March 28,2010

Open studio over and my knees are sore and I am tired and had just a wee bit too much wine! Didn't get a chance to take photos..so many people in and out all Friday night and Saturday day! But a dear friend and her cute doggie came by to keep me company and I got their picture (Anita and Mollie Brown).  I am going to do a portrait of sweet Mollie and hoping to get Anita to dress in her traditional costumes and pose for me sometime.  The other 2 pics are of my studio neighbor Dayle Record across the hall and her friend and Dayle's wonderful food offerings. Seriously large strawberries!!

I did sell a small abstract to a friend and she wants more. And I may have found some private watercolor students. 

I didn't expect sales as this is my first time and people who are regulars to these openings don't know me and it is known that newbies have to be circled and sniffed out as being legit before the interest grows.

All in all a good and valuable experience.

March 27,2010

Had a good time last night at the open studio event.  Lots of people. The funniest thing was to see them come in a gawk at the bright colors. Several liked my wolves and others liked just seeing something fun after looking at my studio neighbors dark prints and the really bad nudes across the hall. My friend is a great photographer of the Great Salt Lake.  I actually sold a small abstract and a tiny little girl with blond curls gave me her quarter because she liked my paintings!  I gave her bookmarks made from old paintings and homebaked cookies..very cute.

All in all a good experience to have to talk about my art. Today there will be more open studio as we artists actually will be working and or demonstrating in our studios..can't wait to start my newest painting...

March 25, 2010

I will post photos from the open studio Sat. or Sun.! I want to paint more but have spent days getting ready for this thing! I need to do a small painting a day...my new resolution! Thinking about plein air drawing,too.  Could be an interesting challenge.  Posting pic of me and my Hubby-Dave. Married 31 years March 15. I know..I can;t believe it either!!!!

Kay Hale on The Arts Map

Kay Hale on The Arts Map

March 20,2010

These are pics of my studio..it is almost ready for next Friday and open studio.  I have stuff hung on 3 of the walls..painted the outside door a yellow green called "grape leaf" , the thing on the table is my colorful dragon kite that I bought a few years ago and on Monday hopefully he will be hung from the ceiling by my son who is NOT afraid of heights!  I am going shopping next week for some colorful hopefully ethnic type cloth to cover the table and my drafting desk. I decided to hang everything "salon" style so it is quite colorful The hallway photos show my paintings on both sides. I commandeered a wall when I found out the ladies across the hall were not participating in the open studio.  I am thinking of painting the hall door a nice blue and eventually creating a painting on it of an arbor and flowers etc.  Now there is my coyote icon hanging on it.  Wish you could all come by and have a glass of wine!  

This is a painting (oil on canvas) that was jurored into my last student show.  Then it began to fall apart..and a few hours before the show someone kicked a hole in it!  But I fixed it and hope to varnish it in a few months with fingers crossed that that will take care of some peeling paint problems..as it is not for sale..I hope to make prints available soon.  I call it "Saint Sheep". 

I am also posting a photo of a rose I took at Christmas.  This in memory of my sweet friend Rosie who died last Saturday and was laid to rest today.  She was an avid gardener.  What grows beneath our bitter tears?

March 18,2010

Just a touch of spring

March14,2010

Today I got on Yahoo to read my mail..looked at the local news, and found out a friend of mine died in a rollover crash. She was driving too fast on slick roads, she wasn't wearing her seatbelt, she had 3 teens in her truck..two must have been her daughters...she is dead.  

I saw her at the store just two weeks ago where we talked for an hour..I am stunned. We weren't close but I liked her a lot.  

Today is the 31st anniversary my wedding...and I am feeling very mortal.

Today I feel quiet..almost stopped inside.  

wolves

I like wolves. Here are some of my artwork with wolves

OUCH..mat cutting and slicing finer...need blood red mats anyone?

