{ sunday enjoyment }

Drake cuddled with me this morning, his nose huffing breaths onto my neck as we slowly woke up. Then, of course, he leapt off the bed and waited, patiently, for me to let him out. I took some photos of my newest piece -- an impromptu assemblage inspired by collected butterfly wings pinned within their boxes, frozen statues of a once lucious life.

Then, I snuggled into one of the recliners and watched episodes of 'Brotherhood' with my Dad on-demand. Armed with my pencil and stack of pre-cut paper, I doodled and wrote my way through a bunch of pages. I don't know what to call this project -- it's an art journal, I guess, full of prompts, drawings, and backgrounds. I haven't been this excited about a project in a loooooong time, and went against my no-working-on-Sundays rule to work on it.

I then sojoured to the bookstore to check out magazines, Keri Smith's How to Be an Explorer of the World, and grab a copy of 2008 The Best American Non-Required Reading. I've been grabbing a copy of that every year for three years and got a few back-copies in bargan sections over the years. It's my absolute favorite, and I look forward to it every year....full of fun, interestingness, non-fiction, and breathtaking fiction, it's an amazing collection of work from all over the place. I remember one year, they had the Iraqi constitution. That was a real eye-opener. I'm currently working my way through The Best Kurt Vonnegut lines. It's a real treat since I'm at that point in my starving artist carieer where I'm almost starving and can't even afford a cheap cup of coffee.

After reading for a bit, it was back up into the studio, where I put on my new (to me) apron. I love how it looks quilted, and the way the colors overlap it like wearing a color chart for additive layers with glaze. The pile on the floor is to the right of my chair (the floor mat you see is for my computer desk across the way), and has all sorts of stuff in it. I tend to start accumulating things in piles next to me as I get working. Wearing the apron with the peasant skirt always gives me glee and makes me think of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I think one of the reasons I'm loving this project so much is that I get to make backgrounds. I LOVE making backgrounds, or "artist's papers." Here are a few I've made already...I planned on having eight in the journals I'll be binding, but I've been having so much fun, who knows how many I'll make!

There's me sitting at my painting table reflected in the window. It's dark dark dark outside! The pile of papers to the right is leftover scraps from when my nieces spent the day creating with me.

And now, I'm relaxing, writing, and watching 'The Amazing Race.' How was your Sunday?

autumn breezes & piles of paintings

---

The autumn air must carry magic on its cool, musical breezes; while fall has never been my favorite season, I can't deny the changes that have come within the orange and red-tinted days of an unusually warm October. Gone is the desire to run to blog every creation as soon as it's finished, the need to write and share every thought in my mind. I feel as though my creativity's been a good glass of cognac, warm, smooth, and savored as I reflect and ponder. 

I've spent a lot of time daydreaming – watching myself create projects, my mind like some sort of 3-D rendering program, analyzing and correcting, excited by the prospects that come to me when half-asleep. Relaxing has become a normal part of my day, the periods of rest refreshing me to jump into the studio once more.

This sort of self-exploration doesn't make for a lot of “finished” products. More...tinkering, as if I'm some sort of clock-maker trying to bring an old timepiece back to life. Except I'm breathing life into a future me. There's a commercial that's on, and while I can't remember the product, the first line from it runs through my head: “While I didn't know what I wanted to be, I knew the woman I wanted to become.” How true is that? Why strive to find a niche when I know the woman I want to grow into? Knowing this endpoint helps clarify the steps I need to take.

My daily paintings aren't exactly daily, but the intention's there. Each one is my take on a different style, though I can see my own voice throughout. It's fun, this journey. Playing. Discovering.

Last week, I started going to the laundromat – to observe, photograph, even stand and work. There's something soothing about standing there, machines swirling all around you, children snacking, clothes passing in baskets on wheels. Maybe it's from going to someplace new. We all need to branch off the familiar, bask in the unknown.

Me, I'm trying to appreciate fall by viewing it as the last fall I'll experience. Appreciating each falling leaf as if I'll never see another fall. The colors as though those hues will disappears. Not focusing on the end result but the journey. 

I've posted pictures and little blog entries about them over on flickr.

 

etsy shop update!

A nice mid-monthly etsy shop update. :)

In addition to more copies of the original four fabric collage sheets, there are four new ones collected from the journals I just got back from Dawn for 1000 Artist Journal Pages.

I have a much longer blog post waiting in the wings; just have to finish writing it and re-claim my brother's camera from a friend.

Page by Page #3 is here!

Yep! It's finally here! Featuring the amazing Roben-Marie Smith. This issue's chocked full of interesting articles, tutorials, a quiz, words of wisdom, and, of course, a gallery of inspiration!

Hop over here to grab your copy!

