Knot Woman II - And She's Off!

If you are familiar with the background of how I came to design my logo, you may also know that at the same time I designed Knot Woman I, I also used a different direction to come up with Knot Woman II. See the little mental refresher in figure 1.

At that time, I was more focused on my other Knot Woman but have always had this one in the back of my head. Recently I've had a little extra time to learn more about the way the Scribes of the Book of Kells and similar Illustrative works did these amazingly intricate pieces. I was inspired by the detail (an incredible amount of time) that went into these pages. I also really love the bright colors they used.

Now that I finally have my studio set up and organized enough to work (one more dream come true checked off my list) I decided she would be the first piece I would work on in my new space.

I started by using a custom grid to draw her in pencil on a large piece of semi-transparent paper to use as a template. This took some time, a straight edge and several calculations. I'm so glad I paid attention in algebra, it actually can come in handy in the everyday, even for an artist! Take note I immeadiately started making changes from the original design. I like to do this with projects like this one and just go with the mood I'm in at the time. Its more fun for me that just ending up with something I could get from using a photo copier. See figure 2 to see what I ended up with for the template.

While I was busy with all this I spent a lot of time thinking about what medium I wanted to use to produce the effect I thought I wanted. I briefly toyed with the idea of acrylic on canvas, but I knew with this project I wanted to break out of the 2D box I'd been in for a long time. I realized I would enjoy the experience of slightly copying the method the Scribes used to create their work, with some modern conveniences. I finally decided on Watercolor. I had found my watercolor pallet that I first got in college for the one class I was required to take and did very little with after graduation.

Looking at the colors I already had I also found inspiration from an old postcard I had received from my minister when he went to visit friends in Hawaii. See figure 3. Depending on the colors on your monitor, you may not be able to see the true colors that I'm getting my inspiration from so let me describe them a little. The lava river is a nice rich orange/red color. the lava fountain is bright yellow/orange anfigure 2 While I was busy with all this I spent a lot of time thinking about what medium I wanted to use to produce the effect I thought I wanted. I briefly toyed with the idea of acrylic on canvas, but I knew with this project I wanted to break out of the 2D box I'd been in for a long time. I realized I would enjoy the experience of slightly copying the method the Scribes used to create their work, with some modern conveniences. I finally decided on Watercolor.

I had found my watercolor pallet that I first got in college for the one class I was required to take and did very little with after graduation. Looking at the colors I already had I also found inspiration from an old postcard I had received from my minister when he went to visit friends in Hawaii. See figure 3.

Depending on the colors on your monitor, you may not be able to see the true colors that I'd the sky looks like a deep violet-purple color. I've kept this in my inspiration file since I received it and knew it was the direction I wanted to go with Know Woman II as soon as I saw it again.I used the template I put on the thin paper to transfer the image to a piece of watercolor paper. Then I started filling in with watercolor paint.I started with the Woman's figure itself and made it a bright yellow with yellow/orange accents. After I completed her to my satisfaction I decided to continue with knots as inspiration and looked up ways to create a border. Using a similiar process to draw and then transfer the pieces of the border to the watercolor paper I then filled them in with a darker Orangy red with red accents. The corner knots are done in red. See figures 4 & 5.



Stay tuned to see the final reveal!

Some Personal Thoughts: Marriage - Relationships - Monogamy

Usually I post about my work and its progress and my experiences as an artist. I thought I would let people know a little more about what's in my head every once in a while. If you are interested, great, if not, no problem.

There are a number of stereotypes affiliated with Active Duty military and their spouses and based on my observations over the past 15 years, I can honestly say there is valid reason for those stereotypes to exist. Consequently there has been more than one occasion that I have had to make it very clear to someone that I am NOT a stereotypical Navy Wife.

I've been asked before what makes a lasting marriage work and I've thought about it whenever I hear of anyone having their own relationship problems. Since there have been volumes written on the subject for decades and decades I won't bother trying to sound like an expert here. But in simple, one journal entry terms, based on my own experience and observations, I think I can put it in a nutshell with 3 words: Love, Trust and Communication.

These 3 things are different but equally important aspects of any good relationship and must be the foundation for the rest of the relationship to be built on. If even one of these aspects is missing or weak, its unlikely that the other two will be able to support the relationship on their own. I'm sure at this point many are thinking things like "what about respect, similar personality, things in common, etc" these of course are also important, especially respect. In my opinion these often are linked to the basic 3 so they are understood as being there already.

LOVE (Starting with the most obvious)
Of course Love is what usually gets all this started. Most people have a pretty good idea what this is all about so I won't waste time saying to much.

