Day 3 "Penny's Hero" and "She Reaches For Greatness"

31 day project (still nameless..) a new painting, on the fly, every morning.. Some dates have been reserved for specific meanings known only to the "reserver", however I had some back ground information to go on for today. Penny,  I identify on many levels with your admiration for your grandfather.  Thank you for being a part of my project!  ...And here is some advice no one asked for: If you have a "hero "and you get the chance, let them know. I seriously doubt you will regret it, and even if that person doesn't like you (and come on! What are the odds of someone not liking YOU?) it will probably make their day! 

Day 2 "Sunny Side Up" or...

Charlie's Chicken! Trying to stay away from painting birds and chickens or well, at least OTHER people's birds and chickens. I wasn't sure I even wanted to paint a chicken this morning. However, I woke up this morning thinking of Charlie's.  I searched really quickly just now for a website to the restaurant and did not find one. I did become a  "fan" on facebook of a location in Pryor, OK. I suppose that will do, but what I wanted was to post a link so non-Oklahomans could check out the interior of this magical chicken joint and make the connection to my  morning project.  
Supposed to be a beautiful day today-Hope yours is "EGGCELLENT"

Day 1 "The March Hair"

The March Hair. 

The March Hair, so much flair.
Stop and stare-just be aware.
She does not apologize, or try to disguise.
She put a flower there, with so much care.
Humiditized, mesmerized and super sized!
The March Hair

Tomorrow is the day

I purchased the canvas panels for my 31 day project this past weekend at Memphis Art Center.  I posted yesterday that I am open to suggestions for a title of this project.  (and still....I am open for suggestions...to quote Carrie "I got nuthin") None the less. Tomorrow the project begins.  I am committed to a couple of things....1. Doing this EVERY day. Even if I don't complete a piece before work each morning, and I realize this might just happen-depending on how early I get up (and on another note. At 5:00 this morning the rain was pounding the tin roof on our house in gushes-my head wanted to get up and start the day..but my heart-my heart wanted to time the gushes-my heart wanted to listen and find a pattern to the tap-scratch-SCRATCH---of that tree limb on the bedroom window- "My heart........yawwwwnn...wa-anntted.....to...ummm...enjoy...the perfect ambient air temperature of our bedroom...I.....should...get...up.....yyaaawwwnnn....." I will get up...as soon as this pattern changes...as ....as soon as the rain....zzzzzzzz HOLY CRAP!!! It's 7:00!!!!! I'm awake! I'm awake!!!!" My heart won out and I did NOT get up as planned...so...let's hope for no rain in the morning) As I was saying depending on how early I get started in the mornings I may or may not complete a painting each day. But I WILL paint each day.
2. and I am struggling with this one..... I am TRYING to let my mind just decide what to paint at the time I start painting. So if you have asked for a specific date- I will try to explain better.  You are requesting the DATE for a sentimental reason- I may or may not be able to paint something specific as it pertains to your loved one on THAT date.  So...I will give you an out- If you do not want the painting from the date you requested you are under no obligation to purchase it.  NO hard feelings and NO pressure.  There! I feel better! 
3. I am charging $10.00 per painting
4. Here are the dates already requested.
3rd-Penny, 7th-Lisa, 14th and 17th-Shaundra, 18th Michelle, 25th Lacey Howe
5. In an effort to let go of my artistic ramblings, trying not to "save" anything up for March-I had to get a few things "out" over the weekend. One thing was this pig-peering over a short stack of pan cakes. The other was a pack of crayons-the third was a family of birds-there was an owl couple on a branch and a country church...I make a confession...Sketching these things DID NOT cure my desire to paint them in March. I am pretty sure I will fail at the whole-letting my mind just decide at the moment exercise...but I am committed to the effort.

