A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing. -William Dobell
So far, I'm working on one drawing order, and we've been asked about pricing from one person, and editing costs and possibilities from another. I am so grateful to not only being making this venture real, but to be doing it with someone I love and respect so much.
The KelDan Art Webpage has 176 fans! I'm hoping for 200 by the end of the year!
Today is the last day of my work week this week. And I'm hoping to utilize some of my three day weekend drawing and possibly creating other art. As ever, I'm finding the need for balance. Outward reaching, inward artitic growth...extrovertedness, inward contemplation.
Something to continually strive for! Blessings, all!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Flying High and Energized!
It's official! www.keldanart.com is a LIVE site! We're still very much in the process of adding to the inventory and examples on the page, BUT it's incredible to know that people all over the world could see our artwork! Our facebook fan page has over 100 fans! My business cards are coming next week and Dan's soon thereafter. I'm so excited about all the hope and possibilities. This is me embracing what I love! No more doing something just because I can. Rather, doing the thing that makes my soul dance! Art!
So check out the website. The photographs can all be purchased. The drawings are just examples or what can be done...which means, I'm going to get my hands a-workin' and add to our inventory, hopefully making some ready-to-sell items! Dan's always available for photography and photo editing as well. The Editing portion of the site is awesome. The stuff he can do is so beyond me. I love that he can restore older family photos and brighten, soften, and remove things from photos (like power lines, or parking lots!) that hinder your photos. It's amazing!
It's incredible knowing that one of the things that is helpful for this endeavor is me sitting down and creating art. Sitting down (or bouncing around) and doing that which feeds my soul, and makes me silly. That doesn't seem real. My dad always told me, "You have to love what you do." But I have never embraced that before. But I'm embracing it now.
Welcome to the KelDan Art family, especially for all those who have found this link from our website or facebook page! Welcome to the land of silliness, where we live out our dreams! Welcome to a place where you can have your memories honored in art. Yay for you being here!
Peace!
So check out the website. The photographs can all be purchased. The drawings are just examples or what can be done...which means, I'm going to get my hands a-workin' and add to our inventory, hopefully making some ready-to-sell items! Dan's always available for photography and photo editing as well. The Editing portion of the site is awesome. The stuff he can do is so beyond me. I love that he can restore older family photos and brighten, soften, and remove things from photos (like power lines, or parking lots!) that hinder your photos. It's amazing!
It's incredible knowing that one of the things that is helpful for this endeavor is me sitting down and creating art. Sitting down (or bouncing around) and doing that which feeds my soul, and makes me silly. That doesn't seem real. My dad always told me, "You have to love what you do." But I have never embraced that before. But I'm embracing it now.
Welcome to the KelDan Art family, especially for all those who have found this link from our website or facebook page! Welcome to the land of silliness, where we live out our dreams! Welcome to a place where you can have your memories honored in art. Yay for you being here!
Peace!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Big Steps!
Alright! It's happening. My husband and I are taking steps to step KelDan Art! One day last weekend, I created: a facebook page (which already has 32 friends in less than a week!); a Paypal account (for future orders, I hope), an Etsy page (which I still need to download products on)!
We've been looking at creating a website (soon to be www.keldanart.com!!!) and finding out what steps we need to take to get a KelDan Art business license! It's all really exciting, but scary at the same time. I keep worrying about the negative "What if..." scenarios. So in an effort to avoid that I've been pulling strength from some quotes I've been reading about following your destiny.
Here are some of them, the first being a paraphrase because it's from "The Men Who Stare At Goats" and I don't have a way of finding out if it's accurate yet.
You have to find your destiny. If you try to do something that's not your destiny, it'll be like swimming against the tide of the river. But if you find and pursue your destiny, the river will carry you."
I really like the idea of the river carrying me. It feels hopeful, when I'm scared.
The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate-it is life, intensified, brilliant life. -Alain Arias-Misson
The most potent muse of all is our own inner child. -Stephen Nachmanovitch
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. -Jean Houston
This one is especially potent to me at the moment, because I'm realizing how much I don't laugh in my life right now.
So you are, imagination needs moodling-long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering. _Brenda Ueland
This I find a good reminder that our world is very driven by doing, doing, doing. And sometimes, I want to sit, and think, and be. And even if the end "product" of this isn't tangible, I need the reminder that it's still worth it.
That's plenty for now!
Here's to art, inspiration, hope, change, and following my destiny!!
We've been looking at creating a website (soon to be www.keldanart.com!!!) and finding out what steps we need to take to get a KelDan Art business license! It's all really exciting, but scary at the same time. I keep worrying about the negative "What if..." scenarios. So in an effort to avoid that I've been pulling strength from some quotes I've been reading about following your destiny.
Here are some of them, the first being a paraphrase because it's from "The Men Who Stare At Goats" and I don't have a way of finding out if it's accurate yet.
