365.003

365.003, originally uploaded by Gaminelle.

Painting in progress that I feel incredibly discouraged about.

Boo.

Peacock Oil Painting (very very unfinished)

Peacock, originally uploaded by GoetheGamine.

Peacock painting in progress.

This is a work in progress (my first foray into oil painting), personally I think it looks totally hideous and in no way was what I pictured when I began.. but it’s coming along, and I’ve got about three more sessions left to screw with it. We’ll see how it goes.

Great Success!

I sold the first nude I’ve ever drawn the other day. There isn’t a feeling I know of like someone wanting to pay you for a thought-process of yours on paper. I had it framed not long ago with a black mat and a shiny metal frame to make it look extra sharp, to hang it in the house, not expecting to be selling it a few weeks later.

That felt good. Damn good.

I started my oil painting class last week. I’ve found my newest favorite medium to work with. Paint thinner is my new best friend, for sure. Later this afternoon, my sweetie and I are going to the poorly stocked office supply/art supply shop to price out paint and brushes. I can’t wait. I want to build a paint box that holds a canvas board for plein air like this one. It would be so handy to have something to paint on in the living room on my lap that is relatively self-contained instead of spreading paint and destruction everywhere.

My art instructor might be putting on a figure-drawing class later on, I’ll be sure to take it. I find that my biggest challenge with charcoal and pencil is getting the mid-range tonal values right when it comes to drawing skin. I don’t know, maybe my brain thinks – this is a white person I am drawing, this is white paper I’m drawing on.. 1+1= WHITE SPACE IS THE ANSWER TO SKIN.

No, Kaitlin. No. It’s the age-old left vs. right brain fight rearing its ugly draw-what-is-there vs. draw-what-you-think-you-see head again. That sentence made no sense to anyone but me.

Anyways, my Tree Jacket is at a stand-still, but I’m still really interested in finishing it so all is not lost. I’ve got maybe 2 inches left of the body pattern before I move on to the garter sleeves which will just fly if only I could lengthen the hours in the day to accomadate all the things I want to do.

I like watching the puddles gather raiiin.

Mixtape o’ the Day – Songs of right now.

1. Milk Thistle – Conor Oberst
2. King – Weezer
3. I Was Meant for the Stage – The Decemberists
4. Hide and Seek – Imogen Heap
5. Staralfur – Sigur Ros (my personal wedding song)
6. Homecoming – Kanye West ft. Chris Martin (of Coldplay, who apparently knit together!)

It’s getting chilly again. I’ve been spinning and painting like a madwoman lately, as I’ve mentioned.. but I have pictures now to prove it!

Here’s the most recent painting I’ve completed, and I love it. I can’t decide, though, whether to keep it, try to sell it in the gallery or try to sell it through etsy.. and how much to sell it for. I custom framed it at work all fancy, I like it.

(click to see the full size)

The idea was of a bird that flies around the planets bringing night to the sky. The one I’m working on right now is of some winter trees, and the next one I have planned is a chakra diagram of sorts, with a little more flow. Keep it, or sell it? Keep it, or sell it?

Here’s my tiny spinning! That bobbin is full now, and I’m about a third of the way through the second one. I’m getting amazing yardage out of these.. what, four ounces of Fleece Artist? I’m ecstatic, and I can’t wait to have it plied. It’s going to be SO pretty (AND SUPERWARSH, ZOMG).

Tree Jacket is still coming along. I feel badly, as though I’ve been neglecting it in favor of these new pursuits. I’ve just been bitten by the lace bug, and am dying to get my hands on a shawl of my own. Yeah, I know, anyone who isn’t a knitter thinks shawls are old-ladyish. I think they’re beautiful, and would wear one with pride, knowing full well how many hundreds of hours they can take.

I unpacked my yarn today, and found that I have no room for roving on the shelves. I’ve still got a garbage bagful from Fibre Week that I have yet to take stock of, and put away. I’m so surprised at how much I’ve acquired in the last few months.. from nothing, to a whole walk-in closet full of roving, yarn and spinning wheel parts.

I recently acquired the Twilight Series audiobooks. I’m unsure of whether I’ll actually take the time to listen when I do get my new iPod. It might help the time pass at work, if the person’s voice isn’t incredibly tedious. I hope it’s a good story. I’ve heard mixed reviews, but the general consensus is that it’s great for mindless entertainment, but don’t expect anything of major substance to be gleaned from it. Thanks for the hot tip, guys.

I just had a cup of coffee. It’s 10pm. I did this on purpose. There will be no rest for the wicked Kaitlin tonight.

Good News!

So my replacement plying head for my Lendrum Traveler wheel I`ve been waiting oh.. I don`t know.. almost 6 months for has finally arrived in the mail, thank goodness. Now I have the regular head, the plying head and the giant monster country spinner for my wheel. I want for nothing! I`ve never used the country spinner before, but ohhh man. What huge, ropey, insanely gorgeous woolen I could make though!

GIANT YARRRRRN.

I heard about the Art Society this week for the first time, and that they were having a little show at the new Energy Centre (where they had a Theory of a Deadman concert the opening night – eughhh) this Sunday. Seeing as how we didn`t have much to do this weekend, we went and I spoke with a woman about it. For thirty dollars per year I can be part of the rotation that gets space in the galleryslashcoffeeshoppe and sell, YES, actually SELL FOR MONEY my yarn, paintings and drawings. She also is teaching an oil painting course this coming month – 6 weekly sessions for $150 supplies included. Stoked. I`m going to request not to be put into the rotation for the gallery for the next couple of months so I can get my stuff together, do a bunch of pieces, make a bunch of prints, stock my etsy shop and get a bunch of things framed.

It feels good to be working towards something. I painted a small piece on canvas board on Saturday that I`ll be getting framed this month. I took a picture but I need to track down a cord for the camera before I can post it. I really like it.. I started a second one – I`ll post it when I`m finished.