Every Day Art

If you are a follower of my blog  you know I am a fan of Madison Latimer. Hence forth called "The Chicken Lady" She is the painter of the chicken I fell in love with in Memphis three years ago and in her honor I painted Poxy. So....in October, like a  pre-pubescent adoring fan of Ringo Star I stood all dorky and googlie eyed as I approached her display area (inside the former location of - muse downtown Memphis,TN)  I was quite intimidated actually to meet her face to face.  But....My desire to express my appreciation for her work over-came my wall-flower tendency and I introduced myself.  She and I talked for a considerable amount of time- she answered questions I had-she was funny and quick and oh so artsy-I mean her very appearance was "art girl chic" But not in that "notice me! notice me! I wear my paint clothes out in public so people will know I paint!" sort of way.  I mean she has style. She is sure of herself. I admire that.  I told her I fell in love with her paintings at the River Arts Fest  three years prior.  And then....I did the unthinkable...I showed her my "poxy"



"Poxy" hangs in my kitchen against a splendidly happy blue wall.

I explained I  did this as a tribute to her amazing chickens and hoped  she would neither laugh at me or become angry ...I just stood there and  she paid me much respect.  Whew! Now, checking the list--- Introduced myself to one of my "art heroes" check! Got up the nerve to tell her I copied her work b/c I couldn't afford any of her work and I could not stop thinking about her work..Check check check!  Okay-cool...move on, meet The Hopkins, have dinner...errrrrrkkkkk!!!!! wait!!!  She had more to say than "thanks I am flattered"  okay...ummmm..Im listening...."Do you call yourself an artist?" Me: "ahhh errr ummmm well....ummm no not really....no...I just like art-and I enjoy painting..." (Really-must you qualify EVERYTHING? Amber?Currently-that's a Yes.) Chicken Lady "well...from now on you should. You should call yourself an artist. You are an artist. How do you expect people to view you as an artist if YOU don't view yourself as one? I used to think b/c I didn't paint full time for a living I couldn't call myself an artist....but I was....I was learning to be better at art while doing other jobs but inside I was and always have been an artist.. so...1. Call yourself an artist. You are one."  Okay....And..now let's move on- meet friends- have dinner....after all- Chicken Lady called me an artist-can't really go anywhere but down from here right? RIGHT. Chicken Lady "And Secondly.....Paint your own work." GULP.  OUCH! and YIKES! and for good measure- I'm Sorry?  "I am flattered you painted Poxy. I like her" she said "but you need to figure out what moves you-(as an artist.) (I am one now-apparently) and paint it. It's fine to be inspired by other work. But you will not move forward with your art until you make it YOURS."  Still stinging from the "paint your own work" advise yet understanding she is completely right and just relieved she didn't take that opportunity to shout at me-I made eye contact with a very amused TK-signaling for sure it was time to leave. "Thanks so much" I humbly muttered shifting weight looking at the time on my cell phone (Yea, I do that, I am not proud of it, but I do. As if by some cosmic miracle my discomfort has summoned an urgent text from a friend-or if the timing is just right, scored me a pretend phone call I must take-thus allowing me to make an excusable exit... Oh COME ON! I am not the only one! Don't judge me! I know you either have done this or you will now that I gave you the idea...You're welcome!) and then amidst my urge to walk away (I was starting to feel challenged (but not the kind of challenged I can't handle-the kind of challenge I know I CAN handle but might not like-but will have to accept and conquere even tho it's going to be a lot more work than I really want to do-(I am a slacker by nature really I just fight it) I was feeling uneasy just like ohhh this is like school....ohhh mannn....the teacher wants me to apply myself...I'm smarter than this-I must work harder than this-how can I take this ability for granted? People work twice as hard and never acomplish what I slack and get by with.... school...I hate school-totally should have faked sick today...school)  "Lastly" she said snapping me out of my 8th grade geometry flashback...."Paint! Every day. Make time for it. Go to work. See your friends. Spend time with your husband. but also Paint. Every. Day."   Humbled and excited about meeting those Hopkins for dinner (priorities you see)  I thanked my new The Chicken Lady for the insight and asked for a photo before we left,  which she obliged. 



