The Gift of a Residency

That’s what I did this weekend; I gave myself the gift of a residency.

Nope, I didn’t apply for anything, or get any funding.  I gave this time to myself.

I am fortunate enough to have carte blanche access to a condo in Daytona Beach, Florida that over looks the Intercoastal Waterway.  For a salt loving, ocean loving person this is pure heaven.

But I seldom go.

It’s too difficult most of the time to just go.  Life gets in the way.

But this past weekend I did it.  And, boy am I glad I did.

I wasn’t making work, rather working on the business of art.

Not as much fun as making art, but very enlightening and worth the effort.  We artists really need to know the why’s of doing this crazy thing called art.

I won’t be so bold as to say I did all that I set out to do, but I accomplished a lot and I hope to do it again in the future.  It is a necessary part of being an artist.

My only wish would be to have the opportunity to do it with like minded artists, too.  This past weekend was for solitude, but having a sisterhood from afar to share ideas with, well, that would be fantastic.  And I hope someday that wish comes true.

But now it is Monday.  I am refreshed and ready to face the world.

I hope you are too.

May you have a creative day!

Thinking about Absolutes and Wondering Which Camp You Are In



Image from the Internet



There aren’t many absolutes in my world.

No blacks or whites.

Too many wonderful middle greys in between to put me squarely in one camp or the other.

But a week ago today I found myself rethinking this philosophy. Maybe I do have some absolutes after all.

My step-son, Brian Radatz of The Ride Factory in Ybor City, won best in his class in a prestigious motorcycle show.

His class was Radical. Even if you aren’t a motorcycle enthusiast it is easy to imagine this would be a large and difficult class to win.

Yet win he did. On his very first time out of the gate.

Hmm, why did this Cinderella story come true for Brian? And why am I blogging about it on an art blog?

Because, you see, motorcycle shows are no different than art shows, it is just the objects that are different.

No matter what the object is, no matter where the object is made, say in a house or in a garage. Objects they are. Make we do.

And when we choose to put these objects up for review by our peers, we are allowing them to say which object they think is the best.

Judges are just like the rest of us; each of us has a preference. Some of us prefer fine craftsmanship.  Every piece meticulously crafted and put together. While others’ prefer a message.  Something that speaks to our heart and soul. And sometimes it’s a combination of the two, though it is my belief that we lean closer to one way or the other. Content or Craftsmanship.

Which makes it our camp.

I’m not saying either one is better, just that we have our tendencies, and it’s good to know our preference so we can fine tune that part of our work.

Brian’s bike was in no way better built than the other motorcycles. Not high tech either. But he had a concept and he followed that concept all the way through. And the judges saw what he was doing and liked it.  (And I am thrilled they did!)

The stars aligned for Brian this time.

I hope he understands that the next time the judges might walk right past him with nary a look. And I hope too that he doesn’t take it personally. He can’t, because it isn’t personal. It’s not about his work so much as it is about the judges’ opinion.

He needs to have clarity in his vision and follow it through, no matter what anybody else says.

And that goes for any type of show we enter.

So, no matter what you make, and no matter what camp you are in, I hope you knock ‘em dead the next time you show. And if not, well, we all know that you did your best.

Happy creating to you!

I AM...Posting a Baker's Dozen

Here are some of the wonderful "I AM" participants from the First Night show in St. Pete.

Thanks to all of you for participating! Without you the show wouldn't have been the same.

I'll be posting more throughout the week.

Thanks again to all participants!

And thanks for stopping in!

And the Winner Is........

And the winner of the I AM T-shirt is: Tom S.

In case you missed the post, he said, “I AM… single and available,”

Thanks to all who participated.

I'll show images from tonight’s First Night show after I recuperate. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you!

 
I am too exhausted to write.

Sorry.

But while I catch my breath and rest my feet I've got a few images to share with you of the C. Emerson Fine Arts booth.

Thank you, Lori, for bringing my work.  I am honored.


C. Emerson Fine Arts
Kim Anderson, Lee Basford, Clayton Chandler,
Dirk Dzimirsky, Rocky Grimes, Kyle Hughes-Odgers,
Justin Nelson, Danile Mrgan, Kim Radatz



C. Emerson Fine Arts
Kim Anderson, Lee Basford, Clayton Chandler,
Dirk Dzimirsky, Rocky Grimes, Kyle Hughes-Odgers,
Justin Nelson, Danile Mrgan, Kim Radatz



C. Emerson Fine Arts
Kim Radatz

No, as in no more for now.

