A Sudden Inspiration

Abstract #1
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

Last Saturday I made this piece on a sudden inspiration. blee was napping, my husband was playing one of the video games I got him for his birthday and I needed something to do. So I did what normally isn't a good idea and got on the computer. Now this can lead to a lot of time wasting, but not this time. This time I saw how my Flickr art contacts were experimenting and was inspired to do the same. Rushing to my studio only to find it forever messy I grabbed some supplies and created on top of the mess instead of taking the time to clear it first. I knew that there was a good chance for the mood to leave at any moment if I took the time to clean first. I grabbed some canvas and various papers and started arranging and laying them until I came up with this.

It might not be much, but if I can do something like this at least every few weeks I am going in the right direction.

It can be found in my shop on Etsy here. I've been neglecting my Etsy shop like I have been neglecting my blog, but hopefully this is a sign of change for me.

Klimt - He's nice and all but...

fabric panel
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

Quoted from a co-worker of my husband after my husband showed him my work and mentioned that I was a fan of Gustav Klimt. A bit enough fan that one of my first baby carriers has a panel with fabric inspired by his work.

"I'm sure his work is nice and all, but I like your wife's work better."

While I totally do not agree with him I am completely and utterly flattered by the compliment. Gustav Klimpt was one of my favorite influences as I grew up as an artists. I loved his usage of pattern more than anything else and that is an inspiration still today. Many of these majorly Klimpt inspired pieces can be found in my shop today. Anything of my figurative work is 15% off this week of October 6th through 12th only! Just add Klimpt in your notes to seller when purchasing those works and wait for an invoice.







And one of the master's most inspiring pieces.

Inspire Me Tuesday!

Skatha (welsh goddess of the underworld)
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

I'm not sure where my inspiration always comes from other than just looking at the world with open eyes. Taking in the shapes and the colors and being constantly and sometimes overwhelmingly inspired by what I see around me.

Lately, and by that I mean the past few days since maybe my last printing session last Thursday, I haven't been feeling it much. And I really need to. I received some beautiful Japanese Chirogami washi papers in the mail and I have barely touched them. I feel distracted and not just because of my teething daughter.

I think it is about time for me to go out for a nature walk and take some inspiration pictures. Since it is really difficult to sit down and sketch outside with a baby strapped to me I take pictures and then use them (hopefully) later.

I need this. I need to open my eyes again and take in some beauty. I will feel better and my art will be better. But in the meantime I do have some pieces from last week and the week prior that I am really proud of. This one in particular because I haven't done a larger print in awhile.

Time to get ready to go out, baby on my back and camera in hand. I hope everybody has a wonderful day.

Golden Times

Peaceful Butterfly
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

These two insect pieces are from the last few days of 2007. Still working on my first pieces of 2008, hit a bit of a lag this past week. This weekend wasn't productive at all artistically until the very end when I dragged out some pretty papers and a blade and got to cutting. Nothing big or complete but at least I can say I did something with my hands. Funny thing is that early last week inspiration hit me like a brick and I carved two blocks in about a day. Well, one block with two sides I should say if we are going to be technical. Went to bed wanting to print woke up and nothing but the desire to want to do it but I kept thinking about paper needing to be torn, the press needing to be reset and I just never got to it.

I'm hoping that my resolve to get stuff done will be better this week. But the truth is that during weekdays it is really hard for me to print because I can't really do it during the day while watching blee because I don't have that kind of time and I am usually to tired at night. And I can't let myself stay up late printing either. And printing is what I feel that I should be doing not starting new block or new project after project without completing them.

Maybe the bad weather that is coming with help get me making art again since I am not going to be going for long strolls around town with blee in the blizzard that is supposed to come tonight. And it takes days and days to dig out from these things. So a blizzard is a good thing? Tell me that when the dog needs to go out tomorrow afternoon.



Blee says hello and hopes that everybody had as lovely a weekend as she did. She's been sleeping so well and has been so happy and easy lately these really are the golden times with her for us. She's fun to play with, she doesn't cry much at all and we don't even have to change many diapers. And she smiles and giggles all the time except when she is in her sling when she just snuggles in all comfy before falling asleep before I zip her up to protect her from a cool breeze or sudden rain. I've been able to wear all 17lbs of her for hours in comfort.

Maybe this is really it, why I am not feeling like printing or even scanning in work. I am just too in love with my baby right now to pull myself away from her that long.