You were born with wings

new speckled eggs available in the etsy shop


Going through my stuff in my constant desire to purge and simplfy, I found some projects from my metals classes in college. I took several metals classes, as electives, after discovering that a drawing minor would eat up any opportunity to do something other than draw.

It is actually fairly fortuitous that I came to these classes late in my college career because at that point, I was already developing themes in my work and it was interesting to see the themes carry over into different media naturally without thought or planning.

a sandwiched pendant with riveting, acetate, and stamped words from metals class

Birds were something I latched onto right away. There were very strong themes of home, creating a home, and what it meant to be a modern female operating in today's society at that time, in my work. I have always struggled with these roles and the passing years have eased my angst on the subject. I realize now that it is less of something to be defined and more of embracing my own individuality and creating my own paradigm.

a domed birdcage pendant I made, this may have been metals II

interior with feathers and etching

After years of struggling through the post college amphora of identity and career, it is wildly satisfying to see how my work has come full circle and still embraces many of the themes that I followed so many years ago (can it be almost 8 years????)

now I've come full circle, now I've come HOME



How it has now changed and taken shape and how I have found the wings I've been seeking all these years.


You were born with potential

You were born with goodness and trust

You were born with ideals and dreams

You were born with greatness

You were born with wings

You are not meant for crawling, so don't

You have wings

Learn to use them and fly!

~Rumi

humble pie.

Do not worry about your originality. You could not get rid of it even if you wanted to. ~Robert Henri


You want to know what I did today?

Of course you do.

No?

Well, too bad, I'm gonna tell you because I need to get it off my chest.


Earlier in the week, I found another seller on Etsy selling beads similar to mine. They weren't exact copies but they were close enough that I took a wee little peek at that shop.

Now, there were lots of generous interpretations of not only my beads but also some other art bead makers. They were enough different that I just let out a big sigh and moved on until I saw her item descriptions. They were copies, almost word for word of my item descriptions. That irked me.

So I began stalking Etsy looking for others that might perhaps be doing the same thing.

You know what I found out?

Someone was making the exact same thing as me.

And had been, a long time before I was making it.

I was shocked.

It really bummed me out because I thought that specific item was really unique and cool and I was even considering making a tutorial on them and I have ready a ton of them to list in my shop tomorrow. But now I won't because that just isn't cool. I'll probably still make jewelry with them but whatever...deep breath....gotta move on.


We, as artists, do what others cannot do. That is what what makes us special. That we can create things that others believe that they cannot. Part of the hurt that comes from "copying" is that our ego is slighted. Someone has taken something that we felt was original and are now capitalizing on what we believe is our own efforts. Part of being an artist, in my own humble opinion, is setting our ego aside and learning to stomach that someone did in fact do just that, perhaps even better than you. That's what I found out today. Someone else was already doing what I was doing, and better, I might add.....

Ppolymer clay is merely a medium for me, I've always said that. For seeking a deeper altruistic expression... What I've learned from this experience, is that there are a ton of people out there who have been exploring it for many moons before me. So I need to go deeper....

So, I will be taking time off from producing new lines. I will still be adding to my existing lines and if you want something custom, I'm always open to offers and questions and communication....But I'm taking some time to explore and wonder and craft.

I just need some time to find my voice again....

Fractal

My thought and creative processes have been very fragmented lately. And, trust me, they don't need any help in that matter in the first place. After the busy-ness of the last several months, I have been feeling completely tapped out.



I've been in this wild, wonderful creative journey long enough to realize the importance of being gentle with myself, with my creative spirit and my sensitive nature. However, it is still a struggle for me.



I haven't been working on new polymer. Actually, I have, I did this week. Worked on some fall inspired colors and owls to go with the changing of the seasons and transition my color palette. The majority turned into a floppity-flop, which is fine. I was experimenting with a new brand of poly (fancy stuff, even) I think given time, it might grow on me, but as of yet, the experience is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

It reminded me, once again, how ingrained our process becomes with not only our medium but even down to specific supplies.

I remember this, of course, after the fact.

Being a mixed media artist, I remember back to different times when I HAD to have a certain brand of cerulean blue paint to capture that thing, that essence, that specific quality I was seeking.

