I was doing a design challenge, and had come up with the image below, when I started to question if this was ok? or an example of cultural appropriation. I found my way to yoga several years ago as a complete ‘practice” not just “exercise, including meditation & understanding it is an ancient practice of self-realization, it’s not about wearing the latest and greatest yoga clothing, and signing up for expensive courses, it’s about understanding the names of the poses, the significance, the history. So I decided this design was not appropriate for me to use as a design entry. It’s not “offensive” but I didn’t feel good about using it. These all have significance, that should not be commercialized, in my opinion. So I opted for a fun & funky cycling pattern. My art always has to reflect who I am, and what I believe, I know know one cares, but I just thought I’d share it here, I think all the West does is promote yoga as a commercial enterprise...clothing. mats, retreats, that most of us can’t afford or need, the “path to healing is yoga”. So I chose a path of integrity!
The whole process gave me time to examine my thoughts on corporate greed, and why I have to stay respectful in my art, and how my mind works. If it feels wrong, then it is, pretty simple, and I’ll continue to do my yoga in an old tee shirt & jogging shorts or pjs on cold days, with mindful meditation in the morning, it keeps me where I need to be! And, I don’t consider it a waste of time spending so many hours on this illustration and not using it, it brought me to where I needed to be, to re-visit my original reasons for seeking yoga!
I’m celebrating ... 6/8 portraits done for the March portrait challenge, and 17 days left in the month...woo hoo! and I discovered I really enjoy doing portraits, who knew? that’s the fun of these challenges, trying things I wouldn’t normally do, and now, I have a few pieces I can add to my portfolio; and also celebrating that the thermometer hit +4C today, despite waking up to more snow this morning! I can almost smell that wonderful “mud” smell of Spring! I’m trying to temper my enthusiasm, because I know there will still be lots of cold & snow to come, but this is my first glimpse of “freedom”... freedom from winter boots, winter coats, hats, mittens...I was so excited I dug out my cycling shoes...who else hates Winter?? it was the inspiration for a few block prints I did this past week, but other than that, I’m so over it! and I prefer inspiration from things I love & enjoy, like music, cycling, motorcycles...rather than things that make me miserable! anyway, just thought I’d share this brief celebratory moment & this cartoon I did this morning, cheering on Ferris...see ya snowman😝 and I’m feeling energized, more than I have in months!
What’s your favourite Season? if you’ve been following me at all...you know it’s Summer for me....all the way😎😉can’t wait to start cycling again! its been busy... I’m currently doing an online course called “how to be a working artist”, by Lisa Congdon, and one of the things recommended is “blogging”, letting people know more about you, what you’re doing, your thoughts and processes. I’m trying, but my life is not that interesting. But, I can let you know I’ve been very busy this week, I completed 3 portraits for a March online challenge #portraitchallenge_2019 and while I rarely do portraits, I am thoroughly enjoying creating them, working in mixed media including ink, gouache, coloured pencils & watercolours. I have chosen subjects that have influenced me & my life, and how I “see” them! and I love trying to capture the subjects “spirit” in their eyes, perhaps the eyes really are “the window to the Soul” as stated by the subject below
I’ve included my favourite portrait below in several stages, but if you want to see more you can find them here https://www.instagram.com/kickstartmy_art/ I also completed 3 food illustrations for an online competition this past week. I’ve never drawn food before, so that was interesting, including one drawn using a new technique I just learned this week, digital, block-printing. I’ll include the link for that below as well. So I was busy, 8 new illustrations in one week, that’s a first for me! and still going! That’s my week, throw in daily yoga & dog walking, tunes & carafes of coffee,..and best of all...finally a week with no snow shoveling😝 here’s the link for the block print food illustration http://theydrawandcook.com/illustrations/12723-fresh-from-the-garden-pasta-sauce I’ve never done a “series” in my artwork before; no particular reason why. I’ve done a few 30 day drawing challenges, but not a collection or a series! I’ve done the same subject in different mediums, but no series, so I guess it;s time! I’m doing my favourite live music venues as a series. These will be the venues where I’ve had some great musical experiences, they may not be the most extravagant or expensive, but for me, they hold great experiences & memories, seeing some of my favourite musicians, up close & personal, that’s what makes them special!
