Still Kickin'

 I spoke to soon, I was healthy and out of the hospital for all of about a week. I have now been in the hospital for another week, with another virus, although now feeling better, and hoping to leave fairly soon (aka today), it has been a very frustrating experience. This will have be my sixth hospitalization since April of this year. Usually the most I am hospitalized in one year is 4 times. And that has even been rare. 

And with being sick yet again, I have felt too tired to do any artwork, so that has yet again been put on hold, not that I was really even able to pick it up within the two weeks I was home. The first week I was finishing IV's and by the second week I felt sick again. I have decided to move back east, at least for now. In able to save up more money while actually getting better and staying well. I have never had my CF control my life so much, and in the end I don't think it is really controlling it, it is just telling me to slow down and BREATHE, which is what I aim to do.  

The last time I was in the hospital I decided to sign up to be a part of the SketchBook Project. It is a great project where you can sign up to receive a sketchbook, draw your heart out all over the pages and then return it and it will be within a collection a tons of other books from other artists around the world into a library. The books can then go on tour around different areas of the united states. I thought the whole Idea was super awesome. And since I haven't been able to get to my studio and do my bigger pieces, this will be a great way to let my hands move and just keep my brain sane in the hospital. 

Here are some of the drawing so far...  

Disco Ball, Despite a Slight Bump

I always have been very skeptical when I am super excited for something, because usually it ends up not happening. But that doesn't stop be from thinking about it… it's what gets me going 

For instance, I was sooooo excited for Halloween, I thought about my costume at least a month before if not more. I dreamed about twirling (Hey Twirling Clare) about as a Disco Ball, shinning bright for the whole world to see (aka the dance floor at a bar or house party). Nevertheless the week before I started having fevers and so I went down to Stanford for a CF appointment that I had made because of the fevers, more productive cough, and fatigue. 

I was then admitted, I was going to spend one of my favorite holidays in the hospital, just like last year I spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. The funny thing is, 

is that last year I was also super excited for Thanksgiving, because everyone

 was going to be home, so I could not wait to reminisce with friends, gossip, 
and be social the night before Thanksgiving. Seeing as I was still home

 with my parents dying of the post grad reality of real life. 

But with both of these instances I had to make the best of it, cause other wise you will go insane, and I have to say that now that I have experienced Halloween in the hospital I would like to go back for it (just to visit, not to stay), it felt almost like Hogwarts to me because some people were all dressed up like a regular nurse in scrubs, but then would have peacock feathers on or pirates hat, as if they were some kind of magical being that was just working in the hospital. And there was actually someone walking around in a full super man costume…. seriously saving lives. 

I ended up having a number of visitors which made the day wonderful, any time you have any visitor in the hospital, it helps. They brought my costume so I was able to light up Stanford Hospital, or at least my room and part of the court yard... 

Now I am now well, post sinus surgery, and IV antibotics and I am ready to get back into the swing of things. However this time I truly hope that I will be able to stay well for the next holiday and all the art and life events in between. 

Much Love

Love this song, really pumps me up... Enjoy! 

                                         

Costumes

Hey all, Sorry for the long hiatus without any warning, but I went back into the hospital again... yes it has become very annoying to me as well!! But with this being October,
 And halloween being around the corner I have made a few fabulous costumes. I love halloween because it's another excuse to dress up and 
I Love dressing up, it is the best!! 

Sometimes I wish I was little again to just wear whatever I want, haha, 
then I realize I live in San Francisco and I can anyway. 

For a friend's 'P' Party where you could only come as something starting with the letter P, I went as Polly Pocket, my favorite childhood toy. I always thought Polly Pocket was the most genius toy, until kids started eating them, and then they got larger... and their homes wouldn't fit in your parents pockets anymore... 

But anyway here is how that came out... 

I ended up being Polly Pocket with my heart house that I carried around, my 
only regret was not using enough duck tape with the San Fran wind... 
haha, but I really enjoyed being Polly 

I have already started on my halloween costume... Here is a sneak peak!! 

