There's a tiny studio space with huge windows, right on the river, for three hundred a month and I really want it. I don't have three hundred dollars, let alone a month. So I am imagining ways to make this 300 plus 400 toward student loans that never get paid. How can I make 700 a month? Aargh, let's just say 100/week.

Paintings: 10 birds a month would cover the rent.

Or two big encaustic pieces.

Art lessons: I make 400/year now....

I could hold the lessons there. That would be cute. Five private lessons a week would cover the rent.

Anything I make teaching at the college goes toward house bills.

I guess the real question is: Will the space help me make more money painting or not? It has to more than pay for itself.

new project

Excited about new multi media project I plan to unveil in August.

Influences:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4gPZPKJc0s&feature=related

















www.bushwickfarms.com (Tara and Stuart)

Ame no Uzume

A period of down - ness re-inspired my inner poet and I am needing to merge writing and art-making and also my old love, performing. All I can say now, is that I'm building a stage and looking for a trombone player.

I'm making a website right now. I used 15 of our last 25$ in the bank on 3 months of websitetonight.com and it SUCKS. Or I suck.

Blogspot is so easy but getting myname.com seemed much more professional.

Today was pie day (3.14) so we made a chocolate pie and now I am up late finishing it.

My therapist bought 2 more paintings today and ordered a 7th. I just love her. I needed that money for groceries.

I have completely shifted my attitude towards painting as a job. 3rd shift.

I am trying to make some paintings for Japan relief. I started to make encaustic pieces from journalism photos, but its not working. People want happy pretty imagery anyway, not earthquake detritus, even if it does look cool and make me want to weep at the same time.

I am really thinking about doing Renegade Craft Fair this year. If I can make 100 paintings for that, I can get a gallery in Chicago. My big step right now is making the website so I can print it on business cards. And painting like the dickens. That, luckily, is the fun part. Except that now I have a stomach ache from pie.

Also must finish week one of Humanities course by Sunday night. And three paintings for Saturday. And at least one Japan painting for Friday. 7 other commissions also in queue. Plus, last week of in-home lessons is this week so I'm trying to get students shuffled into time slots for the next session.

I love doublestacks with no cheese. Its a good after-workout meal, in my opinion.

I love my husband. He's always buying electronic, music kind of stuff that I think is totally unnecessary, but then I turn out to enjoy the stuff. Like the ipod dock. What would I do without it? He goes to a lot of concerts. Some say I'm too easy on him. I say, its his life. His Life. This is it. Its happening now and we should enjoy it and not put off the fun parts till a later that never comes. If he can figure out how to pay for it, why shouldn't he do what he loves? Good for him.

I may be feeling especially this way now because over the last few days I spent a lot of money on my own hobby. Ha HA! I'm so excited. Right now in my basement, hiding under my giant studio table, are 6 flats of seeds on a shower curtain on an electric blanket, under 6 grow lights. Last time I did two flats and had plenty, but you gotta remember I worked on a farm last year and now I think BIG. And I'm obsessive. I hope to sell some extra plants to offset the costs of the endeavor. (black cherry, sungold, lemon drop and ananas noir tomatoes, rosemary, delphinium, basil, balsam, baby's breath, marigolds, mossrose, rainbow peppers, romanesco broccoli, violet cauliflower, lavender... there's more, I forget all I did extra of.) I intended to spend 50 at Menards yesterday and when the bill came to 132, I felt a little sick to my stomach. I know its tight till next Friday, but when I get to the seed display, my eyes glaze over and I'm in a compulsive trance. I've drawn a map of where it will all go. Also bought bulbs at home depot, including dinner plate dahlias much cheaper than online. And think of how much these plants would cost in 2 months. I'm saving 100s! Half of our little yard will be gardens. Hoping the dog will help with squirrels and rabbits. Worried she'll tear up the beds. I hate squirrels. I'll be shocked if a single bulb I planted last fall comes up after the feast they had. I am not the kind of woman who feels cuddly about woodland creatures. Snow White, you are living in a dream world. I'll never forget how the Japanese woman who stayed with us reacted to seeing her first squirrel - she ran screaming, terrified. Actually, she turned out to be worse than squirrels, but that's another story.

