Time to Try New Things! New Worlds Open Up…..

Discovering the joy of Instagram

Wherein I begin to post all my new (and older) artwork and find a variety of artists and creatives and makers from all over the world, who post their expressions…..and you can communicate with them in real time!  I need more real time!

Genie Geer’s Instagram account

Creatives I am currently following on Instagram

A couple photos of what I’ve been working on.   Or click on the link above to my Instagram account.

I am still a little challenged on uploading photos from my Flickr page to my blog via downloading them first to this Windows PC…..I find Flickr difficult to use and Instagram is my new crush.  I can upload photos from my iPhone to Instagram in a snap, and tell it to share with Facebook and Flickr.  Done and Done.  I haven’t attempted to upload my phone data to this computer yet.  I hope I learn that soon.

Final version of pastel, “The Dollmaker and Her Doll”

Final Version, “Imaginary Sam”

On the Bookshelf

I’m always reading / studying several publications at a time.   Sometimes it takes me a few months to finish any one of them.  Who am I kidding.  Sometimes over a year.   As is the case of Proust’s tomes; I love them for their descriptive prose, it’s like looking at a series of beautiful paintings.  I’m a slow reader, maybe because I visualize every little thing.

Louise Penny “The Brutal Telling”, #5 in the Chief Inspector Gamache novels.  I love her characters and the Quebec backdrop.

Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Lebrun “Memoirs of Madame Vigee-Lebrun, Illustrated Edition”.  This is the autobiography of the prolific French artist whose many clients spanning many decades, included Marie Antionette.  She traveled and worked all over Europe until her death in 1842.  Wow!

Barbara Gold’s “Loving Courageously…First Me, Then You, Now Us”.

https://www.amazon.com/Loving-Courageously

She has a YouTube interview, here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPuEHCeNlNw

Barbara draws on over 35 years of psychotherapy practice to help readers develop a self to love and take good care of as we re-write the script we’ve learned.  Knowing me well, and some of the issues I struggle with, she recommended I read:

“When Food Is Love”, Exploring the Relationship Between Eating and Intimacy”, by Geneen Roth (also on Amazon).  I’m only in the second chapter, but I can tell you that silent tears streamed down my cheeks all through Chapter 1.  Many years ago I had to give up booze and cigarettes and looking for love in all the wrong places.  My son grew up to have serious dependency problems of his own.  No dad around.  Now, I can’t live without artmaking.  And comfort food, primarily Blue Bell Ice Cream.  I wonder if I will cry during chapter 2 of Roth’s book?

Carole Katchen’s “Express Yourself! with Pastel”.  The Art of Carole Katchen

I glommed on to this artist through one of my favorite blogs,  “How To Pastel” by Gail Sibley.   I’m using what I’m learning through Carole and Gail’s techniques to create my own pastel paintings over the last few weeks.  Here’s the link to her blog:

Gail Sibley, pastelist

Pastel Journal, http://www.pasteljournal.com.  The only magazine I subscribe to these days.

And then through all these great learning sources, I can’t forget YouTube, because many generous artists of all genre share their expertise online.  There aren’t enough hours in the day!  Yipee for retirement!  A friend of mine was shocked when she found out how many hours a day I devote to social media plus my artwork.  One wonders how I even have time for ice cream.

Katherine Dunn’s “Creative Illustration Workshop for Mixed Media Artists”.  I found this gem at HalfPrice Books.  I first saw her work in one of Cat Bennett’s books.  There is a whimsy and similarity in their styles, I think.

Katherine Dunn

Cat Bennett

Lastly, two “In Easy Steps” how-to reference books on Windows 10 and Word 2013 because I had to retire my old and small, MacBook.   Because I sometimes get to work with a couple of friends involving using a computer, and they use Windows, and mainly because I could not afford to upgrade my Apple OS, I made the decision to purchase a used, refurbished Toshiba laptop.   And this sucker is big, for ease of use.  This  post is ‘Shiba’s virgin foray into the blogesphere  of Artyology and friends.  I am also using Google Chrome for the first time.  Having a little challenge with curser control.

Stitch with Friends

It was a fun evening at Kelly’s with our friend Linda, and Kelly’s darling dogs, Gypsy and Elsa.   I was really rusty since no actual fiber arts have been accomplished over here lately, just lots of looking at various textile artists’ blogs.  I want to start some more dollmaking with simple patterns, smallish in size, and with some drawing on the fabric plus little “samplers” stitched onto their simple clothes….

That’s all for now.  I’ve got a buncha blogs to read!