Blip

Oh, I did have a fantasy of posting a photo here of recent artwork.

Then, I wanted to let you know how things were going in my little neck of the woods.

But I came to realize that none of that was going to happen.

I have no attention span. Well, maybe 30 second spurts. And every so often I can focus on at 30-minute television show. As long as it is Bored to Death. Otherwise, can't focus.

I've forced my husband to speak to me in sentences of five words or less. I've tried the same with my daughter, but her sentences are always a minimum of 120 words. She tries to be concise. Can't do it.

I want to work on something (anything) in the studio today. It's been a week since I've seen it.

I need to purchase some Christmas presents that my daughter picked out yesterday before someone else picks them out. My daughter is picky. I'm not missing out on this opportunity to buy her something she actually likes.

And we're out of milk.

That's it. Brain is switching to something else now. zzzzzzzttt

The Lapse Continues

Blech.

Not a good blogging time here. Can't write 'em. Finding it hard to read 'em.

I'll do my best to read and comment, but I've got nothing good to say, so I'm not going to be saying much.

My Mother has been in the hospital for over a week now. There were be some rehabilitation somewhere soon -- the hospital or a nursing home for a bit.

This has made me feel crappier than I thought it would several days ago.

I've never had a Thanksgiving without both of my parents at the table. I'm thankful that I've had so many with them, though. Just hoping that things will go back as close to normal as they can soon.

I hope all of my friends out there have a great Thanksgiving (or had -- you Canadians).

Lapse

I've been a bad blogger lately.

My blogs have been few and far between.

And when I write them, they're generally all about me, me, me.

I do come up with interesting posts in the shower or while I'm trying to get to sleep at night. After I am toweled off or when I wake up, all of those thoughts are gone. Generally they are replaced with health issues (mine and other family members-including animals), mental to do lists, holiday panic, and just those blank periods (memory lapses?) that my doctor assures me are normal in premenopausal women.

When will I have new work to show? When will I begin to list all of my artistic accomplishments (sales, new galleries, etc.)? Beats me.

Until then, and since that week of giving thanks is upon us, all I want to say is a thank you to those who have left such supportive comments lately. It means so much to me to find new, lengthy, and thoughtful comments on my posts. I appreciate the time you've taken to encourage me.

I'm attempting to enter Seth Apter's new call for entry. It requires the creation of very personal artwork. Heaven knows what I'll dig up from inside of me (if, indeed, there is anything there at all). If it's all been about me, me, me, so far, why am I having so much trouble with this? I found a little white sheep that I cut out of a book a while back, it seems to want to be in this piece.

Now, I'm off to try to think up a real post. One with pictures and everything. Perhaps I should take another shower and lie in bed and see if anything comes to mind.

Is this the Future, or the Past?

These new pieces, all small (8x8" or far less), are done on paper or on thin illustration board.


Since they are all experiments, I used whatever I had lying around for the base, giving no thought to how they might be mounted in the future. All I wanted to do was get ideas down as soon as possible and think as little as I could.


While I'm happy with these, I still don't feel like I'm ready to create items for sale. I don't feel I have found my place yet. I so want to break away from grids and right angles, but somehow I feel chained to them. I feel comfortable with them.

My fear of going in the wrong direction was increased about 10,000% after reading the latest issue of Somerset Studio magazine, and saw paintings by Jesse Reno:

Rain - by Jesse Reno

rain drops - magic in the water - left overs from a giant - a bears arms - hibernation - nothing is certain - shortfall - long run - windows all around - play the game by the rules even if it bends your judgment as they will do the same - they will teach you to be a bear and a shark - remember to be - when heart guides spirit - if it was finished there would be know question - it is finished

48" x 48" on wood acrylic, oil pastel, pencil, collage $4000.00

Have a look at his website.

I was absolutely floored by his work. Such energy!!! Such freedom!!! What the heck am I doing then, if I am so inspired by this? How can I keep on going with the grid?

I'm wondering if I can translate some of my favorite fiber pieces to paper. Free it up from the grid. Add some spontaneous marks and painting instead of relying on just stamping.

Wise Women, 42 x 11" ©2009 Kim Hambric

Why does overlapping and spontaneity freak me out so much? Is it a fear of failure? A fear of making a mistake (or many)? Am I afraid that someone will yell at me for wasting supplies or making a mess? Am I just too damn repressed?

Am I so concerned about where I end up that I don't know where to start?

Where do I start?

Time Flies in Times Square

and in the rest of New York, too. A three day weekend never gets you as far as you want.


This is the only photo I took in Manhattan. We explored a new area of Central Park this year, which included the magical Belvedere Castle.

While I complained that I did not get enough shopping time (I did get to duck into Anthropologie, though), our main reasons for going are to eat, see art, and take the child to a Broadway show.

For the eat part, on Day 1 we went to Mas in Greenwich Village. We tried it out on last year's visit, and I think, no matter how long we will have to eat cheap hotdogs as a result, we will do what we can to eat there on future visits. In my book, it is easily the best restaurant in the city. Not that we can compare it to all other restaurants, but I feel that we have a decent enough sample group to select from.

Day 2 consisted of the Museum of Natural History, a trip across Central Park, and then a visit to the Whitney Museum, which had an exhibit of Edward Hopper. My fave piece:

The Barber Shop, Edward Hopper

Then, off to dinner at Beacon on 56th Street. Quite good. Not nearly as good as the night before. But when you're in a hurry to see a show, there's only so good you're gonna get. Daughter's choice this year: Mary Poppins. She was enthralled. Dada and I took turns cat napping.

Day 3: Big Brooklyn Day. Why? Because of this show:



We are both obsessed with this show. And I love that intro with all of that gorgeous text.


One of the gazillion beautiful Brooklyn Streets.

That stunning bridge!!! That godawful Verizon building in the background!!!



Crunchy Brooklyn Beach



And the world's most beautiful chocolate shop, Jacques Torres on Water Street in DUMBO. I wish I had taken a photo inside. All dressed up for fall. STUNNING! And the candy is awesome, too. I'm addicted to the Coffee Break Chocolate bars. Wish I had bought more. Hmmmm. Wait, I'll be right back. Mmmmmmm. Man, that's good.

And now, off to run errands in the real world. But, I need to remember, this is the world of reasonable mortgages.