Sacred Commissions

It's a blue gray afternoon here near the lake--a perfect day to be tucked away in the studio with a "kick-in-the-pants" cup of coffee catching up on commission work. I've been doodling and googling all afternoon working on gathering notes and getting down initial blocks of color for a special custom altar piece. I always feel incredibly honored when someone asks me to create work for their sacred spaces! Such a treat!
Though most times it is an invigorating experience, sometimes being asked to make an intensely personal piece can be a little overwhelming. For example, this past summer I had a client ask me to create a Day of The Dead inspired memorial piece for her mother and auntie who passed away a few months prior. They died together in a tragic auto accident in the spring and she wanted a work that illustrated their friendship as sisters and impact as mothers.

Woah.

That is Heavy...

"El Dia des Los Muertos" by Molly Roberts 2008

As we discussed the details of the work it was obvious that her hurt was still very fresh. I scratched down notes trying my best to keep up as she recited memories and lists of her mothers favorite things: "violets, butterflies, lilies-of-the-valley..." As much as you try to relax and be creative while working on a piece like that there is a pressure that is present. You want the work to be perfect--it has to be perfect. It's not only a decorative artwork that needs to be aesthetically pleasing and functional within the living space. You know what you are making is part of the family's grieving process. You're not just drawing and gluing--You are an active part, you are helping in the healing. Every bit of foil, every spot of ink counts. Needless to say, it can be intimidating.


Fortunately, this current piece is being created for a more joyous occasion and magickal purpose! And after a fruitful visit to the natural museum yesterday afternoon with my Muffin, my brain is full of scaly wings, star fish spikes and primal cave paintings--a festoon of new patterns and visual rhythms just waiting to spill out onto canvas! Back to work!

What sort of objects or images do you have in your private,meditative or sacred sanctuary space?

*~Many Blissings & Merry Making, Friends!~*

Mantra Monday

And the Goddess Give Away Goodies go to...

the Dazzling Dia! Hooray!

Thank you to everyone who visted and contributed to the creative discussion! It was incredibly interesting and invigorating to read everyone's merry making plans! I wish you all the Best of Luck in your experimental and imaginative endeavors. Go forth and make that gravy! I'll be posting another give away for spring in a few weeks. Stay tuned! :)

This week I decided to jump on board with the Trinket Queen Jennlui and participate in Mantra Monday. (Go take a peek--Anyone can play!) I can't think of a better way to start the week than with a new moon and a meditative moment quickly concocting a magickal message. I wanted to create a card that encompassed my spiritual and professional goal for the year ahead.

Proceed with Peace & Purpose.

What will your message be, my pretties?

Many Blissings!~*

Post Chaos Cleansing

I've managed to awaken from the food induced coma that came with the holiday's cookie platters and four course meals. It was wonderful fun to visit with my tribe and as always, my mom and brother prepared The Feast of a Life Time for all of us to enjoy. After the wrapping paper had been tossed away and I rubbed sleep out of my eyes, I stumbled into my studio this morning and flinched as I saw the complete STY that I let accumulate in the "Finals and Holiday" frenzy that consumed my time for the last two weeks. Eek!!

Ahhh...much better. :)

It seemed an appropriate day to sip mint tea, return the apartment and studio to some semblance of order and do a mother of a Cleansing. My eyelids are heavy, my brain stuck on overdrive and my body in serious need of TLC. So, while outside of my window it misted, I sorted papers, washed out neglected brushes, straightened sheets, dusted off the pillar candles and burned sage leaves.

I politely invited (I'm midwestern, I can't help it...) all of the gunk, the residual semester stress, chaotic clutter and the flu that's been fluttering around here for the last few days to pack their things and get gettin'! For me, this cycle was a doozy, and now nothing makes me happier than to sit in positive darkness, get my proverbial "ducks" in a row and rejuvenate for a moment.

Exhale...

I'm very excited to get cracking on my plans for the New Year! Books to read, classes to write, rehearsals to plan, trips to travel, and of course--paintings to Paint! I am just loving reading about everyone's creative undertakings for the coming months! Keep them coming!

Speaking of New Year projects-- don't forget to get your name in the "jar" for the Goddess Give Away! You can enter until midnight tomorrow. Round up your blogosphere chums and tell them to stop on by for a chance to win the goodies! :) I can't wait! Tee hee!

I hope all of you not only survived, but truly enjoyed your holiday gatherings
and are finding time to rest and recoup and craft your marvelous new year's plans!

Sending you Much Peace and Many Blissings!
***Happy New Moon, everyone!***

Art On The Dark Side: Artemis

Though I do SO love the lights of the season and the sweets (oh my goodness the sweets!), I needed a little deviant distraction from the mall madness and blizzard coverage. The marvelously macabre Miss June at Art on The Dark Side provided "Mutant" as this weeks prompt!

