good morning!

It's a cold, rainy morning here in San Antonio.  Drinking my coffee, paying bills and contemplating my day, weekend and my life.

Overall I'm happy, however, just like millions of women who go through weight loss, weight gain and general dislike of one owns body when the favorite dress doesn't fit quite right, or it doesn't fit at all anymore, I need a change in my daily intake of food. Last night I devoured  the remainder of a family sized bag of lays potato chips that I bought the day before. Potato chips are my down fall.....

When I'm thin, I feel good. When I gain an extra 10 pounds, eeh, it's okay, but when I am 20 pounds over my personal ideal weight, I feel bad.  I feel more stressed and depressed, and a weird thing happens, I feel this strange tension in my head and wonder, should I visit a doctor. No, I would rather lose some weight and not feel that pressure, whatever it is.

So when I woke up today, I decided I am by passing the great smelling breakfast my husband cooks on Saturday mornings and instead, read the book by Kris Carr, "My crazy, sexy, diet".  Not sure sure if I can go to the extreme of becoming a vegan, but I can certainly start juicing and commit to a 21 day cleanse. Let's see how it goes.

Now, since it's rainy and cold and my "outdoor" kitty has been occupying my studio space, I need to go in there and clean up.  Maybe even finish an existing project or start a new one.


 

Decisions, decisions!

I was very excited to be invited to the Say Si Small scale work for a larger cause. They invite artists from all types of media to donate a piece of their art for a silent auction to raise money to teach kids art. I think that is a worthy cause since so many public schools have cut art from their curriculum.

This year it was difficult for me to decide what piece I should create, and donate. Today is the last day to submit my entry online and drop off the art. Talk about procrastination!

Well, last weekend I cut some clear Tekta to 7" x 9" to fit in a shadow box. I created my piece and was pretty happy with it until I went to put it in the shadow box and realized I was off by 1/8 of an inch on each side. Very disappointing! Meantime I had to leave town on business so no work was done during the week.

This was the piece cut too small: (once placed in the shadow box there would have been a painted background on canvas)

Moving on to a piece I created last night.  Cut the Tekta glass, created another cabin, but I couldn't get it right, like the one above so I created different kind of cabin: 

This one fit perfectly!

The two cabins were created with black glass powders.  A few months back, I had created a few pieces with iron oxide powder. So this pelican was in the running to be donated also.

My husband said he likes the cabin better, but I just really can't decide and it is in the final hours of entry. (I really liked my first cabin!!!)

Any opinions out there?

The cabin has been chosen!!!!! (I added some color to the cabin, I like it much better now)

Coasters, coasters & more coasters!

Yesterday was a cold (Texas cold), rainy day. A good day to finish up some projects.

I went out and got some white foam, cut it up and glued it to the backs of my 4"x4" pieces that I had created in the 30 day Sgraffito glass challenge in January.   I now have plenty of glass coasters though out my house!!!!

On a different note, I was very excited to receive a phone call tonight from the art gallery that my "Celestial Series of Nine" was accepted in the juried art show!  

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's  a commercialized holiday, so what!  I love to get a bouquet of roses, chocolates and a small gift from my husband every year.  I do the same for him too.  It's not so much of an obligation as it is a form of appreciation towards the one you love on one specific day of the year.

Enjoy a chocolate, stop and smell the roses and appreciate your love!  

Happy Valentines Day!!!! 

Blue skies

Typically, I'll eat my lunch in the break room of our office building, but today I couldn't stand the thought of staying inside.  It was a beautiful day outside.

I took my neatly wrapped sandwich, a can of coke and an orange to have a picnic at the park today.
The sun was shining, the sky was a cloudless beautiful blue and best of all it was 77 degrees at noon without any humidity.  I not only stayed long enough to eat, but I took a leisurely walk (with my heels on) and snapped some pictures with my phone.  The playground was full of kids playing, and parents having picnics with their kids,  I really didn't want to go back to the office, I just wanted to stay outside and feel the sun on me.

The parks department created walking/bike paths that actually connect across town through other parks. I think I may try to take a bike ride.

fused glass and heavy metal

So my fused glass abstract, "Celestial Series of Nine" is now in a heavy metal frame. It is more on the lines of a fireplace screen than an art piece.

I have learned that when I try to collaborate with someone, I need to communicate my idea better and really must confirm that they understand the idea I am trying to convey. I thought, light, whimsical, wall hanging, he thought heavy, geometrical floor piece.

Anyway, the frame isn't going anywhere because it is a very well made solid piece, and my fused glass isn't going to budge since it's been welded in place.

On to my next project now...


Well an update on this piece: It was accepted in the juried art show!!!!

Art & Storage

Over the years my tools & supplies were scattered between the garage, living room and bedroom. I was so happy and thankful to finally get my own studio space to work in. It's great to have all I need in one area, and if I am in the middle of a project, I don't have to "put it up" . Creating art just to create is a wonderful and meditative act for me, time and thought of anything else is lost in my studio. So now I have a new problem, storage.

This past September I went to New York to visit family and paid a visit to my Uncle Zois in the Bronx.  Zois Shuttie is in his 70's and an artist, fine art oil painter to be specific, and has created art his entire life. He lives in a, spacious apartment and his art is is on every inch of the walls, from floor to ceiling, hung on the doors, neatly stacked in the closets. The only space he refuses to put his art is in the bathroom, it disrespectful to his his creations. He has run out of space, but not time, as he still creates. He has been in many arts shows over his lifetime and his art has been his career that has supported him. The issue now is storage.

Not every piece of art that's created will be sold. Not every piece art created will be shown. As artists we create to satisfy our soul.

So here are a few pictures of my visit with Zois. I've linked his name to the fine art site where he has his art online for everyone to see. (his bio is very interesting as well)

Zois in his kitchen

When I think about moving to a new place, the first thing I think about is studio space, and storage for my art....