 I am going to be disco ball, I am really excited!! And if you would like to make this

 marvelous helmet, here is where I got the instructions. The sun really makes for a great spot light for all the little mirrors on the helmet to really show off it's disco ball abilities!!  

But besides all the fun costume creations, I have a bunch of ceramics in the mix; The great dane, Bull Terrier Tea Pot and another pig. However, I have been searching for inspiration, or that urge to make some art, like the fire under my butt that makes me crazy and I can barely get my hands to move fast enough to create something new. 

well my dad sent me the link to Colossal which always has great new art to be inspired by, so I perused through... I absolutely love These Morgan Herrin Sculptures that are made of 2x4 pine wood, are extremely intriguing and makes me want to do more 3D work, because the possibilities seem endless! 

Via

Untitled (2008) made out of Pine 2x4's

 Via

     

Untitled (2010-2011), made out of Pine 2x4's

Happy Wednesday!!! 

Extravagance in Art

Recently I went to see the Legion of Honor for the first time. There is an Impressionist show that is temporarily up, that displays many many different water scenes. there is also show dealing with animals called, Artful Animals, that I throughly enjoyed. But since it was also my first time there, I was interested in looking at the permeant collection, although I didn't see it all, I still saw a decent amount of art. Within the permeant collection I came upon, a wide range of art from Religious icons from the mid 1300's to Degas and everything from Europe and parts of America in between.

I have seen many different museums with these ridiculous prestigious paintings of royals, socialites and well to dos, but one that never ceases to amaze me is the intricate detailed clothing that they paint. I might be so amazed and in love with all of them because I don't have the patience for the intricate detailing. I also might be so in love with them because I secretly wish I could wear clothing that is elegantly detailed all the time, but now a days it would be called couture, which you could say is my favorite kind of fashion. Couture just has a sense of mystery, allure and dreams. Here are some pieces I saw... 

up close detail of Frans Pourbus the Younger Portrait of a Lady 1591

Konstantin Makovsky The Russian Bride's Attire 

via

Close up 

via

Detail of Alexandre Roslin's Charles-Antoine de la Roche-Aymon 1769

This isn't as Extravagant but I just love the outfit, bow and dog. 

Emile Carolus-Duran's Marie-Anne Carolus-Duran 1874

via

Jules Bastien-Lepage's Sarah Bernhardt 1879

Close up of Massimo Stanzione's Women in Neapolitan Costume 1635 

But extravagance with these kind of people didn't stop at the clothes they also had amazing Jewels!! Last week I went to visit the De Young Museum while my mom was in town and we got to see their temporary collection of Bulgari Jewelry. Just looking at all the stones is kind of unreal because they are so large you don't believe them to be real when in fact they are real. The last thing you see as you exit the exhibition is a video of how they make them, and it cracks me up, because I learned how to make jewelry in my metals class at school, which is how they were making it, with a little saw and everything, but obviously Bulgari's turned out a little more professional then my own. 

"bib" necklace from 1965, made with gold, emeralds, amethyst, turquoise, and diamonds

This is one of their "Tremblant" Brooches that contains yellow diamonds and regular diamonds

Table Clock from 1968 it contains, lapis lazuli, rubies and diamonds

Weekend Overview

The open studios that I took part in this past weekend felt like a fun marathon from friday to sunday it was as if I was at orientation for art school because I talked with many other artists at the studio about what they did, and where they were hoping to go with their work. The studio space I have is open to other studios so I have already been able to take glances at other peoples art work, but I am rarely there working during the same hours as others. Therefore, it was great to be able to chat with them about their aspirations with their art and to understand their reasoning behind their work.  I learned there is a good number of us who have been here for just 2-4 months so we were all in the same boat as in this was our first open studios with Art Explosion and in a way it created a great bond, by enjoying some wine together when it got slow or hearing of peoples experience leaving their country for more freedom with art. 

One thing I took note of, was when people would smile or almost give 

out a little giggle while strolling past my work. The smiles and laughs

 were usually referring to the kids with the ice pops piece. 

It means the world to me that I am able to make 

people smile, even just for a little bit. Making people happy 

is a big part of how I feel when I create my work, I smile or 

laugh because that is the emotions I see in the 

pictures or images I create or recreate in my own eyes. 