COMMUNICATION
It is amazing how often I am talking to someone, or overhearing someone talk, about problems with their relationship and it comes out that all the issues they have with their partner they are talking about to everyone else BUT their partner. Contrary to apparent popular belief, a serious relationship does not cause a sudden onset of telepathy. If they don't know its broken, they can't fix it. In other words, if your significant other has done something that bothers you, unless they've done it on purpose, they can't make everything better if they don't know there is a problem to begin with. Stewing on an issue and waiting for it to fix itself will only cause a bigger issue to be created. If more happens and nothing is ever at least discussed to avoid further problems, then comes the wedge and invariably the end. Talk to each other. (And I do mean TALK not SCREAM) Listen to each other. Be willing to compromise. It may not be fun, it will probably be very uncomfortable at the least, but it can be the difference between a long lasting relationship and a really bad break-up with a potential soul mate.

TRUST
This subject still gets me. I am absolutely floored how many couples I've encountered who swear up and down they are in a fabulous relationship but will go ballistic if their partner even appears to look at someone else. If you are that insecure with your relationship, you shouldn't be in the relationship. If you have been in a previous relationship that your trust was betrayed, its understandable that you would be wary. To that end, if you've decided to commit to a new partner who has never done anything to make you not trust them, then you should trust them. If you can't, then you aren't ready to be in a new relationship yet. If you have a partner who won't trust you when there is no reason not to, you shouldn't be in the relationship. I've seen it over and over again, and it seems to be the fastest cause for things to go wrong.

People screw up, sometimes in a small way, sometimes spectacularly. Some mistakes can not be forgiven. Most can be IF the work is put in on both sides. I have the good fortune to be in a relationship that has never had to be deal with a major screw up. Like most, we've had our share of miscommunication problems, all of which we have managed to work out by discussing them. Or emailing, if we happen to be in different time zones at the time. Technology is wonderful. I also have the good fortune to be completely secure in my knowledge that I don't have to worry about what my husband may be doing when he's away from me, just as he is equally secure in what I do and don't do. So, since that is the case, we have fun being open with each other. If I see a cute female I know is about his type, I'll point her out. When he goes out, its often with single co-workers to places that are considered to be "target rich" environments. So what? We've gone through 6, six month separations in the last 14 years, as well as numerous shorter versions that are to many to count and have never had a problem.

The first of these 6 month deployments began 7 months after we got married. Deployments include him going to foreign ports where entertainment of EVERY kind is so cheap its practically free. I knew this from the start. I also knew that when you are in a new place, have been working long hours and need to decompress, really stupid ideas can seem like really smart ideas when you are drunk on the local brew and all your companions are single and getting laid. So, I took the liberty of laying some ground rules for possible infractions.

1. Don't fall for anyone
2. Don't let anyone fall for you
3. Don't get anyone pregnant
4. Don't CATCH anything
5. Most importantly, tell me about it.

The last one may have many people raising eyebrows. I'm sorry to disappoint, but contrary to some more creative rumors we've had spread about us over the years, I'm not that kinky. I want to know about anything that happens because I don't want to be one of those wives who are the only ones who DON'T know. I can't say I won't be upset that something happened. I probably will be to some extent or another, but I guarantee, that will be nothing compared to how upset I'll be if I find out I'm the last to know. This may not work for everyone, but, I am a strong believer that the tighter you hold onto someone, the more you will probably push them away. Give each other room to breath you lessen the chance that you'll be driven to make mistakes. Also then, the mistakes you do make will be more easily fixable and forgivable.

Married 14 years
Husband's been Active Duty Military 15 years
Together 17 years
37 years old
Sexual intercourse with only 1 person my entire life. He's the first and only.

Go figure, we must be doing something right.

I Sometimes Think I Do My Best Work Under Pressure.

If you follow my Facebook Fan Page, Ann-Monique, you know this already. I'm finally adding it here.

Exciting Winter Break this past December/January. Went to my parents for 2 weeks, got to see my brother when he came over from N.Y.C., and got a commission for 3 pieces for an Off-Broadway Production called A Woman in Progress, being done by the company my brother is involved in, Mind the Art Entertainment, that needed to be completed in less than a month.

Yep, 3 pieces in about 4 weeks. They needed a drawing, a painting and an original sculpture (and no, I don't have any real experience in sculpting).

We caught a break with the drawing, I had one available in my portfolio that was the kind of look they were wanting. There was another mixed media piece as well I had done for fun ages ago that also had the look they wanted only it was 8.5"x11". I did a larger similar version in acrylic on a 24"x36" canvas. Since I already had a composition to go by, the painting when quickly.