So it is putting me in a bit of perspective, centering me, if you will. Despite the fact I've de-cluttered my studio and my life numerous times, it has me thinking really hard & reevaluating the clutter and necessity of my process and how I'm
honoring it.



The old with the new. I've been experimenting with some techniques I picked up out of Stephanie Lee's Semiprecious Salvage. Here is my first finished experiment ♥

Keri Smith

feldman by keri smith on Flickr

I really don't know why I haven't visited Keri Smith's blog and website until now...I just never made it there. All you artsy-fartsy peeps out there will probably recognize Keri as the author behind such paradigm shifting work such as Wreck this Journal and How to be an Explorer of the World.

As an honest review, I find her books to be sort of a novelty to me. I've never bought one but I love them. I pull them off the shelf at B&N sometimes when I'm there. It is what I strive to do on a daily basis, to think about things in a different manner. They are the epitome of out of the box thinking. That being said, I might get to a point someday where I need more of that thrust in my work than I have within me and they would all be handy little workbooks.

But I love her blog and her website. It is just so refreshing. I was having a moment last week....

OKAY....

A DAY.

I was having a DAY. or a DAY and A HALF.

One of those days where you just feel like you SUCK. And nothing on the earth is going to change your mind.

And THAT is the day I found Keri Smith's blog. and suddenly I didn't feel like I sucked anymore. I felt normal.

YAY!

What made me feel better? It was this post. And the little free PDF's that she gives you and specifically, the page that has "HOW TO FEEL MISERABLE AS AN ARTIST"

GO THERE.
NOW.
FEEL BETTER.
OR BOOKMARK FOR A DAY WHEN YOU FEEL REALLY SUCKY AS AN ARTIST.

Working on the work

Working on the work. This is a phrase I came to use while I was in pursuit of my degree at SCAD. It is something we used to refer to all the time in the painting department. Are you working on the work? I've since come to find out that this is an educational philosophy, although I don't think this was intended at the time. I came to understand the phrase in my own way to constantly reevaluate the way one are makes their work. There becomes a stigma, in artmaking, to classify what you do as art. Is it art? Are you trying to make art? What is art? Is anything art?

Sometimes, especially when you are making for a living, you lose site of working on the work. You work to get paid. You have to pay bills. What you make becomes a product, a commodity. The lines of art and creativity and capitalism become strikingly blurred and apparent.

I don't personally classify anything I do to this day as art, no matter the vocabulary that sometimes spews forth from my keyboard or my lips. I continuously have to remind myself to keep working on the work. To constantly reevaluate my process, my objectives, my goals and find the thin red line that is a balance.

Today I'm in love with.....

...these. both already sold but view the amazing work of this wordy artist here.

Love....

popping in to show some new things. all inspired by love ♥

Love beyond measure Painting available here

Love is all that matters Necklace available here

so....

canvases prepped for painting
preliminary sketches ready for paint

I'm making a concentrated effort to blog everyday. Yes, I am. Whether it is bland, boring, exciting, fascinating or whatever. I'm making a more ardent attempt to document my life on my blog.

And so, being said, the last few days weren't so exciting. I've been making some new thick copper bezels, in simple inspiring words, that are now listed in the shop. Plus, I've been making a few custom orders. An order of custom studs for a wedding party (pics of which I'll show soon), some matching earrings for a necklace that was previously purchased, and I've also been inspired to paint.

It's odd, because ever since this whole jewelry thing took off, I haven't been inspired to paint too much. Which, in whole, probably has something to do with why I started making jewelry and beads in the first place.

However, in a strange way, the painting has started to creep back in. And I'm welcoming it, quite frankly. I miss painting. Even though I'm not sure quite what to paint yet. I'm just going with it and seeing where it takes me. Painting is my first love. I'm not a fine artist. I'll be the first to admit that. Even though I have the shiny fancy degree to prove it. My work lies somewhere between illustration and decoration and I'm okay with that. I want to tell a story but I also want to paint what I paint. I don't want to get caught up in any convoluted notions of what it means because it is what it is. I plan on finishing these up in the next several days and updating my long neglected art shop.

I've been working on this forlorn and f'ugly bust that I bought for a song at Ross or TJMaxx or one of those....She originally had a horrible wire cage bust. I've been working on updating her into shabby fab. It's been a process, fer reals.....No one else except for me would have spent this much time on a chintzy off price lady, but she is about to look spectacular as a display.