Blinded by Lungs

However, there is also the more serious issues such as my Cystic Fibrosis, which I touch on a lot in my work, for instance in the piece directly above, "Blinded by Lungs".  This piece is usually looked at with shock and confusion as to what it is all about. I enjoy to almost confuse people by giving images dealing with a serious topic a almost cheery feeling, to make them confused whether to laugh or cry. Since I deal with CF day in and day out I don't like viewing it as shocking or as serious issue. Considering dwelling on it won't make it go away, the easiest way to go is to take it one day at a time and remember to JUST BREATH. 

Main piece, Kids with their Ice Pops

My space 

Few ceramic Pieces (more to come)

A drawing of the Stud, Crosby, in between busy flows of people

A song to start the day off right! 

Open Studios

Group wall!! 

This weekend, including tonight is my first open studios at Art Explosion!! It is so exciting, but I am also nervous, seeing as I am not sure really what to expect.... will people actually buy my things even though some things are't even framed... will they want them framed and then I charge more... So many question that will all be answered tonight!! The last time I

 work at an open studios was for this artist I interned for, who was already an extablished artist, so she didn't go into as much detail it her open studio. Her open studio was 

more to show people the work she had up in her studio, which she constantly had items hanging up on a regular basis! 

But anyway, anyone in the Bay area should come to Art Explosions open studios, today from 7-11, as well as on Saturday and Sunday from 12-5!! I hope to see all of you who are here in the area... I have already been peaking around and thus far this is my favorite of someone else's, however it doesn't have a name by it so I will have to find out who this wonderful artist is!! 

Much Love to all Maddie 

Working Away!

This weekend has really started to feel like the Fall, aka Summer time in San Francisco! It was so exciting that the temperature got all the way to 82 degrees yesterday, that I decided to be inside all day and make art. 

Nevertheless I had fun, and I have lot of work todo for the open studios coming up next weekend! 

Cow that has been glazed

After cone 10 firing 

Besides this cow... I have a glazed the Pig, Bird Cup and I am waiting for those to be fired. I have also put slip onto the Great Dane with human teeth and I have started a Bull Terrier Tea Pot... it is all so exciting and fun, I wish I could be there working all the time!! More Photos to follow!!

This is a sneak peak at what is to come for the open studio... Obviously work will have to get done within the next few days!! I hope everything comes together smoothly, fingers crossed! 

HAPPY SUNDAY and Rest up for the week ahead!! 

Disney, Family Guy and Me

(Source)

I love the expressions animals make, because despite their inability to speak they can say anything with their expression. Also, unlike humans we don't expect them to try and explain themselves.  We actually pay attention to their personal mannerisms and characteristics because it is the only way we learn to understand where they are coming from, since they don't actually speak our language. 

And since I have found this love for animals and their human like expressions my dad told me to look up old disney Cartoons from because they show human characteristics in animals in an amazing and great way! I found a couple examples I would like to share with you, one being a collage of characters walt disney created, from angry Donald Duck to Joyous Mickey they are actually pretty great. It is funny how you can look at them by the eyebrows, eyes and mouth (and ears if they have them) and you will know exactly how the animal or character is feeling.  

Although Disney has always created some great cartoon characters, I have also alway found Brian from Family Guy to be the greatest...  since he is a dog that goes about life, among humans as if he was a human, he dates humans, he votes like a human. However every so often in some of the episodes Family guy wants to remind you he is a dog and I just find it hysterical and awesome! 

Also I have added my recent pieces I have been working on!! 

I am pretty sure the Ranger is the same voice as Smee from Peter Pan... 

Favorite Disney Movie 

Brian is a dog... 

Glazed and ready to be fired

Great Dane with Human Teeth.... work in progress

Crazy Bird Mug

Back to Reality I hope For REALZZ this Time!!

July was a rough month for me, being sick for pretty much all of it which led to not a whole lot of art, blogging or weekend fun. My free time was mostly used up to do treatments, making sure I had taken all my meds and resting. 

