"Studio Notebooks & Writing Responses!"

For years I have cultivated a daily writing practice as well as an ongoing Studio Notebook that allows me to record and keep track of what is going on inside and outside the Studio.  Many of us use our notebooks very differently and some of us don't use them at all!  Some artists have little moleskins, others use larger books for  detailed sketches and some use them to outline and  plan a project.  Some of us have chalkboards, sketches taped up on our walls, some like to make drawings, sketches and or doodle  randomly.   I use my personal journals for writing in the morning and in the evening.  My Studio notebooks are used 'inside' the studio.  A blank page is always available next to my coffee, pencils and phone...a long time ritual.    I like keeping notes on paint recipes -- especially detailed notes of making encaustic paints and medium.  This detailed process began when working with encaustic--- becoming a chemist and conscientious technician with my materials.


 Studio Notebooks here.  In these notebooks are great notes that are meaningful to me-- quotes, process notes and technical data that are truly valuable.  Keeping track of all that I've explored, tested and resolved are tucked away in many volumes.  

 Random Notebooks

Playing w/Paint Textures

Encaustic Paint Hues

A 36x36 painting w/crit notes

A Map of Brazil

Postcards of "Reckless Bliss" series from

the 'Simple Geometry' Show in SF

Combination Sketch & Collage Sketchbook

Studio Notebook of making Encaustic Paints

Acrylic Tests

More Encaustic Alchemy

Traveling Sketchbooks & Writing

 Postcard of Encaustic Painting

Looking over the Studio Notebooks tonite reinforces in me that there is no 'ending' to a particular work I make.  The work continues and my process is moving forward and touching back in order to move forward each time I begin.  


Here's returning again to the Poly Chromatic works that are driving me forward in the Acrylic medium.  


 I started these yesterday.  After finishing my latest painting, "Interior" -- and working steadily on the 'surface zero' project (taking down encaustic paintings to the core),  I often take a break from the current work and return to another body of work that is still in progress.  


This allows me to recharge and working another medium simultaneously keeps my chops up.  I am finding much satisfaction in the power of materials.  


These are 8 Acrylic paintings on 10x10 canvases.  More fun studies while I continue to explore the gel mediums and pushing Acrylics to another level.  I enjoy taking these oblique shots of the work in progress and it offers me new perspective all the time.  


Hope your studio sessions are keeping you engaged and taking you to new places to risk beyond where you've been!  Thanks for stopping by!  

"Write Responses"

exerpted from "Creativity For Life" --- Eric Maisel'

Once you'ave chosen the questions you mean to address, write responses that do the questions justice.  Spent time at it.  Lose yourself in the writing.  Many fears, blocks, and distractions may prevent you from engaging yourself.  You are, after all, asking yourself the hardest quetions imaginable.  You may fear that such poking and probing will do some unalterable damage to your life.  But have faith that you will survive your revelations.  Remember the three maxims of Zen Buddishm: great faith, great questions, and great questioning of yourself.  

Try not to censor the writing.  When you feel the urge to stop, continue.  Write for forty minutes, sixty minutes, ninety minutes.  Fill up pages.  Shake away your writer's cramp.  Feel drained if the experience is draining, frightened if the experience is frightening, but will yourself to continue.  Then, when you feel you have finished, congratulate yourself: you have been working in a way that few people dare to.