Tutus and the joy of giving

This is my friend Megan Sherman from Carmel Valley who came to visit me last Saturday to pick up her painting I made for her birthday.  I was so excited to see her reaction because she hadn't even had a glimpse of it and I knew she'd be surprised with the overall piece.  She screamed and cried, this was exactly the reaction I was hoping for!  What surprised her most was the background, as I placed her twirling in the hills of Carmel Valley.  It was a magical moment for both of us, me for seeing how grateful and happy it made her and her for receiving such a wonderful gift.  I told her it was as wonderful to give her the painting as it was for her to receive it and it's true.  It made me think about art and painting and that giving my art is the best gift I can give.  It is solely my own creation and to make something that brings such joy to others is the best reward I can get.  A few bucks doesn't hurt either but this WAS a birthday present so it doesn't apply!  She and I hiked on Sunday and talked about life and I cherish the time we spend together as it's rare.  When she left on Sunday she carefully put her masterpiece in the car assuring me she'd tell me where she put it once she got home.  It's hanging in the front room of her house and the whole family loves it, I am so pleased to hear this.  I can't wait to visit and see it there.  This is precisely why I love to paint.  I love to capture a moment, a feeling and preserve it forever.  It's like a photograph but even more personal as it's an interpretation of that moment.  My studio mate Bob said, "Carrie these paintings of ours will live long after we're gone" and I love that.  I love that I am leaving my mark and that maybe someday one of my paintings will be at a flea market and someone will buy it , and perhaps they'll even look up my name.  That's something I never even thought of until Bob pointed it out.  In some small way I am leaving an indelible mark through my art and I am honored to call myself an "artist".  It is a title I could not own until recently.  I felt to call myself an artist meant I had to be accomplished, earning money and showing in galleries.  That was my insecurity and as art is so personal it's scary to put oneself out there and say "this is what I can do" for others to judge.  Now I am more comfortable with that as I am more comfortable with myself.  I am me and I won't appeal to everyone just as my art won't appeal to everyone.  Some like me, some don't, some like what I paint, others don't.  I don't like everyone I meet, or all art I see so it makes sense.  What I am finding is there are some who do like me and my art and that's plenty!  If even one person is happy with it that's a success, but my biggest critic is me.  I am not very kind to myself when it comes to my art.  I always want to be better and I can zoom in on the flaws of a piece before I see the successful parts.  But in the same breath I guess I'm maturing too as I see this as just a natural part of being an artist.  I push through it and keep at it, this is how I will improve and this is how I grow.  I love that painting will always be a challenging venue and an ongoing learning process.  For now I will be developing my various series including tutus, trucks and flowers.   Perhaps I need to put these all together.......aha, I love it!

Thursday at Hip Chick

Today was a good day at the shop.  This picture is my customer Ellen who bought this skirt today and she humored me by allowing me to doll her up with a hat and pearls, she looked so cute!  She reluntently let me take her picture even as I assured her she was fabulous.  She was one of my original customers as was Cathy who also came in but wouldn't let me take her picture.  I love seeing my 'regulars' and catching up and seeing what treasure calls their name.  My best customer Kat texts her orders and I bring them home and we do a great business this way.  A true win-win for both of us! 
I am happily busy painting various pieces, finishing up Carmel Valley girl as Megan is coming on Saturday to get it, I can't wait to give it to her!  Then I was commisioned by Abby's friend Kendyl to paint a giant flower which I will begin soon.  After that I am doing a portriat which I am anxious and excited about.  Anxious because I haven't done many and they are SO tricky to get just right, excited because I am overcoming my fear and challenging myself to try.  I will never get better if I avoid it right?!  I have a slight emotional scar from painting a portrait of Abby back when she was 2 years old.  I had elements of her that I liked and some I didn't and of course the part I didn't 'nail' taunted me and I got so frustrated that I painted the whole thing black.  Classic.  Now I wish I had saved it and I could appreciate it for a snippet in time.  I have to rain myself in all the time from this madness, this perfectionsim that tries to sabotage my efforts.  It's truly powerful, evil, and frightenly active.  I know every artist deals with this beast and needs to tame it, it is not just me.  This helps me recognize that to 'win' against it is to allow myself to not be perfect, (easy enough-hahaha!) and remember the sting of that lost portrait.  If I expect so much of myself that I can't enjoy it then what am I doing it for?  I enjoy the beginning because there's a freedom ahead, to manipulate it, change it, develop, experiement until I like it.  Once it becomes recognizable and real I loose my enthusiam and I want to stop.  I don't want to fight the perfection dragon.  Hopefully over time this beast will become tamer and tamer, maybe we'll even become friends??  All this creature needs is love and acceptance, then it will embrace imperfections as happy accidents and quirks that make the piece unique.  This is what I need to tell myself until I believe it.  It's getting better all the time.....