You have to find your destiny. If you try to do something that's not your destiny, it'll be like swimming against the tide of the river. But if you find and pursue your destiny, the river will carry you."
I really like the idea of the river carrying me. It feels hopeful, when I'm scared.
The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate-it is life, intensified, brilliant life. -Alain Arias-Misson
The most potent muse of all is our own inner child. -Stephen Nachmanovitch
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. -Jean Houston
This one is especially potent to me at the moment, because I'm realizing how much I don't laugh in my life right now.
So you are, imagination needs moodling-long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering. _Brenda Ueland
This I find a good reminder that our world is very driven by doing, doing, doing. And sometimes, I want to sit, and think, and be. And even if the end "product" of this isn't tangible, I need the reminder that it's still worth it.
That's plenty for now!
Here's to art, inspiration, hope, change, and following my destiny!!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Drawing with Loving Intentions
So you see, imagination needs moodling - long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering. -Brenda Ueland
Tonight I drew two new drawings, both featuring the dogwood flower. You see, almost exactly a year ago the mother of one of my friend's died. After her mom's death, she mentioned that her mother's favorite flower was the flower on a dogwood tree. I made a mental note. Soon afterward, I drew a pen and ink drawing of a dogwood branch with flowers and leaves. But since my move across country, I have lost the particular sketch pad that the drawing was in. I have been devastated and furiously searching for the pad. For so long, it didn't even occur to me to try to redraw it because I was in such a less artsy place.
But tonight, as a part of my "This I Believe" group I decided to create art; and to recreate this photo idea. And because I was nervous about the process, I made an altar of sorts, which is actually a suggestion in the guidelines for this week. I took four candles that a friend made, and placed a leaf plate between them. I turned off the TV and put some music on.
Then I drew. I drew one drawing for my friend Tracy. And a second, different one for her brother. I was looking online for photo ideas for the dogwood flowers. I found one that ended up being Stephen's. Then I was looking for one for Tracy. I found a beautiful rendition of a dogwood flower, so I clicked on it to see the picture larger. The drawing was incredible. But then I froze when I saw the artist's name. What was it, you ask? Tracie Hawkins. The friend I was drawing it for? Tracy Hawkins. Fate, synchronicity, God's will, destiny...all these words have been floating in my mind. But I took it as a sign and drew my own version of that particular dogwood flower for my friend as a memory of her mom.
I've never drawn with such loving intentions before. I was silently putting love into the lines, shapes, and shading. I hope it will touch their hearts and work towards their healing.
May it be so.
Tonight I drew two new drawings, both featuring the dogwood flower. You see, almost exactly a year ago the mother of one of my friend's died. After her mom's death, she mentioned that her mother's favorite flower was the flower on a dogwood tree. I made a mental note. Soon afterward, I drew a pen and ink drawing of a dogwood branch with flowers and leaves. But since my move across country, I have lost the particular sketch pad that the drawing was in. I have been devastated and furiously searching for the pad. For so long, it didn't even occur to me to try to redraw it because I was in such a less artsy place.
But tonight, as a part of my "This I Believe" group I decided to create art; and to recreate this photo idea. And because I was nervous about the process, I made an altar of sorts, which is actually a suggestion in the guidelines for this week. I took four candles that a friend made, and placed a leaf plate between them. I turned off the TV and put some music on.
Then I drew. I drew one drawing for my friend Tracy. And a second, different one for her brother. I was looking online for photo ideas for the dogwood flowers. I found one that ended up being Stephen's. Then I was looking for one for Tracy. I found a beautiful rendition of a dogwood flower, so I clicked on it to see the picture larger. The drawing was incredible. But then I froze when I saw the artist's name. What was it, you ask? Tracie Hawkins. The friend I was drawing it for? Tracy Hawkins. Fate, synchronicity, God's will, destiny...all these words have been floating in my mind. But I took it as a sign and drew my own version of that particular dogwood flower for my friend as a memory of her mom.
Stephen's Dogwood:
Tracy's Dogwood:
I've never drawn with such loving intentions before. I was silently putting love into the lines, shapes, and shading. I hope it will touch their hearts and work towards their healing.
May it be so.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Creativity
Creativity is an authentic spiritual path. -Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way
Today I shared my creative aspirations with my mother, someone who I have always counted in my mind as a negative obstacle. She wasn't. She, as most mothers I know, wants me to figure out how to make my creativity a liveable thing, but it was incredible to me that she was open to the idea. It's a beautiful thing when my parents surprise me.
How to make this real in my life:
There's a Ghandi quote that says, "I want the freedom for the full expression of my personality." Yes. That is it. I want to be able to express myself. Open myself up to art, creativity, spirituality. I want to get in touch with the world outside of the norm.
I want to be in touch with the cosmic universe and the mysteries that I think the creative and the Creator can help me reach.
Blessed be.
