I worked on some more cut outs. I have four mobiles now. I just need an entire gallery full without giving myself carpal tunnel.

 I added my favorite scripture to my studio wall. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Honestly, I've put my tissue paper paintings on the back burner because I had so many conflicting criticisms. I haven't had the energy to try them again with all their issues. They're technically frustrating and somewhat conceptually frustrating too, because I need to reconcile my materials and process with what I'm really trying to say.

This week I continued to work on my cut outs and  stencil/spray paintings. I tried out plastic table cloth, which sort of worked. I'll be excited to cut into some thicker paper Cassandra donated to me.

I'm typically not overtly religious in my work, but I cut out a scripture verse this week. Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" These word cut outs are quite therapeutic for me and I think I'm just going to write and cut and write and cut until I've said enough.

In fact, I had to do another piece last night to cope with some disappointment. Sometimes I feel totally irrational and a little crazy, or obsessive when I make art. I think that's "normal" for artists. I hope it is. I don't know, maybe this stuff isn't art but I have to do it. I have to make this stuff. And, maybe it's the process that's more important to me. This piece is more about the ridiculous amount of time and effort it took to make. It's more about the left over scraps and throw aways than the actual words themselves.

Alright, alright here's what I've been working on: I've been building these huge sheets of tissue paper "canvases" to paint and draw on. Working with tissue paper is extremely tedious and time consuming because of how utterly fragile it is. I have to mix just the right consistency of glue and water, wait just the right amount of time before moving the pieces, and be very patient (something I'm not so good at by the way).
Once I have my supports built, I cut out stencils. This week I experimented with butcher paper and postal wrapping paper. Unfortunately, these stencils are too thin and lightweight that I have to tape, weight, or pin it down. I may have to use plastic stencils, but that will get pricey.

Not wishing to waste any scrap of paper, I then started cutting words, and sentences out of the left over stencil paper (sort of Barbara Kruger and Jenny Holzer inspired). I then pasted them to the wall and am super excited about the potential.

Overall, I made some exciting discoveries and foolish mistakes. I just need to be stricter and more disciplined about my studio time. The pleadings of roommates and friends have distracted me somewhat, but I must be mean. I must say no. I must make art.

Ok, kids this is what happened in my studio and/or living room this week: I've been experimenting with gesso transfers, layering, and scrubbing away. Here are some of the poor beaten pieces of paper I've been working on. They're getting tired, but not finished yet! I need to calm them down, focus, and punch some highlights.

I had critiques with Cassandra Barney and Andrew Ballsteadt this week. They offered some good suggestions. I might start painting unicorns. Andrew loved the bunnies. He was so excited about my work. It felt very encouraging. I could go and paint a hundred more furry creatures. After his review on Friday, I just wanted to walk on sunshine, paint in the studio like a mad woman, and smile til my cheeks hurt because I loved art so much!

Consequentlly, my brain has been churning and working out some potentially exciting ideas involving non-traditional materials such as notebook paper, thread, tissue paper and spray paint...Experiments coming soon. I'm gonna start working BIG, which is thrilling and potentially disastrous!

Oh, and here's some sewing. I'm helping a friend make a quilt. Sewing makes me feel motherly and feminine, probably because my mom is such a fabulous seamstress.

Ok, this past week I took one small baby step. I decided to start, to just start working, because I was tired of beating my head against the wall trying to figure out my concept. As I began to paint, more ideas flowed and linked together.

Sunny's mentorship and Mixed Media class is helping me out. I've tried different techniques, especially layering and sanding acrylic paints. So, I've begun these portraits involving layers of paint and text. The writing comes from interviews I conducted this past summer in Germany with young adults about their "coming of age" process and what it meant to them to approach adulthood. They still have have a ways to go and I'm learning how far I can push and pull through the layers. Color is also still tricky for me. And now, I'm actually wondering if I need the cameo-like portraits at all. Maybe the writing can be the art itself.

My Own Space

First, terribly exciting for me, I got some studio space!  Oh, I’ve been hoping and wishing for a sliver of studio all to myself. However, once in my happy new space, I didn’t get too far.

This week was hard. This week was frustrating. I just spent hours and hours researching by gathering images and looking at new artists. I made a concept map to help me brainstorm and worked in my sketchbook. I experimented with mixed media techniques combining ink, watercolor, acrylic, etc. Oh, and I painted over an ugly painting.