08.31.09
Mandala Monday…
"mandala 14" (framed) marker & ink on paper (c) 2009 Lynne Medsker
"mandala 18" (framed) marker & ink on paper (c) 2009 Lynne Medsker
Well, I’ve gone two weeks without posting any mandala images, that’s all I can stand! Honestly, I don’t want this to become a blog by “that crazy mandala lady” but I really am into them lately! As with most of my projects I just jump in and do them and then later on realize I need to figure out how to present them. I had several of the earlier pieces matted so that they can be put into a standard size frame (8×10, 11×14) and then finally made a trip out one day and found that they sell frames that are pre-matted with square openings. I bought several of those on sale last week (plus found a few here at home that I had put aside for another project). Between the two slightly different size/styles they fit several pieces I had already made and now I know what the dimensions are I can work within those sizes. I dropped off six pieces to be included in my show at Healing Arts Indy, I am excited to have them hanging in a gallery space! Five of the six pieces that were hung are shown in this blog post. Want to know which ones they are? You’ll have to come see – the opening reception is from 6 to 10 p.m. this Friday night, I would love to see you there!
I am showing the rest of the images without the matting/frame around them so you can get a better look at the details.
"mandala 13" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 16" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 15" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 17" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 19" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 20" marker & ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
I really had fun with the first piece, I hadn’t tried using any text in these images and I thought “live life” was both a good message and an easy to use pair of words. (Although now the more I look at it I see “life live” instead!) Can you think of other words or sayings that might look nice on a piece?
Until next time,
“That Crazy Mandala Lady”/Lynne
08.29.09
Art play day!
A couple of weeks ago I spent an unexpected Saturday with my two-year-old grandson, Reagan. It happened to be beautiful weather so I knew being outdoors was on the menu for the day but exactly what we’d end up doing wasn’t mapped out as the day began. I had been itching to get out my acrylic paints and a canvas, set up an outdoor “studio” and paint. The messier, the better…that’s the joy of painting outdoors! Reagan is a pretty enthusiastic artist, at least for short periods of time, so we decided to give it a whirl. He selected several colors of paint, I grabbed a blank canvas, we picked up an assortment of brushes & tools and out we went.
clean slate/clean boy!
adding some color
switching to the palette knife
sponge brush for some texture
oh joy! the squirt bottle!!
He was very much into the project until the squirt bottle came out. After a short time of squirting the canvas and watching the paint blend & run he was off to squirt everything else in the vicinity! We took a break so he could play as the paint dried a bit and eventually we ended up with the sidewalk chalk in our hands. I do so love the sidewalk chalk! Something about it being so non-permanent makes it easy to just scribble, doodle and have fun with it, which is exactly what we did!
we made our mark on the world (or at least our little corner of it!)
The rest of the day was a sporadic mix of painting, playing, washing vehicles, squirting each other with the hose and just relaxing. Our canvas piece progressed and changed throughout the day as we continued to work on it.
adding more paint
after several coats & sprays of water
small artist/big mess
end of the session
With the addition of a few new colors layered in and squirted with water this is where our creation stopped. It’s sitting on an easel in my studio right now, it makes me smile each time I see it! I’m leaving it up to Reagan if it is “finished” or if, during our next art play day, we will add more to it or start fresh with a new canvas. Who knows what we might do next!
Playfully,
Lynne
08.27.09
“Directionally Challenged” reception info!
I am really excited about showing my work in this space! I hope you can join me for the opening reception on Friday, September 4th from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be lots of art-related activity downtown that evening with the Mass. Avenue gallery walk as well as the “First Friday” events. Feel free to call or email for specific directions!
Rockin’ It!
Lynne
08.26.09
Use it, Treasure it or Lose it!
