely finished scarf.

Guest Post: Brenda Morris-Colley

December 2nd is my 2nd annual Studio Sale! There are details and a map on my website for those interested in coming out. It's a perfect opportunity to pick up that painting you have had your eye on, or a gift for the art lover in your life. My entire inventory will be available, plus calendars and a brand new collection of 10x10 squares, ready to go at studio prices.

As an added bonus, this year both of my talented sisters will be joining me in Mississauga and bringing out some of their work. My home will be overflowing with art! Here is an introduction to Brenda's work, and next week I'll have some images from Sandra, who makes luxurious, hand-woven wearables. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Watercolour by artist Brenda Morris-Colley

From my earliest memories, art and nature have been in my life.  I was either sitting in my room drawing or out climbing trees.  I was the kid that always brought home the stray dog or a hat full of baby squirrels.

I’ve always loved being out in nature, at the beach, in the woods or traipsing through the creek.  This is where I feel whole.  I love camping, building camp fires, cooking outside, being away from cities, towns and people.  I’ve always been more comfortable in nature or with animals than with people.  I am an introvert by nature and need lots of alone time.  Nothing inspires my creativity more than being in nature.

"Homeward Bound" by Brenda Morris-Colley

My paintings help you return to a place of nature, so you can remember what it was like to be in that space.  You can almost hear the leaves rustling in the wind, the waves crashing against the shore. You can hear the birds singing their song.

Remember what it’s like to stand on the edge of that stream.  Recapture that sense of awe while watching the pelicans fishing or the hawk hunting.

Remember and relax and breathe.

More of Brenda's work can been seen on her Facebook Page, or our FB event page. 

New Painting: Autumn Path

"Autumn Path", 18x18 in. Mixed Media on wood panel.

This is my last painting of this little "mini-series" of Autumn to Winter pieces. It's not my standard 10x10... its a bit bigger at 18x18". I have a few of these boards hanging around, so I figured I may as well use them. But since it's square, I'm going to include it as one of my 100.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen with this one when I started it. I was two sessions in when I realized it was a landscape. I think this one is an even more obvious landscape than some of the others I've done, but when I'm beginning a piece I try to keep my mind open, and look at it in all directions before I decide.

The foggy sky on the right was something I didn't want to obliterate as I went along. I liked the effect of the veil of white over the colour. Even my pencil scribbles show through. For a while there was no defined edge dividing the sky and the ground, but it didn't look quite right with the earth and sky blending together. Sometimes it works, but here it just didn't seem to. It was the hits of metallic at the end that seemed to pull it together. Up until then it seemed kind of ho-hum... I guess because there was such a large dark mass along the bottom and left. The bronze added the metallic effect, along with lightening the area up a bit to add variety.

I like that this piece feels very much like those grey autumn days, where the vibrant colour of the leaves contrast with the grey, misty quality of the sky. Much like how things have been around here for the past couple weeks. But seriously, stop raining already. We've all had quite enough.

My calendars are now online, for anyone who may be interested in ordering one. I got a great reaction to my advance subscriber link, so now that I'm sure anyone there who wants one has got it, I will make the link public for anyone else. Having an e-commerce site makes life so much easier... I remember when I did this in 2015 I had a spread sheet trying to keep track of orders and which ones I had shipped... it was a bit stressful as I was sure I'd miss something. Now it's all there on the website, and I can mark them shipped as I send them out, and it keeps track of how many I have left! Oh the wonders of technology!!

I've also set the date for my 2nd annual Open Studio show and sale. Mark December 2nd on your calendar! I will have most of my inventory at home (I have a few pieces still at Pixie Blue) and out for viewing. As an added bonus, both my sisters are coming out to help, and bringing a few of their creations with them. I will be posting some of their work next week on the blog. Stay tuned!

New Painting: An Early Frost

"An Early Frost", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

I've been procrastinating writing this week's post. I have new work to post, but I'm feeling a bit worn down so I don't really feel like writing. I'm doing it anyway, because I feel like I should... maybe this is a sign I need to take a break for a bit, but I have a lot happening until early December so it won't be until after that.

So... what's going on?

I have been getting my website ready to update with my calendars and my new pieces. There was a wee printing issue with my calendars so I have to have half my batch re-run, which delays my release a bit. The website is ready though, just as soon as I get them.

I'm having an open studio on December 2nd. I've been recruiting some help and trying to get my house ready for visitors, even though it's still a month away. Since I still had some bare drywall from last year's renos, we decided a coat of paint was in order. We painted the entire main floor. It looks great, but we went from a medium colour to a very light one, so two coats were necessary. This led to me going through various closets and cupboards purging. Even though I try not to buy a lot I still seem to accumulate a lot of stuff. And I tend to be a bit of a hoarder... I still had a jacket that I've had since my adult child was a toddler. It's off to the Salvation Army now, because it's still in decent shape. It may even be fashionable again in a couple years.

My amazing co-workers in their "Victorian Gothic" costumes.

