Adjustment Period

I've tried getting up early. I've tried staying up late. But the fact remains that I am a mama to a 6 year old who is HOME FOR THE SUMMER! It's very hard to find a quality chunk of time to call my own. Maybe it's just too soon to think that I can make this work. I know it will get easier as he gets older, but I am getting OLDER too. . . and tired. . . and distracted. Life at this moment is all about play dates, bike rides, swimming lessons and library books. Our days are full but my soul is drained. I am questioning everything. What exactly are my priorities? My son needs me. My husband needs me. The dishes need me. But what do I need? My family is not an accident. It took a lot of hard work to build a relationship with my husband that was solid enough to bring a child into. Now that we are three, the work continues. It is the best kind of work since nothing else seems nearly as important as nurturing the relationships with the ones that we love. I'm proud of the life we have created. I am proud of the amazing person that my little boy is! It feels incredibly selfish to be fighting for time alone when I am so blessed to be home with him. HE is my priority.

Happy Father's Day!

I created this piece last Summer during an afternoon intro to encaustics class at the 100th Monkey Studio. I had a lot of fun learning a new technique and just playing around with the materials they had available there. It seems appropriate to post this today in honor and appreciation of my loving husband who is a better father to our son than I could have ever hoped for. The illustration is a bit silly, I tore it out of an old children's book. But, it reminds me of the devoted involvement that I see in my husband everyday. 'Pitch and catch' at the park, chess games, bedtime stories, tickle wars and puzzles on the floor. . . and that was just today! We are grateful for the love in our lives and feel very blessed.

Just do it!

"First Thursday", "First Friday", "Last Thursday" -there are so many opportunities to see some great art in this town! I keep telling myself I'm going to get out more, SEE more . . . DO More! But it's so hard to push myself out the door. I'm lazy, antisocial and frankly a little intimidated. But when I do bite the bullet and head out into the world, I am usually rewarded with a great sense of fulfillment. It's a charge that fires me up and feeds my hungry soul!

On Friday night, Julie and I ventured out to see the art opening of a friend-of-a-friend. It was fun to discover The Bite Studio. Great work there! We really enjoyed etchings of Shawn Demarest and were intrigued by the block prints of Cameron Thomson. We recommend that you check it out. While we were there, we were told about an art 'Happening' near by. So we hightailed it over to The Store for a Month, (on the corner of SE 12th & Division). How FUN! 60 artists working together to create 'products' to sell in the store for a month. I love it! I love the transient nature of it, (the sign is made out of cardboard!). It felt to me like a bunch of legitimate and pretty respectable local artists letting their hair down and goofing off. I appreciate the reminder that art does NOT have to be stuffy or even serious. It feels good when its playful! So for a good time, go to The Store for a Month -you might even get lucky and score a piece of pie!


I am for an art that takes its form from the lines of life itself, that twists and extends and accumulates and spits and drips, and is heavy and coarse and blunt and sweet and stupid as life itself. -Claes Oldenburg
An excerpt from his 1961 manifesto: I am for an art …

Urban Foraging

This is what I found on the street today. I call it 'Urban Foraging'. Some of the items I found while biking to and from my son's school. That's why I like biking; it's up close and personal with the trash on the street! Everything is so much more accessible. But walking is really the best way to experience the environment. Things come into a sharper focus when you are in direct contact with the landscape. What might have been just a blur in a car or a sparkling spec from a bike is actually a crunched bottle cap with an intriguing graphic. It's easy to miss it, most people do. These things do not have the same appeal to others, but they inspire me. I actually get excited when I find a crushed piece of metal on the side of the road! I don't even know what I'm going to do with it yet but I know that I want to work with it. Cheap thrills! I'm even lucky enough to have a few friends who have started picking up garbage for me, (much to my husband's chagrin!). I think it's fun to motivate people to see things in a new way, to see the beauty in a mangled piece of metal in the gutter. I have a secret fantasy of stocking my studio with all of my collected odds and ends and recycled doodads -to create my own personal 'Scrap' store. It makes sense to collect it myself rather than buy it don't you think? My husband's not a collector. He says "buy it when you need it". I don't work that way. I need it first, then I will figure out what to do with it.

There is a certain intersection on my way to the grocery store where I have been noticing what seems to be the debris from a car crash that must have happened there a few weeks ago. Today, I finally pulled the car over to get a closer look. I couldn't resist any longer, the thought of finding some good pieces was too tantilizing! It felt a little creepy to be exploring the scene of an accident, but I did score a few dinged up 'auto remains'.

Now if only I knew how to weld!

A Learning Experience!

