Hand-Bound Art Journals

Eureka! I finally figured out how to do the coptic stitching for my hand-bound journals. I've been doing them a different way and wasn't entirely happy with the results. I prefer the coptic stitch because it makes the spine so cool, and you can sew the signatures individually and together all at the same time! My earlier method was more awkward. This is the cover for my first successful coptic or kettle stitched journal - and I'm excited about it! Yes, I know, when it comes to art I'm very excitable. Just show me a few shades of red, pink, blue and orange and you'll get me going. This whole realm or genre of artist books and visual journals is really interesting. There is such a rich variety out there, and people are so creative! It's all very inspiring to me.

I work with rough press watercolor paper for the covers or outside - I think it's 140 lb., I'm not exactly sure, but 140 sounds right. And the inside pages are Strathmore's Bristol 100 lb paper - really nice heavy weight but with a vellum finish. I gesso each page, and they stand up nicely to acrylic paint, glue and gel medium. There's a little more that I would like to add to this page - some steam rising from the cup to curl all over as the hand-drawn design element, and maybe just a few other embellishments. One thing about collage that I'm learning - I can keep on adding to a page, and sometimes it's hard to know when to just leave it alone! This one is definitely NOT done yet - there is more negative space that I'd like to fill. The pieces aren't connected yet. We're supposed to get a winter storm tonight - so this might inspire me to get out my gel medium and get glue-happy! I'm so glad that I was born an ARTIST !! I wouldn't have my life any other way!

Happy creating everyone,
Kate

The Girls are Getting Older?

Good Morning Everyone! It's a bit gray outside, but the temperature is slightly above freezing, which is great! Our winter has been so mild, and I've been really enjoying not having to trudge through snow, scrape it off the car or shiver my rear-end off. We've had more rain than snow, which is very unusual - but no complaints from me!
These 2 drawings were done in August 2011, and I finally got around to adding the color. I think the "girls" are looking more like women. One my friends pointed this out to me, and I think she's right! I can see my style changing as I discipline myself to keep drawing. Changes in style are inevitable, as it's part of growing and evolving as an artist. I guess the excitement and joy is not knowing exactly what will emerge on the page! That unfolding evolution is as interesting to me as it is to you, the viewer or audience.

I hope you enjoy these 2 - the Florist and her sister, the Cat Lover.

All my best,
~ Kate

Watching Blue Bird

This bird & cat piece is more complete now - I hadn't finished the sky and tree branches in the top right right side. I think it's looking a little fuller since "true" completion.

There's certainly a gap in time since my May communications. I stopped doing my art work for a while for several reasons - mostly a lot of stressful things were going on. But they have all been dealt with and I am experiencing gratitude, appreciation and much love for all the care and love God and the universe send me and surround me with. Sometimes in the midst of troubles I forget that I'm deeply loved and taken care of. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by the trees in the forest when you're lost. But I think we're never really lost - we may not recognize where we are - but God certainly knows, and we are not lost to God! So, here's the birdie and the cat - it's called Watching Blue Bird. And speaking of watching - there will be more art work coming... just watch!

Take good care,
Kate

Back to the Drawing Table!

Birdie & Cat are finally finished - after 3 long months of waiting. I inadvertently took a mini-sabbatical from my art and consequently haven't finished this piece until now. I've almost been too tired lately to do any real art... although as much as I say "I'm tired" all the time, I still can't completely stop drawing. Drawing is in my cells, my bones, and my heart. It's my passion, the thing I want to do more than anything else. And yet, sometimes we need a break even from things we call our "passion."

Since May, I've drawn 5 other drawings, but they're not colored - just outlined. My drawing style is a little like paint-by-numbers. I create a drawing, outline it, and then I color it in. It's relaxing, extremely enjoyable, and it gives me a great sense of accomplishment. And for this I am grateful. Sometimes life becomes so complicated and messed up with problems that we aren't able to achieve a sense of accomplishment. For myself, I feel an even greater need for that sense of accomplishment when my world (whether it's my work life or personal life) is surrounded by chaos. I believe my art is a gift for my own benefit just as much as it is a benefit to others. I feel very blessed when I look at the vibrant colors and images that fill the pages of my portfolio.

May a little beauty,
a bit of innocence,
and a touch of mischief
hang on to the edge of your sleeve
as you look at these playful images...

~ Kate

Irresistible

Even though I have so much to be grateful for, I never stop wanting more... more time to do my art, more ideas, more color, more beauty, more passion. It's like drinking a glass of cold water when you are parched - you can't stop and you just want more. This is how I feel about my art. And as silly as it may sound, I feel as though I am honoring God when I do my art. Sometimes the beauty I see when I look at nature touches me so deeply that it makes me cry, and I want to capture that beauty on the page.

With spring comes blossoms and birds - the birds are absolutely gorgeous in the morning when I walk Button (my little dog), and again at twilight. I wanted to do something with flowers and a bird. And wouldn't you know it - a cat managed to sneak in there as well. I told him he could only stay if he just watched the bird - that's it - no bird-dinner!

One More Floral

Here's another floral piece that started out as a mindless sort of doodle. When I colored the leaves in, I liked the variegated look on the leaves. However, once I "finished" the rest of the picture , I wasn't sure that I liked the overall look of it, so I didn't do anything with this one (as far as printing goes). It's not a bad piece by any means, it just doesn't stand out for me the way the others do. I think it's because I left some white around the outside edges. The white parts look unfinished. I really do love color - and if I'm going to do anything with this piece, I think I have to fill in the white space with color. That's probably what's missing for me.

Art for Rain

We've had so much rain this weekend - not that I'm complaining, I love gray days. A rainy day is a perfect day to do more art, to sleep more, read more, and drink more tea! It was just barely spitting this morning, so I took Button to the park and let him sniff each tree and run to his heart's content. Even though my sweet little Button is 13 years old, he still gets excited when we go to the park. He loves it there, my cute little furry boy! When I work on my art in the solarium, he follows me in there and curls up by my art table. He is truly "man's best friend."
I finished my Floral No.4 piece last night (finally). I wanted to get it done last week, but there's been too much going on, I've been too busy. This is precisely why I don't like a busy schedule. There's nothing I love more than a leisurely day with no plans, so that I can work on my art here and there throughout the day, go for a walk, make a pot of tea, bake a batch of scones or cookies if I feel like it or take a nap... that's the epitome of contentment (at least one version of it). There's a few other versions of contentment that I have stashed away in my mind. The key for me is to realize my moment of "bliss" while I'm experiencing it. I think that's called "living in the moment" and savoring that moment.