Examining the extraordinary and the mundane
Just got back from vacation – Austin and I drove out to the Grand Canyon and stayed there a few days, followed by a few days in Zion National Park. Amazing, truly amazing. Zion was my favorite out of the two – truly stunning views. Something about the glow from the red rocks makes my brain feel like it’s fizzling and sparking. Have you been? If not, you should definitely plan for a trip.
I spent a lot of time meditating on this work.
I pulled inspiration from traditional Uncle Sam imagery, socialist realism, and a splattered drippy background I came up with this.
Enjoy.
My first entry for a Daily Paintworks Challenge – The Fish Challenge.
8×10 on Gessoed MDF using Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics.
My last painting of 2016 was completed on December 31.
What do I circle back to? A blender, of course. Acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord- one of the most responsive materials that I have ever used. Rosemary Brushes and Gessobord are a match made in heaven!
This year I’m going to try to sell more art. Last year I sold three pieces without putting too much effort in, so this year I’m going to hustle.
I’ve reopened my Etsy, just waiting on a name change to finalize.
In my personal life I’ve got a few updates – my husband and I just moved from San Jose to Redwood City to shorten our commutes by 45 minutes each way. I can bike to work, and we just built a portfolio carrier for my bicycle based on this Instructable which should work really well! I’ll be taking a figure drawing class through Stanford Continuing Studies this next quarter.
When we moved we ditched the TV and it’s been a month. I haven’t missed it yet.
Two weekends ago I celebrated my one year wedding anniversary with my husband in Tahoe. Of course, I bought my easel and spent an hour painting. Here’s what came of that.
It’s difficult to work a full time job, paint, have side gigs, and work out. I want to blog more, but it’s easier to post to Instagram.
I was promoted at work, so if you’re looking at my blog because you’re interested in admissions for Stanford Civil & Environmental Engineering I am no longer in that role. However, please stay and enjoy the paintings! With the new role my responsibilities have greatly increased, and in transitioning to my new role I have been extra busy wrapping up old projects.
Brought my easel from California as carry on and KSC let me in!
Plein air in the rocket garden. 😎
After thinking about it for a while I’ve decided to split my Instagram account. My goal with my account is to share my paintings. Not everyone wants to see pictures of me flexing or AT&T Park, but I’m sure that some people do. My Instagram @kathendrixart will now only have art. Having the two separated will give me more opportunities to post for each. Deadlifts and squats on one, paintings on the other.
I’ve amassed quite a number of paintings and it’s about time that they get a new home. I’m exploring how I can best sell them – etsy? ebay?
I’m not sure if dailypaintworks is a good place to sell. I want to know the metrics, see what sells, for how much, etc. I’m not sure how much my art is worth to others. Would others agree with what I think my art should be priced? I suppose I won’t find out until I try.
I added the switch to the previously posted blender, but that will have to be the next post. Why? Because here’s an orange blender! Complete with faux wood panel, what a cadillac. The glass was especially fun near the base. The heavenly glow around it adds to the magnificence of this machine.
I am lucky enough to work somewhere that offers a set amount each year to spend on professional development. Most people spend them on public speaking courses, computer skills, etc. I take advantage of the Continuing Education courses offered by Stanford. Last year I took an Introduction to Acrylic course. I was very naive in thinking that I was a beginner. They meant absolute beginner. I learned a lot from the course and I tried things I would not have otherwise tried. It was fantastic to paint with others and have an instructor, though.
This year they will be offering a course on Painting from Observation, taught by Katie Hawkinson, Lecturer, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley. It is looking to be like the course I will take next.
At it again with the blenders- this is my third. I love the way the glass turned out on this, and the chrome has a vague resemblance to chrome.
Someone asked me how I would describe my art – what style. I’m not sure. I look on Instagram and I don’t see analogous painting styles. Perhaps I am embracing the messiness more than some. I’m not sure.
This morning’s effort – a vintage Osterizer blender. The glass was especially fun to paint. A quick sketch, pretty loose.
I’m drawn to blenders. They create and destroy to create. Before my orthognathic surgery I was given a blender from my husband’s parents for Christmas, knowing that I would have to use it to eat. For the year that I had it before the surgery I blended protein powder and power greens with blueberries every morning before work. After the surgery I blended pie for pi day, an In-and-Out hamburger with fries just to see if it was good (and it was, considering that my other sustenance was primarily Ensure). Now that I’ve healed and can eat normally again I’m back to protein powder and power greens to power my lifts at the gym. I should have my braces off by my birthday – less than two months to go!
Looking at this I see some errors – perhaps I will give it another try but be more serious about it. It’s kind of lopsided, but it feels good to just paint and accept errors. It’s ok to not be perfect.