It has taken me a little over a week to process and recover from my first big event, and when I say "big" I'm not putting it mildly! The Alberta Art Hop consisted of 17 blocks of NE Alberta Street closed to car traffic, lined with 150 artists and crafts people. It was a huge and beautiful day! What a thrill to be out there among so many other truly talented and amazingly cool artists.

After a stressful week of too much to do and not enough sleep, it took everything I had to disguise my Zombie-like condition and get through the long, hot day with composure and style. I spent 8 hours standing in the street, in the blazing sun, (clearly a rookie without a tent!). But it was so worth it for all the people I met and all the things that I learned. Though physically wasted, I felt spiritually jazzed to be out there -in the mix with all the other artists and crafts people . . . am I one of them now? I don't know about that yet, it feels more like just my foot in the door -but that door is opening.

It has taken me a while to process my impressions and even though I wasn't as ready as I wanted to be, I'm glad I put myself out there. It was awesome to see people's reaction to my stuff! My Robots are kid magnets! The kids (and their parents) had a lot of fun examining all the different items used to make each face. People got a big kick out of them. The best comment of the day came from a boy about 9 years old who said "These guys would make Frankenstein jealous!" -that made my day.

I also brought a small collection of my Calaveras -because everyday is a good day to celebrate the dead! These turned a lot of heads as well, and I even managed to sell a few. It was incredibly rewarding and fun to see people's faces light up when they saw something they liked. Everyone expresses their interest differently and it was wonderful to watch.

I am extremely grateful to have had my friend Julie to spend the day with in the space beside me, I couldn't have done it without her! Next month will be a whole new ball game: a two day event in Vancouver, all by myself! Anyone out there care to come along and keep me company?

BlockHead

OK, this is not a Tiki, it is a garden-bot, because we all need more Robots in the garden. . .don't we? I had a lot of fun making this and it cracks me up every time I look out my window and see it's big shiny head and goofy expression! I am currently exploring lots of different themes and ideas for what I want to make. It feels good to experiment, but I look forward to getting into a groove where I can really focus on one thing at a time and find a way to do it really well. Hopefully I will hit my stride soon!

Ready or not, I have booked myself into two Art Festivals coming up. Since this has always been a dream of mine and it is part of my business plan, I figured I'd better go for it and get my feet wet! The Alberta Art Hop is coming up on May 16th! -That's in less than 2 weeks -Yikes! My art-pal Julie has signed up also and will be selling her Ecoshikis in the booth next to BoneWerx. We are both excited and terrified! It will be a opportunity to get ourselves out there, meet some other artists and learn the ropes. I just hope I have something to show and sell by then! I have a little more time to prepare for the Vancouver Recycled Arts Festival in June. I am super-psyched about both of these venues, but signing up is only the first step (the easy part). Now the hard work must really begin!

I have put a call out to everyone I know to collect their tin can lids for me in hopes that I can get enough to make some nifty things with them. So if you have any laying around, please save them for me! It has proven to be more challenging than you would think to amass recycled materials to make art with! There is a lot of competition out there all scrambling to get the good junk for free. It's not easy anymore, it's big business now as any 'Scrapper' will tell you. Let me know if you have a good dumpster connection or juicy junk pile you can direct me to. I'm not afraid to get dirty! Just last week I took a lovely Spring stroll along the railroad tracks in the inner SE industrial area. It felt very nostalgic and brought back some of the thrill of my youth and those punk rock days. Only difference is that this time I am not cutting school and drinking Olde English, I'm a 42 yr old woman treasure hunting for rusty old pieces of garbage. I did find some nice pieces (see the mouth on the robot) - but I ran like a dork when the train started coming . . .will I ever be cool again?

Unblocked

In the spirit of networking, I have found a like-minded-fellow-artist-mom at school and we have formed our own 'club'. Realizing that we are both deadline driven, we have decided to meet once a week to check in and help keep one another on task. It's one thing to talk about all the things we want to do and quite another thing to actually carry it out. We hope to assist each other in the 'follow through' by having someone to be accountable to. Though now that I have started this blog, I feel accountable to all who read it! At our first meeting at the aptly named 'First Cup', we secured the December slot to show our artwork in the coffee shop! We happened to ask at just the right moment, (someone had just canceled!). It is normally open to first come first served beginning in June. We felt a bit invincible, as if this is the beginning of a Power-Partnership in which we are capable of accomplishing great things! -Let's hope that's true! I think it's important to keep the momentum going, not to slack off or get too distracted. We have continued to meet once a week and have discussed our direction and goals.

