lessons

A few weeks ago I signed up, very spur of the moment (the night before!), for an online class - "Making Your Mark" through Pikaland's Artist Bootcamp. I'm certainly not the student I used to be, but I think I'm learning some valuable lessons from being a not so great student. Mainly, I'm learning to be ok with being not-so-great. (Or at least I'm trying!) The accomplishments and praise that go along with being a good student, the reassuring little ego strokes, are things I think my ego needs to live with out for a bit. It's good to carry on without the reassurance of success and to wrestle with a bad attitude until it can be improved.

My pieces above were from our second assignment, inspired by a list of what we know and love. I dissected my usual mixed media approach and worked with each on its own. It felt weird but was a really good exercise for me, it showed me how I often use one medium to compensate for another. Instead of working through difficulties with drawing, I'll use collage to avoid the challenge entirely. Not so much learning or growth gets done on the path of least resistance. In the process of circumventing weakness I end up bypassing unknown or unrealized strengths and abilities as well.

new works

First, I just have to say -- the light lingers on! I'm writing this at 7:30 in the evening with a beautiful pastel sunset to gaze upon.  It is spring!

Well, I've had a very busy work schedule lately as this transitional time in my life carries on. I guess you could say our lives are constantly in transition, but you know what I mean. Transitions vary I suppose, they differ in character and intensity and what not - some being more acute, others more subtle and unassuming. This transitional time isn't particularly wild but I am noticing it for sure, and I find it very interesting. I find myself thinking back to other transitional times in my life and they seem equally vague and traumatic to my memory, and I wonder how this time will look to my future mind. I think of the things those transitional times led to and I wonder where this one will bring me. I feel fairly well fortified and flexible, change is good exercise for sure, but I'll still be happy when a little more rhythm and familiarity return.

Anyhoo, like I said, lots of days working and not much free time. Many complaints from Ralphie and very little time for art projects and contemplation. And yet! I've got a few new things to share. Two of these you've seen in earlier stages and one is very, very new.

Trying new things is good! And scary! Working on these little wood plaques is new, and seems to be going ok so far. Though, when a piece is at one of those tough/awkward stages I think to myself "what a waste of this wooden thing!" I also did a little more involved illustration with our crab buddy up there than usual. Drawing tends to make me very frustrated and crazy because I want everything perfect and exactly right, so I cheated a little and used some tracing paper for help. I'm not ashamed. At least I still have my sanity. Work smart! Not hard!

I've been reminded by my busy schedule that pursuing an art requires so much self discipline. It's staggering how much. I've also been reminded that art is a practice, and that it takes practice. I feel rusty when it's been a while, more fluid and productive once I've warmed up or have been consistent in my work. So here's to more hours spent on arts!

portfolio site

I finally got real and made myself a legit porfolio site. Woot! I've been working on it obsessively for the past two weeks and I'm very pleased with how it's turned out. Go see for yourself:

I'm using Virb to build/host, it's pretty straight forward and you can customize their templates a little or a lot depending on your skills and knowledge and/or patience and dedication. They'll hold your hand through most basic design aspects but you can also jump in and re-write code yourself. I don't really know any code but I'm always willing to spend a few hours mixing Google search with trial and error - this time it paid off and with minimal frustration! Pretty low frustration factor overall actually. That's a thumbs-up in my book.

I have yet to finish my "about" page. As you'll see if you visit it, I'm not sure what to write yet. I'm working on that. I also want to add a secret page with surprise treats on it and maybe a "sketchies" page. We'll see.

Next I'll be working on uploading some artwork to a site called Society6. They provide an online store, do the printing of the art-prints, and ship them directly to the customer. I've heard only good things about their print quality but I'm still a little nervous since my work is small to begin with. I need to do a little more homework on the topic. I'll say more when I know more.

Then I need to make myself some new business cards... but anyway, go to www.heychelcie.com already!

wha?

My amethyst print made it to the front page of Etsy yesterday and I didn't even realize it 'til just now. COOL!

Thanks to Leah from BlankStairVintage for featuring me in her treasury!

works in progress

Still not finding the time I want to. Wondering what or how things need to change. I'm passing up blog posts and putting off projects. Doesn't quite feel like my life, or at least not my life as I like it. Feeling stuck in a holding pattern. No bueno! Bu hao!

But the sky is so pretty today. And Johnnie is sick so we're having a Twin Peaks marathon. S'not all bad. Not even close.

long overdue

I was working on these around the same time I finished up the last five I posted in January, I just haven't managed to post them until now. My life is a little unsettled at the moment, things are stopping and starting then stopping and starting again. It's been hard to find much of a routine, let alone a rhythm that feeds creativity. I haven't been completely unproductive though, I just started working on a new surface and am excited to share my experiment. I'll get a few posted as soon as I can finish them up.

As for these four, the first is in my usual size range at about 5"x7" but the last three are about twice that size. It's been fun working a little bit bigger and I think I'll keep at it. I started the second image with the girl on the mountain top a long, long time ago... I think about a year ago now! Finally calling her finished. The last image felt done but now that I see it again after a bit, I think it's awaiting a few final touches.

And now I'm off to my first (and much needed) acupuncture in quite some time. Hallelujah!

indecision

This young woman is so beautiful. She started out months ago stuck in my journal but I quickly realized it'd be a crime to keep her hidden between pages, so I peeled her up and set out to make her a new home. She suffered a little damage but remains intact, yet lately I find myself dissatisfied with her current environment (I don't think it does her beauty justice) and am considering peeling her up again.

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My ability to make confident decisions feels like it has been all but lost lately. Purgatory... limbo... that is my current realm! I'm putting things off, waiting until the absolute last second to make up my mind, or regretting my actions soon after. I got pretty down on myself thinking I was making a string of bad decisions, but then wondered: "Is this one of those times when all my choices feel shitty simply because the outcomes I have to choose from are considerably less favorable than I want them to be? Is it just a challenging time?" Yes. It is. I've got a heartbreak-unemployment-seasonal depression trifecta happening!

It was actually a rather comforting realization and has allowed me more realistic expectations. I have limits and one good choice won't magic me out of this particular struggle. I just gotta endure. There's no clear and sunny path to choose because... there just isn't. It's all wet and muddy brambles for now. The choices are tough because my situation is tough, and the only thing that's gonna tenderize that toughness is time.


**After having hashed this out with myself I think maybe she should stay where she is. She's a nice little metaphor, a sort of microcosm in my macrocosm, and a reminder of what can be learned during challenging times.