Flying Lessons and next steps

I've begun KellyRaeRoberts ecourse, Flying Lessons, on how to thrive with a creative business. Wisely, she started with a post on commitment and goal setting, then on on handling fear. It is definitely fear that gets in MY way! I have all these wonderful ideas--that go nowhere. I get all fired up about a course of action, start to make it happen--and get distracted or blocked. I even put out money to hire a personal coach! Sandra Jones helped me stay the course to complete and show my first series of silk paintings, to fill the space for opening night and for my photo presentation, and even to get my first ever really good commission! Thank you Sandy!! But then I fell down again. The creative road has more pitfalls and traps than a video game.

Sandy invited me to a Landmark Forum presentation. It helped something break loose! I started cleaning up my studio enough to work in again, and to begin the application process to be on the Washington State Arts Commission roster as a teaching artist, something I've been putting off for a year. I think I'm back on the road to creative success!

Finishing the Commission

My first major commission is finished and delivered! The buyer loved it!! When she unwrapped the covering around it we danced in joy! Now for the next step.
I am applying to be on the teaching artist roster for Washington State Arts Commission. The application form includes 7 narrative questions, plus a short bio, a lesson plan, and a write-up about the 10 sample art pieces I'm submitting photos of. Wow! It pulls in all of my training and experience as a teacher and a good deal of my work as an artist. A special challenge was condensing the important experiences of my long adventurous life into 125 words! Thank goodness for friends who helped me think this through and who edited/critiqued my writing.

Peonies and cranes

I'm working on a piece, 30" x 40". It is the largest piece I've ever done in any media, and it is really coming out nice! I am so excited!!!! I've begun the details, and expect to have it complete, framed, and hanging by May 16th! These photos show two stages. In the top photo I have put resist on all the lines. In the bottom photo, the piece is ready fro the details. I then painted resist over most of the cloth so that the dye I add now will retain the character of the brush strokes.

silk paintings at the Tea Shop

In February and March, my silk paintings were on view at the Vashon Tea Shop.







We celebrated the Chinese New Year with a show of photos from my trip.

Silk paintings

Here are some samples of my silk paintings. For the Chinese folk tales that inspired them, scroll down.

Stories from China

I just gave my blog address to some people so that they could look up the stories I brought back from China and the silk paintings I did to illustrate them. If you came to find them, please scroll down a ways, and you will find them!

The final version of the Goose Moon cover, without the lettering.