"Artemis" Molly Roberts 2007. Oil on canvas

"Artemis" was part three of a goddess triptych I completed a year ago. She was designed to represent the playful and strange attributes of maidenhood. I don't remember exactly how I came to give her fawn arms--I knew I wanted to include "deer" in the work somewhere as it is one of the goddess's most well known symbols. I had sketched her holding a fawn, or wearing necklace with a stag charm, but it must have been a late evening at the studio when I decided I would depict her sprouting hooves. I wanted her to be childish, curious. I did a brief jot on her while the work was in progress:
"Girl hood. Maidenhood. Fleshy flowers in bloom. Flat chest. Imaginative because they don't remember. Mischievous. Flitting about in a dandelion tutu blowing bubbles in the evening. Apple blossoms in early may. Am I too skinny? Too short? Too blond? Wanting to be a mermaid, sand pushed up on my skin. Hair was wild like a thousand shivering threads. Teeth like an old house full of ghosts. Firsts: first taste, first swim, first crushed firefly. Unsure, bashful, insignificant. Flying was not improbably, it was a necessity. Queen of the Thicket, benevolent ruler of all the crickets. A petticoat full of hares. "

Goddess Giveaway!

On a long winters night there is nothing quite like presents! So, on with the Goddess Give Away! It's a stash, a cache of goddess treasures assembled to start the new year by stirring your creative cauldron! This give away includes an original 7"x7" assemblage work, "Heart Beat"(lovingly made and ready to hang!), a bouquet of beautiful vintage metallic, handmade and scrap booking papers, a sheet of star stickers, a pile of petite sea shells, a scarlet brocade pocket mirror and a string of lovely red lamp beads.

To win these goddess goodies simply leave a comment by Saturday, December 27th (midnight!) stating how you will be tending to your creative juices in the new year! My Muffin will randomly draw a name to see who wins the loot! Tell your blogosphere buddies to scoot on over and drop their name in the "jar". :)

I hope you all had a superb solstice,
are surviving the storms and
are enjoying your holiday preparations and parties!

Merry Making and Many Blissings, Friends!~*

P.S. My big sister has jumped on the blogging bandwagon! She'll be documenting her musical adventures (as well as misadventures) and creative gravy in her new blog home. Leave her a housewarming comment at www.hobojabasa.blogspot.com. :)

Wishing You A Blessed Yule

***HerSpeak Wishes you the Happiest of Yules!***

May you find a moment to know the Magick of the Season-
May where ever you are be Home-
May the New Year bring you Many Blissings.

Blessed Be, Friends!~*

Creative Gravy: The Exquisite Corpse

People are wandering down the middle of the street, as there is close to a foot of fresh snow on the sidewalks. It's about time we had a decent blizzard! The talking box is always shouting about "The Storm of The Century" which usually results in a few measly flakes. But THIS, this is excellent. :) (However, I apologize to all those whose flights have been delayed!) It's wonderfully quiet here. There is no sound with the exception of a soft kitty snore and the distant grinding of gears as our neighbors do their best to displace the snow.

I wanted to thank the Glitter Queen, Jennlui for passing on the Friendship Award to HerSpeak! What a Sweet Heart! (I'll be passing it on later today, I want to try my best to branch out and find some new kindred blogosphere spirits.) And now--to the Gravy!

Brain Baster: Making Creative Gravy
Part III Continued...

The last few Gravy posts have been exercises designed to help you do a little mental yoga through experimental mark making. Today, I'm going dish a bit on an superb way to stir the Gravy with friends! This is simple yet strange game that works equally well for artists and cocktail party attendees alike! It kicks the crap out of Yahtzee, that's for certain...

Image by Gregory Abbot

Gravy Maker #7: The Exquisite Corpse

Ooh! How decadently dark that sounds! However, the title of the game makes it sound much more morbid than it truly is. (*sigh*)

First, a little history!
*

The Exquisite Corpse is a parlor game developed by French surrealist painters in 1925. These artists were interested in startling juxtapositions and using dreamscapes as a basis for their work. This technique would also be used later in the Dada and Fluxus movements and also goes by the names "the rotating corpse" and "the exquisite cadaver".

*
I just love to imagine artists back in the day with their skinny mustaches and smoke curling from crumpled up cigarettes as they sit at cafes sketching beautiful ladies with stainless steel penguin feet.

Here's how it's played! You need 3 or more people. (You could do two if you so choose, but it just doesn't work as well.) You'll need a piece of paper and a writing utensil for each player as well as some sort of time keeping device. The first player draws something in the top third of the paper for 2 minutes. (It can be anything--some people like to use "The Body" as a general theme to begin, so you might start with something like a "head". But really, it's up to you.)

When the keeper calls "time", player one folds the paper so only a small portion of their drawing is exposed. The paper is passed to the next unsuspecting player who continues drawing where player one left off. Again, after "time" is called, player two folds their paper, leaving only a little hint uncovered and passes it to the final player. Player three then draws for two minutes, completing the sketch and reveals the weirdness of what everyone has made!

