Shari Beaubien

New in My Etsy Shop

I finished this piece about a week ago. 

The cool thing is that this is the inaugural run of "art-by-scanning" as opposed to "art-by-photography".  You may remember I posted a while back that I invested in a wonderful new scanner (Epson Expression 10000XL) and printer (Epson Photo Sylus R1800).  Well, I finally read all the directions and taught myself how to use them (no small feat, I might add) and now I can scan nearly all of my artwork rather than photographing it outside!  The scanner has done a wonderful job with the dimensional aspects of the piece as well as reducing the gloss to virtually nothing.  The glare of the sun off of the high-gloss varnish was always a problem when working with the outdoor method.  The color is true as well.  I'll still need to use the old photography method for the really large stuff, but with anything under 12" x 17", my life just got a TON easier!

I just listed this piece in my Etsy shop, if you're interested.

Other cool news is that Fibre & Stitch is finally out!

(And yup... that's my name on the cover!)  This is an online zine, and I had the opportunity to sit down at my computer the other day to pour over the entire thing.  It's 62-pages chock-full of the most creative ideas and techniques as well as luscious photos to entice your inner sewing diva.  I swear this one reads more like a national magazine than a home-grown zine.  It's that professionally made.  Sue and her team have done an outstanding job, and I'm absolutely honored to be a part of their premier issue.  If you're into fabric and fiber, you won't be disappointed with this one, folks!

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

My Palette

I ripped this off my paint palette the other day.

I thought it was just way too cool.  I'm going to use it as a background in my new art journal.  I've never done a piece on canvas with such a large amount of red.  I think I'm going to use it for inspiration in that vein, too.  I love it when you find such surprising beauty in the seemingly mundane.

So, yesterday evening I went out to check the thermometer at 5 pm.  It was 113 degrees!  We're dying here.  This is the worst heat wave of the summer, by far.  And this morning we're having a lot of lightening, which is always scary when your landscape boasts nothing but brown.  But just a second ago, for five blissful minutes, the sky opened up and it poured!  We haven't seen rain here in the deserts of So Cal since maybe February?  The deluge rolled out as quickly as it came in, but it was pure heaven while it was here.

Backgrounds

I've been working on a parent-sized sheet of watercolor paper,
and I thought you might like to see it...

It's a lot of layers of black and white text, paint, stamping, crayon, and more writing in pencil.  Since that photo, I've cut this piece up into little rectangles, like this:

I plan to paint a heart and add some more text and embellishment to the surface.  These little pieces will then adorn the cover of several journals.  I'll keep you updated as they progress...

New Journals!

I finally finished my new art journal this weekend!
Here it is...

I also finished two more journals, which I plan to put in my Etsy shop later today.  (I know, I know, it's about time, huh?)  Here's a shot of each of those...

The journal with the hand-painted flower says "grow" at the bottom.  It turned out really sweetly, if I do say so myself.  The other journal is such a fun shape, I may have to make more!  All of them have high-quality Fabriano Artistico 140# watercolor paper inside.

It was a really nice weekend.  For once we let the chores go and just concentrated on doing fun stuff.  My opening at The Folk Tree was really nice.  We read a lot, watched some pre-season football, and lounged.  Perfection!

Watercolors on Ebay

If you or anyone you know might be interested, I have a nice lot of watercolor paints for sale on ebay right now.

You can find the auction here.

Also, tomorrow (Saturday, August 25) is the opening reception for "Out of Context" at the Folk Tree.  The reception is from 2pm - 6pm, but the exhibit runs until September 22.  If you're in the Pasadena area, do stop by!  I saw some of the other artwork when I delivered "Body Image" and I think it's going to be a really interesting show.

Have a terrific weekend, everyone!

Timeless Creations (part 2)

Isn't this gorgeous?

 

These happy sunflowers line Sarah's entire driveway.
They make you smile from ear to ear.

And here are a few more shots Sarah's beautiful home...

U/L is her front entryway.  U/R is Sarah's living/family room.  L/L is the sweet "cowgirl" room in which I stayed.  And L/R is Peyton, the neighbor's very loving cat.

