Preparing for another in home tour...

...but this one's not in my home, so I can work on art like my latest ACEO Dalmation titled Waiting to Play instead of working on cleaning, shopping, cooking, and reorganizing!

This upcoming weekend is the annual From Our House to Yours event, one that brings a group of talented artists, artisans, and craftspeople together to share their wares in a lovely antique house in the hills of Madison.

I've been completing three new quadrivet sets, purse post-it packs, miniature hand-bound book/journals, and gathering some other articles from the home studio storage space, including earrings, coaster sets, and larger art journals. This year, I'll be taking along some ACEOs, to see whether there's interest in this wonderful form of minature art, along with some of my photographic pieces. Of course, I'll take some boxes of my original Christmas cards and coordinating gift tags. Since this was the best show I participated in last year, I'm hoping for similar (or even better) results this year.

UGH Daylight Savings Time

People used to wonder why I didn't like to travel. Among other things, my body is extremely slow at adjusting to time zone differences. And, with the recent time change, I'm again out of kilter, as is my dog, Crash. He's pestering me to get out of bed earlier in the morning and wanting to go out on his evening walk as soon as it starts to turn dark. Fortunately for him, I've been working from home and can still accomodate a late afternoon tennis ball chase game, otherwise he'd be absolutely unbearable!

We'll work it out though, we always do. And, with the writer's strike that's crippled the late night talk show circuit, going to sleep an hour earlier isn't such a big deal. That is, for those of us who live without cable or satellite TV services, whatever travels through the air waves is what we see.

So, you see, it will be time again to produce more and more art. The creation of miniature art in the form of ACEOs (artist cards, editions and originals) continues. And, the pieces are beginning to sell on eBay, so I'm VERY encouraged. The Bird of Paradise card is shown here, a creation with Pitt art brush markers and metallic Prismacolor pencils.

On Taking Good Notes

When I know what kind of document I'm going to write, and have a general table of contents, I can write until my heart's content. I woke up today in a "must write" kind of mood, and so, that's exactly what I did. Collect research materials off the web. Print them. Read them. Write notes. Organize thoughts. Percolate. And now, for another important step: sleep on it, and start again tomorrow.

Much remains unread, and so I'm hoping for a similarily productive day tomorrow, and perhaps throughout the weekend...I can't quite decide if it's true inspiration, a visit from one of those invisible muses, or just a headache-free day after a week of on-again, off-again sinus/migraine style headaches. I could actually process a real thought...or two or three hundred.

I do take creative breaks when I'm doing intense technical writing. It's like a mental time-out that involves primarily using the "other" side of the brain. This doesn't always work, though. There are some days where it just switches the productivity from technical to creative, and then I need to throw in a sleep cycle to reboot.

Artist Cards, Editions and Originals (aka ACEOs)

I am getting back into making ACEOs, trading card size art for the masses! What fun. I especially enjoy the small format for some subjects and feel that this is a way to reach a much broader artistic market at a lower price point. The piece below is a scenic image from Bryce Canyon and Rainbow Point.



On the same road trip, I passed a lovely group of four horses enjoying a hot afternoon graze next to a rest stop in Iowa. I captured my favorite of those horses here in this simple composition, Munch a Bunch. Both of these pieces (or perhaps new pieces if you're looking after November 6) are currently up for auction on eBay...so get your bids in now!

Getting Back to Basics

I did mention previously that my eBay experience has been a positive one. This morning, I spent a few minutes putting the finishing touches on sending out 6 packages of items that are getting re-cycled to others who will find more use for them than I have. Sadly, this does include all of my Winsor Pilates DVDs. No, I'm not sad for sending them off to a new home...but sad that I brought them into my home in the first place. Granted, I did have good intentions...but they were not realistic ones. I have never been a good candidate for Pilates or Aerobics or any other event that seems like an exercise version of cheerleading...actually it's not the activity itself, but rather the fact that you need to have a group mentality "buy in" to get into these kinds of activities. I don't mind being an active player on a volleyball or softball team, which involves chasing around some kind of ball and includes scoring (and winning), but am the least likely to go to an exercise class, and even think that trying to do the home exercise class is too much of a stretch. What's missing in my psyche? Is this something that the rest of you also feel--or is the best part of an exercise class for you part of taking part as a member of the group?

Thank goodness that the fall/winter volleyball season has started up again, and that I have a lovely German Shepherd with boundless energy that encourages me to stay active in other ways! How can I refuse this guy's mug when he wants something--he's gorgeous!

Square and loving it!

Today in southern Wisconsin is an absolutely gorgeous fall day. A day filled with brilliant golden orange reds amid a group of trees that remain stubbornly full in green. Amazingly, at the end of October, there are still a few swarms of gnats and a blooming thistle outside, and a pesky housefly that seems to adore my computer screen. I love the fall, but it's not been a "normal" fall this year. And, so, this lovely maple tree in full transition is my way of making fall "just right" again. Transition and change, as I've stated often, is good!

On Being Square

I've been working on a series of 8" square pastels on canvas. This panda is the first that I'm sharing on this blog.

For now, I have to admit that canvas is my favorite surface for pastels. There is this ethereal softness that you can achieve as the pigment becomes enmeshed into the fibers of the canvas itself that I have not been able to achieve with any of the paper surfaces that I've tried. I like that the weave of the fabric remains an integral part of the composition, even though it makes some of the finer details more difficult to achieve (at least at this small a scale).

