Fly like an egyptian, a Boeing 757, or maybe the Enterprise?

When you are considering your next project, how do you fly?

When it comes unexpectedly, at a whim even, is that the most brilliant moment of creativity? It is for me.

Even though we are all trying to live with some discipline as artists, does it really help your creativity, or just make you keep to a schedule? Is forceful productivity really the key to my growth as an artist? I think there may be some Hallucinogens available to help me out. It worked for Lewis Carroll. I wonder.

Are your most brilliant ideas happening when you are supposed to turn out the lights to sleep?

Would it be better if we stayed up, got some cocoa and let ourselves wander with the paintbrush or typewriter or torch until we just couldn't stay up any longer? Did you know that they play some great music at 2:30 am? Oh, it's also the best time to catch An American In Paris on the tube! (oh, sorry, the DLP) I wonder.

How does creativity work anyway and does it keep it's own schedule? Can you force it? Can I learn to hone my creativity and focus it to specific times of the day? Take that wicked moment of focus that begins at 10pm and make it happen at 10 am instead? I sure wonder.

About Inventing:
I keep a notebook next to my bed, so I can journal at night and write down ideas that I'm having. I'm a genius in these hours, but for the 'maybe someday' thinking. Still, I continue to invent all sorts of things in those moments, probably never to be shared.

My Great Grandfather invented the bread wrapping machine. Must have been a late night thing. People probably thought he was a little weird. Imagine for a moment how important this invention was. (Don't blame him for processed foods, it's not his fault if you're fat!) Anyway, his trustworthiness or lack of business prowess lead him to be deceived by some businessmen who stole it from him and he was never paid his due for his brilliance. It's in the Smithsonian now, because of my Uncle's hard work and my Great Grandfather did finally get his credit!

Maybe It's all in my head. Maybe fatigue is similar to drunkenness...you know, when you're drunk, everyone in the room gets a lot better looking and more interesting. You know where I'm going with this.

I'm tragically brilliant in my twilight hours. Of course, many ideas come too late..."I really should make a prototype design for my tuna fish strainer and get it over to a factory in China for production." lol. You laugh, but that was just one, lost idea! Yea, probably too much wine. They're selling now in grocery stores. Some jerk thought of it finally. silly. I know. Still, I wonder.

I wanted to put a film on fabric so I could run it through a printer. That was like 15 years ago. I just bought some today. 10 tiny sheets for $6.99. Highway robbery! I'd tell you about many others, but you might laugh, or try them yourself, so I'll just leave it at that, tragically absent from reality!

We should keep reminding ourselves that our thoughts are pretty important. Especially the self-deprecating ones; a window to the soul - except you wish you could pull down the shades! Even what I just said about you laughing at me. I don't really feel that way, but it sounded good at the time, you know, for this post and all. A window. I wonder.

This is worth repeating and I firmly believe it: Talent will not get you there. Drive and determination alone are omnipotent. (I read that somewhere).

Ron Popeil is mega mega rich. I'm just sayin.

How does this apply to art? Well, art happens in bed, too! Get your mind out of the gutter (just for a second). Same thing happens with planning my paintings as the lights go out: "Ah, right! Yes! I should put metallic gold with a bronze glaze over the edges of the crackle with the red! DUH! brilliant!

Well, I think what I'm saying is that you need to write everything down; anytime you think of it. Keep that notepad in your car, in your purse, use your iphone. And, of course, record your thoughts at night. It's really amazing what brilliance you can observe that you probably wont ever share with anyone anyway. It will help you go to sleep though, with a smile, dreaming about what could be; like dreamers do.

Extra dreamy sidebar:
Maybe some inventing TV or Web prototype company will come to me and say (in an Australian accent), "You have just the right personality..Let's talk, we need a creative goofball like you to add to our team!" I better color my hair and drop another 10 lbs first. Oh, maybe someday.

You can go back to the gutter now.

Fly like an egyptian, a Boeing 757, or maybe the Enterprise?