First, I covered her with a coat of Modge Podge and tissue paper to form a base. Then with a coat of modeling paste to cover the texture of the wire cage so it wouldn't show through, now I've been slowly collaging her....more to come.

Fine Art Friday

from the top:

1.boy and beaver original collage by cabin + cub $25
2. A Place Found on No Map by Heather Smith Jones $60 found on her new gallery site here
3.Where Does it Begin-Where Does it End by 904EastMillerStreet $125
4.Heart - EPHEMERA BLOCK - 1961 Anatomy Illustration by Sushipot $15


I love original art. There is just something wonderful about having the actual work of an artist hanging on your wall. You can see the marks and brushstrokes they made and to me, there is a connection made between two people.

This is the essence of buying handmade. Forming connections and spending your hard earned money on something real and tangible, knowing that someone out in the world put love and effort into it. Art doesn't have to be expensive, although many times it is, but don't let that stop you from collecting original art.

There are many beautiful prints out there, but I just can't get over my love affair with original work. With a little time and effort, you can find gorgeous original work for not much more than you would pay for many prints.

delicate and lovely

Just had to take a moment to show you what arrived on my doorstep 2 weeks (no,can't be that long now!) ago and now I'm finally posting it! Another of my too pretty for words art swaps from the A Year Of Color blog hosted by Kari Ramstrom aka Artsy Mama.

My partner for this summer themed collage swap was Elise. She has a *gorgeous* little etsy shop and blog, all showcasing her amazing vintage finds. Not only are they adorable but they are packaged just so, as evident by the way my collage was boxed up. I literally didn't want to open it up! So, as not to disturb the lovely ribbon, pretty tissue and frippery.

There is this whole CLASS of artists out there who have an amazing sense of light airy color palette. Beautiful pastels, carefully chosen bits of metallic ephemera, all light as a feather and so feminine and pretty. Elise is one of them and I am *green* with envy. Me, even if I set out to do this, it ends up gaudy and colorful, like a circus. This is my curse. I just roll with it.

We chose a garden theme on an 8" square and I'm pleased as a Cheshire cat. There's a photo of me grinning like one, that Mike took when I opened it, but I'll spare you the drama...

You can see the collage I made for Elise here.

busy b.

I've just been bursting at the seams to share some new stuff with you and I think it is finally ready! Jewelry has always been a love of mine and so a couple of months ago, I was inspired to start making jewelry again. In all my work I have a love of printmaking, stamping and embossing and so it once again has carried over into my jewelry work. I'm really excited and I've got alot more coming so stay tuned! This new work is for sale at my new shop called Floridity
I am thinking it deserves its own shop, no?
aloha,
b.

recently...

I’m back to the blog after a long and much needed hiatus. I’ve spent my time working on my creativity and contemplating this blog and what it will entail. I also just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania to visit my amazing family, whom I am grateful for everyday. I'm going to be frank with everyone out there, blogging does not come naturally to me. I'm a very solitary and secretive girl. I normally keep all my wild thoughts to myself and I often get caught up in what I should write, whether it is worth reading, whether I would want to read it myself. I write, I make drafts that I sometimes but rarely post....

I wanted to tell you about this amazing class I took with the talented Katie Runnels of The Constant Gatherer a few weeks back. It was held at the studios at Flatiron Studios in Greenville, SC hosted by Teresa of Art & Light Gallery. All during the month of May, there were Saturday workshops with several talented ladies such as Lily Pottery, Royal Buffet and Jess Gonacha in addition to Katie.

Katie is a fellow SCAD alumna and it was fun to see how she works and glean a little inspiration as well as make a fun still life terrarium. I was just tickled *pink* about how mine turned out, I'm actually working on a painting inspired by it...That will come soon.

There are more posts about Katie's class here & here.

My organizational tirade....or why I am Barbara.... a packrat.

Hello. My name is Barbara and I am a packrat. Boo! How did this happen?

I am a painter, amongst other artistic endeavors and so I guess I come by it honestly. One of my greatest weaknesses as an artist, I think, is that I like to do too many things. In art school, I was always envious of those who had this one media or vision that they never deviated from. For example, this one person whose focus was pencil drawing. They would draw and draw and draw with plain old pencils and never get tired of it.