Me and The Chicken Lady. It was a very good day!



Since that meeting, we have become "social network "Friends"" I kind of keep up with The Chicken Lady and her Chicken Truck and I think about the advise I was given the day we met. Well folks. I may not be ready to call myself an "artist" yet (small steps people small steps) but I am ready to start painting every day. Since I do better when I have a game plan, coming up with a game plan is my current project.  I know what must be going thru your minds "seriously, you have been "thinking" about this? Since October? And now you are working on a game plan?" Correct, correct and Correct.  I am big on keeping commitments and I just had too many irons in the fire to commit to painting every day until now. So..now that it is a new year and after this weekend-my cupcake obligations will be minimal-I am ready to make a commitment.  An Art Pledge if you will.  Starting March 1st. I will paint every morning before work.  I am going to create a series of small works. Theoretically 31 to be exact. My plan is this- I will paint one small (size to be announced) canvas each morning. Take a photo. Upload the photo with or without explanation and offer it for sale.  Proceeds to benefit my orphans in Kenya (like you didn't see that coming). 

Me and Kelvin, the one I call "mine" He keeps me awake at night from the other side of the globe.



I will also take specific "orders" for specific dates or occasions in the month of March. Say for example you would like to purchase "March 10th" because that's the day you learned to crochet and you just feel so darn good about the life changing experience you would like a painting to commemorate it-That's great! I'll do it! Just so you know-I have no specific theme in mind and the paintings will be as random as my whims. This way there is no pressure on me, (The Artist. echh hmmm...well I typed it, that's sort of like saying it. Right?)  Okay...There you go. I have said it. In Blog. That's like putting a task on "the list" but way more public.  Look forward to seeing you in March. 



