Jelly 2

Jellies

I could really get used to spending my days in the studio. After a much needed vacation in Monterey, I feel completely recharged physically, emotionally, and creatively. The art camp I'm teaching isn't until August, so I plan to divide my time between creating new pieces, administrative tasks, and hunting for a part-time job. I'm not sure exactly where the new pieces will take me but I'm enjoying working on a larger scale, drawing inspiration from the lines and textures of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's jellyfish.

Summer Art Camps!

It's official! After almost four years of nannying and tutoring, I am saying goodbye to the wonderful family I've been working for and attempting to work for myself. My friend Julia DeShong and I will be offering summer art camps during June, July, and August. Wish us luck and let us know if you think of anyone who might be interested! Here is all the info:

Price: $180/week when you register before June 1st ($200 after, supplies included).

Themes: Meet the Masters, Art from Around the World, Modern Art and Crafting.

Location: The Wonder Warehouse in Mission Bay or your private residence.

Times: Mon - Fri. 10am to 1pm OR 2pm to 5pm.

Teachers: Julia (ages 4-8 yrs.), Sarah (ages 9-13 yrs.)

Dates: Julia's camps begin June 1st, Sarah's camps begin July 11th.

Why Sketch?

Someone recently asked me why I do a relatively detailed sketch before starting on an actual piece. I didn't really have an answer for her. That's just how I was taught to work. It's kind of like the writing process. First you organize your thoughts, then you write the bulk of what you want to say, then you edit. But not everyone uses the same writing process and similarly, every artist has a unique method. Over the years I have noticed a marked difference between the pieces I plan out and those I just sort of go for. At least in my case, the planning makes a huge difference in the quality of the final product. It also cuts down on the "editing" I have to do at the end.

For my current series, I take reference photos first. Then I draw quick, miniature sketches from the photos to see which patterns and plants work together. Once I've found a couple winning combinations, I create a slightly larger sketch and do some of the cutting in order to get a better feel for the finished product. This allows me to make changes to the composition before I start working with more expensive materials. After completing the sketch above, I can tell that I want the pattern to be thicker, the leaves to have varied lengths, and that I have to be very careful sketching so that copious pencil lines can be easily erased.

Final Draft?

I've finished most of the cutting and painting...now it's time to put all the pieces together. I decided to attach the background layer and the pattern layer with spray glue. Presently, the plants are elevated from the other layers on pieces of cardboard. I think I'll leave them that way for a few days and then decide whether or not to glue them down. I like the way they look, but I'm wondering if it will make the art difficult to frame. As far as the series goes, these will be titled: North Park I, II, & III. Once they are finished, I plan to take similar photos in another neighborhood (possibly Golden Hill) and make three more.

To do:

Spray glue layers
Photograph cards and post on Etsy
Rewrite Etsy copy/change prices
Buy new blades
Paint final plant
Put Etsy button on website

Business Day

Today is just a business day. I visited my printer to take a look at the template they created for my cards. The template looks great, but they accidentally deleted the images I sent them to put in it. Consequently, Wednesday will mean another trip over there to look at a preview before I can place the order. I always forget to allow for life's glitches within the schedule in my head.

Once I get the cards back, I can take pictures of them, post them on Etsy, and hopefully start selling. I'm trying not to feel gloomy about all the upfront costs for this project. Up to this point, I am barely recouping what I spend on art supplies and printing. And so, for the four millionth time, I tell myself, "It's all part of the process, mija. Take a minute to look at how far you've come instead of how far you have to go."

Accomplished:
Sold 4 original pieces
Created and sold quality prints
Sold cards, found a greener option for printing
Created an Etsy site
Had my first "official" show
Taught my first art student
Hired a web designer who delivered a great site and logo
Finished two intentional series
Started a consistent blog

Working from home

The hardest thing about working from home is keeping myself from getting distracted by all the other things that "need" to get done. I have to mentally confine myself to the quarter of the kitchen that is my studio. The upside, however, is that all my supplies are always in one place, I can work whenever I want, and snacks are always readily accessible. Today I am resisting the urge to clean up the mess that is driving me nuts, do the laundry that has been piling up, and take a nap in the all too inviting bed sitting 15 feet away from my easel.

To do:
Finalize details of commission piece
Pay printer bill and order cards
Continue working on finals of succulents
Decide on and purchase paper for pattern backgrounds