East Austin Studio Tours

I'm out of town on business so I apologize for missing this weeks dose of inspiration. But once I get to see all the art up for the East Austin Studio Tours, I know I will be overflowing with it! Check it out, it's one of the coolest events Austin has all year. And it's 2 whole weekends this year:

November 14th & 15th
November 21st & 22nd
10am-5pm

Here is where I will be.
Come drink a beer and see some art.
Please contact me if you would like a catalog and map for the entire event.

Weekly Inspiration: 100 Girls & 100 Octopuses

I have been following the work of Zach Smith for some time now. He popped into my mind today because I admire his dedication when it comes to producing work. He draws ever single day without fail and has the balls to post his drawings online every single day. Some drawings are more refined than others, but because of his persistence, he has created entire worlds with remarkable moments. He has stumbled upon some marks that only a consistent drawer could. When there are days when picking up a pen seems so hard...and today is one of those days...I have to remind myself of Zach Smith, somewhere he is drawing.

Check out all 100 of his girls and octopi and be sure to click on all the individual images. Enjoy!

Opal-Black Jewelry at Downstairs Apparel

It's official: My jewelry is on sale at Downstairs Apparel:

2110 S Lamar Blvd Ste E
Austin, TX 78704
map

Check it out!

Weekly Inspiration: The Making of a Mural

mt pleasant mural from wilson kemp on Vimeo.

This video simply gets me fired up.
It speaks to my love of drawing.
It taps into my love of bringing something to life through mark-making.
And I'm especially impressed with the fact that there are no pencil lines to begin with. He makes those unbelievably precise lines on his first try.
Love this!

A few weeks of an inspiration what next?

It has been a while since I've posted and I certainly owe a few weeks worth of inspirations. I can't believe I still haven't posted about my first solo art opening. I had so much arty adrenaline preparing for my show that I think I've just been needing to deflate and recenter for the next body of work to emerge. And that body of work needs to emerge NOW because I have so many upcoming events I'm participating in:

East Austin Studio Tours
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
Handmade Austin Women
...to name a few

It's an odd thing...to start a new body of work. I go to the paper and the blank sheet all the sudden feels intimidating...not as inviting as it once seemed. I dabble in something new...I dabble in repeating what has worked in the past...and wait for them to merge...waiting for the new language to reveal itself. Is it possible that I am not making a new body of work at all? Could it be that I am letting the circumstance of a show date and framing signify an end that is only imagined? What if I happened to frame and hang some work in the middle of the body? If I believe that, does the blank page soften for me? Does it no longer intimidate me?

I don't quite know what my next drawings look like. Only pieces.

So, I have been going inward...looking around for what plans on coming out. And then, of what reveals itself, what will grow and what will be eliminated?

I recently went to see Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, speak at the Paramount Theater with a dear friend of mine. She wrote one of the most successful books of all time and spoke about what it felt like to know that while trying to write the next book. She was nothing short of genius, articulate, and down right funny. And most importantly, she validated so many feelings for me. Now, my solo show was no masterpiece like Eat, Pray, Love...but usually when I complete something artistic that I am proud of...there are lots of awkward feelings of fear and...blankness perhaps...that are very specific to creation.

I share with you Elizabeth Gilbert as my 3 weeks of lost weekly inspiration. Whether or not you create art, this is worth watching. While she speaks about her experience of being a writer, ultimately this is about life and I think what she says is beautiful.

When you have 20 minutes, please watch this. It has truly been an inspiration.

Weekly Inspiration: Mr. Phillips' House

Dan Phillips, founder of The Phoenix Commotion builds low income homes from salvagad items. They are beautifully crafted and these pictures have my brain tickin & of course I want to re-do everything in my house. Check out a few of my favorites:Check out all photos here.

Weekly Inspiration: Brendan Monroe

This artist inspires me to get into my studio.
Like, immediately.
I'm in love with this work.
Picking out the images to feature on this post was next to impossible.
I haven't seen anything of his that didn't make me feel something.
To my studio I go!