Mothers Day in Santa Cruz

Sunday was Mother's Day and the plan was to drive to Santa Cruz to see my son Alex and we would all have lunch together.  Since it was Sunday I wanted to go to the flea market and hunt for treasure but mother nature had other plans.  As we know it rained, and this dampened my spirits but happily it did not dampened our day.  We persevered and went to Santa Cruz anyway.  Instead of the flea I thought I could get my treasure fix at the Goodwill, so Ben dropped off  me and Abs on his way to picking up Alex at school.  Alex had a stomach bug and a gammy knee so he was a bit under the weather but off we all went in search of food and frivolity.  WE attempted the Crow's Nest but there was a 3 hour wait so we said no way and went to Aldo's.  Luckily it was just warm enough and dry enough to eat outside.  After the meal we found a street antique sale that made my heart skip a beat, no flea, but an antique sale always works!  Got a few fun things, a vintage hat, parasol, some trinkets and Abby got a cameo necklace for 1.00 and a turquoise bracelet for $2.00, she is her mothers daughter.  A full fun day after all and I was happy to have my adorable family together.  Family, antiques and the beach all in one day = perfection!!

"Carmel Valley Girl "and the tao of painting

This is my painting I started today in stage 1 and 2, the left is the rough draft and the right is further along,
It's interesting to see them side by side as I like different aspects of them both.  I LOVE starting a painting, it's the best part, as it becomes more detailed it looses some of the pleasure somehow.  I don't know how to continue to enjoy the later stages, they usually create some tension as I start to get frustrated that I didn't get a color I wanted, a shadow correct etc.  This is the part of painting I don't enjoy and yet it's just part of the puzzle.  It's funny I even paint at all as I'm a bit of a perfectionist in this way and it challenges me to no end.  But I love to see something take shape in front of my eyes, to take an image and expand it, to capture a moment and express it, this is a never ending condition.  I suppose it's this aspect I like most.  This is a painting of my friend Megan at her 40th birthday party.  My previous post was of the "tutu's" and what fun they were, this is a picture from the birthday photo shoot a couple weeks ago.  Megan's present was a painting of her choice and she decided on this picture as it represented her turning forty and feeling fabulous.  I added the mountain scenery as she is a true Carmel Valley girl.  (This is a surprise, she doesn't read my blog so sshhhhhh....)  I think she'll be pleased and I can hardly wait to give it to her when it's finished.  But when is it finished?  Lord knows I could fuss over every detail, the tutu itself is mind boggling, layer upon layer of fabric, and then there's the skin, the hand, yatta yatta.  Ideally I aim to paint loose and yet recognizable.  I think I've achieved this and yet I know there is more I can do to improve it.  I don't want to take it too far and mess it up though and this also happens when a painting gets overworked.  It's such a fine line and I honestly never really know when to stop, usually when I feel bored by it and or happy with it depending on the piece. 
This has been a quiet week after all the hoo haw of the open studios, so sorry I haven't been posting as much.  When there's action I am there, camera ready for my inspiration and I happily share on my blog.  If it's an 'ordinary' week and not much on board this hip chick doens't always know what to put on the blog.  So for today I thought I'd share the latest painting and some of my inner struggles with this art form.  I love/hate it but mostly love it.  I only hate it when I expect too much of myself and I can't produce what I want to.  So hard on myself!!  But this is typical of an artist and today I went to my favorite book to center myself, "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.  She nails it everytime.  She talks about our critic, the creative process and the ability to let yourself make 'mistakes' because really there are no mistakes, just learning experiences.  I am my worst enemy and art is so personal that it's difficult to let it just be.  But I keep trying and I am glad for this.  Sometimes it's good to be stubborn!

WOW, what a weekend!