The Art of Honesty

I reply to lengthy email questionnaires, sign up for junk at super-market sample stations, mail in box tops or cool-aid packets, donate blood AND run (okay mostly walk now) 5K races all for T-shirts.  Given my weakness for them-I was thrilled to know the good people at Karatedepot.com sent me an email saying I could have a FREE T-SHIRT if I posted a link to their online store in my blog.   OF COURSE I WILL DO IT----A FREE T-SHIRT IS UP FOR GRABS! Honestly, this "Martial Art" post is long over due.  I have internally wrestled with this for going on 6 years next month.  In December of 2004 while unloading cakes and pies of all things, from my car, a stranger (Hence forth known as Crack Head) crossed the street in front of my home, ran down the drive leading to my car where myself and two friends were unloading goods for a CHRISTMAS PARTY... put a 9 millimeter in my neck. He said one thing over and over "Give me your purse! Give me your purse! Give me your purse!"  Thinks are still a little blurry but I think he wanted my purse. No one was injured. The ordeal lasted less 3 minutes I think.  I don't know. I gave him my organizer containing check book, multiple credit cards and $78.00 cash.  He took the money and ran like the ski mask wearing, jobless- coward he is.  For the next few weeks-people would ask me about it-I would tell and re-tell the story always adding a couple of key pieces of information.  1. I am just thankful my friends are okay. 2.I am thankful no one was hurt.  I would verbally reassure people that I knew this would eventually help me help someone. Some good would eventually come from this experience.   Okay so that's me, trying to say the right thing-wanting to believe the right thing. I wasn't lying to people-I was trying to help them be okay with what  happened-so that I could be okay with what happened.  Six years later and having gone through a lot of "learning experiences" that are still on the "this will eventually help someone and good will eventually come from this" shelf, and having the complete freedom to be honest here on my very own blog-I will tell you this- 1. Although I WAS thankful my friends were okay and I WAS happy no one was hurt, I DID NOT see how anything good could come from this experience.  Nor did I wish to be the one who "got the chance to use this experience to help someone".  I would never have wished this on anyone-no matter what lesson could be learned.  I certainly wouldn't have wished this on MYSELF! Are you KIDDING?   I was afraid-and mad (not angry, mad.   I mean angry is what you are at your children or your spouse.  Mad is what you are at the person or people who hurt you or your children or your spouse-it's way way less controlled-it's way way more powerful and it's way way more honest.) And for the first and only time in my life I felt week and stupid.  I worried constantly-I was actually even made fun of by an X-Friend (talk about one of those experiences that could be used to help someone wow! it's still on the shelf too) for not "getting over it".  I tried.  I did well publicly-but internally I was very afraid.  
By August (8 months later) I was convinced the Crack Head knew where I worked and would one day show up in the parking lot to kill me.  (I know it's crazy talk. I'm just being honest here) The fear was just about to take over......Enter the Ninja.... No, seriously...I'm not kidding.  6 years after the event-I make a few honest statements leading to this whole "ninja thing"  1. I still have anger (notice it is now anger, I am no longer mad) 2. I still wish it had never happened (not just to me and my friends-but I wish that for our families.) 3. Only this week am I starting to accept the possibility that this experience could actually be beneficial to someone. (it's been 6 years) 4. If my experience is going to help someone I am going to have to be honest about it.  And that is what I am doing here.  I just realized by pretending I was okay with it all (and I wasn't) I might have been putting un-fair pressure on someone else to "be okay" with what they were going through.  (not helpful) and 5. I  am honestly not afraid now.     In the fall of 2005 I took a few self-defense classes from Chuck Williams a friend and security director at church. His classes focus on helping women who have been abused or have experienced a scary situation like mine.  I have so much respect for Chuck.  You know before I said one of things I felt after the mugging was week and stupid?  I still recall what I was wearing the day Chuck said "you were smart girl" when I explained what I did when the attacker told me to get in my car to get my purse.  As trivial as that sounds-that Thursday night in the gym at HP as Chuck reassured me I had done the smart thing by not getting into my car as commanded-I gained a bit of my self back. For that I am honestly thankful.   A few weeks later I checked out a different style of self defense.  A non-competitive style called Ninjutsu.  Being the peace-loving hippie chick I am, I found the aggressive-tough guy environment a little over-whelming at first.  When I say over-whelming I mean-I was in awe of their level of cool. I came and watched a few classes and thought to myself "I don't want to get to that level-I just want to feel stronger" About a month ago-I realized I am now at the level I thought was unattainable.  I only say that to make a point.  The point I make is this:  For me, taking self defense is not about the belt color or rank I attain (it was never about that).  It was never about competition.  And for 4 years or so it wasn't even about telling anyone I train.  For me it was mostly about the outfit- I mean seriously- Ninjas wear really cool outfits..  Seriously tho, for a while it was about ME-getting my head back-believing that everything was in fact going to be okay.  Now, I am starting to think it might actually be about helping someone else...Like if I can go through this thing-and end up stronger and braver-someone else, even someone who has been through much much worse, can be okay too....And honestly, it's a little bit about the clothes.  Now....send me my t-shirt!

For more information about ninjutsu check out this article  http://www.examiner.com/cultural-events-in-jackson/ninjas-the-hub-city  or look up Our Facebook Page  

I love Candy!

