A Rare Beauty Indeed

Is it hard to imagine that we share our huge world with such fascinating and diverse populations? That there are actually people out there who aren’t concerned with the HOA ? or What fashion labels are in this season, what meetings that need to be attended?

Thanks to YouTube, I have had the pleasure of seeing the most amazing images of the Omo People. These gorgeous people are a collection of tribes in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia. They say their incredible body art is purely spontaneous and for their own pleasure and experimentation! In seems that in our society, more often than not, we strive to cover most of our bodies and find shame in revealing ourselves. However, the Omo place emphasis on their selves where our culture would see as offensive. I think I’m from the wrong clan of people.

Hanz Silvester is the amazing photographer behind these breathtaking photos. His amazing work can be seen in his latest publication, Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa . These Incredible images and people are so inspiring and just waiting to be explored on a giant canvas with my name on it.

September 22, 2009July 15, 2010

It’s Not The Critic Who Counts

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Who really counts is the fabulous and inspiring person who paid you to do it! Thank you Courtney.

Courtney stands by her new painting.

I fretted and worried all night and for the entire ride to meet her that she would hate it. Which she didn’t! We had a fabulous day celebrating her birthday by soaking in culture at the Kimball Museum, doing a little gratuitous shopping and tons of eating. I toasted the occasion with a Raspberry Martini and we had lots of cake!

AND SO WE HAD CAKE!

September 21, 2009September 21, 2009

Facelift

I just wanted all my massive fan following (thanks mom) to know that Wenderflonia is going through a few changes. This is in preparation for the landslide of orders for a Wenders’ Original Painting (thanks Courtney and Stacy). I’ve added a home page that gives you the choice to visit the artist, blog, portfolio and hopefully to shop. Although I haven’t added anything to it yet, in the near future, the portfolio/gallery and shopping link will be a place to showcase some of my original work, and a place for purchasing a piece of your very own. Please stay tuned, and let me know if you like (or not) the new look. Just be aware that there is still much to be done with menus, fonts and other very serious designy, web type stuff that I haven’t a clue about (thanks BFS).

In the mean time, I am furiously putting the finishing touches on the painting I’m delivering tomorrow, and preparing to start another commissioned piece for another tremendously fabulous lady. Could this possibly be?! A real artist is ME?! (Glad you can’t see the super cool dance I’m doing right now.)

September 15, 2009September 21, 2009

Winds of Change

The Present…

Today, I should have been investing my time and energy in day- job searching and finishing a painting. I, instead, spent the day feeling no-so-bueno with a killer sinus headache thing, and obsessively musing over blog face lifting and gratuitous art supply shopping. A gallery page has been added to the site, if you haven’t noticed, but I haven’t managed to get to the “add stuff” phase. Sweet BFS is so super busy with his own work and artistic endeavors but still takes the time to build and work on my site. I hate to bother him to0 much but he’s my number one technical go-to hunny (errr my ONLY go-to hunny). He is really an amazing person, and I cant wait to see how he cooks it all together to make a fantastically brilliant site.

The Dream…

I have also been doing a heck of allot of thinking and planning. Great things are coming for Wenders and Wenderflonia. I have been truly inspired by my great friend Courtney, who has commissioned the brilliant piece of work I have been musing about lately. She has forced me (pretty sure I was kicking and screaming ;-)) into opening myself up to new possibilities. I have seriously been exploring the feeling that I am on the brink of something; a vibration of hope, possibly a nervous breakdown, who knows. I just feel a wind of change has been coming and is seriously overdue. My passion has always been in artistic endeavors, I’ve never fit into the traditional work environment, and so many people are baffled as to why I haven’t decided to do this sooner. But I want to be an artist….actually I want to be a paid artist.