Until the next time, may you be filled with creativity!

Miami, Here I Come- SCOPE It Out!

2 weeks from today I’ll be driving to Miami to participate in the SCOPE show during the chaos in Miami known as Art Basel.

I am very excited. A little scared too.

I’m honored that Lori Johns of C. Emerson Fine Art invited me to participate. It is reassuring to know that people believe in my work.

And it is a going home of sorts as I lived in Miami most of my adult life.

But the scary part?

Well, it’s always a little unnerving to show work, especially since this is such a world renowned show. Akin to running naked, as I have mentioned before.

Also, I will be seeing people, specifically former teachers and fellow classmates, most of whom I haven’t seen since leaving Miami.

I graduated from Miami-Dade Community College with my AA. Then Florida Internatioanl University with my BFA. And finally the University of Miami with my MFA. Which took me 16 years to complete. Longer than average, but I needed that time to grow as an artist.

And grow, I have.

So I shall relish the tingling going on in the pit of my stomach and forge ahead.

I’ll hope the show is a huge success for all of us.

And I’ll enjoy spending time with old friends and making new memories with them.

This time though, it’ll be the new, more confident artist that you know. Instead of the rather shy, insecure one that left way back when.  And that, my friends, can only be a good thing!

On that happy note, I shall sign off.

I'm happy to be back and apologize for the long absence!

Until the next time, may you have a creative day!

Q and A Mondays- Finding Your Own Voice

A friend of mine started grad school this past year and periodically asks me for input.

Recently we were talking about her thesis, which isn’t due for a couple of years, but it’s never too early to start thinking about that, me thinks.

So I suggested she start brainstorming with words. Just start yelling them out, (writing them down too, lest they slip out of her mind) and see what words appear. I suggested she do this often to see if any words reappear. After a while a trend will indeed appear and that would be a good place to start, with these random words and thoughts. From there she can build upon them to find out what she wants to say with her work. Like a road map for her art.

How about you; How have you gone about finding your own voice?

Save the Date

BRAVA at Salt Creek Artworks.

The show opens Friday, April 29th at 6:00.  I hope to see you there!

Courage to Fail

Last night we had last minute guests for dinner. It was a long time friend and his new girlfriend. Since it was Valentine’s Day and all the restaurants would be full, I knew we would have to eat in.

What could I throw together quickly in short notice? (I mean that pretty literally as time was of the essence and I didn’t want to run to the store.)

And what does this have to do with courage, you ask?

Let me tell you.

It takes courage to throw (remember, literally), together a meal for somebody, especially if you don’t know them. And it something I would not have been able to do in the not too distant past. You see, courage is something I have lacked for most of my life. Many of the people I know now would doubt that about me, but my long time friends remember me when.

-When I was so shy I dropped out of a class in college, and got an F for doing so, because I had to give an oral report. (Which I did, BTW, I just didn’t have the courage to share it with the class.)
- When meeting with somebody new I would assume they didn’t have time for me.
-When asked a question I would defer to anybody else, as long as I didn’t have to answer.
-When I wouldn’t offer assistance as I felt my contribution wouldn’t be good enough.
-When I wouldn’t apply for a show as I assumed in advance that I wouldn’t get in.
-When I believed that others were prettier, smarter, better at anything than I was.
-Etc.

So what changed?

Me, naturally.

And what changed me was failing. I didn’t sit in the corner and cry about it (though tears were indeed shed), I learned from each failure.

Often it was little tiny failures (such as a smoke alarm dinner), though there were some pretty big ones too, (like a less than stellar review). But I never ignored them. I learned from each of them what not to do next time.

Now, I’m not going to lie to you and say I love failing. No, not at all. But it doesn’t bother me so much anymore. Because if I had not failed, I would not be where I am today.

And that, I wouldn’t change for anything.

Have a great one!


Lest you think it's been all surgery and dinner guests for me, here is Cover Me a little further along on her path.

Cover Me, 48" x 36", Kim Radatz

P.S. Dinner was delicious! Company too.

Show and Tell Sunday-Cover Me

I have received so many wonderful Get Well wishes since having my appendicitis attack this past Monday and subsequent surgery on Tuesday. The love sent my way has been healing and humbling. I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends in the world. Thank you for your kindness.

And now, back to work.

Here is a new skin that I have been working on between naps. There is more to do, but I am happy with the progress so far. I’ll share once it is finished.

Until then, may you have a wonderful day!  And thanks again.  My heart is aglow.



Cover Me, 30" x 38", Kim Radatz



Sandwich as Muse

What is your muse?
 
