We are definitely making this wall look a whole lot uglier before we make it beautiful. Wow. There are all sorts of mineral deposits everywhere that have started bubbling up the previous 6 layers of paint. Then the wall seams were really crap, so we had to pull those out, re-insulate, trim, and caulk. Yikes. So off it goes and patch it up is how we go. It’s adding about an extra day to the work, but that’s okay, I figured in extra time for those sorts of things.

So many people came out today from all over town. We had couples, college students, a city councilmen and his family (his wife is in our fiber group), local business owners, and community members. It ended up being a total of 17 people who came out and worked and a total of 22 who stopped by and said “hi” or asked “what are you doing?”

Jason and I stopped into jimmy johns for lunch and they were all talking about it. Something like “what are they doing over there?” “painting a mural I think” “that will be a good thing, it will help make this area look a lot better, brighten things up” “unless it sucks” “yeah, hopefully it doesn’t look like crap”. Well, let me tell you, I also don’t want it to look like crap either.

Jason had the great idea to set up a camera and take time laps photos of the whole project. Then he’s going to compile it into a short time laps film for ames c.art. How awesome is that?! I’m so excited about it. I flipped through today’s images and they turned out really well.

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I’m the Creative Director of a community mural project here in Ames and what started out as a “easy project”, is now a massive project involving 8 organizations, the Public Arts Commission, and loads of volunteers. We collected tons of community feedback on what they want the mural to look like and I compiled them into one unified design. I’m pretty impressed with how it turned out…. after about 70 hours of work on just the design (research, source photos, drawing, etc etc etc).

Check that craziness out. That will soon be this:

We are going to start scraping and prepping the wall on Friday and then painting hopefully by Monday.

I have an amazing team of people working to make this project a success. I could have never done it on my own. Crystal Tice is definitely the chief Wrangler, Melissa Tedone has amazing work grant writing and making sure everyone and their mother knows about this project, Christina S. has listened for most likely more than her fair share of hours to all the ups and downs of this project as well as support and news spreading and planning, Dan Brown has done miracles getting all of our supplies donated so I don’t front all the money for this thing, and me, well, I’m coordinating, designing, and corralling all the volunteers to get it up on the actual wall.

We are now accepting donations for the project via check (make out to Ames Collaborative Art) or paypal (click here). Send any donations to 2321 N. Loop #102 Ames, IA 50010. You can read more about the project on AmesCart.org.

I have to say that starting out my year drawing every day sure made me feel a million times more confident in myself to draw this beast out. And that project has changed a bit too. I’ve decided it would be disingenuous to say I kept drawing every day, but I think that tells a story in and of itself. I’m going to just start numbering them and see how many I get by the end of this year. I think it will more honestly illustrate the adventure of my life.

Like this last month, not nearly as much drawing — because I got really sick, was designing a mural/coordinating a mural/putting out an issue of clm/birthdays/stress and some other fun things I can’t tell you about until they are a sure deal. Oh yeah, and writing a book too!

Drawing posts will be resuming soon, I’m looking forward into getting back into my drawing groove.

Kristin

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Yesterday I came to the point where I had to decide between going to my painting class or writing a post. (The weekend was insane. As was yesterday morning, so it was go to class or write.) I don’t often do things that are just for me. I don’t often do things where I’m not the one hosting/teaching/facilitating/in charge/responsible. Well, no more.

I started taking a painting class at the local art center 4 weeks ago and it has been an absolute delight. I’m an oil painter by training, and it’s been forever since I’ve used acrylics. When I was given the chance to learn from a great artist who specializes in drawing (my favorite!) and acrylic painting I jumped all over it. I knew I was overloaded with obligations, but this was so important to me I just couldn’t say no. I figured, “Hey, once a week for a couple hours, for 5 weeks, I can swing that.” So I did!

This was the quick painting sketch I did during the first class.

This one is still in progress, crochet thread is particularly challenging. I love it!

Now that my painting class will be coming to a close I’ve decided to continue taking Monday’s for myself. I am going to start taking cello lessons again.

Did you know I play cello? I fell in love with it when I saw the band Azure Ray in London back in 2002. I had always loved the cello, but didn’t understand its full awesomeness until I saw their cellist rocking out. It clicked. My love for classical and indie rock combined perfectly in one instrument. Perfect.

I started playing in 2003ish and took lessons for 2 years before moving to dekalb. I always intended to get back to it. I always thought I would start playing it again. I always wanted to. Intending and wanting are not doing. It’s so easy to let an instrument, or a loom for that matter, sit collecting dust for years and years. Before you know it, I’m old. I’m 70. And I’m still thinking “I’ll learn to play the cello someday”. Screw that. I think I’d be pretty upset with myself if I didn’t learn to play the cello before I kick the bucket.

It takes a long time to get good at… so I better start pronto. I’ll never have time to play the cello. There will always be crap in the way keeping that “I should do…” an “I should do…” instead of a “I am doing…”. Well heck. It’s official. I am taking cello lessons! Hooray! I just got off the phone with an instructor and starting March 22nd I will spend one half hour each Monday taking a lesson.

Next week is my last painting class and the week after I’ll start my first cello lesson. I think I’m really going to like my teacher too. He sounds like a really neat guy. The word from the music shop is that he and his wife have been teaching since the 70′s. That’s awesome! And what’s even more awesome is they pretty much haven’t changed their prices since then. Just $15 a week. Not bad. In fact, that’s about half the price of everyone else I’ve talked to. They just love music. And I love that.

So here’s the thing, I’m on a tight budget. So I’m giving up going out to eat and drinking coffee and little snacky things at coffee shops so I can take lessons. I think it’s a trade off that is 100% worth it!

I’m so excited that I immediately ran to the library and picked up a huge stack of music with cellos in it. And then I grabbed up two books on music theory and practice. And I grabbed up a book on orchestral instruments – which has a really nice section on violoncellos: how they are made and their history.

Hooray! I’m going to go practice for a little bit

Kristin Roach

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Okay, so I said from the beginning that drawing every day was my #1 goal and posting said drawings each day was goal #2. Well, I stuck with the #1 and kept drawing even though I wasn’t posting them. Sorry for the mass post here, but it’s with good reason. I started and finished and submitted a new piece for the Beyond Audubon juried show in Chicago. It’s at the Women Made Gallery. I’m pretty excited because I just learned about it a week and a half ago and was able to get something together for it in just 9 days. Here is a little sneak peek of the piece:

Once I find out if I’m in or not I’ll show the full thing. I really feel like even if I don’t get in, it’s still a huge step forward in the right direction for me. I’ve never gone through “official” channels when it comes to juried shows. I’ve always just been invited or asked to submit something knowing that it would be included. Which I suppose is a good sign.

I guess I’m just curious if my work on its own will stand up and be included. If not, that’s fine. In my mind this project is already a success because I finished and submitted it in time (barely, but in time).

The next show I’m submitting to is a low pressure show with no entry fee and no jury. Everyone get in. I like those odds.

Anyway, more drawings tomorrow!

Kristin

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Hey, today is day 20 with no misses. I’m on the cusp of three weeks. I think I can keep this up no problem.

I cleaned up my home studio area this morning and started work on Beef it’s what’s for dinner (food chain series) piece again. I love that steer and it’s about time I finish up the crochet component. I finished the first round of single crochet through all the outline stitching and started on the second. It’s going to be an interesting challenge increasing correctly so a steer outline goes into a lacy rectangle. I love the way it’s looking. I’ll take a picture and share when I get a few more rows done.

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{Last weekend at Center Grove Apple Orchard — that is a freaking goat tower! So neat!}

By having a work schedule, I’m working ahead in posts on Craft Leftovers – which has improved the quality about a million times over. And lead me to the realization that embroidery patterns are like line drawings. And also gave me time to finally reorganize my studio. I am so happy. Really happy. And well rested. I spent all day yesterday reorganizing my studio. I moved the loom back out to the garage and my painting supplies back inside. I cleaned out my drafting table and set it up just for drafting. And I moved a desk in from the garage and set it up as a computer desk. I put the fabric into the closet and my drawing supplies on the self. I grabbed the books about my favorite artists and added them to the shelves. I set up a peg board and filled it all the supplies I use regularly (and then it fell off the wall and we had to get some screw mounts, haha, it’s all good now). I even packed up my spinning stuff (which I haven’t used in forever) and returned it to my lys (I had been borrowing the wheel until the next time they needed it for a class). My space is now open and and filled with the things I use on a regular basis. I love it. I have a place for everything and everything is in it’s place

And now I’m painting again! Last night, after working all day cleaning, I was able to just play around with the idea of what I wanted to paint. What did I want to muse over and think about. I had the time to look through stacks of photo. I selected 6 that I took in San Francisco’s China Town, then choose the 4 I liked the best. I set up the space for drawing and painting. This morning I hopped right to it. 

I’m thinking about matting it so it will show like this:

But I haven’t decided yet. And I’m also thinking about working back into it with ink, but I haven’t decided about that yet. The fogginess around the lace is gone now that the glue is dry. And the netting sections of the lace match the background more. I’m thinking about going in with pen and ink. But I’m just not sure. I’m just going to let it sit for now. 

