The red and the gray

It is a cold January day, as I look out my window I can see little flurries of snowflakes swirling to the ground. Alas, once they touch down they simply disappear, much to the disappointment of my girl and myself. Just enough of the white stuff for playing in and making a mini snow-person would be wonderful.

Instead I am inside playing with pots of paints and managing to avoid the laundry altogether.

It might be some time before I can set myself up with some screen printing equipment, so I'm going with what I have on hand. I'm taking some ideas from my sketchbook and bringing them to life.

Testing, testing... 1 2 3

Oh yes, I like that!

Some days it is good to simply enjoy the process, have fun with experimentation and not worry too much about the end result. You might be surprised where it leads you. In fact, I now have a completely new direction I am thinking of taking this experiment. How unexpectedly grand!

What are you up to today?
Is it hot or cold where you are?
Had any surprises lately?

New Work

A great big smooshy thank you to all you beautiful muses out there! All of your ideas and thoughts were wonderful. I now have a a whole big gorgeous list of makes for the future. I really loved Flaming Nora's idea for stitching me up some album cover art, that is so gonna happen! Colette told me to try my hand at something I've been wanting to for ages, and that is exactly what I did/am doing.

When you try something new you:
Make mistakes -
Learn a lot -
Possibly let some not-so-nice words escape your lips -
Have the satisfaction of being a bit brave to try something new -
Find out if it is something you want to do again...
...and yes, I do! In fact I'm just a-tizzy with the possibilities!

Thank you my friends, for helping to loose the cogs!

Care to try something new yourself? Have a wonderful weekend!

Calling all Muses

I've made a lot of stuff in the last couple of years. Yet, I have been away from my making for over a month and it seems to have me flummoxed. I feel a bit stuck and need your help. What should I make? What do you want, what do you need, what would you like to see? Please be my muses and help inspire me. I'd appreciate it most greatly. Thank you.

Oh, and a correction: Monday's posted quote (turns out) can not be attributed to MLK Jr. I don't know the exact source but, I do still think the quote said what I wanted to say. Sorry for any confusion.

The wheels in my mind keep on turning

The weather is changing, we have had some rain and cooler temps these days. My wee summer toes are bucking closed in shoes and I am not quite ready for fall. Along with the incoming season I am having a heck of a time keeping my head straight. So many ideas keep popping into my mind that I am waking up a few times a night to sketch or jot down a note. Of course when they come - they seem absolutely brilliant but, by the time I am doing the laundry or making dinner, it hits me, "Nope, no good at all!" I say to the stir fry, "It'll never work."

I am working on things for the much hinted at Etsy endeavor, not nearly where I want to be. I look around my studio and think, 'Is that all there is?'...'then let's keep dancing.' Above is a photo of a little Day Of The Dead piece I have been messing about with. I have some more embroidery and beading to add. At first, I thought I would make a few postcard size pieces, now I'm wondering if I should work it into a larger piece. I don't know.

My schedule is about to change and my studio time will be less. I may have to take up night time coffee drinking to kick up the pace. What I should be doing is filling my freezer with stews and soups, you know, gathering for the coming winter. Ah well.

Today's odd little post was brought to you by the misty shivers that are creeping in from outdoors. Oh, just a few more days of sun please, then I promise I'll be good.

Say My Name, say my name

What's in a name?



Recently I told a little story about a strange love, how Lola got her name. When I chose it, I was mulling over many a moniker - and settled on something I thought I could live with for a while. I may have also mentioned recently, that I am slowly inching my way towards opening an Etsy store. Yes, I know...surely you are saying to yourselves, "Why doesn't she just get on with it?" Be gentle dears, I'm a little slow but, I will catch up. Now, for what one thing has to do with the other:
I was poking about the other day and discovered that Etsy has 216 sellers with names beginning in Lola. Two hundred sixteen! Which I realize, is small in comparison to the 2671 sellers whose names start with Little, or the 10746 sellers whose names start with The.

I guess what I am getting at is this - I am having some doubts about my name. O.K. not my name. For those of you who don't know, the woman behind the curtain is me - I am Alexandra Smith (friends call me Alex)- and I wont be changing that any time soon. This blog, Lola Nova - Whatever Lola Wants, has only been for a little over a year but, the name was launched over 5 years ago. In that time, the number of Lolas out in the 'webby' world has increased quite a lot. It would be a bad time to change the name, as those of you who have supported me all this time surely identify with Lola Nova, and you are very important to me dear readers, more than you know.

So, I'm just gonna throw this out there into the whispering wind and ask what you all think. What do you think of Lola Nova? Is it a keeper? Would I be foolish to forsake it now? If I did change names, what on earth would I change it to? Am I just experiencing a case of pre-Etsy jitters, cold toes? Well...

Leave me a comment, let me know what you make of this doubt of mine, if you would please. I would love to hear from you. I will completely understand if you laugh and point your finger at me for being a little goose.

Shake

When it comes to my craft, I have an almost Shaker like philosophy, “Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.” With that said, I have a difficult time making art for the sake of Art. I have struggled with this for many years. I remember my pottery teacher telling me to go beyond convention and function, 'be abstract,' he told me, 'push past the norm.' Good advice, and while I did try, in the end I came home with many lovely, yet functional, bowls and cups.

Certainly this is in part due to insecurity and the audacity I believe it would take to call myself an artist. So, I color inside the lines of form + function with an occasional foray to the outer limits of creativity. Whilst not everything I make or create is necessary, it generally has some usefulness. I am proud of this. Still, I do think that pushing beyond that and challenging ones self, facing fears and reaching for greater creativity, is also useful.

All this preamble just to tell you that I start a photography class tonight, goodness!

While photography certainly has purpose and function, I find it also exists of itself. I can take a photograph that is purely artistic (to my sensibilities) and let go of some of my controlled observations. It is one way I intend to look outside of myself, find inspiration and hopefully have some Art to hang on my wall.

Wish me luck.