March 12,2010

Well today is bright and sunny and I hate the idea of being cooped up in my studio matting and framing but I have to get it done!  I already stayed home yesterday and did laundry!  So I will be good and maybe it will warm up enough that I can leave my outside door open...thank heavens for a skylight! Speaking of cooped up..I am thinking of getting some chicks this year. I used to raise chickens and really love them clucking around my property...so with that in mind here are some ink drawings I did a while ago...

March 11,2010

Finally a bit of sun, but still cool and another storm slated to come this way.  

I am working on matting some of my watercolors and gouache paintings for the open studio which is rapidly approaching...although I don't have wall space to hang everything..My hall space is minimized by artists who have been there a long time..as a newbie I am wondering how much I can ask for..so I will go to our fearless leader Brad and ask for some space!

I have about 4 feet outside my door in the hall and my studio is 15 x 15 feet (approx). with really only 3 walls available to hang some stuff above my shelves and workspace..the outside wall is cinder block and an outside metal security door.  I might be able to lean some of my large painting against that wall with removing some stuff. 

The artist across the hall has hung her photos in the bathroom in our section.  The artist in the corner down the hall is used to having wall space just outside his door and across the hall encroaching on my space!  But he is such a nice guy and asked if it was ok if he hung a large piece there..but it was already hung!  But technically my interior space dictates my hall space and I have very little.  Hmmm maybe I worry too much. I am just going to remove lots of stuff and hang what I can and make the others easy to go through from the floor and on top of my flat file and small stuff on top of my low shelves.  One thing for sure it will be colorful!  And I will be hanging my dragon kite and my weird wire hangings from the very high ceiling. They will be able to be seen from the halls as the interior walls of the studios only go up 8 feet and the ceilings are at least 10 feet higher. I will take pictures after it is all done in the next week.  Then I need to pick some wine and treats to have on hand. Making a flyer with my pic and pics of some of my work with a brief statement and bio will happen too..along with my freebie bookmarks made from some old abstract paintings on paper I cut up.   I had wanted some small prints of some of my work done for sale but no time or money..maybe in the fall at the next open studio. 

So now I will find some older work to post...have a great day

March8,2010

After staying away from my studio for several days..I am determined to go there today and at least start matting and framing up some watercolors, gouache paintings and drawings  for the open studio March 26 and 27. Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything and try not to beat myself up over that lack of ambition on occasion.  Generally I fight that malaise every day but sometimes I just give in to it and eat comfort food, do a puzzle, take a nap and in general take care of me. 

I have been pushing and driving myself..determined to make art happen and maybe even get people to look at my art or want it..not succeeding well in that area! I have considered taking it easy and just painting and forgetting the self promotion, the computer time, the show entries, the rejections!!  Lots of those!

So at the risk of creating in obscurity..I am planning to just do what ever I want..even if it doesn't result in a cohesive "body of work".  My oldest son will not like my lack of business acumen or ambition..he has a business degree and sees life in  the color of money, business drive, fame!  Ahh to be young again..but I am not.. I am in my late 50s and ready to just do art. 

Although making art can be the hardest thing I ever do.  It is not easy turning on the creative juices at will. It isn't easy to know that so few people like what you do or seek it out. It is hard not to compare yourself to what others are doing or achieving.  It is hard to make others understand that this isn't just a pleasurable "hobby".  It is so far from pleasurable at times that I question why I do it..except that I know I must get it out.  And the narcissist in me wants people to like me, love my art, want my art, thereby wanting me!  I am honest about that because I believe most artists..if they are honest want that for themselves too.  

I remember thinking when my Dad died that after my sons are gone from this earth..no one will be around who knew Dad...what will anyone remember about him that isn't just in old yellowing photos? I thought..I want to have something better than a photo. I want to have some artwork.  I would love for the silly art writers to speculate on what I was thinking or doing at the time I was painting that weird thing that is on the wall of some dusty museum!  

But I am mature enough to know that those are shallow desires and and my life is worth much more than that right now.  So I paint and hope I paint not for the future or accolades...because they are few and far between..but for myself and today.  Well I try to be so noble...hmmm think I need some mac and cheese!

Let me find something to show you out of my art photos

March6,2010

Thought I would post some of my watercolors..enjoy