Creative Influences » Influences

Putting Art Into Each Moment

Kim — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:08:10 +0000

I am doing art with each moment I can grab. I can’t stop doing it, so I figure out a way. Clearly this provides me with an opportunity to continue learning. Anyway, I don’t have a choice in the matter. This is ink on a wonderful, heavy watercolor I received as a gift a few years ago. It is truly a luxury to use.

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Making Changes

Kim — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:16:36 +0000

It has been so brutally hot here this summer, so I have moved my studio from upstairs to the basement. It is much brighter and larger…not to mention cooler. I am enjoying it and hope to have a few things to show you soon.

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Taking Art to the Street and Promoting Peace

Kim — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:39:17 +0000

This is an image of an installation in Brazil of artist, JR. Tomorrow, 2 March at 5:00 pm Pacific Time, JR will reveal his wish to change the world. He has been given this year’s TED prize and will receive help in making his wish come true. You can learn more about JR on the TED site and sign up to learn how to watch JR’s talk live tomorrow.

If you do not know about TED, I so encourage you to explore this site further. You might become hooked! Also, this image was provided by TED and the artist.

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Reminders and Gratitudes

Kim — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:48:15 +0000

You have seen this small triptych before and possibly know it is in the McIver collection in New Zealand. I am showing it to you again to day because once again this small, but incredibly creative and vibrant country has been hit by a powerful earthquake near Christchurch. Unlike the last large one, which hit about 5 months ago, this quake has taken lives and many people are not accounted for. My heart breaks for these wonderful people. Lesley McIver tells me her family is all well, but her country people are devastated. I hope you will join me in remembering these people in your meditations and prayers today and into the future.

I am working hard to get back to blogging these days. I have a new painting to show you soon and others to come, so I am filled with gratitude to tell you I have been in the studio doing a bit of work. All of you working artists know how great that feels after a time of diligent left brained activity. I want to thank you all for your patience and your support through these last few months. While there is a lot going on here, I feel as though I can move forward with some positive work and hopefully get back to your blogs soon.

Please, do not forget our friends in New Zealand as you move through your lives.

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Seeking Wise Artist’s Advice

Kim — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:01:48 +0000

Happy 2011 everyone! Some of my day-to-day challenges from 2010 have spilled over a bit into 2011, however I am working each day to bounce back into my work here. Thank you all for your patience (past and future) and know I will be making some blog rounds in the near future.

So when life hands you opportunities which push your art aside for a bit, what do you do to get yourself immersed in your work again? I have talked about that before, a lot, on this blog, however I often wonder how other artist get themselves back on track. Are you a person who craves routine, or are you like me and balk at a rote life? Sometimes I think I would find some of this easier if I truly needed routine to move me through my days, however I find that kind of living to be unsettling. Mainly, I think I need to give myself an art project! I am the queen of slow, you know.

At any rate, I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the subject of re-immersion into work. What is your wise advice? I do have a few bits of excitement up my sleeve I will be sharing with you as 2011 unfolds. I hope you have some wonderful plans, too.

Thanks to all of you who wrote me regarding my parent’s health issues. They are both doing much better and hopefully they will both be back home and returning to their own lives soon. All of your thoughts and blessings were greatly appreciated by all of my family.

Looking at Life Sideways It has been far too long since my last post,...
Reminders and Gratitudes You have seen this small triptych before and possibly know...
Putting Art Into Each Moment I am doing art with each moment I can grab. ...

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Giving Thanks

Kim — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:28:10 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I know many of you are not Americans, however this is an exciting week for us in the US. We remind ourselves to take a moment to reflect and celebrate all the reasons we are thankful to be here on this earth. No matter where you are, I hope you will also find a moment to reflect on your own reasons for being thankful. I include you in my many reasons for being thankful this very special year.

I also want to thank you all for bearing with me. There have been a few personal issues I have needed to take care of here. I think, for now, these issues will be ongoing, so I beg you to please stay with me. My studio time has been very limited, so you might see a few other things appearing from time to time. I am thankful for you all.

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Studio Music

Kim — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:02:34 +0000

I have been thinking about music in the studio again because I have been re-reading Joe Fig’s book Inside the Painter’s Studio. I re-read a lot, but this book I find so interesting. During my recent bout of not being in the studio I listened to a lot of music – a lot of Leonard Cohen, actually. As I was reading through these interviews again in Joe’s book, I became focused on the answers to the question, “Do you listen to music, the radio, or TV when you work?…” This question goes on to ask what, etc. Anyway, so many artist said they do and the reason for it is that it empties their head, so they don’t think so much. I found these answers perfectly resonated with me. Music does that for me, as well, when I am in the studio. Art is making way for more art. I must have a clear head to allow the painting to develop. Do you?

Are you listening to music now? What is it? Do you have a favorite line? Leonard Cohen sings a song, Anthem. In that song, the line,

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

This line has become my mantra.

