Back to School

I spent some time back in school this week. It was parent/teacher conferences. Being a new author I discovered that conferences means book fairs. It's an opportunity for the school to raise some much needed funds through book sales. I was invited to be the local celebrity hawking my new book.

It's hard being surrounded with all that is spectacular in the world of children's books. You want to cover your head and run out screaming, " I'm not worthy!" The above art is taken from Max Spaniel in "Funny Lunch", written and illustrated by David Catrow. I recently caught a glimpse of his first Max Spaniel book titled "Dinosaur Hunt". It was in a young girls arms in the bookmobile in my mom's neighborhood in Colorado. My mom and I laughed at just the first few pages. I wrote down the titled wanting to investigate further. Fast forward two weeks later to the book fair.

Ellie was an adorable 8 year old. Her freckled nose and bright green eyes melted me. Her mom was volunteering at the fair and her and I became friends between my visitors. I asked her to show me a great book. Next thing I knew Ellie and I were giggling as she read me "Funny Lunch". On my way home I was reflecting on my day and I wanted to hug both Ellie and David Catrow.

Having finished my first book, I know how much time and effort David put into those drawings. Tweaking and reworking each one until you couldn't resist smiling at every one of Max's expressions and movements. I am sure he hoped that his dog, recreated in Max, would be a success. I can assure David that Thursday afternoon as Ellie and I shared his story in a little Alaska school our laughter rang out SUCCESS.

GULP!

Well, the pre-show anxiety showed up right on schedule. It usually pops in about two weeks before a show date. I am content on my queenly art throne when BAM the stomach seizes and I lay awake in bed with a giant question mark hovering.

I give myself all the right pep talks. It always works out (it always does). People will show up for the opening (they always do). There will be enough art (there always is). But yet the anxiety follows my every step. My pre-sleep is filled with me staging the show again and again. I constantly jot little notes of details that have already be jotted in my calendar just in case I forget to look at the notes or the calendar!

Don't get me wrong. I have the best job ever. Unfortunately, there is a degree of successful performance that is dependant on my continued job as an artist. There have been many paintings and creations that I felt were brilliant. But the public never gave them a second look. So, what if everything I created for this show falls into that category? WHAT IF ONLY 5 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND HATE EVERYTHING????! I could be wearing a WAL-MART GREETER VEST NEXT MONTH!

Okay, okay, I got a grip. I read a quote recently that I think is going to be my mantra. "When a painting works, it's your fault entirely. When it doesn't, it's not. It's the painting's fault." I wonder if the painting is worried?

It's In the Genes

I love this photo of me and my brother Doug. It was taken at my grandparents house, a place where we spent a lot of time and a place where I have many great memories. They lived on Chippewa Lake in Michigan. Doug and I spent a lot of time running in and out of the water in our underwear. I still absolutely love being in, on or around water.

My grandmother was an oil painter. My mom, brother and I all have an original piece from her work. I always loved the fact that while others had cheek pinching and moth ball smelling grandma's, I had an artist grandma. The talent was passed on to my mom who dabbled in everything from watercolor and ink, oil painting until she finally settled into original stained glass designs. I have made my career in art and my brother, well he hasn't taken the leap......yet.

My brother is a great writer. He has written songs and little short stories that he has shared with me. For years I have poked and prodded him to make an effort to get something published. Start small with a short story, enter a few contests. I understand his fear, I used to be him. I would go to galleries and shows and leave depressed and pouty because it wasn't me in that gallery. I understand his apprehension. The first gallery I went into with my work was TERRIFYING! I actually started to turn around just as the owner popped out from a back room. That was my start. She offered me to participate in a group show and from there things slowly fell into place.

With my book being published Doug is even more frustrated that his talent is untapped. I gave him my lecture again. I will send him a magazine short story contest I tore out the other day. But the only one that can force him off the 'cliff' is him.

Be Your Own Cheerleader

I love skiing. One of the best gifts my mom ever gave me growing up was the seasons pass at our local ski hills. My mom, being a widow, made sure every penny was carefully spent. She still managed to buy passes for my brother and me. I enjoyed hours playing in the snow with my friends, breaking bones and learning to absolutely love winter.

I gave up downhill skiing after moving to Alaska. I am spoiled after years of skiing around the lower 48. Alaska's choices left me underwhelmed. But I took up Nordic skiing and found a bigger, cheaper and more wonderful world.

My goal this year was to ski the Tour of Anchorage 25 km race. A skier friend of mine assured me I could do it. I began training and planning in earnest this season. The goal of the distance got me out on days when I could have convinced myself to stay in. And the accomplishment of the goal on Sunday felt amazing!

Steve came home from work the other day discussing a workshop he had attended. They discussed business goals, something of which I admit I do not have. Well, I told Steve my goal was to keep painting. He, with rolled eyes, told me that wasn't really a true business goal.

He's right, setting goals help us reach out when we normally would be content to continue with the same ole same ole. I set a goal for creating my first children's book and through all the sweat, tears (literally) and work, that goal kept me on task. The book is beautiful and I am proud to present it.

I will be thinking about my goals for the future as I play in the newly fallen 12 inches of snow. I hope you set some goals for yourself. The success at the end feels amazing.

Africa Memories

I have started working on my show for May 7. It will be at Terra Bella Cafe at 601 E. Dimond. The show will be on display through June 3. And the focus? You guessed it, Africa. I will have a section of the cafe dedicated to my favorite Italian, Signore Greve. However, the rest of the walls will carry my creations from my Africa experience.

There are so many animals in Africa. I have pages wrote down of the different wildlife we saw. But I find myself wanting to paint the same two animals, giraffe and elephants. I love both these animals and have painted both numerous times without seeing them in the wild. But now having heard, smelled and seen them in their living room so to speak, I can't help but keep recreating them!

As an artist you really need to paint what is moving you. So I have finished the elephant shown above, a giraffe of similar style who is currently drying. I have 2 more canvas with......well okay, the same subjects!

Soon zebra will stroll through my studio. I think a Goliath heron might swoop through as well. There will be plenty of elephants and giraffe for company.

Hug a Tree Today

I went to the post office the other day to mail out a package. One little, book rate package. At the end of my transaction the postal worker handed me my receipt...it was 16" long! I expected a mini novel to be printed on it or perhaps some breaking postal news they wanted to be sure I was aware. But no, there was nothing interesting or worthy of that much paper.

I shouldn't pick on the post office, everyone has huge receipts these days. Petco might be the winner but my point is this, aren't we now living in a recycle aware world? Most artists I know waste nothing. It really is the best way to keep yourself in the art business. I borderline OCD with my saving of bits of paper and mat board. I know an artist who saves her dried up acrylic paint splotches. The shapes have been incorporated nicely into some of her work.

I am sure my saving obsession comes from my mom who passed onto me anything that might be turned into a masterpiece. The perfect, shiny, square cardboard from a newly purchased shirt. Remember the plastic eggs pantyhose came in years ago? I LOVED those things! Often the masterpiece was inspired by trying to find away to create on the recycled item.

The receipt from the post office has a number for complaints at about inch 10. I think I will call them and tell them about the pantyhose eggs.