Wonder Woman must have been bulimic

We have been remodeling our master bathroom for a couple of weeks now. We tiled the floor, Eric built a custom cabinet, and we are even going to tackle a concrete counter top! I was going to just paint the walls, but felt that was kind of a lazy finish to all that custom work, especially because I am a professional decorative artist, so I decided to give the room a good Venetian Plastering!

After having my business for the last 3 years, it seems a little strange for me to admit that I don't actually have any decorative finishing at all in our home! It's not that I don't like any of it, but the house is more contemporary. Luckily, Venetian plaster is one of those cool things that looks great anywhere.

I knew I had my work cut out for me, because the walls were not smooth and needed to be sanded before I began, but when I got up on a ladder to see the wonderful job the builder's accomplice had done leaving huge amounts of dry wall plaster in the corners, I nearly impaled my hand on one of those ridiculous star patterns stamped from drywall mud on the ceiling, a common sight in homes in the south. I had to take on the ceiling before I started the walls. If you take a big palette knife, you can scrape the peaks down and although it still wont be completely smooth, it will be paintable and it looks a helluva lot better. Plus, it wont fu#*ing send you to the hospital!

Alas, once the ceiling was done, I felt that I had just done 600 reps on my arms! It continued from there. In the 10 years since I've moved to Atlanta from Seattle, I've honestly done little more than exercise my right bicep to lift a martini now and then. It's not my fault, it's the heat. Sucks the drive right out of you, which sucks because in warm weather, you need to look good wearing little clothing! Still, it makes me think about how celebs get such great bodies. There are two logical explanations: Starvation and cocaine. They say "sexy bitches" for a reason, because you can't look that good with being completely irritable from the lack of calories!

So, eventually I moved on to a primer coat, then several layers of plaster, and some more sanding. After 6 days of keeping my arms up in the air, burning thousands of calories, feelin' the burn, I stepped on the scale (big mistake), and I gained a pound! Must be water retention. Wonder Woman must have been bulimic.

She was drawn at the monthly drink and draw session at Mellow Mushroom in Decatur, GA. I sit right near the front at a low table, while the super hero models stand on top of the bar, giving me a crotch-worthy perspective every month. I ran out of room on my sketch pad..hehe, and hastily made her head too small, but it was so far up in the air, who could know?! (Must have been during the drinking part of the evening) Next month, I'll sit further back to snatch a better view!

We still have to put the room back together and I have to seal the plaster, but I can see completion coming and going back to my martini...Maybe there's some sort of time delay on arms of steel. Maybe they'll just show up next week, and that pound will have gone away! Perhaps changing to red wine will be as good for those muscles as it is for my heart!

Wonder Woman must have been bulimic

In the Hood, and other iterations

This Anthropomorph is a fox terrier, named Romeo. He makes his home with 2 parents and 4 little children. Here, he goes into Sherwood Forest. I've been doing quite of a bit of character art for custom portraits lately, and I really enjoy it! It appeals to the silly little girl who seems to occupy quite a bit of my personality. I did another for this awesome client, the Word-Slinger. I just seems like this little dog has a good imagination. I merely brought it out of him!

Speaking of iterations, I could probably blog all day. If I don't quite know what I'm going to write, I start, then walk away for a while, eventually going back and adding more. But, putting on some music usually gets me into the right frame of mind, to write or paint!

Have you ever noticed how impactful music is on your creativity? I like show tunes, jazz, blues, alternative, and even metal. Recently, I was watching a Megadeth concert on TV, and despite thinking I would not really be interested, I watched anyway. It didn't take long before I realized how really complicated that stuff is. So much so, that I have a new appreciation for it, and I felt really creative that night. I guess you never know what will work for you.

I tell you what doesn't usually work for me. Depressing music. Can't listen to a lot of estrogen bands, female songwriters, although very talented and expertly performed, tend to use an awful lot of emotion in their music, making it kind of depressing. I can only listen for so long before I'm ready to find some chemical alteration. There is one very emotional band, though, the Cocteau Twins, who seem to inspire me in a very deep way, although I've never tried to paint while listening to them.