Friday has been declared "candy day" at our house. We had to sort of "reign it in" to one day a week-mostly because of my recent relapse into a full fledged candy addiction. And by "mostly" I mean that's the whole reason. I go through these phases where I am really disciplined and do not eat anything unnatural, no artificial anything. Seriously People it's true.  Nothing from a package is my general rule with few exceptions to the following: yogurt, frozen vegetables and  brown ten minute rice. When in that zone-I am complete "granola". All whole foods-in complete moderation. The only real draw back-well...there are at least two draw backs. 1. Eating at a restaurant is pretty difficult with exception to the salad bar at Jason's Deli. (and a side note little plug for Jason's. They try to provide great-whole foods, as many organically grown vegetables and fruit as possible and no trans fats in their foods.  Even their processed meats and cheeses are minimally so. Plus when we go there on Monday nights at almost closing time-the manager is super nice to us and lets us stay well past closing-there we sit in our booth all hot and sweaty from self-defense class, gobbling up organic goodness from the salad bar just chatting and laughing completely unaware of the time when the manager says "hey- we are going to start cleaning off the salad bar and prepping for tomorrow-can we bring you anything else?" We scramble to say  we are sorry for staying so late but are interrupted by "oh no- we have another 2 hours of work to do-stay as long as you want! We are going to lock you in-but it's nice to have happy company this late in the day"  Kind of a tangent (now there is something new) anyway when I am eating clean and need to grab something quick for dinner-Jason's is my first choice. and TWO...It's kind of expensive to eat this way.  I mean it IS expensive to eat this way.  Fresh fruit and veggies are more expensive than pre-made pasta side items and seasoned rice packets for the microwave. Also more expensive than chips and crackers and cookies and sweets.....OH yes...candy... Right-  okay back on track now.   I was saying I eat clean when I am disciplined to do so.  I am currently allowing and really enjoying my Friday evening splurge.  Here is the deal, TK and I have date night-and at some point in the evening we make a really big deal about going to get CANDY! As you might imagine I talk a lot about it before we actually go- and then there is the "do you love candy as much as me?" line of rhetorical questions. I often start a survey "what is your FAVORITE candy?"  TK: "It's hard to say..." Me: "would it help if I put candy into category?"  TK: "sure"  He humors me.   So I say "What's your favorite chocolate candy?" TK answers... Me: "what's the best chocolate candy you ever ate?"  TK answers. Me: "Would you rather have sugary candy or chocolate candy?"  etc etc.    Once there was even this crazy create your own path type game I played in the car.  "would you choose M&Ms or Reece's Pieces?"  TK: "ohhh hard one....ummm Reece's Pieces." Me:  "okay, Reece's Pieces or Peanut Butter Cup?"   etc etc.  this went on and on and on.  In honor of  Candy Day I will now post images of my favorite candy things.  I must say this CANDY to me is things that are sugary- such as Skittles, Jujubes, Jelly Belly, Hot Tamales, Candy Corn, Jolly Ranchers etc.  Chocolate is a total different category in my book.  Really good chocolate like the kind you can purchase in Amsterdam (and is so rich if you have been eating "clean" for the past year an a half will make your 9 hour flight back to the US miserable I am just sayin') that kind of really good chocolate is an art form for sure.  What Fridays are for me is a day for the sticky-shiny-gummy bear kind of candy most adults think they "out grow".   

 

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Circus Peanuts-better than regular peanuts and Candy Corn- SO MUCH BETTER THAN REGULAR CORN! 
And now- there are these amazing flavors, this season I have tried Caramel, Caramel Apple, and Butterscotch. Along with the traditional flavors.  Anytime I talk about Candy Corn I think of two things.
1. When someone says "if you eat candy corn and peanuts together it tastes just like a Pay Day bar" My close friends know how I feel abou that statement.  It's always funny to hear someone new say it-b/c often times it's like they think they are getting "away" with telling some secret the "candy/peanut police" don't want you to know. (the combo is really great to me tho)  and 2. I think about -
Buddy The Elf




If you like Atomic Fire Balls-let me just share with you a little secret treat the I found on a trip to "The Nation" Me, TK and The Fireman took over a year ago.  There are in fact "soft" Atomic Fire Ball Candies- and they are so so so so good- and so addictive. One of the most appealing things about them is they are not found everywhere-So Far Hastings in Muskogee, OK. Gordman's in Memphis, TN and a fueling station in a remote part of Arkansas are the places I have seen and purchased these incredible edible pieces of art. ohhh man! Thinking about them makes my mouth water.

so..right- this is an art blog-and  some very talented artists actually create art from candy  like  Julia Chiang.  check out her website if you get a second   SWEET!


Another of my favorite  pieces of candy. This collection makes me smile! Enjoy!

Be Sweet!