Dirksen Dabbles

i don't feel bad

2011-09-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

It has officially been over two months since I have written a blog post for this, my precious, Dirksen Dabbles. This is the post that comes from most bloggers and starts off like this:

"I am so sorry I have neglected this blog for such a long time..."

But you won't hear those words from me. I hate to break it to you, but...I am not sorry. I do not feel bad.

These are the things I've done during the past two months to keep blogging from being a top priority.

After living in Europe for nearly a year, I moved back to Portland, Oregon

Understand a high level of culture readjustment

Moved into my parents home for an undetermined amount of time

Understand a high level of lifestyle readjustment

Sent my husband off to Los Angeles, California for his first job interview after eight years of higher education

Understand a high level of future uncertainty

Planned and put on a wedding for my sister

Understand a higher level of work than possibly went into my own wedding

Decided along with my husband to accept the job offer at UCLA

Understand a high level of excitement and anxiety

Prepared all our belongings for yet another move

Understand a high level of annoyance

Moved to Santa Monica, California

Understand a high level of uncomfortability

There is an unfortunate side effect of not blogging, which mostly includes a loss of interest from readers as well as interruption of the "blogging juices," which aid most regular writers. I decided these side effects were simply a necessary cost of this season in my life. I do thank the readers that are still around for not deleting me from your internet routine, and truly look forward to a new surge in creativity!

Ah yes...one more tidbit. Along with the list above, my husband and I were able to announce and prepare for one of our biggest adventures to date. As of January 2012, we will be parents. Ain't that just a fun twist to this story?

On the Santa Monica Pier...and pretty weirded out to be living in a land of palm trees

Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - New here? You can learn what I was doing in Europe here

Where I live - These are all the posts related to places I have lived

Q&A - Video of me Painting - A look at what this blog is really about...more on art soon!

i'm off

2011-06-30T02:28:00.000-07:00

I am literally boarding a train in two hours that will take me to Munich, Germany. This will be our last European stop before leaving for the US of A on July 4th. Please pardon my absence until things settle down a bit (I'm pretending things are actually going to settle down when I get home...fat chance).

I am immensely excited about going home...but still feeling a touch of what can only be called "bittersweet" emotions. I'm going to definitely do some blogging to figure out how I feel about this huge year and transition. Thank you for sticking with me through it all.

Until next post...

(imagine a beautiful photo here)

merry go round - photo inspiration

2011-06-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

On the last Friday of the month, I am going to be jumping on the 'Merry Go Round'. What is the Merry Go Round exactly? Each month, a group of artists and craftswomen from around the world join together and give their response to the same question/challenge.

We had a fun challenge presented to us as members of the Merry Go Round. Last month, each of us shared a photo that affected us in some way. Then we each were assigned another member's photo and we had to create something artistic based on said photo. So...here was my photo from Agathe at Le Bar du Vent.

So, I decided to do a watercolor painting with similar movement for the background. Here's a video of me painting it. It's nothing amazing...just something fun!

Check out the other Merry Go Round participants work!

Misty at Artmind

Jen at Painted Fish Studio

Mariana at Florcita

Laura at Blue Terracotta
Monika at Red2White
Ruth at Birdland Creations
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Crafts of Texture
Samantha at Vintage is for lovers
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent

Merry Go Round - Photo Affection - See the photo I presented last month

Merry Go Round - Time Management - My strength

Merry Go Round - My Inspiring Artist - A famous artist I love

written artwork - things fall apart

2011-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have always, and probably always will, love books set in Africa. I've read a few now, and they are always very gripping. Unfortunately, most of them are gripping because they are centered around tragedy, but, gripping nonetheless. Some of my favorites include What Is The What and The Poisonwood Bible.

Things Fall Apart is also set in Africa, and also focuses heavily on tragedy. The story is roughly about a man who lives in an African village and is well respected. He has a family, friends, and honor. This man eventually encounters several distressing situations in his life that bring his demise.

I think the reason these books are so interesting to me is because they are such wonderful anthropological studies. Africa is a place I have never been, but hear a lot about. It is one of those worlds that couldn't seem more opposite the world I live in. But there are still amazing ways to relate to each story. I enjoy stories that bring me into new worlds, and, in a cliche way, expand my horizons.

I would never say I know what it is like to be African because I've read a few books. But it does make me want to ask more, learn more, and experience more. And I think that is a marker of a great book.

A list of what's to come, and what has already been explored.
My Written Artwork Journey Explained here

Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Emma - Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
The sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Crime and Punishment - Fedor Dostoyevsky
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Tales - Edgar Allan Poe
Diary of a Madman and Other Stories - Nikolai Gogol
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

p[art]nership - residential vs. commercial artwork

2011-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

The p[art]nership series comes to a close today with this wonderful post by Lisa. She is the author of the blog Hamptontoes and has some serious design experience to back her up! The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Eric Lee - The Deep

As someone who truly believes that artwork adds so much character to a space, whether it be residential or commercial I was thrilled to write this guest post. While I have great enthusiasm for artwork, I don't pretend to be a curator, connoisseur or guru of artwork. My take on artwork is raw, very organic...does the artwork speak to me, does it engage me in thought and do I like the piece regardless of its intrinsic (or lack thereof) value or worth?

One of my favorite artists, Eric Lee of Presteau Studios, caught my attention at a fine arts show. His passion for his craft was apparent and his artwork AMAZING! Eric's medium is the usage of tempered glass in which he skillfully paints the back and seals prior to installation.

Eric Lee - Splash

I asked the artist, Eric Lee, about his perception of commercial vs residential. He mentioned one point that I think is important...."Some work has a broader appeal than other work and, depending on venue, may be better suited to commercial applications." I believe this to true. In many commercial venues I have visited I have found the artwork to be "neutral," non-controversial.

When I think of commercial vs residential artwork two main things come to mind. Typically, commercial venues are larger than one's home. You'll find pieces in commercial venues that are larger in scale than what could not fit in most homes due to the lack of wall space and height of ceilings. I've seen pieces so large in commercial venues that would not fit through a door in my home, whereas they would go through a loading zone within a commercial venue.

Eric Lee - Star Child

Also, when installing artwork there is the distance factor to consider. The larger the piece the greater the distance to "take in" the piece. In a commercial venue you typically have a greater distance to step back and observe the space, so you can accommodate a piece that is 42 x 78 whereas in a home rooms often don't accommodate this need.

Eric Lee is one artist who has tailored his craft to meet the demands of homeowners with private collections, along with the needs of commercial venues. Visit his website and enjoy!

p[art]nership - How to Pair Furniture and Artwork - A beautiful and helpful post

p[art]nership - Arts & Crafts & Fashion - A comparison of a popular home style to one person's fashion style

p[art]nership - Art on a Painted Wall - Some helpful tips for a tricky decor situation

gettin' patriotic

2011-06-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!

The United States of America was officially made aware of the fact that my husband and I will be returning to their precious soil in early July. July fourth...to be exact. And because of their overwhelming joy, they have decided to make that day a public holiday. And, not only will people be getting time off work, but all over the country, American citizens will be lighting fireworks in our honor.

What a great county.

And here are some lovely Etsy finds that are aiding in the celebration :)

Children are some of the only people that can get away with dressing up for this holiday

To go with the above :)

Cupcake holders!

I'm usually not a fan of the dog outfits...but seriously...this is adorable.

Best invites I've seen in a while. You should see the back too.

This design is literally perection

GO USA!

Wedding Season - Some other thoughts on seasons and Etsy
Tamarack Ridge Woodworks - Great Etsy couple I interviewed
A New Friend I Want You To Meet - More Etsy love

art lessons - watercolor still life

2011-06-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

Since my ten year old student has learned a lot of the art basics concerning drawing and painting, we have been able to move on to slightly more advanced projects. So, in this lesson, I thought we would do our first still life using watercolors.

In order to keep the lesson simple, I went to my kitchen and pulled out a few uncomplicated objects. Here is what I came up with.

So, we started by drawing the pieces lightly with pencil. I then suggested that we start with the lighter colored objects, that way, if there was a little bleeding, we could easily cover it up with the darker colors.

It was definitely a struggle to work with the super dark plum color for my student. He tends to use a bit too much water to keep control of the paint, so there were bleeding issues. Still, he was happy with his finished product, which is the goal!

We also worked on what I call the "splatter technique." Certain textures are difficult to portray in watercolor because of the detail, which was true of the skin of the pears. When inspecting them up close, we saw they were covered in little dots. So, after painting the body of the pears, we then took a slightly darker color and splattered the paint onto the paper to give it the tiny dots. Not only is it effective...it's fun!

My student's finished product

Teacher's example

Art Lessons - Shading with Color - Using colored pencils to shade objects
Art Lessons - Perspective Drawing, Color...& Ghandi - Introducing color to our drawing
Art Lessons - See some shots from the first art lesson

wedding season

2011-05-31T03:10:00.000-07:00

I am the proud Matron of Honor for my sister in law's upcoming wedding. I am also one of her chief wedding planners! Because of this, I have been able to have a second go at planning a wedding and it has been ridiculously enjoyable.

Of course, my first stop on my wedding hunt is always Etsy. So, I thought I would share with you some of the beautiful things I found along the way.

I also have just written a great Dirksen Dabbles Newsletter that is going to be sent out tomorrow. It has a bit of a wedding theme to it, so thought it would be appropriate to tell you to get signed up! There is also a great coupon code for FREE SHIPPING at the Dirksen Dabbles Art Shop. Sign up here so you can get in on the great deals!

Um...adorable.

I would love to have a bouquet that lasted forever!

I think this might be the most beautiful garter I've ever seen

Just plain fun

I went to college with this lovely lady and she makes outstanding veils

See...isn't it fun! Happy wedding season!

Tamarack Ridge Woodworks - Great Etsy couple I interviewed
A New Friend I Want You To Meet - More Etsy love
What I Bought - Women - Showin' some Etsy awesomeness...some of my actual purchases from Etsy

merry go round - photo affection

2011-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

In September of 2010 I moved to Europe. Belgium was my first home, then The Netherlands, and now Italy. I move back home to the States in the beginning of July...a mere month away. Because our time in Europe is coming to a close, I am becoming a bit sentimental about how it all started.