Sarah's house is AWESOME!  It's so bohemian and artsy and cool.  And everywhere you look there's another AMAZING piece of art.  Her collection is eye candy of the highest caliber and I'm sure it's taken a lifetime to put together.  Her home makes me want to run home to redo my own, it's that cool.

I've been trying these past few posts to sum up what I cannot.  I've simply never felt so cared for in my life.  Sarah made my breakfast and brought my coffee to me in my room as I was getting ready for the day.  She packed my lunch and she saw to my dinner.  When we had a bit of down time, she freely gave me all of her attention as she entertained me with stories of art and life.  Both she and her family were welcoming beyond belief.  I feel so purely blessed to have been able to spend this time with her and to now count her as a dear friend.

Thank you, to every soul in Fort Collins and its environs that helps make Timeless Creations what it is.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I will be back.

Timeless Creations

Okay... let me try to show you a bit more about my incredible experience in Fort Collins.  Although as I type this, I fear my words and pictures will not do it justice.

These are the mavens of Timeless Creations and the Creative Underground.  From left to right, they are Christi (who owns the store), Lori, Efrat, me, Sarah, and Katerina.  These lovely women had a BBQ for me on Saturday night.  It meant the world to me to feel so welcomed and so very much a part of their lives.

Here's the lovely Sarah Fishburn in front of the classroom space.  The entire place is really cool - the store occupies two levels of an old farmhouse.  Very quaint and charming.  The classroom space is out back in a converted detached garage.

Christi worked tirelessly for days to make sure I had absolutely everything I needed.  She shuttled me to and from the airport, as well as anywhere else I needed to go.  And all of this after returning just the day before from a two-week trip of her own!  Can you imagine the stress?  But it never showed... not even for a second.  Her sense of humor and genuine personality are a treasure.  I feel lucky to call her a friend.

Timeless Creations is such a unique place.  Christi's commitment to making everything the best it can be shines through in every detail.  If you're ever anywhere near Fort Collins, do stop by for a visit.  You'll be glad you did.  And if you can't get to Colorado, you might enjoy checking out Christi's yahoo group called The Creative Underground.  It's a great art community and they host some of the most INCREDIBLY inspiring swaps I've ever seen!  Check it out.  Here's the link.

This is my class on Saturday.  It was "Be Still My Artful Heart".  From left to right, they are Shennon, Maggie, Linda, Jane, Kay, and Kathleen.  You may be able to just make out some of the incredible artwork they're holding.  Perhaps a click on the photo will cause it to enlarge?  (Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't... still haven't figured out why.)

My very favorite part of teaching is being able to impart the information and then watch as talented individuals take it and run with it in directions I had never even considered!  Time and time again, I am simply blown away by the things my students come up with.  These ladies, as was the case in all of my classes, did not disappoint.

Here's another shot of me with Linda and Shennon.  Linda is a dear friend of mine, and she and Shennon drove down from Bolder.  (Or is it up?  Or over?  Alas, I'm still not entirely sure about my Colorado geography!)  Check out Linda's beautiful dog portraits here.  She's quite an accomplished artist.  Shennon is reclaiming her inner artist after a brief absence to have a baby.  I can't wait to see what it so come for her.

And last but certainly not least, here's a shot of me and Kathleen.  Kathleen came to Fort Collins all the way from Colorado Springs and she spent three days with me.  Her sweet and loving spirit made every day so special.  How lucky am I to get to travel the country and spend my time with such wonderful souls?  It is a gift unlike any other... of that, I am certain.

I'll post about the rest of my trip tomorrow.

Where to Begin?

This weekend was so incredible and soooo sureal!  I packed so much into those four days that I feel like I've been gone for nearly twenty!  It's difficult for me to process everything this morning...

I can tell you that I've NEVER felt so welcomed or so taken care of in my ENTIRE life.  The women of The Creative Underground have a way of making you feel as if they've known you for years and love you wholeheartedly.  They make you feel that there's nowhere they'd rather be than right there with you.  It's a gift to be able to do that, and I feel simply blessed to have been on the receiving end.  My experience was A ++ on every single level, and I can't wait to return.  Though crazy-busy, this weekend was a slice of pure heaven.

I still have to sift through my photographs, which is on "the list" for later today.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to show you my experience at Fort Collins rather than merely tell you about it.