My new job is going really well. I work with some amazingly creative people. It's the only place I've ever worked where Halloween was treated like a team sport. The costumes were amazing. I didn't really participate much, as every other place I've worked there was only ever a handful of people who bothered with a costume at all. I thought this would be the same. Omg, no. Departments created elaborate group themed costumes, entire areas were decorated like movie sets, the photo studio set up a backdrop and took professional photos, prizes were given out. I can't even imagine what Christmas is going to be like.

This is my next to last painting in this mini-series of "autumn to winter" paintings. I will be releasing the lot of them for prints shortly after next week's post, so if there is one you love, it will soon be available. The set of original paintings won't be online until after my open house. I still have others to post... I just find that the time it takes to do the photography and create the web page eats into my limited studio time, so I don't update as much as I should. After my studio sale I will take a few days to do what I need to and upload everything.... I don't want to create unnecessary work for myself so I'll wait until after I see what sells. 

Hope you all are having some fun and enjoying the transition of the seasons. It really is a glorious time of year..... once it stops raining, that is.

New Painting: A Glimpse of Winter

"A Glimpse of Winter", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

It's chilly outside. Not -40°C cold, like it sometimes gets in February, but it's getting near zero at night and we've had a couple days where it's not much warmer. With cooler temperatures I feel like I need to add some cooler colours into my palette, and bring those warm Autumn hues a little closer to winter.

I'm not a huge fan of winter. Strange for someone living in Canada, I know. I hate being cold. I don't like the dreary days of freezing rain. I don't like that it's dark when I leave for work and dark again shortly after I get home. I don't mind those bitterly cold days where the sun shines brightly... as long as I only have to see it from inside my climate controlled home.

I do, however seem to be particularly prolific in the winter. It probably has to do with hockey... my husband is an avid fan and spends many evenings in front of the tv watching his favourite teams. Me... not so much. I'd rather hang out in my studio with some music playing, or listening to an interesting podcast. I've found a few I really like and am looking forward to the next set of new episodes (any suggestions? put them in the comments. I'm always looking for new stuff to listen to!). Its not that I don't like hockey, but I don't like it enough to really follow it. A live game can be entertaining on occasion, but on tv it doesn't do much for me.

Anyway....

I know that what is going on outside affects what ends up in my paintings. I can't help it. Maybe if I had something else to do besides work and paint (and housework and the endless chores that go along with living) that would also show up in my work. I read Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" many, many years ago. She has a chapter about "filling the well" and going on "artist dates". I wonder sometimes if I spend enough time taking care of that part of my life. If my daily walks outside are the only other thing I do, that could be why the weather seems to take up so much space in my subconscious.

When I have a day to myself, which is rare, I do those chores that I tend to put off. Sorting through closets and scrubbing out the fridge come to mind. I have a list. Right now the thing I've put off until it's almost too late to do it is dividing my perennials. I don't even have many that need it, but I really, really don't want to. I'm fine with gardening when it's lovely outside, but it's wet and dreary now. Yuck.

What I should do is make a list of things to do outside the little bubble of my home. But to be honest, I think I've forgotten what kinds of things I like to do. And my tastes have changed... I used to love seeing live music, but now it just seems way too loud, and too late, and other than seeing my son play live I just can't be bothered. I enjoy it on the odd occasion when I actually get myself out of the house, but that might be once a year. Even going to a theatre to see a movie seems like too much trouble when I can see one on Netflix in the comfort of my own living room. At a reasonable volume (why does everything have to be so damn loud?).

So.... what do I do about that?

I think maybe I'm just in a bit of a rut. I need to get out and do some new and different things. Not sure where to start but I'll figure it out. And if you have any suggestions, it would be appreciated.

New Painting: The Bridge Home

"The Bridge Home" 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

I love Autumn. It's one of those seasons where you never know quite what to expect... one day it's like summer, the next you wonder if it's going to snow. My favourite days are when there is a nip in the air, the sun is shining, and there's that crunch underfoot from the fallen leaves. 

I've been working on a few pieces using an Autumn inspired colour palette (see my last two posts). Ok, maybe I'm not quite sure where the teal fits in, but it does... brown, gold, red and turquoise just seem to say fall to me. The red oxide and the teal mixed together make a warm, muted green that I'm in love with. And for this piece I've included a metallic copper that I've had sitting on my work table for a couple weeks that just didn't seem to fit in the other pieces I was working on. I do love it though... it's got a rich, shiny glow that reflects the light wonderfully. It is not particularly easy to capture in a photograph though, so this piece does look quite different in person. 

I have decided to do an art calendar this year (watch my website for availability). It's been a few years since my last one, and I feel like my work has progressed to the point where I have a definitive, recognizable style. I didn't want to do another one until I got to that point. If I'm going to shell out the money to have the calendars printed (and potentially be stuck with them... do people still use wall calendars??), I want to be sure I'll still like to look at it a year from now. I want to be able to give one as a sample of my work and not be embarrassed because I feel it looks amateur. It takes a bit of time to get to that point. 

