The art that exists within catalogs…

I just came back inside from checking and mail and I was pleased to find the April catalog from JCPenney waiting in my mailbox. I am someone that HATES (seriously, you guys, HATE is the word) receiving catalogs or any other similar bullshittles in the mail. I hate it! However, a few months ago (January, I think) I opened my mailbox to find this slightly heavy book inside. When I opened it up, I saw a JCPenney logo and instantly fell in love with all of it. I had a pretty serious Willy Wonka moment (Yes, the snozzberries taste like snozzberries, but does this woman’s bracelet taste like tangerines? Because it sure as hell looks like it.) and became all sorts of giddy. These are not the things I do when I see a catalog in the mail.

I was and am intrigued by this new look for JCPenney. They redesigned their logo (a super clean red, white, and blue) and really seemed to do an overhaul on their entire image and pricing. While the price changes and all of that is excellent for those that regularly shop there, I am far more impressed and interested in the design work! That first catalog was so beautiful and simple – it sort of became art-porn for me (Dick Blick catalogs are my own personal sort of “Hustler”, if you’re picking up what I’m throwin’ down). February was sweet chalky, pepto pink, but it was so fun! The March catalog was a woman’s hand holding onto a kite against a brilliant sort of blue sky…frankly, the whole thing is just sexy. And now today for April, the cover is coated in shades of pastel blue with a little boy reaching for a pink egg (totally snuggle worthy).

Seeing advertising go this way is really refreshing. Or maybe I’m just not paying enough attention. All I know is that rarely do my eyes perk up when it comes to the designs and layouts from any retail company (most are so similar that they completely pass boring and venture into torturous territory), but with this new design, my eyes bugged out of my head like an animated cat-calling wolf.

More difficult than I expected…

I realized that updating my blog every single day was going to be hard simply because I’m usually at a loss for interesting things to talk about or present. When I find something that is noteworthy, I share it! But finding noteworthy art-related things everyday is not easy. Plus, I don’t want to bore any of you, so I feel that added pressure (certainly I put it on myself) to present something that is even the slightest bit interesting.

Tomorrow will make 1 week that I have blogged every day. That is, if I post tomorrow! Illustration Friday posted their new word today and, initially, I was counting on that to use as today’s post, but the word is “Return” and, honestly, I got nothin’. I keep thinking “Return of the Jedi” or “Return of the Mack” and “Return to Sender” one of my favorite Elvis songs (I like Elvis, but not in a I-want-a-giant-velvet-painting-of-his-head kind of way).

Since I try to keep my blog in the art-side of things, I have been wanting to post about a blog that I follow, but I haven’t figured out exactly what to say or how to present it well enough. Basically, the blog entries consist of multiple images along a common theme. It is seriously candy fo’ my eyes! So, go here: Chicquero to see the blog and let your eyes be piggies!

{tags art, writing, life, blogging, blogs, following, links, persistence, effort]

A necklace…

Just a photo and a quick back-story:

A bit over 2 years ago my brother asked me to make him a hemp necklace, so I said I would. 2 years ago. I did it 2 days ago. Shame on me. This is not his necklace though – I was on a roll so I made one for my mom.

Pinteresting things with Pinterest…

I’m not known for being clever…

I received an invite to sign up for a Pinterest account back in February. I finally took the plunge a few days ago and created one. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it or even what I’m supposed to do. I keep hitting “Like” on images that I actually like and then I also pin them – frankly I don’t know the difference! Why would I pin something if I didn’t like it and why “Like” something if I have no intention of pinning it? Whew!

There was a very passionate and frightening discussion going on about artists using Pinterest and having their work stolen and something about copyright issues. They chose not to have an account based on that. It makes sense, of course, but the other side of it is that Pinterest seems like it could be used as a tool for promoting the work that you do. Since I’m still not exactly sure how it really works, I don’t know if the link belonging to the original image follows the image through being repeatedly pinned. I don’t even know if that made a bit of sense. Say I have a website (soon) and I decide to pin one of my images. The image is linked to my site, so if someone clicks on it, they can see where the image came from, yes? Does this go away as the image goes through the process of being pinned over and over?

Even if the original link was removed at some point and my image was just another image floating around out there, aside from typical concerns (someone taking the image and creating prints or printing it on t-shirts, mugs – making a profit off your work in some fashion), is there another reason to be worried? The idea that your work is no longer yours is a bit bothersome, but I’m not sure of the likelihood of that happening with my work.

I do have a great deal of fun looking at other artists’ boards, though! I have voyeuristic tendencies, so looking at images that a person has collected satisfies my weird-ass curiosity! In case anyone wants to peek into my head, my Pinterest is ItDoesArt (of course!). I can’t promise anything exciting and, as you know, I have a problem sticking with things so my…picture collection (what the hell is it called?!) is sparse and boring. Once my shoulder heals a bit, I will pin the hell out of the Internet…

P.S. Just so you’re aware, every time I say “Pinterest”, I pronounce it “Pin-interest” and it’s making me effing crazy…I don’t know why I keep doing that, but I do hope I’m not alone!

Self Portrait Project – the beginning…

*cue Rocky theme*
I started the Self Portrait Project, as seen below. I assure you I am a human and not a landscape. How sweet would that be, though? Height: 6,789 ft. Weight: More than your mom. Smoker: Yes (for volcanoes). I’d get all the ladies.

Anyway, clearly I’ve not done any more than a background on it, but it’s something. Plus, I feel pretty productive today. It has been months since I’ve fondled a paintbrush and doing so was wonderful!

My head is pounding, so this is it for tonight.

It has arrived…

Not me, It, but the Self Portrait Project from Art House! It’s a 4 in x 4 in gallery wrapped canvas, primed and ready-to-go! I’m currently trying to figure out just how many of my personalities I can fit on this bad boy…

There’s also a note card explaining the rules – the same stuff on the site, just in paper form (easy for those of us that get cranky from staring at a screen for too long).

Who else has done this?! Tell me! If you haven’t yet, I still suggest you swing over to the Art House Co-op and see what projects they have going on there (for free and for dollars).

Just a drawing…

I used to do these doodles while trying to offer tech support to customers at my old (very old) job. Squiggles kept me sane…