20 is a little weird, i think ....

ok... is this too weird? .... i have been working hard at this art business lately ... trying to get a line on who i want to be as an artist ... and how to get there ... so i look at a lot of other artists' stuff online and follow links and blah, blah ...... and i came across an artist, robert genn... a canadian guy .... who has a HUGE website/blog and sends out twice a week pep talks if you sign up for them ..... so.... this is a clip from his last email.......:

A sort of "Jenny Craig Success Course of
the Arts." Mine's free. Here it is:

Find a sanctuary where you can comfortably work.
Dedicate at least two hours a day to your art.
Have more than enough equipment and supplies.
Set short- and long-term goals and keep track of progress.
Think of your work as exercise, not championship play.
Explore series development and exhaust personal themes.
Work alone with the benefit of books and perhaps tapes.
Replace passive consumption with creative production.
Use your own intuition and master your technology.
Feel the joy of personal, self-generated sweat.
Fall in love with your own working processes.
Be forever on the lookout for the advent of style.
Try to be your own person and claim your rights.
Don't bother setting yourself up for rejection.
Don't swing too wildly and damage the well-being of others.
Don't jump into the ring until you're feeling fit.

....he said explore series development and exhaust personal themes ... those of you who are regular readers are probably exhausted with me as i exhaust personal themes!!! .... so this blue bird of happiness collage might be a stray .....an exercise, not championship play! .... or it could grow on me ..... i think i could add a worm to the left lobe of the heart for that bird to be hunting for ... but it kinda grosses me out to think about a worm in the heart ..... not that i'm a literalist or anything with my blue bird of happiness tromping about in rain boots ...... andy holds me to a VERY high standard ... my degree is in art history and i can talk the art talk ..... so he quizzes me on meanings and nuance in my art ..... and this foolish bird had us both stymied .....

anyway, this peculiarly tall bird is my 20th piece in 20 days ..... if i am full of doubt and self loathing after number 21, i'll stop this game of art every day ..... or i'll at least quit posting it!!

here is a background i have ready to work on tomorrow .....

... i think i'll put some light green, lime green or light blue letters on it ..... and then a foreground ....i've no idea what i'll do with the foreground ...but i'm pretty sure it will NOT be a bird with rainboots ...... though, never say never .....




and one more bit of happy, artsy blogginess ..... julia painted this last night ........ it is a sprite .... a woodland elf ..... a red headed cutie pie with big ole' ears!! .... i'm actually really proud of how her background turned out .... just gorgeous!!





and her girlfriend who spent the night, grace, painted these two paintings .... i think they are both her dog chloe .... though i could be wrong, they might be pretzel .... and now that i look at it, i think it is pretzel ...... either way, grace was very excited and happy with the whole artistic process .....

maybe i should stick with being an art facilitator/teacher ..... and quit putting birds in boots .....