Coffee And Paint Drips Blog - Page 36 of 79

Don’t Steal my Dessert Please

Turquoise and Howlite bracelet
Design by Dora Sislian Themelis

The weather has changed in New York. Cloudy and rainy days are here after the great summery warmth of a few days ago. There’s nothing anyone can do about it, but put on a sweater and go with the flow. Ok, so I don’t go with the flow so easily. I could almost be wearing my winter coat now.

Winter weather makes me want to stay indoors. That said, I could be doing plenty, but am I? No. Visiting with Mr. Resistance again and it ain’t fun I’ll tell you that. Distractions abound. Luckily Gorgeous told us they were going to be at the last Greek festival of the season and if we felt like it we could meet up. We did.

It just happened that Sunday turned out to be a beautiful warm day and the evening was just as comfortable. The festival was busy with people, food, music and vendor shopping. Gorgeous showed me a bracelet she liked which I had similar beads at home. The next day I whipped it up for her, as you can see in the top photo.

Towards the end of the evening we decided to treat ourselves to some Greek pastries and frappes. Small balls of dough drenched in a honey syrup called “loukoumades” is a treat because most people don’t make these at home. We found a spot to park our dessert and we all enjoyed our treat and each other’s company.

Gorgeous turned to spear a honey puff and remarked that they were almost gone. Did we really eat all of those puffs so quickly? Do you see that little lady sitting across from our tray of loukoumades? She had a fork in her hand and so did her friend. Did she sneak in on our pastry and steal a couple or what?

None of us caught her in the act, but doesn’t she look guilty? I mean, really? Well, we all started laughing. I remembered my camera and took a snap. I just had to do it which made us laugh more. Nothing like a good laugh on a summery night to hold off the winter blues.

Thought for Thursday

“An empty canvas, apparently really empty, that says nothing and is without significance. Almost dull, in fact. In reality, however, [it’s] crammed with thousands of undertone tensions and [is] full of expectancy. Slightly apprehensive lest it should be outraged … It can contain anything but cannot sustain everything … An empty canvas is a living wonder — far lovelier than certain pictures.”~Vassily Kandinsky, artist

Two More Sunflowers

Two Sunflowers (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
14×20 Watercolor on Lanaquarelle paperr

Motivation comes in strange ways. I need to have my painting implements staring me in the face to be able to feel like working on the art. After reading everything I have, and taken the great workshop last weekend, what is it with the resistance?

I must admit making painting a daily habit is working more than not working. At least I know in the back of my mind I have painting to do. At some point in my day it will happen. There is no such thing as painting all day long. No such thing. You just have to try to go to the studio, or the dining room table, and get to work.

There are a few more sunflower photographs I have at the ready. This is another that I started painting. Here is the progression from sketch to dropping in color. I allowed myself those precious twenty minutes of time and stopped.

Twenty minutes of painting time is the best thing I ever started doing. I get to paint every day, sort of, and stop myself before I make a mess of things. Rather than get bogged down in detail, which was my hallmark, I know I don’t have too much time so I am use brush strokes and color to say what I need to say.

I could have stopped at this session, but I felt that the work needed just one more go to make me feel as if the painting was finished. Each time after the paint dried I felt different about my work. Something about how the paper flattened back down, how the colors looked, gave me confidence I was on the right track.

If I had kept on going past the twenty minutes I might have had to throw it out, as I have done before. I am master of my domain! Yeah, right.

Photos for Friday

New work in progress

Men’s knotted bracelet with Mykonos beads

Women’s knotted bracelet with Mykonos beads

Thought for Thursday

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”~ Steve Jobs, Apple Inc.

Painting, Technology, and All That

A new work on the table, finally!

Technology is annoying. It’s supposed to be a time saver, but guess what? It’s not. Have you found that out yet. Yes, it does things we never thought we could do, or should do. Let me just say when it doesn’t feel like working no amount of prodding will help it do anything. Nope.

I started a new painting today. Yesterday I was busy with The Mr. doing some things that had to be done. Afterwards he was home all day hanging around. No painting for me. I did the house stuff and found some time to finish another knotted bracelet, and begin and finish another. Kind of productive, but not painting.

Today was semi-free. Wrapped up the morning and decided to post my goings on, but my camera would not cooperate. No, the battery was dying and no matter what I did it would not just spit out my photos so I could get on with it!

While I wait for the battery to charge I will tell you about my latest painting. Trying to decide if this one should be a larger size the other day, I promptly forgot all about that and penciled in my subject. Ok, so that was dumb. Then I forgot all about measuring out a border because these watercolor blocks are weird sizes. Marking out a border helps me keep the work in line so a matte doesn’t cover the edges too much.

Ok, forget it. I took photos of my start. I took photos of yesterday’s bracelets. I sat down to write my post, download the photos and move ahead. Ah, not so fast! Battery is dead. Then the computer tells me I am not connected to the internet. What? I say it is!

Here we go. Battery half way charged and the photos are uploaded! Happy day at last.

Shameless Self-Promotion, Sunflowers and a Sale

The workshop weekend went great. Alyson B. Stanfield conducted a two day workshop called Shameless Self-Promotion which was hosted in Bohemia, NY, on Long Island, by a group of artists called Women Sharing Art. I was on the fence about attending, but how could I miss an opportunity like this, practically in my own backyard?

