Inspiration @ the SPARKcon Art Festival

We went to the really inspiring SPARKcon festival in Raleigh last Saturday. The pics speak for themselves. Gorgeous weather and all these talented NCState (the majority) students creating these TEMPORARY and public works of art.It was all done in pastels and by Monday morning (today) it will be replaced by rush hour traffic.

These were all only identified by a number in the bottom right hand corner.

This one brings tears to my eyes everytime I look at it. Its about childhood homelessness. dam.

Oh, yeah these went on for blocks and blocks. And blocks. I was so inspired.

Did you think he was gonna let them have all the fun? They had a kids (and big kids ) area at one intersection.

 I was so proud of myself for not whippin' out my wet wipes.LOL

My most beautiful work of art. I must gush for just one moment....I look at this picture and remember when

he was just seven pounds and laying on my chest. We have come a long way and I'm really happy to be building these creative memories with him. My Schmookie.

I'm tired as a...

...dog.
...hebrew slave.



I started work today and it was cool actually. (yes, im saying getting up way too early to do something mildly interesting and getting paid just above the poverty level can be cool, right? please say yes or I'm gonna eat a pack of raw fudge brownies right now.) It was a welcome break from being at home for the last almost three months.  I'm here to tell you there is no job harder than being a full-time at home mom and I have a lil confession to make(shhh)...I miss day care. I mean I really miss it. I love my son and I shouldn't feel bad for saying this BUT I need some time to myself. And not to go hang out or do anything special (but what would be wrong with that?) I just want some time when I'm not cooking, cleaning or trying to squeeze my big ass down kiddee slide (imagine a watermelon trying to make it through a straw).

For those of you who don't know I take care of V by myself. His father has never been in the picture (a whole other blog all together. remember, pot and oral sex do not go together not at all.) Anyway, this job is harder than I could ever imagine. But the good news is now that I'm working my little man will be back with his snotee nosed cohorts. and since I get off at 2:30 and noon on Friday I will get a little meeee time. Yippee!

On to art...I've got some stuff but don't feel like getting off my butt to hook up my camera to show y'all. Plus they're not finished. And I'm getting tired of pattng myself on the back for starting and not finishing a project. I did buyt some alphabet stamps this weekend but now am scared to commit to adding any writing. It's always something. I'm so scared of effin' em up that now they're starting to collect dust. Which is in total oppposition to this idea of selling my art so I don't have to go to that job up there. I can't sell it cus it's not finished. And its not finishd cus I don't wanna mess it up. Sounds like BS to me too. So I've got to make some decisions this week and ad some things to my Etsy shop by next week. The things I have on there now are just sitting and I don't really even reflect my current style. go figure. Well anyway, I'm off to wash the day off and finish off a bottle of vino. smooches!

On Finding My Style and Time for Personal Grooming

You know I had absolutely no plans today and so I thought it would be easy to et some things done. NOT. So tomorrow is a jam packed day and now I am scrambling tonight to get organized so most of it goes smoothly. And after taking a shower finally (yes its been 2 days) and getting my little gremlin in the bed (not asleep but at least contained in one place) I had to peep my head in to say Hey. That's how much I love y'all. And speaking of love I want to say a special thank you  to the talented, inspireing and kind ladies who take out the time to read and comment on my lttle blog. Y'all are the milk to my cookies.

I have been painting ALOT lately. And I think, I hope, oh I hope I am approaching my own personal style. I admit I have some art ADD but I feel like the more I work things out on paper and canvas the closer I feel I'm getting.... So here's what I've been working on. They are drafts and I'm going to ad some text but cant decide to hand write it or cut out printed type. What do yall think. More people are using the cut type and I'm trying not to be so anal about my own handwriting. Did I say anal? I meant nuerotic.

I've had a sketch of her for a few months now and finally got the balls to put paint to and she just opened up so much for me. I love her for that alone. And doesn't she look so full of thought, huh?

The camera doesnt really get all  the roughness that I love about the flower and how the blue's not quite opaque. cute.

I wasn't sure what this was gonna be when I started but I was pleasantly surprised. I also loosened the reigns on "matching colors" and just let my intuition guide me. The house is actually this cool melon orangy color. luv it.

She's a little blurry and excuse her zombie stare. I'm still working on her eyes. I think I want her to look down but not sure how to accomplish that...but i love her hair. Back in the day I had a color very similar to this just a lil more magenta, wth. ;-)

Love Changed My Life...New Art

I've been working really hard to find my own unique voice as an artist. And after my little mental BM post last night I feel "lighter". And this morning while rifling through some magazine pages I found the boost to get my booty moving. I'll post the close to finished or maybe finished pic tomorrow on my FB fan page but I thought I'd share some process shots. I always love how artist show how they get from one place to the next in a mixed media piece so....

