Betsy Thinks

november

betsy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:55:13 +0000

temporary art . . .

betsy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:12:09 +0000

Last Thursday I got out my sidewalk chalk and a few of my pastels to join our local community in a day of sidewalk chalk art on Main Street. I did a quick reproduction of Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’, a detail of the face.

I have always liked the lines in Botticelli’s work. It was fun to try to imitate his style in such a temporary medium.

march was . . .

betsy — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:51:55 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day

betsy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:36:17 +0000

Getting Organized

betsy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:32:25 +0000

My work space has two identities. It is a mild mannered sewing space by day and a wild and crazy artist’s studio by night. Well actually it was just becoming a wild and crazy mess. Sewing tools, art supplies, fabric, paint, boxes and canvas everywhere. Nothing had a home and I finally got sick of it. Every time I got things remotely organized it would implode on itself with every new project. So I bit the bullet and took a trip to IKEA. Thank you IKEA zero percent interest. I am so delighted with my new and improved work space that I could just squeal with delight, or do a dance or something.

While I know that these before and after pictures will probably not excite you as much as the do me, I am sure you will at least be somewhat impressed with the transformation. Now I just want to work and work and work. I love it in my studio so much!

Here is the mess before I got organized with some new shelves and a wardrobe from IKEA.

And this is what it looks like now:

I love it!

DNA is so pretty

betsy — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:20:45 +0000

I have an ongoing obsession with chromosomes. What began a while back as a focus on the letter X turned into a study on chromosomes, particularly the ones that determine gender. Each chromosome individually is delicate and graceful, like an character from an Asian language. Yet when grouped together they become orderly and organized. The completed image takes on the sensibility of a plate from a vintage biology text.

playing with my crayons

betsy — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 03:50:23 +0000

. . . a quick crayon sketch of Natalia.

anatomical heart

betsy — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:42:23 +0000

So, today I’m working on some pieces involving images of anatomical hearts. I cut out a stencil. There is something about the ability to repeat an image that has always appealed to me. There are many ways to create a repeatable image. Techniques such as lithography or block printing are relatively universally respected art forms. Yet, when I cut a stencil or perhaps chop a potato into a stamp why am I suddenly doing arts and crafts? . . . Well, I’m not baby! I’m making art. And while there are surely countless stencils sitting complacently on the shelves of Martha Stewart and others. My stencils hang out with the other art supplies. In fact, my stencil’s best friend is an exacto knife. If that little stencil has the guts to hang with sharp blades, I think it really deserves to be taken seriously.

Well for now I’ll get off my little soapbox (until next time, when I lecture on the artistic merits of googly eyes and pipe cleaners) . . . for now I’ll show you what I’ve been working on.

This piece is just 8 by 10 inches, so it is pretty small. But I plan to incorporate the heart image into some larger paintings, too. I like the crisp lines that stencils can create. There is a flatness to a stenciled image, too. It is kind of fun and commercial. I’ll do some more of these little ones, too, in some other color combinations.

Capturing some Moab Retro

betsy — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:52:32 +0000

It was a busy weekend. I had fun in Moab painting for the art auction at the Mystery dinner theater. I decided to tie the art to the location and chose two local Moab landmarks to depict in my paintings. I did one painting of a girl at Milt’s, a small 50′s Diner of sorts. The other painting was of a girl at Moab’s Apache Motel, a place so kitschy you’ve just got to love it. The Apache’s claim to fame is that John Wayne stayed there. They even have a suite named after him.

Moab’s Art Walk is Saturday night

betsy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:06:53 +0000

I’ll be in Moab tomorrow night for the November Art Walk. Some of my paintings will be on display at the MARC (Moab Arts and Recreation Center). Here are some pictures of one of the paintings that will be on display. It is called ‘Yellow House’.