Skip to main content

When the Shenanigans are Over


      Shenanigans |SHəˈnanəgənz| 
pl.noun informal 
secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering: “widespread financial shenanigans had ruined the fortunes of many.”
• silly or high-spirited behavior; mischief.
ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.
        There will come a time when said shenanigans are over and our lives  will return to some version of normal. So what, until then, do we do?


           This past year and a half, as you may already know, I have been immersed in a body of work called “Of the Woods”. It has been quite an exercise of patient endurance for me, to come up with a series of new pieces and get them completed, photographed, and professionally framed. It’s been like planting seeds in ground that would produce fruit eventually, but its artwork instead of food. And because I had made the decision to give it a year and a  half,  I had a timeline and therefore a structure. 
 


        Now there appears to be a need for a new timeline for those seeds to grow. Because my shows are getting cancelled at an alarming rate, due to the shenanigans, I am facing the reality that one year is now likely going to be two or more. I figure, I’m already in the mode of doing artwork that nobody will see or be able to buy for a while. So what’s another year?!
        This is some pretty crazy shenanigans. 
         So here’s my new “blank slate”. It’s not a clean white canvas; more like a rich brown, filled with nutrients and earthworms, just asking for seedlings to be planted.










          See that pole shed in the background? That’s where my peaceful country art studio is. And yes, all that artwork,  framed and ready for all the shenanigans to be over. 





          Now don’t get me wrong. I am still showing up at the studio regular hours. Still making mixed media collage and Parts of Art jewelry. Still expecting to do some shows later this summer and fall. But once the Indiana soil is warm enough, and until the shenanigans are over, this is where you’ll find me. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Winter Work

        Now that my show season is over, it's time for what I lovingly call winter work. Winter work is studio time. It's when I light the fire in the wood stove and sit down at the drawing table and/or easel, both of which are pulled close to the wood stove. It's winter work because when the weather cools off and the leaves fall, the studio is the most inviting place in my life. The warmth of the fire and the smell of the wood and the blank slate on the easel are what inspire and motivate me to work.        At one of my shows I bought this glorious coffee mug from Paige @rockbottomceramics. It sits on top of the woodstove and keeps the coffee warm for hours.  It's a studio staple.     There is purposely a blank canvas on the easel, or in this case, a smooth panel which will eventually be gessoed and painted with an expression of light through leaves. The blank canvas is self care. It's a sign of hope for my future. What will go on ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Up and Running

 Show season is up and running! Next up: One of my favorites, the Crosby Festival of the Arts. It will be held in the beautiful Toledo Botanical Garden June 28-30. I'll be in booth 178 - the Purple Zone- which is where I've been located before.       One thing I love about this event is the location. M y booth is situated close to the herb garden, which is laid out on an inviting pathway, full of life and color. I look forward to taking photos of the gardens, which will eventually find their way into my art. Here's some from last year:      I'm excited to return to the event with my mixed media collage paintings. I've been at work on some new pieces, which will also be available.  Here's a sneak peek at the latest work:        I'm still aiming to capture that path of light through leaves.  I combine paint, papers, ink, wax resist, linocut printing, colored pencils and canvas. My aim is to combine these various ma...
Post a Comment
Read more

Back in the Woods

    As Spring arrives, so does the 2024 art show season.  I am looking forward to a great new season of showing, telling and selling my art.        First on the docket, Broad Ripple Art Fair in Indianapolis. The dates for this gem of a show are May 18 and 19. I love being a part of this show because it is in a beautiful wooded venue and has a serious following of art-loving patrons. I will once again have my series "Of the Woods", which has expanded and evolved quite a bit since last year. Here are some of what I'll be showing.       The first two pieces are mixed media collage painted on canvas  and embellished with handmade papers, tissue paper and canvas. They are each 30 x 40".  The last piece is a watercolor painting embellished  with wax resist, acrylic paint and handmade papers. It is matted and framed in my signature frame. The size is 24" x 36" under glass. Which one do you like the most?  What would you...
Post a Comment
Read more