Something I’ve been working on sporadically the last few months is purging my rooms, closets and spaces. I sometimes feel almost claustrophobic, with the weight of the items that are packed in these relatively small spaces. I’ve read much about living with less, de-cluttering and simplifying but have trouble doing what needs to be done (isn’t that true about so many aspects of life!). Maybe this is all coming into clearer focus since I turned 50 but it seems like I spent the first half of my life filling these spaces and now I don’t want or need all these “things” around for the last half! What I do want are things that are functional, meaningful and clean. Last night as I was in bed trying to drift off to sleep I began to mentally note how many things in this house I truly could do without. I’m not talking about little items (although there are plenty of those!) but things like furniture that takes up large amounts of space and makes the rooms feel cramped. I have collected several pieces of antique furniture over the years but much of it came from flea markets, shops and sales and really has no sentimental meaning to me. They are beautiful and a few are even functional but many are just “decorative” to look at, with more “decorative” things sitting on them, all of which has no true meaning or purpose. Their time as guests in my home is coming to an end soon.
This morning I started out the day using the cup & plate set, pictured above, for my breakfast. It is something that I painted during a mother/daughter outing to a “paint your own pottery” store and, although it is pretty, it has just sat around “on display” in my kitchen, taking up space. No more! It’s going to be my official breakfast tableware. 
I am going to continue my “purge” with an even sharper eye today. My mantra? Use it, treasure it or lose it!
Lynne
08.25.09
Family time…
One reason my blog posts are lagging behind is that we took last weekend to get away and have a little family time. We traveled to a nearby state park that we hadn’t visited before and set up camp for the weekend. Although the skies were rainy on the way there we managed to have enough dry weather for a campfire when we arrived. The skies were cloudy all weekend but no more rain drops presented themselves for the remainder of the weekend. Along with my husband there was our two year old grandson, his mommy and her boyfriend. We were all a bit curious and nervous about taking a two year old camping but he was the very definition of a “happy camper”! The weekend included a nice long canoe ride down the river (with time to explore the shore along the way when we got restless), a hiking trip, plus time to just enjoy being out in nature and relax around the campsite.
along the river banks while canoeing
some cool tree roots along the river bank
a small creek/stream that ran into the river
textured cliffs along the river
fun around the campfire
growth on the floor of the forest
While I was there I also took the opportunity to gather some more river rocks to use in my artwork…the ideas are brewing already!
This trip just made me realize how I miss the frequent camping trips we used to take and how much fun it can be! Now to scour the calendar for a few more dates before the weather turns cold! Hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer, it has passed by too quickly (again!).
Lynne
08.24.09
My blog has flat-lined…
My goodness, I know I haven’t posted quite as frequently but suddenly I am getting no more than two visitors a day. Sigh! Does anyone else have trouble keeping the balls in the air when you juggle all the things that need attention? I suppose one reason I haven’t posted as much is that I’ve not made any new art or had much art news to speak of. One fun thing that I have done the last two Mondays (and have on the schedule again for next week) is to work/play/collaborate/create with one of my best artist friends. He is also a talented musician and we have been creating artwork together for his soon-to-be released CD. We have such fun together and our enthusiasm and inspiration seems to double, then triple and quadruple when we are together. Not knowing exactly what the outcome will be is all part of the fun. Although we aren’t completely finished with the project yet we are making progress and I am always so excited about making more art after we’ve spent time together. This evening was another one of those times…seems I’ve got images and ideas just whirling through my brain. I am hoping they continue to bubble and boil until I can do something with them!
I will soon have another opportunity to make some collaborative art as it’s time for the annual “Art of Friendship” project with Best Buddies. This will be my forth year to participate in the program and I look forward to it each fall. I’ll be sure to give you a full report on our creative endeavors once they get underway!
Until next time,
Lynne
08.20.09
Directionally Challenged
I have an art show coming up in September and have been gathering info, images and ideas for it over the last few weeks so the press can go out, postcards can be made, etc. At the very end of this process we discovered we hadn’t given the show a title. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before how I can struggle just naming a single piece of my art. Some pieces remain “untitled” for a really long time until inspiration strikes. Now I was faced with titling a whole show? Yikes! I started brainstorming, just thinking of words that describe my work but that wasn’t helpful because I do so many different styles & media of work there just isn’t one word that covers it all. Even combining two or three words wasn’t working. I talked with the show coordinator on the phone and we bounced things around and she asked if perhaps I had a piece of work that could be used as a title. None came to mind because most of them are simple, one word titles (due to my challenge at naming them, I’m sure). As I was browsing through a folder of my art images this one popped up:
"directionally challenged" mixed media (c) 2008, Lynne Medsker
PERFECT! Not only is it one of the pieces I had planned on displaying at the show it truly describes my creative tendencies! SO…the show now has a title and it’s getting closer all the time.
