Clowning Around and Thinking Out Loud in the Bag

I have been teaching myself to sew this summer. Yep, for more than a few years I have used the sewing machine as my main tool, yet I officially don’t know how to sew.

I can get the job done, mind you, my work just hasn’t been about the sewing. To me, using the sewing machine is akin to using welding torches, (which I do know how to use); the end result is the same, it’s the materials and the tools used to attach two parts together that are different. But connecting together they both do.

So I bought a book about sewing and started the lessons. It has been an interesting journey so far. Obviously, some things worked out better than others, but each one has taught me something, and that is always a good thing.

About the time I started my lessons I received my dresses back from the Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan Search which now hang in my studio. After looking at them for a while I was inspired to try one of the projects in the book with the paper fabric that I used for the CPS dresses.

Below are a few of the bags I have made. Not sure where they’ll go from here but I have been enjoying the process. It has been a labor of fun, with a touch of aggravation thrown in. =D

And now I shall put the fabrics and sewing machine away for the weekend, very appropriate for the Labor Day Weekend, me thinks.

Wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope you have a fantastic and safe Labor Day Weekend!


Kim Radatz©



Clowning Around Red, Kim Radatz©

 

Clowning Around Blue, Kim Radatz©



Thinking Out Loud, Kim Radatz©



Failing Forward

I just read Julie Fei-Fan Balzer‘s great post about being rejected and it inspired me to revisit the subject again because it is so darned important.

When I was a budding artist I thought the work I did was SO FANTASTIC, that I would blow everybody’s mind with my creativity. So when I was rejected, it was a crushing blow. The first time I was rejected from a show I cried for hours. Now, bazillions of rejections later, being rejected is a tiny blip on my radar screen.

Why? Well, first of all, I no longer place such importance on one piece.  Nor do I have such lofty feelings about my work. I like some pieces better than others, and I know some are indeed better than others, but each piece is just one part of a collective whole. I’m not banking ALL of me on any one piece. So, if it doesn’t sell, isn’t selected, gets a bad review or…. (fill in the blank), it is okay as it is just one small part of me.

Don’t get me wrong, I am completely devoted to my work, but I have come to learn that what other people think about my work has nothing to do with how I feel about it.

Why do we artist put so much pressure on ourselves to be the cream of the crop each and every time? Let’s face it; we can’t win every race we run. Or hit home runs every time we are up to bat. Why can’t we just be happy by being the best that we can be in that one moment?

I think this is where rejection and failure earn their keep.

They teach us that tenacity trumps talent and to keep on working.

That we need to face our fears and forge ahead, especially in doubt.

That we need to take risks and have the courage to fail.

That maybe we should throw caution to the wind and just do it. Right or wrong, let the chips fall where they may.

Or, that maybe we were swan diving into the wrong pool and to research more carefully the things we apply for.

That we need to hone our skills in all aspects of the business of art.

And, through it all, they help us find our own voices and grow as individuals and as artists.

They are just part of the process and are wonderful teachers, if we listen carefully.

I am so very glad to have spent time with both.

How about you?

I hope you have a creative day!

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

I Quit

Yep, I know I am supposed to persevere through all challenges as happiness comes at the end of great challenges. Right?

Well, sometimes.

And at other times things are just an uphill battle.

Which has been the case this past week with the new series I am working on.

So, today I shall follow my own advice from the Cloth Paper Scissors interview:

What do you do when a piece isn’t working out the way you want it to?

"Keep forging ahead. Making a piece requires and open dialog with the materials. It’s not just about me; I am a partner in this dance called art. I have to listen to what is working and if its not, adjust accordingly. If a piece continues to be a struggle I move on to another piece."

Which is exactly what I am doing today, moving on from this new series. I will return to it eventually but we need a break from each other right now.

Happily I already have a new piece started in my head. Time to get out the tools and bring it to fruition. I’ll keep you posted.

Until then, may you have a creative day!

Q and A Monday- How? and What?

Judy Hayes, a fellow Minnesotan, asked the other day, “How did you get started making pattern paper dresses? And, “What inspired you?”

First, what inspired me?

Long story short, I started out life as a potter, and pottery deals with containment. Not that I was a production potter, but I do know how to throw on the potters wheel and have made my own dishes, cups, teapots, etc., so the whole concept of “containment” in deeply entrenched in my brain. Plus, all of us are essentially “containers” moving through the world. Our bodies literally contain our thoughts, ideas, and memories, in addition to the stuff of our physical beings. So, I‘d have to say that concept is the jumping off point for the dresses and almost all other work that I do.

On using actual dress patterns as material, well, that takes a bit longer to explain.