Hmmm, for me it’s hard to narrow it down to one as I am inspired by many things.
 
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I started out life as a potter, so rusty, crusty, earthy textures make my heart race. And old, decaying things too.
 
Text of any kind does the same. Which is why it can be found on almost all of my work. That could stem from graffiti, or billboards, or t-shirts which have turned us into walking billboards. Or maybe it is just the simple beauty of the line a letter or word makes that captivates me.
 
I am not sure.
 
But a sandwich has never been among the items on my list.
 
Which is why the Cuban Sandwich Show conceived by David Audet of the Artist and Writers Group and the Festival of Moving Image, is appealing to me.
 
A formal prospectus will be out soon, but in the meantime, David sent out this brief description of the show.

"All the art, in all mediums, has to be about Tampa AND/OR Cuban Sandwiches. Thus, whether the art form is visual, film, dance, theater, music, cuisine, poetry, literature, the root subject is somehow about Tampa, past, present, future."

A Cuban Sandwich Show.  Fantastic.  I shall chew on that subject (pun intended) for many days to come.

Makes me yearn for a good Cuban sandwich too.

And makes me wonder if it is all of our experiences that become our muses?

What do you think?

Whatever form your muse takes, may she keep you moving forward on your path.

Have a great one!

Show and Tell Sundays-Sick Puppy

My sick as a dog days have morphed into sick puppy days. Not full blown "big" sick like a grown up dog, but on a smaller scale, like a puppy. Sick Puppy, that’s me.

I know healthy days are right around the corner.

While I was sick as one, I had the opportunity to meet some of your dogs, which was so very nice. I much prefer meeting dogs than feeling like one!

May I introduces to you some very special dogs.  They are:



"Cherry ", as in chocolate-covered and sweet.
http://www.studiocb.blogspot.com/

 

Lola, the rescued Greyhound.
http://www.purplecloudstudio.com/



Achilles and his new little sister Pandora.
http://starkimages.homestead.com/pugimages.html




Abby under her blanket
http://artistsjournal.wordpress.com/

  

Delilah, the tried and true traveling D dog.
http://www.moonmaidbotanicals.com/

 
And my contribution to the dog bunch, Duke and Dixie of Dog Days. Still way early in the piece, which I wouldn’t typically show, but I haven’t accomplished much this week, so there it is. I’ll share again once it is finished.


Skinned-Dog Days, Kim Radatz©

 

 Hopefully you have been enjoying lots of wonderful holiday food and conversations with family and friends! It’s that wonderful time of year for doing just that.

Have a great week, this last of the year!

Show and Tell Sunday-Sick as a Dog!

Well, Show and Tell Sunday was a sick day for me. And a no show day for my blog. Sorry about that.

But yuck, was I SICK!

Sick as a dog.

And I’ve been out of commission for days. Still just plodding along, but I feel certain I’ll be 100% before long.

While stuck in bed the whole dog thing (sick as one) made me wonder, hmmm, do you have a dog? I think so from some of your comments. But just to be certain, I have an idea.

If you send me a photo of your dog (name too, please) I’ll post it for the upcoming Show and Tell Sunday.

Just send it to me at KimRadatz@aol.com with “Show and Tell Sundays” in the subject line, please, so it isn’t mistaken for spam.

And I’ll share with you too.

Really looking forward to meeting your dogs!

Have a wonderful, food poisoning free evening!

More on Melanie

I know you have seen this piece before, but it has come up in conversation so much lately that I gotta share it with you again.

Melanie,
Kim Radatz©

Here is how it played out, (pun intended):


I remembered the song from long ago and was inspired to do a dress using the song/title after finding a pair of vintage roller skates earlier this year.

the inspiration

The dress was in a show at C. Emerson Fine Art in St. Petersburg, Florida in September.

A friend of Melanie Safka, the singer that penned and sang the song, was at the opening and told me that Melanie formerly lived in Pinellas County (I don’t remember the exact city, but it wasn’t far from where the gallery is located). The friend took a picture of my piece to send to Melanie, who now lives out of state.

And now, this new HP printer commercial has prompted my family and friends to contact me to say, “Isn’t that the same song…..?”

If you haven’t seen the commercial yet, take a look. It’ll put a smile on your face.

All of this brings me around to say that now, as the year comes to a close, I have been having nice chats with family members and friends about the song, about life, about us in general. From one little song.  From long ago. It’s a good thing. Something more to be thankful about.

I wonder if Melanie feels it too.

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.