So Easy! So Silly! So Peculiar!

If people are worried about "not being able to draw" assure them that the worse drawer you are, the better the outcome of the game! It's supposed to be fast and funny. It's not a contest, it's a good-spirited collaborative effort to make something featherbrained! There's really no way to mess it up--the wackier, the better. This game can also be adapted for words. Instead of each player taking a turn to draw, you can write down or collage words, folding to leave the last letter of the word exposed for the next player. This leads to something that sounds like a mad lib. :) Try this with friends over coffee, as an exercise on your studio floor with your kids, at a holiday gathering or as a meeting icebreaker with colleagues. No one will miss Uno, I promise. :)

Oh! I almost forgot--check back tonight for a Goddess Giveaway! :)
Until then--

Live Curiously, Friends!
Merry Making and Many Blissings!~*

Creative Gravy: Pick a Door!

Brain Baster: Making Creative Gravy
Part III Continued...

This post is a continuation of the previous gravy installment which discusses simple, silly, hands-on techniques for recharging your creative batteries, sparking sleeping inspiration to either discover the artist-in-hiding or get back to work! Today we'll discuss the use of Music as more than ambiance but as a useful visualization tool in the studio.

Music! Ah!
It's one of the greatest communicators.
So much possibility!
I can't wait! :)

"Heart Strings" Molly Roberts 2008

Gravy Maker #6: A Little Song and Dance...

You have favorite songs. You have All Time Favorite records. Why? What is it about those pieces of music that make you overflow or cry or skip around? What is it about those particular sounds in that particular order that speaks to you? It's worth considering...

This exercise is Awesomely easy. Find a few tunes that strike a chord in you (Pun TOTALLY intended...) and grab a marking tool. To start, it's easiest to use a dry tool like charcoal, pastels or pencils so you don't have to worry about reloading paint or ink. Make sure you have a nice BIG space to work on, tape newsprint or old papers up on the wall, a nice long string of them. This is no time to be hunched over a desk or crouched on the floor, or wearing those jeans that make your butt look excellent but don't allow you to bend over. You want to be able to Move. Kick off your shoes, stretch out a little, roll up your sleeves, start your music and let it tell you where to go.

Before you are totally swept up in the momentum of beauteous music, wait for a moment and listen. What sort of images does this music stir up? Don't worry if you're images don't "make sense", they don't have too. You're developing a Visual Language. Now, consolidate that image in your mind and let your hands to dance! It's likely that the rest of your body will follow suit.

This imagery you are putting down can be anything: marks that reflect the style of the music (flowy, sCraTchy, wavy,big, small, loud, soft, swelling, Dieing, bubbling, etc.) or completely fabricated fantasies, surreal scenarios, characters, places the melody makes you remember, meals you've had, or dreams you've dreamed...

Can't think of anything? This would be a good time to consult your List of images, things and places that Switch you On! Just like you would when doing a stream-of-consciousness jot, let your body talk by moving the drawing tool until your brain catches up.

What colors come to mind when you listen? Glistening puddles of magenta? Slowly Creeping streaks of silver? Wandering herds of chartreuse? What do those colors mean to you? What sounds do you attach them to? If you prefer, this exercise can easily be done as a color association experiment with watercolors and fingers. :)

"My drawings aren't very...erm, pretty..."

Don't over think it or you'll smother the good stuff!
It's all fair game.

This is also challenging and productive (and much more fun) to try with tunes you haven't heard before. This means your gear-turning, gut reactions and associations are fresh and not bogged down with previous memories or personal attachments. (No break-up songs allowed!) Here are a few of my personal favorites that I love to play too. I thought about posting the titles BUT what fun would that be? Get your crayons and paper ready, kids! It's a suprise! I love surprises...

Pick a door:

Door Number 1
Door Number 2
Door Number 3
Door Number 3 1/2
Door Number 4
Door Number 5
Door Number 6
Door Number 7
Door Number 8

For an exquisitely messy time, this exercise can be mushed together with the previous sticks and stones experiment!

What songs make you want to turn-down-turn-up-and-explode?
What tunes will you use to make magick happen while you're busy being a Creatrix?

Tomorrow, I'll be posting some Gravy you can make with a friend! Until then--

Wishing you Bounding in Bare Feet and Days of Delicious Drawing!
Merry Making and Many Blissings~*

A Love Note to Winter

I'm anxiously anticipating the snow. As I type this I'm looking out of my third story window at the dove greyness waiting for it to start. (Was that a flake?! No.) I know for lots of people, winter is a hellish time of year--that it is some sort of seasonal punishment or penance. The traffic, the holi-daze, the sludge, the salt to sub zero temperatures, but...

I love winter.
There, I've admitted it. I love winter.

