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Creating a Mermaid

Every time I start a new piece, it is like following a map of something I have loosely already created in my head. I rarely sketch out my ideas, but rather like to have the creative energy flow from me and let the piece evolve without any preconceived notions. See what I can channel from the universe so to speak.

My newest work is an outdoor piece, a life sized mermaid. I have been thinking about her for a long time, but life has been so hectic and chaotic as a result of the pandemic, she has not had a chance to emerge. She is made from a new material I am working with, Pal Tiya. It is concrete like with fiberglass, but not so heavy it cannot be manageable. I am working directly with the material, making small batches as I go.

Please stop back periodically to see her progress as well as others that have been dormant and waiting to be released!

My upcoming Penguin piece!

Disappointment and Perseverance in a Corona World

Here we are in 2020 and its a whole new world. Everyone is social distancing and wearing masks. Music and entertainment is virtually non-existent, and your first haircut in months is the highlight of the year. Also, sadly, the art market has stalled. Some gallery shows have been rescheduled or canceled, others have valiantly tried to move forward in the virtual world. Artists who have been working all year long to share their work to the world now sit in wait and disappointment.

In all seriousness, artists invented "social distancing". We work isolated in our studios making our creations then quietly marketing them thru social media. It has always been a solitary existence...but now it has become so much more lonely and challenging. It's easy for anybody to become overcome with disappointment and fear during this time, but that will accomplish nothing. This is the time to think "Outside the Box". One thing is for certain, we will always face uncertainty. Why not embrace the uncertainty and see where it takes us? I myself am actually doing more painting than I have done in years. It's a quicker process than sculpture, and a lot less expensive to produce. My clients still want to collect art, but are hesitant to invest large sums of money during this time of uncertainty. Now is the time to offer affordable options. I've also started creating some smaller open edition pieces that will allow my collectors to continue to add work to their collection and help sustain me as an artist. Let's face it, we all need to put food on the table during this time of crisis. So Artists, don't discount doing things differently and working smaller with lower price points. Through creative thinking we can continue to persevere and come out of this stable and strong. As all things, this too shall pass.

Patrons please continue to support the creative spirit to continue to enrich and enhance the lives for generations to come. Together we can stay strong and fierce in the face of this adversity. This is a bump in our journey of life that will bring us to greater heights of creativity.

TIME vs MONEY

I have been trying to write something for my blog post for several weeks now, and, as usual, I have not had time. Ironic because the thought I wanted to touch on for this post was all about time. For me, it is a constant battle because I am always pulled in a thousand different directions. I often equate the situation to being a scrumptious over-stuffed apple pie that everyone is trying to get a piece of. The more I try to keep each tasty morsel for myself, the more I have to fend off would be scavengers. One slice goes to the minutia of running the machine of my art business, one slice to the business I run with my ex-husband, one slice to my dysfunctional family, one slice to being a mother, one slice to being a dutiful daughter to an aging parent, one slice to my relationship, one slice to household chores and obligations, and then one slice to actually getting to the gym and taking care of myself. Finally, after all the slices of my time are divided up, I finally get one tiny sliver for myself to actually get some thought felt artwork done. I feel like Gollum, coveting the precious "me time".

So this brings me to the topic of this post. Time vs. Money. What is your time worth and where do you want to spend it? Does it make sense to spend a little money sometimes to free you up to do the things you need to do more efficiently? There was a time when I was killing myself - literally - to keep up with it all and be Wonder Woman. I would take care of the needs of all the other pieces of pie and by the time I got have mine, it was stale and moldy. Then I had a revelation - or more like a wake-up call. I took a shower one morning and all the hair on the left side of my head fell out. Literally soft and smooth as a baby's bottom! It was a stress reaction called alopecia. Thank god it grew back! So the stress of all I was trying to juggle while try to create new sculpture, then have to make the molds, waxes and resin casts was killing me. Something had to give.

That is when I made the decision to start farming some of the casting and production work out. I have been accused of being a "Yankee" in my day - code for frugal - so this was a tough decision. However it has proved to be the best one for me in my situation. My schedule is still busy - but now I have time to create my artwork knowing I have help in line to take care of final production. I can make quality work without rushing. I make sure to block off certain chunks of time throughout the week for this and try to keep them sacred. I literally pencil my creative time in to my datebook. Granted, I do have to stretch my dollar farther to do this. Mold production and Bronze work are not cheap ventures, especially if you are paying someone to do these tasks. But I am far happier. I am happier with the time to do my work I love. So for me, time is more valuable than money. We don't know how long we have in this race of life, so spend your time wisely. Spend it doing something meaningful for you. If it means eating tuna fish instead of steak, so be it. It’s a small sacrifice and better for you!

"Decide, Commit, Act, Succeed, Repeat!"

I am blatantly stealing a statement from my personal trainer, Matt Chilleri, for this blog post. "Decide, Commit, Act, Succeed, Repeat!" This is good advice for the gym and life in general. It is also such an important thing for artists to remember. We are constantly knocked down by one force or another and only those who are unwavering will truly move forward. If we are not willing to commit 100% to our hopes and dreams, we will always fall short. Whether it be raising your skill level as an artist or progressing from jumping a 12" box to an 18" box. It is attainable, but only through hard work, practice and self evaluation. As my Latin teacher Joe T would always say, "Nothing in life is accomplished without blood, sweat and tears".

I feel this all goes hand in hand with the statement "You become like the people you surround yourself with". If you want to be the best, surround yourself with motivated, like-minded people that you can learn from and strive to be like. Rome was not built in a day. So accept that you will have success and failure and don't stop trying to climb that mountain. Do not listen to the those who do not have the faith and courage to pursue their dreams, just stay the course.

You have got this!

"Magic Under the Tuscan Sun"

So today is my 53rd birthday and I am in the company of the group of people I call "my tribe". I have to say, there is something special about being in the company of like minded people sharing experiences, moments of greatness and of failure. I am at the La Meridiana School of Ceramics in Florence for the 2018 Tuscan Sculpture Symposium with a group of truly remarkable sculptors. As as artist, I put my work out there, compare myself to others, second guess myself and live an isolated creative existance. This past week I have worked side by side with other respected sculptors who experience the same feelings I do. It was nice to be amongst people who totally understood me - the whole ball of wax! The good, the bad and the insecure...

They say that time heals most wounds and soothes the soul. I say, time in Tuscany with good friends, great food, plentiful wine and outstanding art is far more effective and enjoyable. Ciao Bella!