The Art Supply Sinkhole

One of the more exciting events in my life is when a box of art supplies arrives.

Unfortunately, I seem to underestimate what I need (want).  In the past 2 months, I have placed three orders to Dick Blick.  A total somewhere over $500.  Perhaps I should start painting on old boards with leftover house paint.

The fabric sits in stacks upon the shelves, unused.  I'm just realizing that changing direction is far more expensive than I originally thought it would be.   But here I am, in the middle of something new, and I'm just going to keep going in this direction.

Hopefully, I have all the supplies I need until next summer.

Now, I am off to do some more work on my Etsy shop.

My Favorite Art Tool

Seth Apter has a recent post about artists' favorite tools. That got me to thinking about mine.

My intention is not to get all new-agey here, but to really distill what I'm thinking and doing when I'm creating.

I do love working with all sorts of different materials:  fabric, beads, paint, glue, scissors, paper, etc.

I can't choose a favorite medium; therefore, I can't choose a favorite art tool.  Except for my hands.

When I'm painting, I don't use my eyes to see if paint is dry, I use my hands (often to find out the paint wasn't close to being dry.  I spread glue (and often paint) with my fingers.  It's the best way for me to know if I'm using the right amount.

Did I add enough texture to a piece?  My hands will be able to tell me quickly whether more is needed or if I have gone too far.

There are so many materials I get to touch over the course of a day in the studio.  My fingers tell me what they crave.  Will it be a beading day?  Will gluing satisify me?  Am I hungry for fabric and softness, or do I need to spread paint on boards.  The hands know the answer quicker than the eye.

Today, the hands need to do some typing and affixing price tags onto about 30 pieces ready to go into a new shop.   They are happy enough to do so, but I think they are calling for some glue.  And I think they are craving the feel of my vintage wooden letter stamps.

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Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post.  It is very encouraging to know that there are still bloggers out there, especially ones that actually come here and leave a comment.

Hello? Hello?

Is anybody blogging anymore?

Is it old-hat?  Over?  Done?  Not cool anymore?

Is everybody tweeting?  If so, bye-bye.  Not going there.

I used to check my blog roll every day and it would take forever to read and comment.  Now, just a few minutes.  I don't read them all and comment on all I read, but still.  It seems a bit quiet out there.

It seems dead here.  Or almost.  Dying, I should say.

Maybe everyone is Flickr-ing or Tumblr-ing or some other ing that I just don't get.

I will continue to blog.  I like it even though I feel like I'm just talking in an empty warehouse in a dying part of town.  Is this the same as riding around in a horse and buggy and refusing to drive an automobile? Am I just too old-school?

Alright.  Done whining.  I'll be back later with some art.

Why Pay Retail?

Why Pay Retail I, 8 x 8" ©2011 Kim Hambric

We all want a bargain don't we?  Even if something is already reasonably priced and we are prepared to pay the price asked, we really want to see a sale sticker on it.  We want a discount!  Why?  Sure we want to spend less, but does a discount make us feel special or lucky?

We want to tell our friends and family about our most recent bargain.  Sure, we hope that they might get the same deal if they head out immediately, but we also want them to know that we found this bargain first.  We are the hunter, the hero, the king or queen of amazing finds.

Sometimes, often too late, we realize the bargain item is not what we really wanted at all.  If we had stood there a moment longer before rushing our sale item to the register, we might have selected the full-priced item -- the one we really want and/or need.

No, I'm not above this.  I've far too many "bargains" hidden away in closets and drawers.  Often, these bargains are forgotten after I return to the store to buy the correct item at full price.  Damn!  I often spend extra money just to save money.

This piece in in my Etsy shop.  I think it is going for a reasonable price.

Thanksgiving House

Thanksgiving House III, 15 x 10" ©2009 Kim Hambric

The cooler (and far too rainy) weather has got me thinking about autumn.  That's really nothing special.  I often think about autumn as it is my favorite season.

I can't say I'm into the coming season as much as I usually am.  This fall means the first Thanksgiving without my mother.  Her birthday is on November 27th.  Its going to be a difficult autumn this year.

This piece is not brand new.  It has been hanging next to the computer for a couple of years now.  I must have neglected to add it to the Etsy shop. It's there now.

Now Available

Now Available, 6 x 6" ©2011 Kim Hambric

Indeed it is available in my Etsy shop.

What to Choose . . . Bees or Skunks?

Every night before bed and every morning when I get up, I do my thing and then it is time for the dog to do his thing.

My journey into the bathroom is usually uneventful.  Light goes on, business is attended to, hands washed, light goes out (or not).  I can be 100% assured that there is not going to be a skunk in the bathroom.

Things are a bit different when I take the dog to do his business.  First, I must turn on the back porch light and see if anything is moving about near the back door.  Then I grab the big yellow flashlight and shine it around as I move slowly to the back of the garage to the area where my dog does his thing.  Usually the short trip is uneventful.  There have been times in the past where a skunk has been on the back porch eating what the birds missed earlier.  This morning it is quiet but I do see some movement off in the distance.  I focus the flashlight on the alley next to my house and, sure enough, a big ol' skunk is running my way.  I jump and run back into the house.

I shine the flashlight out of each downstairs window to try to find where the skunk was headed.  Does he (she) have a home under my front porch?  I have no luck seeing the skunk through the windows.  I turn on the front porch light, which is right next to the door, to illuminate the porch and stairs.  Nothing.  I creep slowly out onto the porch, closing the screen door behind me to keep the dog in.  Shine here, there, nothing.  I turn back to the door and find that a swarm of bees has me blocked out of the house.  More and more of the damn things are pouring out of the light fixture and are landing on the screen and door handle.

What the hell am I going to do now?  I've got to make a choice.  Bees or a skunk.  Get repeatedly stung or risk a spraying.  I can see that the bees are definitely there.  The skunk may not be.  I slink off of the porch and down the side of the house, listening.  It's quiet.  No shuffling skunk feet.  Finally, I am at the back door and I stand still for a short listen.  What's that digging noise?  Do skunks go through garbage?

I've got to get the dog out and we surely cannot go out the front.  I leash him up and let him do his thing next to the back porch.  Hopefully the smell of that will keep Mr. skunk away from the house.  I'm not looking forward to tomorrow morning's routine.  For all know, there could be a bear out there tomorrow.

I really think that children are easier to take care of than dogs.

Any advice on how to find out where skunks live and how to encourage them to move along?