Las Animas at 12x12 Show

Finally done! I almost didn't get three pieces done in time, but I worked my butt off and got the final one done in a matter of days haha (my poor sleep schedule is still off from it)... They can be seen at Betz Gallery's upcoming Annual 12x12 Show beginning November 12. Tons of artists and works of art, all 12"x12". Always a great show!

Las Animas I of III:

"Vaadin"

Las Animas II of III:

"Holo"

Las Animas III of III:

"Solveig"

(only in) Remission

"(only in) Remission"
2010



Originally I had considered a red heart. Although it worked for my personal meaning behind the piece, and looked beautiful with her red hair, something about it was just not working. Plus, I didn't want it to look too typical or like some kind of religious iconography, so I had a last minute overhaul of the whole concept-- the night before the show!


The idea of a bruised or grayed/decaying sort of heart came to mind. Then I also thought about how coals are black and gray; dingey and dead looking, yet still containing bright burning red embers inside. From the start, I wanted the heart to morph into something organic. The veins and arteries reminded me of roots (which tied into some complex metaphorical statement I wanted to illustrate, that I don't want to go into right now- haha) and so I was thinking of it turning into roots and twigs; like something was growing from it. The thought of rich blacks and grays reminded me of black irises- thus the idea was born.

One of my favorite, overlooked parts of this is the bust (LOL). Using a super-secret technique, I creating this pattern of colors and highlights, coming through the black of the corset. You should click the image above to see it up close.

Below you can see more textural elements I incorporated throughout this piece:

And there you have it- my latest piece.

(letdown)

Hello my pretties... it's been a while... still nothing new to share with you (no time!) Still busy preparing for the Houston Art Walk, trying to get things finished and made, blah blah... A nice person on flickr reminded me of this piece I did a few years ago and I thought, just for kicks, I'd share it with you.

I love Radiohead, and some awesome artist did the above portrait of the band as an illustration for Rolling Stone. Loved it so much, I had to keep it but didn't know what to do with it, so I incorporated it into my own little sketchbook art. Acrylic, ink, decoupage, notes from a friend, stickers, etc... Until next time...

Bleep blorp computing error! x_x

Yup, that's the way computers speak to one another... my brain (and my eyeballs) are fried. I've been working on the same stupid painting for about 5hours now... I'm sooo tired of it! haha :P I just need to take a break, go to sleep...

Just wanted to share the progress with you guys. I'm reeeeally excited because I've been having some problems with getting her colors/shading right, and for whatever reason I broke out my prismacolors and went to town... Very happy with the results! Any way, I'm gonna take a break now...

I will leave you with a shot of my messy work area. It's like a squirrel den. Or rat's nest... It can be clean and organized... but not when I'm working. Evvverything gets dragged out and tossed within a 12" radius of me for easy access haha. Those freaking lights too... It is burning up in here with them being on all day! My head hurts... zzzzzzzz

Going Old School

I am currently working on a painting, several pieces of jewelry, and a quilt. Lots of projects in the works, but none to show off. Soo, I thought I'd share something from the archives that I don't think very many people have seen. It's just something out of an old 2006-08 sketchbook, but I still like it, so I thought I'd share it with you.


She's never really had a title, other than "Untitled" or something like "Golden Moth," because uh, duh, they're gold colored mothy kind of wings.

The colors don't photograph very well, since I used a sort of metallic red/peach ink and gold paint. But, you get the idea. This next pic is a detail shot- I thought it was really cool how it unintentionally had some art nouveau things going on with the back of her hair (see below):


And finally, details from the wing, which I still really like. You can click on the photo to get a good close up and check out all those details.


Any way, patience my pretties, I will have something else to look at soon enough, maybe art, maybe not. I've got a few new sketches, but just haven't had the chance to photograph them. Any way...

"Amaranth" & Updates

"Amaranth"

January 2010

So, I finally got her done... Not really sure what I think, but either way, it's done, and I'll move on! I got all my submissions dropped off today for the upcoming juried show at 500x Gallery. Super excited to find out if I'll be getting in!! I will know sometime between now and Tuesday... I will let you know! I submitted this one, "Paper Whites," "Fight or Flight," and "`a outrance" (the chick in my blog title picture). Any way, lots of obstacles and money put into this, so I'm hoping it works out haha. C'est la vie... ;)

Teaser Pics

Not too much going on right now, just getting stuff ready for the 500x show coming up this month. Submissions are next week, so I'm just getting last minute stuff done. (Framing, touching up, etc) One of the pieces I'm submitting is something I started back in June that I've just put off to the side. I got the figure part done with, but then just got stuck with what direction I wanted to take it in. I've kind of got an idea now, so I'm working toward the finishing touches and polishing it up a bit.

