Crafty Bastards

So I just applied to the Crafty Bastard show. Here are some samples of what I do with that sewing machine of mine.

today's quickie spit outs

Working on more ideas for my 6 newbies. I think its a good idea to first work out a bunch of ideas. Patrick suggested planning all 6 out before I start stretching canvases. Look at color scemes. Making them look like a set of some kind. They are all opt to change. My putting these out there are simply to put them out there. I see them changing once executed in paint. I'm also thinking of making silk screens of each character. Any suggestions or comments are greatly welcomed.

Kevin in Orange

Latest on the photoshop created'
study for smaller square paintings

Rain Rain go Away

It’s Monday. A very rainy Monday following a very, very rainy weekend. Spent the weekend toting from Baltimore to White Tail to watch the Yous guys racing team race in the mud and endless rain. Not very happy with the racing organization and having to wait after numerous delays for shoty timing. Patrick got himself a bad knee injury, leading him to only race on Saturday.

I started to make aprons on Friday and have now completed three. Am working on the tie around the neck variation. The pics are of the three I just completed. Working for my application for the Crafty Bastard application.
Now I guess its time to go back to the paint. Went to SALT on Friday (where I am having my show in September). I counted six places for six more paintings. Smaller ones..Thinking 2 foot square. So its back to good old Photoshop for more wallpaper designs. Will keep you posted.

Marla Streb my Hero

No, I am no way close to Marla (maybe a little close in age). Patrick and I saw her at Mount Snow this past weekend, where she raced Super D and got 3rd. place. Marla Streb? 3rd? Isn’t she the fastest downhill champ...well...she did make some major changes to her life. Like having a beautiful baby girl 6 WEEKS AGO! She told us that she was riding the day she gave birth! And back on the bike 4 days after giving birth (not sitting on the saddle of course).

So she is my motivation to be in the best shape I can be. Next week I turn the ripe age of 43. And I feel like I'm still 10 in many ways. And my clock has been ticking for a bit. My doc says I'm in better shape than a lot of the 20 some she sees...so I feel pretty good and ready to be Marla Streb...at lease Marla Streb the mommy. Still that time comes I'm going to do my best to keep with my summer regiment: 30 or more minutes of cardio four times a week. Lift weights at lease 2 times a week. I will only use walking up and down mountainsides to watch Patrick race as a single day, if I hike for two days.
So I've been good this week. I went to the YMCA 2 times and Loch Raven twice. Today I went by myself. Provident Rd to Dulaney and back...hotter than hell out there...but I did it. And had a great time! Made it over all of the logs crossing except one. Made one fantastic spill over the handle bars and landed on my FEET! Good thing about falling all the time is that you become master of landing!
Made it through another time in Loch Raven without running into any my students doing things they shouldn't be doing!

what I did today...played artist'

so i remember this now...spending hours and hours in the studio
smell of turpentine
paint on my hands
sticky medium
how this is what i got that painting degree for

started the morning buying fabric first.i need to make more aprons for crafty bastard application
found some good finds at the local fabric crafty store believe it or not
a vintage fabric design section

i needed some cheaper fabric to use with my more expensive fabrics I found on line

going to sew tonight
will show when done

my aprons are my homage to my grand mother who died this past spring.
i want to capture the elegance that she brought to the daily apron
to any of my family members out there
i need pics of nanny for my book...i want to make a recipe picture book
of my nanny and her great cooking

another project down the line
one of these days i will learn to just relax over my summer vacation

chucks and lous

say goodnight!

what Brain is saying

i mean what the text in "what Brian is saying"
is from Jean-Paul Sartre's "Age of Reason"
Mathieu Delarue's efforts to have a discussion with his mistress, Marcelle.
When I first read this quote i had a haughty feeling of deja vu

and here's Brian

Today I got some help from my trusty side kick Patrick...that's my amazing husband.
I love the act of critique and constructive feedback
even if i start to pout and wimper
i haven't painted for a while..almost a year. i had a show at montpelier center, close to dc and i thought a good place to get some exposure
and maybe sell something
but alas
no
i got so depressed on that one
so i stopped painting and started sewing
that will be another time though
anyway, i surveyed my work for the past 25 years..ugh
i did a lecture on my work for a nahs induction ceremony
of my work since my first year in college
i realized how much work i have done
but best of all
how much growth i have made
so now i am painting again with clear headed-ness and lots of good feedback
this painting is Brian
a frustrated young lad ..only in my painting...not in real life..or maybe he is
anyway, this Brian is frustrated with a woman who is emotionally constricted
worst senario, is that Brian also has the same defect.. again this is in my painting..not is real life!

elsy on pink cells

been working on this painting
working out the kinks first in photoshop then to the paint.
this is a painting about a girl named elsy who is contemplating about where she thinks she should be
be it mental state
happiness state
what she thinks she is suppose to want
as oppose to what she has been offered in life


Elsy is a contour drawing of one of my students who is not named elsy
nor is she contemplating this house at the moment

Here is Patricks Blog go check it out!

Traction Mag

Here I am

Here is my first post on my own blog.
This is my favorite pic of my Dad and I circa. 1965 or'66. Most of my life has been the attempt to be in this place again:
no worries
just being around my favorite people
in my favorite places
eating my favorite goddies.
happy to say that after many many years of searchng for this feeling
i have finally found just that

i want to use this blog to talk about just that
how i found bliss

i am a painter
new crafts person
and art teacher

new wife ( for the second time) to an amazing man
have a great new house
two great cats..chuckie and louie

and i am on my summer vaction as i write
feeling just i do in this pic