Day Forty-Four - Trees, Sunsets and Planning

Today was fun, I ventured out to Moss Beach and believe I got some beautiful silhouettes. 

I also laid out my panels. I am not a 100% sure that this will be the final and there are many holes to fill, all work in progresses. I am happy. Looking at all these pieces really makes me proud that I never got too frustrated with myself and I managed to stay true to my theme without stretching my ideas. Once I have the entire collection finished I will post them in order and they will all be for sale! One of the hardest tasks is still waiting to be started, giving all the panels titles. It difficult but fun all the same.

Here is where I stood as the sun went down this evening. It is not a silhouette, but it was a beautiful sky.

Day Forty-Three - Then the Fog Cleared

It was raining this morning when I woke and went to work and tried to work (I work for a roofer) and then sometime around noon it started to clear, and clear some more and some more. Finally!!

These pictures are iPhone captured. I have yet to really look through the ones from mt camera. I have seen enough to know that I am so very happy! I am finally feeling the pressure ease.

This picture of city hall was taken out my window as I waited at the light. It helps to make the right exits so you do not travel the long way round. However, this picture makes up for the detour. 

I even managed to grow some more branches on my tree today. 

It looks like we are out of the fog here in Pacifica, so tomorrow once again I will venture out to a new place and let thing happen as they may! 

Day Forty-One - Seeing Things

I am beginning to see thing in silhouettes, everywhere I go, its quite fun. I just wish sometimes all that I saw would actually be. 

I had intended on being out all morning with my camera, the fog had other plans. I did manage to take some pictures that I think will become the last of my paintings or collages, but we shall see. I say that a lot, we shall see, but it's true.  Each day I have my plan, each day it gets changed, and whether or not it is for the best,  it happens. I got home and went straight back to the art table. I made a new raven for a collage, the other was just too small.

I made a new collage background for an angel, the other ones I had just didn't fit right for her.

I also finished three more paintings, they just needed those finishing touches. It was so nice to see the rich black silhouette really pop on the panel. 

And I began to paint the panels for my photographs. So all in all it was a productive day. And as you can tell by this final picture, things are a little blurred. Well, sometimes by then end of the day, it is the clearest you can see. 

Tomorrow, I have a few ideas of what I would like to do mixed with some socializing! SO that always makes for a fun day!! 

Day Forty - Always Have a Plan B

Today I drove up to San Francisco got to the end of the Great Highway and turned back around. I was watching the clouds, well fog, roll in and out, I was convinced it was clearing up. At least it did look that way from Pacifica, so needless to say, I took a nice drive. 

I had a Plan B, I always knew I would spend sometime at my art table. I managed to finish two more panels and begin two new ones. It was a nice feeling. I have said it before but I am feeling that the pressure is on. I have spent so much time you still want to give the attention you gave at the beginning of this journey. 

These two panels are just helping me get just a bit of the pressure off. 

There are some little finishing touches needed, but these will be finished by the end of the weekend!! Two more full weekends left!! 

Day Thirty-Nine - A Do-Over

This is how I spent my evening, redoing a piece that I just was not happy about which was one of my first ones I had finished. I still have some branches to grow but this piece I am much more happier with than the first one. The nice thing is most of the times, when things like this happen, (which is quite often) the newer piece is much more what I had in mind.

Things are coming to an end so quickly, it amazing how time can vanish. I am a little behind, but that is kind of the way I do things, I am always a step behind and catch up just when needed to. 

The weekend is upon us! I am excited to get out and go exploring for silhouettes and I am just as equally excited to spend that time at my art table for many pieces are just about finished. I even think I have come up with my 50th piece idea! As things usually go for me, I was sitting at the stop light on my way into work and this idea just formed in my head! We shall see where that goes too.

Day Thirty-Five - 10 hours later, or close to it

I woke up and just went to work.  It was a good day.  I am still not exactly comfortable with where I am at, but I began three silhouettes paintings and those three need only one more layer of black. I collaged to more panels, one just because I had some glue to use and left over strips.  I even finished painting that I wasn't sure was ready to be finished, today it felt like it was.

I feel a little sad that my collage backgrounds are finished, I really enjoyed finding the patterns.  It was a completely new process for me and one that I look forward to working more with in the future.

These paintings are just about finished. I became so serious about the background I lost sight of the silhouette, today I painted my guitar player and realized that.  I went on to paint to more two more figure silhouettes.

I have a good feeling about this week. I plan on having enough finished that I am able to start grouping them in their proper order. We shall see how that all goes.

Day Thirty-One - Three finished!

Was not expecting to finish three, but I did! 

Two more collages and one painting, it was quite wonderful. 

These two pieces I have been working on and they needed their finishing touches on them. You can not tell very well in these pictures, but I added little bits to make the silhouette not look so flat.  I think this weekend I may take some time to photograph professionally the completed ones. 

This is the painting I finished, the Mori Point Tree.  I love this one.  

I also worked on two backgrounds, this one has a silhouette and maybe a name, Country Boy. Mr. Scott Avett on guitar. I really enjoy taking these images from the concerts I have seen and make them into art pieces.  

Tomorrow, I am not sure what will happen.  I need to work on these backgrounds some more.  I have two more paintings that are just about done and I want to go through my photo files for more inspiration.  The ones I already picked have found their place amongst these silhouettes.  Everything seems to be falling in to place, sometimes I need that sense of wander, panic and frustration to bring out the best I have.  

Day Twenty-Eight - Oh, Creativity

It was a good day to the end of this weekend! I worked on two collages and started three paintings. I definitely feel like I am in a better place than I was in a few days ago. It was a much needed hermit-like weekend.

My two collages are almost done. They need some find tuning, but the basic idea is there. 