The big project of course was the sculpture. Considering the time element and my lack of experience with most materials, I chose clay. (Imagine that)

I briefly considered using non-fire clay so I could just send it back on the plane with my brother and his girlfriend, but I quickly put that idea aside. By the time I had spent the money on enough for the size they needed, I realized I might as well just buy a low fire clay and pay to have it fired and then shipped. I knew it wouldn't be dry enough to fire before the end of the Winter Break. I also knew that being a stage prop, it needed more durability than non-fire clay can provide. So I "bit the bullet" and spent the money to do it right. The process when much easier than I had even dreamed to hope, the hardest part was actually doing all of this at my parents house, with no real convenient place to work and all of my tools locked up in my locker on campus! But I was successful and had a blast getting it all done.

Here are the 3 pieces we ended up with. I especially had a great time doing the sculpture since it was a new experience for me. It looks whiter in the photo that it does in reality. Must be the flash. Its more of a buff color. Eventually it might end up glazed, we'll see.




I should mention here. These pieces were not being purchased by the company. The plan is to hopefully in the future auction them off to raise more money for the charity that the Show's proceeds were being donated to. The people involved were not receiving financial compensation for their work, but volunteering their time for a good cause. This is a group of very talented individuals. Check out their website: www.mindtheartentertainment.com

Update Knot Woman I in Clay

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Lowel Art Works - "Breasts of the Northwest"

I finally got around to participating in another show here in the area. Its been over a year since I've submitted anything for consideration to one of L.A.W.'s multi artist shows. I'm happy to say I delivered three pieces to the Gallery today that will be included in the upcoming show, "Breasts of the Northwest" that opens next Saturday, November 20. A portion of sales from this show will be going directly to Gateway for Cancer Research. Here are the three that I had accepted.

Update

We are in the final months of our tour in the Pacific Northwest. For those who don't already know, in addition to being an artist, wife and mommy, I've also been a full time Navy Wife for the last 14+ years. We arrived in the Seattle area when my husband decided it was time to go back to a ship. I've really enjoyed living in this area of the country, despite my problem with Seasonal Affective Disorder and my husband being gone at least half of the time we've been here.

This will soon be yet another set of fond memories and new friends I try to stay in touch with come next year when we make our final (hopefully) move to Tampa!! Since we are both from the Orlando area, this will be like going home.

As I stated in a previous entry, we are extremely excited about this upcoming move. After 14 years of moving every 2-3 of them and living in 2 different foreign countries I admit I'm getting a little world weary. I'm ready to start settling in somewhere. It is going to be nice to feel really at home somewhere again and I'm looking forward to finally being able to set up a permanent studio, exactly as I want it with NO CARPETING!!

I've gone back to school and work since arriving in the P.N.W. and as much as I enjoyed being a stay at home Mom, I've also enjoyed having much more to do besides making sure all the electrical outlets are covered and all the sharp items are out of reach while planning meals and cleaning at the same time. I've enjoyed the whole "school/work experience" even when it got a little overwhelming.

Whenever I've started to feel that I wasn't spending enough time on my art, I told myself that I have been absorbing a lot of potentially very inspirational life experiences. This will come in handy sooner than I'd probably like since our son is in school now. Kindergarten came long before I was ready for it. But I will survive, like many Mommys before me.

I've also finally reached a goal I've wanted as long as I can remember. I've been taking ceramics classes since we moved here and have recently become quite comfortable using my creative skills on the pottery wheel. There is something very satisfying in fulfilling a long time dream.

So that's it for now. They say we're supposed to have snow this year. I'm really, really looking forward to being back in Florida!

Don't forget if you are over 18 to check out more of my work at my site: www.annmonique.com

25 lbs of Clay - 12+ Inches and Counting!!

I finally reached my initial goal of pulling an entire bag of clay and reaching a height of 12 in or more. I started this piece with a new 25 lb bag of Montana Oak. This was the first time I used an entire bag of clay. Picture 1 is the shape I had after the first initial pulls to create most of the height.


After the final pull and shaping into the form I wanted I tried to measure the interior height. I only had a 12 in ruler, so its probably around 14 inches total on the inside. The outside measurement is taller as I left a generous thickness at the bottom to prepare for a larger foot ring when I trim it.

Picture 3 shows the piece at the end of Stage One. I'm looking forward to trimming it and getting started on the decorative carving. I'm thinking this will be a good piece to use my Knot Woman I design.
Being Montana Oak, this will shrink a lot in the drying and firing process but who cares. Stand by for ongoing updates from this project!

