The nest that we’re in may be humble and small, but in good company we don’t mind at all
Acrylic on muslin with lots of textiles to create the texture
13″x13″

I’ve been clearing out old work and making tons of new work these days… Super busy. It really does take an incredible amount of time to make a living as an artist, but I have SO much fun. The days just fly by!

My husband is building me a new studio/home office work space. As soon as he gets the trim stained and attached, I’ll share some images of that. I also need to get some pics of our incredible Japanese yam patch before the leaves turn and we harvest the tasty tasty taters.

Gotta run – Fun with baby time!
Onward and upward!
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So I’ve noticed a lot of my friends lately contemplating great change in their lives. I’m stirred with great compassion for them as they reach outward from the bounds of the constraints they perceive in their lives. I don’t believe there is any real constraint… any real box aside from that which we make with our own minds. Sometimes you just have to jump and have faith that there is a net or a parachute…

Of course that’s easy for me to say after I’ve done it… maybe? It’s not that I don’t still have financial concerns. It’s not that the money always flows easily and I have no stress…
But I don’t have much stress… I have considerably less stress than I did when I had a steady and predictable income. I have much more happiness in my life since I left the professional job. I’m healthier physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I suggest that the leap is more stressful before the fact than afterwards. Of course do all your research and make a good plan. I don’t advocate irresponsible behavior, but I do advocate getting out of the boxes in your mind.

Haiku Flower: Reach
Acrylic on plywood
about 8.5″x11″
Mounted to hang without a need for frame.
Can be purchased here.

The turning of the season… I had my little one in the spring… when there were days cold enough to bundle her up in my shirt. We sweated together stickily through the summer with no air conditioning. Now it is cool again and we snuggle in blankies together in the evenings.
People tell me that having a baby changes your life, but I don’t really feel it. If I’m more productive, is it because of her or just the tides of life changing me?  It is wonderful to wake up in the morning and know what needs to be done… to feel at peace, unhurried, unworried. I don’t think she did that to me. She’s just a part of the changing nature of life.
It is kind of marvelous as the years seem to speed up for me, she comes into my days and shows me how long the days are at the same time. She has had so few of them compared to me. Time is a wonderfully funny thing.
So I’m seeing my work differently again and have come to like this one again from my archive… I think I’ll make some prints of this and paint in some color. I hope I can get around to that today although I have some errands to do before I can play…

 

Seeing Fractured Fish
Pen on watercolor paper
8″x10″

So yesterday, Seren and I went to the gallery to hang my show for Friday. We got most of the work done. It felt like a great success because I had some heavy paintings and a little baby and bad parking options… But I used a baby carrier and got a little help from a friend on site so it all went pretty smoothly.  I still have a bit of work to do before Friday, but it’s looking good so far.
To celebrate, I painted something that I just like for me…

I broke the second line, but it’s a haiku still…

I like this painting. It makes me happy.

And this – one of my old personal favorites that I’ve never shared publicly before. It’s all pen and ink – little dots. These take ages to do and are hard on the wrist, but when I was pulling out the old masks (done in the same style), I found this and loved it again.  8″x10″ on watercolor paper

And a detail of the eggtree

I’ve spent too much time self-censoring and didn’t even realize I was doing it until this morning. I love moments like that…

Onward and upward
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   So tomorrow’s hanging day.  So… I decided to make some prints. I found these pen and ink masks I made back in 2003 and never really did anything with. I just made them and stuck them in a folder for storage. So I scanned them and printed them on watercolor paper and then did some color retouching. I’m really enjoying it so far and am working on another mask in pen and ink now… something I haven’t done much of for years and years and years.
So here: the fruits of my labor.  I’m also putting them on the etsy of course – 10$ each.  I like to have some affordable stuff up for the gifting season…
I’m also making prints of some of my other paintings in 5″x7″ which will all be 10$ each. If you have any requests for one to be put into that format, just give me a shout. 

 
Three Yellow Balloons
28″x15.25″ Acrylic on Wood
This piece was painted on recycled salvage material – louon. The surface does show some wood texture and top edge is not completely straight. This piece could be framed, or hung as is.

I’m really excited about this new direction! I’ve been thinking, of course, of little girl stuff. Who she might be, who I was, what other little girls are like. I guess this is my way of preparing myself for what’s coming. 

Plus I have to hang this show on Sunday so everything will be ready for First Friday on October 6… So I’m still in the whirlwind of deadline rush!
onward and upward!
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Edit:
I just made a 5″x7″ print version of the painting (on watercolor paper) which can be found at my Etsy site here for 10$

Wooo Hooooooooo I love a deadline! I’m on fire guys!

Little Girl in the Flowers
Acrylic on Canvas
12″x16″
Edges painted black
https://www.etsy.com/listing/92238828/little-girl-in-the-flowers-original

I have a bunch of stuff to scan and print in the next couple of days… Aaaah it’s coming quick! 

Another little piece of work – 6 foot, multicolor, 100% cotton fun scarf belt.  It’s nice to catch up on my photography… even though there are a hundred more urgent things I should be doing hehehe.