Website Updates

Fishies!

Not a new piece, it's actually one I did a few years ago for a painting class. Thought I'd share it just for the sake of posting something. How I hate not having pictures to look at lol.

The assignment was to do a still life- nothing against anyone who enjoys doing them, but I haaate doing still lifes. So boring! So I decided to do create a "still life" with still objects, yet present them as kinetic forms. I was inpired by these amazing koi fish ornaments I saw some years ago, and decided to use them as my inspiration. Assignment fulfilled, and my sanity preserved. yay me. haha

Quandary

For various reasons, I haven't posted pics of the completed the red dress painting. One of the reasons being that I'm fical. The painting is finished, and hanging in a gallery, but part of me has always had a strong desire to take it down and redo parts of it (that's typical me haha). Originally, I wanted to go with a sophisticated, yet avant-garde sort of look, leaving the background unfinished, with the newsprint.


(this is basically what it would have looked like WITH the unfinished backround, I've just added a lot more detail and refining to the subject)


And, (b/c I don't have any GOOD pictures) here's how it looks with the finished background. I think either way it looks okay, but either way gives it a completely different feel, so I'm not sure what I'm wanting.





Thoughts, anyone? Please post and let me know what you've got to say ^__^ because I don't know haha. I'm always way too anal and overthink things, so sometimes I need an outside source or point of view to help me figure out what I may not be seeing. Any way, love to hear from you guys.

Progress Shot

I said I'd post some progress shots of what I'm working on. Not too much, but hey, I always like seeing what other people are working on, so I'll post pics for those who share an interest in seeing the creative process.
Click images to view up close.

The surface is covered with a really heavy gesso, covered with letters and printed pages.
I've also added some embossing paint (to create embellishments), medical gauze and tape, and even iodine.
The pic below sucks but you get the idea--

Since the edges are about 3" wide, I'm using them as an extension of the canvas. Heck, the entire canvas, literally, is an extension of what I'm expressing. One day I was feeling kind of bummed while working on it, so I started writing a little thought on the back of it. I've continued adding to it since. Just whenever I have a thought, I'll jot it down on the back. I could care less if anyone sees it or even reads it. I just think it adds that much more gravity to it. If someone one day, a hundred years from now, reads it, they'll study it and write about it in some analytical art blurb. I'll be like VanGogh, and they'll talk about how crazy that girl was. haha. Maybe not. But, that's how I feel sometimes. I can dream, can't I? :D

"It's not like I care..."

Been listening to Deftones non stop for a month now (hence the title). Oh how they hurt so good...
Here's a quick peek at a sketch I did in class, totally paying attention lol.

And moving on, for the people who actually read posts...

OMG. Long story short, the last couple of months have been tumultuous to say the least. I'm slowly losing someone very near and dear to my heart. Things change, people go away, blah blah. Pretty much neck and neck with the other "suckiest moments in my life" (those being the deaths of two figureheads in my family). ANY WAY so with this painting I'm working on, it's dealing with that. I wanted to build up the surface of the canvas with scraps of letters, journal entries, mementos, etc-- basically memories and thoughts and reminders of this person. Not necessarily so people could read it, but so that I know they're there. I just want to put all my feelings and unspoken words out there for my own sake. Ever read Dorian Grey? Well, basically this painting will be like Dorian Grey's portrait for me- I get to live my life as I will, and the painting in turn can rot behind a curtain and bear these scars for me so I don't have to. I'm pouring my heart out onto this canvas so to speak, plastering it in my own tears and pain, words spoken from the heart. It feels like the symbolic release one has when burning photographs or memories. I hope that makes sense. Guess not. Oh well. Looks like a tombstone right now. My whole point... leave the dead buried. Those old letters I dug out were harder to do than I ever thought they'd be. Plastering them up there for people to see (heck, for me to see) feels like being naked and exposed. When they're painted over, even just a little, it'll be okay. But right now, they're horrible reminders. Who knew...

Fight or Flight

Fight or Flight. 2009

Finally this one is done! I'm really happy to be finished with it. As with anything, it turned out different than I was shooting for, but I'm hoping it's just me being anal and you guys will see what I was wanting to convey, haha.

This series was designed to be put together side by side (to tell a whole story) or to stand alone to make their own statements.

