Archive for Art
Snow Angels
I have had these photos for months, just taunting me to be processed. I have wanted to work on them, but when I work on art photos, it’s a process. I can’t just pop in the disk and upload them to the website. I have to lovingly look through all of the images and narrow them down to the most compelling, in my artistic vision. I have to then edit them, if they need it – bump up contrast, saturate the hues. Sometimes the photos don’t look like what I saw with my eyes and I try to make them closer to what I saw. Sometimes I want them to be more dreamy or I want to make a collage out of them. Anyway, it takes time and focus for me to do these photos. That’s why it takes so long sometimes. Also, these are my fun projects I do for myself and my friends and sometimes they have to take a backseat to work I get paid for. Especially now with my house divided, I really need to step up my business or I will have to stop doing art and photography full time and start working retail or something. I will basically be back to where I was well before I was married.
Anyway, these projects are a lot of fun for me and they are very rewarding.
Before the weekend is out I plan to make prints available through my etsy store! Send me lots of energy to help me out!
These are not the last of the Snow Angels photos either – there are more to come!
Overwhelmeth-ed
So, I am preparing for the Sunset Concert Series big grand opening event at O’Donnell Lake in Waldorf and I’m helping organize the artists as well as get my own booth and work together. I’m stressed because I want everything to run smoothly. I get a little bunched up about preparations and organizing things. And normally I would be a little stressed about that, but also my dog got hit by a car on Saturday and got a deep puncture wound in her hind-hip area. She had to have surgery and is wearing a halo, bumping into things and in quite a bit of pain, poor thing. But that requires extra attention.
I’m also working now, full-time, on my artwork business. When I say full-time I mean generally from the moment I get back in the door from dropping off my daughter until punching out around – well, let’s see, it’s 10:26pm and I am writing this blog – which is officially art biz work – so, whenever I am too tired to keep working. You can’t leave work when you work at home!
Will has been in the garage about 12 hours today – he is still out there – cleaning, organizing and hanging up my fabric and rails (backdrops and fabric movers) in my studio. My oldest daughter is in town visiting with my grand-doggy. Those things among other personal dramas has kept me very very busy. I’m actually not used to being this busy and I realized it is affecting my attention with my youngest daughter. The day before yesterday we were driving home from somewhere and she asked me about why the moon gets a halo sometimes. I’d heard her question, but my brain was buzzing with so many to-dos and the warning on the radio about something (which I don’t even remember now) that I couldn’t answer her right away. I was going to answer her, it was in the queue, it just hadn’t bumped forward yet so with such a pregnant pause – one she is not used to – she said, “Mom?” It reminded me of when my oldest was little and I worked full-time outside of the home. I would become so overwhelmed at times I would have this pause, trying to process it all. She would come to me and put a hand on each cheek and look me in the eye and say, “Mommy! Pay attention to me!” She didn’t like to wait for an answer. She was used to my general state over being overwhelmed. My youngest is not. Due to recent changes in our home environment my workload – both business and household – has more than doubled. I have not learned yet how to cope with all of it. I don’t like things to fall through the cracks, so I am always writing lists and notes to myself. Texting and messaging myself notes to my email. I suppose I will adjust at some point.
You can see some of my recent work and join my Facebook site here: Heather Bartlett Art & Photography
My eyes are getting droopy but I did want to tell you that I am making great progress and to watch for my new work.
So Many Muses
I have had such an artistic rush of energy lately.
My husband has moved on and I am moving on. Things are changing in my heart and I feel stronger all of the time. I have been organizing like crazy, getting the studio sorted out.
It has recently been suggested to me I should make some of my clay work a bit smaller and turn them into brooches – which I think sounds pretty darn cool!
I have paintings and drawings I am working on. A new project related to some small bells – I will surprise you later with that one! I am still working on snow photos, faerie photos and yoni paintings. Oh, and I may start doing some of my old ebony pencil style works! Oh, and the recipe box I made for my daughter – I think I have to make some more. I love it so much! Goodness! There is so much I want to do, I need Vishnu to loan me a few hands! Actually – it’s just stuff I love doing and I can’t wait to share it with you.
Snow Angels, Pin-Ups, Boudoir Art Portraits
Heather the Pink Snow Angel
I am trying out a new style of watermark. Do you see it there on her shoulder? It’s difficult to come up with a watermark that protects the image without interfering with it too much. Prints will not have the watermark.
If you are interested in purchasing a signed print (all images are approximately 7 or 8×10″ – just depends on how I decide to edit it) contact me at goddess (at) allzah (dot) com. Or you can phone me at 301-638-1072.
These are only two I’ve had a chance to work on from the snow shoot. There are many more to come and the Amy images and Amber images are for sale as well – signed by me.
Printed on high quality photo paper with photo inks for lasting colorfastness. Prints are $49 each plus $5 shipping.
