Learned a lot

The workshop last night was well worth the time. Susan Pickering Rothamel is an engaging, knowledgeable teacher who packs a lot of information in her presentation. She moved quickly from one technique to another, tying everything together with applications to an acrylic collage/painting that she began by gluing a torn fancy paper napkin to canvas-cloth. By the end of the four-hour program, the napkin had disappeared and a colorful, textured, sparkly painting was in its place. What a great way for an artist to overcome the fear of the white surface--just slap that napkin on there and paint it away. The class was great fun, but even more, Sue knows her stuff. As president of USArtQuest, Inc., she has a complete line of acrylic products and mica pigments, including sparkling mica-pigmented watercolors. I didn't even know some of these things existed, but I'm thinking of how I can use them in my work and with my granddaughter's projects. Go to her Web site for video clips of her techniques and details of her books and products. Here are links to her books for additional information:

• The Art of Paper Collage..


• The Encyclopedia of Greeting Card Tools & Techniques.


• The Encyclopedia of Scrapbooking Tools and Techniques.

I'll try to review these books soon.

Books in high places

I can't help myself. I have to tell you how good I felt when I saw Confident Color on the shelves of the bookstore at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. That is such a thrill. It was also at Barnes & Noble in Cambridge. When my first book came out in 1985, I visited my son in Boston, and we went to an art store in Cambridge. I slithered around looking for a book department, but there wasn't one. As I made a purchase, I mentioned that I was looking for Exploring Color, but I noticed he didn't carry books. He said, "Well, actually, I do carry that one--it's the only book I have." Sure enough, there it was, in the middle of the painting department. He was so excited to meet the author that he had me sign all the books he had in stock. A shining moment for me. I can't believe that was 24 years ago! I seldom mention my books in stores, although I suppose I should, for the sake of marketing. But, I do check to see if they're there, and usually, at least one of them is. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I see myself with four books in print at the same time. I thought the first one was a lucky break.

Collage and Mixed Media books

Alease Michelle's top 10 list of books on collage and mixed media. It's a great list. I've read seven of them and would recommend them all. Now I want to read the other three. Thanks to Alease for the recommendations.

The Little Writer

It seems the Little Artist is a budding author now. She brought several of her creations with her yesterday, when she came to deliver Girl Scout cookies. (She's a "Daisy" scout--I didn't know they had scouting for such young girls, but it's great.) Her books all had 5-8 pages and a colored-paper cover with the title on it. She wrote every word herself. She has been writing stories for a while now, but she used to leave out the vowels, so she was the only one who could read them. She makes up her own spelling, which improves with every effort. Her people-drawing has really progressed. The detail in her pictures is amazing. One of her books is based on "High School Musical 2. There are up to three people on every page, who are recognizable throughout the book. Always a blue sky strip with sun at the top. A big box for the stage, a small box for the piano. A different style dress on each girl. She also had a book of fashions that she had made up, and a book of stars. She had just learned to make a 5-pointed star, so she created pages with different designs and stories for the stars. She just loves to make books. Where does this come from?

The best kept secrets in books (for readers)

I've been a constant reader since I first learned to read. My idea of a good time has always been to curl up with a good book, and the next best thing is finding books to read. When I was around 8 years old, my parents allowed me to take the bus to the public library, where I would check out the limit allowed to children. Eventually I outgrew children's books and wouldn't have been permitted to enter the adult stacks, but my father was a friend of the head librarian. I had access to adult books and could check out as many as I wished. An early favorite was The Count of Monte Cristo, which I'd read twice by the time I was in eighth grade. I'm hopelessly addicted to books and reading.

Years ago, I belonged to the Book-of-the-Month Club, until hardcover books became so expensive. It seemed a frivolous expense to buy a book that would be read once. When our children were still living at home, I used the library, but got out of the habit as quality paperback books became available. Then the prices escalated on those. I stopped buying books, other than Half Price Books or recently released art books for my personal reference library. I found they piled up relentlessly. I had an Amazon bookstore for awhile, but the return on my investment of time and my limited storage space made that effort unprofitable.