I do want to take a moment to plug Sarah Fishburn and Angela Cartwright's latest publishing endeavors, however.  I had the absolute pleasure to be a guest in Sarah's home while I was there, and I got to see both "In This House" and "Pasticcio" firsthand.  It was so fun to look through both books while hearing Sarah's back stories for each piece.  They are truly lovely, and you'd better believe I came home with a copy of each. 

"Pasticcio" is Sarah and Angela's zine.  This is the premiere issue, and it's chock-full of art from a dazzling array of contributors.  The photographs are clear and large.  I haven't had a chance to sit down and read the articles through yet, but those promise to be just as intriguing as the art.  I am honored to have a piece in this issue, and you can find me in the "Palais du Art" section.  If you're interested in ordering a copy for yourself, you can do so here.

Their other endeavor, "In This House", is simply AWESOME!  The thing I love about this book is that every single photograph is nearly as big as the page itself.  There aren't any fancy staged backgrounds with bookcases, draped fabrics, or piles of twigs and leaves.  It's the artwork - lucious and large - on a white page.  Simply a stunning presentation.  Each of the thirteen contributing artists has their own chapter.  The final few pages of each section then expounds a bit on the artist's intentions and her techniques.  It's a lovely book and one I will happily add to my collection as a prime source of inspiration and eye candy.  You can find ordering information by clicking on the link in my left sidebar.

That's it for me this morning as I attempt to get my feet planted back under me.  Wish me luck!

Colorado, Here I Come!

I'm off to Colorado tomorrow!  I'll be teaching for three beautiful days at Timeless Creations in Fort Collins.  If you're interested in joining us, there's still space available.  All the information is listed in my sidebar at the left.  Nothing like the promise of unbridled group creativity to kick me back into excitement, I'll tell ya.

I recently became aware of this AWESOME exhbit currently at the Paper Studio in Arizona.  It's called The Gory DeTales and images can be found here.  What a talented group of men and women!  I adore art that holds a bit of an edge.  According to Pilar, next stop on the tour is Colorado.  While it's definitely worth seeing online, I'm sure an in-person gander would be even better.

And last but certainly not least, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is going to be holding an exhibit of Joseph Cornell's work.  The retrospective will showcase nearly 200 works from the artist's life, and I have a feeling it will be incredible.  If you're anywhere near the area, you might want to schedule a visit this fall.  The show will run from October 6, 2007 to January 6, 2008.  More info. can be found here.

I'll talk to you when I return from Fort Collins!

Summer

I haven't been that into taking pictures lately.  Not sure why.  It seems a lot of people get busier during the summer.  There are family vacations, days spent at the beach and/or pool, or just a general malaise due to the heat.  I guess that's where I'm at.

Even though I'm in Los Angeles, the beach is more than an hour's drive from my house in perfect traffic.  The earth is scorched and brown.  We hear reports of a new fire pretty much every day.  I find myself continually praying that the next one not be too close and that the current one not be too bad.  We've endured mandatory evacuations before and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

And so the summer drags on.  Part of me wishes it would end.  I enjoy the crisp, cool air of fall.  And even though I don't have children of my own, I enjoy knowing that the kids are back in school and routines can return to normal.  There's more of a sense of the expected in the fall.  Sometimes the summer just seems to stretch on interminably in a slow, languid crawl.

I found out that I got into the Santa Barbara Artwalk, which is at the end of September.  I've added the info. to my sidebar and website, although the link doesn't really give you much more information.   This fair is held on the grounds of the Museum of Natural History, so it should be a lovely event.  Let's hope they're able to get that fire out soon.  It's been burning just north of Santa Barbara for TWO months now and the last report offered only 40 percent containment.

I don't think I'm particularly depressed.  I do feel happy most of the time.  Maybe my mood is a result of the weather.  Mother Nature has always played an important role in what's going on in my heart.  I find myself yearning for green and for space.  I worry that we are thoughtlessly and carelessly destroying this planet of ours.  What if the damage is irreversible?  It makes me sad.

This photo is carefully propped up on my desk.  It's the only one I keep here and I can't help but see it every day.  It serves as my reminder that these gifts are precious and must not be squandered.

