Big Easel Art Show and Sale

Well I haven't been writing in my blog lately, in fact, not at all. I've been doing something I enjoy so much more - painting. I'm getting ready for a local art show and festival call The Big Easel.

This has been a dream of mine since I first started painting several years ago. I can't believe I'm actually doing it! I'm so nervous and excited. I know everything is going to be OK, but the phrase "Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it." keeps replaying over and over in my head. Am I biting off more than I can chew? Am I going where I don't belong? It's very, very scary. I also keep telling myself it's a juried show, it's a juried show. If you didn't belong, you wouldn't have been juried in.

In fact, the organizer Jeffery McCullough has just featured one of my paintings in his blog. Check it out at www.jefferymccullough.blogspot.com.

Some of my favorite paintings that I'm bringing to the show are:

Joyful Expression - 24x24 - mixed media and acrylic on canvas



(The above painting is also the one that I will be bringing to the preview sale and party the Friday night before the show.)

This next piece is "Controlled Chaos". It also is a 24x24 acrylic on canvas.



This piece is a mixed media and acrylic piece done on a 18x24 canvas and is titled "Express Yourself".



This is another mixed media and acrylic piece done on a 18x24 canvas - "It's Different"



And I'm going to leave you with a really fun funky piece that I was playing around with. It's sorta out of the ordinary for me, since I usually do abstracts but I just wanted to do some funky colorful martini glasses. This one is titled "Martini Trippin' in Triplicate".



I'll try to write some more this week before the show and post some more work (I have over 60 pieces). 'Til then, no fear.

I'm Back & Acadiana Center for the Arts Submissions

Well, I've negelected this blog for way too long. I'm ashamed of myself. I've never been good at writing. So why did I think I could blog?????? I was the one who had pen-pals way back when (before e-mail and texting) and would always drop the ball. I would have people write me and I would keep up with it for awhile, but then after a few letters, I would get bored and be off to newer stuff. I swear I have adult ADD.

That's sorta how I am with my art. I'm constantly changing and evolving. I know what I like, but as soon as I do a few pieces in my current interest or theme "du jour", I'm done and off to the next thing that sparks my fancy. I really wish I could stick with one style. I do know I LOVE doing abstracts and abstract expressionism. I love the freedom.

I guess I haven't been blogging, because I've been painting and really trying to stay off the computer. I really have a time management problem. ADD??????? Could be.
Anyway, I submitted some pieces to the ACA (Acadiana Center for the Arts) for their 2009 Southern Open. It's a juried show here in Lafayette that will feature artists from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. I don't know if one of my pieces will be included or not. They will let everyone know by March 31. I will be blown away, like knock me over with a feather, blown away if one of my pieces is choosen. I submitted pieces because my art teacher said I should, so I did. We'll see what happens. The pieces I submitted are these:


"Are We There Yet" 30x40 acrylic on canvas


"Express Yourself" 18x24 acrylic and mixed media on canvas


"Fuzzy Thoughts" 24x24 acrylic and mixed media on canvas


"It's Puzzling" 16x20 acrylic and mixed media on canvas


"I Can't Hear You" 24x30 acrylic on canvas

Well, these are a few of my newest and favorite pieces so far. I have really been working a lot lately and as soon as I get pictures taken and downloaded, I will post them. 'Til next time (hopefully, it won't be 5 months - pitiful).

Thought for now: "The most essential question we can ask is: What is it I truly love?" I really need to ponder that.

Getting back on track

Boy have I neglected this blog. I have nothing to blame but laziness and sometimes I'd just rather do other things - like painting.

I started a oil painting class and it is so different from acrylics. I'm really liking it though. I finished my first piece, it's a contemporary interpretation of figs.




I really like it, I have it in my kitchen.

Also, I'm networking with some other, or I should say a lot of other artisans from throughout Louisiana. We all have our work on http://www.etsy.com. If you're not familiar with etsy, it's a website that sells all things handmade. It's really a cool site and you should really check out the LArtisans. I'm sure the official site is http://www.lartisans.etsy.com, this will bring you to a list of all the talented people who belong to our group and their wares. We make and sell everything from jewelry, candles, soaps, clothes for women and children, original artwork, natural mineral make-up to just about everything. You really should check it out.

Anyway, that's it for today. I'm going to try to post less and more often and each time post a piece of my work (which is why I started this blog, to promote my artwork!).

Well, til next time.

Kat

"The purest and most thoughtful minds are those that love color the most." - John Ruskin (English Art Critic)

Hurricane Gustav's Eye Getting Closer

Well things are picking up here. It's getting windy and we've been having light rain off and on. For the most part it's not too bad. We're boarded up pretty good and I can hear the wind blowing. The eye will be passing over in about 5 hours or so. Things are definately going to get interesting.

