OK, now it's done! The Birthday Girl, that is...

The Birthday Girl (my art piece) is finally finished, hooray!!!

But first some background on my art process lately and my process in the past as well...

I've noticed something with how I make art for the past several weeks. Well, that is art for my (soon-to-be) Etsy shop (and Sorry, Diane I don't know when I'll open shop-I don't have a set date at the moment-But have no fear, I will be shouting from the mountain tops when I do OPEN it!). Ok, I feel that if people are going to purchase something from me I want it to be as good as I can possibly make it. I know that sounds like a simple statement but it's not. Atleast for me it's complicated. (But I think it makes YOU...well for ME, think more.)

What I mean is some of the things I've posted about my updates were things (for example the hand mirror & the other hand mirror with no mirror-Pill Face it was called)...that literally sat around in my ArtSpace for a while (and I considered them 'finished'). Pill Face I made wayyyy back...then I changed it...simply because I thought it needed that extra something. That extra something was just metallic paint. Same kinda thing with the other hand mirror-I completed it, thought it looked good, and then ___ time goes by and I say "Hm, I'm gonna make it better!" And I think it did come out better in the end.

As I've heard from many people (and yes Diane, thanks for reminding me too!), LESS is sometimes more when it comes to art. But in some cases, I just feel like a piece is missing....something. The piece below called "The Birthday Girl" was never a themed piece. Then the more I worked on it, the more it became something of its own. And I do really enjoy 'themed' art...but usually don't do it because it takes a lot of thought. When I started to paint (semi-seriously) back in 1999, I was making paintings/mixed media like it was going out of style...and this continued on & off for years. Usually I'd take a BIG break, then start whippin' 'em out again.

But then I look back at those pieces (which I took pictures of some), and say "Hm, I could've done so much more with it!" But maybe it was just my thing then. Because it never took me long to complete a piece...a day or two at the most. And they all kinda looked the same. I had ONE BIG theme back then-faces...but very very abstract faces. My first & only art show was even title "Faces in Disguise"-yay, I came up with the name too (it was a group show with a few friends)! {I'm actually going to be getting ALL the art I have at my parents house very soon-which is A LOT...so it'll be interesting to see things I've completely forgotten about. And to see how my 'style' has changed/evolved. I will more than likely post pics of some of those pieces...but of course!}

OK, so with the pieces I'm working on for ETSY, I'm trying my hardest to make them the best that they can be. And I'm trying to make them (kinda thinking, especially with Birthday Girl) that someone will see it and want to get it as a gift for a family member, friend, etc.... So I have to say THIS (below) is the first piece that I feel is READY for ETSY. And I think it is more like a piece you'd see and say "Oh, maybe ___ would like that for her birthday." (Or whatever else...but I'm thinking birthday...but an unbirthday will work too!)

Sooo, the piece below is Birthday Girl before I added that one little extra something-to finish it. I thought it looked good...but a sticker in the top left corner was not sticking well, and hm, by 5pm, the darn thing fell off. So I was thinking it needs "Something." So here it is pre-5 ish...

And this picture (sorry, it's wayyyy below) is post-5 pm. I just thought it needed that extra SOMETHING, ya know!?? Do you know what it is? But of course YOU do! And now I feel completely satisfied with it. And I don't plan on touching it again. I was telling Mike earlier when he was at work today "Hm, I think I need to add more to it." And he's funny because he just said "Be careful." Which is true. I mean if it looks pretty good, why mess with it!?? But hey, I'm a pro (well, not really but I can pretend, right!??)...and I would've figured out something else, even if it took some time. And time is OK sometimes. :}

So I hope you can understand what I'm trying to get at with this POST (especially you artistic ones!). And that is I just think art should take some time, thought, and a lil' blood, sweat, or tears involved in it too. AND don't forget about PAIN (did I mention I have some "thing" in my foot? I think it's a teeny tiny piece of a mirror...cuz I didn't clean up all the mirror-dust when I broke a couple mirrors-a while back-in the basement aka: my art area. It feels a bit better now but it REALLY hurt a few days back.). But no pain, no gain, right!?! My ArtSpace/Area is a deadly place to go...you MUST always wear shoes for one! ^_^

And I guess I'm feeling a lil' bit of pressure knowing someone might buy my art so that is kinda good...kinda is bad, ya know? And then the attachment to the piece also...but that's a whole other story (and YOU artists know exactly what I mean with getting attached to something), that I won't get into. Alright...Birthday Girl w/that special something is pictured below...

And my finishing touch (which I hope I can put on all of my pieces but I'll see how it goes), is the "Handmade By" stamper...which I would've got the "Hand-altered By" if they had it. ;} And the key stamp cuz I just love keys....especially old keys like that one to the right. And that sticker that fell off the frame actually came into use on the back of the piece, The Best Birthday Ever sticker. I may have to tape it if it doesn't stick, which is fine. I definitely didn't want to tape it to the front of the frame-mainly cuz none of the other stickers needed tape to stay. And that wouldn't have looked right. I think the flower was much more fitting. And yes DIANE, I will name drop you one last time, you are SO right-there are NO accidents in art. OK, do I get something for name dropping YOU the most in one post!???! ^_^

Darn. And can you believe I did not plan to do this gigantic of a post! Well I never actually plan to write long or short, I just write. 9 times out of 10 I don't have things pre-written...which I'm assuming most blog authors don't do either...guess it depends. I REALLY came on to write on my personal (secret) blog...and here I go on about this piece & ART in general. Don't worry though I won't be doing this for EVERY piece I make! Yikes, that would be a bit mad! So would any of you artists like to explain your process and views about selling art (if you have or haven't yet)?

At my art show (back in the day aka: a billion years ago), I did sell a mixed media painting & I have to say that it was ONE of the greatest feelings I've ever had. It was pretty cool. So again, whatever you'd like to say about your art & experiences, please dish! You know me, I'm always curious. ;}

OK, it's almost midnight...OK, now it's past 12 AM since Mike interrupted me. So I should head off. Gotta work tomorrow, blahhh. But it MUST be done...that is until I am a rich & famous artist living in the country side of France, and don't need to have my job anymore. Oooo la la, what an amazing life that would be!

Alright, be chatting with you all soon.~