Belgium was a dream land for us. I absolutely did not expect to fall in love with such a small country that is widely unknown by the rest of the world. But it soon captured my heart. I loved the odd little culture differences, the mix of languages (Dutch & French), the small little towns, the orange tiled roofs, and of course, the waffles.

So, when I was asked to pick a photo that affects me in some way for this merry go round post, of course, I started browsing my Belgium shots first. It was so hard to choose, but there was also one photo that gripped me.

This photo was taken at the Cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium. It's a small town with a ton of charm. The photo is of a statue sitting in the Cathedral in front of a well-worn wall. I simply cannot get over the way she blends into the background and looks like she is peeking through the wall with the half of her face that remains.

The extra neat aspect of this post is that our photos will be passed around in the group, and each one will be the inspiration for a piece of art by another artist. I cannot wait to see what someone does with this one!

And remember to see the other photos included at these blogs:

Misty at Artmind

Jen at Painted Fish Studio

Mariana at Florcita

Laura at Blue Terracotta
Monika at Red2White
Ruth at Birdland Creations
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Crafts of Texture
Samantha at Vintage is for lovers
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent

Merry Go Round - Time Management - My strength

Merry Go Round - My Inspiring Artist - A famous artist I love
Merry Go Round - Favorite Painting Tools - I share my top five favorite tools to paint with

p[art]nership - how to pair furniture and artwork

2011-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today's smashing p[art]nerhsip series post is brought to you by Carolyn from the Diane James Home Blog. Carolyn and her twin sister Cynthia help run the floral arrangement business of their mother, Diane. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Having been brought up in an eleventh century chateau in Belgium, art and antiques were always a part of our lives. Our parents spent weekends at galleries and antique stores finding the perfect piece to complement their unusual home.

While their décor certainly wasn’t lavish per se, each piece of art had a home where it could be seen in the best light and surrounded by the right furniture. I recently came across a quote from Clifford Fong (co-owner of Galerie Half in Los Angeles) that pretty much sums up how my parents shopped for art:

“Choosing [art and antiques] is like choosing friends. It can be hard to pinpoint what makes a good friend great, but there’s always an x factor that makes the best stand out.”

When living with art and choosing furniture to complement the pieces, it’s important to look for a common thread – be it a color, a shape, a style. My parents were never “matchy matchy” – a Louis XV bergere could sit next to a Henri Moore painting as long as the chair was covered in a modern fabric; a Gustavian chest could be flanked by Claude Lalanne sheep for a whimsical touch.

The harmony was achieved with the right balance of texture and color – and not by matching the period in which the pieces were created. The rule is to let each painting, sculpture, mirror or chandelier have its own space to shine and be supported and enhanced by the design of the room.

A 1940’s Svenskt Tenn gilt-metal chandelier sits well with a Jacques Lipschitz sculpture (1919)

Delphine Krakoff is a master at mixing old with new in a harmonious and livable room (Elle Décor)

Alessandra Branca used an Italian crystal chandelier as the focal point for this amazing room (Elle Décor)

Katie Ridder pairs a vintage mirror with 1950’s Finnish wallpaper (Elle Décor)

A 1952’s Joan Mitchell painting sits beautifully over tables that are 17^th century Japanese. The key here is that the sofa is custom-made to work with all the pieces in the room for a cohesive and comfortable style.

p[art]nership - Arts & Crafts & Fashion - A comparison of a popular home style to one person's fashion style

p[art]nership - Art on a Painted Wall - Some helpful tips for a tricky decor situation
p[art]nership - Create Your Own Abstract Art - A tutorial

survey time

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of "getting back in the game" with blogging, I've created a handy dandy survey that I would LOVE each and every reader to fill out. Really, it should take about 2 minutes and you have no idea how much it would help me. Please?

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

Thanks.

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lets get real - update

2011-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I came to you all with some struggles I've been having with my artistic and blogging motivations. Since some time has elapsed, I thought I would give you all a little update on how things are going.

So, I'm doing quite a bit better. Here's what I think really helped me get back into the game.

Support - There were a handful of you that left comments on the aforementioned post. Each of them were obviously heartfelt and they really helped me feel better about my situation. Thanks.
Guest Bloggers - I already had guest bloggers scheduled for my p[art]nership series. Because I already had this lined up, it forced me to keep regular blog posts going in between them.
Travel - I've been traveling a fair bit lately, which means I have to pre-write my posts and schedule them. This means I have to write a bunch all at once and then I get a long break.
Poverty - My husband and I have very little money right now. This has motivated me to work on my art selling business, which is obviously directly connected to this blog.

Community, forced obligations, vacations, and necessity. These are the things that helped me get going again. I'm going to keep these four words tucked away for when I'm feeling crummy again. Hopefully they will be able to rise to the challenge again.

Let's Get Real - The original sad post
Finding Motivation - Some steps I took earlier this year to stay motivated
Dirksen Dabbles - My online art shop

inspiration and originality - wheezy waiter

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Forgive me.

I am potentially going to force an addiction upon you. I say "potentially" because you may not become addicted...but I did, so there is a strong possibility.

Wheezy Waiter is a YouTube video comedian. He has a very specific style, that is almost overwhelming in the beginning, but once you get a feel for his form, it's highly, highly entertaining. I might have just spent an embarrassing amount of time catching up on his latest videos.

So...what does this have to do with Dirksen Dabbles? Well, nothing specifically, except that he has two videos that are quite in line with frequent Dirksen Dabbles topics. So, without further adieu...here is Wheezy Waiter on inspiration and originality.

Continual Creativity - A discussion on creativity and a radio clip
Finding Motivation - Some efforts I made in my daily life to increase artistic motivation
Creative Discipline - In line with Wheezy Waiter's words - Jon Stewart speaks on discipline

written artwork - the red badge of courage

2011-05-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

At this point in my reading list, I have come across several war stories. And it is truly amazing how they differ. All Quiet on The Western Front is pretty much completely depressing. War & Peace is about the logistics and leaders of war. Gone With The Wind is concerning the people left behind during war. And now I come to The Red Badge of Courage.

This story is really more about the glory of war. Our main character is young, and has joined the army int he civil war for the excitement and potential honor and glory to gain from it. His first encounter with battle is scary, shocking, and embarrassing because he fleas. As the story progresses, he learns to face his fears and becomes a soldier of great standing.

It was an interesting perspective to see war from. In our day, the atrocity of war is usually the main focus. And while this book did tell of the awful outcomes of war, it decided to show, instead, the growth of one man because of war. We view one boy become a man through hardship, but without the negativity normally associated with battle.

I will quickly mention that this book could pair well with Gone With The Wind. They are both set during the Civil War, but from different sides (Union & Confederate) and are from the viewpoint of a soldier verses the viewpoint of the women left behind. Very good comparison.

A list of what's to come, and what has already been explored.
My Written Artwork Journey Explained here

Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Emma - Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
The sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Crime and Punishment - Fedor Dostoyevsky
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Tales - Edgar Allan Poe
Diary of a Madman and Other Stories - Nikolai Gogol
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

p[art]nership - arts & crafts & fashion

2011-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

The p[art]nership series is happy to have Lisa of the blog Archives Vintage join in today. Lisa blogs about her own vintage fashion as well as runs an online shop selling great vintage finds. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Before I started selling vintage for a living, I studied Art History. One of my most favorite periods to learn about was the Arts & Crafts movement. I won't go into the details and bore you with a history lesson, but Arts & Crafts began as a response to the British industrial revolution, which brought on the advent of mass production. The movement promoted honesty to materials used, with simple decoration and high quality, skilled craftsmanship. It incorporated lots of carved wood, references to nature and intricate textiles. Architecture, art, furniture and poetry were the areas in which Arts & Crafts thrived. William Morris started the movement in the late 1800's in the UK, but it didn't catch on in the United States until the 1910s/20's.

In Chicago, there are an abundance of Arts & Crafts bungalows that fill entire neighborhoods even to this day. They were built in the 1920s as affordable but sturdy homes for middle class families, meant to last generations. I grew up in a Chicago bungalow, and firmly believe its craftsmanship and sound design have had a strong influence on my entire life - including the clothes I wear. Part of what draws me to vintage clothing is the great quality of the items - something that is easily lost in today's mass market stores of "fast fashion" chains, such as Forever 21 and H&M.

Arts and Crafts homes were built to last families, and now, even at nearly a century old, still stand strong with their wooden floors, built in cabinets, stained glass windows and brick exteriors. I feel as though those values translate into my wardrobe through a few staples I keep in my closet, mainly leather boots and unique vintage accessories, which I cannot live without.

p[art]nership - Art on a Painted Wall - Some helpful tips for a tricky decor situation
p[art]nership - Create Your Own Abstract Art - A tutorial
p[art]nership - Party Decor - A table setting inspired by an iconic painting

q&a - etsy overview

2011-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

A look at my shop - Dirksen Dabbles

Unfortunately, my Italian internet is a bit too slow for me to be uploading videos, so this Q&A session will be brought to you in written form!

I had a great question from a reader that stated:

As a seller, what is your opinion of Etsy? Are you a fan of the site and do you find it easy to use? Do you use it because you like it or is it the only option? Pros/cons?
-Amanda

Okay, here we go. I will start with the good stuff.

Pros -

User Friendly - Etsy has a very simple system of opening a new shop, uploading photos, and designing your page.
Huge Customer Base - Etsy is very well known. Thousands of people visit the site every day, which increases the chance of selling your items.
Reasonable Fees - The price for opening a shop is free. Listing an item cost 20 cents for four months, and when you sell an item, they charge you 3.5% of the item.

Cons -

Competition - Because Etsy is so well known, there are thousands of people also selling their work. This means you have lots of competition, which can make it difficult to sell.
Renewing - When you search for items on Etsy, the items recently listed are the ones you see first. This means that sellers regularly "renew" their listings to stay on top. Renewing an item costs 20 cents. This obviously increases your fees.
Upkeep - While it has the potential to be easy to run your shop, it always takes more work than you expect. In order to sell to anyone other than your friends, it takes a lot of administration and marketing, which takes TONS of work.

