After working on my daily piece today I started to think about some other pieces that were directly inspired by ECU, many because they were made on game days. I started trying to incorporate things like this (my sports teams playing) into my art as I work because it is kinda fun for me, and it helps me add a little extra narrative to the pieces in the series.
Below are some of the pieces that I created last year that were directly related to my beloved Pirates or just included the team colors. This is something that I think I will continue to do in 2015...just 'cause!
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![]() But first... before I start speaking...er...typing...about my new monthly series...I just gotta get this off my chest. I had a good, no a GREAT year in 2014. Many great things happened for me as an artist...but one thing that I am not excited or proud about...I only created one fashion illustration in 2014. Yeah, just one. Now, if you have ever been on my blog or seen my posts on social media in past years then you would know that fashion illustration is a side passion for me. Like...I love it. My weekend routine for 2012 and 2013 almost always included a trip to the beach followed with 2-4 hours of sketching time at Barnes and Noble, usually on Sundays. I would grab a stack of fashion magazines, get my coffee, place my paper and drawing/painting materials on those tiny tables (seriously, kinda small for makin' art, people!)...and I would just pour over those images...then recreate them in various media, with my own lil' take on the images. Well in 2014...I just got out of the habit. I don't know if it was partly due to where we were living, it was a 20 minute drive to B&N vs being able to walk before, but I just didn't take the time to work on this side passion. Thinking back on it, I know that some of my time (I am talking a couple of hundred hours at least!) creating a wedding gown from past issues of Art Hive Magazine...so I did do some fashion-related work of sorts and I will comfort myself with that. When I was thinking of what I wanted to do for my first series in 2015 this 'failure' on my part wasn't far from my mind. (Don't worry, I am just really, really tough on myself) I knew that I wanted to start with something related to fashion, just to go ahead and tackle what I feel was a low point for me in 2014. But wait- there's more. All this year...I have been setting the stage for something else I love to be a part of my creative process...my love for accessories...jewelry...and heck, even organization. All year I have been tagging posts of my various accessorized outings with #MissMatchyMatchy. I even launched a brand new blog dedicated to my obsession with the sparkle life, Here's my thought process for this series. I am going to spend a month hanging out with Miss Matchy Matchy (and Trinket, her cat!) Each piece will be inspired by jewelry/accessories from my own collection. I will be linking the new blog to this blog....cross referencing in social media...it promises to be chaos...but hey, it will be well-coordinated chaos! So...ummm...here she is- Miss Matchy Matchy...and her little cat, Trinket. And just in case you were wondering....Miss Matchy Matchy is me...and any other gal, guy or feline that appreciates jewels...thought-out color combinations and textures...and the sheer joy or over-organization bordering on OCPD. Yeah, this is for you, ya sparkly soul! Now keep in mind that I am still figuring out how I want to link all this together...but if you are interested in finding out more about this crazy necklace and how in the world I wore it (seriously, I know it is a little over the top!) Please check out the related blog post; http://missmatchymatchy.blogspot.com/2015/01/is-statement-for-this-necklace-that-i.html
To say that both of my wrists feel like they are gonna fall off...that is an understatement. I have been working on some things all morning...like, since 5am...and sometimes things don't go as planned. That being said, I gave up on my original slide show idea (I mean...it was going to be so fun, with music and everything...sigh) and instead started from scratch. I just wanted to document in one spot all the fun art-wonderfulness that went on in 2014. So...ummm....here it 'tis. ...and the new series, and related brand new blog (!) are both ready to go...gonna wait on releasing that info for a bit...wrists need a break! ![]() First day of 2015 and so far I haven't done anything artistic...well...I did gather some materials for a DIY New Year's project for my friend before leaving Orlando...stay tuned for the how-to's...and for her finished piece! (No pressure JPM!) I have also been trying to finish up a year in review slide show but have been having technical difficulties...so rather that continuing to refresh the page and yell expletives at the computer...I will just revisit that tomorrow. (fingers crossed) I do have some goals for 2015 and some related art projects and fun news that I will be sharing...hopefully in the next few days. After all of this traveling I feel like I just need a minute to regroup and refocus...but it's all coming soon. Right now...right now I need to figure out what in the world I am going to do for my series this month!
I had a fellow art teacher ask me about this whole daily art thing...and I said I would write a blog post. And I did. Well...I started it. Then I let myself get caught up with mid-term exams, holiday shopping, Christmas...and finally the excitement of NYE and knowing that I had completed another full year of making art. But I never 'finished' that document...but here is what I started; Click here. (Beware, it's in 'Jenny-speak'...which means it is all over the place!)
One thing I constantly beat myself up about (and also relish) is my own self-imposed organization and inventory of my work. This is something that I have been doing just for me but now I am actually in the process of doing for Gallery 2014 (Miss Sharon...I am working on it!) . The first year I did the CED Challenge I created an on-line document, kind of a catalog of my work. (CED2012-JLG Artwork) I remember staying up working on that document for a frenzied couple of days...the final day I didn't go to sleep, finished the document then drove to the beach to watch the sun rise. Awesome, right? The only thing is I feel like I should have done that every other year, too...and I havent'...so then I get kinda bummed out. Maybe I will make a document at some point for 2013 and 2014...but for now I just made a big ol' mosaic of images...this is most of the work, not all of 'em...and ya gotta look really close because there are some mosaics within mosaics...but most of the daily work is there. Most of it ;) Santa baby...yer done. The Santa's Helpers series I mean. And while we're at it- 2014, too...well, almost! I am going to post a separate post about this past year of making art every day...but for now, I want to just write a little bit about the series I just finished...My goals for this series were to maintain cohesion within the pieces, I think that I stuck to that. That being said, I kind of wish I would have developed the girls more, some kind of transformation...but then it would not have the overall cohesion that I originally wanted. And that is something that I am working towards in my daily art, to hopefully work towards some larger goals that I have for my work. I haven't really done a great job keeping my blog up to date, relying on my Instagram images to fill in the blanks and show my works in progress and random creative happenings. For the most part, I have made myself be at peace with this, but I do feel bad when I neglect my blog...this is part of my documentation process and therefore part of the art making for me. So I am going to work on that...but for now, here are the remaining pieces in the series, including the one for December 31, 2014: One reason that I didn't keep up with the blog is...well...Christmas break. John and I did some traveling while we were home, spent time with friends and family. I actually let myself get some rest and I am pretty excited about that. I made my daily art during this time, but nothing extra. Well...except a commission that I delivered before I left for NC...and I am happy to report that the client(s) loved it! ![]() Commission...I was contacted about creating a painting of this man's wife, along with a quote that is significant to them. When he showed his oldest son the in-progress pic he shouted out "Mommy!" and...ummmm...yeah. I felt like I got review from a fancy art critic, maybe even better! It was a Christmas gift and she loved it! Okay...that's it for now...more tomorrow...errr...I mean later today :) ![]() Winter break...almost...here. And I cannot wait. This time last year, it was much different. Not to get too into it, but I needed that break to survive- to get back to being me, to be away from negativity and stress. This year...just looking forward to visiting with friends and family...sleeping in...making art...and hopefully some pool time. John and I ventured out to the pool area today- first time since we moved in. Man, we were missing out all this time! We pledged to try to make it out there (or just outside) more. After all, that's why we suffered through the heat in South Florida this summer...to enjoy 70+ temperatures in December! What does this have to do with my art? Nothing? Everything? I dunno. Just excited. Okay, just wanted to share. Oh, and here are the latest pieces in my 'Santa's Helpers' series. I posted a fun lil' video of today's piece on Instagram, stop by and check it out if you get a chance!
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AuthorArtist and Art Teacher
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