A work-in-progress...comes to light

...and where there is light, there are 'joyous echos of heavenly host singing'. Say what? Not you? Ok. Maybe only me.....

So I am on roll this week. I have steadily been drawing everyday and night. I am liking this groove I'm on; slow and steady pace. I feel 'the zone', that sweet spot where I feel the pull, the need to create.

This past Tuesday, I started a drawing on an image I had in my mind: Clouds. I allowed my hands and my Spirit to just...draw. As the image of the clouds appeared, I began seeing a tree, floating atop broken mosiac-ish bits of Earth - as the drawing came to life, on the second day, I saw the words, 'Broken Eden'.

'Broken Eden', of course the image is a play on the origins of 'religious man and the lost Eden'. But I think for me, is more about the loss and disconnection of all that makes us a natural being.

The melancholy skies, the dried up tree, and broken bits of earth as parts of it floats away, speaks to a sense of loss. I added the red apple as a symbol of hope, wanting the opposite story to reflect, that the red apple was not the cause of 'the lost of Eden' but hope to reconnect and regain what is inherently part of what we are - the apple itself represents natural wisdom.

I am keen in adding more details to it - one of them, water to the left, bottom of the image. But somehow, I feel the need to move on to the next drawing.

'Broken Eden' will have to rest, afloat awhile....in my head.






Monster’s Art of The day: "Broken Eden" (Work-in-Progress)

...More Practicing my lines with 'karting-power'

Super Mario and  his "Karting-power" - yes pun was intended...I am discovering my own 'cutting powers'.

So, I been recently figuring out the different pencils and shading - especially on the hair & eye, which more practice is needed.

But what I noted most during sketching my first self-potrait (see below), I was feeling at ease; my hand and pencil was 'one', the movements was sure and confident. That has never happened before. It's kinda exciting and scary (in a good way).

Have I breach some internal 'power-up' for art? Do I get to go to the next level? Did I win some new 'coins or stars' that I get to continue in this game and kick-ass?

Whatever the case, I cannot deny that some changes are occurring.

I am Super Mario-oooo, with karting-powers onwards!

T



"Self Potrait"

...Practicing my lines

"Up, Up and Away"

If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon...

...and as I look towards 2012, I take the time to reflect and salute the past year from the good, to the bad and the ugly.

Art. Certainly not a new subject. It became a focus in late 2010 (with a 12 week program at OCAD and the sale of a few paintings). Shortly in March 2011, I did my first art show at a downtown Gallery on Front St here in Toronto. Quite an eye opener.

I did not do much painting after, just a few sketches.

I could blame the 'lack of' on personal challenges I was facing then....but I am in the believe of holding one self accountable for all actions (or no actions in this matter). I won't go into details. I have decided instead to take the best from this experience and rise above the rest. Suffice to said, I made a choice to move forward to 2012 with zero toxicity in my life.

So...

Aside from the sketches, I did actively networked and began my website late 2011 (the site has since gone a remarkable change, a more cleaner design, which you might note to the blog's color change and the new banner I designed at the top.) I felt that an entire change was needed, to reflect the state I find myself in now.

As the new Lunar year of the Dragon swoops onto 2012, the great Tolkien wisely wrote, “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” – I am fully aware and am realigning my thoughts to the upcoming year. The year of the Dragon is said to be "auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness" - and coming from half a line of Chinese descendants, I'm taking it quite seriously.

In the next few months, I will be reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and practicing the suggested activities to ‘unfurl’ my creativity – and of course blogging my experiences. Some future projects are also in the works.

I'm seriously "tickling the Dragon"....or maybe tackling it? Either way, I am phreakishly excited for what is to come. Let the heat begin...

T

The seal has been BROKEN...

...and you know what happens next, right? Recollect back in the 90's (for those of you party animals who grew up those times) when you were at a house-party and you would NOT 'break the seal' by peeing because if you did, you'd spent the rest of the party going to the washroom?

Literally, the dam had broken wide open for me. My mojo-tivation was BACK, my creative juice. Hellujah!

