Carpe Diem

My youngest boy, Killian, age 5, asked for a desk for Christmas.  He is really into art, drawing in particular, and wants to spend most of his free time doing that.  I know how he feels... he wants a special place where he can go to just sit there with his own supplies and think and draw.  I love my studio and my table.  I love the cozy chair in the corner with the lantern above.  I love the 3rd story window with the old-fashioned lock and how it overlooks the trees.  I love my bulletin board full of inspiration and the refreshing robin's egg blue on the walls.  It all means something to me and is a part of the process.  It is much sweeter to have your own personal space that feels like the right environment for creating.  That is why I tuned into Killians wish and I am going to make him a space of his own. 
             I found a beautiful table and a chair on craigslist.  I just fell in love with the lines of the legs of the desk and the little key that you turn to open the drawer that holds your supplies.  Of course, the picture didn't show that the top was a little worn and the legs slightly banged up and I didn't realize that until I saw it in person.  So I decided to buy it and put some love into it.  I have spent the last 3 nights sanding the table.  Sanding looks a lot easier than it is and my arm and fingers got really tired.  Although they were aching, I just kept telling myself... "He is going to love sitting here and creating", and "he will be so surprised to unwrap this desk and find the little key to open it!"  That is what got me through. 
             I love keeping a piece of furniture alive by reviving it.  It is way more fun than just buying one.  It is always interesting and I try to piece together a story when I observe the piece.  I was down on the floor sanding the legs, and I saw written in miniature red letters, "carpe diem".  I wondered who wrote them and why.  "Ceize the day".  Were they ceizing the day with the artwork they were creating?  Were they taking a hold of the day with the words they were writing on their paper?  I pulled out the drawer, and there was a little star sticker on the very back... probably from a child.  I flipped over the drawer and 2 women's names were written in script in pencil on the bottom.  I wondered why they signed their names on this desk. 
            I put on the first coat of stain and it looks really good!  He will love the swivel chair I found for him and also the red lamp to grace the top and light up his masterpieces!  I love him so much and love his passion for drawing.  I can't wait to give it to him!!!

Hanging on 'till Christmas

           I forgot to post some baby shoes I made for a few ladies that were at my friend's baby shower so here are a few pictures of them.  They had ordered some shoes from me and these are what I sent them.  I found this really cool asian inspired fabric to make them out of, and lined them in a rich blue.  Since my last post, I have taken a little brake from working on art in my studio.  I have been spending time making some presents for Christmas, and when Christmas is over, it is time to start up in my studio again.  I have also been taking some time to brainstorm about what I want to do for my next pieces. 
           I am tired of cocoons, so I am going to take another direction next.  I also might change mediums a bit, although I am not sure about that.  I feel like I miss drawing on paper, although I love the texture of fabric and all of it's possibilities.  I really don't want to have to matte and frame my work anymore though, so fabric makes it easier for me not to do that!  I will have to play it by ear with the mediums I choose to work with next.  I really want to get out my wax to start up some wax paintings, but I have to build the wooden bases that they go on first, and that consists of help from my husband and time for him to do that... a little hard to come by.  Paper is so easily accessible! 
            In the last pieces I made for the salon, I worked in a way that was less realistic than I naturally choose to work in.  I feel like part of my natural makeup in the way I go about drawing and painting is in a hyper-realistic way, and I didn't work that way in my last pieces.  I really feel like I was trying some different things, but the realism that I love and naturally use in my work is crying to come out again!  I think that will be a part of what I do next.  I will post pictures of my new pieces I did for the gallery as soon as I get some good pictures taken of them.  For the next three weeks, I plan on continuing the brainstorming for my next territory, and making sketches of what I plan on doing.