JJ Worden

 Firstly, I'd like to thank you for all the interest in Three Ravens from last week. They've all SOLD! Yay! Love when that happens. I may have mentioned here, in the past, that I don't actively sell much these days...or at least don't MARKET my work (other than y'know the socials)...as it felt/feels SO forced. But I do love it when someone (maybe you?) wishes to buy something. Warms the cockles of my heart. Thank you! Thank you!

Last Friday, I spent the day, cleaning up the studio, putting everything in its place and shoving my easel to the side and hauling out my folding table because I NEEDED to do some sewing and really that's the only way it was gonna happen. It literally took me four days before I said, "Nope. That's all I'm gonna do. I need to MAKE. ART!" I did manage to alter 2 dresses, a couple of tops and make a tunic but the other dress and tunic are just going have to wait. Six days without my studio is five days too long. I'm really gonna have to think about how to make that work for NEXT summer (the year of heading to the Yukon. woohoo!) or I'm going to be one cranky customer. Let me know your favourite take-along art kits in the comments.

I received a (GORGEOUS!!) package of collage papers from long time friend, Amy. OMG. They are stunning. I oohed and ahhhed and fondled them every day until I got back into artmaking mode. That dotted paper particularly made me swoon. The technique is from Cat Rains wonderful (FREE!) class Collage Kickstart. I tried it but because I didn't have any molding paste(?!?!) and tried using gel medium which really didn't work well (in case you want to try it) so was thrilled to have some dots of my very own! Thank you Amy!

Also. I need to get this stupid painting OFF the easel. For the last few weeks all I've been doing is lightening, then darkening, then lightening the areas around the houses. I need to rethink those stripes as its still waaaay too close to its original inspiration. I HAVE to decide what this is about. Do you ever do that? Invest time and effort into a piece of art and suddenly realize you have NO idea what you're trying accomplish. Oh. Don't get me wrong, much of my work (most?) starts off with a burst of inspiration-colour palette, a particular technique, slapping paint onto the surface- a purely physical reaction to the substrate. And that is awesome! But. Eventually, you...I...need to focus on the "intent" for the work to have any substantive direction. Or you'll end up going back and forth (light to dark to light) ad nauseum. 

Play needs to evolve into a plan.  

Not much else to report this week, other than...if you have refillable acrylic markers/Posca pens whose nibs have splayed, check out Bombing Science for extra nibs, plus other cool art supplies. I was very disappointed in my regular art suppliers who didn't have any replaceable nibs. Dudes! If you sell Posca pens? Sell the nibs too. (y'all know you can refill posca pens, right?) Highly irresponsible in this day and age to have throwaway items without at least giving us the chance to reuse them. /soapbox

Have a great week!

 It's been awhile...a loooonnnng while...since I've posted finished (read: available) work here. So be it.

"I DON'T LIKE SPINICH"

"AND THE CROW SAID..."

"TO DRY ONES EYES AND LAUGH"

These three have been in the works for  a loooonnnng time as well.
The base for each is from gel prints I made months ago, a hand-cut stencil, printed multiple times then  painted, collaged and marked coated in encaustic wax medium and marks incised in the wax. All are on cradled board.

"I DON'T LIKE SPINICH": 6 x 6 x 3/4" - $60. SOLD

"AND THE CROW SAID" :  5 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 1 1/4" - $50. SOLD

"TO DRY ONES EYES AND LAUGH": 8 x 8 x 1" -  $100. SOLD

Shipping is additional. (approx. $15.)

If you're interested in any of these, simply email me and we can talk.

Here's to finishing more stuff!

 In between the video learning curve and planting the garden and getting ready for my daughter's wedding, I took a course from Judy Woods. I learned of Judy through Jackie who I discovered on YouTube. She took this stARTSworkshop last year and I was curious. Initially, I held off (read above) but I eventually succumbed. Because my nosy art brain Needed to Know.

I enjoyed it.

The idea of having a (relatively) foolproof way of starting a painting, even though I've kind of worked out a similar method for myself - was particularly intriguing. I glue old book pages to the substrate then cover with a thin layer of gesso but dividing the canvas with the addition of black creates an immediate contrast. Follow that with collage and markmaking? Well. You know this was tailormade for me. 

There was also a discussion of the types of questions to ask at any given point. For example:

What have I got?
What is the opposite of that?

Or  What DON'T I have?... thick lines vs thin lines, colour vs black and white, organic vs geometric, big vs small, squiggly lines vs straight lines etc.  

My three pieces really moved along. Until they didn't.
In fact, I've been futzing with those 3 original paintings ever since.

When did I stop being able to actually FINISH something?!?  And its made me think about this idea of finishing pieces ever since. I know that I work best under a deadline. Procrastinate. Procrastinate. Do anything BESIDES what I'm *supposed* to be doing. Procrastinate a bit more. Then flurry-scurry-flurry until it's done. And y'know what? I'm okay with that. But. What if there's NO deadline? What if I just need to move on to something new? Do I leave half-finished pieces floating around the studio ad nauseum?

Case in point.

I've been working on this painting for literally MONTHS! (and if you consider I've painted over it with gesso at least once... YEARS!) I wanted to try copying another artists work I love (long ago lost their name) and try to make it into my own. Figuring out what drew me to it and then work off that. (Caveat...NOT for sale!)

I slowly add or blot out something every few days. If I have excess paint? On it goes. If I don't like something? Erase it with paint. On. Off. On. Off. Which is fantastic for building up layers. But Geez Louise at some point I've gotta get off the pot and FINISH the durned thing. Where it is today...

Still nowhere NEAR being done. *sigh*

And those three pieces from Judy's workshop?
Sitting in the pile of other unfinished stuff on my desk. Ugh.

I clearly need to submit to a bunch of shows otherwise I'm gonna be buried in a sea of WIPs! If you have any tips, tricks or suggestions, I'm all ears. How do YOU finish your work?