{ make lots and lots and lots! }

"angel wings are hearts" 5.5" x 5.5"

I've embarked on a new mission: to paint every day for 37 days.

Monday, I picked up a copy of Patti Digh's Life is a Verb. It is amazing! This woman is a very gifted writer. It's full of stories and ideas and challenges -- one of them is to do something artistic for your 37 days. (she's got a great blog, too!)

It has a passage from Art and Fear. The teachers split their students into two groups -- one would be graded on quantity, on how many pieces of pottery were made, the other on quality, on how well one piece was made. Surprise, surprise, when they were all finished, the quantity group had the best pieces while the quality group had lots of theories as to how to make it perfect. 

Every time I would sit down to do a painting, I would worry about making it the best I could. I wouldn't play because I was afraid to make mistakes. After writing my last post, I got to thinking. How did I get so comfortable and happy with my art journals?

By making lots and lots and lots of them!

I need to take this approach with other forms of art as well!

On the way home from the bookstore on Monday night, I took a swerve to the left and went to Lowes. While my father's worked for an industrial hardware company for longer than I've been alive, a. he does graphic design for them, and b. they do nuts and bolts, tools and such, not wood. So I'm comfortable in hardware stores, but a bit lost when I get to those huge, wide open aisles of lumber.

I was a bit lost.

I knew two things:

1. I wanted pine.
2. I wanted smaller pieces at least a half-inch thick.

Wandering, wandering, and AH-HA! I found the "craft wood." Perfect. Got 'em, brought them home, measured them out, and sawed them down myself.

I now have stacks of small, roughly 5.5" x 5.5" pieces of wood ready to paint on. And I'm going to do one every single day. In addition to my journals and other stuff. Like the totally revamped Artistic Alchemy Workbook. And the jewlrey I love making. And tags like these for my neighborhood.

Hope you're having a lovely day!

{we all have wings, we just need flying lessons}

my new believe necklace -- a gift to myself

Thank you for all your wonderful comments and emails. I've been overwhelmed by your messages of support and warmth -- I plan on responding to each an every one. It may take me a little bit, but keep your eyes peeled!

When I decided to post more personal thoughts and stories in addition to my pages and tutorials and such, I was worried; didn't people come here to help them on their art journaling quests? That was why I began blogging in the first place -- to fill that gap I perceived when I began art journaing. Tutorials. Pages. Visual inspiration. It's the reason I began Page by Page. But within the last few weeks, I've felt different. As if I'm expanding. Changing. Shifting.

One thing I've found written over and over in my journal is I want to write more. Not in general -- more short stories, more creative non-fiction, even just more prose on my blog. I want to captue all those little moments I mean to write down, but never get to. Part of this may be the ease at which I find my pages unfolding in my journal -- a small quest to expand myself through limitations has blossomed into a book I love simply paging through, opening, running my hands over the pages. So many have turned into paintings or stories in my mind, longer projects for another day. While others are simply filled with text, words, myself on the page. I'm bridging that gap between the writer before I discovered art and the me of now. 

I've read in books how "taking the dive" brings such a plethora of inspiration. Listening to those creative yearnings, those whispers, letting them free -- it all allows this rush of imagination. I was afraid, when I decided to dive into art full-time, that I'd run out of things to do, to say, but now --

It is so hard to put these new feelings into words. They feel larger than that, bigger. Deeper. A mass of contridictions. Perhaps a list? 

+ I have begun doing a painting a day. This isn't out of a push to do so, but natural movement and, well, a cold-turkey quitting of watching a lot of TV a day (remember, it was my major in college, so this is hard!). While they started as "planned" pieces, I've taken your advice and begun just being me on the canvas. I've recently discovered the art of Miz Kelly, who lets loose on the canvas and creates with the abandon I strive for. 

+ I love making my collage pendants. Despite not selling any, I still buy the silver shapes for them and create with glee. They're my own jewelry and pretty and if people want them, then they can. But for once, I'm creating for ME -- not to post, to teach, to sell -- just to make. 

+ While "writing" a blog entry in my head the other night before bed, I came up with the wild idea of a short book I want to collage, write, and illustrate. It's a message we all need to hear, and the whole idea became clear to me.

+ Brayers are awesome. ;) Even the hand-made cheap ones, like mine. (I'll post a tutorial soon)

There's a quote on my journal page sitting open under my laptop, and when I put it down, it meant one thing. Now, it means another.

"Our handicaps exist only in our minds." - FDR

That is, I believed it referred to my physical ones: I can't sit at my desk for longer than a two hours, and that leaves me in a bit of pain. I saw this as a limitation. Then I realized my paintings are going to be different because I use watercolor crayons and charcoal -- shading meticulously with paint isn't for me, so I'm not going to do it!!

Now, I also see it as the handicap of fears. Of our minds working against us. These limitations only exist in our minds!