The Bottom Line -

Etsy is an amazing website. I highly, highly recommend them to anyone that wants to put some serious time into creating something special and selling it. But, it is not something that comes easy. To sell your work, it takes hours of behind the scenes labor which goes far beyond the simple creation of your craft or artwork.

There are other websites out there to sell your work, but I do not believe they are as good as Etsy. Some cost more, some are virtually unknown to the public, and some just don't function well.

If there are any other specific questions you have about Etsy or the work that goes into selling your work, feel free to ask in the comments or submit a new Q&A question in the box below.

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Q&A - Compare My Fashion & Painting Styles - A fun look at two parts of my identity
Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - An explanation of this crazy year
Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history

venice

2011-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Did I mention I live a 25 minute train ride from Venice. Oh, well, I do :)

Enjoying the talented artists

For some reason I love the design of this bag

The Rialto

Just a building

The sunny chairs make me feel happy

Lookin' up

Angles

Umbrellas

Let's reflect

Related Articles
My Last European Home - A few shots from the Italian town I live in
Q&A - Why Am I In Europe - An answer to all your questions
Nijmegen, The Netherlands - My previous home

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - don't lose your pants

2011-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the n[a]r[r]a[t]ive series I tell true stories from my own life and the lives of people I know in order to teach highly important lessons on art, business, and life in general.

I have one sibling, a sister, and her name is Megan. We are only 2 1/2 years apart in age, so we very much grew up together. Megan and I are similar in some ways, but very different in others.

I was always the silly one. I would rather have more attention than less. This meant I was probably trying to be funny, which most likely ended up with me just being annoying.

my glory years

Megan, on the other hand, was painfully shy. Once she felt comfortable around a group, she was a completely normal and happy little girl, but before that she would clam up and disengage.

Growing up, my sister and I both played softball. It was the only sport we played, our best friends were on our team, and our dad was our coach. Megan obviously started playing before me, simply because of age, the fact of which I vividly remember because of two things.

One, I LOVED playing in the dirt around the softball field while her games were going on. I couldn't tell you what I did with it, but I certainly remember gathering it in piles. Yep, piles of dirt are fun. I also remember constantly getting in trouble for climbing on the back of the bleachers, but that's not relevant.

The second reason I remember not playing softball is because of one particular day, with one particular accident. My sister was cute as a button, playing left field when it happened. I, of course, was somewhere in the dirt, unawares. I will remind you that my sister was a quiet girl...and this is why she didn't speak a word when she had to use the restroom. I mean, can you imagine how much attention would be put on her if she had to stop the game! It was an absurd thought to her. Plus, she had no idea that time-outs existed.

So, the inevitable happened. She peed her pants. Oh, the embarrassment! What was she going to do?

Luckily, my mother acted quickly. She quickly swept Megan off the field and, pulling me along, walked up the steps to the announcer's booth. And there, standing behind the door so the announcer couldn't see us, I was commanded the unthinkable. "Bethany, take off your pants."

That's right folks. I had to take one for the team...literally. So, I took my most likely acid washed jeans off. Megan slipped them on and ran back on the field. My pants were gone, but the game was saved.

Moral - It is best to be generous (although difficult when someone has the audacity to ask for your pants)

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - Cookies Tell All - The first of this series
n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - Boys Gone Geek - My husband was a SERIOUS geek
n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - Patrick's Dream - A good friend...a funny dream

p[art]nership - art on a painted wall

2011-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I am Stacey from Design Addict Mom and I am so thrilled to be here today talking about the relationship between a painted wall and your art.

A white wall is usually seen as “the best” backdrop for displaying ones art. However, although it is important to take the style of art and its colour into consideration when selecting a wall colour, white is not always the best answer. In fact, deep and vibrant colours are brilliant choices that can highlight your art work beautifully.

A perfect example is that orange accent wall that not only pulls your eye into the art piece, but also creates a lovely contrast against that modern white credenza. The art piece and the credenza are definitely the center of attention in that part of the room.

Below are some more spaces that showcase painted walls as the perfect choice for the art that’s adorning them:

Have fun when decorating your home. Just think about the way you dress and accessorize, and the fun you have putting your outfits and accessories together! After all, fashion and design go hand in hand. In addition, paint is oh so very easy and inexpensive to change! Thank you Bethany for having me here today to be a part of this fabulous series!

images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

p[art]nership - Create Your Own Abstract Art - A tutorial
p[art]nership - Party Decor - A table setting inspired by an iconic painting
p[art]nership - Creating Personal Art For Your Home - Make your artwork your own!

art lessons - shading with color

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Teaching private art lessons is still going great! In the previous art lessons we focused on shading 3D objects with a normal pencil, and then shading them with a single color using colored pencils.

This lesson had us incorporating a bit more depth using two colored pencils to shade one object. I have to say...this was fun for me. It was so simple and almost therapeutic.

To increase the challenge for my 10 year old pupil I also gathered some objects that had more complexity than simple cylinders, spheres, and cones. Here's the chosen few.

We started by drawing a simple outline of each object. Then, using a darker and lighter shade of one color, we used our simple shading techniques to fill it in. The drawings below are the teacher's example (aka, mine!).

This absolutely made me want to draw some serious still lifes! What do you think....a good lesson?

Art Lessons - Perspective Drawing, Color...& Ghandi - Introducing color to our drawing
Art Lessons - See some shots from the first art lesson
p[art]nership - Create Your Own Abstract Art - A tutorial for painting

merry go round - time management

2011-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

On the last Friday of the month, I am going to be jumping on the 'Merry Go Round'. What is the Merry Go Round exactly? Each month, a group of artists and craftswomen from around the world join together and give their response to the same question/challenge.

I am usually what you would call an organized, self motivated person. In high school, I always had my homework done on time, if not two days ahead of time. In college, I never once pulled an all-nighter because it simply was never necessary. And, in my career, I was able to work full time and start my own painting business on top of it.

Yep, this list even got laminated

Realizing that that may have just sounded like bragging, I assure you that it's not. This is absolutely how I was raised. My family was orderly and timely. We were ALWAYS on time (aka, 20 minutes early) everywhere we went. So, it's only natural for me to schedule my own time similarly.

How do I stay on top of things? I don't really know. I guess I'm a list maker. I have to-do lists, lists of potential painting ideas, lists of potential blog posts, lists of books to read, lists of guest bloggers, lists of expenses, and lists of income.

But, to be honest, I think it has to do with how I fill my life. You see, I almost never over commit or stretch myself too far. In my life, I always made sure to study the right amount, work the right amount, socialize the right amount, sleep the right amount, and of course, sit in front of the tv and be lazy the right amount.

I enjoy having a full schedule, but just full enough to be happy and well rounded. For most people, they would laugh at this and say it was out of their hands. And I guess for some people this is probably true...however, I have now lived 26 years on this earth and have never felt too overwhelmed with my own commitments. So, maybe part of it is our own decisions.

Don't forget to check out the other artist bloggers on the merry go round!

Misty at Artmind

Jen at Painted Fish Studio

Mariana at Florcita

Laura at Blue Terracotta
Monika at Red2White
Ruth at Birdland Creations
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Crafts of Texture
Samantha at Vintage is for lovers
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent

Merry Go Round - My Inspiring Artist - A famous artist I love
Merry Go Round - Favorite Painting Tools - I share my top five favorite tools to paint with
Sketch Book - Take Two - My "list" of painting ideas

written artwork - diary of a madman and other stories

2011-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

I can vividly remember one day, sitting in my senior year English class in high school. We were discussing the book we had been assigned to read, The Grapes of Wrath. Of course, our teacher, Ms. Stewart, was the expert in the room so she was sharing some tidbits about what the author was "really saying" at certain points.

While impressed at the teacher's analysis, I remember thinking, "How in the world were we supposed to figure that out on our own?" With authors telling stories within stories, passing judgment between the lines, or secretly giving their opinion on every page, it can be difficult to figure out what they are saying.

And it is this reason I wish I had read Diary of a Madman and Other Stories in my high school English class. I feel like there are some really interesting things in there...but my simple mind just doesn't find them on it's own.

I mean, really. One of the stories included in this collection is called, The Nose. And it's about a guy that wakes up one day and has lost his nose. Or someone has stolen it. And then he thinks he sees it on someone else. Um...there has got to be something really interesting behind this story. Right? I hope so, or else it's just a bit odd.

So, my recommendation...read this book. It's odd and interesting. Just do it with someone who knows something about literature and can fill you in on the mystery.

A list of what's to come, and what has already been explored.
My Written Artwork Journey Explained here

Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Emma - Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
The sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Crime and Punishment - Fedor Dostoyevsky
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Tales - Edgar Allan Poe
Diary of a Madman and Other Stories - Nikolai Gogol
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

lets get real

2011-04-24T23:28:00.000-07:00

In the past several weeks, I have written very little for this beautiful blog, and only have done art because I had to teach a scheduled art lesson. While I despise blog posts essentially saying "I know I've been bad and haven't written in a long time...so sorry!" I am going to talk about it. Not for the sake of nothing better to say, but for a chance for us to discuss those horrible times of artistic and motivational ruts.

My plan was to just forget about my rut (which has now lasted for around 3 weeks) and try diving back in. I currently have 7 tabs open in my browser all to inspire great writing. Lists of potential blog posts, posts already written to inspire, questions readers have asked, etc. These are usually where I go when I am falling short.

But for the past few weeks, my normal motivators have failed me. I would go to write and found myself throwing in the towel without a sentence typed.

Then it got really bad. I started to question everything. Why am I even writing this blog? Who cares? Is it just people reading my blog that want me to read their blog which ends in a vicious cycle of nobody really caring about any of it, but reading out of obligation? I know...I was spiraling.

And today I'm feeling a little better, but honestly, I still don't have it all sorted out. I think sometimes you need to give things time. Sometimes you have to push through and just get 'er done. And sometimes you need to call it quits. I just have a hard time knowing what 'sometime' I'm in.