Last week we decided to play with block printing and actually get our hands dirty by making some ART while we talk. It was fun relearning an old technique and trying a new one: with Styrofoam trays! It felt good to dive in and just experiment. Making ART has become such a big deal to me that I feel like when I do it, it has to count. I realize that this is precisely what has kept me blocked for so long! I need to let go of the finished 'product' and just play with the process. Ha ha, it just hit me; we chose 'block' printing to get the juices flowing. . . is it a coincidence?

There are so many things I would love to explore and paint, how do I pick one and begin? Lately, I just can't stop thinking about Tiki's! Perhaps I should be thinking about something more meaningful and relevant. . .there IS a WAR going on after all! But here in my own little bubble, I am intrigued by the image of a Tiki as a powerful Talisman. A guardian against the evil spirits that may try to defeat me! Plus I think they're really cool!

• Aia nô i ka nânâ `ana. [ai' (y)ah NOH' ee kah NAH'NAH' ah' nah] We'll see (what the future brings).
  

Revved Up and Rarin' to go!

It's been a while, I've been busy. Busy setting up my studio, writing my business plan and generally getting my act together. A lot of people have been asking me "what exactly ARE you doing anyway???" I know it all seems very mysterious, but here's the low down. . .
After I was laid off, I was 'invited' by the Employment Department to attend a 3 hour orientation where I was quizzed, assessed and handed a stack of forms to read and fill out. One of those forms had a little blurb about a little known program called SEA; Self Employment Assistance. I liked the sound of that and came right home and called the Salem office about it. Turns out that if you have a business idea that the state deems viable, then you can apply for the SEA program. If approved you can continue to collect Unemployment Insurance while you are developing your own business, (and you are exempt from having to submit the required 3-5 applications a week to find gainful employment). I applied and was approved! WOW! So, what's my business? I'll get to that.

I was assigned an advisor and given 30 days to come up with a business plan. At first all I knew was that I have an overwhelming creative urge to make stuff. In art school, I chose to major in Illustration because it seemed like the practical way to make a living with my art. Unfortunately, I never pursued it. I got distracted; got married, bought a house and had a baby. I had to find an immediate way to make a living, (to pay the bills) and I did -for 9 years! And then the comfort of steady employment came to an abrupt end and I find myself going back to the drawing board (pun intended!). The challenge is: how do I channel my desire to "make stuff" into the framework of a 'viable business'? I'm still getting to it.

There have been lots of little things happening lately that seem to be happening for a big, meaningful reason. One of the first was meeting; Bridget Benton.
I had actually met her before (on the phone) last summer, when I was seeking creative counseling. She had only been working for the Small Business Development Commission for about a month before being assigned to my case. What a blessing and incredible stroke of luck to have such a kindred spirit help me find my direction! I spent four weeks researching my target market, doing competitive analysis and financial projection worksheets -ouch! It all finally came together, and I submitted my plan last Thursday. I won't bore you with the whole thing, but here's the heart of it:

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
BoneWerx is the Mixed Media Art and Illustration of Alea Bone. A funky fusion of painted, collaged and recycled elements seamlessly combined to create engaging ‘Werx’ of art that honor alternative cultures, folk art traditions and celebrate our humanity.

Alea Bone is the sole proprietor of BoneWerx and is responsible for creating all of the artwork and commissioned illustration services. Alea’s ‘BoneWerx’ will be shown and sold in multiple formats and venues:

Original BoneWerx will be sold in galleries, boutiques, craft events and on Etsy.com

Reproductions sold as note cards, stretched canvas reproductions and high quality archival prints.

Freelance commissioned illustrations sold primarily to book and magazine publishers.

MISSION
The mission of BoneWerx is to create a sustainable career for myself, while inspiring the minds and hearts of others through my unique forms of expression, to promote and stimulate interest in the arts and advance visual communication as a vital cultural force.

OBJECTIVES
To establish itself as a viable and prosperous business, four goals BoneWerx will strive for within the first year are:
Sell at a local craft fair.
Develop an Online presence and store.
Show/sell work in a gallery or local boutique
Publication in an Illustration Annual.

There's a lot more to it, but I think that pretty much sums it up. Now you (and I) have a general idea of what I want to do -and how I'm going to do it. For a great example of the model I'd like to follow, check out: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw. She has some really cool art and illustrations, a few books, a blog and a great line of products for sale. The clock is ticking faster than ever now, I've got about 2.5 months left to get the ball rolling before I exhaust my unemployment benefits. It will be interesting to see what happens!

Now that I've got the Road Map, I'm Ready for the Trip!

Hoodoo you think you are?

I spent the last weekend in January in Santa Fe, a cultural hotbed of inspiration! The whole scene is so different there. The landscape is unlike anything in the Northwest, I feel like I have been to another planet and back. I got to explore a place called Tent Rocks, where towering Hoodoos rose above us like the steeples of an ancient fairyland. It was magical! I also got to visit the Museum of International Folk Art -which made my head spin! It's too soon to tell what my 'style' is yet, but I do know that the realm of Folk Art feels to me like a circus I want to join and perform in! I want to travel more. . . learn more. . . see more. . . do more!

