Hello Cyber Buddies

I am still alive. I am still here. I think about you (my cyber buddies) everyday. I miss you guys. My fault I know. With things getting busier and busier on the art front I was finding myself with less and less time to fit it all in. Now that doesn't make sense as you always have the same amount of time but what you do with it changes. I was spending more time on the business and promotion side of art and my studio time was suffering. Now I couldn't have that! No point trying to get your work 'out there' if you haven't got any new work to show 'out there'. As I do the bare minimum with regards to household chores I couldn't cull any more time from there. The only thing I could glean some extra time from was the time I spent on the computer. Its not only a time waster but its addictive! I have now got into the habit of checking emails and Facebook quickly once a day and gave up all the rest until I got on top of things. That's a lie. It wasn't till I got on top of things but rather till I got in control of my computer addiction hehehe.

Work is going well. I have been trying to get my work interstate. Adelaide has a good art scene but Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are so much bigger. Its true what they say, Adelaide is like a big country town compared to them and I felt I needed to get my work out further. I didn't have any luck no matter how many galleries I contacted. No one even acknowledge that I was alive let alone an artist. Hard to keep your chin up and keep going. But I did keep going and now I have a solo exhibition opening on July 1st in Melbourne WOOHOO! I ignored the little things like how to get the work there and how to pay for it all because if you worry about these things you end up doing nothing. I had to trust that things would fall into place. So far they have. I sold some work and that covered the exhibition costs and my friend Mignon is coming on a road trip with me to deliver my work and be there for the opening. Mignon's husband, David has arranged all our travel plans so all we have to do is pack the car and go! Couldn't have done it without them and I am humbled by their willingness to help.

The other thing I have done is registered for 'open studio' through the South Australian Living Artists festival (SALA). The festival is on every year. You have probably read about me rambling on about it before. My art buddies Mignon and Mandi are joining me. The festival runs from the 5th to the 28th of August but we decided only to open for two weekends. I can't wait. It should be fun. Hopefully we will get some visitors. I had to have a big clean up of course. Re-organised the space I share with Bob (Mr Messy) and had a big, big throw out. I was ruthless! Threw out nearly everything that wasn't nailed down. WOO what a cleansing experience. Also for SALA: Mignon lives right across the road from some trendy cafes. The cafes and other tendy shops have got together and hold a street party every year to celebrate SALA. The street is closed to traffic while art, music, food, wine and feel good vibes flow easily. Mignon's front verandah is the perfect place to display some art while the street party is on. Of course we will entice people to have a look with some free wine and nibbles.

But that's not all! I recently contacted another gallery here in Adelaide. I had a meeting with the director and her assistant just before easter. And guess what??? They liked my work so much they have offered me an exhibition. And guess when??? THROUGH SALA! So as you can see, I shouldn't be sitting here on my butt in front of the computer. I should be at the easel. Busy busy busy. Am I rich and famous yet??? Maybe not but I'm living the dream :)

Getting Started

I have resigned myself to the fact that the festive season means about 6 weeks of slow to no movement in the studio. Instead of fighting it I have made allowances for it. Now I face the problem of getting started again. Its hard to get back into a proper routine of household chores and studio work. Basically, I am procrastinating. I just can't find a start. Even now I am sitting here on the computer when I should be working. The weather doesn't help. Its forecast to be 36 degrees Celsius today (about 97F) and that is just too hot for the studio. It really heats up in there when the sun beats down on the tin roof. Still that is no excuse. There are plenty of things I can do towards my artwork without having to be in the studio. I could set up some still live displays and photograph them ready for a painting. I could bring some work inside and start on some backgrounds. The list goes on. But I sit here sighing and typing away trying to find a really good excuse not to start. I have a busy year ahead of me so I must pull myself together and just do it! START!

Re-Introducing Myself

Hello all. I seem to have wandered off the blogging trail. Its almost like I need to re-introduce myself. Hi my name is Uta, I live in Australia and I eat too much hehehe.

Just wanted to let you all know that the terrible flooding you would have heard about or seen on tv is not near us. It is in another state. All the loved ones in that state are ok (thank goodness) and so are their houses. Its just too horrible to talk about. I have never seen anything like it and I get really emotional when I think about all those people and animals. Zoe (granddaughter aged 9) is joining a group of friends and attempting to roller skate 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to raise money for the flood victims (through donations and sponsorship). Its on tomorrow and its forecast to be hot, poor things.