Thoughts?

Finding Motivation - Some steps I took earlier this year to stay motivated
Spousal Inspiration - The story behind a painting I completed
A Little Europe - Hard to imagine I'm dealing with motivation issues with all this around me

p[art]nership - create your own abstract art

2011-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Put your hands together for Sarah who has joined us for the p[art]nership series today! Sarah is the author of the blog La Maison Boheme and has put together some really fun stuff for you all. I'm so happy she shared with us. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Hi there! I'm Sarah from La Maison Boheme. Thanks, Bethany, for asking that I guest post today about some DIY art ideas. I guess the phrase "DIY Art" is kind of obvious. Isn't all art Do It Yourself? I sure hope so. I guess I should say, "Even YOU can make your own abstract art!"

1) Start with two colors.

I was inspired by THIS post at A Perfect Gray and decided to paint with black and white. If this is your first time with abstract art, and you're looking to display your work in your home, stick to two colors. This will increase your chances of creating a dynamic piece that will successfully suit your interior design concept.

2) Think big. Large scale art will translate better into your space and have some serious impact. I love to work with square canvases because the shape is more unique than a rectangle. For today's project, I picked up an 18x24 inch canvas at Big Lots for 7 dollars. It was the biggest one they had. The can of spray paint was 2.93 at Home Depot and the bottles of black and white paint were in my son's art box.

I spray painted the canvas first.

Then I painted over the top - like so.

3) Don't over-think it. Its art. Its suppose to be fun and give pleasure. Take a cue from my three-year old, Walker, and just go for it. Let your mistakes become part of the painting. Again, if you don't like the results, just start over.

My three year old son, Walker, added the white paint over top.

These are the two brushes Walker used.

4) If you don't like it, start over. No one will know that you tried seven or eight or forty times before you settled on a look that pleased you. Here is our final product!

5) Get inspired. Find art that you love and let it inspire your own work. By trying out the techniques and styles of other artists, you'll find your own unique expression. I promise!

You can see more of Walker's artwork of which profits go to the surgery of his baby brother. You can visit the Etsy site, the Blog, or watch this video:

p[art]nership - Party Decor - A table setting inspired by an iconic painting

p[art]nership - Creating Personal Art For Your Home - Make your artwork your own!
p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art

art lessons - perspective drawing, color...and ghandi

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have continued teaching private art lessons to a ten year old boy traveling around Europe with us. I'm really having a blast going over these basic techniques and realizing how fun they are.

In the first art lesson, we worked on shading basic objects with pencil. In the next lesson, we incorporated a bit of color with the same objects. We started with just one color at first, and then two.

We also got to try our hand at perspective drawing, which is very technical, but the results are always amazing. I remember being awed that a few simple rules can make 3D spaces look so real.

And finally, we drew Ghandi. Why? Because we had about 20 minutes left in our session (of two hours) and my student turns to me and says, "I have to draw Ghandi for my homework, which is due tomorrow." He informed me they've been studying India for the past few weeks.

If you know anything about my art skills, then you know the human form is not my specialty. I have NEVER learned anything about figure drawing, and have only recently been trying my hand at abstract watercolors of human figures. So...I was a little shell shocked and kept fumbling around before I made a game plan. We looked up a few photos online of ol' Mr. Ghandi, and then started drawing. It was comical, to say the least.

This is my student's finished drawing, and to tell the truth, it's about as good as mine turned out!

Art Lessons - See some shots from the first art lesson
Painting in Process - "Nude Torso" - A video of me painting a human form
Colorful Nudes on Black - A new technique of mine...watercolors on black paper

p[art]nership - party decor

2011-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have a special contributor for the p[art]nership series today! Kate Todd is the author of the blog Party Resources, where she shares all kinds of wonderful ideas for creating a smashing party. She has kindly put together a design for a party based on a piece of artwork. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Campbell's Soup Cans was produced in 1962 by Andy Warhol. It consists of thirty-two canvases, each consisting of a painting of a can-one of each of the canned soup varieties The individual paintings were produced by a printmaking method. Campbell's Soup Cans' reliance on themes from popular culture helped to usher in pop art as a major art movement in the US. I wanted to incorporate the red and white colors in a table setting that would do Mr. Warhol Justice and feel like pop art.

Candelabra
Chairs
Alternating Pillows on the chairs with Andy Warhol's initials
Wine Glasses
Champagne Glass
Water Glass
A Bold Modern Centerpiece
White plates
Layered on top of the red and white for some pop
Lucite Napkin Rings
Place cards

p[art]nership - Creating Personal Art For Your Home - Make your artwork your own!
p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art
p[art]nership - Vintage Fashion Portrayed in Art - An amazingly thoughtful look at how artists create pieces including vintage fashion

my last european home

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the past three weeks (maybe longer) I have been extremely out of touch with the world. I first took a two week jaunt with some family across western Europe from Paris to Brussels to Amsterdam (and a few places in between). That was very fun and very exhausting! When I returned home to Nijmegen, I had exactly 48 hours to pack up all our belongings once again to prepare for our move to Italy.

A 16 hour van ride later....we arrived at our new home in Padova, Italy. For the past week we have been running around like crazy to get settled in. We bought some used bikes, procured cell phones, paid our rent, and are now ready to enjoy the sun! Yesterday it was 82 degrees.

I cannot wait to show you more of this beautiful city, but here are a few shots to tide you over :)

Beautiful cemetery sculpture across the street from our flat

Chapel at the cemetery, so vivid

The largest square in Europe, and Sant Guistina cathedral in the background

Galileo himself lived in Padova - this is an old astronomical observatory tower for him

Q&A - Why Am I In Europe - An answer to all your questions
Nijmegen, The Netherlands - My previous home
Louvain, Louvain - My first European home

statue art

2011-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, I went through a big phase of making little things with FIMO clay. It's the colorful clay you can bake in the oven to harden. I would make little animals, beads for jewelry, and....well, mostly animals. And that is pretty much where my sculpting skills stopped.

Sculptures, especially those made of stone, are incredibly impressive to me. I am unendingly curious how people can look at a huge slab of stone and know where to even begin making it into a form. And then, when I think about people doing this hundreds of years ago with primitive tools, I have to sit down. It blows my mind.

We have come across some beautiful statue work here in Europe to continue the mind boggling. Here's a taste.

Outside the cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium

My friend and I on a sculpture in Paris

Sculpture in Paris

HUGE statue of Mary and Child at an abbey in Leuven, Belgium

Primitive statue in Damme, Belgium

In a Brussels church (look at the lace detail!)

Outside a governmental building in Brussels

Near the Louvre in Paris (Fabric impresses me more than anything)

Statues in Brussels (wish you could see more detail, they are awesome)

Architectural Art - Some seriously awesome statues hidden away in the attic of the city hall of Leuven

Art in Leuven - Beautiful artwork we found throughout Leuven, Belgium

Antwerp Art - And here is some from the stunning Antwerp cathedral

painting in process - paint between the lines

2011-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes I have dorky little painting projects that are just for fun and to get my creative juices flowing. That's what this little ditty was for. One day, several weeks ago, I started playing around with gluing sewing thread to paper. It's the day that I put together this map.

Before I put the lines on the map, I threw together the little piece below with thread. Then a bit ago I decided to color in the lines. Again, just for fun. It took a surprisingly long time, as you will see by how fast I sped up the video. I don't know why, but my "fun" projects often end up taking more time than some of my more professional pieces.

Painting in Process - Nude Sitting Female - another video of me painting

Q&A - Video of Me Painting - The very first painting video I unveiled at DD

Q&A - How to Display Artwork Other Than on a Wall - Long title, short video

music & creativity: the importance of listening in art

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Maria Rainier is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online schools, and the future of online degrees. Before turning to writing she studied English and music at Elon University, developing interests in professional writing, rhetoric, poetry, and classical piano performance. In her spare time she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and trying to avoid her laptop.

Painted by artists Tatiana and Rob while listening to Beck

If your career involves any amount of creativity, no matter how small, music can help you express yourself even when you can’t seem to find your muse. Breaking into a creative state of mind is especially important to visual artists, creative writers, choreographers, and even fashion designers. As a creative writer, the thing I appreciate most about music is its ability to help me believe that I always have something to say. My creativity doesn’t go away when I’m not feeling creative; it’s always there, and music helps me to access it when I can’t find it any other way.

To benefit from the inspirational qualities of music in your own creative pursuits, try some of these tips
for expressing yourself as you interpret life through the lens of music.

Music & Memories

My favorite music often reminds me of previous times when I’ve listened to the same songs and pieces. There’s something about good memories that puts me into a creative state – I can filter my thoughts according to a single memory, making associations and finding phrases to describe it just the way it feels in that moment. Recalling the past can unlock emotions that inspire creativity, and music is the one thing in my life that can always provide me with a memory, some way to connect with the rest of humanity. And for me, feeling connected is when I’m able to do my best work. It’s as if I know that other people will automatically understand what I’m expressing because music brings it out in everyone.

To bring out memories, I usually listen to folk music. Some of my favorite folk artists include She & Him, Iron & Wine, Amelia Curran, and Neilson Hubbard. The song I turn to when all else fails is “Passing Afternoon” by Iron & Wine, which is the most beautiful and nostalgic song I’ve ever heard. It never fails to inspire me with a memory.

Music & Mood

Whenever I hear music, I can feel my mood being affected. And since I love music, listening to it inspires me with positive feelings that can be channeled into art. However, there are some types of music that evoke specific moods and feelings for me. If I’m trying to achieve a certain mood, I turn to classical music and opera to steer me in the right direction. Often, it’s the absence of lyrics that helps me turn my attention inward to find the creative impulse that’s triggered by evocative music.

I find Beethoven’s piano sonatas, especially the later ones, to be full of a variety of emotions that can
inspire me to express something that surfaces when I listen to them. The most powerful piece of music I’ve found for evoking emotion and mood is Nessun Dorma, a famous aria from Puccini’s Turandot, as performed by the masterful Pavarotti. I find deep sadness, love, and victory in it, a potent combination that can inspire me to create something truly expressive.