Abstract is harder than it looks. Well, maybe not just painting abstract. Technically, yes, anyone could do it. You slap some paint on and call it done... there you go. The first abstract painting class that I took was basically just that. But painting an abstract that works as art... well, not so easy. Composition is SO important. If you're creating a piece where your focus is something realistically drawn, a well done drawing can compensate for less than stellar design. The piece will still work. Not so much with an abstract piece. If the design isn't strong the whole thing falls apart. There may be interesting areas and a great colour palette, but it won't draw you in quite the same way. 

I have spent time studying work that I think is successful and trying to figure out WHY I like it so much. I've had help... I took a class with Lila Lewis Irving a couple years ago that really helped me, and I am lucky enough to be friends with Kevin Ghiglione, who helped me enormously when I was really, REALLY frustrated. I am trying to pay it forward by helping people who are a bit behind me on the path, by sharing what I've learned. Because I do believe it is a skill that can be learned, and that "talent" really doesn't have much to do with it.

New Painting: Crashing Waves

"Crashing Waves", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

The plan was to be in Quebec this past week. We had decided on it after we got home in June, and I had booked the time off and started to make arrangements. But then I decided to change jobs. So, no trip. We had wanted to go, because apparently the Eastern Townships are incredibly beautiful when the leaves change colour. I've never been out there in the fall. But in my mind, I can take the autumn colours that I know and love, transpose it onto a spot where I have been, and almost see it.

There's something about this colour combination that just feels like autumn to me. It's that deep rusty red that does it. Mix it with teal and it makes the most beautiful greens. The temperatures have dropped here... finally... getting me into the mood for a fall painting.

I started this one much the same way I start most of my pieces; by just laying down paint and making marks. I had something that resembled a waterfall at one point. I could have stopped there, because it didn't look bad. Actually, it looked pretty good. Years ago, maybe I would have stopped there. But now I know better. I don't like to settle for  "pretty good" anymore. I will keep going until I really like it, no matter how long it takes.

Sometimes that means a small 10x10 painting can take months to finish. I'll work on it then put it away for a bit. If I don't know what to do with it anymore I'll stop, wait a few days or a week, then get it back out and carry on. Sometimes if it's just not working, I'll glaze it with some completely unexpected colour, and carry on from there, creating something that doesn't even remotely resemble what I started with. I'll go from dark to light and back to dark, sanding back the top layer to show some of what has happened underneath. It's a process I enjoy, and I feel like it makes my paintings more interesting than they would be if I just stopped at "pretty good".

The final touch for this piece was a hit of metallic bronze over some of the dark sections. It pulled it all together in a way that just made it feel complete.

I have people asking me all the time how I know when a painting is finished. It's weird I guess, but I just know. I look for certain things... are my shapes all different? Do I have light and dark areas? Do I have variation in my lights? Variation in my darks? Does it need something to make it better? Is there interest in all areas? Does it give me a distinctive feeling? I ask myself these questions continually when I'm working, not just at the end. It's when I'm saying yes more than no that I know it's almost done.

What process do you use? How do you know when a painting is finished?

_____________________________________________________________________________

I've decided to do another open studio this year! Mark December 2nd on your calendar. I'm still working out the plan, but I'm sure it will be fun. Like last year, I will have my entire inventory out and for sale. I will also have art calendars available featuring 12 of my abstract paintings. Watch my website for details. 

New Painting: A Distant Storm

"A Distant Storm", 10x10 mixed media on Wood Panel. Available. 

I've been watching the news out of the US. I try not to overindulge, but it's like a train wreck in the making and almost impossible not to look.

This week was particularly bad. Kavanaugh. Wow. Let me sum it up... Reasonable sounding woman claims sexual assault by a high powered man, man gets very angry proclaiming a conspiracy to destroy him, other angry men dismiss her, and powerful man becomes more powerful.  Not the first time it's happened.

I have, however, noticed a change in how everyone is reacting this time around. Women are pissed. Really and truly furious. I have quite a few female American friends, and it seems to be all they can talk about. I spot the occasional dissenting opinion in the comment section (usually from a man, I have noticed) but for the most part everyone agrees that this situation is intolerable and must change (I understand I am seeing these things from my Social media echo chamber. If my friends were not mostly artists and somewhat left-leaning, its possible my take on what's happening could be quite different. But I do follow the news from reputable sources, so I think I have a pretty good idea).

So... I read about all this and listen to the radio newscasts and follow along. Then when I get into my studio, I paint a stormy sky. I know everything I experience outside the studio effects what I do when I'm in there. I can't help it, I am a whole person and I cannot separate one thing from another.

