by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
Coyotes are back. They summered elsewhere with the kids. Not that they sent a postcard or anything. Hello Porters. We’re dining on tastier bunnies down the hill. See ya in September. Love Wiley E. and Fam.
No. One day there were here and then one day they weren’t. Sure was easier to sleep. But now they’re back hunting in the woods and fields around the house. Waking us up in the middle of the night. Not a gentle dreams interruptus, more like the soundtrack from a horror movie. I wrote a post about them last year, complete with a few photos. You can see them here.
When I finally did get up, I had a leisurely breakfast, alienated a number of people on FaceBook (there’s an election coming up, remember) and then headed out to the studio where I cranked up the music.
And painted.
And collaged.
And scribbled.
'Sophie' by Susan Lobb-Porter
And ended up with this.
And these. Although they were all (and some still are) works-in-progress.
And at the end of the day… a tired girl. Happy girl. It was a good day and I can’t complain about that!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
I don’t need to buy Exacto blades ever again. Or India ink. Or any kind of eraser. Ever ever NEVER again.
It’s one of the benefits of moving the studio. Drawers that hadn’t been opened in years proved to be treasure troves. Like Captain Jack Sparrow or his arty cousin hid their booty in my drawers. Which somehow sounds wrong…but at the same time, sooooo right.
Which reminds me, I need to invite Johnny Depp to the new! improved! Studio Grande. He would be impressed with my new drawers. I’m sure. They’re organized. His doubloons would feel right at home.
So, now that things are getting unpacked and put away…or thrown away…or given away, it’s beginning to feel normal. Like a real studio. It doesn’t echo any more. It’s…substantial. Because of all my stuff. The walls are covered with art, the windows allow the breeze to flow through.
I’m LOVIN’ it!!!
In a few days I’ll drag up Mama’s wonderful red leather chair for the comfy corner. Because every studio needs a place to sit and exhale. And Mama would like that, like that her final gift to me was a place for art to happen.
And now, speaking about art….
Oh my sweetums, I have discovered my NEW favorite arty tools. The BFF of arty tools! I MUST share them with you. Look! (arrow pointing down)
Markers? Oh, but these are NOT ordinary markers. Oh no indeed! These are acrylic markers! ACRYLIC. Jump up and down time for sure. Go ahead. Do it. Because look at how much fun they are. Check out the arty journal pages I’ve been flashing all over FaceBook this week. Acrylic paint. Acrylic markers.
The journal is inspired by the daily prompts from Michele Morton Bergh’s e-class Prosperity Blooms. If you want to see more pages from the journal, check out SLPorter Mixed Media on FaceBook. I’m posting journal entries there every couple of days.
And if you haven’t checked out my new blog, Big Bold Beautiful YES!!! oh my absolute GOODNESS…where have you been??? Check it out here. Right now. And then come back and tell me how much you love it. And tell all your friends. Because I’m not desperate for attention or anything, I just like to have my, umm…ego stroked.
And if you’re a pirate, that makes it even better!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Ponies, Studio |
Doesn’t everyone have one?
Her name is Jasmine June. A lovely name. But the kids used to call her Mom’s Hairy Ass. And this week I spent a lot of time scratching MHA in that special spot right between the shoulder blades, the place that no amount of tree rubbing can satisfy. It went a long way towards taking her mind off her hurt.
She had an abscess in her hoof. Not the first, probably not the last. I knew when I adopted her over a dozen years ago she had bad feet. Just part of who she is, I guess.
She spent the week hobbling around on three legs, or lying down. Obviously in a lot of pain. But pain meds don’t relieve an abscess…don’t even touch it… and the vet couldn’t relieve it either. It wasn’t organized enough. He did as much hackin’ ‘n hewin’ as he could, packed the hoof with a poultice, made a duct tape bootie and asked if I had anyone to help me when it came time to change the dressing. Which was fairly often.
Well, it turns out I didn’t have anyone to help me. So I decided to do it by myself. And I did. Just walked up to her in the paddock and did it right there out in the open, without tying her or anything. She could’ve hobbled away if she wanted. She could’ve given me a decent kick. But she didn’t.
You have to know Jasmine to know what a miracle this is.
She’s a donkey. ‘Nuf said. But this week, she was a princess. She knew, despite her pain and the annoying things I was doing to her foot, she KNEW I was helping her. And she co-operated 100%.
She’s much better today. Looks like things came to a head. YAY!
Even if my hands will never smell the same…
And now…news from the studio.
This weekend Mr. Spouse made stairs to nowhere. In a few weeks they’ll connect with the sidewalk that will lead to the door.
Eventually, maybe even this week, I’ll begin packing up the construction debris.