I collect things and vintage dress patterns have long been on my list of favorites. It probably started with the patterns that my Mom used while I was growing up. Both of my sisters and my Mom were great seamstresses. Me on the other hand, not so much. I loved looking for fabric and patterns and wearing clothes that reflected my design sensibilities, I just wasn’t good at sewing. In high school I actually had some of my clothes made by a local seamstress. So the sewing machine as my go to tool didn’t happen by choice.

Fast forward approximately 20 years to when I was invited to do a themed show about “transparency.” My original idea didn’t work out as I had hoped and with a looming deadline, Plan B was hatched. I thought to use some of my vintage patterns but quickly realized that I needed two matching patterns for my vision to work. Nix the vintage patterns and buy new ones. The next hurdle was how to stabilize the patterns to withstand the actual sewing process and survive getting delivered to the gallery. Which I eventually figured out through much trial and error.

I have been making them for 6 or 7 years now and I have fine tuned the process even more. In the past few years I have moved beyond dresses into other forms including a swing set and a boat, with still others yet in the works. I’ll share pictures of the newer work in the near future. In the meantime, here are pictures of the swing set and boat.

Games People Play by Kim Radatz,

installed at

Gala Corina’s iluminación, 2007

Wishful Thinking by Kim Radatz

installed at

C. Emerson Fine Art in St. Petersburg, 2010

Thanks so much for asking, Judy.

And may all of you have a creative day!

Show and Tell Sunday- Serendipity Strikes Again

Life is so interesting, don’t you think? One never knows what seemingly insignificant stuff can turn into big and exciting news. A little over a year ago, my friend and fellow blogger, Martha, at An Artist's Journal, blogged about using Citra-Solve (spelling varies greatly, BTW) in her art work and mentioned reading about it in the magazine, Cloth Paper Scissors. I was intrigued by the sound of it, went to my local bookseller, and bought the magazine.

Also in that issue was a Call to Artists for their inaugural Artisan Search 2011. Hmmm, I thought, maybe I should check into this. Which I did and decided to apply for. Lo and behold I won in my category. All because I read a blog post. Wonderful stuff, this serendipitous path called life.

The winners in each category received a wonderful prize package and were interviewed to appear in the magazine throughout the year. I was slated for the July/August issue, so I jokingly called myself  Miss July/August. Made me want to walk down the red carpet with flowers and a crown. (Yes, in clothes, just in case bunny ears came to mind.)

And then the crowning jewel of this serendipitous path was reveled this past Friday when I received the actual magazine and was surprised to see my work on the cover. I am honored. And I promise to not take stuff like this for granted.

In lieu of scanning the cover, which I can’t do as I am traveling, here is the link to the magazine with the cover and info about the issue.

Until the next time, may your day be filled with surprises!

Hello, My Friend!

First, let me apologize for being away so long. I am sorry. Life gets in the way sometimes and you just have to deal with it right then and there. And that is what I have been doing as of late, which has kept me out of my studio for an extended time. But things are settling down and soon everything will be back on track.

Pending deadlines are a big reason that I am getting back on track, and you know how I love those. One deadline is for a group show about portraits coming up at C. Emerson Fine Art, in St. Petersburg. I love the challenge of a themed show as they often take me on paths I never would have considered. And that is indeed the case with this show. But more on that later when I have something concrete to talk about. Which will be soon, I promise.

For now, my next deadline is a blog post for Show and Tell Sunday. Yes indeed, getting back on track. And I do have some exciting news to share with you. But that will have to wait until Sunday. Which is tomorrow. Not too long a time wait.

So, I shall sign off for now and hope to see you tomorrow.

Until then, wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, may it be wonderful!

Rejection and Failure Go Hand in Hand

I have kept the word “failure” at the forefront of my mind since posting about rejection and how it helped me along my merry way as an artist. Hmmm, I wondered, if rejection can help, how about failures?

And then I stumbled upon the Cloth Paper Scissors questionnaire and see that failure has been on my mind much longer than just last week.

Below are two of CPS's question and my corresponding answers that deal with failure.

-If you could go back in time five years, what would you tell yourself about your art?
To trust in yourself and your art. There will be failures, mistakes, wrong turns, and distractions, but keep forging ahead. Work through the problems as in time they will resolve themselves.

-What do you wish they taught kids in school about art?
To trust in their inner artist and appreciate that they have been given a gift. But of utmost importance is that it takes more than just being gifted to make it as an artist.

Artists of all ages must persevere in times of doubt. Accept failure as part of the process. Be disciplined and focused even when it’s hard to find the time to do so. Be tenacious in their endeavor. And to be humble and open to change as teachers appear along their paths.

