layering

working on a drawing

i fear that from now on my posts are simply going to be lists of things that have been knocking around my head since my last post. perhaps long gone are the days of unified posts on single subjects.

and so it goes....

a-- [see above] i'm trying to figure out a new way to overlap the stitching in my work. it feels like it's the next step in a natural progression, but it also feels strange. sometimes i want to go back to the way i know and used to do things. sometimes i think it's only artists that can get so obsessed with these sort of very minute milestones.

b-- i posted part two in my make believe collection on poppytalk . this time on the work of jen starkweather .

seed bead ring

c-- i'm a bit obsessed with this ring i have. i can't honestly remember where it came from. but i keep wearing it over and over. and i want to make my own. i found this tutorial on how to do it. now i just need the TIME. curse you time. i also want to make a stuffed toy out of an old pair of the little's pj's. but that isn't going to happen either.

box o stuffies

d-- i can't make any softies for fun b/c we were busy stuffing and closing the above stuffies for MODify/d . i think they look funny in a box together. what color would you choose?

plum blossom

e-- our weather is in a complete freak out. it was like summer on sunday. and today it is bright and sunny and windy cold. the plum trees everywhere are blooming like mad. it's beautiful. but the timing is so off. they shouldn't be flowering for a few more weeks... [not that i'm really complaining, just confused]

f-- i'm such a dork. while teaching i told my students that blind contour is like vegetables in art. they are good for you.... i've also said other completely silly things lately in class. am i turning into that totally ridiculous cliche of an eccentric art teacher? sigh. on a more serious note: i'm always surprised at how strongly students grab onto "rules" and wanting to do things "right". in my experience it is the drawings that don't look "right" that are the best. i love being able to see how they improve over the span of 3 hours.

pressed at the seams

g-- 3 bodies of work- targets, pigmentary portraits, domestic scenes - oh! and a few vinyl doilies on windows for good measure are on view at the clayman institute for gender research [how much do i like that?!?] on the stanford campus. there's a very sweet article on the show in their paper . i love shows on campuses because the academic nature and inquisitiveness of everyone involved is just so refreshing. i know we can live in a bubble where we can over analyze and theorize, but it's nice to have small ideas appreciated...

h-- the little is frantically trying to string multiple sentences together. sometimes they end up making very little sense, but it's so cute to see her trying so hard [and anytime she sees two adults talking she asks: what's xxx and yyy talking about?]. the other night she asked: where dada go tomorrow? i said: to work. dada said: yeah. work. who wants to go to work? poor dada. i said: poor dada. this morning she said: where'd dada go? i said: to work. she said: poor dada! [i'm keeping track daily of some little snippets she says - it's amazing to watch her process how language works. it really is]

Comments

blair said…
Lisa, there are so many things I love about this post. I love the overlapping effect you're working on, and I'd love to sit and steal a few minutes making a ring with you. Make time to do it, you won't regret it! And F is stringing sentences? I can't believe how fast its going! xo
Unknown said…
Wow, you seem to me like a cat with 9 lives, you're doing so many things or do you have more hours a day at your side of the world?
I can imagine that overlapping your stitching is quite a challange and I think it is typical for artists to try to go beyond your own borders.
And I love your ring, I'm obsessed with rings too, maybe I should give it a try too?
At this age the littles are always the cutest ever. Its good that you have your daily track.
gracia said…
I'm with Blair, there are so many things I like about this post... perhaps best of all that your list is both amusing and conversational. It reminds me of what it is like when you catch up with a dear friend and have so much to say that the order is what comes to mind first. Does that make sense? (It's been a long tiring day here... I'm a little scattered.)

Hope all goes well with the layering... finding the right balance can be tricky. I'm looking forward to seeing the progression. Yay! to you, you clever thing.

g xo
louise said…
I'm happy for you reaching the eccentric art teacher point in your life. I think it's a wonderful place to be, and I'm sure the more eccentric you become the more your students will remember your teaching. Really who could forget the vegetable comparison? xolj
julie said…
great post with lots to respond to..
a---love this work with layers. layers are good in so many ways.
b---just had a quick peek at jens work - i like it too!
c---i have ring like this too - greens and blues tho. and im with you on the cursing of time!
d---purple
e---beautiful image!
f---this is always a problem with me - trying to NOT get it right. it also reminds me of my girls and their artwork - at the age of 3-4 they come up with the most amazing pieces - so naive but totally true. then they reach the ages 5-6 they draw the 'set' drawings that their friends are drawing - the house with the triangular roof.. a little less magical.
g---congrats! i love your target pieces.
h---its great that you are writing down some of f's words.. wish i had. one more chance!
xx
i owe you a mail..
Koey said…
Oh, I really like that layering. Really interesting.
sophia said…
oh how i love eccentric art teachers! keeping track is good...so much happens and it's so easy for it to all slip away!!
i agree.the process of developing language is amazing...plus sooooo adorable to listen to.
Katrina said…
love the box of softies, love seeing your work always and all ways, and love that your students want the rules--makes me giggle. you are definitely not the cliche art teacher, you are the very cool art teacher everybody wants to study with... i'm sure! happy day to you.

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