Inspired by Celtic Knot-work

I've been thinking of trying to incorporate some knot-work into some of my figure sketches to carve into some of my larger ceramic pieces. Since my goal for this quarter is to be able to pull 12 inches high or more I'll have plenty of room for some more detailed work. I've always been fascinated by the Celtic styles of illustration and was able to see a lot and learn a little more when we lived in England for 3 years.

Here is what I've come up with so far on the Knot Women idea.

Knot Woman I - Initial Sketch

My first attempt at creating a female figurative piece using Celtic Knots as inspiration. Stage one is one of many triangle knots commonly used. Stage Two shows where I added an additional twist to lengthen the figure and add a body section. As you can see, like a traditional Celtic Knot the line flows over and under without being able to see a beginning or an end.

Knot Woman II- Initial Sketch
I used a different approach here, choosing instead to add the limbs of the figure to a traditional knot, this was inspired by the animal figures that have been found in Celtic Knot art where a part of the body is the knot itself and the other areas are drawn out from it. I'm looking forward to furthering this design in a relief carving on a ceramic piece where I'll be able to add more depth and lose the "stenciled" look.

I can't wait to have a piece or two of pottery to start trying variations of these.

To Good To Be True

We are transferring early next year, shortly after my husband gets back from the ship's deployment. If all goes well, we will probably permanently settle in the next area and retire there. I'm trying not to get too excited yet. There is always that slight chance the Military will change our plans. It's difficult not to though.

The area we are headed has an enormous Art community as well as a University that would allow both of us to eventually fulfill our education goals. Plus, since its on the coast, once our son is a little older we'll have access to beautiful scuba diving whenever we get the urge.

So, difficult not to get excited. I admit I'm getting a little world weary and after over 14 years of traveling from place to place I'm ready to start settling in somewhere. Then we'll only go other places when we feel the urge, knowing we have a place to come back too. I'm also looking forward to finally being able to set up a permanent studio, exactly as I want it. Especially enjoying the luxury of having NO CARPET!!

Am I Ever Going to Paint Again?

Full time school, part time job, mommy, wife and no real studio space. I admit going back to school may have been biting off more than I could chew, especially this quarter. But, only 2 more weeks left of the term and then I'll have a bit more breathing room. I don't regret taking this road (yes, I'm a Robert Frost fan). I've definately learned some very valuable things in this program which will continue to benefit me in many aspects of my career whether I go full time web design or not. Yeah, the jury's still out on that one. I'm leaning more toward Illustration, it really appeals to me, and doing web design on the side instead of the other way around.

Since I never would have thought of that if I hadn't gone back to school I'm winning either way. Speaking of the Cert program, I guess its a good thing I've thought of alternatives because if I can't get one mandatory class scheduled, I'm not going to be able to complete it anyway. It never occurred to me that some classes would ONLY be given in the evening and NEVER during the day. Being a Navy wife and Mom, evening classes just aren't possible without spending a ridiculous amount of money on after hours childcare on top of the full time daycare I'm already paying for, plus leaving my child with yet another person and making him be away from me even more than all day. All of this while his other parent is at sea a whole lot. Nope, not going to do that, I'll just have to consider a different program or something.

Am I ever going to paint again? I really don't have time right now to dive into a piece and be able to concentrate on it-its not that I don't have pieces in mind, the opposite in fact-I just don't like having unfinished work staring at me. I'm definitely one of those "if I don't have time to do it right, I don't do it at all" nice excuse. Lack of proper studio space doesn't help either. Its difficult to concentrate on being creative in a spare bedroom of a rental unit with carpeted floors. One false move and we'll end of paying to re-carpet the whole place because they won't want to try to "match" the existing carpet. I'm being cynical, and making excuses. OK, enough whining. Crossing my fingers I'll have new stuff to post very soon.

Getting Started

Why blog? Why journal? I've journeled for years, partially to get things out of my head, and partially because the physical act of writing relaxes me. Being on the computer does not, however, so I'm wondering if this is the best idea for me. I have to spend so much time on the computer for work and school, I prefer to spend what little free time I have doing non-electronic things. I know I'm old fashioned, and I'm only 37.

I do believe that even with all of the amazing technology we have easy access to, we shouldn't forget the joys of "unplugging" regularly as well. I have 3-5 sketchbooks ready at all times and I love to read print on paper. Especially magazines, then you can make notes in pen in the margins and rip out and keep the parts you want and recycle the rest. Of course if you read the pieces online, you can print just want you want and extra paper isn't used to begin with.