Sunday, June 27, 2010

studio update

Ah, summer. You are here and I am so ready. Now if only the weather knew it! This time last year I was harvesting cherries; this morning I was dodging raindrops while searching for good spots to photograph Greg running his latest half marathon. I'm ready, though, because yesterday we did a massive reorg of 'our' studio space. It's pathetic (and awfully small) when you compare it to a real artist's loft in SoHo, or even a Paris garret of a century or so ago. I mean, suburban basements are made for large-screen TVs and wet bars, right? Maybe once I start some of the back-burner projects I want to do it will look more like this and less like this.

Last week I finally finished framing the eight drawings of various sizes I completed for Effusion Art Gallery, boxed them up like Fort Knox and sent them on. Just getting them ready for shipping and making sure the glass wouldn't break took as long as completing and framing one of the little ones, but I was pretty proud of the results. The images have been added to the gallery's website but are not yet on the page for the August show.

And last week I went to Opus' big annual sale with Ellen and stocked up on many essentials, plus a serious non-essential (a tube of Gamblin Series 4 silver oil paint). The guy behind the counter recommended I try priming my panels with Gamblin oil painting ground as apparently the paint sits on top without the oil sinking in like with gesso. So I went back and got a can of that, too. So much to learn! I'm watching closely as Tracey experiments with oil paint, too. She's way ahead of me, though, as she does actual searching and learning online, not indulging in distracting self-entertainment like I do with Facebook and Neatorama.

On that note, I have panels to prime.

PS I know, I know! What kind of loser posts about shipping boxes on their blog? Sadly this is not the first time. Or even the second, ha!

9 Comments:

Blogger andy said...

Ah, but if you hadn't published that that first post about shipping boxes, I'd never have had the idea to make the one that went to Zambia and back with pictures for my son. And was used again yesterday when they moved flat. See? You just never know what influence stuff you write is going to have :)

27/6/10 1:59 p.m.  
Blogger Melody said...

Guess I'm a loser too as I enjoy seeing your work all packaged up and ready to go. How do you find packing up pieces with glass. Can you get insurance for those works as I heard you couldn't. Interesting to follow your progress as you entered into the field of oils. I too, have just begun experimenting with them as well.

27/6/10 2:11 p.m.  
Blogger p said...

i liked your you tube video :) the studio space looks cozy to me and i like the industrial black/silver/white. lots of great art there...liked the art above the band stuff and in the closet on the wall.
congrats on taking action!

27/6/10 3:51 p.m.  
Blogger andrea said...

Andy: Well, who-da thunk it? Those were the blogging good-old-days, weren't they?

Melody: You're right -- no insurance. In this case I had a base with slots, made specifically for shipping the largest frames to the retail outlet, and I just slotted the pieces in (of various sizes), built around everything with packing material (of various kinds) and kept things really tight. It helps to have that rolled sealing wrap they use in galleries and art supply stores to secure work for packing, too.

Paula: Aha! You "found" the video! Not too many people will bother to check even one link so it definitely shows your interest and faith that you checked it out! Much appreciation! As for the paintings you like -- the one hanging in the cupboard wasn't done by me (and is just hanging there temporarily as I hadn't decided yet where to put it aftre the reorg). The one above the band detritus is from a series that I really think you'd like but I never completed after doing four paintings. I have so many vastly different series that having them all on my website was totally confusing. There's also another series (one an award-winner) that you'd probably like, too. Much more fun and the truth is, I would have continued with these two series, but I needed to make some money and they weren't money makers. :( I can almost sense a blog post about them happening now... If you're curious there might be something in the very first months of this blog (not the fish paintings).

27/6/10 4:30 p.m.  
Blogger Tracey said...

Thanks so much for the vote of confidence on my adventures with the oils :)

I was wondering about the ground preparation for oils & if acrylic gesso was good enough as I hate to make yet another trip to Opus...but now I think I may have to.

I really enjoyed your studio video as well...so how long do you think the music equipement will stay so organized? heh heh ;)

28/6/10 8:01 p.m.  
Anonymous cynthia said...

It's your blog you can cry if you want to, oops I mean write posts about boxes! ;D Occasionally, I look at what posts people land on in regards to popularity and you just never know what someone will find helpful or relate to...that's what makes this so much fun.

30/6/10 8:33 a.m.  
Blogger Hayden said...

SUMMER! This is our first GLORIOUS summer day, and I'm so stoked! So what am I doing? Cleaning house and working in the yard, LOL - and delighted to be doing it without melting in the heat/humidity. Lunch break now, so am sneaking in here to snoop around!

30/6/10 12:03 p.m.  
Anonymous Jana Bouc said...

I was really interested in your packing, having gone through that challenge when I sold and had to ship a large watercolor to Kansas. What a learning process! Seems like you've got it down.

I'll be interested to hear your feedback on the Gamblin ground. I love the surface on Gessobord which kind of bites the paint off the brush but doesn't allow it to sink in.

30/6/10 9:05 p.m.  
Blogger andrea said...

Tracey: So -- how's the ground working? (Just kidding -- as we both struggle with it!)

Cynthia: You're so right. Did you see Andy's comment?

Hayden: And did you sleep outside on your porch, too?

Jana: I've never tried gessoboard but will now. Thanks for the tip!

1/7/10 7:46 a.m.  

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