So, back to the library. We're fortunate to have an exceptional library two miles from my house. The Woodbourne/Centerville Public Library is nationally ranked, and its books and services are fantastic. I love going there, both in person and online. I can request a new book and they'll order it for their collection, with me at the top of the reserve list. I can reserve a bestseller, request an unusual book from Interlibrary Loan, or simply ask a question of a reference librarian. The only problem with using the library are finding the time to get there and remembering to return the books in three weeks. Once in awhile I find myself without a stack of library books to read.

So I have now built a stack of purchased books that I raid when I don't have library books on hand. Here's my secret: I go to Half-Price Books and head to the back of the store, where the clearance books are marked down to $1.00 and $2.00. You would not believe the number, quality and variety of books on sale there. Some are even keepers. Yesterday I found a wonderful book on the art of the Freddy the Detective books I loved as a child. The book was released at $40.00; I bought it (a new book) for $2.00. I spent almost an hour working my way through three 7-foot stacks of non-fiction and selected 11 books, which cost me $13.48.

Half Price Bookstores are found throughout 15 states. I don't know if they all have clearance corners, but I'll bet they do. When I was teaching in Dallas, a student took me to the flagship store, where the area dedicated to art books is about the size of your average independent bookstore.

When I've finished reading my clearance books will I take them to Hithergreen Center for their library or garage sale. Sometimes I take them to my Curves, which maintains shelves of read-and-return books. And a few end up in my overstuffed bookcases to be reread.

So now I have my security blanket of books to get me through the winter (or at least until next week). Maybe I'll go to the library this afternoon and see what's new. I think my addiction is worse when the weather grows cold and I can cozy up with a lap blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and a good new-old-used-fiction-memoir or art book.

Confident Color coming to the real world

The books are shipping at last. Amazon.com has them, too. Yay! I've shipped and distributed pre-publication orders and signed contributors' copies the past two days. I've been sashaying into the post office with a luggage cart piled with boxes of books to ship. I can feel the glaring eyes of other postal patrons drilling holes in my back. I think I shipped 25 yesterday and 45 today. Another dozen signed, sealed and delivered to the post office tomorrow ought to finish the job.

Today the Artists' Showplace in Dallas is hanging the show of work by artists in the book. I can't wait to see it a week from Friday at their reception.

Then, less than a week later on Thursday, October 16, is my book signing at Books & Co. at The Green in Dayton. This will be my sixth signing hosted by Sharon Roth at Books & Co. She manages the events and they're always a delight. Stop by if you're in the Beavercreek neighborhood at the store at the Green Town Center.

Ultimate highs and lows

Last night I went to bed at midnight higher than a kite, speaking metaphorically. I finally finished the last of the captions for demonstration paintings included in my new book. Seven artists agreed to do these demos. It has been such a hassle, from the photography aspect to getting the information for the captions. In mid-October I expected to have the images my editor selected from those submitted. I got the list the week before Thanksgiving. Probably didn't matter, as I was having serious sinus problems in October and most of November. Nevertheless, the burden of getting those captions written was really stressful. I was euphoric when I finished last night and couldn't get to sleep for hours. That's the high part.

The low part--I turned on my computer this morning and Norton told me my hard drive was in danger of being corrupted if I tried to open Windows. Their GoBack program didn't work. I left the house to work out, figuring I'd try to resuscitate it when I got home. Turned everything off and let it rest. Poor thing must have been as overworked as I felt. So far so good. At least everything is on my second hard drive, but I hadn't backed up files for several days. Gotta do that next.

There haven't been any major problems with the book, but I like to have more control over the process and these past few weeks haven't been conducive to that. No doubt I need to learn to go with the flow, but sometimes I'm too busy paddling my boat to realize that. As someone wrote to me--take a deep breath. That helps.

