artwork

31 Days to Spain - Week One Wrap Up

This post is jam-packed with goods! Daily art from the last week AND a link to the big studio clean up to prepare for my sale next week. If you haven't heard about the studio sale, you may want to sign up for my newsletter so you can hear this kind of news directly in your inbox AND get the extra special discount on my studio sale. You can sign up at the bottom of this page.

Let's get to it!

October 1st

The first day of my daily art project was featured in my previous post on what art supplies I will be bringing to Spain. They may change, but it was good to get started thinking about it.

Art supplies for my art residency

Art supplies for my art residency

October 2nd

For Day 2, I completed a montage painting of Iceland. This is something new that I am offering. You send me photos of your most memorable trip and I create a group of images for you to remember it by. The art measures 11x14. You can find the listing in my shop

Scenes of Iceland 

Scenes of Iceland 

October 3rd

I wanted to come up with a personal way to thank my customers when they order from me online. I decided to carve this block print "From the Studio of Frances Marin" so I can include it with every order and handwrite a thank you on the back. Usually, I write a note, but I like having this stamp on the other side now. I love personally thanking all of my super customers! I just sent off my first order with one in it!

From the studio of Frances Marin

From the studio of Frances Marin

October 4th - Studio cleanup and Dream Studio Sketch

My last post covered the start of my studio cleanup AKA Studio Redo. After spending all day working on it, I went home and sketched up how I dream for this studio to look when I'm done for Day 4. Of course, my real dream studio would probably be up in the mountains or by the sea or a lake, but I am quite grateful for this awesome little space for now.

The gold brick wall will remain for now.

The gold brick wall will remain for now.

October 5th

I am struggling working on a painting of my old bedroom/studio from age 23, so instead I painted the first bedroom I moved into after moving out of my parents' house at the age of 19 for Day 5. It was a single mattress on the floor with purple sheets, stacks of books everywhere and a Bob Dylan poster above my bed. The room was really tiny, so that's about all it could fit. 

My modest little first adult bedroom. 

My modest little first adult bedroom. 

October 6th

I am working on a painting for a show about your favorite place. The concept can be from childhood or now. My first thought was the sweet white fringed hammock in my backyard. I may not stick with this theme, but for Day 6, I thought it was just fine.

Ah, the old hammock

Ah, the old hammock

October 7th 

You may have heard the news: David Lynch is bringing back Twin Peaks 25 years later. Us rabid fans are thrilled with this news. I sketched out his wonderful face and some snippets of the show for Day 7. So looking forward to the return of Twin Peaks in 2016!

David Lynch and imagery of Twin Peaks.

David Lynch and imagery of Twin Peaks.

That's all for this week! 





Making Art Here and There

In about a month and a half, I will be in Cadiz, Spain for an art residency. I am excited, thrilled and also have some anxiety about it since there's a lot of preparation to do. I'm awaiting my passport, figuring out what supplies to ship or bring, figuring out what to take in my bag(s), thinking about the project I will be working on while out there and the list goes on. All the while, I am continuing to make new work.

The Positives of Negative Thinking, available in my Etsy shop

The Positives of Negative Thinking, available in my Etsy shop

While I am in a very focused state to accomplish a ton of things before I leave, I am trying to stay out of a negative mindset. Where am I going with my art? What if my art residency project doesn't turn out the way I want it to? Why am I taking off on a residency during one of my busiest times of the year? Oh yeah, and how rusty is my Spanish? Overall, I have been just going with the flow, so these questions are only sneaking up on me now and again.

A Guide to Not Doing What You Said You Were Not Going to Do, available in my Etsy shop

A Guide to Not Doing What You Said You Were Not Going to Do, available in my Etsy shop

This post isn't all about my residency, but also about what I am trying to accomplish in my art practice before and after the residency. I am trying to get all my ducks in a row with my website portfolio, wholesale and online shops. I am also trying to figure out some new directions for 2015. The book above reminds me to learn from past experiences and to not repeat them. When I started working for myself, this happened a lot. It feels good to be figuring things out. 

Art-wise, I have worked quite a bit smaller over the last few years. I have moved from working on canvas to wood to paper and from oil to acrylic to gouache/watercolor. I have also worked with many different mediums over the years from clay to textiles. What I am finding is that I feel very good about my current direction over the last year. I also feel there's a chance my work may be getting larger again. These last few months have gotten me thinking a lot about where I'm headed. Regardless, I am embracing the unknown and trying to not let myself get stuck on any of it.

Travel Paintings, now available in my Etsy shop

Travel Paintings, now available in my Etsy shop