There are some bands, that no matter how much I listen to them, I don't seem to tire of the music. Number one for me seems to be Dave Mathews Band. I don't know what it is, but I always feel uplifted when listening them them, especially my favorite song, "2 Step".

I also love Queen. I don't think I need to go into why, but you definitely feel empowered! It's very relaxing to listen to Queen while I'm working in a client's home, I get this cadence going, and my hand and the brush really flow! Also a favorite of my friend Michel Nadai, the French Master painter who mentored me in trompe l'oeil.

And if you want to be inspired, how about KT Tunstall, "Suddenly I see" --this is what I want to be!

Many others inspire me to paint in different ways but are nonetheless not saddening (to me). Try these if you a painter: Pink Floyd, Mark Knopfler, Jimmy Buffet, Showtunes, like Phantom of the Opera. Cable even has a showtunes channel. A couple of songs by Blues Traveler also get me going, and I love them for road music, too! A few more that are crazy, fun and mellow: Cake, Beck, The Ramones, and Van Morrison!

This morning, I was excited to play a couple of new CDs given to me by a friend; Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf! I absolutely love that old music. Like a cafe/coffee house feel...fun!
The funniest thing happened with Marlene Dietrich: I found myself imagining I was Madeleine Kahn in Blazing Saddles, loathing across the stage in the most hilarious fashion, singing to the boys, "I'm zo ty-ud, ty-ud of pwaying ze game..."

Try some of these different styles and see what affects you in a creative way, gets you singing along, and lifts you up.

I'd like to hear what makes your paint brush steamy!

In the Hood, and other iterations

Pinups from a pinup!

I thought I would step out of the spotlight a little this week, because I'm getting squint wrinkles, and I think I may need a new prescription for sunglasses.

This month, some others and I want to spread the word about our favorite online venue, Artfire, and the great artists within it's virtual walls! Writing about other artists is an easy thing to do, since I am continually in awe of the remarkable talent out there. So today, I'm writing about my very talented friend and prolific portrait artist, Christy DeKoning.

Christy is an Aussie, transplanted to Canada. I am sure I would be charmed by her accent, one I can only imagine as we are net buddies. (I don't know if She knows that Americans are particularly taken by an Australians.)

She has a way, you might have noticed, of capturing the personality of her subjects, and she has captivated quite an audience worldwide for this special ability. Let me tell you, I'm speechless! (ok, I must go on)

I've been following Christy for a couple of years now, since we met on eBay. Her popularity has been growing at a remarkable pace, as I've witnessed by visiting her various selling venues..

These pinups are her newest mini obsession. She does work in all sizes, but quite a bit of her work is in miniatures, and these dainty gals are ACEOs, which means they are 2.5"x3'5", small enough that you don't really have an excuse not to pounce on them; they'll fit anywhere! Try a really large matt..that's 'hyper' cool (pronounced 'ee-pair) to show off little bits o' bliss!

Try sending her your own photo; a cat, a kid, a car, whatever, and she will capture the sweetest essence in that, too. Custom portraits in watercolor is her specialty, but her brush is certainly only one weapon in the arsenal which compliments this amazing talent. She's a singer, dancer and musician, too! Some people get it all! (we have so much in common)

I wanted to interview Christy the old fashioned way; a quiet, inconspicuous lunch. So, I booked a table right in the middle of the room at New York's Famous Tavern on the Green, next to Dennis Hopper and Martin Scorsese. Christy couldn't make it, something about Paris. So, I took the web approach and that worked for her. Here's what she had to say about Art, life and Artfire.

R: Christy, it's so great to be able to get in your head! Thanks for letting me interview you. First off, what role does your art play in your life?

Christy: Art is a vital part of my personality - I wouldn't be "me" without it. I was always happiest as a child with a new pad of paper and fresh sharp pencils, and I still feel the same rush almost 40 years later when I walk into an art supply store and see all the goodies. Although I started drawing portraits at a very early age, I never considered it as a valid career choice until recently.