You can pay me via Paypal or check if you are mailing it – cash if you can hand it to me as I do not recommend mailing cash.
** Don’t forget — if you hire me for a private session your images are fully confidential. These models participated in photography events and agreed to and wanted to have their images shared. All private sessions are confidential.
Natalie Snow Angel Maiden Goddess
I have many more snow angels to work on, so check back next week for more! There were several beautiful ladies that came out to have their photos taken that day. I am lucky to know such amazing spirits! I wish I’d had time to do one of each of them. There is a particularly good one of one of the Snow Angels making a Snow Angel that is so full of life and energy! Can’t wait to get them up for you to see!
Below are more Amy and Amber images. They have the older style of watermark. I am still not sure which I prefer.
Amy Classic Pin-Up
Amy Glowing
Amy's Cheery Cherry Blossoms
Amy Missing Her Sailor Boy
Amber's Mischief
Amber Channeling James Dean
Amber Utilizing Utilities
Amber of Shadow and Light
Amber USMC Cheesecake "Recruitment Poster" II
More Fairy Fun
I am having a lot of fun with my fairy photos and my fairytale storybook classics.
Last year was rough for me, emotionally. It’s nice to be bringing some of the magic and wonder back into my world. It’s also nice to remember, and be reminded by those who love and appreciate me, that I have something to offer.
Here is another image of Kyle. I did her senior portraits. You need only look a few blog posts back to see a few of them. I also have used a couple of photos from that session to turn into fairy portraits.
I hope to have a very busy little studio this year. Call me.
Fairytale Fun
I would like to recreate some of the magic of classic fairytales with my photography. I had Ariel in my studio recently posing as Sleeping Beauty. I am waiting on another model this afternoon – who I have to take photos of to collage and layer into the Sleeping Beauty photos, but I wanted to just play with one of the images from Ariel’s session.
I am planning on making prints and posters with the character’s name in beautiful lettering. Postcards, stationary and other items as well. Maybe a book of all of them together. I have often thought of doing my own version of the classic tales and including photos for the illustrations of the story.
Anyway, I did very little to this image – the model is lovely and her dress was well suited to the character. She and her sister designed and made the dress, which is amazing in itself!
I hope to download a number of more elaborate fonts that have a bit more flourish. I don’t always like fancy fonts, but I think some fancy fonts for this is important. Something castle-ee. Something princess-ee.
I have several other characters in mind that I would like to shoot as soon as possible. I’d like to have some of this stuff ready for the fairy festival if I jury in.
Eviscerated by The Peach Jar’s Glass
I haven’t been dieting or journaling or weighing. There is just too much going on.
This picture is a long story. It’s images of me layered with images from some broken jars of applesauce and peaches, set to various colors.
This image will go on the cover of a sketchbook project. It’s probably going to have some acrylic paint “blood drops” added to it.
Under My Umbrella
When Jade got into the car this morning she realized she’d forgotten her umbrella. I said, “I wanted to remind you about it, but I felt I’d reached my reminder limit with you.” At 15 she doesn’t like to be reminded not to forget things. Then, she sometimes says, “Why didn’t you remind me?” This particular feature of my little angel is something that must be genetic, because her daddy is the same way. She said, “I hope Courtney didn’t spend too much time on her hair.” This perplexed me since Courtney was not in our vehicle and nor did she even ride the bus home with Jade. It turns out that Jade shares her umbrella before a certain class in which she has a trek from the school to the outside classroom. I say “outside classroom” but they are trailers. I know there probably isn’t a school in America these days that doesn’t have one. Anyway, I thought that was sweet. I imagined her holding the umbrella as she and Courtney walked together to class.
I’m slightly miserable today. Each time I cycle I think it can’t be worse the next time, but sometimes it’s worse. Heating pads and ibuprofen – the badges of a real woman. Oh, and don’t forget the chocolate. I’ve already be-headed a darling dark chocolate Dove bunny. Will also got me these adorable bug truffles. Aren’t they just the cutest?
The bugs actually had little molded faces, which was a kind of neat surprise. They also had little crispy bits inside and it made me wonder if Lindt did that on purpose for a nice light buggy crunch? HAHA!
I am playing Chocolat in the DVD player. It’s in the other room, but turned up so I can hear it. Sometimes it’s too quiet and I am not in the mood for music, but rather just voices. Chocolat has today’s bloggy themes of chocolate and gypsies, which makes it a perfect choice. When it is over, perhaps I will listen to the disks from my “Enchanted” collection I got for my birthday.
I am wishing for sunshine. It’s been raining so much here.
I often wonder about moving to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona or California. They seem like mostly sunny places with artsy towns here and there. I wonder.
I am wishing for a big tree in the back yard where Will could build his treehouse.
And I’d cherish a pond with a koi. Or, I’d settle for goldfish.
