Finding inspiration

I was over on FaceBook just now and a FB friend, Barbara Lane, said this: 

"I wish I had your talent of painting whimsy..mine always comes out tight, with no imagination.  I can copy to a tee, but imagination, none.  Great job with your paintings."

I hope she won't mind me using her quote.  Here's the thing:  I feel this way almost every day!  It's interesting being an artist.  We first have to realize...there is nothing new in this world!!!  It's really ALL been done.  I don't say this to be discouraging.  I say it to let you know that there is no pressure to do the "one thing that has never been done"!  If you are Michelangelo...go for it.  If you are just you....find the path that makes you happy and pursue that.

It IS necessary to find your own style.  That is usually done by first studying and copying the artists that you most admire and then by changing that to become your own style.  I hope to truly address this in an online class that I am planning.

I keep harping on this (!).....keep an idea journal.  Every stupid thing that pops into my head goes into my idea journal.  "Hey...look how long that guy's legs are!" (goes in the journal).  "Look at that crazy dog!" (goes in the journal).  "That girl looks so happy walking with her brother!"  (goes in the journal). Those things are the stuff of imagination.   Sometimes I draw a quick little idea and sometimes I literally write down a person's name so that I remember who it was that inspired me that day (so I can look them up again later).  I have learned to translate thoughts and ideas into my own style but that didn't happen overnight.  I had to work hard to find my own path.  I refuse to "copy" anyone...but occasionally I do find that the inspirations seep through....like Tim Burton!  I have had 2 people tell me that my doggies remind them of 'Frankenweinie".  That's okay.  I didn't copy him but he certainly does inspire me and as long as I didn't look at Tim's work to create my own, I am fine knowing my creatures come from my own imagination and I definately give credit to those who inspire me.

I hope this hasn't been just rambling....I only mean it to encourage you to keep pushing forward.  Everything you do builds on the last thing you did.

Here is a journal I just completed.  I will be teaching this technique at Art Is You in Petaluma, CA in September.

Thank you all for reading my humble little blog.  I truly appreciate you.

Back from a Trip and New Paintings

Hello, my lovely friends!  Life has been a busy whirlwind for the last couple of months.  I just returned from a family trip to Universal Studios.  While there, I managed to complete a couple of new tiny paintings.

Plus a Pen and Ink drawing that I titled "Sweet Baby Steals the Sun From Colorado".

When I got back, I sculpted a few new pendants and faces for bracelets.  Those will be going into the kiln today for the first firing.

I haven't forgotten my plans to make videos for an online class.  I have made plans to video for a few days coming up.  I'll keep you posted!   Thanks for checking in!!!

New Happenings

I've noticed lately that I seem to post a whole lot more on Facebook than I do here!  If you aren't my Facebook friend, come on over and friend me there to see things even more quickly.  I will always post here as well but it's just so easy to do a really quick post there.

A couple of new paintings have been completed. As I've said before, I love to put some humor in my paintings. On this first painting, I first found the words, "I love you too well to be the cause of your death"!!! I just didn't have enough room to use those words....I'll use them on something else!

Next up, comes "The Thief".  When I drew this dog and this boy, I thought I would combine them into one painting and that they would be together.  It wasn't until the end that I realized the dog is the only one who knows the truth!! (You may have to click on the painting to read the words).

  More new stuff this week included a bracelet and 2 necklaces.  They both sold as soon as I put them in my Etsy shop.  Again, on Facebook I always announce when I put something in the shop.  There are still a few of the porcelain necklaces left. 

Also....2 new bags made from the new paintings!

On the home front, my daughter, Taylor graduated from high school last week!  She has attended The International Baccalaureate School for all 4 years.  It was SO much work for her but I feel that she is truly prepared for college.  She has a scholarship to The University of Alabama Honors College!  I am so proud of her!

And THEN....my daughter, Daryl got married yesterday!  She and her new husband (Robbie) have known each other since 7th grade.  They are now in their mid-20's and have a baby together so it was time!!  Congratulations to them!

New Painting plus Artfest 2012 Student Work

I've said in a previous post that I find great value in an idea journal.  I draw every crazy thought that I have, even if a lot of them don't become anything.  It's so great to look through the journal and pick a drawing to make into a painting.

I have also been recording for an online class.  I have recorded 3 paintings so far (this one is not one of them) but still haven't gotten happy with the outcome.  I felt on all 3 paintings that I was just too slow.  I finally realized as I painted this one that that's just how I work!  I think it was good for me to try a few times before I put something out there for you all to see.  It will be a much better class as a result.  I still have to start over but at least I will know I did my very best when it's ready!

Also, I wanted to post some of the paintings to come out of my "Story Pieces" class at Artfest.  The beautiful ladies in this class just amazed me with their creativity and talent:

 

New Things are Happening!

I know I said I was going to do an Artfest post but since most of the pictures have already been seen on Facebook, I think I'll just move on into the "after Artfest" work!  I will say that I had the BEST students and such an amazing time!  Thank you all and I hope it was a great experience for you all, as well.  If you haven't seen the pictures, you can visit my Facebook page and see all the fun here:  Sunny's Facebook page. 

Now for new things!  My dolls are in the current issue of Art Doll Quarterly!  I was so excited to see them in the beginning pages of the May 2012 issue.  I thought the photography was superb and I was thrilled to have been given 5 pages!  The schedule is still being worked out, but I have been asked to teach the little sisters of my Dollandia Girls at Art Is...You! Petaluma, CA along with a 2 day pendant class and an altered journal class.

I've been working on some filming for an upcoming online class.  I won't be ready for a little while because I have to get happy with the paintings before I can feel good about putting them out into the world.  I filmed all last weekend and ultimately decided to start over!  Haha!  But I did want everyone who is asking to know that it is in the works!
Here are the paintings completed this weekend:

Do you notice that this little guy called "Popcorn" is actually a painting of one of my favorite pendants?

I was very pleased with the following painting.  Her name is Clara.  The text says: "then the family sent Clara away to school hoping to have her overcome her painful shyness".  I think it worked!

Then I made her into a bag!  This one has been sold but I'll be making others.

So that's been my week so far.  I hope you are finding time to be creative!

New Pendants!

I'm working on a huge Artfest Post with LOTS of pictures but I haven't got it quite ready yet.  In the meantime, on very limited studio time this week, I did manage to get a bunch of new pendants done.  These will have the same hand-pieced chain that my Legions Pendants have.  I will be putting some of these into my Etsy shop later this afternoon!  I am also working simultaniously on a new RatBaby for the sweet, talented Paula Nerhus.  If you aren't familiar with her gorgeous dolls, you need to check her out!

Dolly Day!!!

I have finished 8 dolls today.  4 large (about 10") and 4 small (about 6").  I will show you 7 of them-the 8th is for a swap with Lana Guerra (I made a doll of her!  She (the REAL Lana) is adorable!  I can't wait for her to see it.  We will be swapping at Artfest.  I will post pics of that doll after I get back because I want it to be a surprise.

First up:  Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Tim Burton.  Since my dolls are so inspired by Mr. Burton, I felt I needed some Burtonish chairs for photographing them.  Here are the chairs.  They are made of wood and painted with acrylics.

Now for the dollies.  I wish you could see them in person.  Honestly, I am a terrible photographer!  I will begin with the little girls:

And now for the big girls: