On Truthfulness

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking about this post for days. I've been writing it and rewriting, thinking about how I wanted it sound and the things I wanted to say. Nothing sounded perfect, so here goes nothing.

I've been in a weird place over the past month. No doubt about it, being a parent of two young girls is difficult and beautiful, all at the same time. The day to day stuff can be hard, sure it is, but it has been made harder by the fact that I'm an artist who feels the NEED to create. I haven't been working in the studio as much as I'd like. In fact, it's pathetic to me how little I am actually in the studio. It's frustrating, and irritating , and makes my soul a bit unhappy. I stop blogging, and I find that I struggle to keep up with social media. I feel like I have no new content, and it all kind of makes me grind my teeth. Then, once i feel the machine slow down, I know it's so hard to get it going again, and I get even more stressed.

So this is why I haven't blogged in over a month. Really? A month? That's just nuts.

But on the other side of things, I love my girls so very much. Yesterday and today, my baby girl has been sick. She's running a pretty good fever (101 and 102), and she's a limp, hot baby in my arms. I've done nothing but hold her and rock her, and maybe some dishes here and there, and that's all I've wanted to do. I've let her drool on my chest, and turn me into a sweaty mess with all of her body heat, and that is all fine by me. It's times like these, I don't care that I'm not creating. I know there will be a time when I can get back to it. I know my girls won't be small forever. They are already growing so fast. So fast it hurts.

So as you can see, I'm conflicted, and feeling a bit torn between my two loves, family and art. I am trusting that it will all work out, that this is a tricky time.

It's hard for me to write all this. I don't want to sound ungrateful or whiney, because I do see how unbelievably fortunate I am. I just want to be honest and truthful about some of the issues an artist/parent goes through. If you have anything you'd like to share on this topic, please feel free. I'd love to hear your stories.

The making of a Commissioned Piece

I've been trying to write this post for so long!! It's just embarrassing that it has taken so long to do this.  Around my house, it is difficult to get a 30 minute window of peace in order to work on the computer!  Ah, the joys of having two young children in the household... :)

I have been wanting to share these photos with you.  This is the commissioned piece I told you about here, and I photographed the stages of building that I went through when making this piece.  I build these pieces out of solid clay, just forming it with my hands into the rough shape I am looking for.  It helps me to be able to see the whole piece as one, rather than working from top to bottom or vice versa.  Then using a wood rasp, I further refine the shape.  Smoothing comes next, as the wood rasp leaves a pretty deep texture.  I like to have the pieces relatively smooth even though I am going to add lots of texture.  It helps me to see the smoothness of the 3-D curves.  Then the fun begins.  I get to start adding texture to the piece!  I use anything and everything to make texture.  No object is safe if it has a cool texture on it :)  I use everything from cabinet knobs to chopsticks to rubber stamps to cake decorating tools.  I have even used the bottom of my shoe!

So after the texture is satisfactory to me, I start to hollow out the form.  I just start by digging into the back using a clay tool.  Here you can see the pile of trimmings as I worked.  I'm trying to get relatively even thicknesses in the walls of the sculpture.  I try to get about a 1/4" thick wall or maybe a tad more.  

I have rolled out a slab of clay for the back, and scored the back of the sculpture in preparation for attaching the back.  Scoring it and adding liquid clay creates a sticky glue-like surface.  Now I can attach the back and smooth out the seam.

I like to add a little keyhole for hanging, and then sign the bottom of the piece.  Now the next step is to let it dry for a while (3-7 days), and then fire it the first time.  Even the firing takes about 1.5 days with the actual firing and then for the kiln to cool!

I told my client that they could choose whatever colors they wanted for the finished piece, so it hasn't been glazed yet.  However, I will try to photograph those steps and share them as well!

Hope everyone is doing well this summer!

-Kelly

Charlotte Fundraiser

Great attendance! and plenty of food

So we had the big fundraiser event in Charlotte, and it turned out to be a wonderful evening!  The woman behind it all, Hannah, did a marvelous job, down to the smallest details. You can read about her amazing story here.  Hannah brought in a well-respected Charlotte interior designer to help arrange the art, and they put in special lighting to highlight many of the works.  Rarely, have I seen that much effort go into an art event.  The fundraiser was held in two penthouse condos that were for sale, and so we had access to kitchens and bathrooms! Yay!  There were even lovely little napkins and soap in the bathrooms.  Those are the kinds of details that I noticed and appreciated.

Mike Lewis,  performance painter

Gotta love that red "SOLD" dot!

And here's the fun part :) I sold two pieces and got a commission for a third! So that's exciting!  I've already built the piece (it's still drying), but my next post will show details of how I made it.

Charlotte sky from the Penthouse

It was a great night and I was so honored to be a part of it.  And even better, some of our friends, that we don't get to see very often, were able to attend and we got to hang out with them too.  It was a win/win situation!  

Hope everyone is well and I'll be posting soon about that commissioned piece...

Kelly

The End of the 101010 Project

Wow - it has been a crazy two weeks, but I have so LOVED reading everyone's answers to these questions!  I thought a few of the questions were hard, and I had to do some real thinking about the answers.  

But that's why it was great - it made us think.  And I really and truly thought "my" question - the color question - was so cool.  I am very color-oriented in my life and it seemed to be a perfect fit.  

I want to thank Robin for coming up with such a fun and exciting project!  And what's more is that she is going to do two more sessions of this same project with other artists, and once again, I'll be jumping around, reading everyone's answers.  The next session kicks off on June 15.

If you missed some of the soulful goodness that has been shared, make sure and head over to the blog that holds ALL THE DETAILS on the project: CLICK HERE

So if you stuck with us the whole way, thank you.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Now it's back to our regular programming :) 

Have a great rest of the week!!

Kelly

What color is your Business? ~Me!!

So here is my answer to the big question.  I figure there's no need to put my photo on here :) You guys already know what I look like!

Kelly Thiel 

of Kelly Thiel Studio

Name of Business: Kelly Thiel Studio

kellythielstudio.com
kellythielpottery.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kellyTpottery
facebook.com/KellyThielSculpture

Years in Business: 10

Brief Bio:  An artist and a mother of two young girls, Kelly Thiel lives in South Carolina, USA creating award-winning clay and bronze sculptures, as well as doing art journaling and mixed media paintings.  She just finished building a new studio at her home, and is dying to log some real hours in there!  Kelly is doing her best to live life to the fullest and enjoy each day, with her art and her family.

What color describes my business? 

I had to think about this one for about 2 seconds.  Then I knew.  Pale Yellow.  My business is Pale Yellow for several reasons.  Right now, I know that my business is a paler version of what it could be.  I want it to be a bright, blazing, and cheerful yellow, but right now it isn’t.  My business is at a slow simmer and hopefully over the next few years as the kids start school, I’ll be able to turn up the heat and bring it to a boil.  It’s an exciting thought and one that keeps me awake at night!

So that's it!  You've read answers from 10 different artists.  Have you thought about it yet?  What color is your business?  It's an interesting question and I'd love to hear your answers!

What color is your Business? ~Nolwenn

Today, we have Nolwenn, a multi-faceted person.  She is also a teacher, in the online playground 21 Secrets, which is a super fun e-course for art journalers.  Welcome, Nolwenn!! (Great photo, huh?)

Artist Name : Nolwenn Petitbois

Business Name : Inner Worlds

Years in business : 2

Blog: http://inner-voices.net

Shop: http://InnerWorlds.etsy.com  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InnerVoices.net

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NolwennP

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NolwennBC

FlickR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nolwennp

Brief bio:  I am a self-taught Mixed Media artist.  

Dreamer. Lover. Passionate. Gratitude Warrior. Bookaholic. Cook. Art Journaler...

I would never have thought that painting and creativity would be in my daily life and even less my business until not so long ago. I believe that nothing happens by coincidence and so that I do have powerful messages to share through what I create. I am a Mixed Media artist because my heart and soul need to play and discover all the time and Mixed Media allows me to mix and match techniques and materials.

My artwork usually represents strong whimsical women (that I called «Nixies») who have a positive message to deliver to the world, to you. I believe in the important power of Positive Affirmations and of Gratitude, that both guide me in my creative process. I am a life-long learner, and love to unravel new ways to make my path lighter and stronger. Healing is a huge part of my life path, I am now also a Practical Reiki Master and noticed how it shifted the way it affects my creativity and the entire process of it.

I am also an art journaler and is currently a teacher in the art journaling collaborative playground 21 Secrets that opened its doors in April 2012.

     What color describes your business?  

I would say «Teal». Because running Inner Voices feels like being on a constant wave. Sometimes I crash and burn on the rocks that are put on my way, sometimes I feel like I am on top of the World and can accomplish everything my Heart and Soul desire.

I am swimming in a huge ocean of Creative beings and it is not always easy to find my place, to figure out how to get noticed in all the wonderful art that is created and shared and sold each day.

We are nearing the end of this project, and on Monday, my answer will be posted!  Don't forget that you can go to the project homepage for more information!

What color is your business? ~Jan

Jan Avellana of 

Hazelnut Cottage

What color describes your business?
 
Right now, my hand stamped jewelry business is in transition in a big way, so I’d have to say that dark grey describes my business at the moment. There are many things I am letting go of, many new things I am venturing towards, but right now I am in the middle of getting from here to there. This is the scary moment of letting go, that moment of leaping before the net appears. All is not lost, since I do believe that the best is yet to be, that’s why I’ve chosen “grey” and not “black”! There is a quote by Anatole France and it reads: “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is apart of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” This is what “grey” speaks to me today...

here's my bio:
Jan Avellana is a mixed-media artist with a passion for art making, books, deep conversations, and seaside adventures with her three favorite men (ages 5, 8 and 42).  Jan spent the better part of her adult life trying very hard to be a grown-up with a traditional job. The birth of her two sons released her to follow her heart and reclaim the artist she has always been. In 2007, Jan created a line of silver hand stamped jewelry under the Hazelnut Cottage brand. Today, she revels in mixed-media messes, making heartfelt connections with others through art and words.

In print, you can find jan in  “The Pulse of Mixed Media”, “Inside the Creative Studio”, “Artful Blogging, Winter 2011” and “ClothPaperScissors Studios”. In life, you can find her immersed in the studio or at the beach (with paint in her hair). Online, you can find Jan here:

{etsy shop} http://www.hazelnutcottage.etsy.com
{blog} http://www.hazelnutcottage.typepad.com{newsletter} http://tiny.cc/pjtn9{facebook} http://www.facebook.com/hazelnutcottage

Only two more days of this blog project!  My answer will come on the last day, May 14th.  This is pretty cool, huh?