blogging Archives - Dora Sislian Themelis Art

Hello, Anybody Out There? Hello?

When I started writing this post today I had some things I wanted to write about, but blogging got in my way and now I feel the need to rant. This is probably a waste of a good photo too, but I don’t care. I’ll talk about it another day.

Here goes: Blogging used to be fun. Today it’s something else.

When I started on this journey there were less bells and whistles to worry about. Sitting down to throw around my thoughts about art and life was enjoyable. People were reading my stuff and commenting. Even if they weren’t dropping in with a comment or a suggestion, I knew there were some people looking around, browsing my yapping. Interacting with someone on the other side of the globe is kind of exciting.

Way back when, I was working on a free platform. It was pretty easy to navigate. Now where am I? On this highly touted thing called WordPress.

You know what I think about it? I think it’s a pain in the neck. And, it’s work.

Everyone said you need to get on WordPress. It’s more streamlined. It’s professional. It’s great for artists. It looks better than XYZ free platform.

Guess what? Running this monkey show they think is so amazing is letting me allow Mr. Resistance to creep around here. Who can work in the studio and paint if there’s “important work” to do on this dopey website thing?

It’s almost easier to just let the whole thing lay down and play dead.

Take today, for example. WordPress had to be updated, which means before anything happens it has to be backed up. Okay. I had to open a Dropbox account for the back up to have some where to live. Did that too. Then I tried to write this post and everything is different.

Now what? Why did my photo go to two different places as I try to do my thing here? Why? Why? Why?

Preview says my photo is here, and there, and over there too, and here it’s smaller, and there it’s larger, and then where’s my caption, where can I type the body of my post, blah blah blah.

The thing is this, is anyone going to even see any of it?

Am I just shouting into the Universe. And if I am, is there anyone out there listening? Am I making any noise out there in blog land?

Doubt it, but here it is anyway.

Eventually I’ll Figure This Out

Knit Baby Hat

As I pull my hair out of my head by developing a new website/blog I have resorted to double posting. How wonderful is that? Um, it’s not. I have never been more flabbergasted by the steepest learning curve I have come across since geometry in high school. Man, it’s difficult.

However, knitting has been happening. Painting? I can’t right now. I think I might have to change that up soon too. Oil paints have been calling me and I might oblige, if Mr. Resistance will let me.

This baby hat was knit in one sitting, while sort of watching television one night. Soon as it was finished I started another one, same pretty color in this lovely wool yarn. I love how the stitches look all nice and neat and together. Happy me.

So yeah, WordPress. Crazy people think it’s so easy to develop yourself, so professional looking. Well, okay, it’s professional, clean, neat, crisp, if you find the right theme to work with. Then there are the plugins, the widgets, the menus, the categories. Ugh, like I said, there’s a lot to learn language wise.

So, here I am, blogging over here, and, blogging over there. How I am going to move this blog over to that blog I have no clue.

I guess I’ll figure that one out, eventually.

Art Language is Easy, Computer Language, Not so Much

Navigating to a new blogging platform is becoming a “thing.” There’s new language to learn, first off, and working is ridiculously difficult if you speak English and “they” speak Swahili, if you catch my drift.

Greek Dish, 9×10 Watercolor ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Managing this present blog is easy. However, the look of the new site is much nicer, and a bit more professional. If I could figure it out I’d be golden. It’s going to take some time. Learning a new language isn’t as easy as they say it is.

The language of art comes naturally to me. Thank goodness, or I’d be toast. The vocabulary I need to learn are the words that will kick out Mr. Resistance from my space.

Now that’s a tough cookie.

Knitting my Way Out

Painting is just not happening here, guys. Mr. Resistance and Mrs. Distraction, yes I decided distraction is female, have taken up spots on the couch and aren’t even thinking of leaving soon.

So I’m knitting.

Big Rib Hand Knit Cowl ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Well, not just knitting, but photographing the finished products, and uploading them to my Etsy shop. You’re welcome to go and browse, if you like. No pressure to shop, don’t worry.

Besides knitting, I’m working on a new project. I’ve taken the plunge and ordered my own domain name. Yeah, now I’m a “dot com.” Don’t ask too many questions, because I really don’t have many answers. Seems it’s the thing to do, but Man, is it a difficult trek through uncharted waters.

Learning curve is steep, deep, thick, and hard work.

In “dot com” land the language isn’t English. Yes, I read the explanation of whatever, it seems to make sense, but the words do not mean the thing I’m thinking they mean. And no where is there any idea what they are talking about.