Open Studios was a HUGE success this year!  What a blast seeing so many people I love and new faces all in hip chick's shop.  Saturday was gorgeous and the day started with a bang as my best friend from high school Robin and her daughter Erica came for the very first time.  They loved the hip happening vibe of the arsenal and they bought lots of treasures from hip chick with promises to come back once a month.  Miraculous news coming from Robin let me tell you, LOL!  My daughter Abby and her friend Kendyl helped me on the cash register which allowed me the joy of popping in on my other artist friends to share in their displays and merriment.  Gordon, Kae and Jannie all stopped by which was sweet and supportive, thanks guys!   Beautiful Sandi and Lisa came in with their splatter.  Lisa bought a gorgeous green vintage dress that glowed on her!   The crowds were a plenty and the store was packed which was so exciting to see as ordinarily it is pretty quiet.  We had good sales and people all enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and good vibes of the studio.  Bob my studio mate was happy to chat with everyone and he had a banquet table full of food to offer anyone who cared for a nibble. 
Sunday was more of the same.  Abby and Marina helped me on the register, it was sunny and the crowds all came again which made it another huge success.  My hubbie made it home to come and share the festivities and then my sister and her family all arrived to make it a real party.  Andrew, Dave C and Monica, Usha and James popped in, Kat,  John and Roger came later so all through the day we had visitors coming to support hip chicks.  Kat bought a ton of treasures and she has always been a great friend and loyal customer!  What joy it was to share this dream with all these people I love, it is indescribable.  My friends Sally, Laura and Mitch were all having a blast in Laura's studio and they all sold pieces to make it a profitable weekend.  I wish we did this event more often as it's so pleasant for people to see the arsenal and for the artist to sell their art. 
As for me I will be out scouting for more goodies to replenish the inventory, taking a deep breath and counting my blessings for all the success of this last weekend.  It was a hugely successful open studios and I thank all of you for your support, it keeps me motivated and inspired.  I'm grateful I am able to do what I love and share it with people I care about.  There's nothing better than that. 

Open Studios

Saturday and Sunday are open studios at the arsenal in Benicia.  I have posted this ad nauseam on facebook but my dear friend Robin doesn't do facebook (as some others might not too) so here is a shout out to all those who are unaware of this event.  It's from 10-5 both days, it's FREE, it's FUN, there is an art show, open studios from all of the artists, food and drink and entertainment, what else could you ask for??? PLUS, Daisy, Abby and this crazy hip chick will be there with bells on to greet you and give you a big hug.  The location is 946 Tyler St.  My hip chick phone is 707-747-5543.  I'm busy getting ready, buying straw, hanging pictures, tagging things, painting if possible and trying to get the place in ship shape order for ya.  Can't wait and really hope you can stop by.......

The Tao of the Tutu

 It was tutu madness this weekend!  I had no idea a tutu would bring such joy to so many people.  Just to recap last weekend Abby and I bought a red tutu, had a photo shoot and loved the pictures.  Being a girl who seeks out fun and adventure, I thought I'd better pack all the tutu's I could to go to Carmel Valley for my friend Megan's 40th birthday party.  Everywhere I went and everyone I saw wanted in on the tutu fun.  Megan confessed she always wore a tutu when she was young, and she never wanted to take it off.  Naturally she jumped at the chance to 'rock the tutu' and have a spontaneous photo shoot.  After Megan was done and all aglow from the tutu good vibes, Becca asked if she could join the fun.  You know I was more than happy to accommodate and we shot more good pictures.  I was pleased the tutus were able to transform these women into little girls and playful creatures.  Becca even went topless but I won't share these pictures on my blog as this is the internet after all.  Suffice it to say she looked gorgeous!  The tutu wasn't finished for the night until the other birthday girl Angie put one on and twirled about.  I had 3 women completely letting loose with their playful sides and the evening was a smash hit. 

The next day was all about tutus once again.  My friend Annie McKeckney and Patricia Taylor wanted in on the fun and we danced about Patricia's yard doing the cancan.  Afterwords Annie and I went to the beach but we left our tutus in the car, I mean they deserve a break once in a while, until we pulled them out for yet another photo opportunity.  There was this old rusty, adorable old truck at "campsncottages" just perfect for this crazy hip chick to throw on her tutu and snap away.....have tutu will travel is my motto now!  After I left Annie's house to go pick up my daughter Abby at her friend Maddy's house we commenced to have yet ANOTHER tutu photo shoot with all the MacInturf's.  It was a lot of fun and I even got Sarah to put one on, after much insistence.  Just before we left to drive home we all talked about the magic of the tutu and all it's possibilities.  My brain is on overdrive with creative endeavors (yipee) and this is only the tip of the iceberg!

Here is is Monday and my red tutu has been put on once again for a shot right outside the house.  Ben and I took Miss Daisy for a sunny drive to Mt. Diablo as she's finally up and running!! woo hoo!  Right next to Daisy is a hill filled with red wildflowers and since I happen to bring my tutu everywhere I go I was able to quickly grab a shot of this wonderful color.  Later we hung the tutu out of Daisy's window for a splash of color on Mt. Diablo.  Now I know I am in the thralls of tutu madness, and how long this last remains to be seen.  But don't be surprised if the next time you see me I have you dressed in a tutu, I am dying to get as many people as possible on board my tutu-train.  The tutu embraces our inner child, playful spirit and joyous zest for life.  Tutu's are visually beautiful, romantic, uplifting and artful.  Perhaps tutu's can connect the world, it sure has me fired up!! So hop up on the tutu train and ride, ride, ride.....................