This painting reminds me of a time, years ago, when my family and I were out on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, for the annual music festival. The stage faced inland, and we were seated on the ground, facing out to sea. We watched a storm come in as we sat there in the sun... dark clouds gathered, there was lightening, torrential rain... but it was all "out there". It got closer and closer. At one point I leaned over to my husband and said, "I think we should go... that looks pretty nasty". It was rolling in fast. As we were packing up most other people suddenly had the same idea, and it was a rush to get indoors before it got to us. We ran back to the house we were staying at, and hit the driveway just as the clouds opened and the deluge started.

The situation in the US reminds me of this same storm. The anger is palpable... it's gathering steam. At some point it's going to reach a boiling point and you better run like hell if you hope to escape the wrath. I don't know what will be the tipping point, but I can see it coming. Good luck, my friends. Something tells me you are going to need it.

The Aftermath....

Video of our display set up at Revive. I was there with
Sandra Robson and Mandana Studios.

Sorry I didn't show up last week... on the weekend I was tied up with the Arts on the Credit Tour, and was completely exhausted by the time it was done. It was a great show, btw. Thanks to everyone who came out. It was awesome to see so many people out to look at art.

A lot of time beforehand was spent preparing. I had to have new work, so there was that, but also deciding on what kind of display, hauling out and cleaning all my display equipment, making tags, making sure my credit card system worked, etc, etc. Needless to say, I've been neglecting other things.

My studio is a disaster zone. I've got my table clear enough that I can work on it, but the entire other half of the space is complete chaos. I had pulled out all my containers of display stuff... clips, lights, drapery, signage... and that is all sitting in the middle of the room. I've got a basket with matted works on paper and another one full of prints, also in the middle of the room. It's always like this after a show. I don't bother to put the containers away until everything over and done with, because I'm just gonna have to pull them out again.

Me, standing in front of Revive
with the Art Tour sign in the
background.

This weekend I got up early Saturday morning with every intention of getting my studio back in order. But then I noticed some crud on the handle of my refrigerator. And that, it seems, was that. I spent the entire day cleaning, but didn't even set foot in the room I had intended to sort out. My kitchen looks awesome. My fridge is clean, even my freezer is clean. I cleaned out the microwave. I scrubbed the wooden blinds. The pull out spice rack has been cleaned and reorganized. All my cupboard doors have been wiped down. Yay me.

I needed to do laundry. I popped into my son's bathroom to grab his towels, noticed that his soap dispensers were empty. So I had to deal with that. And since I was in there, I gave the counters and sink a wipe down. I eventually made it back into the laundry room, grabbed the bucket and sponges I needed and headed back upstairs.... without putting in the laundry. Sigh. Back downstairs.

By the end of the day I was exhausted. I vowed to try again on Sunday to get my studio cleaned up. I did a bit, but ended up painting. I can't let the entire weekend go by without doing anything I actually enjoy. I should have done it on Monday night when I got home from work. I usually take the day after a show off so I can do this kind of thing, but with the new job and all... well, not this time. I'll do it tomorrow. Tomorrow for sure.

For those of you who didn't make it out to the show, here are a few photos:

Tour Sign... There is a 2nd studio at Revive that people were
missing, so on day 2 we had someone out there directing them in.

The weather was awesome, so we put some work out on the porch.
These are Sandra's wonderful alcohol ink flowers. You can see them
on her website.

Sandra Robson with her Root painting. She did a series of
these that really grabbed some attention.

Mandie of Mandana studios with her funky, vintage looking
handmade jewellery. I had my eye on one of these rings, but it was a
bit too big for my teeny tiny hands.

The stones are magnificent. I think my fave was the
cultured opal. Somewhat like my interference paints, it looks
a different colour depending on the angle.

The amazing textile work of Lilianne Lear. Yes, I said textile... this is an
embroidery piece. I love these funky fish! 

New Painting: Quiet Reflections

"Quiet Reflections", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

I've been a bit obsessed with Brian Rutenberg's YouTube videos lately. He paints these incredible, enormous abstracts... abstract landscapes that feel like a landscape even with no actual landscape type elements in them. One thing he says repeatedly in these videos is to "paint with your back to the window".

I think this is like my mantra of paint what you feel, not what you see. And it's what I've been trying to do with these landscapes inspired by my trip to Quebec. I have a load of photos, and before I start a new piece I look through them and decide what kind of feeling I want to capture. I've only done a few so far, so success seems to be a bit hit and miss. While I think this piece is successful as a painting, it didn't really get across the feeling I was going for. I was going for that feeling of blue sky reflected in still water and how calming it could be. But to get it working as an abstract, I had to lighten up that bottom "water" sector. It may have worked a bit darker but I didn't really like the colour i had going. I glazed with white until I had the value I thought I needed, but it lost a lot of the colour. I could have gone back in to add it back, but I liked it, so I didn't. Sometimes you just have to let the painting be what it is, instead of trying to force it into a preconceived plan.

I did learn enough doing this piece that I'm pretty sure the next one will be a bit better. The next one I start from scratch won't be until after the Art tour next weekend. I'm busy with finishing details right now... adding hanging wired and hardware, painting edges, putting a final coat of varnish on all these small works I've done recently.

