Lesley Venable

The Great Adventure In Clay....

The last few days have seen me working with clay.  All types of clay....apoxey, paper and sculpey (not sure what kind this is but it bakes to harden whereas the others can but it isn't necessary).  I never knew that clay could be such fun, well in the way I am using it now anyway, and so absolutely infuriating at the same time. 

Working with this clay has made me realize that I need to work in a room that is covered in plastic and that I need to be suited up in one of those very feminine hazmat suits, you know face shield, giant gloves, etc.  I have found the clay in my hair, stuck between journal pages, on the floor (not good - as Tom's Mother used to say), on shoes....well you get the picture.  I can't quite understand how the clay goes from my hand to the pasta roller aka clay roller to the protected work surface to the studio oven but somehow ends up in the bathroom.  What's up with that??? 

Speaking of the pasta/clay roller thingie I have to say yes it saves my hands from all of that hard clay conditioning handwork that I'm just not up to (read I don't want to do it and I ain't gonna do it) BUT the handle keeps falling out and onto the floor!!!  I cannot tell you how many times I ended up bending over and picking that thing up!  So, I am having an absolute love/hate relationship with this roller but for now it stays as I am, at this moment, willing to put up with the bending over if I don't have to learn how to knead clay. 

This morning as I passed by the dining room table, yes the one that was cleaned off for a fleeting moment, I looked at the clay and felt myself half smiling half sneering at the thought of the beautiful creations that I would make with it.  I'm feeling that I have a case of the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde sickness where this very versatile medium comes into play.

With that being said look for images tonight of a few creations that I will be finishing up.  Either that or one of me at Abuelo's with a Margarita Meltdown in hand.

Be well,

 

Taking Stock....

 
 
This weekend I decided that I have neglected our home far too much.  With all of the traveling to teach at various art retreats our poor home has really not had a good cleaning in.....well, I'm not really sure.  I mean it's been cleaned but it hasn't had one of those really good and thorough spring cleanings....the kind that have you taking items to Goodwill and hauling junk to the curb for the next bulk trash day.

I've done my research and I am armed with the necessary information to get the most bang for my buck (i.e. I want it done good but I want it done fast).  I'm tired of dust monsters creeping out from whatever hole they have been hiding in to go slowly dancing across my nice clean floor (note to self - vaccuuming under furniture will alleviate this issue). 

I can't wait to really get in there and find all of the "things" I just had to have but that have been unnecessary over the last year few weeks.  You know what I am talking about - that book you were going to read, the movie you wanted to watch, the new gum you wanted to try, etc., etc., etc. (notice I said nothing about art items - It's on purpose as I know my DH reads my blog posts). 

I've read that you should work on one room, finish it and then move it on...that's the best way.  Then I've read that you should do one task for all rooms and that that's the best way.  Then I've read that you should set a timer and do it in 15 minute increments.  Geeze no wonder the art of housekeeping is disappearing!  I have a headache and all I've done is blog about it.  <sigh>

Well, my strategy is this:  I will work on one room until it is done and then move on.  I will take donate items to the car as soon as the room is finished and trash to the curb/can.  This will allow me to have a room to use as my point of escape inspiration.

Between some finalizing of proposals, putting together student kits and cleaning the next few weeks in our house should be busy but fulfilling.  Some added inspiration for getting this done is that I am going to make drop cloth slipcovers for a chair and sofa (please note the determined "I am going to" and not "I am going to try").  <smile>  I just want to lighten up a bit 'cuz you never know what you might find at a flea market or antique store that you just can't live without. 

Be well,

An Elite Sixteen Treasury - Carpe Diem....

Seize the Day!!! Take a moment and visit this treasury of dreamy finds. Just click on the name "Carpe Diem" in the treasury box to be swept away.

 

Inspire....

Recently a friend and I took on the task of having a booth at a local (to us) shop called Tinkerings.  This has been a bit of work gathering up props for the booth, etc. and some work in getting things together (really should not call that work since I loved every moment of it).  "Inspire" is what we decided to call our little venture and we think it fits nicely (you can see the space name on the vintage architectural salvaged piece on the wall).

I purchased the sweetest little vanity chair covered in a pink velvet to put in the booth and we are using drop cloth on the back wall, old window screens (hanging from the ceiling) as our "walls", aged tables and benches, a corner shelf that Mardi had (we covered the inside of the unit with pages from a vintage German Bible) and other odds and ends. 