Something about the quality of the air or the way snow absorbs colors and light sparks my imagination. Maybe in another life I was a great snowy owl, or maybe I'm simply a hopeless romantic. It conjures epic images of vast tundras and white mares with wild manes, crowns constructed of opals and icicles as well as stillness and secrets and groves of naked birches. The movement of falling snow has such a dramatic cinematic essence and yet a quietness that makes you conscious of your breath, like you're watching a prayer. It's like an incredible blue dream that I get to waltz through. And every little flake that falls is it's own piece of elaborate microscopic origami--an infinitesimally small cosmos made of chandeliers, and it's right there, right there on the lapel of my pea coat. Amazing.

"Crow Keeper" by Molly Roberts 2008

And winter nights--even more brilliant. The sky is not just black, but a deep clear onyx. Or when snow is falling in the dark, the sky becomes a beautiful mix of something like lavender down and mourning dove feathers. I like to squint at stars and pretend I could pluck them, one at at time and put them in a little parchment envelope to save for later--for something secret. And the moon, She is always the most radiant on bitter nights. Her halo stretches out in sapphire rings, casting long inky shadows over both skyscraper and field mouse house alike.

When I walk outside and the wind cuts at my face and I see the skeletons of trees, I don't think that everything is Dead. When I see branches draped with snow or icicles clinging tightly to tall grasses, it's like hearing someone whisper in a gentle and barely audible voice:

"Shhhh...go to sleep."

It's as if everything around me is resting, everything is breathing deeper, everything is dreaming. When I'm outside, I'm tempted to speak quietly as not to wake anything, step lightly as not to disturb anyone. The last thing I want is to to upset the dirts dreaming. Yes, winter comes with it's challenges, but what season doesn't? In spring there are fleshy tulip buds, as well as mold blooms and basement flooding. In summer there are trips to the beach and endless nights of no sleep because the air conditioning in your unit doesn't work and you can't stop sticking to your furniture. Fall brings an amazing pallet and pumpkin harvests as well as endless mountains of yard work and buckets of frigid rain. It's part of the cycle-- just like spring, summer and fall. By resisting it, by fighting it tooth and nail, we separate ourselves from it. And when we severe ourselves from it, we miss out on the phantasm, the stunning work that is winter.

It's now starting to flurry here, and I couldn't be more happy. I'm off to my studio to sketch Snow Queens, great cakes with frost frosting and arctic atmospheres! But first, a little hot chocolate...

What are you going to make?

Wondrous Winter Wishes and Many Blissings!~*

Creative Gravy: Sticks and Stones

It's a balmy 4 degrees today. Overnight, frost fairies visited apartment #5, taking liberty to etch all of the windows. I love the patterns--they catch the light so beautifully! I'm pretending that I live in a cathedral. :) But enough about the cold! I've been buzzing around the studio (finally!) returning Order to chaos. Finals really did a number on my organization! I spent yesterday wrangling oil pastels and finding proper homes for paint brushes, every one getting a good cleaning. I've also managed to get a few new etsy wares posted, something I've been just itching to work on! My brother was a sweetheart, giving me a much needed ride to Micheal's to get new paints and a gallon of gesso. I L.O.V.E. the feeling of brand new paints! You feel recharged, like you could make anything! Normally, (Art Snob Alert!) I would mix my own color variations, but sometimes a girl has got to splurge! I helped myself to some fushcia, a little lime green and a bouquet of varying violets, lavenders and a to-die-for royal purple. Alright, enough babbling--let's get to the Gravy!

Brain Baster: Making Creative Gravy
Part III

"Brigid" Molly Roberts 2008

So at this point, your studio is your sanctuary and your creative cauldron is bubbling with prompts. Now it's time to give the knuckles a crack and let your fingers do the walking! These are short easy-as-pie exercises that are meant to help get your body, mind and eyes all on the same page. These may not be techniques you want to use solely to make pieces, but then again--maybe you do! :) Even if you are not an artist or even remotely interested in drawing this exercise proves to be both mediative, liberating and gleefully grubby! A perfect way to shed stress and get out of the holiday hum-drums.

Gravy Maker #6: Sticks and Stones

Sometimes we have days where we're sure our hands belong to someone else. Our self-talk is grouchy and we're convinced our fingers or pens or hips are being stubborn just to spite us. Tension is a killer. This exercise is designed to literally loosen your creative muscles through movement.

You will need some, all or any of the following:
Sticks (both long and short), little stones, shish kabob skewers, old silverware, old yarn, feathers
a bit of charcoal, pencil, crayon, pastel, tape and a spot of ink or very viscous paint.
To work on, large pieces of newsprint, tag board or old newspapers work well.

