There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator

I am an old movie junkie. As far back I as I can recall I've been glued to the flickering black & white. (It was many years before we had a color TV). At an early age, the German Expressionist films infiltrated my thoughts & have never really left.
One that has stayed with me the longest is Fritz Lang's Metropolis. This post's title is the tagline from the classic film. I recently came across 2 vintage copper pins and immediately flashed back to the Art Deco look of the film & posters.
I've reinterpreted the classic look & added some swarovski crystals & watch parts to the first brooch. It's now available in my etsy shop .

Seven Subways Behind

No, not the title for a new piece. It's a silly thing my husband says & it describes my life lately. Been in a bit of slump,behind on everything it seems. Took a few days with family to regroup. Came back to the same to do list but with renewed energy - YAY! Finishing a book group sculpture that was due on the 1st & tidying up stray projects that I'd lost interest in. Finally got around to adding some new ACEOs to my Etsy shop.
Read a great post by one of my favorite artists last week, Lindsey Carr of Little Robot. In a piece titled When the Grass is Always More Veridian she debates the issue of becoming a full time artist. This is something so many of us daydream about, I think. Her take is worth a read. As is the articulate follow up Thanks So Much. In fact, I can't recommend enough checking out her amazing & whimsical creations.

Still here? Shoo...go now! I'll wait hereAhh, you're back...

Thinking about how to manage work, family, domestic, art & other stuff a lot lately. Too much perhaps? Maybe 1 reason why I've been so unproductive lately? Had some interesting conversations on this topic recently. I've heard so many valid ideas & concerns, that I think I'll pop them into future posts here & there.

If you have anything to add, please share: What is your secret to keeping all of your balls in the air? How do you include time to create in your busy schedule?

Art At The Speed Of Life! I love this title of Pam Carriker's article in the July issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. A talented & prolific artist, Pam makes the time for painting, writing, marketing, family & life. She will also be teaching an online class in creative journaling in January. You can read more about her life & art on her website & blog. Her work is also available at The Bag Lady's Art on etsy. I'll warn you though, her art has taken off like wildfire lately & is selling fast!

From Pam's interview in the August '08 issue The Stampers' Sampler:
"TSS: What are your goals in life?
PC: To be my true self, and to go after my dreams."

She also shared this thought with me "I really think that is key. If you want to do something, go for it. A lot of times the only thing stopping you is yourself."

And on that note: Time to go get messy!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

One need not be a chamber to be haunted; One need not be a house; The brain has corridors surpassing Material place. - Emily Dickinson

Sinner & Saint PIF giveaways

Legion

Cleaning up a bit today & unearthed this weird mixed media painting on papyrus from 2002. I was going to just toss it out when I thought why not post it as a Halloween PIF in my Etsy shop, ArtSnark.Etsy.com This is a true PIF. Completely free . I just ask that you "pay it forward" by some random act of kindness. There are a number sellers with PIF listings on Etsy, just type "PIF" into the item search box. Be aware though that not all are not truly free - some people list absurd shipping charges so look closely before "buying". There is some cool stuff up there. I just picked up a tutorial on wrapping beads.

Jumping ahead to December: Fellow ZNE member, Ewian, has a great giveaway to celebrate St.Lucia's day, Dec. 13. Basically you go to a blog & leave a nice comment. Then add the link to the post on her blog. She will draw the winner in November. You can the details here . This is such a cool way to spread your happy thoughts & favorite blogs! Check it out if you get a chance

Red's Walk

Finally back to the drawing board. It seems like I haven't done anything creative in a very long while. I've a series of finished pieces in my head. Now it is time to finally get them down. Mind, they tend to take on a life of their own.

Like a child in the woods, they sometimes get distracted and wander off the path.....

Here is one in progress. The text is from an 1834 copy of Little Red Riding Hood. It will be interesting to see where she leads ......

Inspired by Unusual Mediums, Fab Artists & Eye-catching Colors!

Thrilled to have a piece in LDphotography's Red & Black Attack Etsy Treasury (& happy to have figured out how to take a screen shot). "So Long" is the middle piece, 3rd row down. The treasury is up for a wee bit longer, if you get a chance to poke around. LD curates some eye-catching treasuries, so it really means a lot to me to be in one.

If anyone reading this is not familiar with Etsy, please take some time to check it out. You'll be amazed by the massive quantity & variety of art and artists there. Just in time for the holidays too!

In fact I've already started my Christmas shopping (Spoiler here,Mom - plug your ears:Lalalala) at LDPhotography on etsy. I know, I sound like a freakin' commercial. Can't help it though. I've been following Linda Donnelly's art for a little while, first on ZNE & then on Etsy. Initially I was drawn to her photography and photo-pendants. Tonight I found out she makes her own jewelry too ( Althena12 Jewelry ). This multi-talented artist also creates some wonderful ACEOs, at times using really unusual mediums. One of her dried clay art cards was recently published in Art Trader Magazine(issue#4).

Speaking of unusual mediums.....I am totally addicted to one from D'Uva. It comes in powder, stick & paint forms (Lithocoal is the black & Chromacoal for color). It can be applied to any item that can be heated to 250 degrees. At that temp it sets permanently & needs no protective finish. Until you set it, it is fully erasable. Imagine working on a watercolor painting that you can erase - No more brown yucky smoodge!

So Long is drawn & painted in Litho & Chromacoal on canvas

I am crazy in love with this product! It was my "gateway drug" from drawing to painting. Sadly, D'Uva seems to have stopped production. You can still find the goods on the web though (often discounted). Luckily, I bought a ton when my local art store purged it, so I'm set for a while.For kicks, here is another piece I did with a mix of Chromacoal & acrylic a few years ago. Funny thing, sold this big canvas (3' sq.) right off my living room wall as soon as I hung it. Oh, if sales could always be so easy....

If you made it this far, thanks for your patience. I'm still trying to get the hang of this & I do tend to ramble.... Also many thanks to all of you who stopped by & commented. As I suspected, great minds really do think alike! Isn't it wonderful how shared inspirations can lead to so many different interpretations ?

An Arousal of the Mind...

I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety of definitions for Inspiration. My favorite is found on WordNet: "arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity".

Lately it seems everything inspires & new ideas present themselves faster than I can get them down. Perhaps that is part of why I'm scribbling here today. Hopefully my lack of an audience won't prove too embarrassing...

I'm going to start this blog with a question for anybody out there: What inspires you??? Please share, you may be surprised by just how many great minds think alike

I'd like to give special thanks here to Annette from Nut and Bee, whose awesome octopus stamp inspired my title image. If you get a chance. check her site out. Her unique art is full of wonder & whimsy! You can also find her items on Etsy at NutandBee