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.

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.