Me, NEVER. If I drew, I wanted to try out every possible drawing media known to man. Pencil, colored pencil, pastel, oil pastel, charcoal. Same with painting. I like it all. Acrylic, oil, encaustic, collage….and the list goes on…..

For me, mixed media was and still is, the perfect vessel to try and focus my efforts. I am a Jane of All Trades. Herein lies the PACKRAT, in that I never expunge anything for fear that one tiny scrap of something will be the piece de la resistance of my greatest work ever. WHAT? That has never happened, but what if it did?

I think that I have every bit of art supply and bit and bauble I’ve ever accumulated. Actually, no, that’s NOT true, I’ve actually gotten rid of stuff, then I stumble onto some new nifty thing and I horde that as well. A sickness to be sure….

So here lies my dilemma…

mr. mike and I are leaving in just a few short weeks to spend the summer in North Carolina at the farm…we plan on gardening and practicing a much simpler lifestyle….But I need to figure out what to take from the studio so that I can continue to create up there, albeit on a smaller scale. We will have very limited space for transportation. We’re taking a small c-class RV plus the Corolla. I’m freaking out, have to tell you. I’ve been sorting and organizing for 2 weeks now…and the more I look at something, I keep thinking, WAIT! I MIGHT NEED THAT….

Being a mixed media type of girl, I always seem to want it all right at hand, so when I decide to add typeface with a stamp, I have 4 types of vintage antique typewriter fonts at hand to choose the perfect one. Or ribbon or paper, or wood, or canvas, or crayon. See what I’m saying?

So here’s my plan, I’m going to devise my perfect mixed media travel kit….and that is what I will take, all else left behind for the fall when I return and perhaps THEN I can purge the rest of it and I will FINALLY have developed this cohesive style that seems so elusive to me.

So stay tuned for my next post…. The perfect mixed media travel kit.

love freely.....

true love ornament
love freely ornament
Give away your love, freely and without expectation. Give it away, and soon your life will be filled with love, and you will have set others on the path of love and peace.
-- John Robbins (b. 1914)


New valentine ornaments are up in my etsy shop inspired by not only the one you call your sweetheart but also humanity in general

new work....

i have new work up on etsy and will have LOTS more in the next week. Whether good or bad, my work tends to manifest itself in waves, with lots of work being completed at once, so stayed tuned for many new works to appear.

collections

center, the last supper; top left and right, two vintage ladies; bottom left, brokeback mountain; bottom center, the blessed virgin.

one of my bizarre collections is vintage paint by numbers. i've had a penchant for them ever since i can remember. i don't have too many because i'm a)cheap and b)very particular. i like them to be very strange and kitschy and well priced. here is my collection as hanging on the wall in the kitchen chez mike's. i call the landscape one on the bottom , brokeback mountain because it a pastoral scene complete with cowboy riding a horse and the cowboy's shirt was painted pink. Classic!

coming soon: BOLOs

It has long been my hope to have enough time to blog regularly. but i'm not always willing to let people into wild imaginings of my mind, at least not to put it out into the ethos in writing. ha!

anyway, the internet is full of wonderful artists and like-minded creatures whose work i pour over daily and wish that i could share the love-li-ness with those who connect with me through my blog.

Be On The Lookout or BOLO is a word that infests my dayjob which helps pay my bills. This is the title i will give those artist's whom i am profiling in the coming weeks. Blogging will be a regular thing for me for now on....

Be sure to look for my first artist BOLO: Artsyrubbish!

covered in paint....

i've been a busy b. this week working on new work to list on my etsy store. I had my first sale from it this week and i'm very excited about that. It's giving that extra push to get my rear in gear and get those paintings i've been procrastinating about finished.

in addition i've also posted some new things on my kit of parts etsy store that i hope will delight and inspire you to create and spread love and peace to those around you.

i've taken some measures to reduce the work load at my full time job so i can devote more time & energy to my web offerings...

btw, if you are looking for some of my older work that is still for sale you can find it at my ebay store as well as my other hobby which is combing sales for lovely used surf/skate gear and home decor items.

junk paintings

new junk paintings are up on my etsy shop.