Music & Messages

Listening to music that conveys a message that’s important to me can help me find inspiration. In this
mind. Combining the power of words and music helps me find my creativity and use it to express myself. I listen to songs with lyrics that speak to me on a personal level or bring strong visual images to even more accurately and uniquely.

For verbal images, I listen to Iron & Wine’s “Walking Far from Home” on their newest album, Kiss Each Other Clean. This song is a series of short but potent images that remind me how poetry can be found in everyday life. Any song with evocative lyrics helps me discern messages in music that can help me feel more creative in my everyday efforts to produce art.

Does Sleep Affect Creativity - A similar discussion, this time with sleep
Art For Fun - Further Thoughts - I talk about if art should be fun
Creative Discipline - A lesson from Jon Stewart, of all people

art lessons

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Big things are happening with Dirksen Dabbles...well, I don't know if I can really call it Dirksen Dabbles, but it is dealing with me and art. I am officially an art instructor. I have been asked to teach private art lessons to a ten year old boy that is traveling throughout Europe with us. His mother is going to school with my husband and he just loves art. So, once or twice a week we are meeting and learning!

I have to say, when I was approached about this possibility, I was very nervous. If you remember my background, I have only had two classes in my life where I was formally taught art lessons. Having a lot of good experiences with learning from a teacher makes it easier to know where to start when being a teacher yourself.

I started with a trip to the art store and got the basic

So, I remembered some of the very first lessons I had in my very first art class. And that was shading objects to make them look 3D. So my student and I got some paper and a pencil, I pulled together a few objects for us to look at, a good light to shine on the objects, and we shaded away!

My drawings for instruction

Learning to make the dark parts extra dark

He works very hard to make it look perfect, often erasing parts and redoing

One of our objects, to show the shadow on a sphere

Our finished products. Didn't he do great?!

I have lots of experience working with kids, but have never taught art lessons before. I thoroughly enjoyed this lesson and am quite excited for the many more to come. After we get some of the basics of drawing down, we will get to move onto more exciting things like painting!

Drawing Glass - Usually the only person I get to teach is myself, which is much more difficult
Pencil Drawing of Animals - This is what I learned in my first art class
And The Not So Good - When learning new things, sometimes it doesn't turn out well!

continual creativity

2011-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

A short while ago a friend emailed me a link to this discussion from Radiolab. She thought of me with this story because it focuses on creativity.

The hosts of this show talk to a few people that are creative professionals. Writers were their main focus, but the rules apply to all forms of art such as music, painting, dancing...anything really. The discussion brings us to the unending question of how do we continually nurture creativity, even when we are not 'feeling it.'

One author threatens himself with bad consequences if he does not write, once even resorting to telling himself he would have to commit suicide if he did not complete a book within ten days. A bit extreme, but a striking example nonetheless.

Then they talk to the author of the best selling book Eat Pray Love, who works with creativity as if it is another entity. She talks to creativity, asks creativity questions, and tries to make creativity happy so it will stay around longer.

I thought the discussion was very interesting. If you would like to listen, go here, or hit play below. There are really three segments to this episode, the second being the part on creativity, which starts at around minute 24:42 and ends at 39:10.

Does Sleep Aid Creativity - My thoughts on this vital component of life
Art For...Fun? - Keeping the fun in art
Creative Discipline - Another NPR related post

q&a - compare my fashion and painting styles

2011-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Q&A question comes from a friend, Michael, who asked me to compare two of my artistic outlets. It was fun to compare my fashion and painting style because I had never thought of the similarities or differences they have. Quite fun!

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Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - An explanation of this crazy year

Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history
Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home

p[art]nership - creating personal art for your home

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to give a warm welcome to Kelly to the p[art]nership series. Kelly is the author of the blog JAX does design and has a fun eye for interior spaces. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Thanks Bethany for asking me to participate in your p[art]nership blog series.

I think every home needs art. It adds colour and character, and often reflects the homeowner’s interests and likes. Because art is a personal thing, why not create art from pictures and images that have personal meaning to you. It’s easy and inexpensive to have a photograph enlarged, and there lots of places where you can pick up frames at a great price (Ikea, for example). Creating your own art is fun, and really makes a statement in your home. And it pretty much guarantees that your art will be unique and different from everyone else’s.

Here are some examples of how you can create your own art gallery wall using your photos and pictures that are important to you.

Vanessa at Décor Happy created this gallery wall in her living room. It includes photos, a painting, and a drawing all by Vanessa, as well as original artwork by artists that she admires.

Here’s a black and white take on a similar theme. Lisa at Lisa Goulet Design framed architectural photos that she took on some of her vacations.

I created my own art gallery wall with close-up pictures of all my pets from the last 15 years. Each photo only cost a few dollars to print at Costco, and the frames are from Ikea.

Carissa at The Fabulous Design File created this gallery wall at the bottom of her staircase. It includes photos of her kids, artwork by her kids, and art that Carissa created herself.

Which brings up another great way to create personal art – framing your child’s art. Adding a frame to a child’s painting gives it a whole new level of importance. Here are some examples of how children’s art can become true works of art.

Image from Echoes of Laughter

Image via June Cleaver Nirvana

Here’s another fun idea – hang kid’s art from a curtain rod. This kind of display makes it easy to change up the artwork any time the mood hits or your child brings home a new masterpiece.

Image via Ohdeedoh

Image via Project Nursery via Frills Fluffs and Trucks

And this is a great idea – wallpaper that’s meant to be used as a canvas for kids to draw and colour on. Just make sure you explain to your kids that this is the ONLY wall they’re allowed to draw and colour on! (“Frames” wallpaper from Land of Nod)

Art is personal, so get creative and display your own personal art!

p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art
p[art]nership - Vintage Fashion Portrayed in Art - An amazingly thoughtful look at how artists create pieces including vintage fashion
p[art]nership - How to Hang Art on a Large Wall - Those big walls are tricky, this post is full of great tips!

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - boys gone geek

2011-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the n[a]r[r]a[t]ive series I tell true stories from my own life and the lives of people I know in order to teach highly important lessons on art, business, and life in general.

Kevin - actually camping

In June of this year I will have been married four years. I met my main squeeze, Kevin, in high school, but we aren't technically high school sweethearts. Our school was fairly large, and we didn't meet until halfway through our senior year in Ms. Stewart's English class. We had just enough time to get to know each other during that last semester, and started officially dating the summer after graduation.

When I met Kevin, I believe he was starting the long and arduous process of "de-geeking." You see...he was a pretty major geek before I met him. His geeky qualities included, but were not limited to: being the computer expert in his family at the age of 10, the inability to form a firm grasp on the concept of fashion, an aversion and fear of the female species, and, most importantly, a true love of Mountain Dew Code Red when paired with hours of computer gaming awesomeness.

I believe the pentacle of Kevin's geek life came when he and his friends decided to go camping. Normally, I would think they were about to embark on a very non-geeky excursion by heading to the heart of nature to rough it for a weekend. But alas, this was no ordinary camping trip.

You see, the geeksters decided to turn Kevin's family motor home into a portable LAN party. For all of you normal people out there, a LAN party is where you get a bunch of computers in the same room and you play an interactive computer game with multiple people. So, instead of going on hikes or swimming in a lake, they were shut up in a motor home....playing computer games. Oh, and it helps to mention that this was before laptops were popular, so they put together 5 or 6 DESKTOP computers in said motor home.

They. Were. Awesome.

Moral - Do whatever makes you happy - even if it's as lame as camping with computers

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - Cookies Tell All - The first of this series
My Forever Love - Some more childhood memories
My Favorite Nana - Funny story about my grandma and a painting of mine

merry go round - my inspiring artist

2011-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy

I have always kicked myself that I never enrolled in an art history course during my college years. At that point in my life, I had no idea I would ever make efforts to become a professional artist, so I don't blame myself too harshly for poor decision making. But, there are so many amazing and influential artists that I know nothing of, which saddens me.

I do, however, have one artist that I have always admired. My love has humble beginnings. As a teenager, about to finish high school and preparing to enter college, my focus was definitely on all the things I needed to buy. You know, dorm stuff. Bedding, desk lamp, trash can, laundry bag...but most important, decorations.

So, when I found posters 70% off at a local store I was delighted. And I quickly picked out two. One was a photograph of a pink flower and the other was a painting. The painting was very simple, had green, yellow and purple, and the name Mark Rothko.

photo courtesy

I can remember staring at this poster while "studying" and admiring the texture, the color composition, and the overall peaceful feel. I fell in love with it so much that I even went out of my way to research a bit about Mr. Rothko. I learned that most people considered him a colorist (an artist who's focus is just the mixture of color), although he never admitted he was one. I love that his paintings are HUGE. I love that all you see is texture and color.

And then I started painting. I developed my own style and it's primary focus was texture and color. Rothko was not on my mind specifically as this came about, but it is certainly interesting to look back on, and admire again.

Don't forget to check out the other artist bloggers on the merry go round!

Misty at Artmind

Jen at Painted Fish Studio

Mariana at Florcita

Laura at Blue Terracotta
Monika at Red2White
Ruth at Birdland Creations
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Crafts of Texture
Samantha at Vintage is for lovers
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent

Merry Go Round - Favorite Painting Tools - I share my top five favorite tools to paint with

Tamarak Ridge Woodworks - Some modern day artists I enjoy

A New Friend I Want You To Meet - And yet another, lovely artist

painting in process - 'nude torso'

2011-03-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

She's at it again!

With this painting, I tried to get a little more "watercolory." I have been told that my watercolor style is a lot more like acrylics than it is watercolors. I don't at all think this is a bad thing (and don't believe that's what other people think either), but I do want to keep expanding into new territory.

So this painting I really worked with adding more water and blending. It's a small difference from my last ones, let's see if you notice.

