It's Eclectic!

Spoon rings by, Mike Smyth for the Eclectic Shoppe

I recently told someone that they reminded me how I want to spend my life surrounded by the makers of the world, not the breakers of it, and it's true, it's where I feel the most alive.  If you're creating something, growing something, fabricating something, or teaching something ... I want to be part of it!  I am, quite frankly, done with all of the bitchers, twitchers, and even the do-nothing belly-itchers.  Meaning, obviously there's a time for every purpose, and it's healthy for folks to rest, clear the air, or blow off steam, I'm definitely not a big cheerleader of toxic-positivity where it's all smiles all the time ... or else!  What I'm talking about are the attitudes that keep people stuck, stagnant, and small.  I'm happiest when I'm living a life that's expansive, and abundant, and I can't occupy that space when I'm experiencing crushing negativity.  I'd argue that no one can.  

A Vision Without a Plan is Just a Hallucination

"Dreams without movement are delusions, escapes, kid's play. You have to put your feet into your dreams if they're ever going to be reality. The dreamers we know and love today are the ones who worked the hardest." -Paul Newman

Rain, Hail, Sleet, or Snow...

Some friends just always deliver, and I have to say I've got a pretty great batch of them!  So I was at once surprised, and not at all surprised when this delivery of gorgeous Lebkuchen cookies arrived ... Can I just tell you that when I sliced into that vacuum sealed pouch - the aroma that erupted instantly made my dining room table seem as though it had been dropped in the center of a fancy bakery somewhere far, far away, and totally fabulous - ah, l'amour.  Truly, I wish your screen was scratch 'n' sniff, because these goodies are a whole experience!  Anyway, the woman behind them is (said without even a hint of irony, or exaggeration) living, breathing, walking art; effortlessly enchanting everything she puts her hand to.  I say "effortlessly" because even though a great deal of work goes into the things she does, she makes it all look wonderfully easy.  Mmhmm, yes.  In case you were wondering, even in your own group of chums, your perfectionist friend also has a friend who takes everything to the next level.  I don't consider myself a perfectionist in that I do everything "perfectly" ... It's more like, I have a hard time wrapping up my projects because I always find something that can be improved upon.  And yet, with my hyper-focused eye for critique, girl friend still blows me away.  

Ok, ok I get it.  You're probably thinking, lady, calm down, it's just a cookie with some frosting on it...

First of all, wash your mouth out! 

I mean, it's so much more than that.  February to February has been a hell of a year for folks, and the fact that people are taking their time to care, and nurture one another from across the country is heartwarming, and beautiful.  These cookies—oh my god, wait, her pies!  I never mentioned her pies!  Well, they're incredible too, and they're all lovingly baked in a charming 100+ year old home nestled in a picturesque New England town ... Is it just me, or is the YouTube series just writing itself here?  I don't know about anyone else, but I would binge my eyeballs out watching a magical kitchen witch conjure artisanal cakes, and confections in a snow-covered cottage.  I obviously think it's a hit, but I also subscribe to a channel where a girl talks about serial killers while she applies her make-up.  Alright, back to the point, it's been a weird year, and I think it will get weirder still before it ever gets any better, and people are out here doing small things for each other, that are actually kind of big things, and I absolutely love them for it.  You know, they say it's the thought that counts, and a lot of times the "they" in question are just gift-snobs looking for a nice way to say, "Thanks, I hate it" without hurting anyone's feelings, but it really is true!  The thought, and intention does count.  It counts for a whole lot with me.  This lady baked her ass off, and then carefully packaged I don't know how many kits, and sent them all over the country to members of this kooky little cookie-coven (in my case 3229 miles door-to-door), ensuring they arrived as fresh as they were the day they were baked JUST to say, "Hey, how ya doin'?" and lift our spirits, and make us feel closer, and more connected, and better about everything?  Yes, the thought counts, indeed.  The fact that the thought came attached to one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten in my entire life certainly didn't hurt either!

I believe I've mentioned it here before, and I'm sure I'll mention it many more times after this, but I am not an "Oh, you shouldn't have" kind of girl.  I promise you, I will never say those words.  In fact, it is one of my fervent prayers to see the phrase eliminated from the English language altogether, because yes you should.  We all should. 