R: So, how did you get started then?
Christy: My art career started in the Performing Arts as a classical ballet dancer in Australia. When I moved to Canada I studied Makeup Artistry at the Blanche MacDonald School of Design in Vancouver. While working as a makeup artist I also played guitar & sang on the Vancouver music scene during the '90s. It wasn't until I moved to Ontario in 1999 that I finally concentrated my career in Fine Arts as a portrait artist. I've completed over 300 commissioned portraits worldwide since then and I learn something new with each new painting - that's what keeps it fresh and exciting for me.
R: Dang, you are good!

R: So, you live in Chatham, Ontario. What's that like?

Christy: It's in an area of Canada that is named after Kent County, England - we even have a Thames River. It's nestled between two Great Lakes - Erie and Huron - so the weather gets very hot and humid in the summer, but at least the beach isn't too far away.

R: You told me your favorite supplier of paint is Daniel Smith. You know I'm from Seattle, you're not trying to butter me up, are you?
Christy: Never! They make the most beautiful watercolor paint, and their prices are great! www.danielsmith.com

R: You run the gamut in the talent field. Is there some artform you haven't tackled that you fancy?

Christy: Glassblowing. I love colored glass, and it is such fun to paint with watercolor, but I'd love to learn how to do it myself. My husband isn't quite ready to surrender his garage to me for a furnace, so this might be a long-term goal.
R: Well, a man has to have his cave, and you probably already own the rest of the house!

R: So, since this article is in support of the new bad ass selling venue, Artfire, tell me what are your goals with your ArtFire studio?

Christy: To help promote it and the ArtFire community so that it becomes THE place to shop for handmade. I've been promoting ArtFire to my regular clients by offering new art exclusively on ArtFire first for a few days before I list it on Etsy. That way they'll know that the "hot" shop is ArtFire.
R: That's a great way to promote the site. I do look there first to see your work, which always blows me away, btw. I guess it's working!

R: It's funny how the inspiration for our art comes to us. Where do you receive yours, in general?

Christy: Sunlight. Or to be more precise, shadows cast in the sunlight. I know that sounds funny but whenever I'm out in the sun, I get distracted by the play of light on objects, especially faces, and that inspires me to paint.

R: It really shows in your work! The shadows really bring your portraits to life!

Q: I just have to ask, since I'm also on Artfire, who are your favorite ArtFire artists?

Christy: Smellyrhinostudio, KarenFaulkner, AmyLilleyDesigns, IBreak4Glass, AndyFee and Aquariann.

R: Good answer!

R: What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?

Christy: Practice daily; Market yourself wisely; Don't take rejection to heart
R: I can't imagine you get much rejection, but I'm glad you can shake it off. Good advice, since I usually hire a hitman.

R: If you won a thousand dollar craft shopping spree, what would you buy?

Christy: Earrings. LOADS of earrings! Art from my favorite sellers; a new tea cozy.
R: I hope your husband is reading this.

R: If you had the opportunity to do something you always wished you could do, what would it be?

Christy: I would be commissioned to paint Johnny Depp. That would pretty much complete me (to borrow from Children of a Lesser God)

R: Maybe Johnny will commission a painting! I'll get on the phone as soon as I'm done here.

R: Why do children want to be astronauts? How do think you could apply this to your career?

Christy: What on earth does that have to do with the price of bread? I don't know why children want to do half the things they do, but if I had to apply it to my career i guess it would be as a great big band aid.

R: Wow, that's really profound. I think what you're saying is cover up the boo boo and never look back!

R: What do you do with bad art?

Christy: Usually I turn it over and use it for testing watercolor glazes and mixes. Sometimes I'll use bits and pieces to make ACEO cards (I used a scrap of "cloud" to create my Canadian Landscapes ACEO series, for example). Occasionally I'll amuse myself by listing it for sale, because what I consider a dismal embarrassment is sometimes just what another art collector is looking for.