On the art front, this year has gone off with a bang!!! Last year was a bit of a fizzler. I really didn't produce much and spent too much time trying to get a hang of the business side of things. Without too much success I might add. This year however, doors are opening everywhere and I am trying to have a peek through all of them. Peek ha, I am trying to go through all of them and all at once hehehe. I had an email from a winery in the Barossa Valley asking if I would be interested in exhibiting with them during SALA (South Australian Living Artists Festival) this year. Ha ha, me??? interested???, OF COURSE I AM!!! And they asked me!!! I will find out for sure in the second week in February if I got the gig. The SALA Festival is on every year in the beginning of August. And for those of you who don't know its when the whole of South Australia turns into one big, fat, juicy art gallery. Every wall, every nook and cranny has art on display from galleries, to coffee shops, restaurants, hairdressers, boutiques AND WINERIES just to name a few. I have already decided to have an open studio sometime during SALA which will allow people to come and have a look at what I do. The street where my art buddy Mignon lives always has a street party for SALA and we decided to have some art on display on her front verandah for that event. Just before SALA I am having a solo exhibition in Melbourne (my first interstate). So that is four events (including the winery, I feel confident) that I need art for and they are all around the same time. I don't have that much art in stock. I need to work my butt off! Weeeeeeeeeee! Wish me luck. I estimated that I will need to do two paintings a week to have enough work. I can do one a week while still maintaining the household chores etc. So you know what that means? The household chores will not be done very often between now and then. Oh boohoo.

I will try to be a better blogger again and let you all know how I am doing in my frantic efforts to jump through all the doors that have opened for me. I have missed all you guys!

Spring is in the Air

I just love spring when everything in the garden is bursting into bloom. And the scents in the air just stop and make me smile. I am lucky I don't suffer from hay fever!

wisteria is my favourite and reminds me of the garden where I grew up

peach blossoms with the promise of summer fruit

jasmine outside our bedroom window smells delightful

orange blossoms and looks like a big crop this year

Now onto some work in progress. I am trying to paint white objects and I didn't realise how hard that is. Not only do you have to put in the shadows but white objects can't just be painted in white. They have to have quite a few colours to get them looking right. Below is a not yet completed painting that will be titled 'White With Two'. Its been a real learning experience and quite a bit of looking at books to see how others have painted white objects. Any tips would be appreciated. I have left the painting for today and will look at it again with fresh eyes tomorrow.

Time for me to stop thinking about art and think about cooking dinner instead. Don't want to though.

Small Work Number 4

I had a great day in the studio today. I finished another small work. One more to go and I've already started it! Deadline for entries of The Small Works Prize isn't till Sunday 21st November so I am ahead of schedule. Still have to work out the most economic way to ship the work to Melbourne.

Nuts

mixed media on canvas

25x30cm (10"x12")

I have decided to apply for membership to The Adelaide Art Society. I thought it would be a good way to meet other artists, to learn and share and network. I have my application form all filled out and I have an appointment with them tomorrow afternoon to show them some examples of my work. Fingers crossed I get accepted.

This Year's Goals

My goal for this year was to enter some major art competitions, experiment with new techniques and to try my hand at some portraiture. So not a great deal of finished artwork has happened but I have leant a lot both at the easel and away from it. I also have entered quite a few major art competitions but as yet I haven't got into any of' them. I am getting used to the rejection hehehe. There are always so many entries and only 30 or so places. Its really like winning the lottery.

The SALA Festival is well and truly over. Its been great seeing so much art. Some inspiring and some not so hehehe. The thing that takes most of my time is the whole promotion thing *add groan here*. I know art is meant to be made for art's sake but in order to move forward I need to continue to get my art further and further afield. Searching for the right galleries, the ones that suit your style of work, is many hours of research. Trying to get the galleries to respond to your enquiries is hard enough let alone accept your work. A simple "thank you for your enquiries but we are not accepting any new work" does not take that long to email people!!! The energy it takes to stay positive and retain confidence is really hard going. Most of the time I am ok but sometimes I slip and feel sorry for myself hehehe.

The other day I thought I'd better pull my finger out and actually finish a whole painting. I still have a passion for still life painting so more mundane everyday objects will become my models I'm sure.