The art is coming. . . it's brewing. My head is bubbling over with images I want to create! The studio is coming together. I painted the walls and bought the shelves. Soon I will have a fully functional space of my own. I'm ready.

To see pix of my visit to Santa Fe:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3bones/sets/72157613881138650/

To see pix of my own brand of Folk Art: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35484873@N02/sets/72157614002959010/

The Bone Cave

This is my workspace, fly strips and all! -That's a worm bin over there by the way. It may look a little scary at the moment and I can assure you, it feels scary too! This is reality folks, this is what were dealing with. It's not pretty, but I want to show it so when we look back we will know how far we've come. This is the 'Before' picture.

The Transformation has already begun. I have undertaken a massive purge which is clearing out the clutter and clarifying my spirit. It has been my intention to set up a studio in the basement ever since we bought the house (7 years ago!). I mean it this time, I have to. . .this is my new job. This is my new life.

One of the most satisfying periods of my life was in my senior year of Art School. I quit my job to focus 100% of my time and energy on my thesis. I had a studio downtown a block away from the school. I remember what a thrill it was heading to "work" each day. I had never experienced such a sense of purpose before. It was incredibly empowering! I was living the dream. I was an Artist. And then I graduated. The school moved into the Pearl District. The building that housed my studio went up for lease, I had to move out. I am opening boxes now that have not been touched since then.

I can taste that purpose again.

Today's Sharp Sparkle

Today was truly an awe-inspiring day!

Time seemed to stand still in my house as I was glued to the TV. I couldn't turn away, I couldn't stop crying, nodding my head, rocking back and forth, spontaneously clapping!

Part of me wished I had stayed at school to watch the Inauguration on the big screen with Nate. Or gone to my friends party and shared in the collective euphoria of Hope. But the other part of me needed to absorb the immensity of the moment in a quiet, personal way. The Dream has come true, change has come. Things will start to be different now. . .The People Have The Power! "Yes We Can!"

I had planned to watch the Inauguration in the morning and then proceed with my checklist for the day; the dishes, the laundry, the groceries, the Resume! And then it sucked me in. It was polarizing. I watched every minute detail, from Bush's departure, to the luncheon to the preparations for the parade. It wasn't a matter of avoiding my chores, I wanted to get outside of myself - to be a part of the bigger picture! This is History, this is HUGE!

At 2-o-clock it hit me that I should draw something. My friends have been urging me to pick up a pencil and just draw! The first and only image that came was a dove. Flight, Freedom, Peace. It's corny I know, probably even a little generic -but it's all I had. I have to pick up Nate at 3, so I had an hour. I ended up spending most of that hour looking for my pastels in the basement! Out of desperation that I would miss my window, I found a piece of chalk and did a quick sketch. I drew something. I'm starting.

It's midnight now. My head is still spinning and my chest is pounding. I was pacing earlier. I am filled with unrest. I am still pondering the Inaugural Poem by Elizabeth Alexander today. You can read the whole thing here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-poem.html?ref=books

But here are the last 2 lines:

"In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light."

The First Step

This is my first step, a baby step, hopefully it will lead me somewhere. But where to and how do I get there? So many roads to take, so many uncertainties.

I was laid off on December 3rd. I had worked there almost nine years and have survived many rounds of lay-offs before, but never thought it would come down to me. I was blindsided. I had been miserable for years and dreamed of quitting but wasn't ready yet. I wasn't prepared. WHAM! BAM! Here I am! Welcome to the club I guess. I know there are a lot of us out there in the same boat. What do I do now? How is this going to effect our life as we know it? How do I fill up the big hole in our finances left by the loss of my salary? The weekly UI checks help a little, but how long can I receive unemployment? I've heard that 6 months is the cut off. I think I've used up about 5 weeks worth already and the clock is ticking!

I've spent the last 6 years complaining that I didn't have enough time or energy left over to create any art. Even just working 25-30 hrs a week, I couldn't keep up with my 6 year old, manage the household, maintain the garden. . .AND be an artist! Well now, I am unemployed, Nate is in Kindergarten 6 hrs a day. . . and I HAVE the time!

I am fortunate to have an incredible network of friends and family who have all been very supportive. They tell me this is a blessing in disguise, an opportunity, a gift, my Do Over. What will I do with it? Can I live up to my hopes and dreams? I intend this blog to document my process, it's my first step.


"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned , so as to have the life that is waiting for us."-E.M. Forster