As for the tour next weekend, I will have mostly small pieces with me, as I don't have a huge amount of space at my venue. It is a beautiful space though, and should we have good weather we will be able to move some of the art into the fabulous garden at Revive, giving it a special end of summer feel. I've got my fingers crossed for nice weather. I have a map on my website should you want to come out to the tour. There are many wonderful artists and artisans showing off their creations, and my particular location promises to be a hopping area with 4 venues on the same short street. You can access a digital version of the tour brochure here, to plan out your trip.

Hope to see you there!

Dawn of a New Day

"Dawn of a New Day", 24x24" mixed media on canvas. Private collection. 

My niece got married on Saturday. She is around the same age I was when I settled down with my now husband (though we didn't get married until a couple of years later, this is when we bought a house, which is a pretty huge commitment). I wish her and her beau as much happiness as possible.

Being an artist in a family of artists, I knew I would do something creative for them for their new home. Since I've been immersed in trying to figure out this whole abstract landscape thing, and my niece is maybe a bit traditional in her artistic tastes (and I have no idea about her now husband), a landscape seemed to be the most obvious choice. Talking to her mom and sister we determined hues of pink would fit in with their decor. Pink. Of course.

Side view, showing how the interference looks in the
light. This photo was taken in the same lighting as
the one above, I just moved over to the side.  

I'm not really a pink person. I don't wear pink, there is no pink in my home, and the pinks I've been using in my recent work started as a challenge for me to work out how to use it (since I had a few tubes of pink paint given to me). I was sure I could do this... even if I wasn't sure exactly how.

I used a lot of texture in this piece. I'm not 100% decided if it helps or detracts from the overall composition, but it gives some interest, and gave me a way to incorporate my current obsession, interference paint. Brushed lightly over the textured area the paint only hits the raised points. This can add a lot of interest to a relatively calm area.

I chose to use interference orange... I had used blues and violets along with the pinks, and I really wanted something a bit unexpected. I also thought about how the work would change in certain lighting... having used this kind of paint in a few pieces now I have a bit better idea of what to expect than when I first pulled it out. I like that you can hardly see it when you look at it straight on. It shows up in the dark areas but not the light. But when the light hits it and you're at an angle, the sky glows. It's pretty cool.

I hope they like the painting and find a special place for it. I will offer an opportunity to exchange for something else... that's something I also do for my clients whenever art is purchased as a gift. When I give art, especially my own, I worry that the receiver will not say if it's not their thing, afraid of hurting my feelings (my skin is actually pretty thick now, after years of applying to and getting rejected from shows. It's all part of being an artist). My niece already has one of my paintings, so I'm pretty sure she likes my work, but I think the art in your home should be something that really speaks to you. Maybe she would prefer something in a different colour, or has no place to put something this size. I don't really know what her other half likes either, so that's something to consider. Whatever they decide is fine with me. I know original art in a home can really add to that feeling of it being somewhere special, and that's how I want their home to feel for them.

_________________________________________________________________________________

I am taking part in the Arts on the Credit Tour, September 22-23 in Port Credit, Mississauga. I'll have many new 10x10 pieces up for sale, plus a couple larger ones. Visit my website for details. 

New Painting: Whispered Conversations

"Whispered Conversations", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. 

I've been listening to the audiobook of Brené Brown's "Daring Greatly" while I've been at the gym. It's one of those books that's been recommended to me a few times, but I haven't gotten around to reading.

As a creative person, I never really know what's going to inspire something. I certainly did not expect something from this kind of book to inspire an abstract painting. But when I got to the part about how sharing personal experiences and being vulnerable can lead to a true intimacy with someone, I got a image in my head that I really wanted to express visually.

Building relationships can be in interesting process. I can be a fairly open person, but it depends on how I read the other person. There have been people I'm not too sure of, and with them it can take me a really long time to trust enough to put myself out there. If I ever do. If I click with someone the process can go a lot faster.

I remember when I was a kid... the LAST thing I wanted to do was tell someone anything about how I was feeling. In my family, as the youngest of 4 kids, giving away a secret was like giving your enemy something to taunt you with for the foreseeable future. My siblings could be vicious. The girls at school were equally awful. I learned quickly that the best defence was to never give anything away. I developed a poker face... while I couldn't always put it on at will, I did try. As a result of being so closed off, I had very few close friends. I still don't have many, but the ones I have are the kind of people I can tell anything to, and not have it come back to bite me. This is a good place to be.

It took me a long time to get here. As a young adult I didn't know how to talk about how I was feeling, so when I got angry or upset I just shut down. There were a few people who kept poking until they hit the soft spots and it all came out...usually involving a lot of swearing (and sometimes alcohol. My best friends are partial to scotch and tequila, respectively). But those conversations... the ones where I shared the parts of myself that I generally keep hidden... they were like little bright lights shining in an otherwise dark world of uncertainty and doubt.