In person it looks totally awesome but in images I just can't get the feel of it to come out.....

 

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If you live in, or are visiting, Southwestern Virginia you should stop by and see what we have in our booth as well as visit the other wonderful artists that are sharing their handmade items too.

 

 

 
 

Elite Sixteen Treasury - Goldilocks & Butterscotch...

Hi Everyone,

Enjoy these wonderful Autumn inspired finds.....

 

Also, please be sure to read in the post below about Art Is You - Petaluma. :)

Art Is You - Petaluma....

Hi Everyone,

Wow, in just about a month Art Is You - Petaluma will be happening!  It has been awesome to be a part of Sal and Ellen's plans to bring this wonderful retreat to the West Coast.  To say we are excited to be a part of this awesome event is an UNDERstatement.  I mean what girl would not want to celebrate her birthday while being surrounded by her Art Family??? 

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Now if you are biting your creative nails waiting on Petaluma to arrive why don't you pop on over to our NING Group, The Art of Altering, and try our my free tutorial on Tape Transfer Tags and ATCs.

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  Also, if you are interested in attending Art Is You - Petaluma visit www.art-is-you.com, click on Petaluma and then workshops to see what wonderful classes are being offered.

 

Don't Forget To Love Yourself.....

I created a button this past weekend to place on my blog.  This button is to remind myself to love myself....through it all.

 

Please feel free to place the button on your own blog as a reminder to yourself and your readers to do the same.

 

 

 

A Life Vignette - Paper Flowers and Treat Baskets....

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The Art of Becoming UNDERwhelmed.....

This morning I found a message in my inbox over on FB asking me if I ever felt overwhelmed and if I did what secrets might I share to dealing with that. My first reaction was to be honored that someone trusted my opinion so much and then I had to kind of chuckle at the question. I mean as a woman isn't it in our nature to be overwhelmed with all of the capes (see prior post) we have to wear?

I put fingers to keyboard to share some of my ways of dealing with being artfully overwhelmed. After a bit of reflection I decided to share the response here too.

The Twelve Steps of Becoming Artfully UNDERwhelmed

1. Stop and breathe. I finally had to teach myself to recognize when a situation (art or otherwise) was starting to overwhelm me. It's okay to just stop and step back to take stock.

2. Look at all of the classes you are signed up for - online and in person classes. Determine what has an open-ended date and what doesn't.

3. Make a list of these classes with the ones with closed ended dates and in person retreats/studio classes at the top (by date) and open-ended classes being at the bottom.
4. Totally disregard any class that has an open-ended close date. They don't matter because you can take them whenever you want to. No stress allowed over these.
5. Look at the online classes with close-ended dates. Then rank them from what is most important to you.
6. Hard decision time......are there any that you are willing to just walk away from which also means which class cost are you willing to give up. Then mark it off the list, off your calendar and forget about it. You aren't allowed to regret or fret over that class again.
7. Retreats - this is another beast but there is a true benefit to you to attend a retreat you are signed up for. First off it feeds you in so many ways to be surrounded by likeminded people. You come away from a retreat feeling empowered and this is a true plus to you as an artist.
8. Rethink how you look at retreat/in-studio trips. A trip to a retreat can also make a great getaway for a couple or for a family. Think about it in that way. - family time and art time combined.
9. In a NEW calendar put on it those classes with closed-ended dates and retreats and put them down in pencil. You may decide as a deadline for a closed-ended online class approaches that you are just not willing to give up your sanity to take it. Marking it in pencil allows you to obliterate it from your calendar by simply erasingit. If you put it down in pen and have to scratch it out that can be overwhelming to you visually.
10. Make time to be with family. Look at your calendar now and see where your free time is and make special times for family and friends and hobbies during that time. By setting a date it is a promise you make to yourself to spend time with those you love.
11. Make time for yourself - whether it is to do art (that has nothing to do with classes) or vegging out in front of a tv or napping all day or watching your favorite movie over and over. Put that on your calendar too.

12. Embrace your inner (and outer) artist and allow yourself to make it fun once again. Accept the beauty of your creations and the self empowering form of expression that art is.

Smilebox.....

Found something new today.....

 

This free digital collage created with Smilebox