Must. Get back. To painting. Finishing 4 birds before bed to drop off at shop tomorrow.

Artist Statement du jour

My work reflects fleeting moments of joy in the ordinary. I see my immediate world as a heart-breakingly beautiful experience. Whether in wax or resin, the records of my observations are colorful, swirling, and luminous.

The birds began as sketches after my grandfather died. As I drew, it popped into my head that they used to call him "bird-legs" and I laughed out loud. I didn't realize it at first, but these birds were about him and my grandmother. He fed the backyard birds each morning into his 90's. The birds are a symbol for memories. Happy memories. Now the chubby, little birds have become a shared pleasure. They've become a conversation with new people. Maybe not everybody thinks rusty excavators are gorgeous like I do, but most people enjoy backyard birds. We can connect that way.

Total obsession with garden has taken over.

Dinner plate dahlias are the latest installment. MUST HAVE. Buying these from Swan Dahlias.

10" blooms. I saw these last fall and wanted to go up to the door to ask what they were. Just figured it out last night.

Starting flats of lavender, pansies and night stock this week.

Picked up 9 grocery bags of dog poop today.
Nice day out.
Took a hike in the woods with dad and girls.

Made chicken soup with chicken feet.
Forgot to remove a few feet before serving.

Have been painting.
The resin process made one of the birds look like it had pooped.
I covered it with cherry blossoms.
Now the birds all look empty without blossoms or berries.
Serendipitous, resinous bird poop.

Enjoying/Obsessing over research for humanities course I start teaching next week.
Excuse to study poetry and watch documentaries.

Coming to terms with my own particular brand of madness.
Feeling comfortable and oddly happy.

Made a break up CD for my sister these last several hours.
Obsessor.
Told my dad tonight my new thing is to keep ice-cream for a whole week, enjoyed one serving at a time.
I ate all three dove bars while I made the CD.

I FUCKING LOVE CANNOLIS.
I can't even explain.
Buca di Beppos put them back on their menu.
Chris picked some up for me but they used hershey's syrup in lieu of the advertised chocolate sambuca sauce.
Stupid chain for ever taking them off the menu. Stupid chain for the syrup.
I'm choking in Chili's out here.

I've been running twice a week, 3 miles or so.
Trying to do 2 days lifting, two days yoga, 4 aerobic including runs.
Started using a calorie logging app.
That got old after 5 days.

The girls are doing really well at school.

Almost all of my paintings sold.

The girls did chores and got allowance today. I was inspired by a random episode of Supernanny.

We got an old minivan. I love it.

Enjoyed my sister being home for a month.

We got a new sectional. Our first purchased seating.

I've been writing a survey of humanities course for Spring semester. Feeling good about what I've got. Now my classes may not run due to low enrollment.

In-home classes start this week, too.

We are really enjoying the zoo pass we got for Christmas.

We signed up for the Warrior Dash this summer.

Keebler sells girl scout cookies at the grocery store now.

My sister and good friend and I went to a New Year's party. I love them. Chris watched the kids. I love him too.

I love spending the day with Gracie while the girls are at school. She is amazing.

Sometimes we crawl back in bed and read (the same three books) after the girls leave for school. (The Nutcracker pop up book, The Value of Believing in Yourself, and The Way I Feel)

Yesterday I had separate dates with the older girls. We each went out for hot chocolate and then made crafts. Eleanor made a fairy from a pipe cleaner wrapped in embroidery floss, with a wooden head and flower petal dress. Charlotte is WILD about the simultaneously solid and liquid properties of corn starch plus water. We went to Aunt Pat's birthday after that, where she received both of these exciting items as gifts. The party was really fun. My dad was there and is in great health. I have so much to be thankful for.

This is the year I'm going to paint for real. Every week. And sell and sell and sell.

Short term goal: just paint regularly and follow through on selling leads.

Long term goal: use my paintings as means for international travel.