Q&A - Video of Me Painting - The first painting video!
Colorful Nudes on Black - A watercolor project, painting on black paper
Pregnancy Art - A watercolor I am particularly happy with

p[art]nership - fashion as performance art

2011-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today we are introduced to the lovely Melissa from the blog Miss Molly Fashions for the p[art]nership series. She describes herself as a clothing merchandiser by day, fashion designer by night and fashion blogger everywhere in between. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Gareth Pugh

Pugh is known for experimenting with shape and volume. He often uses odd shaped wearable clothes that almost distort the human body silhouette. Pugh describes his designs as being ‘ about the struggle between lightness and darkness’ His latest master pieces to walk the runway include tabard shapes, broad shoulders and jackets cut on the square.

Vivienne Westwood

Westwood is known for experimenting with colour and texture and lots of it. She is not afraid to go over the top and has said that her purpose is to share her love of high culture and to impress its importance on the current generation. Vivivenne has also said that she wants to encourage people to love art. At her latest show, neon feathers, chunky knits, plaids and velvets were seen.

Viktor and Rolf

Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are known for their artistic approach to catwalk presentations. We have seen amazing presentations walk down the runway - from the layering of their couture dresses to their models wearing scaffolding and lights. Their latest show was said to be inspired by knight’s armor, they said : ’We felt the need for protection because fashion’s ever – increasing speed reminds us how important it is to battle for our creativity’

Photos courtesy of style.com

written artwork - lord of the flies

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy

While most of the books on my list are potential options for teachers to have their students read in middle or high school, I really feel like this one is a must read. Of course, I didn't, but it is such a well written book, easily understandable, and really delves into the issues of human nature. All of these elements make it a perfect student read.

The simplicity of this book is really beautiful. It has the perfect level of character development, building plot, climax, and resolution. When I set it down, I almost felt like, "Now that's how you write a book."

And this is all without even mentioning the fact that William Goulding has expertly dissected humans in their true nature. The desire for social acceptance, power, and safety are all very evident in this story. It would make for some seriously awesome group discussion during and after reading.

Sometimes I wish I was reading them with others so we could discuss them. But I suppose that is why I have you. Have you read this book? What did you think?

A list of what's to come, and what has already been explored.
My Written Artwork Journey Explained here

Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Emma - Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
The sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Crime and Punishment - Fedor Dostoyevsky
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Tales - Edgar Allan Poe
Diary of a Madman and Other Stories - Nikolai Gogol
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - patrick's dream

2011-03-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the n[a]r[r]a[t]ive series I tell true stories from my own life and the lives of people I know in order to teach highly important lessons on art, business, and life in general.

During high school years, around the age of 17, one of my best friends was Patrick Sellin. Patrick and I went to church together, where I met the majority of my close buds. We would do fun things with our friends like go to Christian rock concerts, stop by a local restaurant, Cruisers, for milkshakes, and even had a band (okay, okay, it was a worship band that mostly only our parents heard, but it was still cool).

At one point, Patrick and I even had a weekly get together after youth group where he would come over and we would watch West Wing. We called it West Wing Wednesday. I know, we were crazy teenagers, going to church and watching political television dramas.

Patrick is a pretty funny guy, and one time told me about a crazy dream he had. As I remember it, he was dreaming of lying in a peaceful park on a beautiful day. The grass was soft and the sun was shining. He comfortably dozed with one hand behind his head, and one on his stomach.

While resting with his eyes closed, he felt a slight tickle on the hand atop his stomach. Then the tickle turned into a pain. He opened his eyes to find a squirrel biting his fingers. Startled, he quickly sat up and yanked his arm to the side, flinging the offender yards away. Then Patrick woke up.

Patrick woke up, not because the squirrel had startled him out of the dream world, but because, in reality, Patrick had sat up in bed, flung his arm quickly to the side (to remove the squirrel) and dislocated his shoulder. I've never dislocated anything, but I hear it's quite painful.

Moral - Work hard to turn your dreams into reality. Unless your dreams are about rabid squirrels...then you keep those suckers in your head.

What's in a Name - The story of how Dirksen Dabbles was named
Reactions - Funny story about the post office man
When Paintings Fight Back - A devious painting, and the story behind it

q&a - future business plans

2011-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

This Q&A episode was submitted by the author of the beautiful blog The Story of Kat. Hit play to hear what I plan on doing with my business when I return state side! And, don't forget to submit your own question in the box below!

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Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - An explanation of this crazy year

Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history
Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home

p[art]nership - current art trends 2011

2011-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy Chania of the Razmataz blog has joined us today for the p[art]nership series. Her beautiful blog is also accompanied by her own shop that sells beautiful home furnishings. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Thank you Bethany for asking me to write a bit about Trends in Art. Now, I am an interior decorator, not an artist, so I speak from what I see in the design world, not from the art world. What I perceive as a trend is from thoughts influenced and gathered from design shows, interior magazines and what I feeland see on the street from restaurants, shops and galleries, model suites etc. So here are my un-substantiated trends in art for 2011.

Ethnic Art. Those wall hangings, masks, charcoal drawings etc that you see when you travel are hot. Bring them home. Support the locals and score yourself some original, well priced pieces that have the authenticity of being from your own travels. Not so trendy to go to Home Sense and purchase a “Traveled Look”

Art Walls with odd Bits…You may think this is not a new trend, but what I see new in art walls is incorporating odd Bits into the grouping. Vintage letterpress Letters, prayer beads, a hand beaded purse. Add them to the mix.

Huge photography. I am seeing a move away from framed black and white photos. While always a classic, the trend is for big, printed on stretched canvas or in large frames.

Gallery White walls. Art is becoming a feature of a room, rather than an accessory. To showcase great art, there is nothing like pristine white walls.

Bright, vibrant colors. Picking up on the bright colours coming back to furniture, art is bright, bold and daring.

Original art. With Etsy, student shows and local galleries, original art is attainable and affordable. Original art is always on trend.

The British Influence. I see a huge British Influence in art. British pop art…and the Union Jack, on a very large scale. Very on trend in shops and designer sales suites, perfect for a loft.

Equestrian art. Horse art is everywhere!

Erin Anderson
Maps. Framed, unframed, pinned to the wall. Maps especially vintage ones are a definite trend.

So keep in mind, I am no expert. This is my feel for what’s hot in 2011.

p[art]nership - Ideas for Artwork in Children's Rooms - A fun grouping of ideas
p[art]nership - How to Hang Art on a Large Wall - Those big walls are tricky, this post is full of great tips!
p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art

art factory

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just over one year ago, I came out with a new line of 'baby paintings' in my shop. They range in size, but are usually 8x8 or 8x10. I believe these paintings are a valuable part of my repertoire as well as a great price point for first time customers.

When I announced the baby paintings, I had a very thoughtful comment from a reader, which stated,

"As a painter, does a lower price point affect how much effort or detail you put into the piece? I doubt that it would, knowing you, but it does seem to me that, if I was selling a painting for less than half of what I sold my larger paintings for, I might get to a point where I was like, "Good enough..." or maybe try to pump them out at a frequency greater than I would want."

As a professional artist, we, in essence, become small art producing factories. It's our job to be making this product, so we better be producing, and hopefully producing something that people want to buy. But there is always a line between making art for art's sake, and making art simply to produce something to sell.

With my smaller paintings, they obviously take less time. But they are also so small that the same level of detail just cannot be applied. I like the challenge of making something with less detail still look artistic and thoughtful. I especially like taking a painting and doing a large and small size. For example,

Waves on Rock - 20x24 - Still for sale!

Waves on Rock - 8x8

Ginkgo Leaf - 16x20 - Still for sale!

Ginkgo Leaf - 8x8

What about the other artists out there? Do you struggle with putting the right amount of time and creativity into every piece, especially small ones?

A big thank you for such a thoughtful comment!

Small Business - Small painting, small business. My thoughts on having a small business of my own.

Finding Motivation - In order to do a good job on each painting, I have to have motivation

Does Sleep Aid Creativity - Hear what I've to say on this tricky subject

n[a]r[r]a[t]ive - cookies tell all

2011-03-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the n[a]r[r]a[t]ive series I tell true stories from my own life and the lives of people I know in order to teach highly important lessons on art, business, and life in general.

So, you are probably gonna think I'm lying, but growing up, I really didn't get in trouble. Sure, there were a few instances of random "kid gone bad" moments, and probably little things like "Bethany, you didn't pick up your bedroom," but as a whole, I obeyed my parents. They brought me up in a way where I knew what the rules were and that it wasn't really an option to disobey them.

My two favorite things as a kid were cartoons and treats (candy, ice cream, cookies...you know). It's pretty much normal, I suppose. My cartoon obsession was dangerously high, no matter how much my parents limited my TV viewing time. But this is probably best saved for another story. My love of treats was probably on par with most other kids my age.

I vividly remember one day, probably around age 7 or 8, that it was time for an afternoon snack. I was very excited because I knew we had some cookies in the cupboard. They were those Keebler ones made of gram cracker with chocolate stripes drizzled over the top. Mmmmmmm...

Anyway, I asked my mom if I could have cookies for snack, and she consented. So I climbed up on the counter (the cookies were in the top cupboard) and pulled out the delicious package. Then it occurred to me, I hadn't asked how many I could have! So I yelled, "Mom! How many can I have?" And she smartly replied, "How many do you think is a good amount?"

Now this threw me for a loop. I knew the normal amount was two. But, oh man, did I want three. I considered the chances of actually being allowed three cookies when all previous cookie eating endeavors had ended with the consumption of only two. I knew my chances were not high. So was it even worth asking it? Again, I must remind you that I was a child of obedience, and rules were rules.

So, with a somewhat dejected attitude I succumbed to my fate. "Two cookies" I responded, "two is a good amount." My mom agreed. And I enjoyed my two cookies to their fullest.

Moral - When it seems impossible, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Even if it is as grand as THREE cookies.

My Forever Love - Some more childhood memories
My Favorite Nana - Funny story about my grandma and a painting of mine
How Birds are Making my Life Harder - It's a bird story

painting in process - 'nude sitting female'

2011-03-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Since making the first video of a painting in action, I can't stop myself! Although it is absolutely more awkward to paint in a position good for the camera, it is so much more fun to be able to go back and watch it in action. I really have been able to learn a thing or two about my own process.