We all should be doing whatever we can to show the people we care about that we do, in fact, care about them deeply, and earnestly, without hesitation, or expectations.  Don't wait for the right time, or for signs, or an eerily accurate horoscope, or a good hair day, just do the thing.  Do it even if it's inconvenient.  Do it especially because it's inconvenient.  Be awkward, be random, be a happy surprise, be the reason someone else feels good today, because it really matters.

 xoxo

Comfort and Joy

 

 

Last month, like clockwork, Pantone released its choice for Color of the Year to represent, lend focus, and inspire us as we move through 2021 ... and as surely as night turns into day, I hate it.  

The Classics

"Instilling calm, confidence, and connection..."

Semple vs. Kapoor

Throughout history, the art world has been (g)littered with rivalries ... how far back this goes, I can't even begin to imagine, petroglyphs perhaps?  Da Vinci / Michelangelo, Van Gogh / Gauguin, Picasso / now some people would put Matisse here, but I'm going with Modigliani.  C'mon, painting over someone else's work?  That's a nice bit of drama, just look at the  Banksy / King Robbo paint-fracas in which each artist notoriously paints over the other's works.  I feel, however, their defacement is on a more playful scale.  By trying to one-up each other they push the limits of their respective humor, and creativity, and it's endlessly entertaining for the audience, but there's a new feud in town, and it is the stuff of which petty dreams are made!

Stuart Semple versus Anish Kapoor:

It all started with Surrey NanoSystems' creation of the black-est substance on earth in 2014.  According to their website:

Vantablack® is a super-black coating that holds the world record as the darkest man-made substance.  So dark, in fact, that it absorbs light to such an extent (99.965% actually) that it renders many 3D objects flat to the human eye.  

Promptly expressing interest in using the material for artistic purposes after learning of its existence, Anish Kapoor wasn't ready to stop there.  Taking his enthusiasm a bit too far (for many in the art world) Mr. Kapoor aquired the exclusive rights to the substance known as Vantablack® and in doing so prevents anyone else from using it in their artistic endeavors.

Enter Stuart Semple.  This absolute legend is having NONE OF IT.  Disgusted by the (is this a stretch?) Faustian bargain between Kapoor and NanoSystems -- whose CEO is admittedly a Kapoor fan-boy leaving little wonder to how the artist jumped the queue to being considered for an artistic partnership with the company -- Semple (and his band of mad scientists) began creating his own "est" colors: Pinkest Pink, Greenest Green, Yellowest Yellow, Loveliest Blue, and even the world's glitteriest glitter dubbed "Diamond Dust" all available for sale on his website Culture Hustle, and all of which Anish Kapoor is banned from using until he can learn to play well with others.  Upon purchasing from his online store you agree to the terms and conditions of owning the pigments, and media for sale by Semple:

*Note: By adding this product to your cart you onfirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this paint will not make it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.

But he hasn't stopped there.  Last month, Semple released his own version of the blackest black, a two part medium consisting of a matte acrylic Super Base able to hold more pigment than any other acrylic medium available today, and a micronized pigment, Black, also known together as Flattening, Ultra-matte, Artistic, Key-chromer ... or, FU A.K. for short.  Did I mention it's also non-toxic, and does not require the laborious methods of applying heat and pressure that is necessary for Vantablack® to perform its magic, and is a lot easier and cheaper to make resulting in a very consumer-friendly 16 GBP price tag?  Oh yeah, adding insult to injury, it's also scented ... black cherry, rather fittingly.  As if you needed another reason to buy.

FU A.K. is a fraction of the $ of Vantablack? That's none of my business.

Kapoor did, in fact, end up with a pot of Pinkest Pink thanks (allegedly) to London's Lisson Gallery, a crime so heinous, Stuart "No Chill" Semple has insisted on a course of specific, if not deliciously tedious, action (found here) to be followed in order to keep the matter from escalating.

All antics aside, there is a clear winner here: Artists.  Thanks to Semple's efforts to clap back at art media monopolies, cronyism, and the enormous egos that rear their ugly heads in the art world, we have a whole new set of pigments (and glitter) in our kits to play and create with (at an affordable price, even!).  What could be better than that?

I will, without a doubt, be following the development of this color war now having found my very own petty-soul-twin in Semple.  Meanwhile, why don't you grab some supplies and share your creations?

**UPDATE**

#ShareTheBlack

#BoycottZara

Image: courtesy of AdamJK

ZARA, the world's largest apparel retailer, and notorious 'fast-fashion' copycat brand, is at it again this summer ripping off popular independent artists around the globe and selling their poorly-fabricated, illegal / unauthorized reproductions across their main, and subsidiary companies.  When confronted they clapped back at one LA-based, indie artist, Tuesday Bassen, with a very neaner-neaner we're more popular than you, so we can steal your work kind of response.  Which, I'm sure she was thrilled to receive after dropping 2k on a professionally drafted Cease & Desist letter to the company informing them of their misstep.

