Alease Michelle Studio2229 Blog

Illustration Friday: Surrender

 

Surrender to him and he will help you achieve your biggest dreams. Surrender to him and he will help you get through the toughest times of our life.Surrender to him and he will save your life.

Artwork: Let Us Pray - 8x8 mixed media collage

Tell a Story with Pictures: SISTERS

 Storytelling in Art 

The story as I know it... This picture is from my family's collection (mother's side - Fetherson & Grant.)  All I could find out abou this image was that the two ladies are sisters. The image was taken at a South Carolina chruch camp meeting. 

 Inspired by:  The closeness of the two sisters- shoulder to shoulder. The beautiful smile on one of the ladies with well manicured nails. Printed dresses- checker and floral prints. Large round hats- that menmics roundness of thier faces. Braided hair- neatly tucked under hats.

Recognized Symbolism: Checkers - squares, land, earth element , realization or materialization; Round -  circles, empty, sun, powerful, charisma; Floral - flowers, crowing achievement, feminine beauty; Fingers/fingernails - connection with spirtual power, wealth and status; Hair- life force, strength, royal power, freedom

Contemporary Mixed Media Artwork Final Results  

 ^{4.5 x 11 Print , Mixed Media - "My Sister's Keeper" 2009}
 

Working in the Studio: Organizing Computer Files

 

Action Taken This Week:

I needed to get my folders organized to actually be able to find the things I need to jump start my artist business. Although I consider myself, sort organized- I knew I needed to organize my folders on my computer.

Alyson Stanfield suggest you also organize your paper files.  I have most of my information digital - I just print what I need.  Now most of my art related stuff is digital - it took me about a hour to really organize my files into the suggestion categories Alyson's mentions in the book.

Suggested Categories

Business/ Legal : Bank statements, contracts, expenses, insurance, receipts

Art: artist statement, materials & techniques, resume/bio, wish list, workshops

Marketing/Publicity: Blog, Galleries, Mailing List, P.R. Articles, media releases

Sales: Inventory & Price List, Articles for Sale & Selling

I made a few changes to the categories- because a few of them didn't make sense to me. But if you are interested in reading more about organizing your information - Buy it Here!

Continue to Wish Me Luck,

 

 

Illustration Friday: Dusty

 

 _{From Father's Day Collection - Fenced In , 2010 10 x10 mixed media collage on  watercolor paper} 

A Dusty Walk with Dad

 All I can remember of my dad are our trips out to the field to check Mr. Claude's crops. On this hot days - it would be very dusty and I could barely see where we were going. Once the dust would clear- dad would say " Issac hurry, I don't want to be out here all day. We need to get home to check our own crops."

I would try my best to keep up with dad. He walked in such long strides, a stride I just couldn't keep up with, but I tried my best. Most the time- I was running along side of him, and when I couldn't keep up anymore- he would grab one of my arms and pull me to his waist side. It was a much better view then below and the dusty walk through the fields didn't bother as much.

 

Reading: I'd rather be in the studio!

Alyson B. Stanfield's book: I'd Rather be in the Studio!, has been on my to read list for a while. Well a few days ago my book arrived and I haven't been able to put it down. I have read one chapter, jumped to another, gone back to the chapters I've read,  and I've wrote in the margins. 

What I am saying is that.. I'm learning a lot from this book. Some of it I know, but just too lazy to do something about it.  But not now, no more excuses. By the way, Alyson teaches the Artist's No-Excuse way of self promotion. She is honest and to the point.

This is what I'm going to do for me and for those wondering if the book is any good. I'm going to share every action I taken, recommended by Alyson. Do I expect results? Heck Yeah! But along with learning how to better promote myself as an artist, I will also learn what's holding me back from getting things accomplished.

So, please join me on this ride... I promise it to be a learning experience for the both of us.

 

 

Illustration Friday: Chicken

   _{At Home 3 -  Contemporary Mixed Media : Created by Alease Michelle}

At home with my family. It's a sweet time to be home. The hens are laying their eggs, the cows are giving us milk and the crops will feed us good. It's nice to be home. To hear mother humming her favorite song in the kitchen, to hear my children laughing in the yard, to hear the dogs barking at each other. It's nice to be home.