Friday, July 23, 2010

inspiration strikes

Inspiration shouldn't have to hurt, but sometimes it does. Last night a canvas fell off my easel due to overcrowding (I had two 16" x 20" in progress paintings side by side; one was perched a bit precariously) and landed squarely on the top of my foot. This has never happened to me before, and boy did it hurt. In fact, it left a black-and-blue mark. Ouch. I bent down to assess the damage and rub my foot a bit. When I did, I noticed how cool the pattern in my studio's plywood floor was, so I immediately took out a blank canvas panel and got to work on a new piece based on what I saw. I feel more than a little silly walking around with a giant bruise on the top of my foot, but at least I can say I've taken something positive out of the experience. Hopefully the next time inspiration strikes it won't be quite so literal.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

re-post!

I've been giving my website address out to a lot of people lately and it dawned on me that the link to my collage pictures was buried in an old post somewhere...so here it is again! Hopefully I will be adding some new photos soon, but until then...

http://picasaweb.google.com/brushstrokesbymaria/BrushstrokesByMaria?authkey=Gv1sRgCPupwMaqi6y-0QE&feat=directlink

Thursday, July 15, 2010

wired

Last night's Brunswick Art Collaborative meeting was so much fun! We were a small group, but Amanda led us in a lesson on how to work with wire. I have a piece of quartz that I found while hiking with my friend Heather and I have always thought it would make a nice necklace, but I didn't know how to make that happen. Thankfully, Amanda came prepared and had all kinds of different wire to choose from and tools to use. She helped me to select the proper gauge and then showed me how to wrap my quartz. It was much easier than I thought, and soon I had a beautiful new pendant. I even finished it off with a tiny spiral in the center. I enjoyed doing that so much, I figured I could use a little wire in one of the collages I've been working on, so I got to work twisting some copper and red wire into loose rectangles with little spiral-type shapes at the corners. The trick now will be getting them to stay put...perhaps some nails will be in order. Thanks Amanda for the lesson and the supplies!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

all the art that's fit to print

As I write this post, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for a wonderfully generous person in my life. My friend Jim (who is the father of one my dearest friends, Jen: www.interactivetarot.net) has done me yet another amazing favor. Not only has Jim taken all of the photographs of my paintings on my website, but he just gave me his old printer...and it's a really nice one. I have seen the photos he has printed using it and they look excellent. This printer uses pigment ink, so it won't fade over time, and it produces what Jim refers to as "low-level giclee prints". This printer has the capacity to open up a whole new world to me. Soon I will be able to sell prints of my work, and people who like my stuff but perhaps can't afford an original piece of artwork will have an option available to them that I couldn't offer before. I am so excited...and I am so grateful. Now I just have to figure out how to work it!