Online Artists’ Challenges Spark Exploring Techniques and New Avenues of Expression

Online challenges are a new passion of mine, having stumbled upon a free one a few months ago….maybe via Instagram?  Somebody’s blog?  I am losing track of how I found – and keep finding, such great talent on the web to learn from, maybe emulate, and share with.  Then of course, you get chummy with the other artists involved in that challenge or class.  You’re hooked.

I found more artists whose work I wanted to see more of, via a big clean-out of my many art books and periodicals.   I will be downsizing even further in the next few months, and I needed the cash, so off to HalfPrice Books I went with a load.  Before letting a good book go, I found it necessary to peruse it thoroughly; keepers were set aside and some pages torn out of various Stampington publications before trashing the rest of the magazine.  Even so, there were plenty of pristine issues intact left to sell.  You can find  ’em at the HPB store on Northwest Highway.

Now I have roughly half the art and decor books I moved in with; which gave me the courage to toss a big trash bag full of fabric scraps.  I’m not done ferreting around in my stash;  I’m determined to be tough.  I’ve had this stuff for many years.  I used to enjoy popping in to the fabric store for the odd remnant but haven’t had that pleasure for a long time, ’cause I just didn’t want to add to my piles.

Last week I let my favorite doll that I made go; and it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would!  “Beth” is with her new mom now up in Glen Ellyn, IL.   I listed her on Etsy and she wasn’t there for long, so I am encouraged to keep going with dolls and other artwork for sale.  And selling at lower prices than I offered before; I am trying to find that sweet spot between what’s affordable for a buyer and gives me some profit, too.  It’s the sharing of my work, and the recognition, and joy the buyer experiences that mean the most to me now.

I love Instagram for its ability to satisfy my need for instant gratification.  I follow close to 200 artists world-wide now, and have some followers of my own.  It keeps me on the creativity path.  The online challenges have you upload your “homework” onto Instagram, and all the artists in the challenge view and comment on everyone’s work.

Shout out to Tara Leaver, a young abstract painter in Cornwall for her Art Notes news and encouragement!  She has online classes in addition to an occasional free challenge.

Tara Leaver Freedom Through Art

Now for photos of my artwork since last May.

Playing with Linda Goodwin’s oil pastels

Black gesso smudge, white charcoal and oil on small canvas paper. I didn’t plan it, I just pulled the imagery out of the black smudge.

White and Black charcoal

Still loving learning painting with soft pastels via Gail Sibley’s blog, How To Pastel

I fell in love with a business card featuring a photo of A Little Company stoneware/porcelain sculpture of these delightful characters

I wanted to see what would happen if I held two different tip size pens and made a quick sketch of a still life.

“Beth” doll is ready for mailing to her new mom in IL. I made her wrapping paper out of paper napkins stitched together.

Little fabric collage, or samplers. Using up favorite scraps, and loving the zen relaxation of making them. Just instinctive; no plan. Addictive. Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth got me onto this.

Pamela Hastings Book and the little figure I made from one of her patterns

I wonder if I should quit while I’m a-head?

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!