I’m working on 9”X11” watercolour paper, and some may be mono-chromatic, each will be unique & tell a unique story, I hope! for instance, the one I completed & posted yesterday got very “busy” but it’s also been widely appreciated ( apparently, I’m not a very good critic of my own work, I just make it) and I love how it turned out, says so much about the venue & more importantly my experience in Boston! I do love that city! All will include my funky hand-lettering! I really enjoy doing these, as it lets me relive some great nights of music, while creating some pretty cool draintings! The number is steadily growing though, up to 8 venues so this may take a while! I keep remembering more, I’m sticking to the small venues😎 So here are the 3 completed pieces together, what do you think? #musichealsthesoul this could make a great poster maybe, or postcard series? hmmmm as always, feel free to share🙏 January is over, and I’m not going to miss its’ freezing temperatures & everyday snowfalls, and I’m not going to miss the shovelling either, but 3 days into February andI’ve already shovelled 2/3 days...grrrr🤬🤮. but I’m not going to rant about the weather, I’m here to evaluate how my “vision map” is working, a self-check, did I stick to my plan for January? short answer Yes!! I freakin did... even though a ton of time was spent viewing online courses, and updating my website, administrative work, it is necessary!
January’s “goals” - updated my website, better categories, ALL NEW photos of my work, easier to navigate ✔️ - updated my facebook artpage cover photo, with a photo that says more about me, who I am & my current artwork✔️ — started writing blog posts again, not daily, but a few times a week (altho I may change to wordpress as weebly is ticking me off)✔️ - posting daily on my fb page, tumblr, instagram, weekly on pinterest, and responding to all comments, engaged✔️ - signed up for a online course on becoming a “working artist” learning from the best✔️ - sold some original pieces ✔️ - made art everyday, tried new things (pastels) see pet portrait below, my guy Ferris!✔️✔️✔️ So I did it...1/11 months, but I did it!! so here’s February’s goals, and while you probably don’t care; by writing these down & sharing, it makes me accountable! February goals - 📌update my prints in my FineArt America site & in my Inprnt shop-add new pieces -📌 look into selling digital downloads (more research) & selling to shutterstock for images, icons(again more research, evening reading) -📌 open an Etsy shop (?) -📌 make list of where I’d like to see my illustrations, what floats my boat! who would be my perfect client? dream big! -📌 continue with my online creative course (50% done viewing) -📌 get out of my Winter Ennui funk, it’s real & not pretty😕 -📌 continue making art daily -📌 make my vision map bigger, so it stares at me everyday as a reminder....PERSEVERANCE!! -📌 DON’T GET DISCOURAGED!! -📌 DON’T GET DISCOURAGED!! That’s a full month, and a lot of work! oh & I started a 21 day kick-ass yoga program for my mental health & cause with all this ❄️🤮 the running has been sidelined, our streets & sidewalks are barely passable! I’m 2 days in & my butt & abs are cranky😝 I’ll keep you posted! here’s a shot of my studio, a shot of the snow, and the pastel piece! thanks for reading! have a great week, or not, your choice!🙏 Not much to say, I should be writing about creative shovelling, as it seems that’s all I’ve been doing lately, and so unmotivated, can’t even bring myself to do my yoga lately, and I’ve definitely hit a creative block, all I want to draw or paint is motorcycle themed scenes, and I know no one enjoys those but me. I have to be authentic to myself, but I still need followers & likes, comments to build my audience, even though the numbers shouldn’t matter ( say those with 30 000 followers) easy for them, I do have to consider my “audience”. Anyway, I’m sure this will pass, hopefully soon, I can’t travel to get reenergized or motivated with new “scenery”, I’m stuck here, my scenery is higher & higher snowbanks, and cold temperatures, not exactly “inspiring”. I sit in my studio & the snow continues to fall, 24/29 days, colder & colder, no sunshine & major ennui! So I’ll try making my own “summer”, bringing my own colour into my bleak world, and despite my “floral” comment in my #studiosunday video on fb, I can do florals, I just prefer not to! but, here’s an ink & watercolour piece I did yesterday, loosely based on a photo I took last Summer, some wildflowers in a junkyard amongst rows of old windows 11”X14”/ink and watercolours (white lines added digitally as my gel pen died, or froze?)
