Seth Apter

"Look, Don, see how easy it can be. I promise."

So said Seth Apter at ArtUnraveled. Seth and I are quite sure we are identical twins, separated at birth. People who know me think they know me and if they know me they know that I'm pretty much a loner. Seth knows how to get into me. He can even make me talk to him. We have similar souls and karma, except that he is a really talented artist and I just pretend. 

"Don't worry, Don, I'll show you how to use all these supplies."

 

"Relax, Don, it will all develop nicely."

 

These are really small pieces, 6x6" and 4x4". And no clay involved!  Go here to see more of the classes Seth offered.  Not only did Seth encourage me to paint with wild colors, he put me on a panel with other real artists. I tried to hold my own by keeping my personal mantra in mind:

The myth is greater than the reality.

 

 

I Art

I went to ArtUnraveled. I took classes and not a one of them had anything to do with clay. I had a great time. I got out of my comfort zone and did different things. It was comforting to be (sometimes) the only guy in a class. When you are the only guy in the class you seldom lack for positive reinforcement from your classmates.

One of my favorite instructors is Mary Beth Shaw.  I made these two paintings in one of her classes. I'm probably going to do something different with the doodads that stick out - the photo makes them look more dominant than they really are - but they aren't speaking to me anymore. (obviously they spoke to me in class).

Susan also makes art. She relishes the challenge of taking the paints that no one else uses/wants and works with them. When the instructor says "Come up and get some paint I've brought" she just sits back until the feeding frenzy is over. She did this piece in a different class with Mary Beth. It's on plain copier paper but since it's acrylic paint it stiffens the paper.

Susan speaks: If you notice odd happenings on this blog .... There is no reason why Blogger will sometimes delete the Profile photo or refuse to resize images or put random multipe blank lines in the middle of text or just plain misbehave.  Oh yeah, there is a reason: Because they can.

On The Road Again

We've been in Phoenix for 8 days of classes at ArtUnraveled. We drove 18+ hours over 2 days to get there. Doesn't everyone go to Phoenix in August? We do. Is it hot there? Yes, but so what? We are inside all the time going to classes and the hotel room rates are very low in August.

We love the drive through west Texas and New Mexico/Arizona. The terrain slowly changes from central Texas Hill Country to flat desert filled with saguro cactus - cacti? - and we never fail to wonder how in the hell anyone in a covered wagon or on horseback ever made it to California.

The drive for about 8 hours in west Texas is on a highway where the legal speed limit is 80 mph. It's very isolated and rest stops are about 90-100 miles apart. Susan hates them because they are open air; it's not the lack of air-conditioning but the flies that aggravate her. This, however, doesn't seem to bother her.

We took 3 cartons of art supplies, used up lots of them, but somehow wound up coming back with 4.  We are still unpacking. More to come.

Odd Ends

How To Look At Art Like An Artist is the title of this sketch posted on an art instructor's door.

 

This was on another instructor's door.

 

Here's my Sunday morning breakfast at the Whole Foods Mothership, consumed after a hard bike ride.  "Mothership" is how you refer to the Whole Foods headquarters/store here in Austin. Trivia: Yes, we shopped at Whole Foods when it was just a dinky hole-in-the-wall store, before it became big and famous.

I love their gumbo in the winter and Susan is addicted to their Nonna cookies. People like to refer to it as Whole Paycheck but if you shop carefully, pay attention to what you are buying (like no Nonna cookies!), and skip the prepared take-out, the cost is not that different from any ordinary grocery store.

Little Dudes work in progress:

Ugo, I Go

This is my creepy doll collection. I go to Goodwill and Salvation Army and Savers stores and find the dolls. First thing I do is pull up their dresses to see how the legs are attached. Then pull at their hair to see how the head is made. So far no one has arrested me but Susan tries not to be near me in the store. The inspection is mandatory because you need to know what they are made of and if you can take them apart. The non-plastic ones are the best. If they seem right, I buy them and they undergo serious surgery and a haircut and get added to the collection.

Yes, they will eventually find their way into something, like the figure above. Or, since I consider myself an Artist (with a capital A) maybe they'll just be "My Creepy Doll Installation". The black holders were a 70% off sale Halloween item at Hobby Lobby, they were supposed to be candle holders. I'm going to be watching for more this year.

One of the best parts about traveling is the unexpected. We had no idea this was in Rockefeller Center until we wandered through. Huge. Way cool. Perfect sizing for the site.  Human Nature by Ugo Rondinone.

It's Not Always About Me

Sometimes it's about Susan's art.