Visualizing those whispered conversations... that was an evolving process, and it took many layers. I put some value variety in the dark areas representing the people we come in contact with daily. The co-workers, the acquaintances. The lighter hues are the people closer to us. There is variety in those too. The really good friends... they are in the iridescents. They look white, but they sparkle a bit. They change depending on the lighting. They are where you look and keep looking. And they hold it together.

As I'm trying to verbalize my thought process on this, I realize that I did an exercise like this decades ago when I took a class with an art therapist. She called it a "life map", and had us use a different colour to represent each person in our lives and show how they related to us. We did a past, present and future map. It was an interesting exercise that really sparked an interest in the abstract representation of an inner world. Maybe a topic for another post...

_________________________________________________________________________________

I am taking part in the Arts on the Credit Tour, September 22-23 in Port Credit, Mississauga. I'll have many of these new 10x10 pieces up for sale, plus a couple larger ones. Visit my website for details. 

New Painting: Paper Wings

"Paper Wings", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

I've got a lot of art supplies hanging around my studio. Some things were given to me, some I bought just to try out. I've got a few oddball colours that I don't really know what to do with. It can be fun to start a piece with the intention of using something new... the end point is always a surprise. And sometimes that something new is added at the end, in a last ditch effort to save a painting that is just not working.

This piece went through many, many stages. A lot of them really ugly. At one point I scribbled all over it with a soft pencil, because I was at a loss for what to do next. It was once predominantly red, then yellow, then pink. It was really dark at  one point. What finally pulled it together was a bit of never before used interference green. It now has this glow that I can't quite describe. And I certainly can't photograph it. While I think the photo looks pretty good, it doesn't really do the original justice. It will, however, have to do.

Last week I did something a lot of people will think is a little bit crazy, given my age. I quit the job I've been at for the past 11 years. I'd love to say I did it so I could become a full-time painter, but alas, that is not in the cards for me just yet. I am going to another company, for a position that I hope will be a little less stressful, a little less all-consuming, and hopefully full of new things to learn.

It may seem to some like I've tossed my job security out the window (I know this because people have told me so, usually preceded by a "you're crazy"). I don't look at it quite that way. Just because the company I've spent so much time with finds me useful now does not mean they will still want me there in a few years. There have been a few people let go lately that were long-term, dedicated employees. Corporations don't have any kind of loyalty to long term employees anymore. No matter what I do, it's a gamble. The future is never guaranteed, and all we really have is the present. If I'm no longer enjoying how I spend the majority of my time, the time has come to figure out something else.

However it works out, I'm pretty sure there will be some surprises.

New Painting: Sunday Afternoon

"Sunday Afternoon", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. Available. 

Earlier this summer I spent a couple weeks in Quebec. It was a wind-down kind of vacation... we didn't have much planned, we did the AirBnB thing so we would have a kitchen and not have to eat out every meal, we spent time with family and I my husband and I had a chance to spend some quality time together.

With my guy being big on fly-fishing, I decided to take some art gear with me to keep me occupied while he was out on the river. The spots were so scenic, I enjoyed the time in nature just sketching and taking photos. I got some great pics for inspiration. I also got some ideas for doing a few paintings when I got home.

My travels have really inspired my art. With this trip under my belt, I thought it may be time for me to try doing some actual landscapes. Never much one for realism, I knew abstraction would be the path I had to take. Literal depictions don't work for me... I wanted to relate how the landscape makes me feel, rather than what it looks like.

"Sunday Afternoon" is the first of a few I have started. This one came together fairly quickly... although at first I didn't realize what I was painting. I had worked on it the other direction, doing my usual thing with dark/light and composing a pleasing arrangement of shapes. I had it drying on a shelf when I caught sight of it the other way and knew this was supposed to be a landscape and not an abstract. A couple quick additions and it was finished.

I have a few more abstract landscapes in the works to be ready to debut at the Arts on the Credit Tour in September. I've even started a new page for them on my website. They will be available as prints as they get finished and photographed, and I'll get the originals on there after the tour. I'm having fun with this genre, so I may continue on for a bit. I'm only half way through my 100 Square Project, so there's lots of room to add a few abstract landscapes to the series.

New Painting: The Road Less Travelled

"The Road Less Travelled", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel.

I've always been a bit of an oddball. 

When I was a kid I was painfully, painfully shy. Like, hide behind my mother and cry if forced to talk to someone shy. I've never had a lot of friends, but the ones I did have were really good friends that totally got me. I hung out with other misfits, and still do. One of my high school friends described us as the "island of misfit toys". Yep, that's about it. 

Being an artist wasn't exactly a choice. It's more a like this internal restlessness that had to be put to use or it would kill me. I tried to ignore it and couldn't... it was like the world just sucked the life out of me and this was the only way to get it back. 

