Art Race is a show that tracks two artists that cross America in 40 days and they only have their art to survive on. They have to sell, barter, trade their art for food, travel, and lodging. :) Sounds amazing but stress-full. Ben Sargen t a sculpture from Brooklyn, NY and Kenny Harris a classically trained artist from Los Angeles. Whomever makes the most money from the journey wins and loser has to give their money to the winner. I won't tell you who wins, but I was a little surprised....
It feels like fall today. Maybe almost Halloween?...
More practicing.... practice practice practice................ I don't know why but I love painting nuns. I took a bunch of photos for reference when I was in Italy of nuns and priests. I just think that it's so unusual know a days of people just giving up everything and devoting themselves to faith.. especially conservative faith.. when you don't have it give it all up for faith.. My feet and hands need work. :)...
So I think my people faces look a little mischievous? Here is my favorite from yesterday. Did I mention I have no idea what I am doing? I've read a few books on portraits.. watched videos.. but I think I enjoy painting the most when I am not thinking about all of the rules. Someone once told me you have to know the art rules before you can break them, but if I have to be more conscious about remembering the rules in order to use them- so where does that leave me?...
Who knew I was artistically therapeutic ? I always considered myself a little over detailed and always searching to grow and be the best person I can be with living life to the fullest. Wow, I sound like a after school special. Do they still have after school specials? Now I feel old....
Consumed: 1 bagel/light cream cheese, tomato soup, spinach salad, chicken --somewhat healthy :) so proud. Practicing painting faces this week. I have some figurative/portrait painting I am planning on working on soon. :) I can't believe summer is almost over! My favorite time of year for landscape painting is fall. :)...
Consumed: 2 starbucks, tomato soup, toast, creamy herbed brie, salami, strawberries, spaghetti My friend Anna Magruder :), she paints primarily portraits, but abstracts different parts of the features. After gesso, she typically does a base coat of a cad red. Aren't they fantastic? Don't you love the big Cheez its box by my head? Cheez it's are pure evil. :( I can down a whole box. I am still working on that 3'X3' painting.. crossing my fingers it will be done tomorrow. I typically sit with a painting for a little while to make sure it has enough balance and it makes sense.. well at least to me. ...
Consumed: 1 starbucks, 1 diet coke, grilled cheese, taco salad, lime chips, guacamole :) MMM Mexican food is the best when it's hot outside. I rounded up some of the books that I have read over the last year or so before deciding to make the career change. Anytime I want to learn something, I just get a book... Fine, I am geek like that :). They are all good books but my favorites would be Starving to Successful, Breaking into the Artworld, and the ever classic Taking the Leap . All 3 books are quick, easy reads, with the authors offering honest advise. I am almost done with a large 3'X3' painting. Woohoo! I have been working on it... which feels like forever... well maybe weeks. Hopefully I will have a pic up tomorrow....
Consumed: 1 starbucks, half a cheddar cheese sandwich, strawberries, 1 five guy bacon cheese burger, 1 order of Cajun french fries, 1 diet coke- :( the burger was not my fault- Tim made me .. I am going to be healthy the rest of the week I promise! It is sooo HOT here! I am practically melting in my studio since our AC is broken. I think i figured out who broke it... my 2 little angels. I think Yoda (black pug) looks guiltier then Winston (fawn pug). Here they are fighting over a pair of socks. Recently I found out an artist that I admire Kelly Neidig is battling with lyme disease. She started a blog Art and Lyme to document her journey. Here is the painting I bought from her a few years ago, which I love. Get well soon! Also! I was interviewed for a woman's life and style magazine,...
Consumed: 1 movie theater large diet coke, sushi!- Las Vegas roll and California Roll , miso soup, Caresse salad, popcorn, crunchy tacos. Tim and I had a lunch date yesterday and saw Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts. The movie was good but the book was even better. Tim said he almost fell asleep 2 times, but he was such a good sport. I already know he is going to drag me to that new Facebook movie. Would I watch it again? Rentable :) but I still love Julia. The movie did get us talking about where we are going to get away next. Tim is having his big 3-0 this December and he wants to get away but I don't think we want to cross an ocean. We were thinking maybe New Orleans for 3-4 days then hop over to Vegas for 3-4 days. Never been to New Orleans- it has me thinking about gumbo.. jambalaya, corn bread.. scary tours... Don't they have crocodile parks? Where they do tricks?...
