Unusual Girl Studios

Last Summer there was an alien in my yard.   This summer she is finished.  A full fledged sculpture. My first ever project of a large scale. My most detailed endeavor.  Tons of planning and drawing and researching. Every flower chosen for the element that I connect with.  Zinnia are so unapologetic, fervent and joyous.  Calla lilies are so very elegant and simple in their shape.  The leaves of the Calla Lily are just as strong and elegant as the blossom.  So long I wondered just what was she all about.  She knew, she always knew.  But Art Prize made me give her a title which became= Life Cycle; bounty of joy and sorrow.  There's a long story that goes with the title.  All about stages in life from that of childhood dreams ( the ballerina) to soaring free as a young adult- (the dove) to realizing maturity and the strength that comes from knowing one's self.  Knowing where one has been, what has been and what is yet unkno...

Four Days.  F-O-U-R. I am experiencing a "letting go" ness with the sculpture.  I know that she is done.  Well, she has to be, I'm out of time.  But a calm secure feeling of "she's done, really- she is and its time to just add some finishing touches."  No more changes, no color additions or re-painting.  She's done.  This has been quite the journey- some where in the doodles came a concept.  The concept intrigued me- could I do this?  This amount of difficulty and detail, not to mention the size of it?  Somewhere along the way another question was answered and then a realization of the question itself.  Could I do this and by doing so consider myself, finally, an artist?  Was it a test?  Not really.  More of a struggle between my intrinsic self doubt and a conflicting whisper of a belief that yes, I already was an artist so being was just a matter of transition- transition of belief over doubt. But the proof ...

I didn't think I was a proponent of child labor but it turns out I am.  I'm tired.  My house is dirty.  Places that we bathe need to be cleaned.  "Brooke!" I say "Grab the scrubbing bubbles spray stuff and some paper towels or an old wash cloth- you decide- and clean the outside of the toilet."  We like scrubbing bubbles in this house so at first I had a positive reaction.  But which?  the washcloth or the paper towels?  "I'd do the first go round in paper towels, if I were you, cuz you can throw those away.  Then use real hot water on the other...but you decide...however you do it is fine....." "Wait......"  Dang it, I knew this was coming. My Brookie is a smart cookie.  "Do you mean the part where people sit down?" Now, wait- before you get all worried- of course I won't have them handling actual toilet bowl cleaner because everyone knows that the minute you hand a minor a bottle of lye that they will trip over the...

Art prize begins Sept. 21 @ 6:00p.m.  My install appointment is Sept 18th at 2:00 pm.  I have 11 days.  Eleven.  E-l-e-v-en.  Just so you know- I can't breathe. 

I'm working so hard!  I could cry- I'm so tired!  Deadlines are approaching fast!  I start teaching Monday.  Prepped?  I'll sweat that out this weekend.  Art Prize.... The sculpture will be "installed" Sept 19th.  Less than a month.  Now factor in school starting up for the youngins', the whole college bit, a bathroom re-model that had to happen..... and...all the things I have to get done....school bus schedules...daycare changes... hot lunch forms.... and you'll see why there have been no posts from me!  Please hang in there....I don't mean to neglect you.....

Remember the doll with the cage on her head?  This is a different version of her as I alluded to in my last post.  This is my entry for the bottle doll challenge- because I am such a good time manager- I don't really need to pay bills or clean my house or raise my children- do I???  So, she is ready to mail off and we will see if ADQ likes her.....I titled her "The Promise Keeper"  as she looks like she's carefully guarding the contents of her bottle.  Good girl!  Don't let too much of that stuff out at once! This is a perfume bottle that I had in my collection.  At one point I thought I would 'collect' things.  Then I realized that I'm not really a collector.  "Things" hanging around kind of bother me.  Too much clutter in my head to have clutter in my house. People have been giving me old jewelry for my kids to play with and of course I scope it out first.  The silver and white rope-ish thingy is a perfectly awful bolero some...

  Yep.  Got a  little goin' on... First off-  Anything to keep these two busy!    Very first overnight camp- thought I'd be really anxious.  Turns out- not so much! A few family reunions   with a few too many pictures taken.... A little surf and sand and a husband who says "Back up...I'll get the bay in the background."   Hmmm ... looks like we're in the background and those flip flops are are pretty much the focal point of this picture.  No wonder I'm always behind the lens! Did I mention- ANYTHING TO KEEP THESE TWO BUSY???? There's been some art.... And then there's this lady.  This is the final on her face- because if I don't get this done.... Their gonna lock me away in the funny house! Oh yeah, because I just don't have enough going on.... Remember this?  The birdcage never quite made it on this lady's head but.....I did not throw it out.  Actually I lost it and finally found it un...