Silkscreen Print and Remembering Gallery Above

I am thoroughly enjoying my Silkscreen Printmaking class at Gulf Coast Community College.  It's nice to be a student again!  For our first print, we cut out contact paper and stuck it directly onto the screen.  The area where there was no contact paper received the ink.  Here is my first print:

I've been teaching 7 classes a week, taking one class twice a week, working on commissions, and more.  I can't complain because I'm doing what I love and I'm just able to make ends meet.  It's the good life!

Here's one more photo of the violin after re-stringing:

The Gallery Above space is opening up again.  For those who may not know, the Gallery Above was an art gallery and venue space that I owned and operated for two years.  Those two years were extremely important, memorable, and amazing.  I worked my butt off for the love of a beautiful space that harbored art, creativity, and life.  I gave everything I had and then some to that place.  I know I couldn't have sacrificed more or worked any harder, but it had to close because the money ran out.  Now, a year and a half later, the rent has gone from $1550 to $850 and a new renter is turning the space into an art gallery and venue space.  They are calling it A&M Theater.  Honestly, I'm glad they are not calling it 'Gallery Above.'  And honestly, I have mixed feelings about it all.  I had a huge emotional attachment to the Gallery Above.  When it closed down it was like someone close to me had died.  I still think about it all the time and will even still cry.  Even though I have mixed feelings, I'm glad someone is doing something for the arts community.  I wish them the best of luck.

For now, I will remember...

Non-stop Arting

Phew, I haven't had a day off in 10 days.  My boss (that's me) works me like a slave!  Or so I have been told...

I spent almost all of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (which are supposed to be my days off) on this:

I created this for Studio B and Gulf Coast Sinfonia's ArtStrings exhibit and auction.  It will be donated for their auction to help them raise funds.  I hope it raises some decent money because DANG that was a pain to sand and paint!

In other news, I have started teaching Kids Art Classes at the Cloud 9 Wellness Center in Lynn Haven.  Last night was the first night of a 6 week series and I had eight students!  I will also be teaching a 6 week series on Fridays.  Cloud 9 is an awesome space with a lot of great energy.  They have over 20 classes a week instruction lots of healthy, happy people.  I am honored to be a part of it.

I will leave you with a sketch from figure drawing class last week drawn with some of my pretty new pens:

A Unique Temporary Physical State a.k.a. Pregnancy

Don't worry, I'm not pregnant.  But our model at Studio B this week was 8 months pregnant.  It was a unique experience indeed. In all my years of figure drawing I have never had the pleasure of drawing a pregnant model. Plenty other artists recognized the opportunity and made sure to come this week.  The gallery was packed with artists drawing a radiant woman about to pop!  I think a couple artists claimed to have even seen the baby kick.

Clearly we need more pregnant models.  Here's a couple sketches (click to view larger):

8 minutes

15 minutes

After class I was lucky enough to go to Beck's Underground to see the band CJ Boyd play.  Yet another unique experience because the band CJ Boyd plays in the nude.  I have seen them once before in town and the music and ambiance was just amazing and beautiful.  It is strong enough to make you forget that anything else exists except for that moment and that music.  So of course I must draw this!  I love drawing nudes and I love drawing people playing musical instruments so it is extremely rare to have the two combined!  So here is a very quick sketch:

Last night was Figure Drawing at CityArts Cooperative.  As I started my introduction about figure drawing I realized the words were coming out of my mouth much more easily than before.  I explained things clearly and didn't have to struggle to find the right words (like I usually do.)  Perhaps that is a sign that I have gained enough experience in teaching to a point where it is starting to happen more naturally.  Imagine, teaching without being nervous!  So here are a couple from last night:

4 and 6 minutes - And she is double-jointed so her arms actually looked like that!

15 minutes

Sketching and Shooting in Wewa

Mat, Madeline and I spent the weekend at Mat's parents' house in Wewahitchka.  Mat's brother, Justin, was in from Hawaii.  It was a lot of fun and I got to play more with my new camera and some new pens in my sketchbook:

Playing with pens - quick sketch of a lamp

Mat and Justin

And here are a couple photos from the park we went to:

Now it's back to work and I have so many to-do's it's hard to choose which one to work on.

Today I will start a new class.  I won't be teaching this one, I'll be taking it!  For the first time since MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) I will be taking an art class.  I just had to take it:  Silkscreen Printmaking at Gulf Coast Community College.  I never took printmaking at MICA and have since greatly regretted that.  Expect to see some silkscreen prints on this blog in the near future!