I suppose I should find more delights in what I already have. Indulge in the sumptuousness around me, yes? Well, sometimes with the dog holes gaping at me in the back yard and the pile that needs to go to the dump on the side of the house and the evidence of my woeful gardening abilities are so glaring, they are hard to ignore. So, yes, I find my dainty pleasures where I may, but there is still much to fix and do that sometimes can be a joy suck.
Day before yesterday I lay on the hammock, my head hanging off of the side and marveled at the brilliant clear blue of the shameless sky. It made the perfect backdrop for something I had not even noticed the day before – buds on the trees. The trees beyond the rusty chain-link fence. Oh, if I could only learn to love chain-link. But in my upside down position I could hardly see the chain-link and only the peachy-yellow buds asserting themselves on the branch tips against the backdrop of that crystalline sky. Here is a photo of what I saw. I wish you could have been here – it was lovely.
Other wishes: I am wishing for a lovely gypsy tent in the yard as soon as the weather is dry and balmy for two days in a row, and since I will not soon have my dreamy vardo.
Yes, I still have vardo dreams – in fact, they have spawned a new artsy idea. Though some of my research makes the concept seem overly daunting, I can’t help but be optimistic. With some help from Willo (that is the dreamy name I will call him when I speak of art and gypsies) I think it won’t be too technically overwhelming. All of those things will have to wait though, until the Body Politics installation is, well, installed at Artomatic.
Also, the Baltimore Playwright Festival is looming. Gotta clean up Delia and get her submitted. I might submit my short diner play too. We’ll see.
Look at this band of gypsies, they need a little spot to relax, wouldn’t you say?
Tiles Finished
I picked my finished tiles up from Prince Frederick yesterday. He looked smashing! Just kidding of course – gosh that was corny!
Jade and I headed out to Lusby and picked up the tiles I worked on in my Parran Collery class at Annmarie Garden. I wrote a nice email to the director of AMG and the person in charge of events/classes etc – but never heard back. Weird.
Whilst finishing up my tiles on Tuesday Jade made friends with Uma, who she then scritched some more on Thursday when we picked up the work.
I dare say that the work does look like practice tiles. I am very happy with them, but you can tell I have some time work to do before I master the technique. Especially when it comes to figuring out glaze. At least for working on the look I want from it. I think the purple works fine in the background of the dragonfly piece, but I would have had a more opaque color for the frame part if I had been able to visualize it better. I’m very excited about the progress I’ve made with clay so far and am looking forward to really working more and more with the medium. Can’t wait to finish the garage studio! That will make a big difference in how often I am able to work.
Below are the finished product. Some are in the yard. The dragonfly will stay in the house.
There are two Starry Night tiles because of a fluke really. I made one to cast. Usually the one you make a cast from is destroyed in the process. However, it came off of the cast in one piece so Parran fired it with the stamped one I made from the cast itself. I gave them different glaze colors. I like the blue better. But they both have their charm.
Jade helped me with the sun tile. She colored all the jade inbetween the stars for me – a bit time consuming – while I worked on painting glaze on the other pieces.
Great class. Great experience. I can’t wait to try out all of the stuff I learned!
Il Giardino Dei Tarocchi & Pearl’s Garden Too
If I have goals as an artist they are mostly to create beautiful and thought-provoking work. Of course, something thought-provoking might not always be beautiful, but I will take either, when I can get them.
There are many things that are life-affirming. Creating a beautiful thing. Making love. Getting married. Giving birth. Watching your children fall in love. Helping others. Finding simple joys in small things.
One thing that always strikes me is when a person has a driven mission. It helps if the person is free of money worries of course. If they can just do what they do best without incumberences. But sometimes, it’s seeing a person persue that which feels greater than them and seems against the odds of possibility, is what is truly extraordinary.
On Facebook one day the avatar of a person I didn’t know caught my eye. The icon looked like a statue of some sort, but it was hard to tell in the smallish format of the avatar. I asked the person about it and she told me it was from a wonderful place she visited in Italy called “The Tarot Garden.”
Here is the Wiki about the artist responsible for The Tarot Garden – Niki de Saint Phalle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niki_de_Saint_Phalle
Click the image below to go to the official website.
Related Links
http://www.nikidesaintphalle.org/
http://www.niki-museum.jp/english/index.htm
Here is a nice blog entry about Niki and her work.
*****
The evening before last I got another dose of life-affirming by watching a documentary – “A Man Named Pearl.”
Pearl Fryar is a very cool, very energetic dude who created a beautiful garden in his yard from discarded plants tossed out by a local nursery.
I recommend sitting down with some hot tea and being prepared to feel as though you are a very lazy slug when you’re all done watching it. He’s just one of those beautiful amazing spirits out there in the world who keeps shining no matter what. He’s an inspiration and an artist.
You can see the trailer: http://www.amannamedpearl.com/
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