Mushrooms

mixed media on canvas

50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

Support

Thank you all for your supportive comments. They mean a lot to me and put a smile on my face. It is a big step for me to enter my work into competitions. They are some of the biggest art competitions in Australia with prize money in the thousands, some even in the hundreds of thousands. There are always so many entries and only 30 places so I am sure there will be a lot more rejections in store for me. Its like buying a lottery ticket. I just have to keep telling myself to "toughen up princess". My portrait of Zoe should be in Sydney by now as I entered it into the Moran Prize. Entries close today. This is the riches portrait prize in the world. $150,000 first prize!!!!! I have to listen to what Laura said and remember how far I have come. I have made huge strides since August 2007 when I joined the online Artist's Way Journey and started putting my work out there. And without trying to sound full of myself I am proud of what I have accomplished.

I am still struggling with my painting. I feel I am at a turning point. You know those times when your work shifts slightly and you make new discoveries. Paintings are slow in coming at the moment. I am not as productive as I have been in the past. I feel a little lost and floating if that makes sense. I don't seem to be content painting mundane inanimate objects any more. They have been my passion for such a long time I feel reluctant to let them go. Whenever I try to paint them I come to a standstill and can't seem to get moving again. They seem to lack something and I can't resolve whatever it is they lack. I need a big dose of inspiration. Maybe I need the sun to come back. Its a cold winter with dreary weather.

Another Rejection

This morning I woke with that excited feeling as there was still hope of being a finalist of one of the art competitions I entered. But alas this afternoon the rejection letter came. A nice letter but still a rejection. I try to be strong but I still question whether or not I'm on the right track. Agh, this is hard. There is no manual to follow. I just have to pick myself up, dust myself off and keep blundering along in the dark. Now where did I put that next entry form........

School Holidays

My painting is nearly finished YAY! Art day has come around already. I can't believe its been a week since I posted. Time flies.

Its school holidays and Zoe is staying with us for a few days. She hogs the computer! I don't mind. She is learning to knit and doing rather well at it. Last night we sat in bed with the tv on with our knitting. A pair of old grandmas hehehe.

Well I'd better get on with the day.

Its Thursday

Its Thursday and you know what that means ... ART DAY! A whole blissful day lost in the studio away from the outside world. Wonder what will happen to the canvas today. I have decided to paint over the painting on the large 60"x40" canvas. I just can't get it to a place that I'm happy with. You have that sometimes. It just won't work so another painting will go over the top. I have this idea for 1950's diner table and chairs. I aim to use old diner menus in my background along with my usual layers of stampings and washes. Red chairs and a chrome and laminate table. Well, as Laura would say "I'd better bust a move" and get out in the studio. If you don't hear from me don't worry. I am safe. I would just be floating in the studio somewhere. Come and join me if you want. I will warn you though. Art is addictive!

Knock Knock

Yesterday was an extremely productive art day with my buddy Mignon. I finished the painting I was working on and started on a new one. It was such a good day we decided to have two art days this week with the next one scheduled for Sunday.

As you know I have a love of dilapidated buildings and recently became inspired by ghost signs. I wanted to try and capture the essence of ghost signs and incorporated them into my dilapidated building series. However as you can see below I zoomed in much too far and left no room for the ghost sign. So your role in all of this is to imagine the ghost sign somewhere up above the painting to the right hehehe. Can you see it??? It seems to be a trade mark of mine to zoom in on the details and make them larger than life. Maybe the ghosts signs will emerge somewhere down the track in another painting. And if not that's ok too as long as I'm painting.

The Red Door

mixed media on canvas

60.9x50.8cm (24"x20")

Art, Text and Dilapidated Buildings

My Mum always told me the older you get the quicker time goes. I remember when I was a child and my birthdays took so long to come around and Christmas felt like it came every two years instead of one. Now in my fifties whoosh another day flies by and whoosh another month, another year. So far this year has been a year of caring for others and not much time for art.

Things have to change. There are art ideas bubbling up inside me and they will explode out the top of my head if I don't get some paint on canvas soon. I did go and buy a large canvas. I have never painted one this big before. Its nearly as tall as me reaching to just under my nose from the ground 152.4x101.6cm (60"x40"). I only have a little car so getting it home was amusing. I'm still on the abandoned or run down building theme so a dilapidated door, peeling paint, padlock, keep out signs could be on the cards, watch this space hehehe.