Everyone was lovely, friendly, and accommodating. The information Alyson gave us was invaluable. Being part of a group of artists, each one with their own talents and experience, made me feel like I had a community, rather than me and my lonely self in my studio. After signing on, I received email from Alyson on what to bring, and expect, to the workshop which was business cards, a portfolio of work, an open mind and a willingness to work, and I did.

A few years ago I read Alyson’s book I’d Rather Be In The Studio and it was a big push for me to get myself and my work “out there.” There’s no magic bullet. You have to work at it, and put the work into it. As Alyson says, the paintings do not speak for themselves, but the artist can and must. It was wonderful to meet the author in person! Alyson looks great, my hair is doing something funny.

All of us were pretty excited to meet our icon! I chose a chair up front, as is my habit. When I sit in the back of a room I tend to become distracted. Another artist came to sit at my table and asked if there was room. Of course, I said. When I looked at her name tag I recognized it as a casual Facebook “friend” and said “Mary? I’m Dora!” We started screaming and hugging!

About a month ago, Mary wrote on Facebook that she had decided to attend this workshop and said “Who’s with me?” I answered her with “I’m just thinking about it..” Imagine our surprise when we realized who each of us was, sitting at the same table! This social media thing is amazing, as Alyson explained.

Some artists brought their postcards, others their laptop/iPad/iPhone for their portfolio. I went “old school” with my old presentation case holding some of my work from this past year. Everyone was excited to see each other’s art. A table-mate looked through my watercolors and fell for one of my sunflower paintings, and I was happy to sell it to her. I hope it makes Grace happy when she looks at it!

What a wonderful experience this was. We had the chance to meet other artists, learn networking and art business skills, build relationships, move out of our comfort zone to try something new, and hopefully, cultivate collectors of our art.

Got it Together? Check!

There’s not enough time to do everything I have on my to-do list and the day is not over yet. The workshop weekend is here and what I need to bring is ready. Item by item, I crossed things off my list. I have not been sleeping well, waking at 4:30A.M. every morning, wide eyed and thinking. It’s not the workshop, just a sleep cycle changing I guess.

I had my usual Friday of things and there is no way I can paint today. I had the fleeting thought I could play with some beads and cord, but decided there is just no time after my busy morning. After lunch I went back to review what I need for the weekend. Good thing I don’t have to pack clothes and get on a plane, I’d be dizzy.

Portfolio? Check. Artist statement? Check. Directions? Check. GPS in the car? Check. My brain? Oops!

Alyson the Art Biz Coach, who is leading the workshop, commented on my post to bring only new, up to date work. That’s what I thought, too. What it is that I am working on now rather than three years ago, makes sense.

Taking this workshop at this time is the next step. Everything I’ve been doing the last few years has led me here. I am thankful to have taken the big step to blogging, facebook and twitter, or I would have to get up to speed with it. I found the Twenty Minute Challenge, and the 100 Paintings Challenge, two great sites that help me build a new body of work and try to find an art habit. Reading the Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, allowed me to tap into that inner child artist, try to fight off resistance, and rediscover the artist voice. Step by small step.

Friends always said I should have an art show. I always answered that I needed a body of work to show. Yes, college work was great, but people want to see today, not all those many years ago. And anyway, that’s not who I am now. Even work from a couple of years back is not me today.

Yesterday I realized I have been blogging since September 16, 2009, and I could not believe it’s been that long ago that I got my feet wet here. Who I was then, what kind of art I was making, if at all, compared to today, is like another person, but the same person. Just more awake, aware, in tune.

The rest of my day is not over. I have a kids dance class to teach tonight. After that let’s hope I sleep.

Thought for Thursday

” The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a ‘What the hell?’ attitude.” ~Julia Child, chef

Preparing and Painting

Peppers on a Platter (c)2011Dora Sislian Themelis
11×16 Watercolor

With the workshop weekend looming, I wanted to spend the day preparing myself and my stuff. We are to bring a portfolio of work. I’ve been throwing it around in my head which work to bring. The obvious thing would be to show recent pieces. Although I do work in other media, I guess I will bring the watercolors. And maybe my little pen and inks done while waiting at the allergist’s office.

I printed out my artist’s statement, such as it is. It’s for my eyes only, but my eyes are pretty critical. It’s a loosey goosey art language statement. In college, art majors needed to take English for Art Majors Only. They expected us to be able to discuss our work to regular people, as well as other artists. We wrote papers reviewing the masters works, museum pieces, and each other’s work. It wasn’t easy, but helped us to develop an art speak that normal people understood.

Every paper I wrote, my professor would ask if I wrote it. She’d say my language on paper was not the same thing that came out of my mouth. What could I say? I’m from Queens and what comes from my lips is not how I think or write. Ugh.

So yes, artist statement is ready. I also printed out the directions. Believe me, I’m not leaving home without a GPS thing.

I had a small bit of time yesterday and today, before getting involved in other things, to paint. Working from some photos I took a while ago I just went to it. Yes, I said from photos! No pencil, just paint. I didn’t get a chance to take a photo at the twenty minute mark and what you see is well past that. I just wanted colors, shapes, and values. I was going to continue to add to the lower left corner, but I think it’s balanced just as it is. Heavy with color on the upper right, and void of it at the lower left. Weird composition, but I’m going with it.

Besides, I’m out of time. Tomorrow is another day.