It also helps to hold our new grandbaby or hug our little granddaughter. They were both here for two hours yesterday and it was a welcome break. There must be something in grandma DNA that shuts down all systems but love in the presence of the little ones.

A glorious autumn

Even our granddaughter is loving the fall this year. This is her picture of her favorite thing to do in the fall--jumping in the leaves. Please note in her left hand that she is carrying her purse while jumping. She is such a girly-girl.

I'm back on the nanny-track now that the sinusitis has improved a bit. I haul a lot of my work to my daughter's house in case Daniel decides to take a nap. About every other day I have up to three hours to work. There are still some loose ends to tie up on the book. Now that I'm feeling better, I should be able to wrap it up.

I didn't think we would have a colorful fall this year with all the dry weather, but the rains came before the leaves dried out and fell. All week the drive to my daughter's house, about 27 miles through hilly countryside, has been more than glorious. I'm glad I'm doing the drive. If I stayed in my studio, I would be missing all this wondrous beauty.

Re-entering the real world

I haven't exactly been in Wonderland, but for awhile I felt like I had dropped into a big hole. It was great getting the book finished and enthusiastically received by my editor. I still have four items to turn in, which I've been doing off and on. In case you're wondering why I don't blog when I travel--I leave my laptop at home and pretend I don't have one. I need to take a break from the computer now and then, especially after the intensive work on the book.

The workshop in Montana was great--another terrific class of artists working together to discover the creative process. I was pleased with the show I juried in June. You never really know what you've done until you see the art hanging in a gallery. The Montana Watercolor Society offered some big prize money and lots of smaller awards. This show hasn't been discovered by artists who enter the bigger shows. Next year they're going digital, so start now to find a good photographer or polish your digi-skills. It's worth a try.

Kalispell is a neat little Western town. Bigfork, site of the show, is a vacation area with many galleries. The area is absolutely beautiful. Just a few miles away is Glacier National Park. I wish I could have gone there, but I had to return the day after the workshop.

Unfortunately, I came home with a sinus infection that laid me low for a couple of days. After that I did some baby-sitting for Daniel, 7 weeks old now. I'll be on nanny-duty starting next week for 4 1/2 days a week when my daughter goes back to work. I can work on her dining room table while the baby sleeps. Tomorrow I'm starting a new watercolor class at Hithergreen Center and looking forward to seeing what my students have been doing while I've been away.

Feelin' good

My editor stopped by this morning and picked up the new book. I was beginning to wonder if I would make the deadline. My daughter stepped up and helped to proofread the art numbers on the manuscript and flat plan, then the artists' permissions and the art log, which are both huge jobs. I couldn't have made it without her help. Granddaddy entertained the four-year-old while the baby slept at Grammy's feet as she worked. What a scenario. One of my students volunteered earlier and I put her to work taping vellum overlays onto 150 small pieces of art, another time-consuming job.

Sometime I may blog about what I learned about digital art submissions for books, if anyone is interested. It has been quite a learning experience. I think it will all turn out all right. I did have to go back and re-do all the images as I finished up the captions and the manuscript, but it was worth it.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Montana to teach a workshop and judge awards for the show I juried in June by slides. This will seem like a vacation. In the last workshop two weeks ago in Louisiana I worked on the book in the mornings before workshop and until late at night after class. I'm looking forward to being in the West--it has been awhile.

Ups and downs and ups

Daniel came home on Sunday and settled in nicely. Mommy was readmitted to the hospital on Monday with pre-eclampsia, more common before than after childbirth. Very scary. She's home now, too, and doing well. Fortunately, Daniel is a relaxed and alert little guy, easy to care for so far. I'm getting a lot of work done on the materials the designer needs for the marketing spreads while he sleeps. My editor gave me a few extra days on my deadline, so I may make it after all. In the middle of all this I'm preparing a workshop for Louisiana, which I know will be fun and will give me a much needed break. Then I'll come home and have two weeks to finish up the book and hand it over to my editor. After the Montana workshop in October, I can settle into my role as nanny-granny with a sigh, but right now it's a little hectic.