Maybe failure and rejection go hand in hand with being an artist. Or, more importantly, it just comes as part of this game called life. Might as well take advantage of them both and learn from them, me thinks.

Now I’m gonna go ponder mistakes that I have made. Surely there will be lessons there too.  I'll keep you posted on that front.

Until next time, have a creative day!



Hand in Hand, Kim Radatz



Forging Ahead, Even in Doubt

As I have mentioned before, juried shows are a crap shoot. And I’ve also already mentioned why I don’t take it personally if I don’t get in the show. There are too many great things going on in my world to worry about rejection.

But on top of actually making the art work and then deciding to submit work we artists are faced with the fairly new digital application process. Can any of you out there say “technically challenged”? I can.

I’m still learning my way around Photoshop, though I have learned much by just practicing and using it. The problem is I am usually “practicing” when I am actually submitting the work. Makes the submission process all the more stressful.

This past summer I made some smaller works to submit to the Artisan Search 2011 in the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. Challenged, I was. With the application, not so much the work. It was so FRUSTRATING. So I almost didn’t complete the process.

Thanks to the kind people at the magazine I learned what I was doing wrong, corrected my mistakes and submitted my application, just in the nick of time.

On my birthday, September 27th, I learned I was one of five finalists in my category of mixed-media stitch. Such a nice birthday gift!  One month later I learned I was the winner in my category. And I almost didn’t enter the show!

I’m glad I forged ahead, even when I doubted myself.

May your day be stress free and creative!

The current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

An Artful Life

I think I could cycle back to the questionnaire from Cloth Paper Scissors magazine over and over and still never complete it. I see a question, ponder it, and arrive at an answer only to have it evolve into another answer and then prompt another thought and continue to evolve as the days go by.

The one question I have been thinking about repeatedly this holiday season is:

• Where do you find ideas for your work?

If I could push it one step further, I would ask:

• How does your art find its way into your life?

And this year, I can say my holiday decorations where definitely inspired by the decorations used in the altar the Artist Advisory Committee made for the Day of the Dead show at Tampa Museum of Art this past October. (Whew, that is a mouth full.)

I don’t have pix of the altar, but it is the white pom pom flowers on my tree that were inspired by the multicolored ones we used in October.

Must be a week of dogs; I see a poodle tail on the top of my tree!

May your holidays be happy and your troubles few.

I’ll talk to you in a few days.

Happy, happy, merry, merry!

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!

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.

Selling Off Some Old Friends

You know, I too have been pondering the questions I posed the other day. Specifically, “What’s your workspace like?” and “Are you messy or neat?”

I am pondering these as I prepare for a garage sale we are having tomorrow.

In addition to the regular household items one typically finds, I am selling quite a bit of my mixed media supplies. It’s scary. It’s a bit like selling off old friends. Some of this stuff I have had forever and some items are recent acquisitions. But all are loved by me. I don’t just bring any ol’ thing home; it has to speak to me first. But now I am moving some of them out. And I’ve got to say, it feels rather nice. Scary, but nice.

I have long believed that cleaning out older work gives you permission to make more. But this time, it is more than making space, I am downsizing in a big way.

Maybe it’s because I had a very productive summer in my tiny studio in Minnesota. That probably is a major motivating factor. If I can produce lots of stuff in a small space, just a corner carved out of my bedroom, what can I do in my larger studio if I have wide open space? Make lots and lots more?

Time will tell on that front, and I will keep you posted. But for now I shall enjoy the empty spaces.

Oh, and to answer the questions- full of bright natural light; orderly; messy in the process and tidy between pieces. Some might say anal. I’m okay with that. Here are 2 quick views.

The pix don't look as bright as in real life, but you can get an idea.

East end of studio



one wall of storage

I hope you have a creative day in your studio!

http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/

Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan Search 2011

Regarding my earlier post about the Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan Search for 2011. I won in my category. Amazing, I am blown away. And I almost didn’t submit my work.

From this I have learned:

· Always trust in yourself.
· Don’t worry about the outcome, just do it.
· Apply to as many shows/opportunities that you can, especially when there isn’t an application fees, as was the case with this call.

I have received a questionnaire from CPS that I am to fill out and send back. Very interesting things to think about. Maybe you’d like to ponder them too? I shall tease you with a few.

1. Do you find inspiration from books? Which ones?
2. Does the weather affect your art-making?
3. Do you keep a sketch book?
4. Do you have a favorite color palette?
5. What’s your workspace like?
6. Are you messy or neat?
7. And the last one for today (I’ll share more at a later date.) Do you have a studio pet?

Yes, I do. And here is a photo of my assistants hard at work.