This works best when you take your work surface and make it vertical to you--so tape whatever it is you'll be drawing on up on a wall or place it on the floor. (Make sure you have the floor or wall covered with some rubbish paper!) Now, the fun part. (FINALLY.) Take your crayon, or charcoal or pencil and tape it to the end of your stick. (If it's too cold where you are to go stick hunting, a long paintbrush, knitting needle, ruler or even a long kitchen utensil will do the trick.) Make sure it's secured tightly as you don't want it to wiggle out mid-drawing. Hold it in your hand, feel the weight--does it feel awkward? Perfect! You're doing it right. Now that you have a silly looking drawing wand and your paper is a good distance from you, it's time to get creating! Draw a picture of yourself, your pet, your studio, your favorite food, something you wish for or just make marks that reflect how you feel!

Does it look awful? Are the lines wobbly? Then you're doing an amazing job! This isn't about masterpiece making, it's about being aware of your body and paying attention to the Beauty and personality of the marks you're making.

Now try dipping your wand in a little ink or paint and explore what sort of marks it makes. Try tying a bit of yarn to the end of the wand, leaving an end hanging off like a little tail. Dip the tail in ink and try to draw with that. You can create beautifully wispy and unexpectedly expressive drawings with this technique. (This works best when the surface is placed on the floor.)


Try dunking little stones, marbles or beads into ink or paint and roll them around on the paper. You can drop them from above, skip them across the surface or cradle the paper and encourage the stones to rock back and forth. Use forks, skewers or old spoons to sketch. Maybe your fingers want to get in on the action too--or maybe the soles of your feet would like to take a dip? It's an experiment! Work with colors you love, colors that resonate with you. And then try working with colors that make your nose scrunch. You never know, it might be a love affair waiting to happen!

When practicing any of these exercises make a conscious effort to remain relaxed.
Don't worry if these are not works you'd proudly display in a museum.
It's supposed to be silly.
Don't try to contrive and control the scribbles. If they wander, let them wander.

Leave room for Happy Accidents to occur.

If anyone actually tries this exercise, send me a picture and I'll post our pieces en masse! And if you try any techniques not mentioned here, let me know! These are exercises I hope to use with students in the future--any constructive suggestions or comments are always welcome. Tomorrow, I'll be posting more creative calisthenics to help get your Gravy grooving!

Until then--

Sticks and Stones may break my bones, But Oooh Damn do they make darling drawings!
Happy Experimenting and Merry Making!~*

Creative Gravy: Stream Poetry

Brain Baster: Making Creative Gravy

Part II

"Flock of Snails" Molly Roberts 2008

Yesterday I started jotting down a few thoughts on gardening Inspiration, how to get your creative gears going and the usefulness of "setting the scene". This post will focus on the use of writing prompts as a simple but killer tool for getting Switched On! I know that at first this may sound counterproductive, "I want to make STUFF not do homework. I'm a crafter not a poet." When I first began seriously creating art I thought pre writing for projects was a load of bunk, but using writing prompts has become one of my tried and true go-to's for planning, brainstorming and fleshing out ideas. If yesterdays post was "pouring the juices out of the pan", today is adding the "flour" to the gravy! Let's thicken it up! :)

Gravy Maker #3: Stream of Consciousness

I love this one for several reasons:
1) Super easy.
2) You can do it anywhere and anytime.
3) It makes for an awesome warm up and often gets rid of any "gunk" that might be keeping you from making: being broody over a spat, being sick and crabby, being distracted by other tasks, etc.

This is the Drian-o of the journaling world! It's ALL on the table! Babble it out! If you have difficulty starting, just draw consecutive loops with your pen until something comes to you. It can be anything: what you ate for breakfast, what you dreamed about, a mystery stain on the floor. Sometimes it helps to time your stream of consciousness writing so you don't fill up pages for days or give up after 30 seconds of brain fade. I think 5 to 10 minutes is comfortable, but it's up to you. You'd be surprised where your mind leads you when you take it off it's leash. :)

"Skelly Rider" Molly Roberts 2008

Gravy Maker #4: The List

Sometimes when we get stuck or have the opposite problem, TOO many ideas and a lack of focus, it can be helpful to create a list of things we DO respond to. This can help you get a better idea of what your visual language is, or how it is your mind, heart and eyes connect the dots. :) By knowing what it is that does resonate with you, you can better choose images, words, movements, sounds, pallets, styles or even a general that best express your ideas. This list can be as broad or as specific as you fancy! It may include objects, colors, seasons, textures, flavors, scents or full scenes. For example, someones list might look like this:

"- pink
-winter--sparkly snow
-happy pictures (light)
-peaceful songs"

or it might look like this:

"Blue black crows scouting in bare trees,
voluptuous forms,
dirt,
cobweb,
skin of sticks.
October Dragonfly wings.
Nuclear Firefly Green..."

When you have a list it's like a bank, you can pick and chose from it anytime you wish. When you have a full fleshy list of all the things that make your senses sing it will be nearly impossible to not be gushing with fascinating fantasies to take to your studio, writing desk or ritual space!