Today I shared my creative aspirations with my mother, someone who I have always counted in my mind as a negative obstacle. She wasn't. She, as most mothers I know, wants me to figure out how to make my creativity a liveable thing, but it was incredible to me that she was open to the idea. It's a beautiful thing when my parents surprise me.
How to make this real in my life:
- Do something everyday that is creative
- Try to work in an art store (discounts on materials!)
- Offer myself to teach an Artist's Way class at my Unitarian Universalist Church
- Take my photography portfolio to local coffee shops and see about displaying them there
- Make business cards to attach to my artwork
- Try to learn what it takes to teach art in local art stores like Michael's and local schools like a community college
There's a Ghandi quote that says, "I want the freedom for the full expression of my personality." Yes. That is it. I want to be able to express myself. Open myself up to art, creativity, spirituality. I want to get in touch with the world outside of the norm.
I want to be in touch with the cosmic universe and the mysteries that I think the creative and the Creator can help me reach.
Blessed be.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
New Creations
It's a great relief to me to know that I can actually be creative and be happy at the same time. -James W. Hall
It's been a while...
Since moving across the country, I've been terribly neglecting art. But I have taken photos, though I haven't played around with editing them as I once did.
I'm avoiding graphite drawing. It was once my best medium. I even surprised myself at times looking at what I had created. So...as all good procrastinators, I have been very productive in many, many other things. I have made my first ever photography portfiolio and made two new pieces of art with chalk pastels, one of which was a wedding gift for dear friends.
But I want to draw with pencils. They are my old friends and we need to learn about one another again.
Also, here's my breakthrough that I'm going to type, because it's likely to be as freeing as saying it aloud was:
I want to be an artist.
I want to open my eyes to the worl around me and capture it with pencils, photos, pastels and paints. It is a spiritual connection I have with nature and things beyond myself. I think it is my gift and my purpose.
I want to be an artist.
It's been a while...
Since moving across the country, I've been terribly neglecting art. But I have taken photos, though I haven't played around with editing them as I once did.
I'm avoiding graphite drawing. It was once my best medium. I even surprised myself at times looking at what I had created. So...as all good procrastinators, I have been very productive in many, many other things. I have made my first ever photography portfiolio and made two new pieces of art with chalk pastels, one of which was a wedding gift for dear friends.
But I want to draw with pencils. They are my old friends and we need to learn about one another again.
Also, here's my breakthrough that I'm going to type, because it's likely to be as freeing as saying it aloud was:
I want to be an artist.
I want to open my eyes to the worl around me and capture it with pencils, photos, pastels and paints. It is a spiritual connection I have with nature and things beyond myself. I think it is my gift and my purpose.
I want to be an artist.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Mountain Yearnings
I have been craving to go to the NC Mountains. But then I realized that, more than that, I have wanted to live in the mountains. I worry about the winters, because I have never lived in the mountains. In fact, I've never lived in a place where it snows consistently.
I have a friend who has been trying to lure me to Brevard, NC. His bait? Four distinct seasons, more waterfalls than I've ever been around, a wonderful UU Fellowship, etc. The idea of kayaking and hiking in the mountains is the largest lure. It makes me feel like I would be connected to my soul deeply.
The mountains is where I felt the most clear and wonderful connection with god, the universe, and my small but significant place within it.
I feel crazy though. Like I'll never settle down. Like I'll never be satisfied. I also feel like I'm being selfish. I've lived away from my family for 8 years. I've been able to live a life with my husband. We've actually been more connected to our families emotionally. I do love living closer, but I can't say that living in the same town will be the right decision.
I obviously have not given this much time to process yet. I am open to staying here...for now. But I'm going to be looking for things elsewhere. I'm planning on visiting the mountains many times, especially as I have a close friend there, to make sure my heart and soul are as stirred as they once were. I want to grow, live, and develop. I want to feel connected to nature, god, life, and the universe.
Le sigh. We shall see...
I have a friend who has been trying to lure me to Brevard, NC. His bait? Four distinct seasons, more waterfalls than I've ever been around, a wonderful UU Fellowship, etc. The idea of kayaking and hiking in the mountains is the largest lure. It makes me feel like I would be connected to my soul deeply.
The mountains is where I felt the most clear and wonderful connection with god, the universe, and my small but significant place within it.
I feel crazy though. Like I'll never settle down. Like I'll never be satisfied. I also feel like I'm being selfish. I've lived away from my family for 8 years. I've been able to live a life with my husband. We've actually been more connected to our families emotionally. I do love living closer, but I can't say that living in the same town will be the right decision.
I obviously have not given this much time to process yet. I am open to staying here...for now. But I'm going to be looking for things elsewhere. I'm planning on visiting the mountains many times, especially as I have a close friend there, to make sure my heart and soul are as stirred as they once were. I want to grow, live, and develop. I want to feel connected to nature, god, life, and the universe.
Le sigh. We shall see...
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