It's not an easy path. It took a long time before I could look at my own work and like it. And once I got over that hurdle, I had to convince other people. I've been turned down by many a gallery, rejected from many shows. I've also gotten into galleries, shown in some prestigious juried shows, and won an award. Obviously opinions of what makes good art differs. I have decided, for better or worse, to be unapologetically who I am and see where it takes me. I'm not sure where I'll end up, but pretty sure I'll be a happier person. That's the end goal for all of us, isn't it?

This painting was a fight from the first layer. You can see it in the texture... there is layer upon layer of paint. I think there was collage on it at some point, although you can't see it at all now. Just the faint edges of where the paper is glued down. I tried to smooth out some sections, but it's still a bit rough around the edges. That wandering line is like the path the painting took to get where it is... there are parts hardly visible but they still effect the whole, and there's one little area I seemed to get stuck in for a bit. I'm glad I didn't give up on it, because overall, it's an interesting little piece. 

It's weird how I can see my life mapped out in a 10x10" square. All art is a reflection of the artist, because we can't help but have who we are show up in our work. Things inspire us, we make choices based on our preferences, decide what to let stay and what has to go. I intend to continue on my own path, no matter who tries to convince me it's a bad idea. The road less travelled is often a more pleasant trip than being trapped in the traffic on the highway. 

New Painting: Summer Storm

"Summer Storm", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel. 

I've always loved storms in the summer. They are so powerful and spring up suddenly... it can be sunny and beautiful out, and within a few minutes it's like you're standing under a waterfall.

You'd think, given the number of times I'd been caught out it it, that I'd hate them. But the power always amazed me. I'd sit and watch the rain pour down and be in awe of nature. Until that massive storm and subsequent flood in 2013.... that's when those storms started to scare me.

Until then, I'd never been in a major storm. Hell, compared to what's happened in other parts of the world, this was not even a major storm. I began to pay more attention to weather related incidents in the news. And it began to dawn on me... holy shit, are we ever in trouble.

I do read the news, and was aware of climate change and the things going on in the world. I had seen an inconvenient truth, but in my naivety, I figured the people in charge were on it, and as long as everyone played their small part, things would work out.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!

Yeah, I know.

I continue to do what I can. I live close to my job, I keep my car tuned up and take public transit when I can. I ride my bike. I recycle and dry my laundry on my clothesline in the summer. We don't run the air conditioner if it's under 30°C. And we eat a lot of fresh food and avoid the processed stuff. Not really much in the big scheme of things, but it's what I can control. And anything else, I just block out of my field of vision. I think I'd have the trouble motivating myself to do anything if I thought the end of the world was just around the corner.

So anyway, back to my painting.....

I worked on this piece for what felt like forever. I kept adding and adding layers, but it just wasn't speaking to me. When it came together it was so fast.... I was looking for something to add some life to it, and what I found was interference orange. Pink and orange isn't a combination I would normally use... it reminds me of 70s polyester fashion if I'm honest... but since the painting wasn't working anyway, why not? It totally pulled it together, and it instantly became one of my favourite pieces.

Sometimes doing something drastic and unexpected can solve a problem in a unique and creative way.

5 Ways to Find Time to Create When You Have a Busy Life

"Disarming Melodies of First Light", 10x10" mixed media on wood panel.
Prints available on mariannemorrisart.com, original to be available soon. 

I have a full time job. I am also married and have a child, a house to look after, friends and family I need to stay in touch with... all the usual things that go along with being a middle aged woman today. I also create on a regular basis. I make upwards of 20 paintings a year.

On my most productive year I made 54 pieces (yes, I count... I keep track of everything. See my post from a couple weeks ago). They were all small, and not all good, but I it was the year I realized the painting was helping me deal with all the other crap going on in my life and made me a calmer, more reasonable person. Creating took over a few things like the "keeping in touch with friends" part of my life, so I had to scale it back a bit. Lesson learned.

I have friends at work that often ask how I find the time. To look at me, you wouldn't think I was that well organized. I often look a bit dishevelled. My desk is a mosaic of sticky notes, reminding me of various things from people I need to call to how-to notes for things I don't do very often. It may not be the prettiest system, but it works for me. As for finding time to create, it really isn't that hard if you make it a priority.

Guard Your Time

Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings are studio time. My husband knows it, my kid knows it. I don't answer the phone, I won't look for your {insert missing item here}. If they bug me they get barked at. If I have any other available time during the week I will go into my studio and work instead of surfing online or watching Netflix. I usually do my social media stuff in the mornings before work or on my break, so I don't have to think about it again. I don't let it take over my evenings.

Another of my 100 Square Project. Working in series lets me
work on a few pieces at the same time. The colours then
carry through and they tend to look great together. 

Think Small

Working on a 4x5 foot painting can be gratifying, but when you've only got a few hours a week to work, that can stretch out over months. If it takes you 3 months to finish something, how motivated are you to actually finish it? I know myself well enough to know I will lose interest half way through, and that damn thing will sit there taunting me. This was the catalyst for my 100 Square Project. I know that a 10x10" square will get completed even if I'm short on time, because an hour is enough to do something significant.

