Cath Sheard Art

Category: Uncategorized

  • Following a few blogs…

    B Wilson, 2008

    This year I have been watching a few blogs regularly, but have cut down the amount of time spent online overall. I found I was reading and watching, but not doing. It seemed a bit pointless being inspired if I never found the time to do anything with it. The blogs I *have* been following have been a huge source of joy to me. I thank each one of these amazing artists for sharing their art, processes and artistic self so willingly with others. Here are my main blog fixes:

    Martha Marshall – I have been following Martha for years now. Martha is incredibly generous in sharing her art processes, and insights into her garden and kitchen. One of the things I find so inspiring about Martha is her sound work ethic and the joy she feels in the process of creation. I own 6 small works by Martha and hope to add more as I can afford to invest in more artworks.

    Tanya Dann – I met Tanya through the NZ Art Guild and appreciate the way in which she juggles her time and commitments to make time for art, and a role in the running of the Guild. We have two of Tanya’s striped works on our walls, and love them. One was created especially for me, and has the most amazing oranges and purples.

    Sophia Elise – again, I met Sophia through the NZ Art Guild, which she is manager of. One of the reasons I follow Sophia is the sheer generosity and kindness with which she treats other artists; she has a spirit worth knowing. Tony and I are the proud owners of a work by Sophia, which isn’t quite in our hands as yet…

    Michelle Ward – I have been following Michelle for a number of years, having first seen her work in a Somerset magazine. I follow her because she is very inspirational, freely sharing her techniques with her followers, and challenging people to push themselves artistically. I don’t own any artworks by Michelle, but I do own some of her rubber, and I try to participate in her online challenges most months at the GPP STreet Team site.

    Tina Mammoser – Again, Tina is someone whose blog I have been following for years. And yes, I own a small work by Tina and love it. I always enjoy reading about Tina’s process and admire her work ethic as a self-supporting artist. The other thing I like with Tina is that she seems to have this clear vision of what she creates and why, and that appeals to me.

    Rebecca Crowell – this is a blog I’ve been reading for about two years. Rebecca has a restrained palette and creates works with this amazing sense of depth and texture. I wish I could see one in real life. I love reading about her process, and the way in which she works through any obstacles in the process of creation. The final results have a real sense of age about them.

    Babs Wilson – yes, it’s a blog I have been reading for a long time too! Babs creates fabulous works but, more than that, she feels real joy in the process and shares that joy with exuberance. I love reading about her adventures in creating and her playful artistic spirit. I own a small piece by Babs which I treasure.

    When I look back at this short list a couple of points stand out for me; I love it when other artists talk about their process and I am consistent in what I like and why I follow. If I enjoy a blog and develop a relationship with the artist (comment by comment by comment) I am more likely to end up owning a piece of their work. What does this mean for me? In all likelihood, I should describe my process, because people like me care about the process of creation. And building relationships with people is what it’s all about in the end, whatever the setting – gallery, blog, weekend sales table, website…

  • Handmade Christmas gifts

     

    This year I have had a few works done as prints for family members, and they have come up really well. I find Snapfish, here in New Zealand, do quite a good job. But there’s one gift I wanted to make from scratch. My sister and brother-in-law are devotees of Sri Chinmoy and meditate every day; they also love the sea and going diving. I am a bit inclined to scoff, being cynical by nature, but all the same I totally support their right to do whatever makes them happy. I wanted to make a prayer flag for Jim, but ran out of time. So I came up with the idea of Sri Chinmoy quotes on three small canvases, with a sea background. I rubber stamped the fish because part of their guru’s philosophy is about simplicity and accepting imperfection as being perfect. (or something like that…) The photos show the mess of creation, including on my hands, and then one of the finished canvas. I just hope he likes them and understands what I was trying to say to him.

  • Canvas – time to buy some new ones

    Gordon Harris Art Supplies in Wellington has these great ‘Museum’ brand canvas; heavy duty, well constructed, tight canvas. I love them. I’m going to be exhibiting in May next year with some other Kiwi artists – details to come in another post – but for now let’s just say I want some new canvas. $400 worth, which is not too bad, except that it’s Christmas time (as in, we’re spending money on presents, not canvas). Perhaps Tony wants to buy me 4 canvas for Christmas and birthday combined?

  • Latest Art Guild Challenge

    The most recent NZ Art Guild Challenge is this: If you are not already – become familiar with different styles and eras of art that encompass text in a fine art context; e.g. Modernist era (pop art, futurist, dada, expressionist, minimalist) or a contemporary context (mail art, computer/digital art, text as image)
    You may like to consider some of the following artists: Andy Warhol, Roy Lichenstein, Colin Mcahon, Ralph Hotere, Barbara Kruger, Billy Apple, Rene Margrite, Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns

    Create an artwork that encompasses one of the following categories:
    – Text as image: e.g. Billy Apple, graffiti, concrete poetry
    – Object and text: Choose an object and incorporate some text relating to this object – you do not have to be too literal!
    – Text and image: You can use text in an abstract way or in conjunction with abstract images/patterns or with landscape.

    I enjoy Cy Twombly’s work, and have been using more of my own photos as a base for works recently, so this is what I came up with. Mixed media: photo, calligraphy pens, white out and digital.

    I Love Patea.

     

     

     

  • Planning for 2011

    Plan for 2011

    We’ve reached *that* time of year already. No, not Christmas shopping. Well, yeah okay, that too. No, it’s time to start planning my art calender for 2011. I like to know ahead of time what I am entering, so I can work to some vague sort of schedule. For all kinds of reasons the latter half of this year was slow for me art-wise, but I’m feeling on top of things again now and ready to put myself out there.

    I put the events I am participating in into a spreadsheet, with wall size, important dates etc and then keep it on the white-board above my desk in my home office. That way, I can see at a glance what I need to be putting effort into. If I enter a new event, I update the file and print it out again. I also mark off when I have completed the registration, sent off the contract and completed the artworks. Sure, this spreadsheet needs a lot more details yet, but it’s good to have made a start; and very good to know that I have 6 exciting events planned already.