So guess what? I am curating a show with 3 other lovely ladies, this is my first time curating anything. There are over 100 artists participating- so I know they say start small but it just grew into something large. Over the coming weeks I am going to document the process and I know I am going to learn a lot and hopefully I can share what I learn. My biggest strength is that I am slightly "detail orientated" :) if you know me I am totally neurotic with details. The show is called the Portland Tarot Art Show and its going to be hung at Splendorporium . Every artist picks a card and they do their interpretation of the card. We do have a blog up, and will be highlighting the artists as it gets closer to the show. Wish me luck! Also I would love to hear any pointers or tips for curating a show. Guess what else I got! I got a bump it today. :) My friend is having a bachelorette party coming up and we are all wearing them. Awesome.. I know....
Consumed: 1 starbucks, 2 cups of coffee home, turkey sandwich with dill Havarti, spinach/fontina chicken sausage, sauteed spinach, side salad with this awesome thai peanut salad dressing. I just watched this fabulous documentary on Alice Neel whom was an American portrait artist and many renowned artists attribute her portraits for inspiration. After watching the documentary, I thought she was sassy and wore her personality and honesty on her sleeve. The movie is on instant watch on Netflix:) So good! I'm slaving away in the studio this week and it's almost fall! Can you believe summer is almost over. ...
Consumed: Arugula pear salad, 2 pieces of Pizza, 1 starbuck, 2 diet cokes, strawberries and whipped cream (and I ate the whole stupid tub of whip cream.. whip cream is evil) My friend's husband recently just got back from China and look what they brought me back! A Chinese brush set with my name carved on the little red stamp. Now I just have to figure out how to use it. If anyone has any tips, please let me know. They also sent out an email of what he ate, which I thought was really unusual. :) First let me tell you about last nights dinner. Mr Du took us out for dinner and we had a very traditional meal that included a jello salad with that contained scallions and salted fish, another j ello that was made from blood and had some sort of skin and peanuts. We also enjoyed the luck three dish this included a turtle for luck, ox penis for fertility and garlic for health. Other dishes were orange soaked lotus root, beef ribs, pork with pepper, and some great mush room soup . Fu...
Last day! I can't believe it's over. So I didn't keep track of what I ate on the boat- I did take 1 picture to show, how horrible we were. Yes that is banana creme pie :) Yumm! Don't you just to love to read while on vacation? I was very proud of myself for only bringing 3 books. Actually I am extremely proud of my packing situation all together because I attempted to pack light. :) I read Eat Pray Love - which I can not wait to see the Julia Roberts movie. Next was the Happiness Project , which was my favorite out of three. It's about a New Yorker and her journey to find happiness with in her existing life. Also the ironic thing was that I met others on the boat reading this book and made some new friends. The Carrie Diaries , which was Carrie before Sex in the City. I was lucky 3 good reads :) Bye Bye Europe, till next time. We were thinking maybe London, Belgium, Paris next year. :)...
Consumed: I broke down and had a Starbucks :(. Isn't Crete beautiful? We only had a few hours here and this is our last day of vacation. Tomorrow and the next day is traveling home. Tomorrow we are at sea and then it's about a 10 hour flight from Rome to the east coast and then another 5-6 to Portland. ...
Consumed: greek yogurt, 1 orange fanta, 1 coca cola light, 1 orange slurpy type thing, and 1 gyro- I think it was chicken, potatoes Oh Greece- wish I could have eaten more, I barely tasted your food. :) It was about an hour and half train ride into Athens from port and about another hour trying to figure out how to climb up to the Acropolis, but we made it! We didn't have much time here, but we did have a great lunch. There was also supposed to be a train strike- so we wanted to make sure we were able to get back to port and not be stuck in Greece. :) We did reward ourselves with a large ice cream once we boarded the ship. ...
Welcome to Turkey! Consumed: 1 glass of red wine, french-fries, some type of spinach/melon goodness, Greek yogurt, salad with olive oil, lamb kabob. Hands downs the best thing we saw was the House of the Virgin Mary. She lived in this little house and to have rumored to die there. We each lit a little candle- made a wish and put a little note in the wall. I have never seen anything like this in person, such a magical place. Ephesus was packed with tourists- probably from the ship. They are still working on digging out more ruins. Also one of the 7 wonders of the world is here and it is the Temple of Artemis. The funny thing about this is that there is only 1 column left. The rest of it is in a museum in London. The shopping is pretty amazing and fun here. Tons of fake everything! You can get a fake rolex.. gucci, dolci and gabbana ect.. :) I was in heaven. ...