As you may know, my guiding mantra for this year is «Try {Be Daring}». I knew at the end of 2012 that I needed to take actions, that my thoughts were not enough anymore (I tend to live in my head).
Global Search Talent is organized by Lilla Rogers. I won’t lie, but before a few months ago when she announced her first online class (Make art that sells aka MATS) I had no idea who she was. If you are like me, Lilla Rogers is an artist agent. Which means that she gets artists contracts for licensing their art. Here is what they officially say about their work on their website:
We are an illustration agency representing artists internationally. We license and sell work for surface design, and we accept commissions for editorial, graphic design, corporate and advertising clients.
I bought her book, which is full of information and exercises to go deeper into why I make art and how I could still create what makes me happy, but also what my customers would like.
I could not sign up for MATS because of priorities. A lot of my budget went into going to Sugar & Spice in Port Townsend and I could not invest almost $900 for this class. But I loved following Lynda around, week after week, as she was pushing her limits for the homeworks.
It was a HUGE creative stretch for me, because 1) I’m not a literal artist, I rarely do scenes from life (not that I don’t want to or something, it is just not what comes to me at the moment) 2) I never ever plan what will appear. I do sketch now, but it barely makes it onto my paintings because I almost always see something else emerging than what I had in mind.
And it wouldn’t have been fun without a little challenge added at the very end. You see, I was pretty sure the deadline to submit the artwork was July 29th (why this date ? No idea !). But while texting with Lynda last Friday, she told me «uhoh, no, the deadline is next Monday, 9am EST *so 6am PST, my time*». You imagine the rest… me freaking out, cursing, not having done anything yet, just starting brainstorming on my iPad while in bed at night…
Running to the Studio I was, cutting cardboard to be 10×14” (our artwork had to be 5×7” pasted onto a 8×10” background), and I came up with this painting (the slide you may see was just a late idea, did not make it to the final art):
I used my brayer, my Gelli Plate, alcohol inks, sprays… everything I usually love and use effortlessly now because they are part of my go-to supplies.
Hopscotch was one of my favorite game to play at school. I often was the one drawing it on the ground with chalk. So many memories… I wanted to integrate it somehow. My Nixie was inspired by the first project we did, back in January, for Mindy Lacefield’s online class «True Free Spirit». This class brings so much in my Life (and it is not too late to sign up for it !).
As much as I was loving the girl and the foreground, I felt like there was way too much «blank space» all around. After redoing the sky entirely, reducing its size (putting the horizon line further away), it was still not it… This is when I started a second painting. To have more options.
I listened to Lynda, who just told me: «bring back the joy, do what you love». So here I went, finding my happy place again. Acrylic paint+stencils+Lindy Stamp Gang’s shimmery spray+alcohol ink splatters=LOVEEEE.
Ohhh yea. It was way better. So then I decided to go hybrid: I scanned both paintings (good thing I have a large scale scanner) and played with it in Photoshop.
I still have a lot to learn about using the software; I know the basics but even when I think that, my Husband shows me that I actually don’t and still have a very long way to go… yup. After a few mini nervous breakdowns, he helped me effortlessly (we are so meant for each other 
).
This is my final piece, submitted about 12 hours before the deadline:
I did it ! Proud of myself for having been able to get something I actually like in three short days.
NOTE:
- I can achieve anything as long as I focus on it enough.
- Never look at what others are actually doing before submitting my own thing.
- Ask for help, it’s okay not to know ever.
- Everything is a learning curve.
- The most important is not winning, it’s participating. (Pierre de Coubertin).
- Thank you so much Lynda and Chéri, would not have done it without you two.