The George Family

We have a family of doves that have been nesting with us for three summers now.  I've affectionately named them Mr. and Mrs. George and babies.

Once the babies George are old enough to leave the nest, they sort of huddle amongst our bushes for a few days.  They can fly, but it seems they prefer to contemplate such a feat on the ground for a bit as they ease into adulthood.  They are just the cutest, as you can see.  And they're incredibly trusting of me.  This family of doves simply MAKES my summer each year.  Mrs. George usually has three or four batches of babies before fall.  And in between batches, she and Mr. George can be seen nuzzling on the fence together.  It is truly one of the sweetest relationships I have ever witnessed. 

... Thought you might think so, too!

And the Winner Is...

MICHELLE GELLER
Congratulations, Michelle!
Just email me privately with your snail mail addy,
and I'll get these on their way home to you.  Enjoy!

I thought I'd let you know about another step I've taken in my quest for Balance.  This one was a difficult one for me, but it's made a HUGE difference.  I cut the number of Yahoo Groups I read by half.  I looked at my list of about 10 and each day selected one group that didn't seem to be serving me.  I left the group knowing that if I regretted my decision, I could always rejoin later.  I left one group per day for a week.  Somehow doing it one at a time made it easier... not like a mass mutiny.  And you know what?  It's been incredibly painless!  I'm surprised to find out how little I actually needed several of those groups.  Besides, I find my blogging and email connections much more personal and informative in the long run.

So to recap, here's a list of what I've done so far to reclaim my time:
1. Subscribe to Bloglines
2. Answer emails only once per day
3. Give myself 1/2 day off on Fridays
4. Quit half of my Yahoo Groups
5. Turn off my home phone during the work day

It's certainly not a long list, but those five seemingly small changes have really added up for me.  And I'll continue to add and share more as I work on this.  Would anyone else like to share any changes they've made... either recently or in the past?

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

A Reminder

Today's the last day to enter my little contest!  Just leave a comment to this post, and I'll enter your name in the drawing.  Good luck and thanks for playing! 

Check back tomorrow to find out who won...

The Roller Coaster Ride

Here's the postcard mailer for The Folk Tree's
upcoming assemblage show...

And look!  They put "Body Image" (by moi) right there on the upper right!!  I was ecstatic when I got these delivered to me...  I had no idea they had selected my work to represent this show!  I feel like I got a magazine cover or something, I'm that happy.  And I do think the entire layout is really well done, don't you?  It should be such an intriguing show, I'm really looking forward to it.  The reception, if you're interested, is August 25 from 2pm to 6pm.

In my humble opinion, this week really epitomizes this crazy business we call art.  There are such highs and lows.  One minute you're being pushed down and the next minute you're soaring free.  It's a roller coaster at the best of times.  And this is precisely why I feel so strongly about continuing to put yourself out there.  If you give up after a low and never apply to anything else, the ride ends in a depressing sort of crash.  You simply have to give yourself the opportunity to climb the next hill and experience the next glorious freefall into success!

In other news, I finished the two pages on my website that have been "under construction".  That feels really great.  You can view my press page here and my events page here.  I giggle every time I see the picture on my events page.  It's from my piece "The Sentries".  I love it because it looks like the guys are all gussied up and ready to attend to my events.  Ahh, the fans...

The In-Person Rejection

Applying to shows is a fact of an artist's life.  I know that now.  I'm even getting better at processing and handling rejection.  But let me tell you, there's nothing that stings as much as the in-person rejection.

Most shows that I apply to are juried off of slides or high-quality photographs.  The actual artwork never leaves my home for the jurying process.  But there is the occassional show that will jury off of the actual art.  I did that yesterday for Viva's All Member Exhibition.  You drop the work off between 9:30 and 12 and then return between 2 and 4 to pick up any rejected pieces.  The 45-minute-each-way drive nonwithstanding, this process certainly sucks.  There's nothing worse than standing in line, making your way up to the table while a volonteer checks her sheets and then announces to the room, "Both rejected!"  Ugh.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough. 

I know... I know... It's just one person's opinion and it could very well be that my work was perfectly lovely but just didn't fit in with the scheme of the show.  I know all of that.  But rejection still hurts and I wanted to tell you about my day.  It's not always a bed of roses out there, folks.