Q: What food or beverage makes you really creative?

Consumables don't really inspire me, although that said I can't paint without a cup of Orange Pekoe Tea within easy reach. Music is more important to me: right now I've been listening to a lot of Lily Allen and the creative juices have been flowing as fast as her foul language. I love it.

R: Isn't it amazing how music stimulates the creative flow?!

R: Does art have to make sense?

Christy: I really hope not. Certainly a lot of my work is realism-based, but the wonderful part about Art not having any sensibilities is that I can use any color I want to represent an idea. It's my bold use of color in portraits that appeals to my client base, so let's hope that I remain totally insensible.

Christy lives with her husband, two sons, two cats and a backyard full of squirrels (but no mice!).

Christy's art is in collections all over the world, and her ACEO work has been featured in ACEO Magazine. You can also view Christy's work at ArtFire, Flikr, Boundless Gallery and IndiePublic!

For more information on Christy, visit her blog at www.christydekoning.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoyed my visit with Christy!
Have a great day!
Regards,
Rebecca

Pinups from a pinup!

Interpretation of a word...

Well, I suppose it's a good thing that I don't write dictionaries for a living. You see, in August, you will be able to go to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Int'l Airport to see a cool and unusual exhibit.

The Canvas Project 2 is a massive visual dictionary of canvases. Thousands of artists received 5 canvases and 5 words to interpret, to add to the 10,000 canvas goal! Each canvas represents one word. Here's my interpretations...

















The first word: Sidecar.
When vacationing in Roswell, it's important to blend in. You know, like one of those fanatical Roswell groupies, who happens to be very proficient with custom automotive work!

You can order a custom helmet with deely bobber antennae! Make sure to get a vanity plate, too, for the memory.

The sidecar is just about big enough to double as tent and has airconditioning, microwave and mobile satellite computer and TV. Let the Hulu mania begin.


















#2: "Beagle"
My dog Peanut, a mutt, was named in honor of Charles Schultz, one of my favorite childhood inspirations.

When I saw that I had the word Beagle, I knew I would have to pay homage in some way again, but this time, to Snoopy!

This little beagle puppy is in training to be a flying ace, and can barely hold on to his dog house.

I would have made the eyes even bigger, but they are pathetic enough as it is!

















Number 3: "Resize"
I guess it's obvious where the resizing has taken place but there could have been a little work done in other places!

Painting cleavage was hard...I had to repaint it numerous times. I didn't want to stand in front of the mirror to paint my own, since I needed to have free hands, and they would have been busy lifting and smooshing something together.

So, I started off to get some inspiration and googled 'cleavage'. UM, that's when I found lots and lots and (lots) of porn. Realizing that finding a still shot of desirable cleavage might be difficult, I hit the back button and, after considerable thought of who had a good line to paint, I googled 'Pam Andersen'.

This cleavage is hers, more or less. So, if you're wondering what a hausfrau costume might look like on Ms. Andersen, this might help..(I know this will be Bill's favorite.)













#4: "Idolize"
Since Michael Jackson died this week, it suddenly occurred to me, "It's good thing I procrastinated with this project long enough to get a subject! I had been wracking my brain trying to think of an interpretation for 2 months, when suddenly, oops...got one!

I know in the last 10 years or so, he's been VERY strange, and there was that little thing about being a pedophile.

But before all that, there was the 80's! He was a huge influence on music and he changed the industry and took performing to another level (and temporarily boosted Pepsi sales). He was over the top, but the hair on fire was completely unnecessary, I thought.

Whatever! you might say! But without MJ, the movie "The wedding Singer" just wouldn't be as funny.

Ponder that!

#5: Beatnik...I know, potentially the coolest word to get. Well, I didn't finished this one in time to postmark it today...I will get it done soon. Maybe I'm waiting for inspiration. I hope the project doesn't end up with 9,999 canvases. :)

Interpretation of a word...