Work is Small Chunks of Time

If you're working on a small painting, it's amazing how much you can get done in an hour. I often find the first hour is when I do my best work, because I'm fresh. Even on days when I have all day to work, I break the day up into two hour chunks, doing something else for an hour in between sessions. I know that around the two hour mark is when I start making bad decisions... I'm tired, I've been looking at the piece too long and I can't see the problems.

This, of course, is easier if you have a dedicated space to work in. I totally get how an hour can get eaten up by having to get all your stuff out and put it all away again when you're finished. Which leads me to the next thing...

Keep Your Stuff Organized

One of my drawings from when the Boy was
young. Ink is the easiest to work in when you're
short on time. Cap on pen, pen in basket, basket
on shelf. Done. 

When my Boy was small and I was trying to get back into art, my available time was really limited. I also didn't have a dedicated space. I had a table in his play room (which was the extra bedroom in our home), so I could work and watch him at the same time. I worked in dry media, because it was easy and fast to clean up... usually only requiring washing of hands to tend to something else. These were the years of drawings. I had a high shelf in the closet, and when I was done my tools went into a basket and onto the shelf where the kids couldn't get into it. Paper went into a folder and also up on the shelf. His stuff was there too, so if he wanted to "help", he had his own sketchbook and tools.

I still use a variation of that system. I have an old dresser in my studio where I keep all my gear. When I start a painting, the colours I choose go into a basket so I don't have to go hunting through the paint drawer to try to remember which one I used. My brushes are in containers according to size, so a small painting gets the small brushes and the large ones are out of my way. Paper is in a folder and sorted according to size. Canvas and wood panels are prepped and sorted according to size, stored in a closet. When I've got a big project going my studio can look like a disaster zone... and there is a point where the mess deters me from going in there. It really is easier to find motivation when you keep yourself organized.

Work in Series

I can be working on up to 5 paintings at a time. When I get stuck on one I move onto the next one. I know a solution is more likely to present itself when I'm busy doing something else. Waiting for inspiration to smack me upside the head just leads to a lot of wasted time. Since I do this as a regular thing, I often will have 3 or 4 pieces in a similar colour scheme that look really great when hung together. I've had clients buy the set, because while maybe that one little painting might not quite work, three fills up a hallway or an awkward spot in a creative way.

These are all things that I do to make sure I can get some creative time. I know a few artists read this blog.... What kind of things do you do to find time to create? Got some tips for the rest of us? Leave a comment below and let's start a conversation!

Rules? There are no Rules...

Many years ago, I was one of those artists that planned stuff. I did sketches. I worked out compositions using thumbnails, just like I was taught to decades ago. I sketched out my large version of what I had decided on in my sketchbook, and then filled in areas one at a time. I followed compositional rules. I used my colour theory. I did it the way I was supposed to.

I know this works for some people, but it really did not work for me. I was always disappointed in my results. And if something wasn't working, even if I knew it wasn't working, I had a hard time abandoning it. Somehow I felt that since I had already sunk in so much time, I had to see it through to the end.

As you can imagine, I eventually earned myself one very large, very long artist's block. I say earned, because it was totally my own fault. I worked my way into it, one bad painting at a time.

For five long years, I did nothing creative whatsoever. I told myself I wasn't inspired, I had nothing to say, I didn't want to, I didn't have time.... the excuses went on and on. Thing was, I did still have moments when I wondered what the hell had happened to me. It was usually during my kid's birthday parties, when I had him and a bunch of his friend in my driveway creating an imaginary world in sidewalk chalk. Or I was showing him how to draw spiderman while we waited to be called at the doctor's office.

Finished painting from the above video, "Spring Fever".
10x10" on wood panel. 

I missed that side of myself, so I signed up for a class. I enjoyed the class, but we worked from photos, and while my painting turned out ok, I didn't really feel it. So I signed up for another one. I watched videos and did Zentangles and made some stamps. It wasn't until I flew across the country to take a class with Jesse Reno that my Eureka moment happened. He broke through that block with one short conversation.

Just start. There are no rules. Put the paint on your brush and the brush on the paper. Keep going until you are happy. Don't make it more difficult than it is.

WHAT??? It was like he was giving me permission to ignore everything I had ever been taught and go do whatever I wanted.

I've been working like that ever since, and I haven't had even an inkling of a block. Ive done a series of figurative pieces, and a series of abstract pieces. I've gone back to drawing because I like to draw, instead of as a planning device. Sure, things like composition, design, and colour harmony still matter, but now I work it out as I go instead of sticking to some pre-envisioned plan. I enjoy seeing what happens when I try something new, even if it doesn't work. It's fun again.

I may, at some point, take another class with someone who I think can take what I'm doing now and make it better. I've got my eye on a workshop with Nicholas Wilton that I think would be awesome. But for now I will just carry on with what I'm doing, and try to make the most of what time I have.

After all, I'm not getting any younger.