How to Stay Creative in Dull Times!

   Not that dull times are bad...but we all get busy and overwhelmed with holiday events and chores. That leads to a shortage of times to just get into the studio and focus. That leads to less creative times and made me think about how I have found encouragement to keep going.

   One of the best ways is to spend time with creative people. People who are doing things that charge them up are fun. Einstein said "Creativity is contagious". He was right. Creative people make you see possibilities everywhere. They don't just talk about what they could do...they produce.

   That leads to another trick I have for getting my creative juices flowing. Just finish something. Call it done and that spark often comes. Part of that may be the delusional part of myself that always believes that the next thing I produce will be the best thing I produce. And that is the gift of the artist...to believe that they have something inside them that needs to come out and that will be worth coming out!

   This is a picture taken this summer of one of my paintings on a tote bag. Next time I will explain the role of the tote bag in the creative process. Oh, the tricks of the craft!

   Thanks for stopping by to play and do something creative today!

                         Reclining  Nude

   This is after Paul Klee a painter who was very prolific during the 1930's and whose work delights my senses. He also famously said  " A drawing is simply a line that went for a walk".  He had a sense of playfulness in his paintings which not surprisingly I find relate-able. 
   This is 'after' his painting of a pear, but of course I thought pumpkin, and then the idea of a pumpkin nude presented itself. Mr. Pumpkin was a little shocked. I haven't done any nude studies since college. Then it was sadly not a pumpkin.
    I loved the lush feeling of the plump pumpkin and the idea of her hair being the stem and dried vines. Plus I could hang this in my house and not worry about friends and children coming to visit. Art should delight and while I don't find nudes offensive I wouldn't want my pastor to see it in my home. He might think I was an art lover and then where would we be?
    I'm still working on the pumpkin Christmas tree, but slowly since I smashed my finger in a car door. I find black and blue fingers quite festive for the holidays. 
   But I hope your Thanksgiving is a wonderful day full of family and I hope you feel playful when you eat that pumpkin pie.

   Thanks for stopping by to play!

                       After Richard Faust

   Which is the correct way of saying his work is the backbone of this painting. If you google Richard Faust, and I hope you will, you will recognize his whimsical flowers as the foundation of this work. He resists using pumpkins in his work. Although I cannot imagine why...they lend themselves perfectly to his style. But anyway, he is a very talented artist and illustrator and his work charms me. I am delighted to have found his work on-line.
   We Pumpkins live in something of an art desert and without the internet we would be completely out of the art loop. I would be forced to only use the classic as inspiration. But as pumpkins have no arms I already halfway to the Venus de Milo. 
   Anyway, the Pumpkins planned a date day in the neighboring state to view an exhibit at an art museum we had never visited. Starting off with lattes in hand we followed the GPS to what it assured us was our destination. We were dismayed to find it was the blood bank. Officially the worst date destination ever. I refused to get out.  And shockingly none of the people loitering in the area  had ever heard of a museum. Or even art. Reverting to the stone-age  we roamed around town and enjoyed the beautiful fall scenery. 
   But then we stumbled upon the building and we delighted to spend a pleasant hour soaking up the good stuff. I was delighted Mr Pumpkin was such a good sport and even got a nice lunch out. That's a good art day. Now it's back to the studio where I am working on a pumpkin nude...don't be shocked!
   
   My etsy store is still open for business and I can promise delivery by Christmas!  My store name is pumpkinsatplay 

   Thanks for stopping by to play!

                                 Hot Talk

   As in that was a lot of! Paint arrived but no painting occurred. But I did have plenty of life. Does that happen at your house? Oh, the big plans of days in front of the canvas. Instead other projects got checked off and the pumpkin sister continued her amazing recovery from her knee replacement. If she felt well enough I 'm sure she would trade in her couch for a chair in my studio. She is very supportive that way.

   Mr. Pumpkin would love a couch in the studio....he could watch without having to experience any discomfort....like a hard chair! He is out right now raking up some beautiful leaves from the walkway, picturesque but slippery. 

   We once lived in what we called the house of the big trees. The leaves would fall and COVER the house. You couldn't find the driveway and the house looked like it was covered in toasted coconut.  Raking was an endless task. But those were elm and gumball and oak. Now we live in pine country and only have a Japanese maple to tidy up after.

   But since he is working I could be painting...instead I use the refrain of countless artists before me. Tomorrow! But I really mean it, see if I don't! 

   But I do have this lovely fall pumpkin painting up for sale in my etsy shop. It's also available on cards and totes and whatnot's. I've been toying with the idea of putting my art on aprons. What do you think of that idea?

   I'm also toying with the idea of a Christmas pumpkin. We'll have to see how that evolves. Now I'm itching to go crack open that new paint!

   Thanks for stopping by to play!

   My etsy store is pumpkinsatplay   

               Hurray! I'm back in business!

   Painting had ground to a halt. Sketches were made, pictures taken and ideas appeared in my head. But no painting. I had run out of orange! And a decent yellow to make orange on my pallet. I may have mentioned that we live in a small town, lacking in some things. Like a place to buy good paint. So off to the internet we go and of course everything on there looks appetizing. 
  So today the package came and the peasants rejoiced. Even the dogs were excited, although that was mostly just the thrill of someone knocking on the door. There are also some beautiful blue in the box as well as a yummy pink ( which I could have mixed up myself I know) that I couldn't resist. And if I spent enough I would get free shipping. That ploy gets me every time.
   Now it's just a question of what painting to start next. Mr. Pumpkin is always lobbying for a white pumpkin, but frankly I don't see the point in a pumpkin that isn't orange. Or golden. Or scarlet or crimson with a splash of ocher. I think perhaps he needs to be the one to paint the great white pumpkin. 
   This year I have seen a lot of the apricot colored pumpkins and I do see their appeal, and have a secret love for the 'warty' variety. Don't tell anyone though. They are like the ugly step-mother of pumpkins and I feel sorry for them. Not that I am knocking step-mother's being one myself. 
   Now I am way off topic so I'll wrap this up with a promise of a fresh painting next time I post.

   Thanks for stopping by to play! 

                         Sale still going on!

   Also, here is that Clarice Cliff...which I am now calling done. I've said that before...but after passing it in the studio I am compelled to 'fix' it again. If you google Clarice Cliff ( and I hope you will ) you will see her distinct style which relied on blocks of color. But after a life-time love affair with Van Gogh I feel the need to add some movement with some brush strokes. Then I cover them up. Then I add them again. Mr Pumpkin is consulted relentlessly. He is supportive but noncommittal. 

   I love the giant pumpkin so lets focus on that! How many times have you seen the sunset and knew it was just a giant pumpkin! 

I don't think I've had a painting that has been so difficult for me to call done. The difference between what was in my head...which it turns out I didn't like...and this painting are great. Looking at it now I'm thinking maybe it needs a field of pumpkins in the foreground. What do you think? 

   Look up Clarice and read about her life and be inspired with me!

   Anyway...the sale at Etsy is still going. 25% off at my Etsy store with the coupon code 102014. It ends on the 20th of October. I always mention that I can put an image on a totebag or notecards or postcards or T-shirts as a special order.

   My Etsy store is pumpkinsatplay stop by and have a look!

   Thanks for stopping by to play!

                                      It's here!

   A perfect time to bring out this celebratory pumpkin painting! I was thinking about a sale and now it's set to go!

   Just enter the coupon code 102014 and get 25% off anything at my etsy store. 

   My shop name is pumpkinsatplay so stop by and take a look at some yummy Autumn pumpkin art.

   Thanks for stopping by to play. 

   

   The sale ends on October 20th, 2014