I've not signed this piece yet (digitally yes, for this presentation, but not on the original piece). What that means is that I've also not settled in on a title for the work, but I'm leaning toward Tree Hugger. I generally don't take them, but if you're reading and have a good suggestion, please add it as a comment.

Writing and the Analytical Side of Me

This is the year of self-discovery for me, and there are some very valuable lessons I've learned, and some others that have just re-iterated what I've known about myself for what seems like FOREVER.

1. I am an introvert. Don't get me wrong...I can be extremely extroverted in situations where I feel very comfortable...and actually love being the occasional center of attention. But my recovery and re-centering process requires regenerative alone time.


2. I love things that change. Technology. Life. People. Interests. I'm not so fond of stagnation. Old-school and old-boys networks. Some people.


3. There are days for mindless, days for intensive thought, and days for absolute creativity. It seems difficult for me to shift between these three modes without an overnight sleep.


4. Respect is something that I no longer give freely--it is only offered to those who earn it through their actions, including those who treat me well as a human being. Lies and deceit do not sit well with me, and I perceive those who "tell me what they think I want to hear" as folks who are not honest. Those who break my trust are going to have to work really hard to regain it. Does that mean I'm tough? Yup. Does that mean I'm unforgiving? Yes and no. Does that mean I don't like people? Certainly not.


5. I don't like everybody. There are certain values that need to be in place before I find myself truly liking a person. I certainly prefer depth of character to superficialities. I prefer a dry, witty, and sarcastic sense of humor to the prankster, jokester, and purveyor of silliness. I don't aspire to the mantra of "can't we all just get along?" but prefer something more like "can't we tolerate our differences and recognize and accept that there are differences?"


6. I am not a joiner. Hanging out in packs sharing one thread of commonality is not exactly my cup of tea. I'm not a party girl. Even personality profiles make that statement about me. I can be in a party mood from time to time, but it's based on mood and not on who invited me to the event. It can, however, be related to who will be at the party...


7. I like to write. I prefer writing and consolidating information to editing the words of others. When put in the position of editing the words of others, I actually want to retain the voice and sentiment of the original author. I believe that there are some grammar conventions that should almost always be followed...yet the violation of some of these is also what makes writing interesting and styled after the author.


8. Despite the fact that I have a strong analytical side and the ability to understand logic, I don't want to always be placed in the analytical, responsible role. I've worked in environments where others were given leeway because they were considered "creative types." Since I'm only considered a mildly creative type (despite volumes of artwork and compositions) because of my career choices, I have been expected to behave more professionally. I do wish I had been tagged a creative type earlier in my life...but, then again, my personality would have forced me to learn to compensate for my weaknessses to survive in whatever career I would have chosen.


9. There are a number of theories, practices, and things that people get away with that I think are pure bull-excrement. I try not to laugh in the face of those who believe these things, but when they try to apply them to me, I resist. Vehemently. They're not right for me.


10. As I get older, there are words that escape me, especially nouns when I'm speaking with some sleep deprivation. I will search and search for the right word, and if pressured to respond immediately, will find that sometimes the brain database returns the wrong result. At least, for now, I know that it's the wrong result. Others, of course, have been less forgiving of the incorrect word choice. Thank goodness that this is almost non-existent when I'm writing!

Some may classify me as a difficult person. I think I'm really no more difficult than many others who have crossed my path, and actually less difficult than those who either don't know themselves or work so hard to portray a kind of personna that is considered far more acceptable...or more feminine. I've had to work hard for everything that I have, every accomplishment that I've made, and I'm proud that includes a certain sense of competitiveness, a demand for excellence, the ability to know when things are good enough, and the sense to recognize some of the red and yellow flags that get raised along the way. It's been a journey to learn to pay attention to (and not ignore) the instincts that I possess. This acceptance has been life saving and affirming.

ebaY fun

I now have a few items up for sale on ebaY. I've decided to give ebaY a shot for selling some things that I no longer need...and for trying to sell some of my artistic creations. For now, I will continue to list items on CafePress, Etsy, and Mintd, but am planning on making the transition so that my work will primarily be available online in only one venue.

I find that listing items on ebaY is quite simple and intuitive, and offers more complex listing options if you want more details in your listings. I've found this to be a welcome change from some of the other venues, and don't mind the listing fees, which run in accordance to the items you're selling and the options that you choose. The best part, which is missing on several other sites, is the shipping calculator...which definitely helps quickly evaluate the costs of shipping! The first artistic item that I'm listing at ebaY is Looking Westward into the Sun, a fine photographic archival print on canvas with artist-designed frame. This shot is from a drive out West to La Jolla Cove and a tour from Miss G. You can almost smell the ocean, feel the wind in your face, and hear the gulls and pelicans!

Holiday Craft Boutique

Last night I dropped pieces off at the 28th Annual Holiday Craft Boutique, a home show out in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin that my good friend Stephanie Funck alerted me about several years ago.



Jan Dorner opens her home for three successive weekends to a group of artists who provide a broad range of art and craft items for the holidays and gift-giving throughout the year.



Snowmen. Reindeer. Dried and pressed flowers. Dolls. Wreaths. Soaps. Glass work. Hand painted wood. Ornaments. Purses. Handwoven Baskets. Baked sweets and treats. Quilted pieces. Garden stones. AND much, much more.

The show is open from 10 am to 5 pm
• Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20
• Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27
• Friday, November 2
and from 10 am to 3 pm
• Saturday, November 3

Map your way to 829 Davis Street in Sun Prairie.

Some of the proceeds from the show go to The Empty Stocking Club.