H U B C A P S + B L O G T O U R S

my hubcap, an orange Koi © samos 2014

I have so much news to share this morning! Remember way back when I was painting a hub cap for the Landfill Art Project a couple years ago? Well, last week I received an email from the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley that my hubcap was one of 287 that was selected out of more than 1000 works in the Landfill collection to be on exhibit in the Second Time Around: the Hubcap as Art installation!!! It will be on display from September 7th until March  1, 2015. I am SO excited and hoping that my hubby and I will be able to make the trip this fall. I would LOVE to be there for the member party!

In other exciting news, my friend Kelly of the Happy Shack blog invited me a couple weeks ago to join in on a blog tour! For this one, there are four questions we are asked to answer, so here we go...

What am I working on?

I have been working on some paintings that I've been thinking about for some time. One is a very large abstract that I knew needed just a little something to complete it. After my husband and I returned from our excursion in Oahu this spring, I was inspired to paint koi again. So I moved this large painting from a wall that it was hanging on in the house and brought it back to the easel. It has yet to have any new paint on it, partly because I'm still in the  thought process. I don't like to rush these type of paintings. When I know what I want it to look like, I carefully plan it with sketches to figure out placement and color, and sometimes which technique I want to use. In the process of doing some sketches, I created this...

koi © samos 2014

How does your work differ from others of your genre? 

I work in several mediums and I like to incorporate some sort of abstract flair to whatever I'm working on. When I create my pottery, I try to use bold, bright colors and simple abstract designs. Lately I have become a little "freer" with my brush and playing with a more painterly technique. Painterly is a word, right? 

Why do you create what you do? 

Simply because it makes me happy! I absolutely LOVE losing myself in a work where time, chores, and world problems don't exist. 

How does your process work? 

Well I suppose that depends on what I'm working on at the time. When I'm painting, it changes with each work. If it happens to be a piece  on masonite, I first construct the canvas by building a wooden frame  out of 1x2 strips. Once they are attached to the masonite, I gesso the board and let it dry. If the work is of an animal, I sketch it out in pencil or watercolor before applying acrylic or oils. If the work happens to be a watercolor, sometimes I don't sketch at all, I just start painting. Now if I'm throwing pottery, I like to make sure my studio is cleaned up first before I start working. Then I get into my clay, cut and weigh it, make a ball, and then head to the wheel. It all depends on what I'm working on at the time and what material I'm using. 

I hope you have enjoyed the tour so far. I hope it continues with many more creative souls to meet and follow as you continue this journey. I have asked a few of my very talented art sisters to join us! 

Rene DeAnda is my dear sister that lives in Denver. She is a woman of many talents and is loved by all who knows her. You can see her work and read her thoughts on her blog the Creative Compiler of All Cooperative Components. 

Kelly Thiel is a dear friend and amazing sculptor that lives in Charleston, South Carolina. 
She works full time in her studio creating beautiful clay sculptures, is a mother, wife and lives life to the fullest. You can see her work and learn more about Kelly on her blog. 

Robin Norgren is a dear friend and soul sister who is also a woman of many talents. She is a gifted writer, a mother, military wife, entrepreneur...the list goes on and on. You can read more about Robin and see her creative flair on one of her blogs, Joesy's Art School. 

InSpiRed by Friends Near and Far

bisque ware

Every now and then I get into a non-creative funk. I usually disconnect from GOD, family, friends...Its not intentional, it just happens. Then I'm overcome with guilt for being the way I am and have to hit bottom before I can change my attitude and get back to being ME. 

A few weeks ago I decided to put MuddyPotts on vacation until March 17th. I haven't been throwing due to some physical pain I'm trying to work out. Today I've decided to bite the bullet, do what I can and move forward. 

I have been inspired by several artistic friends. One being my dear friend Robin Norgren who always finds a way to face the fear and balances her creative life with the fullness of her family life. She is currently working on another book, Savor Your Life, in which she has so graciously asked me to be a part of. Another inspiration is my friend Kelly Thiel. She was recently honored with one of her sculptures published in a book called 500 Figures in Clay Volume 2. 

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I saw the Modern Masters exhibit at the DAM. How can I not be inspired surrounded by such talent? So instead of riding the so called soap box, I'm off to the easel to pick up my brush and paint. If it is another month before you hear from me:

 I promise it's because I'm busy painting, sculpting, and glazing pots. ~ samos

waiting for color

101010 Project: Kelly Thiel

Name of Business: Kelly Thiel Studio

kellythielstudio.com
kellythielpottery.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kellyTpottery
facebook.com/KellyThielSculpture
Years in Business: 10

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.
Collaborations: a Good Idea?

 

I do think that collaborations are a good idea. Sometimes when two artists get together, a beautiful synergy is created. Ideas just flow and wonderful things can happen. It's also a great way to reach out to other audiences that you may not normally interact with. I would say that a blog hop is a sort of collaboration, just an online one with many contributing artists! My favorite type of collaboration  though, is when two artists in different mediums get together to create a single (or multiple!) piece(s) of art. Integrating both mediums and working off each other's design, the two artists come together to create one finished piece.