brianwisti’s Neighborhood

Sunday, July 13, 2008

1. shower
2. chant
3. wash dishes
4. make bed
5. complete tile and mug graphics for following
    Hey Jude
    Anticipation
    Hearts A Fire
    Tears for a Waning Moon
    Queen of Hearts
    Cherry Blossom
    Mask for the Masque
    Muffin Thieves
6. Upload above to Cafepress
7. Complete 5 “hanky/scarf” designs for traditional
    (secret project to be announced later)

    black/pink/stripe
    red/white/dot
    pink/white/
    green/yellow/dot
    lavender/? haven’t thought this one through yet

8. dinner at Mom’s-try to eat and run
9. chant
10.pass out by 11pm not 3am

Anyone want to place bets on how much I get done?

A couple of years ago I developed a character, Helga Hoggenthaller-Domestic Diva. Originally, I just wanted to make a weekly chart for household chores. Domesticity is not one of my strongpoints. Hell, it brings no income and no matter how often or infrequent, you always have to do it again. She’s my alter-ego, point being, her purpose was to make me laugh when facing boring tasks. She’s become something of an icon and now I’m in the process of marketing her too. In that way, domestic duties could also generate income. LOL. I not only have to set up graphics for coffee mugs, but in the process, she reminds me to wash the damned dishes.

Tpoodlesm

 
Procrastination is my middle name. There’s always something out there, ready and willing to step up and distract me. Well meaning friends and family are only too happy to give me an excuse. “Shelly! You need to get out! You can’t stay cooped up in your apartment. You’ll go nuts. (too late) At 190lbs, Mom thinks I might starve so insists on feeding me. That’s all well and good, but after 3 hours of after dinner conversation (all enjoyable) my tasks for the day are shot. Is it their fault that I’m such delightful company (LOL) or that, truth be known, I have no discipline? HELL NO!!! I have no list to wave so it can be seen by all that YES! I’m busy and I work. Seen by all includes ME.

Years ago, I found a highly complimentary motivation for procrastination. Most creative geniuses work better under pressure. The best ideas come at the final hour, therefore, put it off till the last minute and your best work will come.(LMAO) Well, whatever. I’ve lived too long with disorganization and ulcer creating stress. I found a technique to circumvent procrastination that helps and even provides me the reward needed to do more. LISTS!! It’s worked for me in the past, but I keep procrastinating the creation of a new one.

To create the needed pressure for genius, more than can be accomplished must be on the list, not to the point of overwhelming, but more. As each task is completed, cross it off. That in itself is the reward that at least you did SOMETHING. If you manage to get it all done, well, you’re feeling pretty damn good about yourself. I include my household chores and have the added benefit of being tidy.

So starting Sunday, my fascinating lists will be up for all to see. Peruse the exciting life of a work at home artist. See the intimate details of projects and the time she chooses to tweeze her eyebrows and chin hairs. The true test of genius and discipline.

My stint at Michael's ends this Friday. YES!!! No more of being the stoop shouldered serf for the corporate machine. I think it's the shortest tenure as an employee I've ever had. I truely feel for the people left behind. FIND SOMETHING ELSE!!! Something that gives you a little human dignity. I'm just lucky to have friends that remember I can paint.

Business has picked up again with commissions and a nice little opportunity on the net that will keep me free. Seems I'm the new art director for http://www.linentablecloth.com. They thought it would be a good idea to have some art on their linens. I'm given free reign to design for different holidays, events, themes and interior decor. There's no limit to detail reproduction. They've got oodles of colors and I can even see creative opportunities for alternative uses for the fabrics and design. They were nice enough to send me some samples so I can experiment with different paints and techniques.

I had this interior design idea quite awhile back. Instead of finding art to go with your decor, how about decor (items) to go with your art. I've got ideas of getting the printed cloths and doing whole cloth quilts, matching pillows and draperies, etc. I can take this a long ways, but first...I need to design. LOL

We hope to have the virtual "doors" open July 1st. I'm pretty excited. Finally, my days of picture framing are truely done...well except for myself. I can finally work where my lil ol imagination wants to take me. Back in the studio, where I belong.

Rose of sharon

To start, I'll explain the significance of this image. She's at an emotional, spiritual crossroad. The institutions of her culture has let her down. Her rebellion against them has left her world in ruins. Through the death of her beliefs, comes wisdom. Although her experiences have knocked her to her knees, she still searches. She is strong. Beyond the devastation is the moon, inconstant, ever-changing, yet always rising, a symbol of hope and of life.