"Luna" Molly Roberts 2008

Gravy Maker #5: Poem Form

This is an easy exercise that can be done anywhere! The prompt makes you look at sensory details to tune in your observations and step up the senses. The form is as follows:

I see...I smell...I hear...I touch...

For each line you write three observations: two things that you actually see, smell, hear or touch and one thing you sense figuratively. For example:

I hear...
the creak of sagging floorboards
the sigh of a foundation settling
the hushed whisper of tenants long gone

Easy-peasy-orangy-squeasy! It's not really meant to be a poem per say, but could easily be transformed into a earnest-spirit-saturated literary gold by removing the prompt headings. Do this in every room of your house, a coffee shop, your backyard, a winter beach, in the tub, a community garden, the laundromat, the mouth of a forest--wherever you can take a pen and paper! This can be really meditative and grounding while at the same time giving little thoughts little sparrow wings. All of these exercises are simple ways to jog the imagination, tune your sensual abilities and give quiet parts of you mind and spirit a chance to speak. If anyone does these, I'd L.O.V.E. to see what you create!

This weekend I'll be posting the third installment--silly studio warm ups that are sure to get your divine daydreams doing the fandango! Until then, soak up the Moon beams!

Many Blissings & May The Muse Be With You!~*

Full Moon Dream Board: Merry Making

Hooray! It's dream board day! I can't wait to fly around and see what everyone has created! This dream board is wish for the Joy of Making to be part of everyone's season. There are few satisfactions in life that compare to getting splotches of pink paint on your jeans , crafting a beautiful gift for someone dear or simply marveling at what you've managed to make with your own two hands. It is a wish for everyone to be visited by their Muse, to realize their endless creative potential and not only enjoy it, but revel in it! This December Moon I wish...

"May your vision be true-

May your creative spirit be a font-
May your days be full of Spots, Spills and Scribbles-
May you be Merry in your Making!"

Delicious Dreams and Many Blissings Everyone!~*

Introducing Creative Gravy! Gravy Maker 1 & 2

I've heard from folks on several fronts that lately they are feeling flat, deflated, uninspired. Maybe it's the weather, perhaps the season or nagging colds but both here in the blogosphere and in the third dimension the lack of Merry "Making" is unsettling. I want everyone to be able to lasso this amazing creative full moon energy and make beauteous things! So what I've decided to do is write a few words on Inspiration. (It will be written in several installments as it would become One Epic Post!) Originally I thought of titling it, The Not So Super Secret Secrets of an Inspired Studio...but decided that was far too cumbersome. How about,

Brain Baster: Making Creative Gravy

I can dig it. :)

INSPIRATION: it's a loaded word, isn't it? We feel we need to be inspired to make work. Whether it be creating a painting, a sketch for a novel, a form for dance, a scrap booking layout or melody for a song-- we need The Juice. What happens when the creative well dries up? What do we do when we wander into our craft rooms like zombies or stare blankly at the paper and become uncomfortable or alarmed that our brain has left town without us? I think too many people believe that inspiration is a dramatic "light bulb" experience in which suddenly a complete creation is shown to you in a vision. I don't know about you--but I've never woken up in the middle of the night screaming EUREKA! because I've just dreamed the next Madame X. The Muse comes to you in all sorts of ways that are much quieter than this: a snowflake landing on your jacket, the dancing spots that are created when light falls through a glass of water, a double take at a newspaper headline that your brain rearranged.

Inspiration is not necessarily trying to refill what is empty, but waking up what is dormant.

Now, Let's get to the kitchen!

Gravy Maker #1: Let It Go

So many times when I speak to people about creating work, their biggest obstacle is fear. They get stuck in the mud of the preparatory stage because they are too afraid to make a mistake, or are terrified it won't be amazing, of they are worried about critique. Let it go. Firstly, Making Art is an Art, not a science! There is no perfect formula, so exact set of instructions. That's the joy of making: The complete and total Broad-acity of the whole affair! You'll never know unless you give it a whirl. Secondly, so what if it's not perfect? If a piece doesn't turn out the way you hoped? No one dies. No one looses their job and we're all still friends in the end. :) You can't be afraid of failure. It will stifle you. I like to think of works as experiments. If a masterpiece fails--that's huge. If an experiment fails--well, it was an experiment and not all experiments work. Trust yourself that you know what you need to do. Say no to the nagging fear. Say no the block.

Take a deep breath, and Let It Go!

Gravy Maker #2: Setting The Scene

It can be difficult to feel The Flow when we are overwhelmed, overtired, ill or a combination of all three zappers. BUT there is much to say about the power of persuasion. Setting the scene is key. What I mean by that is: What does your workspace look like? If it's a cacophony of crap, no wonder you don't want to make work! An organized workspace can be beneficial. Secondly, is your workspace itself and inspiring environment? When you enter this room does it get you into a groove? Inspiration boards are a good way to trip your trigger! Collect up images from magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, art prints, gifts from friends, your favorite magickal items and let them commune on your walls and in your space! Do you love the flicker of candles or twinkle of strings of lights? Put them up! Use music to further develop your stimulating sanctuary. Incense, smelly candles, and essential oils are all excellent additions. Maybe you think a small altar devoted to creativity and flow is important? Does a steaming cup of coffee with two lumps of sugar sitting on the table get you in the mood to create? Or are you a swirling glass of Port sort of gal?

