Maxim of the Week

Taro's rich fantasy life involves dressing up like a Samurai and pretending to commit Hara Kiri.

Maxim:

Whatever turns you on.

Studio Slow-down

Drawing Table Clutter

Creative Corner Clutter

Some Works in Progress Clutter

Basketful of Clutter

There's either a whole lot of something going on in my studio...or a whole lot of nothing. Depends on how you look at it. Sometimes I am just so overwhelmed by all the projects I have on the go, and the lack of time I have to dedicate to any one of them, I simply can't cope. Sometimes, I guess, a rest is as good as a cure.

A Penny for Your Thoughts

"...being an artist is not cheap; the competition is extreme; earning a decent income is brutally difficult.
Of the successful artists I’ve known, I’d say that the two things that led to their success were compulsion (virtually to the extent of mental illness) to do the work, and the eventual ability to monetize the effort. Most of them never get that success—they’re finally ground down and give it up.
Generally, if you’re not compelled to do a particular form of art, you won’t be all that good at it."

A Life in Art
By John Camp (click on the link if you'd like to read the whole article--it brought tears to my eyes.)

Maxim of the Week

In the fitting room of the lingerie department, Ariana conducts a desperate search for the right set of undies to wear for her hot date tonight.

Maxim:

Business before pleasure.

Sock It To Me!

I received a surprise gift (the best kind!) from my mother in the mail today. Hand knit Finnish socks! My mother is not Finnish but didn't she do a great job? They fit perfectly and are so pretty and toasty. I love the pattern. If I still lived in Vancouver I could wear them with my Birkenstocks out in public. But as I'm in the Maritimes, you'll have to come to my house to witness that combination.

Special FX Department

So it's Sunday already and somehow the weekend slipped from my grasp without my having made any art. I did get to my studio with the intention of playing with paint on paper but in clearing off piles of fabric from my big desk, I inadvertently got drawn into making up a couple of new pieces for my Fabric Scraps Series...so that counts as making art, right? I then definitely didn't have enough time to commit myself to high intensity involvement with paint and glue so I decided to try out some "painterly" effects on my fabric pieces in Photoshop. I think the results are interesting (see below). One could take them further and use them as backgrounds for digital compositions...if one was so inclined. But I think I'd rather have a glass of wine or a Scotch right about now...

I love being able to completely change the hues of a piece with Photoshop . It generates a different mood and a combination of colours that I probably wouldn't come up with on my own (or with the fabric scraps I have at hand).

Highly Textured vs Paint Daubs

Maxim of the Week

Daddy Michael fervently wished that Baby Mikey would soon learn to walk.

Maxim:

If wishes were horses beggars would ride.

Maxim of the Week

In the latter years of her life, Mrs. Katz never went out without her fox fur wrap.

Maxim:

Go out in style.

No Muss No Fuss Batik?

I scanned my piece of fabric art then played with the image in Photoshop, producing a brand new design. I love the batiked effect it generated.

Maxim of the Week

Henri found being the owner, chef, waiter and dishwasher of the café very demanding.

Maxim:

You cannot be all things to all people.