Since July, I had lost all sense of perception and focus - everything. I was lost in space, floating aimlessly - struggling to find that je ne sais quoi that started my journey back into arts. It was such a blow because I was in such a roll with this blog, new paintings being sold in a store, new commissioned artworks, the website and forays into digital work again. Sweet Appalachians! You know what this does to a gal? I was devastated.

So, out of nowhere, last week, an inclination to just sit down and start working on my website with the logo/banner and breaking down codes for my website etc. Suddenly, I felt amazing and frankly, would not have been surprised if a choir of Angels showed up and started singing “Ahhh”!

Looking back, I realized that possibly, I may have been burnt out and started shutting down a tad with all the many things that was happening all at once.

Back in July, my full time job was getting very, very challenging and I was facing some personal issues with my partner - compounded into that, I am a single parent and the sole supporter and provider.

I could recall coming home and having just enough emotional juice to be aware and present for my son. And after dinner had been cooked and had, things washed and tidied, conversations and checking of the kid's day and homework, I was spent. I could barely wink. I was physically and mentally fatigued, and this was no way to a wonderful, artistic experience.

And somewhere between those moments, I lost myself. I lost my art.

But no longer.

I learnt, that often times, day to day stresses’ of life will indeed get in the way. But to not be discouraged or lose faith. I see now that the shutdown was my Spirit's way of rebooting itself. I am re-charged and sassy now!

So what is new on the plate now? Besides the website and logo/banner (see the blog's banner I updated last week), I am excited to continue with my Art A day experiment - and of course, my 2011 Halloween static card. No Flash animated card this year again, my Mac is down and so is the Flash on it!

Till Soon. Chin up and out!

T

Side note: You might be wondering why I used the ‘seal has been broken’ allegory? I think I had to pee real bad when I started writing this…

Side note 02: Talking about those house parties - I remembered when we gurls had to pee, we would go in groups of three's because, for some bizarre reason, there would never be any door at these places. So, two would guard the door, while the third....well peed! Secretly, I think the boys would remove them on purpose.

If you draw it, they will come…

...obviously a mis-quote from one of my favorite books/movie.

As I am writing this, I am in a moving vehicle otherwise affectionately known as the 'Vomit Rocket' (Toronto’s public transit, the TTC). I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the prospects of what I will need to do - plot, plan and produce my goals this summer. I have many goals but I believe they are within my realistic horizon – one of them is getting back into multimedia graphic works.

Recently, I donated some digital work to two non-profit organizations, and from that network, I have my first paying gig, digital-drawing an ‘idea’ being patented.

Plot…plan…produce….I’m getting there!

Now…to physical hand labor jaunts. I have noted of some of the artists I follow on twitter has adopted an ‘art a day’ mantra. One even goes as far as managing her one a day art to only 10 mins.

Bloody brilliant idea!

I’m starting today...at lunch time. Zombie drawing works for me...

T

It's Bachannal time for Dead!

I am Artist, hear me RAW...er ROAR!

My creativity's been schumpling and it has been an unkind time. I sense the horizon, the silver lining, the gold cigar...but no winning ribbon. This seemingly endless lack of the creative spark can be quite...daunting.

Enough! I realized sitting and schumpling won't get me anywhere. I need to get out of this 'linear thinking' and go where the rainbow is and bust some skittles.

So - iPhone photo app Instagram - it's my new thing to do looking for inspirations any and everywhere. I'm up and about taking pictures, then a little of artistic-editing mojo....ta-da! Magic!

Liberation

Eye of the Beholder

Swimming in Grass

Opening my eyes through the this little 'pin-hole' in my iPhone, has opened me up to big colors, feelings and expressions...all powerful energies that can awake a sleeping Artist...ROAR!

Was also at a recent art show opening call "Raw Me" [http://www.bezpalabrown.com/exhibitions/view/June2011] - wow! Incredible! The imagery I felt, sensed, understood, not understood was jarring - what the doctor ordered.

A eureka moment - I needed more art, more artists, more connections, whether inspirational or offensive or inspirationally offensive. I needed to strip down to the rawness of my creative spark to force me to awake...RAW!

Change and challenge is better than the alternative because complacency....man, that just kills!

I am Artist. Hear me ROAR RAW!