It’s always a good sign when, at the end of the day, I have traces of ink or paint or glue (or whatever I happen to have worked with) still on my hands (or even on my clothes!).  It means I had to opporunity to do what I truly love.  It usually means that ideas have come to life, that new ones are germinating, that progress was made.  Today was one of those days!  I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time working on art this week, it’s been such a refreshing change from the last few weeks where life was more about running errands, to do lists, paperwork and other mundane, everyday items of life. 

I have two pieces of commissioned work that have been my focus the last few days.  Commisssioned work is always interesting to me.  First, it’s a thrill that people request a specific piece of art be made – by ME, no less!  Second, it’s just a totally different thought process.  Not only do I need to be pleased with the outcome, someone else does as well.  Often there are more specifics involved as well – sizes, colors, media.  Although the specifics can feel a bit restrictive I have come to appreciate them as guidelines for me to work within.  I’ve had a few commissions where I was given free reign and I found it difficult to create something for a specific person without some specific guidelines!  These two pieces are based off of pieces I created a few weeks ago, just in a larger format.   I have been having so much fun using the new materials and techniques!  There is a sizable amount of time just doing “prep” work to get the smaller, individual pieces ready to assemble into a larger work of art.  The bonus part is that I can work on them almost anywhere!  I spent the better part of two days just hanging out on the couch in my living room, catching up on the television shows that were overflowing in the DVR while I got things ready.  I won’t tell you I never watch television (although I rarely do during the daytime) but normally I when I am sitting there I feel like I could be doing something creative instead of just staring at the screen like a zombie.  It feels wasteful somehow.  So it was nice to have some guilt-free time to catch up on my favorite programs.  In addition to catching up while being creative I got to put my math skills to use as I enlarged the basic design to fit the new size.  I finished all the smaller pieces for both commissions late last night and today I was able to complete the color work and assembly for one of the two.  I’ve got most of the day tomorrow to get the ink done on the second piece and get it assembled, as long as everything goes well I should have this project finished and delivered early next week. 

Earlier this week I was able to finish five more new pieces for the show in June!  I needed to complete them and get them cleared out of my make-shift workspace before I could start on the two larger, commissioned pieces!  Add the five new pieces to the first five, plus the pieces here at home that I haven’t shown and I think I am all set now.  It feels very odd to be ready for a show almost four weeks ahead of the hanging date.  I tend to be painting, gluing, framing, preparing at the last minute or settling for something less than what I really wanted to present. So I am very pleased to not only have things ready but also that they are things I am also excited for people to see!  I guess I have let a small bit of “preview” out since I will be showing some of the flower/rock pieces that I posted in my last blog entry.  I had them printed on 16 x20 canvases and they turned out wonderfully! 

I had some other things wandering around my brain to share but it’s getting late, I’m getting sleepy and this is getting long!  I read somewhere recently that you should update your blog three times a week.  Holy cow!  I’m feeling good if I can do it once a week.    So perhaps I’ll remembered the rest of the conversation and share it before another week has passed.  Or perhaps not, we’ll just have to see, won’t we?