How Do You Do That?

A fellow blogger recently asked about the dresses that are in the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, specifically about the patterns, dress patterns, and if the dresses are wearable.

Re my process, I use actual dress patterns, 2 per dress, purchased from a fabric store adhered to vinyl with any medium of choice. My preference is Liquitex Matt Medium, but there are a bazillion others to choose from.

The patterns on the dress patterns (that is a difficult one to figure out, yes?) are achieved in a multitude of ways depending on what my direction is for that specific piece.

Both Clowning Around and Lemon Drop have paint, graphite, and charcoal. Tuitti Fruitti is collaged tissue paper.

And no, those specific dresses are not wearable. Though I have worn a skirt made from this material for openings I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody. And I would never subject any kid to that torture. It is made out of vinyl, which does not breathe. Which means it is very hot. And the fabric doesn’t bend, so standing is the only option.

I hope this helps. And I hope you have a creative day.

Clowning Around, 2010
Kim Radatz

Lemon Drop, 2010
Kim Radatz

Tuitti Fruitti, 2010
Kim Radatz

Distracted Again

The other day I posted that I was thinking about starting an Etsy shop, but I have decided against it, thanks to your help. It is a wonderful tool for those that want to sell their work on their own. And it is so very gratifying when a sale happens. Plus you have direct contact with the buyer. Etsy is the perfect tool for accomplishing that. But…

But, in order to sell well, one must work at it and that takes time away from actually making art. I would rather make it than sell it, especially since I am not a natural born salesperson. That gift went to my sisters, so why do it? As the song says,
     You've got to accentuate the positive
     Eliminate the negative
     And latch on to the affirmative
     Don't mess with Mister In-Between

Sage advice that I shall take. No messin’ with the in-between stuff. Because in-between stuff is just another name for distraction. I shall leave the selling to the professionals, who are oh, so talented at doing it. And I love them for it.

So…. instead of thinking about selling my work, and having a body of work that is more suitable for sales, I’ve been working on these “skins”. They are far from finished, but I like where they are going.

Skinned-You Say, Kim Radatz©

Skinned-Wishful Thinking, KimRadatz©

Skinned-Wishful Thinking, detail, KimRadatz©

And yes, I know myself well enough to know that I will get distracted again and probably in the very near future. Hopefully I’ll be able to see the distractions for what they are and get back on track quicker.

As usual, time will tell on that front. I’ll keep you posted.

Stay warm tonight.

Show and Tell Sundays

Sundays are a great day for me.

I try to review the previous week and in doing so I am also readying for the one to come. As the Sundays of 2010 dwindle down, I thought I’d do a little thinking out loud and start sharing my Sundays with you. Hopefully this will help me to be more focused and productive too. We’ll have to wait and see on that front.

And this makes me wonder:

Do You Run or Plod?

Neither is better, me thinks, just another way to honor our own quirks.

I have a tendency to do both depending on the situation. Though this week I’ve been plodding along in a BIG way.

I won’t be too hard on myself for doing so with all the holiday obligations, I’ll just let the work roll off my fingers when they are ready to be complete.

I am happy to report that I have finished a few of the 8 x 8’s and some have even found a new home of their own. Always a good thing! But most are still in the works.

Here is a sneak peek of the current works in progress.

Group shot, Kim Radatz©



Good Friends, Kim Radatz©



His and Hers, Kim Radatz©

Carefree, Kim Radatz©

Now it is your turn, do tell about you.
 
And stay warm and creative as you work this week!

I Wonder What Tomorrow Will Bring

Woo Hoo!  I received my order from Dick Blick today.  Full of possibilities for tomorrow, me thinks.  I’ll keep you posted on how they unfold.

May both of our Wednesdays be warm and productive!

Killing Two Birds With One Stone

I just finished my walk, which I love.  I’m meditating and exercising all in one fell swoop.

When I first started walking years ago I didn’t set out to do both at once, it just sort of happened.  Now I do it intentionally.  No iPod with music or books, just wide open spaces for my mind to wander. And that allows the ideas to find a cozy spot to land.  An oh, so very cool thing to watch unfold.

Today this process reminded of the questionnaire I recently filled out for the Cloth Paper Scissor magazine. The one question in particular that came to mind was, “Where do you find ideas for your work?” I can’t remember how I answered exactly, but I know it had something to do with having no control over the ideas, they just come. I suppose I should have answered through meditation, but that might sound too esoteric. And it’s not. It’s just plain and simple walking. And thinking. One foot in front of the other and I am worlds away. It is a beautiful thing.

Naturally there are other ways for ideas to formulate and land; this is just one of the ways that came to mind today.

But now I gotta know; where do you find ideas for your work?

The title of this blog reminded me of these mixed media on cardboard pieces I did two years ago.



mixed media, Kim Radatz©



 

mixed media, Kim Radatz©









Two pieces, two birds, two years ago, lots of twos going on in this blog.

There could be a reason for that. But more on that later.

I hope you have a creative day!

Do you ever get distracted?

I think this might even be considered lost, instead of distracted! Nah, just kidding.

But honestly, I set off last Wednesday to deliver work to FMWA in DeLand and ended up going on to Daytona and spending a few days there. Nice. No distractions, no computer, but yikes, that can cause some problems. Especially when one is used to logging on every day. A forced vacation from the computer due to an impulse. This is also not like me at all. Remember the anal organization on my studio? Yep, the anal stuff runs deep! Organized. Planned out. Etc. So this was a nice.

All of that to say, I never posted the pix of the collages prior to delivering them to the museum gift shop. So here is a quick look.  Thankfully, one sold the day of delivery.  Very nice to get that confirmation.

collages©, Kim Radatz

And this makes me wonder about you, since we've been sharing some Q and A: Do you ever get distracted?  Do tell.

Sunshine and Creativity

Brrrr, it’s cold here. Been cold all weekend. Not what one would expect in early November for The Sunshine State.

But the sun is shining and I’m ready to get lots of work done today. Which answers another of the questions posed by Cloth Paper Scissors that I have shared with you: Does the weather affect your art-making? For me, ABSOLUTELY. I don’t do gray skies well. I go into hibernation, in a big, bad way.

I had SAD (Seasonal Adjustment Disorder) long before it was a commonly known disorder. And now that I am aware of it, I prepare for grey days accordingly. This is why I live in Florida where the sun shines most of the time. And fortunately, while I am in Minnesota, the days are long and the sky is so very big.

I have been inspired to make some small collages today by my friend, Martha. She is obviously never deterred from her studio for any reason whatsoever as she is the most productive artist I know. Check out her blog, An Artist's Journal, and you’ll see what I mean.

Off to work I go. Enjoy your day and I hope that it is a productive one!

Preparation for collages

Stacked up and ready to go.