Over the weekend, I watched a couple of Suzi Blu's inspirational Mixed Media Art Journal videos... and found myself starting to create my first page in a brand new journal. Now, being a recovering perfectionist... I hated what I made! The pencil was too soft and smeary... the eyes were too lazy... the mouth was too big... and on and on! But... Suzi says don't give up!So, I brought out the paints, thinking I could fix it.... Eh. It was okay. Looking better. Hair taking shape. Eyes coming into focus (hee!). Dress, good. But the lips were just too big and I couldn't cover them up. I said, s%#@... I'm taking out the sandpaper and I'm just going to sand them off... but the graphite wouldn't budge!
So I said, I like words... I'll cover it up with a word! I found the closest book and the word "Protect" jumped out... It reminded me of when I was young, shy and awkward and thought that keeping quiet and blending into the wallpaper would make the mean kids leave me alone. It took me a very long time to learn to speak up. In fact I'm still learning. But watch out world... here I come... and I definitely have something to say!
See what happens when you keep going! Art is about making decisions and solving problems. And it can be challenging when we don't know what the right answer is. When it doesn't come out like whats in our head we are tempted to give up. But staying with it is how you learn how to solve the problems. Not only will you eventually make the kind of lips you want, but look at the result you came up with. Something very meaningful and thought provoking. You could probably write for an hour in your notebook about what this image means to you. To women in general. All the ways we are made to shut up.
ReplyDeleteNice job mama. Also, and I say this only because I don't believe Ranger has a counterpart - Titan Buff is like an eraser. When lips or eyes are too big I cut them back with the titan. May need two coats but its more natural looking then white.
xoxo
I love it! And I think that the evolution of how this came about says a lot about the piece, making it even more meaningful!
ReplyDeleteI love how it turned out. TFS your story. It can be so easy to just be quiet and not let yourself stand out a little. You definitely stand out in a very good way in this artwork. Beautimus.
ReplyDeleteShe is lovely. I enjoyed reading about your inspirations and trials of this piece.
ReplyDeleteit is fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the colours you used and it is such an ingenious way you solved the problem! I love it! Been there soo often with the 'eeek I hate it' phase but this has inspired me to think upside-down and move along. Yay!
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My aunt always teaches her gifted students to "celebrate your mistakes". You did that, and then some!
ReplyDeleteI take Suzi classes too and I really love the "don't give up" attitude.
ReplyDeleteYou ended up with a wonderful, meaningful piece!
I love that this happens to me too- that I end up with something unexpected and always better than I originally planned.
And all because I make mistakes and stuff that I am unhappy with initially.
And just for the record, I LOVE titan buff!
hi sweetie, it has been a while since i have commented on your blog... long story...
ReplyDeleteyou solved your 'problem' well but as mama suzi says: titan buff!!!! lol ranger or no ranger! haha!!
hope to speak soon xxx
What a lovely piece! And what a great term: recovering perfectionist (me, too). And I really like the message. We all need to find our voice.
ReplyDeleteGosh what a wonderful piece and even better I think because you made a mistake and had to think more and came up with a beautiful meaningul piece thanx for sharing
ReplyDeleteLove dawn xx
hey.....glad I found your blog.....loving reading it.
ReplyDeletehey.....glad I found your blog.....loving reading it.
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