Lemons on blue green
www.kellyparkerdesigns.com

There has been talk lately in my local art group about studio time. We have all discussed how it is classified personally. Some people only count the time that they work on art in the studio, others count the time in the studio, taking pictures, creating thumbnails, cleaning up or arranging the studio, and still others count only the time spent actually creating a finished piece.

Personally, for me, I count any time I spend in the studio as creative time, even when i am arranging or cleaning because I think this calms the inner muse and allows me to clearly "see" what I need to accomplish. I count those walks outside as time to clearly "see" my environment to help me put together a landscape composition. I count those times that i sit with my sketchbook and make some thumbnails to help me "see" what I want to create and how I want to place those items. So I guess for me anytime I work on some aspect of my art I count that as studio time. I think for me it is a more artful life...a way to capture more art in my life.

What about you? How do you view your studio time? Leave your posts in the comments section.

just thought i would draw some attention to my new website...i finally have it up and running at http://www.kellyparkerdesigns.com/ and if you sign up on the contact me page and fill in ALL of your information to be added to my emailing list, i will send you one of my note cards!

here are a couple of landscapes i have been working on, they are small for me at 8" by 10", i usually work at least 16" by 20". i have another one i am working on also to go with the set.

Q: What did the Mona Lisa say to the Van Gogh forgery?

A: “You sir, are an impasto.”

found a very cool website that lets you find all kinds of art blogs - check it out at www.artblogs4u.blogspot.com

yeah, i know i am bit behind but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!! i have been busy recuperating from surgery in mid December and writing curriculum for another class i am teaching at KCC.

so here is my goal list for 2008 -

1. build a website
2. purchase a laptop
3. lose weight (always have this one on the list)
4. build an email list (if you want on the list let me know)
5. produce more art (i would like to build a portfolio of fine art)
6. create a e-newsletter for my art
7. blog at least once a week
8. get published in some capacity

well, i have been searching the web for a hosting site...something easy to use and relatively reasonably priced. do you have any ideas? who do you use for your hosting site? did you build it yourself?

what about a laptop? what are some must have features? i am currently looking at Dell but i could be swayed in other directions.

i really am at a loss as to what i really want to do for these things....any comments would be helpful!! thanks.

you can post comments or email me directly at kparkerdesigns@yahoo.com or artsydoll@yahoo.com

well i have a few items for sale on my www.picturetrail.com/artsydollelements site, you can see the pictures there and here is a description of what is available. let me know if you are interested. if you order by December 14th they will be in the mail on the 15th and you will have it just in time for the holidays...

you can email me at artsydoll@yahoo.com

11 - 1 1/2" resin gingerbread men $3.00 for all

elinor peace bailey - doll pattern - Grandma's Baby and by George Quilt, and baby doll and quilt pattern. this pattern has never been used. $6.00

Plaid Dragon Designs - doll pattern - Sarah Ann. this pattern has never been used. $2.00

Farmyard Creations - Doll pattern - 14" Country Angel Faith - never been used. $5.00

Stillwater River Valley #409 Winter at Cedar Falls, never been used - Snowman on a stick on a wooden base. $5.00

Heart to Hand - 42" Snowman #111 Bon Bon - never used, still has the wooden buttons in the pattern. $7.00

Inner Child Creations Sherry Goshen doll pattern - 16" Souline - never been used. $6.00

cabbage rose #108 Christmas Longstockings - never been used. $4.00

Patti LaValley - 10" Sea Nymph - never been used. $5.00

Kindred Spirits book - Making Spirits Bright - lots of Christmas patterns - $10.00

Soul Mate Dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay retail $21.99 sell $10.00

Cloth Paper Scissors Sept/Oct 2007 got 2 by mistake retail $7.99 sellfor $3.00

Perfectly Pearl Ex by Susan Pickering Rothamel sell $3.00

Stamping and Papercraft NZ magazine sell $2.00

shipping will be $3.00 per order up to 2 items. i will be posting more as i dig out....

I got the wonderful news that i received the grant from the Arts and Industry Council of Calhoun County!!! i will be getting an individual artist grant to help promote art....i was so shocked to learn i will be the recipent of the grant. i wrote a 25 page business plan in a month and answered all the questions and filled out all the paper work for the grant and i got the call on Tuesday that i received it...i am still in shock!! Now to sign all the paperwork and get started...stay turned to receive updates on what i will be doing with the money. YIPPEEE!!!!!

i have decided to do a blog for Art for Elementary Teachers. i will add information for teachers such as places for them to find lesson plans, artist information, art events, pictures of their work, and many other informational items they can use in class. it will be more for finding information than for use in the classroom but i think it will be fun and educational as well. i am considering having the students post intelligent comments for extra credit. what do you think?

i will also be teaching a new class at the college next semester, Art Appreciation, so for the next several weeks i will be writing curriculum. i already have some ideas for this class...now to get them on paper and worked out for the classroom. this class will take lots of research and will be time consuming in that i will be putting up the weeks in power point for easier use.

and the next big thing, i am having surgery on December 17, 2007 so i will have to have my classes done, holiday shopping done and anything else i have to do before the 17th...fun, fun, fun!!

More collages for shows and galleries this month. i have decided i need to take more pictures of my work and keep better track of them so i will be posting more work here!! get ready....

just thought i would post the new collages i have been working on, this is just a small sample of the collages i have available....i have made many this month...i am in another art hop in Hastings, MI on November 30 and then on December 1, i will be at the art market in Coldwater, MI.

just added a button to my blog for http://www.buyhandmade.org/ check it out! i plan to make all my gifts this year...what about you? support an artist in 2007!!

for all the ladies in my family this year they will be getting an altered recipe book, photo journal, or journal. i use old children's books and glue papers to the pages then gesso over the papers and then add waterdowned acrylic paint to the pages. they are then embellished with papers, quotes, recipes, photos, stamps, fibers, etc...i will post some pictures soon.

for the guys, i am not sure just yet what they will be getting....guys gifts for me are hard to come up with. maybe homemade cookies and candies...any suggestions?