Fun Art Project

So I have an idea. I love painting inanimate objects as portraits of people. I did this for my senior thesis using shoes. It was really fun.

What if I chose 5 people with peculiar and unique personalities, then painted portraits of different objects that I thought really exemplified these peoples personalities. It sounds kind of strange, but makes perfect sense in my head. Like, have you ever played the game "If you were a fruit or vegetable, what would you be?" Basically, it's the same thing except I'll paint whatever I stumble upon that looks just like that certain person.

Thoughts? This is really interesting, I might just have to do it.

Name Change

So I'm getting tired of this blog title. Not that I'm getting tired of my name-- I happen to like my name. I'm just getting tired of it being stapled across my blog. I'm looking for something a little more fun and intriguing... something that will make you curious to check this little number out. Suggestions are more than welcome :)

This thought was inspired to me by a fun other blogging artist I happen to know, who you should also know: An Accidental Assemblage

Enjoy!

The Piazza

So last night a few friends and I went to The Piazza in Northern Liberties. It is full of restaurants, bars, galleries, apartments, and one very large flatscreen TV. It may be hipster-central, but I love it. It reminds me, oh so slightly, of the piazzas in Italy. This one is way more modern. The two friends who are traveling abroad with me in 2011 came last night too. It was a struggle not to go on a complete craze of everything and anything Italian from sitting in a piazza for 3 hours. Not to mention, several of the apartment buildings surrounding the piazza are named after real piazzas in Italy: Navona (Piazza Navona in Rome), Erbe (Piazza delle Erbe in Verona), Del Campo (Campo di Fiore in Rome).

Gahhh. I can't wait until the day when I title a blog "The Piazza" and it's about me sitting and enjoying life in real Italian piazzas. This one in Philly will do for now though.

A New Leap in Art

So I just got back from an amazing week of vacation where I slacked off in every responsible aspect of my life, except for my responsibility to relax and enjoy myself-- that I made sure to do. I drew one time and it was awful and I didn't finish. But that's fine, I can work on it at home if I want to. The week was full of beach, seafood, books, water, wine, and aloe vera. I only got a little sunburnt on one day, and the rest of my beach days were glorious... minus the UNBELIEVABLY hot sun! I don't ever remember the sun scorching like that. I also don't ever remember a vacation to Hilton Head where we didn't venture out of Palmetto Dunes. There was literally only two times we left the plantation/resort/community area we always stay in: 1.) for some shopping that was only semi-successful, and 2.) for gelato, which was also only semi-successful (not a great gelato experience, but what else would you expect not in Italy?). And to be honest, I had absolutely no problem with our lack of excursions. I was hoping for a quick trip to Savannah, but once we were there and settled I was fine with just staying in. Our house was a 150 yd walk to the beach, and a 50 yd walk to the lagoon, where we sat at least once a day to either fish or just sit on the dock. One night we actually saw an alligator in the lagoon (there haven't been alligator sightings in the lagoon in yearsssssssss!). It freaked my brother out a little, especially since we had taken a canoe ride in the same lagoon that very morning. Whatever. We're home now with all limbs and digits intact.

Aside from getting a nice little tan and a ton of relaxation, the best thing was that I was able to clear my head (for the most part at least). I left everything at home-- friends, work, artwork, past relationships, stress, sadness, whatever had been on my mind before I left. And even better yet, I've been home for almost 24 hrs and none of that has returned yet. I'm loving it! I watched the final episode of Work of Art last night that I had DVR'ed, and loved it. I loved all of the pieces they showed in their final show and definitely agreed with the winner, although I think I would have agreed no matter who won... they were all great I think. But afterwards, like always, I tried to figure out what I would do. I've been having a hard time lately trying to figure out why I make art and what I'm trying to say with it. Up until my senior year, I focused on art because I loved it and I was good at it. I've never really had a real message with my art- aside from my love of making it- until my Senior Thesis. And since then, I've been seriously worried that that was the greatest piece I'll have ever made. I have had a hard time being inspired since then and a hard time coming up with pieces and projects. I can't focus or finish anything without getting bored with it and losing interest. Even most of my Italy paintings lose my interest after awhile... because I don't know what I'm trying to say with them besides how badly I want to be there.

But last night while I was lying in bed I think I came up with something. It's still in the early stages, and still way too personal for me to really share what my plans are though. However, I will say that it will be a big jump from anything I've ever done and may look nothing like what people think of me. To be totally honest, I'm terrified to start it and don't know when I actually will. I almost feel like it's too private/personal to even start at home. I don't really want anyone involved yet. I just feel like this piece or series with be a big help to me.

In the past few months, I've had 2 people who have meant more than the world to me tell me that it seems like I either hide all of my feelings, or it seems like I don't have any, and they don't know how to talk to me. It sucks. I think this new project will address that and hopefully put those opinions to rest. Now it's just to decide when to start.

Seventy7 Kids

I finished the mural for Seventy 7 Kids today in the Cherry Hill Mall! I'm so excited. My arms and hands ache, my wrists and forearms are sore, and I think I have temporary nerve damage in my right index finger (unrelated injury from spray painting Friday, but still painful and awkward), but all totally worth it. The kids were mostly a big help, and I only had to make some slight touch-ups here and there.