My surfer needs some more work, but the idea is just what I needed. I need a larger silhouette to balance things out. My jumping one just makes me smile, there is a happy memory in this one. 

My paintings all just happened. I knew a little what I wanted on the backgrounds but not for sure on the silhouette.  Then these just happened.

This next one, I has been staring at the panel all day and finally after I thought I was finished, this silhouette just seemed to be the perfect one

I am not happy about painting the cable lines, but I will take them one at a time if need be.  I am happy that once it is finished it will pop nicely!

I also worked on these two panels, not sure which if any will be used for the silhouette, but that silhouette will find its place.

So all in all, looking back at this weekend, it was really amazing! I am really excited to show the final pieces! The show opens August 22!!

Day Twenty-Seven - Prepping and Finishing

Today I cut about 50 sheets of butcher paper to make envelopes to hold my pieces.  May seem like a waste but now once a piece is done or almost done or just needs to be put aside there is a safe place for it.  It is quite important part of this process.  I would hate to make a panel only to have it damaged. So that was the first part of my morning. Then I went on to make and/or finished these.

These above are finished, I believe, but maybe more will come to them.  I had to travel back through time and space and redo the panel for this piece below, but I am so very happy with it.  I have had it sitting to the side for a few days. I am very very happy with it.

I painted a little, mostly edges.  I also found some more images to silhouette.  This makes me very excited for tomorrow! Very excited! I am almost finished with all the collages, I will be sad to see them be finished. Though I haven't really painted many due to this slight addiction to paper. 

I am also still waiting for the sun, summer has officially started in Pacifica which means fog, fog, and more fog.  This makes it slightly difficult to get out with my camera, I need to start being more mindful of the suns rise and set and plan days accordingly. Sometimes that is easier said than done.

Day Ninteen - It's all About Colors

Today, I listened to that little voice inside my head - rainbows, they said to me. So that is precisely what I did.

I already know what silhouette will be matched with this back ground. It's quite exciting, just listening to what comes to my mind. Truly, it never lets me down. 

It was a perfect Friday. I could have stayed at my table a few more hours if it wasn't for that nagging thing called time. 

On a different subject, my AGP piece took a turn. I was just not happy with the dark blue so I cut out all the circle waves to make something like this. 

So tomorrow this will be finished as well as some more panel ideas. I think it will be a silhouette making day, but since it's not yet tomorrow, you will need to check back to see what happens! 

Have a happy weekend.

Day Eighteen - Surprise, Surprise

Thursdays are always my longest days and having this project adds to it. So when I got home today, I worked a little on my AGP painting and then I fingured I would cut strips or paint edges, just something to work on the panels. Then this happened. 

I love when this happens. This something, this inspiration, this listening to yourself. I had no plan tonight, but I did have the photos I had printed out and this is from one of them. A pier will be added to this in the near future. 

Tomorrow is Friday! Yes! I am just going to just come and listen to the day. Perhaps the weather will be nice enough and my camera and I will get an outing. 

Day Seventeen - Making a Plan

Today was a lot like yesterday. I painted my piece for the new AGP show and finished all the edges for my collage and painting panels. They are ready to go. Which is a good place to be. I also went through my photos to gather up some pieces to work from. I have some great concert pictures that will make excellenct silhouettes. At the moment they are being printed now. 

  

This little bit of planning has left me excited for the days to come. This coming Sunday we all meet as 50/50 artists for the half way point. It is a great few hours to discuss how we are doing. I so hope it is a strong turnout. 

Again, it is a picture-less post, perhaps tomorrow a time machine will appear. 

Day Six - New Ideas Come to Life

Today I manged to print out some ideas. And start two new ones. Weekends will be the days I catch up. I can sit for hours and I love to do so, painting and creating my collages. 

Skies and trees are favorites of mine. This is the beginning of one I have been longing to paint. Another great thing about this project is working on ideas that have been dancing about in your mind. 

I think this one may become of favorite of mine. I was scared when I began. Had I chosen the right colors? Were these too dark? And where would the ravens go? This is just in the beginning stages. 

I am looking forward to day seven! Excited to get the finishing touches on the above and work on the collage ideas I have. 

I do hope you are enjoying these daily posts. 

Day Four - Well.......

Today is my busiest day of the week, I get home late and I know those are excuses, I did manage to prep more boards. I am painting all the edges on all my boards black, so I painted more on hours worth.  This way I only need to go over them once more when that particular board is finished. I am half way there, so while I did start a new piece, I made some progress. I am however, constantly painting, photographing and creating collages in my head. Sometimes, that is all you can do!

Sorry, not even a picture to show you today - onto tomorrow.

50/50, we meet once again.....

Back in 2010, I was accepted in to my first 50/50 show and then again in 2011, I was accepted for my second.  Some may have no idea what a 50/50 show is; its grueling, its exciting, its inspiring, its stressful and its the most rewarding art show ever I have been in. It is 50 days of creating 50 pieces of art on a 6x6 panel. It looks a little something like this.

and this

You can imagine my surprise, when I was selected for this year's show as well. I was at the art center the day the emails when out and the administrator, a friend of mine, said oh, "I saw your name on the list" with a smile. I have entered this show for the last 5 years, it is all in the hands of the juror. I use my instinct and the idea which forms in my mind for a theme, I never know the juror or the style. So when she mentioned that she saw my name, I figured it was the list of all entries, 175 artists submitted and 69 were selected. I never checked my email until late that evening, she was the one who sent out the emails, and it was an amazing feeling. With this show, you are excited that you chosen and, for those of us who have been apart of it before, you are excited when you aren't.  

This is the 6th annual 50/50 and it begins June 9th and ends July 29. As for my theme, DARK/LIGHT, a series of silhouettes in painting, collage and photography. 

I plan on documenting this as best I can. I begin today. I hope you will join me on this journey.