What are you working on?

[PSA3475]

Love this Brian! The textures are lux.

Oh yeah...thank you Iain. I wasn't sure if you were looking forward to seeing the prep for my show next year, or my open studios thing. I've been working hard on trying to get my garage ready, but I think it still looks just awful. I mean...it's a garage after all, not an art space, and this bothers me to no end.

Organizing the mess has been one thing; figuring out how to place art is another, since I have no wall space. I am not using the side of the garage with the door that leads into the house (by the flat files). I'm only using the little hallway on my art storage side where the HVAC is, and the very front of the garage (when the big door will be open to the street). ...Does that makes sense? I'm blocking access to this other side in these first two pictures, but am going to organize it at least. People will still be able to see back there, but a table will block them from walking through it.

I don't know if I showed these pictures of what I've been dealing with, but here's what I stared with. And this is after six hours of trying to put things away, etc.:

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This is the side of the garage I'm using for my guests. One side will have some art hanging on shelves and the other side I'll have access to all the art that is still wrapped. This was still day one:

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Anyway, that was ten days ago. I've been in there most days trying to make it acceptable and "welcoming" for people to visit and look at art, but I just don't know. It's no Taj mahal.

Here's what I did today--pinned drawings and prints to the wall (inexpensive stuff). I'm using my giant drum case to display smaller paintings on easels, as well as some Artist's books, hoping that will be interesting. It's a hodge-podge of everything...

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As I said, I need access to this side of this little hall space, so I put down a couple of rugs. Is that more cozy?

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I'm hanging bigger work on hooks from the rack shelves opposite my storage shelves in hopes I can hide all the household storage junk. It still looks funky as all hell. And you can still see all the duct work from the HVAC. There' no way to really cover that up except putting a couple of big paintings on easels in front of it. I only have so many easels and no really large paintings here right now. I guess I can lug my big easel in from my studio out there and put another 36 x 36-inch piece on it. Ugg! But at least you can get the idea of what I'm trying to do here, right?

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Is it as awful as I think? Acceptable? I will also have portfolio books of works on paper on a couple of card tables close to the front of the entrance. People can flip through them.

I do not have any prices posted as of yet...should I tag everything with a price you think?

Here is the website for the event, which has not yet been fully updated: Hwy62ArtTours.

Sorry this was so stinkin' long! I guess I'm nervous.

I wish I could travel that way and see all these artists’ work. What a fun idea.

 

[Artyczar]

I've been making these quick little cartoon washes of Joshua Trees on book pages for the open studios event, then going over them with ink pen. I've made almost 10 of them on 10 x 7-inch pages from an old hummingbird book. I figure I can sell them for cheap.

 

[PSA3475]

I like it...good idea to offer affordable art for an event like this.

 

[Artyczar]

Thanks PSA. Since I can do a lot of them, it might be a good idea (easy). People are definitely looking for things with Joshua Trees on them.

 

[PSA3475]

Especially if it is a size that can be matted and framed with frames available at michaels.....on sale

 

[Artyczar]

I have a real bad habit of painting to the edge and it makes for a very hard framing job. I try not to do it, but I can't help it. My work, a lot of times, needs to be floated, not matted.

 

[Artyczar]

Just finished my Artist's book. You can see a few more pics in the Bookarts forum.

 

[KreativeK]

Very nice work!

Just still working on mixed media in a junk journal, a vintage novel done in 1950, the year my parents married LOL.

 

[Artyczar]

That sounds so interesting K. How far into the novel are you?

 

[Artyczar]

I'm making some progress on the garage. What do you think? And this is the side that's being blocked off. It's just going to be within eye-shot, so I wanted it to be organized.

Now I have to start working on the side where most all the art will be.

EDIT: For those of you that are coming in late, I'm trying to prep my garage for an open studios/art walk event.

 

[KreativeK]

That sounds so interesting K. How far into the novel are you?

There’s about 2 chapters left.

 

[KreativeK]

I'm making some progress on the garage. What do you think? And this is the side that's being blocked off. It's just going to be within eye-shot, so I wanted it to be organized.

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Now I have to start working on the side where most all the art will be.

EDIT: For those of you that are coming in late, I'm trying to prep my garage for an open studios/art walk event.

Looks great!

 

[Artyczar]

There’s about 2 chapters left.

Wow! You're so close! How long is it? And is this the first draft? I ask because I've written a couple of books myself and it's really a huge feat.

 

[KreativeK]

I’m not writing the book just using its old pages to do art on. Just past chapter 19 and it has 23 with 253 pages.

 

[Artyczar]

Oh, I like that even better. Will you be posting some of the work?

 

[KreativeK]

Here is the page all decorated. Also have the same bad habit of painting up to the very edges.

 

[Artyczar]

Oh, I absolutely LOVE this K!

 

[KreativeK]

Thanks Arty! Lots of it is on my blog https://kaysmithbrushworks.blogspot.com and here is a collage
done on one of the pages using junk.

 

[Artyczar]

Wonderful Kay! I love it. It that "junk," or collage?

 

[KreativeK]

Collage that includes junk mail. Just sold the cactus tonight, yay!