The company I was working for is called Relevent, a marketing firm based in NYC. They sent me a painting they wanted me to replicate onto these big canvases, so unfortunately that means I didn't design this. But I did paint it! The two ladies I worked with were so sweet and helpful, and couldn't have been too much older than me. They were awesome. I gave out a bunch of business cards that will hopefully be passed around back up in the 212, and will hopefully lead to even more jobs!

The kids were mostly sweet and helpful and pretty much listened to whatever directions I gave (with the exception of one... 5 out of 6 isn't bad). I have to tell you, listening to middle school gossip and life-speak is HILARIOUS. I haven't heard so many "like"s and "OMG"s and "she was totally like"s in years. The best was when this one kid model for the store was in the store. Nicole, one of the girls I was working for, came up to the young girls painting with me and told them about the "cuuuute boyyyy". The little painters totally played it off like no big deal... until Nicole rounded the corner and they raced to the edge of the painting to get a look! Anyway, as much as I say I wish I were 10 again... maybe not.

Swimming Dolphins and Seventy Seven

Hello again!

So it has been a little while since I've posted, mostly due to the fact that I've been running around quite a lot lately. I've also been reading quite a lot. I've reread one book, have another to reread, and a list of close to 6 to work on... yikes. Summer is book season for me... I'm loving it.

I've finished a mural! It was for a good friend of my mom and her name is Dee. It was on a cinderblock wall in her backyard by her pool. It was a blast to paint, especially with her young son, Michael, wanting to help the whole time. The only thing that made it difficult was the weather. First it was so hot and humid that I couldn't trust that the paint would even dry, so I waited for the humidity to cool down. Once it did, I got started... and the next day it rained. And the next. For almost 5 days I was postponed again because of the rain. Finally the rain stopped... and the heat returned-- full force. But I kept going, painting in that awful 100 degree heat for as long as I could stand up without getting too hot! It took much longer than I had expected but I think it turned out pretty well!

The mural, with a fish and starfish painted by little Michael.

A close-up of the dolphin with a stalking shark in the background.

In the backyard.

Besides that, I start the mural for Seventy Seven Kids in the Cherry Hill Mall this weekend! I am beyond excited. I work with 2 kids for 2 hrs everyday, in three 2-hr shifts with the kids per day. The company sent me an elevation of what the mural is going to look like... but I'm not sure I can share it? There will certainly be pictures when it's finished though!

I'm still working on my plans for a trip abroad. I'm still not sure of the length of time... or the time of year actually. Originally, my thoughts had been to travel in the spring while the weather isn't too hot and before the tourists start arriving in droves. However, I've been looking into the city and country's yearly events... and so many happen in the summer! Not only that, but there are workshops and art summer sessions I can sign up for! But I also figure that when I am older and (hopefully!) a college professor or art teacher at least, I'll have the summer off to travel if I choose. I almost feel that if it's feesible for me to go in the spring, in such a beautiful time of year... why not do it now? So now I don't quite know what to do. Maybe make the longer trip for the spring and in a year or 2 do the summer thing? Or vice versa? I have no idea. I have to talk to my friend(s) who are coming with me too.

Still working on the studio space in my basement too. I moved things around so that I feel like I have more of my own little space.

I'm working on a table (either finding or building one), and putting up a dense cork wall or a drywall on my one large wall to do some really large paintings. The one thing that I haven't come up with a solution for is difficult. One of our cats has... how to say this... a "bowel problem"? Needless to say, it makes conditions down there a little stinky at times. Not pleasant. But I'm working on that too I guess?

I almost forgot... VACATION!!! I'm my opinion of paradise. My family and I are going back to Hilton Head Island, SC for a week. This will make it our 18th family vacation there. I literally cannot wait. We used to go every summer until I was about 16. We went again 2 years ago, and my friends and I took a trip down 2 years before that. I've been to a lot of places-- a lot of truly beautiful places-- but there is nothing like crossing the bridge onto the main road... riding bikes through the golf courses at night... the Shelter Cove marina... the lagoooooon!... crabbing in said lagooooon... sitting on a beach where you aren't within earshot of the next group on the beach... fresh caught seafood... the striped lighthouse... sighhh. There will be a handful of quality pictures of this, too. T-minus 11 days.

I think that will wrap it up. Ci vediamo!

Art Gigs!

Lots of new things!

First of all, I'm starting Dee's mural after this coming weekend. Buying the paints and everything Monday after work, then hopefully starting to paint on Tuesday. However, Tuesday is supposed to be obscenelyyyy hot... so I might go down the beach or paint at home instead. Her mural is outside with little shade, so I don't know how long I'll last out there. She does have a pool though... :)

Second, I got a second art gig! I emailed about a job on craigslist for an artist to paint a background for a window display in a store in the Cherry Hill Mall, and I got it! I just found out a few days ago, but yay! It's pretty big, 16'x6' and at first glance it looked pretty complicated. But now after checking it out a bit more, I'm sure I can handle it. And I'm so excited!!!

Besides that, not much else new. More ot come soon!