Ooops
 

I still had people on the third, my husband is not an animal. Here are the animals. I've been in contact with the breeders of the Budweiser Clydesdales and I may be painting them.

Jean

Getting ready
 

Hi again, I'm still pulling my hair out, but one very big problem has been solved. "Giselle" will be shown at the gallery (Art Beat) for the month of October. I'm doing this on a shoestring so framing her has been a creative nightmare. A carpenter friend was going to build me one, but had a fire last weekend so is now too busy cleaning up. Saturday, I ran into the owner of a local gallery and frame shop, explained my problem, and he offered to see what he had in "recycled" frames. I brought Giselle in, and walked out with an absolutely wonderful frame, perfect for her, and way, way more expensive than I could ever hope for. I cried all the way home. Now I'm scared to death it will be ruined somehow! As it is on loan for the month of the show, I will put a sign with his business on it, to do a little advertising for him.

Here's Giselle, all dressed up (I'm afraid to take the protective wrapping off till the show). The frame is a dull brushed gold with a walnut inset, 3.5 in wide.

Jean

Detail of frame
 

Here it is up close. These are posting brighter than they actually are.

My studio?
 

Hi all,

My workspace/studio/dining room/bike storage area has to look a little nicer for this event (which is next weekend). So I've started making it look more like a real studio. Here's my mess after a days organizing.


Jean

Wall #2
 

See the bike? My son will have to park it somewhere else, like maybe the garage? Still have to hang things here, the roll top desk should actually close by Thursday if I'm lucky.

You're lucky to have garage space for the bike. I WORK in the garage, so have to trip over the bikes constantly. (Do you recall the Monty Python skit that I suddenly sound like, where everyone tells stories about how bad they had it?) I'm "just waiting" until one of those bikes falls over against my wife's new car. I already have the story worked out that I'll be sticking to. Guess I could put the bikes in the bedroom without consequence. But don't get me started.

Best wishes on your big event.

Thanks Steven
 

I delivered Giselle to the gallery last week. And my work does stick out like a sore thumb. Lots of angst, I seemed to be one of few representational artists there. Of course only half had delivered their work, I went early cause of the "frame". They will protect it with their lives (I hope!)

Steven, I work in the dining room and am constantly tripping over the bike, my exercise ball, cats (see the cat on my chair), dog, toys (3 grandchildren), and all the clothing articles that my dog steals and drags around. The bike is in the dining room cause the garage is full! I have two more walls to organize, then the table and anything else laying around. I'll be afraid to work again by the time I'm done.

Jean

Animals in the Studio
 

Thank goodness for the space that we all somehow are able to paint in. The sharing part of the space isn't fun though. Do you find fur in your paints? My house contains three dogs, three cats, two to three kids at any given time, a husband and a father. Guess if the house and studio are too clean, no one would believe we are artists. I use tweezers to extract the cat and/or dog fur. ;)

Perspective I have that same feeling here in Austin -- but I'm hoping to use it in my favor, hoping that there are a whole lot of folks out there who would love a nice representational work, if only they could find it or find someone to whom a commission could be offered for "just the right" custom piece.

You may be the "new" cutting edge artist in your locale and not even know it yet. (Even so, don't invest your entire emotional and professional "worth" in one show. The fact that you have taken this big step and gone to such professional effort is already commendable, whatever the outcome.)

Chaos in the studio
 

Lynn,

My area is filled with: husband, three cats, one German Shepard, remnants of four kids, toys for three grandkids, and revolving returning adult children. Since its the first room in the house everything is deposited there first upon entering. This must change! Animal fur is always a problem. I usually try to pick it out with my fingers! Doesn't work very well, I end up wiping it on my jeans or smearing it on my face. Most of the time it ends up on the canvas "local color"!

Steven, Thanks for the wise reminder to keep the "eggs" in different places. I have invested much in this, and fear I will be destroyed if something good doesn't happen. I understand the concept of "planting seeds", but this is my artwork, my guts are on the wall! Lots of self-talk should get me through it okay. I hope this is the cutting edge for this area. We've certainly had angst and abstracts for long enough.

Jean