It's late I don't feel like adding captions but I really loved all the magazine images. and layering the heart with tissue paper. And the trip part is I started this piece TODAY1 I am usually a slow worker but when I work quickly I don't have a chance to second guess my choices. Well that's it just wanted to share and I always get excited with new art....more tomorrow. PEACE OUT!

Let the Rambling Begin

1. I don't have any pictures to keep you visually stimulated and probably wont advertise this post on FB. I just wanted to vent.

2. I went to GSO to sub for the week at the community college. and while the good news is they offered me a job. It's p.t. but the hourly pay sorta makes up for it. Sorta. The bad news is they only get paid once a month. Meaning it would be the end of October before I got a check big enough to rent a place. And my credit is so jacked up it still probably won't be enough. For the first time I'm condidering applying for public housing. Oh the shame, who am I kidding. I'll be there first thing Monday morning.

3. My schedule it totally effed up after being away from my paint for a week. I haven't made anything for 2 weeks and am kina scerred to put paint down. I've had too much time to think bout it all.

4. While I loved making my little magnets, I'm now like wondering if they are really any good. How in the hell am I gonna make enough money selling $10 cardboard magnets?

5. I'm so sick of dishes and dirty clothes every frickin day.

6. I quietly beat myself up everyday for not being able to make enough money to take care of my son independently.

7. I'm considering starting a new blog about my life as a single mom and my constant pangs of inadequacy.

8. Why is it everytime I have a good idea and tell someone all the fizz goes out of it? And why can't I keep my big mouth shut?

9. I was about to tell y'all something, I really want to but I'ma try and keep it to myself.

10. Eventhough my life is nothing as I expected it to be, sometimes I think this is all happening for a reason and if I just keep pluggin away and staying focus on my BIG dream it might actually happen.

If God Loved Stilettos...

Well I got back from Greensboro subbing before my perm class starts and am just getting back in the swing of things. So I just wanted to pop in and say "Hey" and let y'all know what's been up with me.

I just finished posting the most beautiful pair of shoes I have ever owned on Ebay for sale....I feel (a little) like Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac. I know that's a little bit dramatic, but dam they are the most goregously stunning pair of metallic, snakeskin, platform sandals..and they are comfortable TOO. And I'm just hoping God will light a burning bush and tell me its all a cruel joke.

"Jennifer, those shoes look sooo good on you, you must keep them for eternity. And oh yeah, go out and get a dress to match....this I command of thee." 

Eventhough I got them for Christmas post having Vincent, they still represent the life I'd like to have again at least a little itty bit. But the reality is I spend more time in my Crocs and since I've been out of work for about six weeks now and while the wheels are turning and I'll be going back to work in a couple of weeks I need the money now. On top of that my laptop has caught the equivalent of  HIV and I can't even get online so I've highjacked my mom's laptop to get some things done.

I've got some other things cookin in the kitchen but tonight I'm just having a little seperation anxiety, so I thought I'd give a shout out and see if I could get a materialistic, shop-a-holic, used to be hot mama, shoulder to cry on. If not it's ok too. I've got a cocktail and hot shower waiting and that should do the trick too. And for those of you wondering what my babies look like here's a stock photo to drool over....

For once 6" is really a lot.

On my second glass of wine and...

I've been thinkin' about this process Im in of finding my authentic voice as an artist. Then it dawned on me, with the help of my friend Merlot, I don't need to find her. SHE is not lost. I need to find more ways to allow her to come out of the basement closet (I thought she'd be safe there). So I, along with my

  trusty apprentice (yes I have kidnapped the entire table. thanks mom) have been making a mess and making some major head way...

washing dishes and...

eating molasses soaked wheat toast and blueberries while we watch Toy Story for the 33rd time. And I've even found some time to paint (ill have pics in a couple of days).

And it has been a real blast. You see I'm a master of imagining the worst possible scenario and then filling my mind and body with enough anxiety to make people refer to me as a royal B.

I don't know how they could think such a thing about yours truly (hee-hee) but I can honestly say I'm a little nicer since I've let "her" out to play.

BTW, a community college called me today while me and my sidekick were out playing on swings. She wants me to start work on Monday. Part-time but its sure better than no-time. I guess there are a few side benefits to deciding to chill the eff out.

Have a great weekend!