.big hair, don't care.

.big hair, don't care. from MandaSophia on Vimeo.

Last night, I had a very productive coffeehouse date with my bearded lover. I only had my watercolor sketchbook with me, so thankfully, I found some smudging tools to help shove the graphite into the rough texture. Enjoy this short process video. 

Oh, I need to make note of a minor relocation; my studio-mate and I just moved our studio into another unit. The new space is a bit smaller than the last, but downsizing gave me a opportunity to declutter my space and therefore my mind. We love our happy little space. Our walls are so pink that I lovingly call them "pank", (do yourself a favor and don't make our mistake by looking up that word in Urban Dictionary- yipes!). 

I think Andrea has a couple of shots of her side of the studio that you can find here. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

Jack White on Inspiration

Three and a half minutes of some Jack White wisdom regarding an artists struggle to stay inspired. In this clip, Jack graciously shares insightful tips and tricks that he uses to fight convenience in order to maintain unsettling barriers and constraints. There is not only truth in the idea that restriction breeds creativity, but for me, there is also hope.       

"Inspiration and work ethic ride right next to each other." -Jack White 


While we are still on the topic of limitations, below is a shot of my little 5x7 still-life study in oil from a few weeks ago. I originally planned on a paint out with my dad, there was even a mention of a rooster study. However, plans changed with the weather we found ourselves snowed in and sought out a cozy corner in the Recess Inn to set up a still-life. I grumbled all of the way through: the size of the board, my underpainting, new gel medium, the light shifting, transparent curtains, the distant trees, the fact that there was some landscape I was forced to figure out. But it was because of the struggle (and dad's encouragement to paint something way outside of my taste preference or comfort zone), that I took home a whole new understanding of natural light and color. So, cheers to a tiny painting fit for a granny and a new appreciation for headaches.       

"Snowed Inn"

5x7 inches

 Oil on board