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The Elusive Muse

Kim — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:27:02 +0000

I am sure many of you have noticed when stresses come to visit us, often our muse decides to say, “I’m outta here. I sure don’t need this.” and out the back door they go. One reason they go is because we do not take the time to call them back. Just like any part of our life we deem important, the muse also needs to be stroked and acknowledged. This reminds me of the talk Elizabeth Gilbert did for TED when she talks about the importance of showing up to work each day. If you haven’t seen it in a while, it is well worth watching again. I go there and let her give me a piece of her mind every once in a while.

So I tried to call my muse back to me by staying with my sketchbook. She began to talk back with the words. Muse kept prodding. I think she really wanted to return, but she also wanted to make sure I was not going to abandon her again, so she kept testing me. I found myself getting mired in the black and white, so she pulled back again a little bit, but she only wanted me to know this was the real thing and she wasn’t to be played with. I had to do some harder work to get her back. So I began to read (more about this in another post) and try to understand the hard work was to show up each day, as Elizabeth Gilbert says, and stay focused. I had to not be so hard on myself and be open to the subtle messages wonderful people around me provided. There are messengers in the least suspecting places. In other words, I began to pay attention more and Muse started to come back again, giving me ideas and inspiration. The color started to come back, too. See…

I was overjoyed to see the colors again. I did not want to loose them. Muse reminded me all of this happens for a purpose and I had to evaluate what I learn along the way. I had to really live what I knew. I had to slow down, I had to show up, I had to meet my own needs, too. Well, this is all fine and good, but how do I do this effectively? Muse says there is a way which is just right for me, and I just had to figure it out. I read more, began meditating more, did more yoga and one day an explosion happened. I needed to do something which returned me to a child’s mind, so I began a left-handed sketchbook/journal (my non-dominant hand). I really had to focus on each and every mark. It has made a huge difference. See, here are the first pages:

Yes, these are rough and they are weird (they are not abstract!), but the focus and concentration is like meditation and it connected me deeper with my right brain which is very important and very relaxing. After I do these, I slip right into other art work. It is right for me, for now. Muse really likes it. You know, it is just like when I begin to work with my left hand it is a signal to Muse that it is time to work and she comes around for a visit. Here is one more page further on:

Now this one looks a bit abstract, but it was not at all the intention. No, I am not going to begin to show you these silly drawings, but I did want to say how important it is to show up to work – just like anyone else. Just because Muse takes a vacation, it doesn’t mean she will stay away. Not like others, however, we have to be slow and methodical with our work and with our lives. That is a great challenge in our world. Muse doesn’t like speed, she will walk away from it every time. Slow Living and Slow Art can be a truly Full Life. Sometimes you have to bring Muse back gently and other times you have to send her away (if she starts playing with your head), but the key is knowing the right time to do each. The Muse can be elusive, but if you treat her right, she is one of your best friends. You have to treat her right, though. She is human in that way!

Different Colors, Shapes and Way Different Canvas This is a work-in-progress. The round canvas was a gift...

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Christchurch Earthquake and The Forest for The Trees!

Kim — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:42:15 +0000

I would like to take a moment here to say to all of our friends in New Zealand we are thinking about you and wish for you all the healing necessary to get through this horrible earthquake. A frequent contributor to this blog, Lesley McIver (please read her blog post about the earthquake) tells me her hometown of Christchurch is like a war zone and the stories are horrific. The world is with you, New Zealanders! It truly must feel as though you can’t see the forest for the trees.

As I was looking through some of my paintings and sketches the other day I noticed something. I have had a thing for finding my way through the forest or at least I seem to be making that analogy from time to time. First I noticed this one which reminds me of a bamboo forest and someone (a woman) is trying to find her way with that darn flashlight (torch).

Then I found this in my sketchbook which is also about finding my way through the forest…

It is interesting to go back and look at some of these things from time to time. I often just draw or just paint without thinking about it, but sometimes there are links. I suppose I am just trying to find my way at the moment. With all of this forest talk and door talk, I seem to be looking looking for something, waiting for something or just down right procrastinating. If truth be told so far this year it has felt as though there has been change in the air. I still have not been able to put my finger on it, but I feel as though maybe I haven’t been listening closely enough. So I am working on that, too. It is a slow process, but slow art is a good thing…slow living is a good thing.

It is all really quite exciting, really. I am eager to get going with some serious work and looking forward to the snap in the air autumn brings. I began a new project yesterday which I will be sharing with you as I get it settled in. I also will be bringing out some more color around here. It is about time…but I am not abandoning my sketchbook, either!

With that said, I leave you with this small gift of appreciation for bearing with me. It has been a challenge and I appreciate your loyalty.

Please feel free to print this and use it as a bookmark or whatever you wish. I hope you find simplicity and gratitude in your life each day.

Reminders and Gratitudes You have seen this small triptych before and possibly know...

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Do you recognize the good when you are in the middle of it?

Kim — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:12:20 +0000

Is our society so involved with the negative that we can’t see the positive? It seems society, as a whole, is so focused on the negative that when we have good times we don’t even recognize them until they have past. If that is so, how do we enjoy each day? I suppose we can only do that as a collective body of individuals. I think that is why I love so many bloggers – in general, they see the good! Good only bring good! Don’t you think?

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