Book Busy-ness

I've been busy all week getting together a mailing to artists for art for the new book. This is a big job, since I use so much outside artwork for all my books. There were 104 artists in The New Creative Artist. There won't be so many this time, but more art from each of the contributors. I visit galleries, shows, web sites and look at magazines and books to find art or styles I can use. This time I contacted all but two of the artists by email to see if they were interested, and all but one responded.

Now I'm preparing a mailing that includes a cover letter describing the book, a form giving permission for use of their art, and a two-page information sheet on photographing their art for reproduction, which took me most of Friday to put together.

I've verified most of the mailing addresses, but when I tried to print them, my Epson printer didn't print the format right. The file was created for my HP, which ran out of black ink yesterday, typical when you're trying to get something out the door. So, of course, I missed the deadline on the postage increase.

I've been using the computer since I started my first book in 1983 and now the range of tasks I can do is amazing to me. The internet helps a lot, too. All this technology is great--until the printer runs out of ink or the internet connection locks up. Well, I'll get this mailing out the door soon and can get back to writing the last three chapters of the book. Not much time for blogging, though.

Photographing art for reproduction

Every time I write a book I get tied in knots over photographing the art. Through the years I've had pretty good success with an SLR, slide film and photofloods, even though I had to go through some ridiculous contortions to fit my equipment into the space in my studio. When I needed 4 x 5s I just went to Graphics Terminal color lab downtown. For The New Creative Artist some artists sent digital images, which I hadn't dealt with before in submitting to the publisher. We had quite a go-around until they agreed to look at them and see if they were acceptable. Since they had all been done by professional artists, of course they were just fine. Most of the artists sent slides or transparencies. Now it seems that the publisher's graphics department is more open to digital submission, but they are setting the bar pretty high for most artists--10 million pixels, separate macro lens, no zoom lens, 4800K photofloods, and other specifications that make it almost impossible for most artists to comply if they don't already have the equipment. They do mention that 7 MP would be fine if the repro is going to be less than 8 x 10, but just in case they want to use it for the cover or full-page chapter art, it should be shot at 10 MP. I talked to my camera guy today at Fairborn Camera and he recommended a Nikon D30X (I think that's what he said) if I plan to upgrade from my Canon G6, but I'm not sure I want to get into that. The problem, of course, is the step-by-step demos, which you can't run down to the color lab to get shot at every stage. What's my point? I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud here. Should I get out my Pentax SLR and photofloods and do it the old-fashioned way or tackle the learning curve of a new camera while I'm trying to write a book? 'Tis a puzzlement.

The Ultimate Emily Carr book

Yesterday I finally received my copy of Emily Carr. It's a gorgeous book and the first I've seen that has really good reproductions of her work. The book was produced to accompany the retrospective exhibition that began in Canada in 2006 and travels coast-to-coast through 2008. A few days ago I finished reading Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland, a fictionalized version of her life. I'm not much into playing "let's pretend" with biographies. It is well written and entertaining, but after reading nearly 1000 pages of The Complete Writings of Emily Carr, I feel Vreeland has taken too many liberties with the artist's life. I probably would have liked it better if she had given the main character a different name. Nevertheless, all this immersion into the life and art of Emily Carr has been fascinating. She was an amazing woman and artist who wrote stories and journals about her life and times (1871-1945) in western Canada that are entertaining and revealing.