The spirit likes to be talked to.
We do it through food, music, and the arts.
What wakes up your Spirit/Soul/Inner Goddess?
Make a space that supercharges you!

Gravy Maker #2 Continued: Setting The You

Now that we've covered the "studio nesting" portion, let's talk about Setting The You. Do you feel like a Creatrix? Do you feel like a bubbling font of ingenious ideas? If not, why? Just like the studio, sometimes the maker needs a little spiffing up too. It's about waking what's asleep!

Hey, Me? Yeah, it's me, I mean you. Whatever. It's time to get up...

What I'm going to tell you may sound like a one way ticket to Crazy Town, but it works--trust me. When I can't get a damn thing to come out of the other end of the pen or the brushes are betraying me...I dress up. I put on striped stockings, let my hair out and put on my strawberry apron. Getting into a mood, or character drastically changes things. If I am going to make dark work, maybe something sneaky and fantastical, I'll slip into black skinny jeans, hawk up my hair and paint my fingernails with my favorite black polish and throw in some gray netting somewhere. If I'm painting a goddess portrait I like to wear plum or scarlet and put on big earrings and stones. Maybe you would fancy working barefoot? In stilettos? In a flowy Grecian gown? Putting on red lipstick? Taking the make up off? Putting on a green velvet cloak and hunting boots? Maybe simply wearing a piece of jewelry you find to be particularly beautiful and meaningful. Costume and play both allow us to bloom and there is no better place for this to happen than in the studio.

What are you going to be?

Tomorrow: Writing Prompts! Truly, far more fun that it sounds--I promise!

Until then--
Merry Making and Many Blissings!~*

Book Work: Piel de Noche

The To Do list is No More! After much cutting, stitching, and smudgy finger prints the casket book is complete!

[Piel de Noche]

This piece is about memory. It's strange how memory is not really what we think it is--that it is permanent, like a fixture we can look back on when really, memory is elastic. It's subject to editing. We change it to accommodate our lives, our needs. We romanticize it, we demonize it, sometimes both simultaneously. This seems to happen to an even further extent when something we loved, or thought we loved dies. The blurry font, faded bone paper and haphazard binding are meant to elude to the muddiness of memory. I weighted the cover so it resists the reader as if to say, "Are you sure you want to recall this? Do you want to deal with this now? With all these people around?" Then the cover slaps back onto the table exposing the pages.
The book is small, only 6 inches long. I wanted it to be intimate, something you'd have to hold in your hand to read. Each page is hand printed, one letter at a time with water-based ink, sewn together with coffee dyed thread and mounted inside the wooden casket. My dear friend Rick was a peach and translated the text for me. (Thank you!) He did an artful job, making sure it remained lyrical and wouldn't read like stereo instructions. This is the text in English:

[Night Skin]

Beneath the blood black maple—
The dying leaves dance a dance of animal bones—
and I am putting on my night skin.

The evening grass—
The wet hair of a boy I used to know—
it was the kind of love that drew blood slowly.

The trees, waif skeletons of Luna moths
soon to be stripped twigs praying for the cover of frost—
I hear the shudder and coil of living things below me
where tendrils of trees intertwine—
when roots touch—do they make a sound?
Do they know one another?

The breeze stirs the branches in slipperless steps—
Telling me that summer has passed.
The sun is merely a whisper—
The taste of ash lingers there
as the naked quiet of night crawls towards us.

The brushwood weeps a scarlet psalm
as I try to remember his skin—
It was the kind of love that made you fierce.

Beneath these bundled twigs within arms reach of the dead—
In my night skin, I am there with him
tender and fading, the dusk drawn by wind twine—

Where we dance a dance of animal bones
for the last time.

Molly Roberts 2007

I'll be glad to get this thing off my work bench! Now it's time for a little rest and relaxation. First thing is First: Detox! Since I've been making things like a banshee I've been living on day old pizza and pot after pot of coffee with minimal catnaps. I'm looking forward to walking into my studio wearing my pajamas with my hair all awry to begin tinkering with all the ideas that have been piling up. I've got dream boards to create, journaling to catch up on and new years plans to plan! For now, I'm off to dream of buckets of cold water and cucumber facials!

What do you kids do to rejuvenate?

Wishing you Much Peace and Many Blissings!~*

Art On The Dark Side: Poppet

How Serendipitous! I've stumbled upon Miss June's deliciously dark blog gallery, Art On The Darkside Challenges, and had the perfect piece for this week's prompt!!