She Loves in Color

She Loves in Color - Acrylic on Canvas

                                "She sees
                                 in black and white
                                 thinks in greys
                                 but loves in color"
                                                      -JmStorm

Waiting to see if my submission for the 2nd annual Michaels Art Challenge has made it into the *top ten* is excrutiating ... I'm not exactly holding my breath, but waiting isn't something I'm particularly good at, and an extra vibe or bit of luck thrown my way wouldn't go unappreciated!  A jury of 5 art experts has the laborious task of narrowing down the thousands of submissions (I think last year's contest brought in 11k) to just ten semifinalists based on overall creativity, technique, subject, and individuality, that will then be released to the public to vote for the winner beginning July 5, 2016.  Frankly, at this point I don't know if I've hit any of those marks, but I did walk away with a painting that I'm not totally ashamed to hang on my wall so, in that regard it's been fun to play, and see this little project come to completion.

Browse all submissions here (you really should take a peek, there's some great stuff happening over there, I've already got several favorites!).

***

Well, I didn't make the cut, but no one ever wins the game by warming the bench.  At least I got up and ran around on the field, so to speak, whether they wanted me there or not ... Does that make me the streaker of the art world, because I'm totally okay with that!

Voting is live until July 19, 2016 so, if you're interested in helping any of these artists win a trip to London here's your chance.  The page is now showing only 8 of the 10 initially chosen finalists ... One was disqualified in the first 12 hours for an alleged copyright violation, which seems odd to me in the first place since the jury of 5 had two weeks to narrow down the selection and vet each piece before voting was opened to the public, add to that the piece in question was never replaced by an alternate because of "unfairness" even though this entire leg of the competition is based on how hard you can rally on social media to get votes so, a 12 hour delay really isn't that big of deal when the entire voting span is 14 days.  The second has vanished for some unknown-to-me-reason.  Frankly, this entire contest looks like it's unraveling at the seams.  No sour grapes, just plain observation.  Maybe they'll have all the kinks worked out by next year, but it's not looking entirely hopeful based on how this has been handled.  

The Day The Major Arcana Was Turned Up To 11

We all knew when Priscilla Frank dropped this blurb about Ariel Hart's Lisa Frank inspired (free to the masses) tarot deck on The Huffington Post that this was going to happen, right?

One of Those Days

So much for my promising career in camera repair...

L'Amour

The mandala, or मण्डल (for those of you down with Sanskrit) has been used in spiritual practices throughout history, spanning the traditions of Tibetan Monks to Indigenous populations of the Americas, and beyond.  These "sacred circles" are nothing new, but are experiencing a certain resurgence in popularity.  Even late night television commercials are punting mandala coloring books for adults snuggled between scenes of trashy, American "reality" programming -- this makes part of me want to weep for humanity, but the other part thinks it's pure genius!  Who cares how the practice is introduced?  As long as what you need finds you, that's what matters ... Plus, if you act quickly, and call now(!) you'll receive two mandala coloring books!  Don't be greedy, give one to a friend, and spread the Zen around!

The meditative qualities of creating, coloring, or contemplating mandalas are supposed to be quite healing.  Coming solely from an artist's point of view, I can definitely grasp how this could be beneficial.  In the moment of pure creation, when you drop everything else, and surrender fully to becoming a vehicle for something authentic in a way that feels otherworldly is quite a magnificent, and powerful process to be part of.  Imagine honing that process to put the power toward a specific goal?  The results, could indeed, be quite awesome ... And at this point, I'm willing to open all avenues of healing so, with that in mind I reached for my High Vibe Guide by: The Cosmic Collective which consists of Sarah Wilder of The Fifth Element Life, Jo Klima of The Darling Tree, and KV of Aquarius Nation, printed off the first mandala corresponding to tonight's New Moon in Cancer, and got to work.

The theme of this mandala was focused on Self Love, and with that as my "mantra" I began working from the center and let the colors come to me without the force of my thinking-mind getting in the way.  I'm not exactly sure "self love" is what was coming through on this, or if I was just intoxicated by the scent of freshly sharpened colored pencils (seriously, I wish this was perfume -- somebody make this happen) having been away from them for the better part of a decade, but if this really is the visual expression of how I feel about myself, it certainly could explain, well, a lot actually. 

xoxo

Paint-by-Number