I've started working at Michael's Arts and Crafts as a picture framer, to supplement my art income during the slow tax season. I've been there for about a month and a half. It's my first exploration of corporate employment. I've come to the conclusion that the corporate structure, as it now stands, needs to be destroyed. I've never seen such a dehumanizing mechanism in all my experience. I've the title of part time, but my hours are full time. The title eliminates the need of guarantee of 40 hours per week or providing sick leave, paid vacation or benefits. Also, since the "box" store has eliminated the competition, there's no need to pay a living wage, regardless of 25 years experience or previous wage scale. Schedules are maintained by a computer and posted 3 days before the schedule begins, so sorry folks, no possible planning for a life outside of work. The computer also has no sense of a set schedule. Hours are often double backs, nights, days, inbetweens, split days off, all in one week. There are times, I've gone without eating, because I had not the time to cook or prepare a lunch. Just completing a work order will deforest a small country in a day with all the redundancy of paperwork. They do not recycle ANYTHING! Not their shipping containers, cardboard, nothing. Discontinued items are not sold at deep discounts or given to charity. They go in our land fills, smashed into a thousand bits, so not even dumpster divers can benefit. Then you have ineffective middle management setting policies that instill paranoia, waste time and interfere with the jobs at hand. With an 8 hour day, I'd say 5 to 6 hours of that shift are spent in actual customer service.In the meantime, I see no joy in the workplace. I see a bunch of very tired women. Women trying to make a living, raise families, hope for something better, but without the time to find it. Wage slaves. The new world order. The new third world. Brought to you by the new feudalism, Corporate America of which we are merely serfs.

I used "Rose of Sharon" for it's spirit of rebellion. I term our future as feudalism, as a reminder of what happened to the last feudalist structure. Feudalism was brought about by a need of protection by warriors from other warriors and their greed. The "people" paid for that protection with a portion of their gross village production. The concept of Noblese Oblige grew out of that symbiotic relationship. The people were happy with the setup and called them noble. The title went to their heads and slowly began demanding more changing their status from employee to despot, the people to slaves. My warning....greed has brought the downfall of many an empire. I see history repeating itself once more. Was it about money. I don't believe so. Economies grow from an exchange of goods and services, disposable income in the hands of many. This is about power, to subjugate the masses, leaving only a few at the top to enjoy the spoils and a few minions to serve as their catamites. The rest of us....what will happen when we grow tired of not having bread?

Kissing Fooles

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

In spite of the crass commercialism, I still relish the thought of practicing sentimentality. Besides, red is my favorite color. I wouldn't mind if some of that crass commercialism would be directed to me, as in BUY MY ART, and I don't mind if we have to make a special day to be nice to each other.

In our rushing about to make a living, get the kids raised and remembering to take out the garbage, sometimes it's necessary to stop and notice why we do all this stuff. If I remember this correctly, it was to create a near perfect world for those I love.

All the things we do are less obvious. They're covered with words like responsibility, duty, very serious stuff. So what if the floral industry made sure this day was marked on everyone's calendars. It's still cold outside and I need something to cheer the winter doldrums. My kids are grown and gone and husbands have long since taken other paths. It's my day to remember to be kind to myself and draw silly pictures.

My conclusion...quit bitching about retail therapy, just take the day to gorge on chocolate, smell roses (even if you don't buy any) be silly, share some affection, a hug maybe, a passionate kiss. Don't worry, tomorrow, we can go back to complaining how disgusting it is that our economy is now based on consumption and trumped up holidays.  We may have a little twinge of guilt because of our hypocrisy, but what the hell, we're Americans. 

Morgause

The August Nibblefest theme was to illustrate a story or poem. I chose "The Hollow Hills" by Mary Stewart. It's one of a series of 4 books based King Arthur. It's told through the eyes of Merlin, beginning in his childhood. I highly recommend this series. Merlin tells the tale in logical terms and explains how he manipulated superstition to create the myth.

Morgause, more commonly known as Morgan la Fay, was eaten with hate, greed and revenge.  Where Merlin used his "magic" for the greater good, she sought the dark arts for the power to serve herself and her ambitions.

TheMuffinThieves

4 comments

EBSQART.com, has online art competitions. For all other artists out there, this is a great opportunity to get your feet wet. Every month they sponsor 3 different shows with different themes. This month, I chose to be part of the Ripped Off show. Two artists team up and "rip" each others work. Doesn't have to be an exact replica or even style, just be inspired by their partner's piece. It's a lot of fun.

I teamed with Susan Olga Linville. She does delightful paintings of cats on small format canvases, in a folk art style. Check her out.

This piece, inspired by her, is a salute to the two goofballs I live with, Toulouse and Alphonse. They are always up to mischief. Now, I don't really look like this woman, but she is me in spirit. Notice the coffee. A cup of the brew is NEVER far from my reach.

The style of cat is really Olga's, but I had so much fun telling the boys' story, I'm inspired to do more tails. Maybe even do a collection to be done as a children's book, "Adventures with Toulouse & Alphonse, a cat's tail". I just have to develop a style of cat that is more like the boys and more like my own. The ideas never end! Back to the easel!!

Originalsin

It's July already and the Nibblefest is in full swing for this month. The theme was Polka Dots and Plaid. The title, of course, stems from the ubiquitous apple, but also the creature comforts and color that appeals to the senses. Denial is not a life condition I choose. LOL

The 20th is almost upon us. The June theme for Nibblefest

Breakfast at Sunrise

 is Sunrise/Sunset. We could do either subject or both. I was a little stuck for subject, then settled on breakfast. The yellow roses represent the sun of course, breakfast coincides with sunrise and the egg is not only food, but represents new beginnings.

Ok, here goes the blatant self promotion. This is an ebay auction. The opening bid is .99 cents. The auction runs from the 20th to the 27th of every month. The one who gets the most individual bidders wins. The bidders get a shot at some quality, yet inexpensive art. I have no idea, who's going to be entering, but past competitions have had several excellent choices, not just mine. To find us, all you have to do is type in Nibblefest or NFAC into the ebay search. It's a lot of fun.