6-10-10_r1
Originally uploaded by amirocks

GREAT GREAT GREAT use of frenetic line and look at those wonderful smudgy brushstrokes on the left side.

I was chatting with one of my friends the other day about being supportive of our favorite artists online. There are of course many ways of going about this but we came up with a short list, feel free to add to it in the comments:

#1 Retweeting their tweets on twitter

#2 Sharing their Facebook posts, for that matter "LIKE"ing their facebook presence

#3 Watching their UStream

#4 Commenting on their blog posts, facebook posts, flickr and responding to tweets.

#5 Posting links on Facebook and Twitter to their blogs

#6 If you buy a piece from them, you can mention how awesome it is on YOUR blog, twitter and facebook

#7 Mentioning them during your UStream broadcasts

#8 Networking with other artists outside the internets.

One of the things that I think is commonly lost is that we are a community of artists, even if we are worldwide and may never meet in person, we are a community and we need to support each other for success. The days of gallery system competition can be brought down if we support each other rather than cut each others throat.

Old house in Guardo
Originally uploaded by Adolfo Arranz

Lovely watercolor sketch painted en plein air. I have got to get out and paint more.

June Journaling Close Up
Originally uploaded by Paper Relics (Hope W. Karney)

The little line drawing and the text are pretty sweet. Take a look at the flickr stream for more good stuff.

I post a lot; here as well as twitter and facebook. I've been blogging in some manner for many years. I think I created my first LJ account back in 2000. I started to seriously blog in 2002. So I've been doing this for about 8 years now. I used to blog more about my personal life but quickly migrated over to bookbinding and art. By the time I got to twitter and facebook I was old hat with commenting. I have a rule, if it's positive or negative and on topic it stays on my blog. If it's spam, hate speech or pointless I remove it.

I've developed a thick skin as I've pretty much seen it all, from hate speeches about my sexuality  to the positive fangirls who love my work. I look at the stuff I post online as the start to a conversation. I live for the comments and especially love those that spark conversations. That means that I am doing something right. this in which I write is an interactive medium. Unlike my art, which is interactive in looking, what I post here begs you to comment and then next person to do the same. When I load an image of my work here I want that conversation. The same with my videos

Conversation is the essence of learning. I've learned so much from people that ask questions, give advice and are willing to communicate with me on any level. Life is about learning and I'll soak up knowledge from just about anywhere.

So  a couple of summers ago I was bit by a spider in my studio. THe reaction was severe, my leg was swollen and painful. It went away in a day or two and I didn't think much more of it. I was bit on the arm the following summer and the reaction was worse.

Since then my reactions to things like stings have been by far worse than before. I've always had a strong reaction to mosquito bites but it's been worse lately.

Yesterday I was bit by a mosquito around noon. By 3pm when I left my hand was quite swollen. I got home popped some benedryl and put some ice on it. By the time my UStream started it was even more swollen. I did the stream anyway. I fully expected it to be normal in the AM. It wasn't I went to work anyway and my boss was a little worried when she saw my hand.

I managed to see my DR, I'm on mild steroids for the inflammation, antihistamines for the allergic reaction and now I get to carry an epipen with me, just in case I get stung and my throat closes up.

Yeah so I've had an interesting day thus far. It can only get better from here.

Another great video by marizateria. Love her style and the images. Great stuff. So raw.

I started this page by gessoing the 140lb stonehenge paper. I then used various cylindrical objects to stamp the circles on the page in various colors. Initially I intended for these to be flowers but it didn't work.

After the lights were dry I brushed the yellow around the page. I started with green as the second background color but it popped to much. I mixed a glaze with 1 part blue paint to 1 part glaze medium. I brushed this all over the green area to make it darker. I wanted the central light to look like a flashlight or a light in the distance.

I let everything dry really well before adding the lettering. I think this page looks more complex then it is. The glaze gives the illusion that I've painted many layers over it, I achieved that look by leaving the brush strokes visible in it.

I've already told you what you need to follow along. I had a change of plans for my journal, in that I cut the spine a little narrow and will only be able to fit 6 signatures in the cover.

MY cover is 2 pieces of cardboard with a fabric and cardstock spine glued to it. I've cut 3 sets of 8 stations into the spine. You could work with any EVEN number of stations. 8 gives a nice look for the spine.

We'll talk more about this tonight.

attitude
Originally uploaded by SuzeArt

Love this journal page's bright colors and the boxed up writing.