In addition to my above-mentioned projects, I did something completely spontaneous and unexplained:

I signed up for a wire jewelry class at the local bead shop. I can't believe I did that! Beading seems so above me, something I could never do, and something I only have a passing interest in. But I want to make pretty necklaces for my pendants. It's in two weeks and I'm giddy with excitement. I want to start NOW!

I want you ALL to believe in yourselves. Stop over-thinking things. Let it flow. Do what makes you comfortable and happy, not what you feel you "should" be doing. As an example, you can look at my artwork from when I started till now, over on flickr. The progression's amazing to me; I went from using the cutesy vintage images everyone loves to finding my own style. Experiment! Be! Live!

I have a painting tutorial for you all I'll be posting tomorrow. And the brayer one. I want to post more! Write more! Give more to you all!

But I need your help, too! Who should I interview for the next issue of Page by Page? And do YOU have anything you'd like to write for our fine publication? Don't be shy! You can write. What you have to say has worth. We all need to learn from you. Won't you teach us? 

I leave you with two of my daily pieces. I'm off to journal more while watching the football game. GO BEARS!

sleeping puppies

sleeping puppies
Originally uploaded by Samantha Kira

{ learning, evolving, continuing }

This is a LONG ENTRY. You've been warned!!!

Justine wrote:

I love your blog and have considered for a long time whether I should
say anything about the zine and the artwork. Please understand I'm not
trying to hurt your feelings but I think perhaps some of my comments
would be helpful for you.

Her comments have been so helpful to let me see where I can make improvements, and so, here's her points and my fixes:

I have considered getting the zine but have not coz:
1) I would like to get a visual "preview" of a few pages inside.

I signed up with issuu.com a little while ago, but have always been afraid of letting people see stuff for free because I'm afraid then they won't PAY for something, or donate, since I am now trying to squeeze some sort of a living out of this. However, I am willing to show a bit, so you can now preview the first 13 pages of the current issue:

Get your own - Open publication

2) Have not heard of anyone who have purchased the zine & how they like
it.

Kira,
 
Wow! Wow.
 
I pulled up to my house this late afternoon breathing a sigh of relief that finally I was home from work only to be surpised to see a package waiting for me in the mailbox.  I didn't even wait to get my stuff out of the car.  I plopped down on the grass, ripped open the package and flipped slowly though the whole thing relishing each page.  I have every issue (so far) of Page by Page zine and this is the best one yet!  I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this issue is!!!  Every part is delicious!  You have out done yourself on this one!!
The layouts are beautifully designed. The pictures are great. The tutorials are just the way I like 'em . . . easy, quick, and with pictures that actually illustrate the technique!  I'll be carring this zine in my bag for weeks.  I love it! . . .  Ok enough embarassing myself to a total stranger
 
Namaste
Annee

3) Available in pdf format?? for how much?? the same as the hardcopy
one ?? Why doesn't it say so on the check-out page ?? Why is there no
button for choosing the e-format on the check-out page?? 

I adore printing. Having the hard copy in my hands. Traditionally, the 'zine comes out as a hard copy first, then goes into PDF back issues when the new issue comes out (or I begin layouts/going to print with the new one). This is the first time I've offered PDFs, and that is because many international customers had issues with the post last time, and priority for international is really too expensive. However, you can email me and request one if you really want one. I do work a lot to make it for print media, though, and would love to send you one. As always, if you cannot afford one, or the shipping, I do trades or may send it for free. Just email me!

4) Postpone the issue date of the zine so often makes me wonder if I
want to subscribe

Which is perfectly understandable, and I'm totally with you. Which is why I opened up reservations to bridge that gap between you wanting a copy promised and me knowing how many to initially print. As I'm doing this as my full-time job, now, the issues will be coming out much more frequently. The next will be out mid-November/beginning of December.

Reason why I have not purchased your art work:
1) Please pay attention to how the art work is displayed. eg. The photo
showing a painting on the clock with a blue background just looks
creepy...

I've been lazy. :(

When I started updating my etsy shop, I took into consideration all the stuff I could do to improve how things look, and continue to do so.

Now, for the fun stuff!! I've been painting a LOT lately, inspired first by my first meeting with the Lake County Art League, secondly by Kelly Rae Roberts' book Taking Flight.

work sitting on my easel on my desk.

7"x5" mixed-media on vintage book cover. isn't he adorable!!!??

6"x6" mixed-media on Masonite. a better photo of the girl.

My new favorite supplies. Click over to Flickr (click on the picture) to read my notes. Look out for posts on the new techniques I do with all of these. (and mmmmmm....vitamin water!)

And finally, journal pages. Again, click on 'em to see full-sizes.

And I'm outta here (actually, I'm writing more posts, just waiting to post 'em!).

<3 Kira