Huh?

Like I said, don’t ask. A friend said she’s going to find a WordPress for Dummies book. Sounds like a good idea to me.

A Surprise Package of Christmas Pudding

Last week I had a delightful surprise I wanted to share, but with the latest watercolor painting just finished I thought to wait until now. And anyway, I needed to actually have possession of the surprise so I could take photos and really share!

Today I received a package in the mail. Around this time of year lots of packages start arriving. Some are from online shopping I do, some are my kids’ shopping. Usually I am not surprised by the mail. This time I was looking at an unexpected delivery. When I looked closer I noticed a stamp that read Royal Mail. It was then that I remembered!

A blogging/artist buddy from the United Kingdom, Pat Elliott Paintings, had a give-away on her blog recently. It was a small watercolor painting of Christmas pudding. Readers were encouraged to comment and one of them would be chosen to receive the pretty painting.

Her cute dog, Missy, chose my name as the winner by eating her dog treat, where underneath was a number corresponding to a name. Imagine my surprise when I learned I was the lucky winner! I never win anything. Isn’t it cute that Pat’s return address label has Missy’s picture on it? It’s adorable.

(You must visit Pat’s blog to see her post with the photograph of Missy waiting for the go-ahead to eat a treat, and especially to view her paintings. Pat does wonderful work.)

Enclosed with the painting was a Christmas card. I think it’s such a nice thing to receive mail. Mail that you must open and read is just a wonderful thing, warm and cozy, as long as it’s happy mail. Email is not the same, but the times are what they are.

And so here is my prize. Until I get myself out there to get a frame my Christmas pudding painting will stand on my fireplace mantel with my holiday collection of St. Nicholas’ and Santa’s in it’s place of honor.

Thank you Pat, for this bright spot in my day. I will now brag to everyone how I have a friend across the Pond who sent me holiday wishes with her lovely work. I am humbled by Christmas pudding.

Now I am Famous, Sort of

A funny thing happened on my way to my painting spot. I got side tracked by iPad. It’s been happening lately. That pesky iPad makes me take detours and it’s not pretty. The convenience of having computer accessibility anywhere in my house could be a good thing, but it’s both good and bad.

I don’t need more distractions than I already can handle.

So I found myself in a trance in front of the iPad screen looking at everything this week! Emails, facebook, twitter, the blogs I write for, just everything. Up pops a new email from someone I do not know. Should I open it? Is it spam?

To make a long story kinda short, it was from someone involved in a website called Become.com and they read my blog and wanted to feature it on their site in a monthly e-magazine section called Pocketchange “Best of the Web” with a few other neat blogs. How cool is that?

When I made sure it was legit, hey you never know, I responded with Yes! I sent them a blurb about my blog and a photo, the one posted here today.

It feels nice to be recognized for my writing and painting skills! Gee, this must be my next fifteen minutes of fame right here. Wow, I don’t want to get a swelled head or anything like that. Ha ha! Right.

Art is About Life

I came across something online yesterday that caught my attention. It was an essay about blogging and the idea behind why people blog, what to blog about, and the blog’s main idea or focus. What story are we trying to tell with a blog? Are our ideas all over the place, or is the blog about one topic and only that topic?

Some blogs seem like an open page of a person’s diary. Other blogs are like another person’s photograph album. One blogger likes to ramble about not much of anything in particular while another writes very technical information with tedious accuracy.

This article stated that an art blog should be about art. If that’s the case then what about the life of the art and artist?

While I was pondering this essay in my Morning Pages I found myself writing that there really is no art without life. If that is true, then there is no life without art. The beauty of art and art making is synonymous with life and all it’s beauty. The two are totally entwined.

When I started writing this blog I knew there was no way I could only discuss my art journey or the process. Life would sprout up between the posts of painting and not painting. Nor did I want my whole life to be an open book to put up to scrutiny. A little life story here, a rant about my latest painting there, and there you have it.

I was watching a television show where celebrities were making art for charity in one episode. None of the stars were artistically talented. Creative, yes, but not in the painterly sense. They arranged their work in a gallery for the public to purchase and donate money.

What struck me was a patron made their decision to purchase one work only after hearing what the celebrity artist had to say about his feelings while painting it. The painting itself was really not great, but the thoughts of the artist were intriguing enough to make the decision to buy. How interesting is that?

The daydreams and ramblings of the artist are the things that make life interesting. And life is more interesting because the artist has a different view of it. Does a painting posted each day make the art blog a good one to follow? Maybe not, because art isn’t all about art.