I’ve been playing with art journaling lately. Fun. fun. fun stuff!
And as for the new! improved! Studio Grande, well, it’s beginning to look like a place where art is made.
YAY!!!
Back in a few days, my best beloved sweetums! Now go out and make some art. Or hug someone. Better yet, do both!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
I’m in! I’m in! The new! improved! Studio Grande II is an actual working studio now. YAY!
Okay everyone, time for the dance break! And when you come back, pull up a chair, sit down and take a look at the last six months.
January.
Sometime after that.
Sheetrock.
Moving in!
First art!!!
Thank you Mr. Spouse, best beloved handy husband ev-ah!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Studio |
Once upon a time, like back in March when it was on sale, I bought an easel. A multi-angle solid beechwood sucker that can hold up to a 4 x 7.5 foot canvas. I bought it for the new studio.
But the studio wasn’t ready. The easel stayed in its box in the front hall waiting for the day I would put my brave on…and put it together.
I read the reviews. I knew what to expect…a great easel with the worst, absolutely without a doubt the WORST. Instructions. Ever.
But it was on sale.
Uh-huh. And probably with good reason.
I suppose in the back of my mind I thought Mr. Easel (he’s too manly to be anything but a mister) would magically assemble himself. That one day I’d wake up and he’d be sitting there in all his glory with the easel version of a come hither smile. We would make beautiful art together.
Didn’t happen.
So today I put my brave on.
It began as I was moving supplies from the old studio. I’d been ignoring the elephant in the room, the drafting table. The real deal HUGE thing I bought used years ago. I have no memory of how we got that into the studio. And I didn’t have a clue how we were going to get it out. Not without gouging walls, tearing off door frames and getting a divorce.
And then there was the matter of getting it through the new! improved! Studio Grande’s round red hobbit door.
That’s when I did the brave thing. I took it apart. There were lots of screws. And nuts. And washers. I took it all apart, bagged the hardware, labeled everything. Then I carried it, piece by piece, up to the new studio where I put it back together with a little bit of help from DearDaughter. Did all this while Mr. Spouse was running errands
Wasn’t he surprised.
I figured after that the easel would be a piece of cake.
What the hell do I know?????
Mr. Easel’s name is now Effing E. Because so far he’s proven to be a TOTAL pain in the ass. Hours and hours and hours of my time, of DearDaughter’s time, some token time by Mr. Spouse who was busy doing other things…and Effing E was still NOT 100% put together by the end of the first day.
But after a good night’s sleep, Effing E co-operated and went together. Although Mr. Spouse informs me someone stripped some screws. Which he will replace for me, umm…someday.
EE is now in the studio, which is still not completely moved into. I spent some time getting to know him today… and I’m thinking he just might be worth all the hassel.
Smiley face emoticon here.
Oh, in case you haven’t heard, I’ve got a second blog up and running. Big Bold Beautiful YES!!!. You can check it out here.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Studio |
Oh my Sweetums…I know you’re waiting eagerly to see the photos of the new studio that I promised would be here today.
But they’re not.
It’s for your own good. Really. I would hate for you to pass out from the shock of it. Or worse yet, gag on your coffee and spit it all over the keyboard. Oh no, can’t have that now, can we?
So you’ll have to trust me. Right now the new! improved! Studio Grande is being moved into. Which means it’s a mess. Chaos. Boxes of art supplies stacked willy nilly, like something from an episode of Hoarders.
But I do have something to show you. Something SO COOL, so ESSENTIAL for an art studio I don’t know how I ever got along without it.
I was in IKEA. In the kitchen area. I don’t get there too often, it’s well over an hour away. But that’s where we bought the studio cabinets. So while Mr. Spouse was doing boring math things with the helper man, I wandered around, within hollerin’ distance in case he needed me.
Wandered into the place where all the kitchen carts are and found THIS!
Like it wants to hang out next to the easel, you know. Standing right there with paints. Brushes. Water. Hooks from the top shelf for things to hang from. Things like towels. Or containers that hold brushes. Three shelves for art supplies. Wheels only on the front. Or is it the back? Whatever. It’s easy to move but won’t roll away.
But it’s the top shelf that’s the kicker. It’s really a drawer. And the top is reversible. Flip it over, line it with shiny paper or glass and you’ve got the perfect palette.
Is this COOL or what?
And the best thing is it was UNDER thirty bucks. Okay, a penny under but UNDER. One whole cent. But still, it’s way cheaper than something like this would be in an art supply store.
And it was easy to assemble. You can read all about it here.
Meanwhile I’m going to keep plugging away at the move. Got a day job and the weather is cookin’, so it’s slower than I thought. But I’ll keep posting photos and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be in and painting by early next week.