“Directionally Challenged” will be on display from September 1st to September 22nd at Healing Arts Indy, in downtown Indianapolis. Healing Arts Indy offers a unique and luxurious massage environment with a cooperative of highly skilled massage therapists practicing a variety of bodywork modalities in a beautiful environment. They also have yoga classes, a licensed acupuncturist, fine arts exhibitions, book discussions, and other community oriented events to feed mind, body and spirit. Their address is 805 S. Meridian Street, for more info call 317-955-7811. The opening reception will be on Friday, September 4th during the “First Friday” art tour in Indianapolis. Please be sure and join me that evening!
08.16.09
Guess what? More mandalas…
"mandala #10" marker & gel ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
I hope you aren’t getting tired of these! I have been doing a few other things, but nothing that’s finished and ready to share. SO…for your immediate viewing pleasure I will post the four newest mandalas, created during the last week.
"mandala #9" marker on blue paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala #12" marker & gel ink on black paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala #11" marker & gel ink on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
Spent some time outside in the lovely weather this weekend, making art with my grandson. I will post a few of those images soon.
Welcome to a new week!
Lynne
08.12.09
Inspiration
Funny thing, inspiration. It seems to pop up when you aren’t looking for it. :) I had the unexpected pleasure of watching another artist paint last week, who used palette knives and various tools to create her artwork. Although I had the tools, I hadn’t ever attempted to use them. After watching her I decided that I really wanted to give it a try. Soon! Last weekend, as I was waiting for some paint to dry on another project, I spied these three small canvases that I had begun several months ago. They seemed like the perfect place to try using the palette knife! I had made a really thick, textured surface with some clear acrylic gel medium and then painted a couple of thin washes of acrylic paint on top of it and stopped dead in my tracks, not quite sure where I wanted to go next. Now it was finally time to move on! The first layer of paint that I applied was a yellow oxide, pictured below.
Next came a layer of green (I’m too lazy to run down to the studio to pull out the tube of paint and give you the exact shade!)…followed by some small bits of a deep red hue (again, too lazy!).
That was followed by a liberal amount of white and then, as a final flourish, I drizzled it with some thin, black paint.
Ta-da! That was that.
Well…no, it wasn’t. I decided it just wasn’t quite “there”. Rats! I had flourished too soon. I hate when that happens! After a bit of thought it seemed like there just weren’t enough colors to make it interesting. So in between, around (and occasionally on top of) the black I added in three more colors. Almost there!
For those of you who know me, I have a bit of a “dot” obsession. Followed closely by a “swirl” obsession. Try as I like I have a very difficult time not adding swirls & dots to everything I create! No exception this time, I caved in and as a final, final flourish added the white dots. Ahhh, NOW, it felt finished.
untitled triptych (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
Here’s wishing you some random inspiration until we talk again!
Hugs,
Lynne
08.09.09
More Mandalas
"mandala 8" marker & gel ink pen on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
The challenge of making art each day for 30 days has, thus far, been filled with making more & more of these mandalas! I can’t seem to stop. I did take a break yesterday and take time to play with some acrylic paint, canvas, paper and creating more “paint skins” for future projects. Look for updates on that activity soon. This evening I am back to mandalas, starting my largest piece yet (12×12″)…I keep picturing one made entirely of either small circles or large dots (I can’t decide which!). So that will be my project for today! In the meantime I thought I would share with you the new art from the past few days.
"mandala 7" marker & gel ink pen on blue paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
"mandala 5" digital art (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
Yes, I even tried creating them on the computer! I like the hand created process better but it was fun to try, anyhow! I even took them “on the road” as I went to visit my parents. Better than that I talked my mom into making one for herself why I was there. She says she keeps looking at it and thinking of others to make, I guess I’m not the only one that can’t get away from them!
"mandala 6" marker & gel ink pen on paper (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker
I hope everyone had a great weekend, I enjoyed some time to get work done, some time to play, a little time out with friends and one entire day at home. What a treat! Look for more updates soon…
Lynne