To read or not to read

My first reaction to this article in the New York Times was shock, then disappointment, to think that a university literature professor in Paris would write a book about how to pretend that you've read a book so you can talk about it with others or fake it in a class. Being an avid reader, I've never been able to understand why people do this. I had a brother-in-law who thought Reader's Digest Condensed Books were the best thing going for a businessman on an airplane; at least he was actually reading the books. But as I wondered about faking it for social purposes, it occurred to me that this could spawn a whole new generation of readers: people who buy books so they can pretend they read them, and then get interested in them while they're scanning for talk points or in a conversation about a book that takes them back to the book to see what it's really about. Maybe this professor is on to something. His book, “How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read,” is a bestseller in France and will no doubt be available in translation in the near future.

Creative expression

Canadian artist Emily Carr was influenced by a book written by Ralph M. Pearson, How to See Modern Pictures (1925). Here is a passage from the book:

The Creative artist...begins to draw with his conceptual vision turned inwards searching the storehouse of his mind. That storehouse is well-stocked for he has made preliminary studies in plenty--probably has drawn a model accurately in order to possess himself of all knowledge of details. And now he is ready to use his material to create a picture. The inner fire burns. He comes to his canvas filled with a suppressed power that urges hand to vital, swinging expression. Does he feel the bending weight of sorrow? His hand flows the bend of sorrow into line. No thought of detail. Hardly a glance at the model. The feel of sorrow flowing into form! His problem becomes one of controlling the exuberance of spirit, of holding it to the slow, laborious process of organization, of conserving the force in him to hour after hour, and day after day, and week after week perhaps, of controlled release.... What was in him has gone into the work, where, 'if his power has been great enough', it will live forever. Thus is the felt nature of a thing eternalized into design.

You can't always tell a book by its cover

A blog reader sent me an image (at right)that is apparently the UK cover of the book The Power of Art, which I mentioned in a previous blog. The one I reviewed (left) is sold in the US. It would be interesting to know what was behind the decision to have different covers, don't you think?

The Power of Art

Simon Schama's The Power of Art is a weighty tome that my son gave me for Christmas. It's heavy reading, but only in the actual poundage. Schama begins with the rascally Caravaggio and his sublime paintings, working in the backstory of the artist's checkered political and personal life as he paints monumental artworks, many of which include his own portrait as a villain or a victim. The powerful stories of seven more great artists--Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, van Gogh, Picasso, Rothko--all have a twist, which Schama works into the historical timeline in vivid, compelling narration. The book is lavishly illustrated with high quality images that show great detail. I'm working my way back and forth between gentle Emily Carr and these remarkable giants. Fascinating reading.

A book day, not an art day

Definitely not an art day. I'm still in the organizing stages of my new book, but happy with the way things are falling into place. I guess I'm still not ready to talk about it in any detail, but when I feel like I have a good handle on everything--the writing, the art and the artists--I'll probably blog you to death.

Emily Carr, extraordinary Canadian artist

Several years ago I ran across the art of Emily Carr at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It stopped me in my tracks. Her work is powerful and spiritual and her Northwestern subject matter is uniquely hers in the same way that Georgia O'Keeffe's Southwestern icons belong to O'Keeffe. The two were near-contemporaries, Emily being the older. Apparently they met once briefly when Carr visited an exhibit of O'Keeffe's paintings in the U.S. Like O'Keeffe, Carr was an emerging woman artist in a man's world, but unlike O'Keeffe, Carr had no Stieglitz to support and promote her. The daunting distance between her home in British Columbia and the art centers in the Eastern provinces created great difficulties, as well.

I've often come across references to Carr's writings and I'm finally getting around to reading her works. She was every bit as expressive a writer as she was a painter. Her writing is down-to-earth and yet somehow lyrical and poetic. There are a number of small volumes published, but I bought a used copy of The Complete Writings of Emily Carr. The book isn't an autobiography in the usual sense. Rather each volume of stories is a collection of reminiscences of various experiences and times in her life and her acute observations from childhood throughout her life. For more information on Emily Carr, check out the entry at Wikipedia Another good book is Doris Shadbolt's The Art of Emily Carr.