Along with my dilapidated building series I will also continue with developing my skills in the art of portraiture. I went to an exhibition and was inspired by a portrait I saw there. Up close you could see the paint daubs that depicted the features. The shapes and light and shade that all together formed the image of a person's face. That's what I'm aspiring to. Looser shapes and experimenting with different colours and of course text, I always like to add text. I am very hopeful that we will have some cooler days in the coming week so I can spend time in my otherwise too hot studio. That big canvas is calling me .....

First for 2010

I am on top of the world tonight and all it took to lift me to such heights is a good session in my studio with my art buddy Mignon. Yes its Thursday and that means its art day hehehe. I do some art on most days but Thursday is a full day with someone who knows my art speak. I can talk textures, colours, layers, composition, concepts and Mignon talks back. Her eyes don't glaze over and she understands what I am talking about. Of course you can't have an art day with an art buddy without some girl talk as well hehehe. I have been working on a portrait. As I'm new to portraiture its been giving me some grief. Parts of it are good and working well while other parts have been worked, scrubbed back, worked again and so on and so forth. I think its really been holding me back and attacking my confidence. Well last week I decided to put it aside and start a new painting. I'm not giving up, just putting it out of the way for a little bit. I thought I would return to something a little simpler to build my confidence again. And here is my first completed painting for 2010.

Abandoned

mixed media on canvas

100x75cm (40"x30")

This and That

Its the last week of the school holidays and Zoe was getting bored. She received roller skates from her Uncle Troy for Christmas and has been practising to skate. She found a coupon in the newspaper for a half price skating session and thought she was ready to strut her stuff. She put on her skating outfit (another Christmas present) and off we went. There was music and flashing lights to add to the atmosphere. Zoe has her sights set on roller derby when she's old enough.

Careful start.

And off we go!

A little bit of roller limbo.

Skating is very thirsty work.

With her mum Julia.

The music, the lights and the experienced skaters made me yearn to skate again. My knees just wouldn't take it now :(. Oh well at least I had the joy of watching Zoe skate.

Yesterday I went to Victor Harbor with my art buddy Mignon. We went to see the Victor Harbor Art show. I have heard about it over the years but never got around to going to see it. I didn't realise it was so big. When I say big I don't actually mean the size of it although there was a lot of art on display. I mean 'big' as in the number of people it attracts and the amount of sales. I also didn't realise the first prize was $10,000 with lesser prizes of $5,000 and $2,500 etc. Yep that's a 'must enter' for next year. I was also glad to see that a lot of nude life drawings and paintings sold. I've been worried that we may go down the path of the US where Doris says life drawings and paintings are not very well received. So much art, so much inspiration it was rather overwhelming. We had to have a break half way through and stop for coffee and cake to get our strength up to tackle the rest. The amount of sales really made my heart sing. People are buying art and at a good price, yay! It was a scorcher of a day in Adelaide again yesterday but Victor Harbor was very pleasant with a lovely sea breeze that kept things cool. We had fish and chips for lunch wrapped in paper and sat near the beach with the seagulls waiting for handouts.

On the way back home we dropped into McLaren Vale to see how my exhibition at Penny Hill winery is going. It finishes on the 9th February. I've had 4 sales, yay! As my sister told me yesterday, I'm doing better than Van Gogh as he only had one sale while he was alive hehehe. Yes, I know, sales don't make the artist but I've had a few lately and it does make me feel like I am really and truly a real artist lol.

Sticky Fingers

The title sticky fingers usually has connotations of theft but in the case of a mixed media artist it means she's back in her studio. Hip hip hurray! See the mess below? That's the proof ! The gentle ebb and flow of the studio rhythm is finally filtering in after the festive season break.

I've only been dabbling mind. Below is a picture of a tote bag that Julia once gave to me. It has pockets back and front for photographs but I've decided to make some little collages instead.
Now working this small is a challenge in itself. My smallest painting is 50x60cm (20"x24") and these little collages are roughly 9x10cm (3 1/2"x4"). Its a first for me but as with the felt bag I'm having fun fun fun.
There are 9 pockets each side so I have a few more to go yet.

Once finished I will knuckle down to finish that portrait I started last year. Then its more of the same until I feel confident enough to do any one's portrait. Ha! Will that ever happen? Oh well, I will just practice, practice, practice anyway and see what happens. I just hope I don't insult any of my friends when I endeavour to paint their portraits. Just remember I'm just starting out. By the way, you're next Vanita.