I’m excited. I do have to do some work today, but only a few hours compared to the standard all day every day I was working before. And I think I’m going to swing by Borders and check out the new magazines before they close. It’s been another great weekend!

Kristin

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When I showed my friend Linda the new embroidery set, she started laughing and said “It’s Jack the Ripper”. So I painted this one up just for her. I Wasn’t originally intending to do painted illustrations of all the Crafty Buddies, but now I think I will. You can get the first embroidery set in the Kro Studio Shop or the Craft Leftovers Shop.

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I chose burnt umber.

And christina chose blue (I can’t remember which one).

And here is our awesome set up, hehe. It totally works and honestly we don’t need any more space than this. We are sheltered from the rain, get great light, and don’t have to worry about fumes. Perfect!

And then here is my next project:

I’m going to paint that picture onto that canvase. But first I need to map out the basic lines so I don’t mess up my prospective. I’m going to go work on that right… Now!

See you later!
Kristin

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I used some doll rod scraps from another project to make some charcoal for myself. I haven’t drawn with it yet though, but my test marks seem very nice.

I also used a reject whittled crochet hook too – the funnest piece of charcoal ever!

And then here is some more – skewers and sticks:

I’ll be adding a tutorial on how to make your own charcoal as well as some instructions on drawing with charcoal in the August issue of Craft Leftovers Monthly. It’s going to be a great issue all about drawing – my favorite thing ever!

And speaking of drawing and loving it – I’ll be back tomorrow morning with a drawing daily post. Last week was an insanely irregular waking up schedule and I’m hopeful that I will be back to my regular routine starting tomorrow morning.

Oh and some random good news – I have my first Ames area show of paintings semi scheduled for October! I’ve started stretching canvas and finished gessoing my first. I’m going to work on the under drawing tonight so I’ll have pictures of that in the morning too.

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And in other news, I just rerelased the springy crochet headwrap on Craft Leftovers Today:

Hello there! Don’t I feel fancy. You can check out the post here and download the full pattern for free. There is a $1 suggested donation if you make it and love it.

See you all in the morning! Have a great night!

Kristin

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Today I grabbed my little bottle of aveeno lotion and “go!” I’m having some issues iwth perspective that will just take focus and practice to get over. The thread from monday was the worst, yesterday a little better, and today even better. I’m finally remembering all those fun things like checking my lines, really Looking at what I’m drawing and not just drawing what I think I’m seeing, and oh yeah, perspective, haha. It’s amazing what that one point will do to line up a drawing properly.

75 Ways to Draw More

This is a great little zine on drawing I came across. I think on The Art of Nonconformity. It’s called 75 Ways to Draw More and was made by Michael Nobbs.

The really great thing about this, besides it’s fun content and illustrations, is that you can either purchase it (there are just 3 copies left that are signed and dated by the artist) or you can go to Michael Nobbs’ flickr set and download each page, print, and put it together yourself for free! How sweet is that? Pretty sweet I would have to say.

Oh and there is also a special offer and a contest and a flickr group! All links and information as well as how to get your hands on the zine are posted on his blog here.

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In other news I picked up a few books from the library on Monday – One on Triathlon training, one on oil painting, and one on artists’ sketch books. All three are pretty good, although the triathlon book is a little on the “light” side. I mean, with a name like Triathlon Training Made Easy, my expectations were pretty low. It does give a nice overview though and it has a nice stretching routine, so that’s good. The Oil Painting in 10 Steps is also, well, on the “light” side. But there is some good information and there are some nice beginner exercises which I’m going to run through. I’ll post a review of that book next week. The book on Sketchbooks, though, wow, that is a good book. I’ll snap some photos of my favorite pages and show those to you later this week. I wasn’t looking for it, but just came across it while looking for something else. I love that about going to the library.

After I finish going through the oil painting exercises, I will start re reading Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I suggest this book for anyone who wants to learn to draw, thinks they can’t draw but have always wanted to, wants to teach their kids to draw but doesn’t think they have the “skills”, or just wants to get better at drawing in general. Once I get through it I’ll post a review as well as an overview of my drawing exercises done with the book – a few months from now I’m sure so don’t look for it next week.

Yesterday I picked up some linseed oil, palette scraper, and stretcher bars. I have to make due with the prefab ones until I get either an air compressed brad gun (doubtful) or a corner brace (more likely). Once I get one of those two things I’ll post about how to make your own stretchers for painting on. I think that, proper gessoing, and painting mediums were the three best things I took away from my painting classes and I want to share those with you.

And with that, the studio is calling. I’m going to make some lunch and go get my under painting finished up.

-K

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