I love alaska in the springtime

If your like me, you're singing the song from French Kiss...."I love Paris in the springtime". Unfortunately I don't know the rest of the song. :)


For anyone not familiar with Alaska, we are beginning spring...almost. The sun is getting warmer (a scorching 45), the snow is melting and the trees are beginning to grow tiny little buds! It is extremely exciting.


Not only is it my favorite time of year because by this point I am beyond sick of snow. But also because it is my favorite time to paint. I am almost giddy at the thought of sitting outside in the warm sun (about 65) and sketching or painting. For me there is no better time to be creative than watching mother nature explode around me. And Oh Yes, she will explode. Right now the trees have hardly any buds, but one day very VERY soon, I will look out my window and everything will be green and glorious. 


I will be able to wear sandals and skirts and attempt for my skin to be its normal olive skin tone and not the pasty translucent color it is most of the year. 


I love spring! What is your favorite time of year? And do you find its easier to create something when your surroundings inspire you?

The joy of a really good panic attack

And yes that was complete and total sarcasm. Why the panic attack you ask? In one week I will be in a new town trying to make new friends and starting a new life. I fear I'm getting too old for this. Sigh, but complaining about the enevidable is like complaining about your shoe size...nothing can be done about it. So instead of whining like a wuss, I will make a list of my panics and the pros. Kinda like a two sided version of David lettermans top ten 1. Panic- moving away from all my very wonderful friends. Pro- moving away from all the people who annoy the crap out of me 2. Panic- moving away from all the happy little things like target and taco bell Pro- save money and just maybe loose a few pounds 3. Panic-moving out of my large house and downsizing everything! Pro-smaller house means less to clean and there fore less crap to fumble over and misplace 4. Panic- small town...I mean small! Pro- save on gas 5. I don't really have a panic for this one. A co-op art store that I plan on stalking and hanging lots and lots of my happy art 6. Panic- I can no longer use Jolene Perry as my own personal spur of the moment library when I want Pro- I get to use her like a real library and pick up a load of books a month at a time 7. BIG PANIC- way MORE stupid stupid snow! We are talking like eight feet of snow. A maze of snow that winds through the streets....THAT KIND OF SNOW! Pro- it's wet snow, so you can actually make snowman, unlike here. We have cold hard snow. And it doesn't get as cold down there. 8. Panic-I'm saying goodbye to the beautiful matsu mountains Wich I adore. Pro- I'm saying hello to the ocean, Wich I am simply in love with. Maybe I can even get a look at some whales swimming by. Darn it! I've run out of material :) I'll keep everyone posted on my upcoming adventures. When was the last time you had a panic attack? Reasonable or not.

Goals?

My very good friend and fantastic author, Jolene Perry, just did a blog on goals and how they are constantly changing. Seemed like a great idea for a post since I've been drawing a blank since my debut. HA! DRAWING, So I started thinking about my goals...what are they, how many do I have, are they different from this time a week ago, a month ago...a year ago? OFCOURSE they are! My current goal is to wear my awesome heels I've had since December without getting snow in them! A bit shallow, I know. So let's take a crack at them: 1. Start running more...anything at this point would be more 2. Finish the awesome scrap quilt I've started out of designer fabric 3. Successfully move to valdez without a panic attack 4. Sell a painting, greeting card, doodle..anything really, so I can truly live in the happy category of paid artist 5. (and this one never changes) have a wonderful life full of happiness and love So what are your goals? Do they change? Are the shallow like my fantastic shoe goal or are they deep and well thought out? And when you have your list, let's say your lucky enouph to check something off....how does it feel? Sometimes I'm a little sad after checking off a goal, especially if it was a fun process. Like a painting that was delicious from the first moment the idea came to me. My imagination and brush working in complete harmony and the colors so rich and deep you want to lick them. h

