Why Art?

Why do I make art? I'm really not sure. Most days it feels like a compulsion. A compulsion to express, to create and to feel a certain sense of accomplishment which is then often accompanied with feelings of self doubt and confusion. I like very few of my paintings and often feel a sense of failure after completing one. No matter how good a painting may be, it could always be better!
The last few weeks I had multiple friends ask me "when do I find the time to paint?" The only answer I had for them was that I spent as much time as possible working on my art. It seems like an obvious answer to me but I'm not sure what other people do with their time? Why do I spend 10 - 20 hours a week painting and drawing? my answer....what else would I do with my spare time?
Like ballet, painting is a skill to be learned and honed in a technical fashion. In order for me to develop the skill and technique required to be a successful artist I need to be dedicated to my practice. Just like everything else you just need to practice!
This is my most recent experimental painting. I was excited and felt compelled to paint it....and then when it was done all my excitement drained away with the thought "is this art, or just a jumble of ideas?" I suppose the answer isn't important as long as I learned something from the process. I like the blue, I like the gold but all together there is something I dislike about this painting....maybe I hate squares. 
After looking at it for a couple of days I hate it a little less....perhaps it is growing on me!
I have titled it "Blue Ballet" and it is 12" by 12" acrylic on canvas. It is in my Etsy shop and I hope it sells so I don't have to look at it everyday. lol
The truth is I have no idea why I make art but I do know that it excites me and is a constant inspiration in my life. I don't know how I could live without it.

Ballet Book

I started this journal months ago. Procrastination is one of my more developed skills. After looking at it in pieces all summer long I finally stitched it together and completed it. I think this may be one of my favorite journals I have made so far. The gold makes it look fancy and matches the tutu on the front. I also put some blue sheets of paper into the signatures to complement the cover and overall feeling of the piece. 
This journal is listed in my book shop, Das Buch with all of my other journals and paper crafts. 

More Shoes

I hope you aren't sick of shoes yet..... sometimes it feels like that's all I paint. I have been working on this painting for about a month and I have finally completed it (it has a friend that is currently on my easel.) As usual these are one of my many pairs of well loved worn out pointe shoes. This painting was painted on a canvas that was lying around and I only just discovered that it is a strange size 10" by 13" (I think my Dad stretched this canvas 30 years ago.) The edges are painted black however there are staples all around it so it will need a custom frame. This painting (acrylic pointe shoes 2) can be purchased from my Etsy shop!

I'm trying to stick with my dance theme while I get back into acrylics which  I intend to continue using on a more regular basis. Yesterday I dug out my Dad's old rickety travel easel and ventured into the backyard for a day of painting in the garden. The weather was perfect, I just wish I was sitting next to a quiet lake instead of in close proximity with the highway. Perhaps one day I will live on a lake and paint outside all summer long....till then I will have to settle for the haphazard garden and highway noise. :)

Rainy Day at the Cabin

We spent this past weekend at the cabin....again! When we woke up Saturday morning we realized that the weather man had been right and it was going to rain all day long, making it the perfect day for an indoor video project. I always travel with extra art supplies and paint but the majority of this project is created with found objects. Sebastian went foraging in the woods while I painted the background and then we set it up beside the window so we would have as much natural light as possible! 
The whole project took about three hours to complete. We spent about an hour taking 243 photos which then turned into only 15 seconds of video. Stop motion animation is very tedious and slightly stressful as the slightest bump of the table can ruin the whole project.

The worm worked out surprisingly well in the little butter container. I think he was really high off of the yellow nail polish fumes. He managed to move at the perfect speed although he slowed down a bit near the end and needed some help. 
This little project has inspired a larger one that I am currently working on the background for. This next one will be longer and much more complex. Rainy days sometimes inspire the best ideas and concepts!

Flower Card with a Video

Summer is going by way too fast for my liking, I never seem to get enough work done! However I did manage to multitask and create a card and a painting video last week. It's a simple little flower card but as you can see there are many layers and a few different types of media involved. I used a pen instead of black ink because the card is so small and I wanted a finer line. I'm not super excited about it but it is cute, and I'm sure my Nana will love it!