Part II: "Flight"

Each part holds both a literal and symbolic meaning. In reality "fight or flight" is a survival mechanism, and marks the moment between living or dying, or what 'stance' one will take with a life changing decision. Likewise, in a human sense, we can either fight to hold back a force, or we can act out agressively ("fight"). Or we can run and never look back ("flight")- we can be escapists.

In many cultures, the crow takes on a negative conotation and can thus be forboding or can be seen as a "survivor," scavenging on what he finds. Carrying a razor blade, he, in a sense, holds or presents the choice of life or death; of escapism and/or destruction.

Part I: "Fight"

The woman, facing towards the wind, is left to choose between "fight"-- (the force of "fighting" against the wind) or "flight"-- (being blown away).

I want this piece to show contrasting/contradicting feelings. One person can look at this and see the hope, the positive choices. Someone else could look at it and see defeat, self injury, etc. As with most of my paintings, I don't want to convey just the happy or sad-- I want the viewer to feel the tension. I want them to feel like they're standing on the edge of their choice and deciding what course they will take. Likewise, this piece bears its own personal meanings for myself, in it's literal and representational devices.

Welcom back ME!

Ha ha. So I've been away for a while...

I've been busy with school and work. I've done a lot of sketching in the mean time, just haven't had the time to post anything. Luckily I've had the last two days in a row off and have been strangely inspired to get some stuff done. So, here she is-- (pardon the crappy photo quality)

The final piece actually consists of two canvases, so this is the first half. I'm not really going to do anything else to her, but I will do a little more with the background once the second half is ready to go (that way they tie in with eachother) Any way, I'm excited to get started on part II!

AND I've almost finished another little something I've been working on (yay!) so I'll be posting that one in days to come!

My 2.5 Seconds of Fame!

Ha ha. That's all I can say about that. My mom sent me a link to the Betz Gallery page where you can watch a brief news piece on the gallery. My piece Charlotte y Raton made a brief appearence... in the background ha ha. My mom was really excited, like moms are, and was like "Your painting was on TV!!" Check out the clip (it automatically plays when you get there)... you'll see it in the background lol. Sorry I can't just upload the video here.

Watercolor Sketch

Finally something to post here, yay! I've long been inspired by photographer Aneta Kowalczyk . Her work is truly beautiful! So I couldn't help but create a little 'homage' to a particular series she came out with a few years ago. Here it is.

Homage to Aneta. 8/09

Chicas

I've been playing with 'liquid' acrylics, which are basically a thinner, watery sort of acrylic paint that can be used like watercolors. They also provide some really vibrant colors, and can also be mixed with regular acrylics for a less transparent look.


Untitled. 7/2009



None the Wiser. 6/2009

Oldish/Newish Art

I haven't posted anything here in a long time... so I'd like to at least leave you here with the only pic I've got of the following painting. It's not a new piece, but it's so undocumented, that I don't even have it on my website yet! eep! So I thought I could at least post the 'in progress' shot I've got of it. (It's finished, I just don't have photos of it finished, and it's in Houston, so I can't get better pics) oh well... Click on the pic for a better view.


"La fille dans le jardin" ("The girl in the garden") 2009
If anyone out there wants more info, contact Betz Gallery!

What's new...

Here's a pic of the progress of some things I've been working on. Unfortunately, I wasn't really able to capture the details in this photo.

As it is no surprise, aside from painting, I do a lot of ink sketches- whether just doodling gestural figures or creating finished, stand-alone drawings. Not long ago, I was inspired by illustrator Danny Roberts. One of his featured projects is the "Character Sketchbook," explained in his blog:
"I started the book as a sort of science project, to show people that practice pays off...I drew all the drawings with a pen so that i wouldn't get tempted to erase. Also, to cut down on variables, I decided to pick [only a handfull of] people draw..."

The more I draw, I see my weaknesses, and, rather than just saying, "well, I just can't draw that," I thought maybe I should do the same as Danny Roberts. My objective will be different than his, in that I want to target specific areas to improve in. (example of things I don't like to do: teeth, people in glasses. Profiles are kind of iffy. I haven't drawn very many male figures,etc) Those are just a few things that I personally want to improve on. With that said, here are a few things I've done to get my own "progress portfolio" started. And, to make my journey easier, I killed two metaphorical birds with one metaphorical stone! [can't have PETA on me!] )They are three guys, wearing glasses. BOOYAAAAH!!

#1: Jemaine, from Flight of the Conchords

(4/2009)

#2: Stephen Colbert

(6/2009)

And, just for kicks, a less realistic, chibi/anime style of

#3: Chuck and Geoffrey

(6/2009)