Last night and today I’ve been creating an analog catalog (alliteration!) of my work to date in response to a suggestion that I keep a journal of uncensored notes on each piece as I do them. So of course, like a perfectionist, I felt I had to start from the beginning and get all of them. I’m sure I missed some, but I used the pictures on my phone to try to catch them all, cutting and pasting them into a Moleskine book. I love cutting and pasting! My kindergarten skills are fierce.
I put it back up on my social media. I did it like this:
I also like this one, but didn’t post it.
This series uses a full-figured white middle-aged woman as a paper doll to explore the reception of the appeal of such a woman in late 20th century American culture and the Goddess archetype.
I grew up entrenched in “thin/young is beautiful” socialization and am now curious about the disconnect between who I was, what body type and age I learned were “acceptable,” and my own current body.
I’d put these images up on my social media, but this morning I took them down as they weren’t getting much of a response and I am not confident enough to keep them up there. I guess they were too personal and despite my pleasure in them, apathetic response was a little too painful. Yes yes, all my art needs to be just for me. I know. There’s a dopamine hit from people’s “likes.” And I’m an affirmation junkie. But this site is for me (and you, dear viewers, though I know there are precious few of you), and so we shall gently hold them here.
They are:
Woman Marketed (the one with the mannequin)
Woman Ignored (yoga pants!)
Woman Unveiled (unadorned)
Woman Revealed (the unseen)
So this painting seems to want to be one of a series. Not much progress today in terms of change to the main image. today’s work is behind the scenes, including time spent creating the other images, messing around in ProCreate, and experimenting with lightning and star sparkles. Here’s a detail:
I am working on a number of pieces with the idea of celebrating the mature woman’s body and perhaps imagining a right of passuage where to attain such a body would be desired, celebrated, and admired because those who attain such a likeness, akin to that of the “earth mother” archetype, would be seen as having achieved a level of greatness, like “leveling-up” in a game, because they more approximate Her. What if the proven, survived, mature woman’s body were prized over that of the unproven, inexperienced, nubile female body? So, just showing part here as it’s in progress.
Happy Inauguration Day, US viewers!
So, I was just telling my psychiatrist about the blog and what I've been doing art-wise since June and how I was pleased I was posting an artwork everyday. Then I checked here and realized that I posted Stripey twice. What's up with that? I'll tell you. Two words: Civilization VI. We got this game for the Switch for Xmas and it is like my own personal crack-cocaine. I pick up the controller and 2 hours are gone. I've played for up to 8 or so hours at a stretch. I've played until 2 or 3 am multiple times (like last night), so I'm operating tired which leads to mistakes. SO... I need to get an extra in there. And I need to stop letting CivVI eat into art and sleep time! <Ughhhh>
By the way, if you want a calendar, I have one 10x10 left in stock ready to ship. See my Ko-fi shop or contact me directly. And hey, <shameless plug> I'm $150 or so in the hole art-wise due to my reprinting Mind The Glass and sending those out to those who purchased prints (because I was dissatisfied with the original prints I got), and art show entry fees. So anyone who'd like to drop something in my "tip jar" or become a monthly supporter or purchase something, please see my Ko-fi page! Need a New Year's Resolution? Supporting local artists is a worthy cause!
Apparently I worked on my landscape of my Dad’s house all night, as it is currently 5;55am. Oops. Today is gonna suck..... The painting is super-close, but not done yet and I want to put it up finished. But now I’ve got to sleep. Zzzzzzzz....
Well, I just realized this doesn’t have an apple. I’ll get one in there. So consider this in-progress. This is some art therapy work of mine having to do with the space where what you think you should be is determined by others and acceptance that what you are is acceptable as is
I completed this while listening to CNN coverage of the certification of electoral votes for the 2021 US President & VP after the insurrection in Washington DC and interruption of that process when a mob broke in to the Capitol Building.
Darn. Looks like a stray pink swish got saved. Will fix and replace. SMH.
Completed, along with some laundry, a basket of apples, deer, and the infamous bear my grandmother chased from that back porch with a broom!
What a BEAR getting this house down has been! This is like 4–6 hours of work just for this framework. Why?? Because I had to relearn 2-point perspective, which I haven’t worked with since high school (some 30 years ago—gah!). There’ll eventually be an apple somewhere.
