Monday, May 30, 2011

New Art Attempt

This weekend has been very relaxing... three days of minimum work, no transporting kids, no cooking for kids - just me, myself and I. Spent the whole day yesterday working on my store and had one of my best sales days so far - very exciting!! Taking photos, uploading, packaging, and shipping - it's all very satisfying. I was hard at it until about 10pm and then I had to force myself to stop. Lots of new travel ephemera and a new batch of photo grab bags - check them out :-)


1965 Brochure for the Trans-Canada Highway - lovely


TWA City Map from the 1960's - very colorful inside with cool stewardess graphic images



Early 1900's authentic French Post card with a pretty long note on the back from an aunt to her nieces.


Today, I will be mowing the lawns today, going to get my passport photos taken downtown and then I'll be back to the business of art. Then a little creativity will continue... as in making some actual art. I am also finally trying to do some larger art pieces - just playing around at this point. Scraps, gesso, acrylic paint. I have been looking through my art journals for inspiration - this is what I have so far -





These are 12" x 12" plywood panels


I either painted with acrylic paint or gesso to start
Then I added a few scraps of papers. I will continue to add layers until I am satisfied :-)


I hope that you all have a lovely, creative day also my lovelies... kso xoxoxoxo

Monday, May 23, 2011

Gathering or Purging

Which is it?


I have been a gatherer most of my life. I am the great saver - of just about everything!! We moved on average every 18 months when I was growing up and that usually meant getting rid of things so we could travel lightly and cheaply. It got old and by the time I was sixteen I was done – I wanted to live with a different family and stay put. Over the years, I developed a simple way to get through it - I collected bits and pieces that could be kept in a compact shoe box - thus the ephemera addiction!!

When I discovered art journaling a few years ago I thought "Yeah!! Now I have a justification for saving things". The main problem with this is that you have to be very organized and/or you really should use it right away. Otherwise, you get overwhelmed by all the crap! I have reached that point and really need to let things go.

I have resolved to purge for the rest of the year. It's not a revolutionary idea for me – I’ve done it before. I have reached that stage in my life when I am no longer creating a home for my children to grow up in. They are each spending less time at home – school, friends, first loves and time with dad – it all adds up to more free time for me. I’m now preparing for the day when they will be leaving forever to make their own homes. I am thinking of downsizing and possibly traveling more, so I need to lighten my life and eliminate some of the clutter.

My son will be graduating high school next year and will most likely stick around and go to community college – he may or may not stay at home – he’s undecided. He is more relaxed in his approach to life - he really lives in the moment. He is a home body - and while he loved his trip to Peru last month, he missed his love and the cold, grey and dreary climate of Seattle.

My daughter - on the other hand - hates Seattle and can't wait to get to NYC. Her goal is film school - more specifically the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television. She is anxious to be gone and away from the drama that has been created by dad (and mom) battling in court, the weather, boring high school and she wants to be on her way.

Anyway, I appear to have more time to figure out what I want to do when I “grow up” and I do believe it will be traveling. I imagine working for a few months each year and then traveling for a few – nice dream eh? Or maybe just a little place to land for three quarters of the year – kind of cottage by the sea? I tease my son that all I really want is a little shed in his back yard – “You’ll never even know I’m there.” Then I can leave on a whim and have someplace to visit. Anyway, wanting to travel means not really needing much. I’ll do a little bit each week and eventually I’ll get there…



I have put a few things in my shop this past week – collage packs, vintage photos, british magazine pages, yearbooks from the 1940’s. I’ll keep purging and maybe someone else will treasure them or make something new with them – either way it’s time to move it all along to someone else.

Collage Packs




British Mags




Black and White Photo Packs - great price!!



The flowers are beginning to bloom, inspite of the crappy weather. It's getting a bit aggravating - one nice day out of seven. And it's almost June and the heat is still needing to be turned on - I see $$$$ floating away. It should be warm enough to forego paying to stay warm - where is the sun???? I am going to get back into posting more frequently - as things have settled down a bit here on the home front. I will also get back to posting art again, so stay tuned.

All for today, my lovelies,

kso

xoxoxoxo

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Art Reception a Great Success

Well, I am feeling a bit less pressure today :-)

The big student art show that I work on every year is almost done - we had our big artist reception last night. Met many of the artists this year - so many of them showed up to meet the public. It was a lot of fun - and plenty of great art. Many who came to view could not believe that it was all created by 15 - 18 year old students... I felt the same way.

And then there is always that urban experience that happens in the city - the local skate boarder boys and the homeless contingent dropped in and devoured the food and drink offered to the art show patrons. Great juxtopostion of culture and grunge :-)

The evening was filled with live music provided by the BHS Jazz Combo - they performed to rousing applause and gave the whole art show a very coooool vibe! Five boys and one girl - fabulous musicians!!

We had a special room for veiwing student produced films. Five films which were really intriguing and thoughtful. Matt Lawrence who is the head of this department is a wonderful teacher - positive, engaged and enthusiastic. He has sent many students to NYU Film School and his students continue to win national awards for their films. My daughter is in his program and loves it - NYU is her new goal!!

The films were -

HENRY by Amelia Elizalde, Levi Friedman, Sean Hendricks, Sheridan Koehler - about our local Ballard artist who paints murals on just about any open, used space. Playful works of art that our local Seattle Times art critic hates!! The film was a contrast of interviews between her and Henry.


BURSTING by Misko Crkon, Alex Johnston-Thomas, William Westgaard - a techno visual music video. Reminded me of a 1970's drug induced experience - really cool!


WITHOUT OUR CARS by Sydney Jarol, Dylan Miller, Ryan Zemke - about the bike community in Seattle and the movement to get people out of their cars.


REAL WORLD by Matt Law-Phipps, Tony Meyer, Ryan Zemke - a dramatic story about why it's important to get an education and enter the real world. You really cannot get a job when all you do it play with your Legos, video games and hang out with your friends :-)


REVERIE PORTAL by David Moore, Kenji Takada-Dill, Blair Scott - my fave!! An abstract film that follows a boy and a girl throught the woods to a door and heartbreak. The filming was beautiful with many interesting angles, shots and movement!


Last week a couple of us Art Boosters were interviewed by the Ballard News Tribune and I was quoted - kind of cool!!


Today it is once again raining - blah... it just doesn't seem to ever stop!! I
am going to hole up in my house and work in my journal - I have lots of
catching up to do.

All for today my lovelies,
kim
xoxoxoxo

Thursday, May 12, 2011

The Last Few Weeks...

This is what I have been working on - the Student Art Show for Ballard High School. It's sponsored by the Seattle Public Library and takes place in conjunction with the Ballard ArtWalk that takes place on the second Saturday of the month. Every May, for the past five years, we have partnered with them to showcase the artwork of our local high school students.


This year 55 students contributed ceramics, photography, fine art, jewelry and video shorts to the show. That means there are over 250 pieces of some form of art to display.

We are having a reception this Saturday evening - live music, food and drink, a "Showing" of the films and lots of fabulous art to view.



So, in preparation I've been picking up, cataloging, tagging, pricing, transporting, setting up and then standing back and admiring all this artistic glory!! I had many helpers, for which I am truly grateful!!



It is a mammoth job. I will relax a bit on Sunday. But for now here's a small look at what these kids came up with this year...

On the art/business front I am continuing to purge things that I will never be able to use in my lifetime. I am selling little packets of vintage photos in my etsy shop

25 random photos for $3.75 plus shipping - that works out to 15 cents a photo - a bargain!! I went through this phase a couple of years ago and bought way too many - time to move them on to another who will actually do something creative with them. Take a peek :-)

All for today my lovelies,
kso
xoxoxoxo