Work of Art Challenge Complete

Okay.  So our first Work of Art Challenge has come to a close.  Big thanks to all the participants.  Granted there were only four of us, but we are the pioneers, so that makes us awesome. I actually learned a lot about myself through this project.  For one, I learned that if I’m not inspired having a project to do can really suck the life right out of you. I loved receiving the entries and getting my husband and cousin to sit down for an art day.  I also LOVE the idea that I will be sending Alien Army out to new friends.  As far as my participation in the challenge,  I really struggled in the beginning.  I kept going back and forth on whether to go with something political or personal and I ended up feeling really anxious with the whole thing.  Eventually I just kind of surrendered and the project became fun again.

I am thinking for the next challenge it might be something more to the effect of “who wants to make something in exchange for alien army?!”  More like artist trading cards. We’ll see.  Regardless, I am honored that Mary, one of very favorite art bloggers  and her friend Tina joined the challenge.  And a BIG thank you to Ev, who always stands by me and is  open to new things.

Here are the projects!

1. By Tina Grey

Tina wrote the following about her piece:

My headline was from the November 16 edition of the New York Times online: “After Giving Up Job for Occupy Protest, Questions for Future”.  It was about a man named Tim Weldon, who holds a master’s degree, quitting his job helping people with disabilities find jobs to work on a think tank for the Occupy Wall Street protest full-time.  The article follows him on his last day of work where he is helping a man with Down’s Syndrome find work at a pizza place.  The man brings a CD of children singing patriotic songs to play in Tim’s car while they drive around town getting him ready for his first day of work.  Tim says he has never considered himself patriotic before but is moved to tears by the CD because, for him,  his involvement in the protest has taught him what patriotism is all about.

The article and video moved me to create this little piece.  I used newspaper, acrylics and ink.  The tents are, of course, removable.

2.  By Mary of MaryMaking.blogspot.com

Mary wrote:

I debated about what type of headline to focus my piece around: political satire, nature based,ect. Ultimately I decided to create a piece centered around our local paper, Sun’s headline, “Remembering the Victims and Their Lives.” Just to give you a background: On Wednesday October 12th, a man in a dispute with his ex-wife about the custody of their son,  walked into the hair salon where she worked and shot and killed her and 6 others (injuring another) and killed another man sitting in his car outside. Seal Beach has been described as “Mayberry By the Sea”. So as you can imagine, this tragedy has been devastating for this tight knit community.

My mixed media piece (watercolor, acrylic, chalk pastel and newspaper) is meant to honor the 8 lives lost as well as to remind us all to be kind to each other and to treasure the lives we have.

3. By Evan Cherry

Evan said:

“I saw this article in the paper about Occupy Wall Street and it inspired me to make this project.  I enjoyed making it.”

4.  By Meri Cherry

My headline was “When Did the Rules Change?” from an article in The New York Times Magazine.  It’s about the road to success and how it used to be that if you worked hard and followed the rules you were almost guaranteed a successful life.  Now, it is much more challenging to achieve success even if you have a college degree.  There are so many other factors; outsourcing to India and China, technology, etc.  Today, we need specific sought after skills and the ability to go with the ups and downs of life.  I recently had an experience with a graphic designer friend who criticized my decision to use CrowdSpring.com for a logo.  Crowdspring, which I HIGHLY recommend, is a place to post graphic design projects for a fee of your choice, and artists from all over the world submit proposals.  The winning designer receives the money.  Anyway, my friend felt really strongly that it wasn’t fair to the design industry to support this kind of ideology. I thought about it a lot.  When I saw this article I thought it was a good fit.  I would love to hear anyone’s thoughts on this.  I think it’s a fascinating conversation.  My project is meant to show the game of life and all the different ways people choose to travel the road to success.

Thanks again for everyone’s participation!  Great experience.

Alien Army Brings Generations Together

My 88 year old grandmother, Gigi’s great grandmother, came to visit today, along with Uncle Teddy.  I decided to bust out the sculpey and see if there were any takers.  Before long, me, Ev, gram and Ted were sitting around the kitchen table listening to the Louis Armstrong channel on Pandora, making Alien Army.  It was pretty awesome.  My collection is now up to 225.  Suhweet.

 

 

Deuces Ate My Flanges

So, I have two Jack Russel Terrors, I mean terriers, Deuces and Billy.  Actually, Billy is a sweetie.  Deuces is my arch enemy.  Yesterday I came home to find he ate my entire pumping (breastfeeding) set up.  Two flanges, the shields, valves, everything.  I thought my head was going to spin right off my body.  I’m pretty sure fire came out of my ears.  Ev knows not to even try to defend him at this point.  The lines have been drawn.  Deuces on one side, me on the other.  Well, today I came home to find the little k-9 had left me a message.  I guess he overheard me tell Ev I needed a new toothbrush.  I appreciate the sentiment but we’re still not talking.