This painting isn't exactly one of my favorites. I think it came out a little bit "busy," if that makes sense. But...still fun! Enjoy :)

Q&A - How to Hang Artwork, Other than on a Wall - Like videos? You'll like this.
Nude Watercolors - See two other versions of this same pose
Favorite Tools - Some of my favorite tools for creating paintings like this!

p[art]nership - ideas for artwork in children's rooms

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have the splendid opportunity to introduce you to Sarah for our p[art]nership series. Sarah writes the beautiful blog Flourish Design & Style and also has her own Etsy shop selling baby blankets. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Art for kids. Wow, the options are truly endless. There are so many fabulous Etsy shops that you can pick up great prints to frame for under $20. Search kids and you'll be amazed at the selection you find. One of my favorites (we have it in my daughters room) is the LOVE print by Jen Ramos. You can get it in the most fabulous colors and it provides a great statement piece and can help to anchor the room.

Looking at the images above, here are a few great art ideas-

1. Chalkboard paint. ever changing art by the kids and little notes from mom and dad

2. Framed prints.. check out Etsy!

3. Frame your child's art! Ikea has great inexpensive frames.. and your kids will feel SO special!

4. Blow up an image to poster size.. then frame in pieces

5. Flash cards, clipped onto string

6. A gallery wall with your child's art

7. I thought this was so cool.. and how great does it look outside of their bedroom!

Have fun with it, involve the kids :)

p[art]nership - How to Hang Art on a Large Wall - Those big walls are tricky, this post is full of great tips!
p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art
p[art]nership - Contemporary Art Within Traditional Design - Lean to mix and match styles

hidden artwork - flags

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had the opportunity to once again celebrate the life of my husband for his 26th birthday. We decided to have his current co-student friends over for an evening of chill hang out time.

As a special little treat I decided to make up a little trivia game for everyone to participate in. The students are literally from all over the world (Germany, Poland, Nigeria, The Philippines, and India to name a few of about 15), so I made the trivia questions all about the countries we were from.

In my research for fun trivia facts, I came across many of these country's flags. There are so many that I have never truly looked at, and was surprised at how beautifully designed some of them are. It makes me wonder exactly what each little details symbolizes and who decided it would be a good representation of their country.

I did some more digging, and came across some of these. I would say they are my favorite flags.

Greece - I was fairly familiar with this flag, but truly love it after a quick study

Micronesia - Have to admit, never heard of this country before, but love the light blue and simple star design

Egypt - This only works because the bird is only one color, love it

Palau - Again, great color combo and simple, off centered design

Saudi Arabia - You have to admit, this flag kicks butt

Slovakia - I really like their little shield design

Sweden - The sky blue is striking

Turkey - It's classic

Hidden Artwork - Maps - My love of maps is great inspiration for art
Architectural Art - These statues were literally hidden...in an attic of the city hall in Leuven
Q&A - Why am I in Europe - Don't know why? Find out here.

q&a - how to display artwork other than on a wall

2011-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

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Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - An explanation of this crazy year

Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history
Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home

antwerp art

2011-03-02T06:34:00.000-08:00

Just before moving to Nijmegen, The Netherlands, we made a day trip to Antwerp, Belgium. This is the second largest city in Belgium and has some seriously awesome stuff to show the world. The Christmas market was still going strong and we had the opportunity to hop into the city's impressive cathedral.

Most churches in Europe have gobs of beautiful artwork to admire, but the cathedral in Antwerp is special. They have put together an incredible collection of artwork from highly esteemed artists including the famous Peter Paul Rubens. The paintings are strikingly displayed against red banners. I thought I would take this opportunity to share the beauty.

The Descent from the Cross - Peter Paul Reubens

Part of the normal church collection, I do not know the artist

Saint Luke Pain of the Virgin Mary - Maerten de Vos, Otto van Veen and Ambrosius Francken

Adoration of the Shepherds - Frans Floris (this one was my favorite)

The Fall of the Rebel Angels - Frans Floris

Details of the previous painting - impressive

Last Judgement with the Seven Works of Mercy - Bernard van Orley (angels wearing black...interesting!)

Art in Leuven - A look at some of the amazing art we found in Leuven's Museum
Architectural Art - Something amazing we stumbled upon in Belgium
Q&A - Why am I in Europe - A fun video to explain!

written artwork - war and peace

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! Hooray! I did it! Everybody listen!

I READ WAR AND PEACE!

This is pretty much how I felt when I finished this gargantuan book. It is a title that is revered in the literary world and a book that most stay away from simply because of it's size. Luckily I was able to easily carry this encyclopedia sized book around on my tiny Kindle.

After completion, I decided War and Peace is made of three parts.

A fictional story with many fictional characters
Narration by Tolstoy of historical events and figures
Tolstoy's opinion on the war between Napoleon and Russia as well as general thoughts on war

As the book begins, we only see the first part. Tolstoy takes his time telling the fictional story and we get to meet many interesting characters. As the book progresses we get to learn more and more about the historical storyline that goes with the fictional, which it is quite interesting.

Then we slowly start to hear more of his, very thought out and valuable, opinions on war. First with small tidbits, then small essays, until it turns into an all out rant. This portion of the book could easily be separated from War and Peace to make it's own book. Although I really saw that Tolstoy knew what he was talking about and had valuable opinions, I could have done with a lot less of the rants.

Other than this point, War and Peace was extremely readable. Much more so than I had first imagined it would be. For someone that is looking for a big reading project, I would highly recommend this book. Especially if you are a history buff like myself. It was truly a pleasure to learn about a culture I personally have heard little of, such as Russia's.

A list of what's to come, and what has already been explored.
My Written Artwork Journey Explained here

Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Emma - Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
The sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Crime and Punishment - Fedor Dostoyevsky
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Tales - Edgar Allan Poe
Diary of a Madman and Other Stories - Nikolai Gogol
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

merry go round - favorite painting tools

2011-02-25T02:30:00.000-08:00

Every last Friday of the month, I am going to be jumping on the 'Merry Go Round'. What is the Merry Go Round exactly? Each month, a group of artists and craftswomen from around the world join together and give their response to the same question/challenge.

Find an old man. Ask him if he ever built, fixed, or restored things in his life. If he says yes, then go find his garage and locate his tools. He may have a few or he may have hundreds, but chances are there will be a couple that have seen heavy use and special attention. These are his favorite tools.

And just as any carpenter or fix it man, an artist always has their favorite tools close at hand. Today, I get to share my top five favorites for painting.

No. 5 - Tiny Watercolor Brushes

I have only been doing watercolors for a short while now, but can tell you that I go with the tiny brushes about 98% of the time. The big ones always make the end product look like a child was in charge. I just can't get them to work how I want them to. So, tiny it is.

No. 4 - Extra Thick Paper

My extremely low budget right now means that I cannot buy the extra thick watercolor paper often, but oh what a difference it makes when I do! I hate the way the thinner stuff warps with the water and makes the entire piece feel cheap.

No. 3 - Easel

My true love is painting with acrylics, and when I do that, I use my beautiful easel. This was a gift from my husband before he was even my husband and it has gotten great use! Mine is collapsable, so it has been wonderful to easily throw it on the truck when we move. I miss it dearly right now as I am in Europe.

No. 2 - Space

I cannot tell you how much I need free space when dealing with my acrylic paintings. My process usually involves 2-3 layers that need to dry in between. This means that I usually have about 5-10 work in progress pieces at a time. I dearly need places to safely put them for the drying process. I hope to have a beautifully ugly studio like the one I had in Boston again someday.

No. 1 - Plastic Palette Knife

I might get emotional as I write this, because I so immensely miss my knives. The palette knife is how I have set my work apart from other artists. I love the texture they give a painting and the roughness they provide to delicate details. They make me work quickly. They clean up so easily. They are my number one favorite tool.

There are 10 other women that are part of the Merry Go Round. Check out what their favorite tools are!

Misty at Artmind

Jen at Painted Fish Studio

Mariana at Florcita

Laura at Blue Terracotta
Monika at Red2White
Ruth at Birdland Creations
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Crafts of Texture
Samantha at Vintage is for lovers
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent

Why I Use A Knife - More details on why I've chosen this tool for my very own
Q&A - Video of Me Painting - A really fun video of me using those tiny brushes
Sketch Book - Take Two - Another great tool that didn't get included

q&a - why am i in europe?

2011-02-24T01:17:00.000-08:00

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Q&A - Why am I In Europe? - An explanation of this crazy year

Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history
Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home

p[art]nership - how to hang art on a large wall

2011-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Put your hands together for Krystal today for our p[art]nership series! Krystal writes her own blog, Village, about style in general, which usually takes form in fashion and interior design. It's a great read! The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Well, hello! I'm Krystal {from Village} and as part of the p[art]nership series I'm discussing the topic of how to hang art on large walls. I chose this topic as a mini challenge to myself since I currently (and sadly) have about 5 huge white walls that are sitting empty at the moment. While I'm definitely not an expert on this subject, I do hope to inspire you with a few ideas - and I hope you share your own with me in the comments!

Regardless of what you do when decorating a large wall - one thing is for sure - it must inspire you. It must be a reflection of the things or something you love and it must be displayed well. After all, this is a BIG wall we're talking about and is going to take up a A LOT of your viewing time.

There seems to be two main options when decorating a large wall: Statement pieces and Gallery walls. In this article I will highlight and show some ideas for both of these options, however, there are other miscellaneous options to consider (see below).

STATEMENT PIECES

The first way of decorating a large wall that comes to mind is placing a large statement piece there. This is my favorite idea because I love the idea of a special piece of art or another cool element dominating and setting the tone for a room. Here are some statement piece ideas:

1. Canvas Art

(image via Hearted Girl)

If you have some dollars to invest, hunting for and purchasing your first art on canvas piece would surely be rewarding. However, buying a large canvas and paints...then getting artsy on your own is an even better, funner and sometimes cheaper option!