The other two pictures are my view out one of my studio windows...nothing but gross snow, I’m off to cry now...carry on. I just illustrated a map of our bouvier Ferris, exploring our backyard, and it’s made me realize, I need to live my life more like our dog! He is so happy, he wakes up happy & no matter what happens during the day he remains happy! I admit, I often wake up feeling angry (especially during the Winter, like this morning, seeing more snow, and knowing I have to shovel...again) and his joy for the new day awaiting us, often angers me even more! I’m not proud of it, but it’s a fact, I acknowledge it & I am trying to change that! He is as happy in his backyard, as he is running in an open field, or running with me, or digging on the beach! or carrying his favourite ball in his mouth. He is more than satisfied with what he has, wherever he is, and embraces it! Me, I seem to be discontent most of the time, I don’t like where I live, I’m always thinking of where I’d rather be. I need to be more like my dog, be happy, let stuff go, and just take each day as a chance to start over & explore where I am, and make the best of it! maybe roll in the snow & make snow angels! Dogs are always living in the “present” the “be here now” and I while I wear that around my neck as a constant reminder, watching Ferris at play is an even bigger reminder...”be here now”...it’s all we really have! so I need to just embrace it and go with it!
I love illustrating maps, I took an online course in” map-making” and I became addicted. I loved spinning the globe (remember the globes in classrooms) I was even gifted one once at Christmas, what a thrill; or page turning in an atlas. I always dreamed of travelling & seeing more of the world, hasn’t really happened that way! but I still love the spirit of adventure & travel! I did get to Ireland, and I’ve done a lot of travel within Canada, I’ve driven across Canada several times but haven’t made it to Newfoundland yet, but did travel to the Iles de la Madeleine and fell in love with them, it was the first map I illustrated. And I’ve travelled a fair amount in the Eastern US states, not mind-blowing travel, but I’m grateful for what I have been able to see!
I always wanted to escape, run away, leave my family and never look back. I think that’s why I enjoy illustrating these maps, I don’t have a lot of world adventures to record, but they allow me to tell my story, my adventures, share my memories. And I think that’s what I love about my motorcycle, it’s not fast, it’s not sleek, but to me, it;s the essence of travel, back roads, secondary roads, getting off the super highways & exploring my surroundings! I may never get to ride to California, but I can explore the hundreds, if not thousands of km within my own province. And those travels will hopefully make it to a map someday. That is the purpose of a map isn’t it? finding your way? and I still haven’t found my way, but I will never stop looking! I love unfolding a new map, using a highlighter to mark my journey, doodle on it as I travel, interesting scenes or attractions, and then unfolding that map many years later & reliving it, try doing that with a GPS! Anyway, I think that’s why I love maps & why I enjoy illustrating my own, they let me tell my story, through my drawings & text. This one pictured below is my current map in progress, #7 in the series ( the rest are on my website if you care to have a look) So get out there & explore your surroundings, turn off the GPS and the smart phone and use a MAP, you might be surprised at what you see & what you discover about yourself! #oldschool here’s the link to the kourse if anyone cares https://sketchbookskool.com/kourses/lets-make-a-map This is a company that knows marketing! they know who’s paying the bills & willing to spend on their furry little, or big friends! the dogs aren’t reading this after all, it’s the humans! and they are hitting you right in that sentimental gut! “awwwww, so cute”, I mean, seriously, look at this letter that came in our December holiday Bark Box. This is a US based company, they offer great products, free shipping, yes, EVEN to Canada (and even with the exchange rate it’s still better value than I can get here) and the presentation is incredible! from the names of their treats, to the cartoons on the boxes, and tissue paper; fantastic marketing & branding! and they do provide out of this world customer service!! I only get 2 boxes a year for our bouvier, but I have been nothing but impressed! this is how to market yourself! of course, it doesn’t hurt that they have lots of $$ behind them, but to me, it’s the little things that count, like this cutesy letter😝#goals ...ok not to be “cute”, but I hope that when people see my art or my website they leave it feeling “better”. That it brought them a smile, or joy, or just let them look at life differently, or think about the subject in a different way. Maybe that’s asking a lot? but people tell me my work is “uplifting” & vibrant, full of life, and I’m good with that!
I’m currently taking an online course called “Becoming a Working Artist”, by Lisa Congdon, hence the “vision” map mentioned in the previous post, and a lot of the course is on marketing, developing your brand, who/what do you want people to see/feel when they see your website, your social media accounts...who are you as an artist? I’m slowly taking steps toward my goals, this week was makeover my website✔️and new cover photo on my fb art page(coming soon). It’s taken me away from the creating this week, but it has to be done, it’s necessary work. I call it shameless self-promotion, but if I don’t believe in myself & my work, how can I expect anyone else to! Now, read this letter, especially if you’re a pet owner, I bet it makes you smile, well-played Bark Box, well played! |
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