The Reality…

The current job search has been getting me so down lately. I have fretted so long about not being able to just jump into a well paying job right away. I’m educated, smart and make sure I smell good at interviews, so why is it so hard to find a job? Possibly, it is because I’m being whispered to about taking a different approach to life and need to listen to what it’s telling me. I fully believe my true talent lies withing the creative arts and I need to pursue it. That isn’t to say NOT to look for an outside source of income. The day job search is still on, but ultimately the goal is to become a totally self sufficient working artist. The first step is to start creating, making myself available for commission work and promote pieces to sell. The hardest part, however, will be to allow myself to be vulnerable….exposed….aaahhhhhh (paper bag! Quick!) to the criticism and scrutiny of others. This is going to be so hard since I am such a private person and my art is so meaningful to me. I will not shatter…I will not shatter…..(where is that paper bag!)

The Future…

The goal for the next two weeks is:

1) To keep the job search up..have to eat…have to eat….

2) Finish Paintings in progress and post in gallery, deliver to proper homes.

3) Get website cleaned up, nipped and tucked.

4) Allow the spirit of change to keep directing me in new directions and to not be limited by my vulnerabilities.

YIKES!!!

September 13, 2009

Progress

The monster canvas continues to takes shape. Just days ago, I was too frightened to touch it and now I’ve got at least 3 to 4 layers of yummy paint and paper. The painting in progress is a mixed media piece that incorporates pretty paper to make a patchworky design.

I’m not showing the whole piece in progress because the painting is for a very dear friend and I want her to be surprised (pleasantly I hope). Since starting this project, I have found tons of inspiration so I’ve a good feeling about it. In the mean time, the close ups of some of the progress are just as enticing.

September 11, 2009September 11, 2009

Notes About Keeping Perspective

Another day full of creative endeavors lead me down paths I haven’t been in some time. As a young art student, I found myself under the constant scrutiny of my art professors. Most of the time it tore me down rather than build me up, as I tended to be insecure about my talents. One of their major critiques was my lack of respect to proportion. The ultra rebellious girl in me took that advice for what it was worth, changed my major to a less judgmental study (psychology– hahaha), and thus started my long measurement free, straight edgeless, rebellious road to ill proportion. I can’t even remember when the last time I picked up a ruler or straight edge to use for it’s intended purpose.

Alas, today I have come full circle. Much to the enjoyment of my wonderfully precise and practical BFS (whom I met in those aforementioned art classes), I bravely asked to borrow a ruler, level, angle thingy and even an eraser for my new project. We shall have to wait and see if the lines continue to walk the strait path to perspective.

Wish the ruler good luck that I don’t abuse it too much.

September 10, 2009July 15, 2010

Deflowered

Finally got down to business and deflowered the canvas. Nothing to write home about just yet but it was still fun to dip into a big tub of paint and apply a lovely undercoating.

It really is hard to think about a real job, sitting in an office, and doing something entirely too productive when I’d rather look like this:

Even Magners got into the spirit. And by getting into the spirit, I mean he came entirely to close to me and a loaded paint brush. Nobody is safe. Muahaha. But seriously, Mags looks good with eyebrows!

By far the best part of my evening was enjoying the creative spirit with BFS who has his own secret project going on.

Now it is on to finish some preliminary design work and be off to bed. Wish me luck that I do find a real job soon. Unless all y’all with excellent taste out there want to commission a Wenders original masterpiece. Peace and Love

September 10, 2009July 15, 2010

Bad Blogger and Creative Dreamer

I’ve realized that my creative, eccentric soul is a bad blogger. OK, OK, I knew this already but today I vow to get my blog on more often. I’ve a wonderful project that I am starting today. A beautiful soul has commissioned a Wenders original and I am happy to oblige. A very intimidating 4ftX3ft blank canvas is awaiting a face as I speak.

Few things can frighten and excite me more than a blank canvas. I have been staring at it all day. Walked up to it no less than 100 times. I believe the time has now come that Mr. Canvas and I are friends and I can now mar that pristine surface with ooey, gooey, delicious paint.

Check back for progress…..Oh Lord, Please let there be progress.