A Member of the Circus

It seems lately my time has been spent juggling different project. Some I enjoy, others I detest which makes me push them off or drop them completely. My favorite activities, painting, drawing, creating, seems to be the one I do the least because it makes me feel guilty for spending my time away from more pressing matters. I realize the absurdity of that statement. Shouldn't an artists main job be to create? If I only spend my time painting then I end up with a studio filled with art but no where to hang it. That and the activity that makes the majority of my income doesn't get booked, face painting at festivals of all things! It makes me laugh just thinking about how I support my chosen profession, although I do make so many people happy. Face painting at festivals does get me out of the isolation of my art studio though, so I won't complain. I love meeting the other vendors and people watching, I love seeing the look on the children when their eyes light up when they see their faces transformed. Yep, I love that part of what I do. I haven't figured out how to combine my studio art and my face painting although I did include Henna tattoos to my booth this year. I seems to be going over well. 
So between booking events, commission work, my own paintings, selling art online and in a store back home, creating a website, and the normal things like raising a two year old, or house hunting I feel like I am always juggling while walking a tight wire. 

Since this is an art blog here are a few of my in progress paintings that have started this year or late last year. You might as well see what I create when I have the time. 

Inspiration- stage one background , oil painting

Inspiration, oil painting, this is a detail of my in progress project. She is coming along lovely at this point. 

Inspiration, oil painting, still in progress. I have a castle to put in along with my trees. It is my dreamscape. What better way to start the new year than paint a picture that is truly in line with where I see my art progressing. That is what I see in this. It is what the creation process feels like to me- building and growing waiting for the chance to break out and inspire. I still have a ways to go for her to reach the potential I see here. 

Untitled, oil painting. This little one is finished. I even have a frame I like to fit her. I had to paint her over a previous similar painting that never felt right to me. Actually she is hanging on the wall behind where I work and I tweak this painting along with an unfinished landscape that hangs to her left.

The Mermaid, oil painting, I know this one isn't finished I just wasn't sure how I wanted to progress. Maybe I should replace her behind my easel so that I can tinker on her more often. 

This is me at one of my festivals face painting. I figured I should include the face of the author to my blog and validate that  I really do face paint most weekends. 

Yeah, I never paint the same design on me twice. I experiment in the mornings when it is slow, sometimes I never get the chance to finish what I started and have to go the whole day only half painted!  

I can't begin to count the number of pieces I have created over the years or where the ones that have sold or freely given away reside now. However, I am thrilled with the ones that have left the nest. It gives me great pride to say that I have my creations hanging in the homes of people I know and those that I don't. My dream is to have others enjoy my creations, my art, my stories like I do. It makes the rest of the daily craziness completely worth it, because I am living my dream.