The funny thing in the midst of all this are the hummingbirds. Obviously I brought in my feeders and we can see the hummingbirds flying by the back porch looking for their food. The weather does not seem to be affecting them. I'm tempted to go put a feeder out.

I guess you're wondering how can she see the hummingbirds when her house is boarded up? My husband cut narrow peep holes in all the boards so it wouldn't be so claustrophobic and we can get an idea of how bad it's getting outside. Good thinking on his part.

The lights blinked a few times awhile back, but obviously we still have power. I don't know how long that will last though. The wind and gusts are definately picking up, we just had a pretty good gust a second ago. Maybe I won't go put out another feeder.

I've been hearing about the water spilling over the levees in the Industrial Canal in New Orleans on the west side of the canal bordering the upper 9th Ward. I hope those levees hold. God knows New Orleans does not need this. Maybe this storm will move quickly so the winds will change and the water will be pushed back out of the lake and thus the Industrial Canal. If N.O. floods again, I think it would be just too much for too many people.

Well, I'm really losing my train of thought and my mind is wondering. I'm getting back to the TV and storm coverage.

'Til next time - Kat

News from the front lines of Gustav

Well, it is the calm before the storm. Literally.

It's 10:30 p.m. here in Lafayette and it will probably start getting ugly sometime overnight, last through the day tomorrow and into tomorrow night. The next few days are going to be interesting to say the least. Especially since the eye is supposed to pass over Lafayette. Scary.

I thought I'd write a little while I could and I'll keep this blog up-to-date through the storm - as long as I have power.

Like I stated, it's really calm and still here right now. Sorta eerie. The funny thing though is the hummingbirds. I left my feeders out on my patio, protected by a substantial porch and attached to the inside of a large cypress post, and they are not letting up on the feeders. But all the other birds were very quiet this evening. Lafayette is like a ghost town. Everything boarded up, businesses as well as homes. A lot of people here have stayed, but are staying in just waiting. That's the hardest part, waiting and not knowing what's going to happen. It's really nerve wracking. Well, since nothing is really happening right now (but it's coming) I'm going to sign off and check back in tomorrow.

Hey, after this my tag 'No Fear Art' will have new meaning. Til tomorrow.

Kat

I did an abstract that I called "Eye of the Storm", I'll post it tomorrow if I can.
Well, I'll try now.



There, that's "Eye of the Storm". I actually did this piece about 10 days ago and it reminded me of the ragged look of hurricanes from the satellite images that you see. Little did I realize that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Hurricane Gustav

Well, as I've probably stated in past posts, I'm in South Central Louisiana, basically Lafayette and Gustav has us in his cross hairs.

We - my husband, son, and myself are staying. We are boarded up, stocked up, fueled up and ready. Our house is pretty sturdy and we are 25 miles inland and 25 feet above sea level (unlike N.O. which is below sea level). I'm sure we are going to be OK but it's going to get pretty dicey here in the next 12 to 18 hours. I'm worried about tornadoes.

We have 2 generators in the likely hood that we will lose power. At least I can run my refridgerator and maybe a small window unit. It gets pretty stifling hot here in South Louisiana and it seems to be more so after a hurricane passes. I think the storm sucks up all the air and brings it with it, so after it passes, it is so still, hot and muggy.

Well my husband has me doing some more chores, bringing in plants. So I'll write some more later.

Kat

Old New Art and de Kooning

It's been awhile since I've written anything. I guess I've been thinking does anyone read this? Why bother? Well, maybe one day someone will and I guess I just want to bring whoever up-to-date. Basically bring my art up-to-date on this blog. Just what the title says, 'Old New Art'. It's pieces that I painted earlier this year, so it's old to me, but it's new to my blog.

All of these pieces were inspired by Willem de Kooning. He was a contemporary of Jackson Pollock and was part of the Abstract Expressionism movement in New York in the 40's and 50's. I love his work, the boldness, the color, the craziness of it. To me he painted like he was angry at the canvas. I really love that period in art.

Well, I really can't think of too much to say this evening, I just get to the art.


This piece was the first one I did in the de Kooning style. It is called 'Breakthrough". It was done with acrylic on a 16x20 canvas.


This piece is called 'Chatter' and was done on a 11x14 canvas. I did incorporate some colorful fabric into the painting which was mostly done in acrylic.


This is one of my favorite pieces that I think I'm going to keep. It is so colorful and cheery. I actually did this one in about 20 minutes on a sheet of 12x16 paper canvas. I named this one 'Tropical Fish'.

I hope you like these pieces. Til next time.

Kat
- Fear eats the soul.