A Studio Day

Posted on September 24, 2014 by lksukany

My studio day was spent working on the Romania paintings. I approached my studio space and knew I needed a fresh space to work in. I rearranged my studio, moving everything around to make a new space for myself.

View from the window

View from the door

With my fresh space, I put on my audio track, and set up my paintings. My goal for the day was to cover the 13 charcoal sketched canvas in paint. I placed all of the canvas around the room in a line.

I approached my easel and worked on mixing my color palette (oil paint).

When covered in paint, the canvas was moved on top of the drafting table and flat file cabinet. The uncovered canvas would all get to move one space forward in their little line.

I was covered in paint and pretty tired by the end, but it was a job well done!

The Bus-y-ness of Art

Posted on September 18, 2014 by lksukany

“I’m busy.” There, I said it. You are probably busy too. What kind of busy is a better question. Too busy busy? Too tired busy? You may not even know what year it is busy or pretending it is still last weekend busy.

Wherever you are on the busy scale, there is still time…

I have been busy lately. Busy at work and with house chores, with organization and family relationships, busy with pet maintenance and meal planning, busy with fixing all of the many broken things in my house and car and life! I am also busy with my art and music projects amidst the busyness. What’s that you say? I am actually working on art and music projects while being “life busy” busy?! Yes I am! The deal is, that I just keep the art and music projects on my giant to-do list. And I do mean GIANT – it’s like never ending in my mind…

The bus-y-ness or business of art is that it just keeps going. You keep making it, keep generating ideas and writing them down, keep on keeping on – whether calm or not.

My friend S recently said he can only paint when he feels secure. He hasn’t painted in almost 7 years. My advice was to just pull out a sketch book and draw something. Not a finished masterpiece something, just his foot or something. It’s never going to be the perfect time to make a painting or write a song. Even retired people don’t get to really retire anymore. So there is never going to be time. Add it to your to-do list, and I guarantee sketching your foot is going to look a lot better than scrubbing the bathtub on a Saturday afternoon. So, I must show that I practice what I preach, so you won’t roll your eyes while hating me.

I will share with you projects I am working on this week – these projects come after work, carpooling, dinner, and daily chores.

Romania paintings

I have been working in my art studio on the Romania painting series for Livada orphan sponsorship. This one has been difficult to get through – emotionally. Though it feels amazing to be able to be what I think could be called an artist missionary, there has also been a lot of internal pressure on myself to make these paintings excellent. Also, I don’t know how much money they will raise for child sponsorship, and that makes me feel like “will this make a difference for the Livada orphans?” I am most likely over thinking it and psyching myself out – just need to paint!

The Last Baby Angel set design

Then there is the set design for the Last Baby Angel play based on the novel “The Last Baby Angel” by Sam Brown. It’s the first time I have ever done set design, and am still working on the research phase. I was able to call someone in the social work field this week and they were helpful and described some details of what an addicts home looks like.

Banjo Practice

Playing music is just something I have to keep doing. if you don’t use it, you lose it. I try to practice my banjo rolls and songs every day – whether for 15 minutes or an hour. I take one banjo lesson per week with the amazing Bill Nesbitt (who currently plays with the Clark Family Trio).

KUAR Arts & Letters

M and I are working on recording songs for the KUAR Arts & Letters Arkansas Authors show to be recorded in early October. We are also in the process of writing a Valentines Day song for the KUAR Arts & Letters Valentines Day show (The Damsels in Distress interview) to be aired in February. The cool thing about this is that I have someone to work with (motivation) to complete the projects!

So, I know you are “life busy” too, but what can you add to your giant to-do list to make space to continue functioning as a creative person?

Romania Paintings for Livada

Posted on August 26, 2014 by lksukany

When I was on the missions trip with Grace Church serving the Livada Orphan Care ministry in Romania, the beauty of the country inspired me.

During one of my morning quiet times with God, I felt like He gave me the idea to paint scenes from Romania to raise money for orphan child sponsorship. It would serve a double purpose to paint the scenes. On one hand, someone would purchase the painting for the suggested donation price or fundraiser auction. On the back end, when the said person looks at the painting, they are encouraged to pray for Livada and the orphans in Romania.

I was originally going to purchase a large canvas roll and stretchers and stretch my own canvas. Though time consuming, stretching canvas is much cheaper than purchasing pre-stretched canvas…unless there is some sort of deal.

On a random day of the week as I was driving home from work, I had a God moment and turned into Michaels. They did indeed have one of these “deals.” There was buy 3 canvas for the price of 1, so I got 15 canvas for the price of 5, which was around $50.

I mixed gesso with acrylic paint and covered each of the canvas. I like to add a color to the white gesso to create a light or mid-tone, so that when I paint I can add lights and darks.

After the canvases dried, I sketched (from photographs) each of the images using willow charcoal. Because I am working with so many images and mostly landscapes I had to have a way of organizing them. I created a list numbering and naming each piece with the canvas size. I put the names on the back of the canvas on the stretcher bar and also on the photograph source.

I mixed my color palette based on all photographs.

Artist Studio Series: Maria

Posted on August 19, 2014 by lksukany

I got connected to this online art community called Doodlers Anonymous. A couple of weeks ago I was viewing one of the “Coloring Book Interview Series” and saw some eye catching illustrations by Maria Garcia.

I saw a picture of her paint box and wondered what her studio space looked like.

So, I emailed Maria and asked her if she would be interested in being a part of the Paper Opera Artist Studio Series. She said yes!

Maria Garcia Studio – Maria writes about her studio below.

“This is my studio during my stays in Spain. It is on the top floor of my home. It’s a really calm space, with blue walls, white furniture, Catalan vault ceiling and an access to a balcony from where you can see the sea.”

“In my studio there is a table with a small light table area and a sofa where I like to lay for sketching or reading.”

“The most precious thing I have in my studio is my watercolour box. My parents gave it to me when I was still a kid and through years it has developed its own personality. I use it every day and I kind of consider that my studio is wherever I carry my box.”

“I like to work with no one around and with music playing. I usually keep it clean and tidy, sometimes it gets messy but then I get stressed because I can’t find anything and I don’t know where to put my stuff.”

“I’m more creative during morning and I like to have long walks on the beach in the afternoon, it’s a really good way to get inspired and have new ideas.”

You can view Maria’s work on her website mariagarciaillustration.com

KUAR Recording Studio

Posted on August 15, 2014 by lksukany

The Damsels in Distress were asked to record at the KUAR studio for a music performance and interview for KUAR Arts & Letters Valentines Day show.

We arrived at the KUAR recording studio and were met by Brad Minnick, Mary Ellen, and Chris Hickey. We followed Chris Hickey down the long hallways and maze of KUAR to get to the recording room.

Once in the recording room, we settled in, played some songs, and answered some questions. Interviewing is a lot of fun. Brad had some really great questions. M was better at answering what specific songs were about, and I was better at answering the history and organization of the Damsels.

It took us a couple of takes to play the songs without any mistakes. And I just couldn’t get a good whistle!

We had lots of fun during the interview and there was much laughing taking place. The neat and weird thing about giving an interview was summing up 8 years of our work and life in a couple of sentences.

We will write a Valentines Day song and go back to the KUAR studio for a follow up interview. The show will be released for a Valentines Day special.

Thanks Mary Ellen for taking pictures and videos of the recording session!

Paper Opera

Art, music, and stories.

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