Paid Artist or Not

Being an artist is the easy part. Being a paid artist is where it becomes difficult. I have yet to become one...or have I. One of my very best friends has a happy little Heather Hubb art corner in her kitchen. She says I can sell any of them at any time (and I wouldnt dare) except one. Sunflower Americana sits in her kitchen, above her cookbooks. The colors are perfect! It truly belongs there, almost like its been there since her house was built and not the year since I've painted it. Today she forced money on me....and yes forced is the correct word. So what am I complaining about. Technically I've acquired my goal. Here's the dilema: the painting was always hers and I never expected money. OFCOURSE I'm grateful and eager to step into the paid artist category but did I really earn it. Is it the same as a stranger coming across something I've done,after looking at all the amazing artist that inhabit this website and saying "I must have it!"? Or am I just being ridiculous? Probably. In truth I'm probably going to spend the money taking us to taco bell...several times.

Neurosis

My very good friend and talented author, Jolene Perry has decided to interview me on her blog. She kindly sent over the list of questions ahead of time so i could attempt to be witty and creative with my answers;) One of her questions was "what neurosis do you share with you fellow artist?" I have yet to come up with an answer. First of all, I hate to admit it, but i had to look up the word. I knew what it meant, but I wanted to make sure. I defiantly didn't want to give a confident well thought out answer and have it be completely and totally wrong...which is normally how i put my foot in my mouth. Second of all...I don't know any other artist so i don't know if i share anything other than the madness to doodle on everything or constantly keep my mind thinking of new ways to create. So tell me, fellow artist: What are your neurosis? Do we have any of them in common? Id like to think I'm extra quirky and eccentric...how society seems to picture artist. But I'm pretty sure I'm not. Im just an average mom, sitting in a coffee shop, chugging back coco....or am i?

Who's Up For An Adventure?

I love a good adventure. So right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Valdez, Ak with my three kids. Our big thing to do today, watch phineas and ferb. How did this happen you might ask and what does this have to do with art? Ill get to that. My husband had to work and talked us into coming. "why not" I thouht. There was a hotel with a pool. He could work and we could swim. Win Win right. Nope. After a five hour drive with three kids who were promised a day of swimming fun, we arrive to find out the hotel is under construction. Why not just go to another hotel. Valdez is tiny and we were lucky to have one pool. So my adventure didn't really turn out they way i wanted, but its still an adventure none the less. 
Now for the artistic link: When your creating do you like to play it safe and totally prepare for whats coming or do you try new things and give it a shot and hope the gods of inspiration and cleverness will smile down upon you and make everything work? Or are the the kind of person you will study a new idea and technique till your sure it will happen just the way you want? Im the second kind. I dive right in and just go with it. If it doesn't work at least i will learn and try something different next time. Maybe next time i will call the hotel ahead of time and make sure there is water in the pool. 
My tie dyed trees are a great example. Ive seen a lot of pairings that have used dots. The idea caught my fancy right away. One day last week i just sat down and did it and I am pleasantly surprised with my finished result. An artistic adventure that did not disappoint. 
So how are you on adventure of any kind? Artistic and life. Are you a jump in kind or a plan every second kind?

Occupational Artist

So i have been a mom for over nine years. And unfortunately i don't get paid. Ive always hated the term home maker. What i really am is a chaos rangler, but that is never an option on insurance forms in the dentist office. Lately Ive been putting in artist. Im not really sure when i decided that should be my profession, but it is. Its what i love, other than my chaos. So why not make a career out of it. Why had i never thought of this before? I guess i thought i wasn't good enough, but i am. Probably not good enough for some collector to say "your unbelievably awesome, i want it all, name your price!" Then i can actually afford my obsession for jeans and nice shoes. But i am good enough to give it a real go and try for it. Kinda like this blog, I'm sure no one reads it and its okay. Its for me. In the middle of being the sherif in the crazy ranch that is my house, i truly enjoy things that are just for me. 
So after rambling a bit, my question for today is: How did you know that artist was your profession?