2. A Tapestry

(via Urban Outfitters)

I think finding a tapestry that you love and hanging it on the wall is a perfectly acceptable option. And these from Urban outfitters are very affordable at under $40. Another option is to buy some scarves, a blanket or a tapestry that represents the country you went to while traveling and hang those.

3. Flags

Image via

I really like Apartment Therapies idea of hanging up flags to give a pop art kind of feel. Choosing flags could be a fun creative outlet - or you might choose to represent your ancestry?

4. Blowing up a photograph

(Image via)

Blowing up a photograph is going to be my option of choice. Do you not take photographs? Ask a friend who does to look through their photos. Then - head to Ikea for a cheap frame =)

5. Vintage Map

I love this idea from Censational Girl - visit her blog for the details which includes where to buy the map and how to make the frame!

6. Using a small vibrant canvas in a large space. Sadly I couldn't find a photo to correspond with this but using a smaller canvas -but one that is vibrant and active can be enough for a large wall. Think of it as giving the spotlight to a special art piece - use a lamp to illuminate it?

GALLERY WALLS

(source: designchic)

(via le fabuleux destin de...)

There are so many ways that you can do this - you can group together mirrors, vintage frames with all kinds of different images or you can choose one theme and group them together. I have a "gallery wall" in my office of a picture from each of the places that Mark and I have traveled together - I love that it incorporates my photography plus places of some happy memories :)

MISCELLANEOUS

1. A floating shelf wall

via

We had this in our old house - I loved it because you could decorate the shelves with anything that you want like flower vases, frames, pictures, etc.

2. Wall Decals

This one happens to be from Urban Outfitters but I know that you can find some on Etsy and at Ikea.

And I'm going to wrap it up now, I hope this helps anyone with questions on how to decorate a huge wall!

p[art]nership - Riding Boots Displayed in Art - A great link of fashion and art
p[art]nership - Contemporary Art Within Traditional Design - Lean to mix and match styles

p[art]nership - Traditional Art Within Contemporary Design - The perfect companion article to the one above

small business

2011-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I was studying interior design in college, many people would ask me what I was going to do after I graduated. I wasn't 100% sure, but I would say, "I am not going to own my own business!"

Many people in interior design end up running their own business at some point and I wholeheartedly knew I did not want to. Why would I want to handle all the business side of interior design instead of just the creative?

So I got a lovely job in the field as a design consultant at a furniture store. It was perfection to me. No commission, no major stress, small amounts of creativity, and a regular paycheck. But as a couple years went by, I began to have some serious creative urges. I wasn't feeling inspired enough at work, so I started to paint at home.

And then what did I have to do? For some reason, I had to start selling them online, essentially starting my very own small business.

Now I live in Europe and don't have an interior design job. I only have the small business. And I thank God for that business every day. My business has given me creative outlets in every way. Of course through my painting, but also through the business in's and out's. Marketing and running a business is surprisingly full of creativity. It is also full of rewards...and stress...and emotions.

I rarely feel as rewarded as when I am selling paintings, receiving good feedback from my blog, or planning a new marketing scheme. I rarely feel as deflated as when I haven't sold a painting for two months, I didn't get any comments on a few blog posts, or I just don't know what to do next with my marketing.

I have an extreme admiration for the people in this country and across the world that put themselves and all their resources at risk to start a business. I now see a glimpse of the emotional toll that takes and that must be sustained. I also know that it can be one of the most fulfilling experiences out there to create something and have it succeed. And for this reason, I am glad for the world of small business.

By the way, I am currently working on the next Dirksen Dabbles Newsletter. It is going to have a video of a painting that will not be shared here on the blog and also some advanced notice about a sale! Don't get the newsletter? Sign up here.

Clearance - Did you know my shop now has a clearance section?
Newsletter - A big step in my small business
Dirksen Dabbles Shop - See my business up close

q&a - video of me painting

2011-02-18T01:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I told myself I would limit my Q&A videos to only one per week, but I simply could not wait to show you this one. It turned out way better than I thought it would, especially for my first attempt at recording my painting in process. Because I don't have my tripod here in Europe, I did some SERIOUS rigging of my camera including a chair, a piece of African sculpture art, and lots of twine. Wish you could have seen it!

So, without further adieu....here's the video:

Q&A - How I Chose Paint as my Primary Medium - A bit of my personal art history
Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home
Q&A with Dirksen Dabbles - Introduction - Learn a little bit more about this video series

p[art]nership - riding boots displayed in art

2011-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'd like to introduce you all to Tabitha for today's p[art]nership article. She has a keen eye for fashion and shares her thoughts and ideas at her blog Bourbon & Pearls. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Meridith Martins - Boots and Whip

“I have to cover my legs with powder, it’s the only way and lie on my back with my legs in the air. And then my maid and I have to pull as hard as we possibly can for hours and hours.”

“Can it be worth this agony?”

“Oh yes they look wonderful when they are on. I feel tremendously proud of myself.”

“What are you talking about, Cicily?”

“My new hunting boots.”

- The Shooting Party

The delight displayed by Cicily, an Edwardian country lady in the classic 1982 film as regards her riding boots is evident in her lines, for clambering up onto a horse is a means of climbing out of the corset tight constraints of class and sexual politics and dancing with nature.

Conjured on canvas in a palette of browns, the riding boot in art has long been a symbol of male domination, but look past the starched shirts of Napoleon and Wellington in their polished black boots, towards the naturalism of ladies at equestrian leisure and you will see them for what they are: a passport to freedom.

Thomas Mellish on Saucebox by Benjamin Marshall

The constraints of social mores, which insisted that one did not even take off one’s own jacket, much less bend down to put on shoes etc, meant a stifling existence for the fairer sex, a perfect prison. Yet to straddle a powerful animal, seize control of the reins and gallop into the whistling wind was to break free, if only for the duration of the hunt.

This experience is portrayed in its most reduced form in Meredith Marten’s painting above where one can see the stories of horseback adventures unfolding in the boot's leather creases. The leather has been kept supple and well tended and whomever they belonged too treasured them as they would a fine gown.

For there is love in tending to a fine pair of boots. There is a reverence for the boots and where the boots may take one. They offer independence and a time to be oneself, for riding is a contemplative experience. When one is secure in a tightly fitting pair of riding boots and with an obedient horse there are no boundaries and every fence is a challenge to be met.

p[art]nership - Contemporary Art Within Traditional Design - Lean to mix and match styles

p[art]nership - Traditional Art Within Contemporary Design - The perfect companion article to the one above

p[art]nership - How to Hang Art on a Small Wall - Some perfectly practical tips!

q&a - how I chose paint as my primary medium

2011-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Q&A - How to Display Child Artwork in Your Home - My last video had some helpful hints for your home
Q&A with Dirksen Dabbles - Introduction - Learn a little bit more about this video series
Why I Use a Knife - How I chose my method of painting...with a palette knfie

map fun

2011-02-10T06:16:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of crafty fun a bit ago with a watercolor painting. The painting was just something I had tried, but didn't care for too much. It sat on a shelf for several weeks before I got a hankerin' for some fun. While looking at other items on my shelf I found some brown sewing thread and some Elmer's glue. With those three items, I came up with this.

Believe it or not, this actually took me quite some time. I covered the entire paper with a layer of glue, started with the vertical lines and slowly nudged them into place. The curves were tricky to keep even. Before it all dried the lines were all pretty much smooth. To my surprise, when I looked back at it after drying they were all squiggly. But I don't mind.

What do you think? I might play around with the thread/glue application more!

Art for...Fun? - Another project I did, just for fun

Colorful Nudes on Black - Another fun watercolor project I'm quite proud of
Finding Motivation - My motivation goals have been helping for sure

p[art]nership - contemporary art in traditional design

2011-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

The p[art[nership series is going international today! I'd like to extend a warm welcome to Teresa who is the co-author of the blog Casa Tres Chic. Her blog is written in Portugese, so I am very greatful to Teresa for switching to English for this article. The p[art]nership series is all about how art relates to interior design and fashion.

Hi, my name is Teresa, I’m Rita’s associate in Casa Très Chic and we are very happy to have been invited to join Bethany’s series.

When it comes to mixing contemporary artwork in the classically decorated rooms, the notion of aesthetics is important and should guide the search for balance between the two styles, but please, don't get tripped by too many rules, just don't forget that the classic is timeless, it crosses generations and tells history.

Modern art is characterized by breaking boundaries, it cheers and soothes the classic.

A tip to get a timeless and elegant result is not to be stressed or afraid to mix, classic and antique gain evidence when used with good contemporary art and design pieces.

Interior design Roberto Migotto via Casa Vogue

Interior design Peter Marino, painting Joan Mitchell via Architectural Digest

Architect Joao Mansur via Portal da Decoraçao

Interior design by Eric Cohler, via Architectural Digest

Interior design by Joao Armentano via Casa Decorada

Meet Joe Black movie set, via Sweet Sunday Mornings

via Traditional Home

p[art]nership - Traditional Art Within Contemporary Design - The perfect companion article to this one

p[art]nership - How to Hang Art on a Small Wall - Some perfectly practical tips!

p[art]nership - Vintage Fashion Portrayed in Art - An amazingly thoughtful look at how artists create pieces including vintage fashion

q&a - how to display child artwork in your home

2011-02-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of visual aids to go with the ideas I put together in the video.

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Q&A with Dirksen Dabbles - Introduction - Learn a little bit more about this video series
Photographing Artwork - Some tips on how to take shots of artwork, including your child's
Nijmegen, The Netherlands - Like videos? See one here.

colorful nudes on black

2011-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited at how my last painting experiment went, I can't even talk. I'll just show you.

I really want to get some thicker paper for these next time, but I just can't get over how simple and lovely they are. I hope other people like them as much as me! Oh, and this was my first time signing my entire signature with watercolors. Not bad!

And don't forget to submit a question to me here. Ask me anything and I will answer in video form!

Watercolor Technique - Black Paper - My first experiment painting on black paper
Nude Watercolors - Some other female figures on white paper
Pregnancy Art - I love the beauty of pregnant women and tried to capture it

q&a with dirksen dabbles

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00