Sometimes what is supposed to be funny is what can really get under your skin. Which is why I had to laugh (so I wouldn't cry) over this story in the Newspaper of Record, The Onion. Find the thing you're most passionate about, then do it. Funny, isn't it. >sob<Ironically, read it just after I had gotten home from work, turned on my studio stove, made a pot of coffee, got out my painting clothes, sat down for a few minutes, turned off the heat in my studio, poured the coffee down the drain and put my clothes away, too exhausted to paint.
As I look over my last few entries, I get the sense that this artist is floundering a bit. Not from any lack of ideas and ambition, but maybe from too many directions I want to explore.
Well, if I can't straighten out my life, at least I can straighten out my brushes. I have an embarrassment of riches in the brush department, but can't seem to retire many of them. Just wish I held them in my hand more often.
But, looking on the bright side, only 112 more days till I leave for the Grand Canyon. I've been hitting the gym religiously for the last few months to get in shape for hiking, since, unlike the mostly horizontal Petrified Forest, most of the GC hiking is up and down. It seems to be working, and in 112 days, I should be ready. I know I am mentally!
In my spare time, I've decided to start a blog that can be a meeting place for the many artists who have done residencies in the National Parks and Forests. I'm shielding the eyes of the Blogger logo as I type this, but I'm doing it on Wordpress, which is somewhat of a learning curve, but interesting. It's still in development, or as we geeks like to say, Beta. As soon as I work out the glitches I'll post the link, and if you have been an AIR, or are just interested in the program, I'd love to have you check it out!
I keep thinking that cleaning the studio is constructive.
ReplyDeleteOh, man...
I'm jealous of your brush rack. Where did you get that red plastic thing? Well, the idea is what counts; you don't have a patent yet, do you?). I'd say, a scouting trip to Tarjay is in order.
Can't wait to get the link to your GC AiR blog, Kathy!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, you'll be happy to know that lots of the hiking on the NR isn't as steep in elevation as that of the SR. In fact, most of the hikes traverse along the rim... I highly recommend the book "Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Canyon National Park", which has hikes listed for both rims. It is wonderful & best of all, small enough not to displace any art materials in your daypack! :)
My brush rack does work pretty well, when it is reasonably sorted. I found the red grid things as part of a couple of square buckets I bought somewhere a long time ago. I actually built the painting table around them. I don't know where you'd get anything like them now.
ReplyDeleteAnd Lyn, thanks for the tips. I hope to get to the bottom but it might not be realistic if it's 105 degrees down there. I do plan shorter hikes where I can plop down and do some painting. And I really hope I can post my GC journal while I'm there. I still have to get the other AIR journals on line!
Yes, that is a great idea to bring together former NP AIR's (maybe we could call ourselves AIRheads?). I have also been having a hard time getting it together and getting work done. Maybe that would help!
ReplyDelete