The Call of the Studio

The call of the studio is getting very strong and still I have not got back into the rhythm of things. Bob has been home and Zoe has been staying. I suppose they are reasonable excuses for not starting my art. I did however go in the studio yesterday and start a little project that's been on the back burner. I had promised to make Zoe a felt handbag quite some time ago. I finally got out the wool and felting stuff and started that yesterday. I will continue with that today. I will take some photos to show you when there's something decent to see. I also have this clear vinyl bag that Julia once gave me. It is covered with pockets in which you are meant to put photos but instead I will do some collage and painting. These are just a few little projects to get the rhythm going. Next week Thursday art day will start up again. That will help. Maybe I will get the portrait finished that I started last year. I think I just have to resign myself to the fact that I take about a month off over the festive season. Maybe then I won't be so hard on myself and stress about getting back in the studio. Most of the time I do work hard so having a month off is not unreasonable. There is a lot of self discipline involved in being an artist. There is no one waiting for you to clock on. No boss calling the shots. Its up to you when you work and how long etc. Its taken me quite some time to acquire the skills needed to have a good working practice and I'm scared to fall into the old traps. I'm forever vigilant that I am moving forward not backwards. Forever vigilant that my inner censor, the little voice inside that tries to undermine you, doesn't gain strength. Anyway enough ramblings. I have my goals set for the year and all is right with my world.

Stirrings

I hurt my right leg somewhere between Christmas and New Year. About an hour after gym one day my knee became sore and stiff. Not sure what it is or how it happened. I'm not one to run to the doctor for every little thing and I do see improvement every day. It does however play up if I do too much.

I had some trouble with the portrait I started before Christmas. Gave my confidence a bit of a knock. I covered it up so I didn't have to look at it. I had to deal with the festive season first. Today as I wondered through the studio I took the cover off. I had stirrings. Sweet, sweet little urges to get back to it. It won't be long ...

The Start of 2010

Well here we are in a new year. It slid in quite nicely. We went to a friend's farm for New Year's Eve and sat around with good food and good company until the new year was here. We slept the night and stayed most of the next day. I had forgotten how peaceful the country is. You can hear nature. The birds, the sheep or a dog barking mingled with the sound of my breathing. I don't think I hear myself breathing in the city.

The festivities are over and now its time to get back into a normal rhythm. I have my plans, I know where I am going but that first step is hard to take. I always struggle getting into the rhythm of my art making when I've had time away from it. Every morning I plan what I want to do for the day. A few chores, keep the garden cared for, some exercise and then some studio time. Well it ends up quite different. Not many chores, no gardening done and no studio time :( and another day just disappears. Oh well not to worry. In the words of Scarlet O'Hara "I will think about it tomorrow. After all tomorrow is another day." Well I am going to get off this computer right now and start some chores and see how this tomorrow pans out. I will let you know .....

Pampered Pet

When the sun went down on Christmas Eve it got a little cool and the grass had that damp feeling. So what's a pampered pet meant to do when they don't want to go inside and miss all the action??? They find a nice warm pile of used Christmas wrapping and snuggle in hehehe.

Everything is slowly getting back to normal around here. I went back to gym yesterday. I also did a little artwork. I'm still a bit slow getting back in the studio for long periods of time. I seem to have that problem when I have some time off. Its hard to get back into the rhythm of things but it will come. The weather is heating up again and that doesn't help. It gets too hot in the studio so I tend to hide inside with the air conditioner on. I will just take it nice and slow till the new year rolls in and then I will knuckle down to some serious creativity.

Why is it?

Why is it that we set ourselves huge tasks for Christmas. All those things you never got around to before somehow end up on the Christmas list. Why is that? Will the world stop turning if they're not done? Will Christmas stop if they're not done? Will any body care ... I mean really care??? My garden has been neglected as I have spent more time on my artwork. Fair enough. But couldn't I just have weeded the garden and given it a make over some other time. No, I seem to leave these jobs for Christmas. Why? Maybe because I know they won't get done at any other time hehehe. To make matters worse I took a spontaneous offer to go away for the weekend. Just like that I dropped everything and went away and now I have to cram, really cram, to make it look like I got everything done for Christmas. I did enjoyed the weekend away. Some much needed me time with some major girls talk was just what was needed. Its nearly 10pm. I spent a 14 hour day gardening and now I still need to put clean linen on the bed before I can fall into a coma. Is the list any shorter yet??? My studio is calling me ...