Death of an Artist

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lksukany

Yes, this may be a grave post, but as artist, I think about death. I don’t think about death necessarily in a depressed or creepy way, just about the thing itself as well as the customs and rituals around it.

I wanted to make my will and pick out my burial ground and headstone. The only thing I really have to leave to anyone is my art (paintings, drawings, prints, and books I’ve made with M). I think I would want my family to pick out what they want and the rest to be donated.

I found family buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Paris, AR and thought that could be a good place – it would connect me to someone and somewhere from a historical perspective. Honestly, I don’t know anyone who actively visits gravesides, so I don’t think it really matters where I’m buried because I don’t think anyone will visit the place.

Here were some family headstones I found.

Like Father – Like Son

These are a little different – I like the last name in relief.

Overall they are pretty general tombstones, except for the Mausoleum!

I looked on Pinterest for headstone ideas – and there were themes of figures, angels, baby angels, pets, etc.

Human figures in a cemetery are creepy.

Pet animal statues are confusing – is it your PET’S grave or a pet on YOUR grave?

Angels make it look Catholic, which is great.

Baby angels are okay, but not my cuppa.

No – I just can’t even imagine this.

I thought a bench would be nice – so people could take a rest when on a stroll.

Of course there are many new and modern ways to be buried.

Just for fun – some artists graves.

The Grave of Nicolas Platon-Argyriades [Platon] (1888-1968) – Ceramic artist and Potter – and his Wife Paque (1903-1961)

Michelangelo Grave

Vincent Van Gogh Grave

Leonardo Da Vinci Grave

Art Night: Accidental Wedding Theme

Posted on March 27, 2014 by lksukany

The March 2014 Art Night group meeting rallied last night, and we were all in favor (with each other of course).

I set up the studio to fit maximum peoples and Ein looked out the window waiting for arrivals.

Once there, everyone was able to enjoy whole made bread and chicken soup (made by M), peanuts, chocolates, and hot wild raspberry hibiscus herbal tea.

Everyone was ready to get to their projects! Once we all started working, we realized that many people were working on things for or about weddings – so there was an accidental wedding theme!

A lot of people helped D with wedding decorations.

N worked on secret wedding photo edits.

K painted and collaged on canvas.

When Ein let her, V worked on editing photos.

I worked on a painting for my friend’s wedding anniversary.

Mariel has her own business – Gypy Leaf and makes beautiful stitching.

Mariel worked on a project for The Damsels in Distress upcoming puppet show “The Man and the Bear” (working title).

Fun fact: Mariel wrote to Mister Rogers and he wrote her back! How cool is that? Very cool.

So, hopefully if you are thinking of starting your own artist group, you can see how easy it is to have an “art night” with your creative friends.

The adventure of an artist and her pullet.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lksukany

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to create a logo for a local chicken coop rental called Fresh Eggs 4 U. This is the logo – which she designed and I created.

I asked if L – the owner, was interested in trading something for the logo. She said she would trade a chicken – to be more specific, she would trade for a silver laced Wyandotte that is about 10 months old.

This is the chicken – which is from Dragonfly Farm

The chicken, which I named Ms PotPie I received at 7:00 a.m. in a small cat crate. Since it was M.R’s birthday, we decided to take the chicken to her for her best birthday present. M and I drove Ms. PotPie to M.R.’s house and entered her house at 7:10 a.m.

Since it was M.R’s birthday, S.R. brought donuts!

And M.R. opened her handmade card from Paper Opera!

We got to it and introduced Ms. PotPie to her new chicken roommates – Mole, BBQ, and Dumpling.

Everyone waited anxiously to see how it would turn out. Would Mole, BBQ, and Dumpling like the new Ms. PotPie?

The anticipation was building!

Mole, BBQ, and Dumpling decided they had to get out of there and check out the box that Ms. PotPie came in – leaving Ms. PotPie alone in the corner of the coop.

So, in the end, maybe they didn’t fall in love with her right away, but Ms. PotPie was left getting cozy in her new coop!

And that is the adventure of the artist and her pullet!

The End.

Inspiration & Studio Session

Posted on March 17, 2014 by lksukany

M picked me up for lunch and we went to the Arkansas Arts Center Carroll Cloar Exhibition. When we first walked into the gallery, it smelled really bad, and I couldn’t place what the smell was. It wasn’t until we got to the Carroll Cloar studio installation that I realized the smell was old paper. If you have ever made your own paper and your paper pulp got moldy, you know that smell can be painful. M took a picture of me in front of Cloar’s studio, and I thought I was smiling, but apparently I was just looking at the camera.

There were so many beautiful patterns and colors. The compositions were also very pleasing to look at.

I got inspired and decided to forego house chores and to-do maintenance list (mostly involving my stinky dog Ein) and worked in my studio.

I put in an old black & white movie – The Sky’s the Limit (1943), a romantic musical comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie – and got to work. At one point, I found myself wishing that Fred Astaire’s name was spelled with an E, like Esterre. I don’t know why.

I finished my chicken painting studies.

I want to do a large landscape painting with chickens in the foreground, so I gessoed over an old painting. It was a failed painting that I never finished.

I always feel super great when I work in my studio. It’s the same feeling when I’m playing music. I feel alive and immersed in the present. I feel awake.

Art Night

Posted on March 10, 2014 by lksukany

I started a monthly art night in October 2013. This picture is from the February 2014 meeting.

The Art Night group meets once a month and is an extremely relaxed event. No one has to RSVP to come, Everyone is welcome to bring a friend. There is not a set meeting time, but “anytime after 6” is fine to come, and can leave anytime (even after dinner). Dinner and hot tea is provided. The dinner and dishware is set out, and people can help themselves and put their dishes in the sink when done. I really wanted to encourage people to be able to to come after work, and not worry about food. M does all of the cooking so far, and even makes dessert sometimes.

Everyone is encouraged to bring something to work on. The whole point of the art night is to encourage each other to stay creative in some way in our day-to-day lives whether a professional, student, or stay-at-home person. There has been sewing, origami, coloring book and colored pencils, gouache painting, Valentines making, wedding decor crafting, oil painting, photo editing, figure sketching, and needlepoint,

Conversation naturally happens from the time of arrival to departure. We share and discuss interesting ideas, inspiring books, work stories, family stories, beliefs and spirituality, and even controversial topics. It is great to meet with these artists and to be encouraged to continue trying to understand how to live in this world as an artist.

Paper Opera

Art, music, and stories.

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