Lost Aussie on the loose

Over at the Altered Page - A New Pulse

Acrosss at the Altered Page, Seth is getting ready to unveil the latest episode of "The Pulse".

and to mercilessly borrow from his eloquent words ... The Pulse is ...

...." an online survey in words and pictures of over 125 artists, starts out with a bang this coming Fourth of July weekend.
The Pulse is a collaborative project that has been part of The Altered Page since January 2008.
Its purpose is to "tap into the pulse" of the mixed-media arts community and share with you the "state of the art."
This project will introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and provide a window into the creative hearts and minds of the talented pool of artists working today."
Seth Apter.

Seth is also introducing Style File - a response to ‘How would you describe your artistic style’.

I'm not quite sure if I can remember what I said, but apparently it's going to be part of the "Style File".
So check out Seth's page this weekend.
It's sure to be full of artistic goodness and delight!

A Letter to Summer

Dear Summer,

It's so lovely to have you here.  I'm sorry that I have not been outside so much to see you but I have been rather busy indoors with my latest online class.

I did  sneak outdoors for a bit today with my camera and snapped a few new pics of the lovely baby Cone Flowers, pulled some weeds and tipped my toes in the pool.
That's still a little cold though and I think I will be waiting for some of your hotter days to make that adventure a little less chilly!

Don't forget me though, I wait months and months for you to get here and you know I love you so much more than Winter and I promise to get out and see you more soon.

I remain, respectfully yours....

Life at the Speed of .....

There are days when life goes by at the speed of light ... or really that might be at download speed, upload speed, render speed and so on - basically any way you can move pixels aroud in a fast or faster way!

Today I worked in:
                           Photoshop
                                Elements
                                     In Design
                                         Camtasia
                                              Snag it
                                                   Adobe Writer
                                                        Win Zip
                                                             Word
                                                                  Excel
                                                                            .... and Illustrator !!

There are times when I might be concerned about being 50 and the physical machine fallling apart here and there, but I can categorically state that my MIND is still going 110%

How the heck much more **** can I fit in there ????????????

Yeah, and I did two loads of laundry too!

Sunday's Sunshine

 

How does that song go?

"..... I'm walking on sunshine , wooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
and don't it feel good!! ... "

Song lyrics - Katrina and the Waves!

Photo taken yesterday afternoon at Robert Moses Beach, Long Island, New York.

© Marie Otero 2011

Video Mama

Project 1 for the new Photo Magic Class

My new Photo Magic Class starts soon and so for the moment, all thoughts of encaustic and other creative pursuits have gone out of the window!

I've actually had to try really hard to deliberatly switch mental gears and it's been tough, as all I have wanted to do is go "PLAY" in the studio after last week's workshop.

Anyway, it is what it is and I am liking the way the new class is coming together - and that is all that counts.

I've even managed to stitch together a quick "Intro" video for PSE9 users as I have a couple of noobie newbies in this session and I figured it would not hurt to give them a "leg up" - so to speak.

It's been a while since I did any serious video editing and I am a demon perfectionist when it comes to good production - no weird noises, no hollow rooms or echoing floor boards.  I don't even let the cat purr on my lap :-))  So the intro video was good practice for the next 10 for the week! 

Oy Vay... why do I do this to myself I ask - yeah but I really rather love it, so don't worry!

An Encaustic Tale

Woodstock, a charming upstate New York town where the locals are laid back and friendly, there's a "certain" perfume in the air and it's really easy to relax :-))

I hooked up with my friend Nancy, to take a 4 day workshop in conjunction with the Center for Photography and R&F Paints.  We stayed at a charming B&B - "The Woodstock Inn" and could not have wished for a more idyllic spot with a top notch Inn Keeper and accommodations to match.

The first two days of the workshop we spent in Woodstock at CPW - printing, messing with cyanotypes and prepping images.

Unfortunately most of what was covered on these two days was not new to me and not quite what I had expected, but I digressed a little from the lesson plan and played with a pinhole camera set-up and enjoyed experimenting with printing cyanotypes on fabric.

The next two days we spent at R & F Paints, working in their fabulous studio.  As I'd already done a workshop with them several years before there was not too much new learning to be had here either but I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to spend two days dipping, painting and fusing - without having to worry about anything else.

I created some 20 or so pieces over the two days of wax studio time.  Some of them were simply experiments that I had the luxury to do, working in an uninterrupted fashion.  Others are more complete and perhaps require just a finishing touch here and there.

So, here's a selection of some of the work....  in varying sizes and formats.  Most of them 8x8", 7"x7" or 5x7".  The smaller sizes were easier to work as samplers as I fussed with ideas and techniques.

Techniques that I worked on included, basic fusing, pouring, embedding, incising, transfers, painting, collage, layering and texture.

The square pieces are all worked on deep cradled gallery boards.  The rectangular pieces are all worked on flat masonite.

I'll share some more of the work in another post. 

For now though, cheerio and I hope you enjoyed a peek into my waxy adventures!

Away with Wax

I'm up in the wilds of Woodstock (NY), immersed in wax workshop.

I'll probably come up for air in the next day or so and let you know all the fun things that I have been up to.

This sure is the land of peace and contentment :-)

La,la,la,la ..... all I need now is a hippie skirt ...

..... sorry, it must be in the Air!

What is your Blog about?

  I was reading Seth's article about Blogging and I have to say when I started this blog nearly SIX Years ago, I did not have a "Vision" for it per se.  It was meant to act as a visual and texted chronicle about my life, stuff and whatever the heck I pleased.

Since I dont really "Art Journal" in the traditional sense, this is my version of it.

Seth's survey of bloggers determined that most blog visitors want to visit other people's blogs with the intent of viewing Art and are less interested in commentary. personal or otherwise.

I don't know that I agree with that.  I tend to find that I get the most response out of my viewers when I post subject matter that requires a little bit of discourse or (pleasant) controversy - or where you as the reader get to express an opinion.

Either way, vision enabled or not, I don't really plan on changing how I do things here.
I have looked through older posts and cringed at some of the artwork I have posted.
I have looked through older posts and seen how I have grown over the years and how my artwork, ideas and subject matter have changed.
My sons are six years older and I am twice as married as I was when I started.

And not to diminish my readers in any way, but this blog will continue to be for "me".  Selfish yes, but it's my tiny spot on the planet where, like you, I get to have my voice in an unconditional manner (politics aside).

My other blogs do a JOB and serve a purpose but this one is just mine.

Some days there is art, other days there are thoughts and for the most part I do a good job at editing all of that so it's palatable ....

I love that you come visit and I hope you continue to do so .....   Blogging Rocks!

Works in Progress

I'm busy working on projects for the new Photo Magic Online Class and enjoying working with tools that are less often used but ones that have much creative potential nevertheless.

Registration is now open for the Class which starts on June 24th!

I hope to see you there!

 

The Gift of Music

Walking through Manhattan today there were drums, guitars, saxaphones and so many more notes gracing the spring-like air.

The musicians were smiling, their audience tapping their toes ...

It's beyond me to understand why there are those who would wish to curtail this fabulous freedom in certain parts of Central Park.

Me thinks the rule monsters are getting too big for their boots!