Dreaming of the Sea

Several months ago I bought this amazing print by Christian Chaize on 20×200.  I think it was taken of a beach in Portugal.  I love it.  It’s hanging in our guest room and totally makes me dreamy for our next vacay.

I was going through some old photos today and came across this photo I took in Ibiza years ago.  It’s clearly a very distant second to Christian’s work, but cool none the less.  I can’t wait to return to Europe with Ev and relive our honeymoon days.  We are hoping for this April.  Please ,oh please, oh please.

Pinterest Rocks, Again

Oh pinterest, how I love thee.  Seriously, this website freakin rocks and if you’re not on it you need to get on it stat.  I’ve been wanting to make an inspiration board/ideal scene type collage for a while.  I whole-heartedly believe in these things.  I made one out of stickers (searching for a photo) before I met Ev and I’m convinced that’s how I met him.  It’s kind of like Weird Science.  Firm believer.  Anyway, instead of spending hours on line trying to find all the photos and images that inspire me I just went to my boards and found my absolute favs.  Cut those suckers out and voila!  Along with some words from mags that I am still adding here and there.  We’re going to hang this in the family room in constant view.  I believe you have to stare at these things and really put the images in your consciousness for them to manifest.  Anyhoo, wish me luck.  There are some serious European adventures on here, plus Alien Army on the cover of Time Magazine inspiration, and photos of our future home.

WHAT Am I Teaching My Daughter?

Lately I’ve been reading all this stuff about the pressure society and the media puts on girls/women to look a certain way.  That no matter how far we’ve come, it’s still about being thin, pretty, and sexy.  I even told my husband that instead of picking G up and saying “you look so pretty this morning,” he should say “wow, you are so smart and powerful.”  So now we try to think of all these empowering things to say to her first thing in the morning and then crack up because it sounds so ridiculous.  But we do it anyway.  And then on the other hand, I am so obsessed with her clothes and putting her in these amazing outfits, that maybe I’m just doing a different version of “you look so pretty today.”  It’s confusing, this motherhood bag.  I mean, I love clothes.  I get a high from going to yard sales Saturday mornings while Ev stays home with G and finding the perfect little hoodie for 2 dollars.  I can’t help myself.  Some days I just sit in her room while she plays and put out different outfits on the rug and take photos.  Am I teaching my daughter that looks and what we wear are overly important or am I teaching her that art comes in all shapes and sizes and this is one outlet that can be really fun and exciting??  I really don’t know.  I hope it’s the latter but I’m probably messing her up for life.  Eh, nobodies perfect.  At least she’ll be well dressed.

I like to think of this outfit as a tribute to my Long Island days

This is one of her many Spring/Summer French numbers.  After all, her name is Gigi.

She’s actually never worn this but it totally rules and I stare at it all the time.  It’s a german designer that I picked up at a consignment shop.  I like to think the hat makes it look a little less factory worker.

This is the back and my fav part of her softest hoodie, the little drawn heart tattoo.

Oops, I just realized I forgot the shoes.  Next time.

 

Happy Birthday To ME

I’m 37 today.  Gigi is my best present by leaps and bounds.  But these boots from Ev are a really great second place!!!

Artist Jean Nerfin

Ev and I went to Santa Barbara for the day about a year ago.  It was early Sunday morning and he had to drop off something for work so I decided to join him.  It was such a gorgeous day we decided to do some exploring and came across an art fare.  We strolled around, not looking for anything in particular when we noticed these great car paintings by an interesting older man, who told us he was from Switzerland.  We got to talking about life and marriage and love.  We introduced ourselves.  One thing lead to another and thankfully we walked back to the car with these two incredible paintings by our new friend, artist, Jean Nerfin.  They are both hanging in Ev’s office and I love them.  Every time I walk in there I am reminded of that day, me and Ev, adventure, Jean, and the ocean.  I am so grateful Evan is the kind of man that loves art and appreciates a magical experience and takes a chance.  I’ve always been told you have to truly love art to buy it.  It has to speak to you.  These pieces do just that for me.

ps 1912 was the year my grandpa, Harry Goldstein, was born.  That’s another reason I love them so much.

Tree Weaving

Family Fun Magazine has a tree weaving tutorial in it this month.  I had seen this project on That Artist Woman (Gail’s creativity blows my mind!!!) and have been wanting to make it.  Here is a great tutorial on it.  The tree comes out really pretty.  Ev even let me hang it up in our living room.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Between the first few weeks of kindergarten, the jewish holidays and Ev getting a killer promotion to Regional Business Director, aka, manager, I have been busy, busy, busy.  Plus my start up disc was full.  Plus I’ve been falling asleep around 8:30.  So now that Yom Kippur is behind us, and it seems like I’ve been written in the Book of Life, phew, I am back in the swing of things.  It’s good to be back.  We’re off to sweet new year!  Amen.

And here’s what I’ve been up to.