However I was able to go home for a week, which was super awesome, 

I got some home cooked meals, soooo delicious (Duhlishous)! 

Nevertheless, I came back here to San Fran to only be hospitalized... I mean I kinda expected it, since if I didn't have my trip planned to go home I probably would have hospitalized my self sooner... since the oral medication I had been on wasn't really doing anything for me. 

So either way the hospitalization would of happened, but now I am feeling better and this time I am hoping to stay healthy for longer... Fingers crossed!! 

On a happier note... 

Today I went to my studio to work on some sketches and to basically use my creative side... since with anything if you don't use it you will loose it! haha, but no for real!! I needed to use my hands and sketch a bit... either over the weekend between watching Outside lands or Monday I will go back to start working on bigger pieces for the open studios we will be having in mid September at Art Explosion! 

Sketch of my Dog Blue who passed away and year and half ago... He was a complete Character

And Tonight I will back to my class at SFClay works!  

Work I got out of the kiln before I left for home and before I was hospitalized...

Buzzfeed inspired Pig

Bunny Ear Butter Dish

Bunny Head! 

Everything these days seems to be a stop... GO... Kind of rhythm, I am hoping

 to eventually get into a rhythm that is more natural where things won't be 

completely interrupted and things will flow naturally. 

Clay, Bisque, Glaze

I had not been to SF Clay works in weeks because of the 4th and since they took one week off between classes! so I yesterday I went and to see what I had fired and how it came out and to glaze what had been bisque fired. It is always like christmas when stuff comes out, although not everything came out wonderful... at school I did all cone 10 firing

 and then I went to Anderson Ranch where I did all low firing which I really 

liked because you are able to get a more precise idea of how a piece might 

turn out... when with cone 10 sometimes it is impossible to know 

how it will come out... still learning! 

Inspired by all the pills I take... it actually had writing on the clay to indicate it was an enzyme... you can see that the letteringmelted slightly with glaze... to much of it! 

The Bunny... I have always wanted a giant rabbit so my dog

 could try and chase it around... I thought that would 

be a funny scene... similar to a cartoon I guess... 

I love big ears, on donkeys,  rabbits,  dogs... they give animals so much 

character and goofiness to their personalities without them having to 

say a word... so here is a butter dish with some character...

 can't wait to see how the glaze comes out! 

I thought this was the best piece that came out of the kiln... 

despite it probably not being how I initially wanted it to 

look, I am very pleases with it's outcome!!

Inspirations

Feeling revived or excited about the art that is going to be make is always important to me. I can't produce art unless it is something that speaks to me deeply in someway or another. 

The semester during school that I was in New York, I interned for an artist; Austin Thomas. Periodically while I interned for her, she would have me do two different things, one would be to go to the image library, which is the most amazing place in the New York Library, it is a place before google or the internet existed. The Image Library contains tons of folders from any category you can think of with dozens of picture in each one, and you are able to take out these images for weeks at a time, and hang them on the wall until you require new inspirations and images. The second thing would be to go to tons of galleries or new and exciting exhibits around new york. This was amazing to look back on, although at the end of the day I was often exhausted from all the art I saw and of course standing for hours, but it was spectacular to be able to see varieties of art from up and coming artists to the old masters, it's a history class in it's self! 

So as I was thinking of past days in New York filled with inspiration, I decided to go back to some galleries I have become fond of here and view works that are up. In doing this, I forgot that not everything opens here until 11 a.m. ... haha so I didn't see as much as I would of liked too, but these two artists really stuck out! 

Micheal Jang: 

These are all part of his "The Jang" series which are all images of his family during 1972 or so. I loved how this were fairly goofy and documenting the regular family issues, from the cats and dogs fighting, to a sibling dressing up and the cat falling in the toilet. His work is currently up at Stephen Wirtz Gallery

Christine Comyn

I first saw a few of her large portrait pieces in March, but I still find her work to be very elegant, fun, and intriguing. Also the human head to me is always so much fun to depict and paint, draw and do it again. 

Here is also a link to her making other previous works... Christine Comyn 

Thanks for viewing happy Thursday!!