"Poppet" Self Portrait by Molly Roberts. 18"x24" Charcoal on canson. 2007

I created this work for a figure drawing class a semester back. I was SO excited about June's prompt, masks, as I use them in almost everything I do! However, I don't include them as a form of hiding, or shame but I feel like the masks I put on my sitters transform them--as if the mask gives you freedom to do the things you're too afraid to do and say the things you're far too polite to say. I love dressing up my sitters! First watching them experience the weird uncomfortable nervousness and you see the expression on their face when you come at them with gray blush and a headdress and you KNOW they are thinking, "You know what you're doing...right??" Then, watching their eyes light up when they look in the mirror and realize how different they look--how free they are! My favorite was dressing up a football mom friend of mine and watching her tear up as I transformed her into the flowing, glowing, abundant goddess Ishtar. This particular piece is a self portrait as it is difficult to find models in the area to do long term sittings--an artist is her own best friend. :)

Go visit June and see what other shadowy surprises she has in store! Go forth and draw, friends! :)

Merry Making!
Many Blissings~*

Queen of The Stump: Fabricated Chain

It was a mole sort of day--too much snow to go anywhere! We were more than happy to stay in as the To Do list still needs attending to. I am gorged on a delectable pancake feast prepared by my Muffin and thrilled because... the chain is done! Hooray!
It is satisfying to see my pile of copper bits and file dust finally turn into the collar I imagined--I thought It'd never get there! The inspiration for this piece came from two places. Firstly, I'm very interested in historical costume and have always been attracted to starched lacy Elizabethan collars. The other source of inspiration was taken from the series Planet Earth. I was flipping about on the TV and there was a beautiful segment with incredible footage of sea fronds and coral. I was drawn to the almost skeletal forms of the creatures and decided I needed to incorporate them into the design.
I had also scribbled down a few ideas that had wing-like structures based on moths and other insects as well as a stylized woodgrain texture I knew needed to appear somewhere. I decided to create a hybrid of the two and ended up with this textural dragonfly-esque link which provided me with a slick shape and needed fluidity. (One of the requirements of the project was for the chain to maintain mobility both "up and down" as well as "forward and back".) I wanted it to have an organic feel. For that to happen I thought the right finish would be crucial. I didn't want something too matte, or manufactured looking or too readily identifiable. The links are finished with a liver-of-sulfur patina and a quick buff with a brass brush attachment. I was pleased with the variation that occurred naturally. Nice job metal! :) I imagine this is what armor feels like. I was worried that it might be uncomfortable or even worse--too pointy!The weight rests evenly on the collarbone, and feels very regal--this baby comes in at close to 3 pounds! I like to think it's the sort of jewelry a Queen of a stump would wear...One project to go! All the pages of the casket book have been printed and are waiting to be stitched together. I'll have pictures posted lickety-split. :) I hope everyone is riding high on a creative wave--

Wishing you Paint-Stained-Aprons and Juicy Dreams!
Many Blissings!~*

Studio Progress: Coffin Book and Copper

With chipped cherry nail polish and ink mustache on my face I am proud to announce: One exam down, two projects to go! The To Do list grows shorter and shorter as we speak and the studio is buzzing!
Swampy green--that's what color my fingers are right now. They're tinged with an attractive combination of wet-on-wet sandpaper and oxidizing copper. I've never had anything dry my hands out as badly as sandpaper. These puppies are thirsty! But all whining aside, the links are now etched and been through three grits of sandpaper. Tomorrow they go into the patina--Everyone in the pool!

I've been plugging away on the casket book. Now that I've developed a more efficient system the work is going more quickly. I received a notice today about a book arts show in the area. If all goes well, I'm going to consider entering. The worst that can happen is I don't get accepted, but I'll never know if I don't give it a shot!

I forgot how much I enjoy printing! I did some linoleum cuts a few years back and hadn't touched it since not because I didn't like it, but the opportunity just hadn't shown itself. If you haven't ever tried print making--Do it! It's easy and relatively inexpensive. (I've had the same jar of ink for 3 years.) The ink brayer makes such a succulent "shlick shlick" sound when you roll it and the ink it self is gloriously goopy when you stir it. And unlike drawing inks where you just dip and scribble, printing ink requires process, it requires ritual. I love the sensation of scooping it out of the jar, Slurp and spreading it onto the tray--it's like beautiful tarry frosting. It's sticky and slick... Just look at that perfect pitchy puddle!!

*Swoon.*

Oh! And I almost forgot! My mumsy dearest and I had a pow-wow yesterday and decided it's time to team up again! This January we'll be collaborating on some gorgey goddess inspired works! The line will include wearables, ritual goodies, and inspiring altar works. We're hoping to have a first installment of the series completed by February--I can't wait!

Anyone else cooking up ideas and hatching plans for the new year?

Much Peace, Many Blissings!~*