Soul Kitchen

Soul Kitchen Grays, Lighting the Fire Sketchbook entry by Suzanne Jacobs-Fabian

How's this for distraction? Not an oil entry. Just a blast from the past...

tech⋅nique myst⋅ique

I'm looking for ideas - always! Came upon an oil painting lesson. Really informative. I've NEVER tried oils. Can't even believe it myself. I'm curious about the trade offs. Acrylics dry quicker, I know. They give me the chance to keep progressing toward a finished piece of art. Quickly. There must be advantages that I'm just oblivious to. I know oils give you better control of paint mixing but is it worth sacrificing patience for? Maybe I'll have to try. See the lesson here.

Bag Lady Extraordinaire

Pomp, sistas! Pomp! With a bag on my shoulder, I have my crutch. Something to fiddle with and rummage through. The proverbial extension. Here, girlfriends, is one unique group. One sassy. One classy. And one smarty pants. S'for all of us. Enjoy!

The first is called the Zippered Pouch, Ornate Floral Flannel Hot Pink Polka Dot, by CarrieDee. I call it, "Sass". CarrieDee says it's for unmentionables, etc. but it'd be great for lipstick, breath mints, you name it. So, enough of the boring stuff. It screams femme fa tale, if you ask me. Luscious lips. Suggestive and quirky. But, darn it. Downright necessary. Why did no one think of these before? Or maybe they did and my head's been buried in the sand. Anyway, it's a great little present to get for your BFF. CarrieDee.etsy.com's the place for these puppies!

Now comes the class... I've never been a huge fan of purses over $30. Enter Julia's jewels. Her shop, renneslechateau.etsy.com, features quality work and this jewel is worth every penny. This one's called the Annie Leather Bag. Sumptuous leather, generous proportions and fab construction. Yummy, buttery texture makes for serendipitous slouch. Julia, I'm curious about the avatar bag... mmm, avatar baaaag.... aaahhhh


Last but not least, is this brilliant yet humbly-priced, Grocery Tote. Hey, genius AND reasonably priced? Sure, I could make my own but for this price, why would I? I truly can't stand the "green" bags that stores sell as recycling alternatives. Noble, they may be BUT snazzy they are NOT. Besides, it's advertisement for the store. Nobody's shelling out dough for me to be their advertising vehicle, thank you very much!!! I don't like plastic bags either so these are a savvy alternative. Who knew grocery bags could better your fashion statement? Smarty pants did. Ruth, these are positively fab. For more, visit Ruthscrafts.etsy.com.


Suffice it to say, it's in the ____. Fill in the blank. Or the bag. Your pick!

Live Funky

Featured artist, Jessica Torrant, has been on my to-do list for awhile now. Her illustrations can be seen at the "Illustration Station" and paintings @ "Live Funky". She's the perfect example of contemporary artists whose works I've come to appreciate. Its deceptively simple demeanor speaks in beautiful tongue.

Sometimes I Think I Can Fly by Jessica Torrant

Fluid in the Now by Jessica Torrant

Older and wiser, I'm inexplicably drawn to this fluid style of painting. It possesses lucid simplicity with restraint. Her straightforward refinement demonstrates a keen eye for translation using spare details that's loaded with style. I especially love how Landscape Series 1 reveals her interpretation of "landscape". Too bad there's no bus bound for this destination. Ms. Torrant, you might not know it but you're definitely flying already.

Landscape Series 1 by Jessica Torrant

Raw Vision Smitten

"The General" by artist Mikey Welsh
Self-taught artists crudely illustrate their stories and, in doing so, create hauntingly beautiful images. Fortunately for us, periodicals cover them. Raw Vision Magazine editors contribute to Ovation Channel's "Driven by Vision" series. Naturally I had to see what Raw Vision saw. RAW has, among other things, links to steer you in a myriad of directions. DRIVEN is an unbelievable television series, by the way. Genius might best describe it. Oh yes, Ovation's show, Art or Not, is fascinating too. For some, Outsider Art sparks debate. Is it art or not? What do I think? It's absolutely some of best there is.

Personally, I have my tail between my legs. I like to think of myself as an artist. I think that even the tiniest of artists, aka children, are brilliant so I guess I'm deserving of the title by default. Here's what I know as fact. There are many who humble me. Really humble me. Most have no training. They just possess the urge to create. I remember a long time ago, seeing one of my brother Pete's framed artworks which blew me away. Then he told me it was his daughter, Missy, who had created the scene in primary colors. It was unbe-freaking-lievable. Truly.

Exposure isn't limited to magazines or parent's walls. There's a wealth of links to whet the appetite. Looking for inspiration, I found this link, OutsiderArt.info. If you're not sure what this genre is - take time to check it out. Mikey Welsh's The General, shown here, is featured on Ioema Collection's ( International Outsider Exhibition of Modern Art) link on OutsiderArt.info. The beautiful thing is that he's just one of many talenteds featured there. Artists are also welcome to submit their works and some are then chosen to join the honored group. I hope Ioema keeps on keepin' on, in all its primitive honesty. A beacon for so many. Thanks, Ioema.

It's All About Me 2Day

This artist's list of 25, for 2Day - the 2nd.

1 I wanna be like lots of other people when I grow up. Most brilliant people, that is. Including Xenia Hausner.
2 I don't play instruments. I can't even play air guitar.
3 I've lived in some towns that sound like foreign countries or states. Chana, Polo, Oregon.
4 I hate sale papers with end dates that are small as pinheads. Maybe I should just throw the paper out every week instead, huh?
5 I love pears, peonies, bleeding hearts, fiddle heads, ginkgos, hydrangeas, faces and dry toilet seats.
6 My youngest brother was born six months after me. Oh wait...
7 Favorite show during the summer? White Sox games especially if I'm watching them with John.
8 New Fav Motto (author unknown) "@!#! Shoes." I dread winter 'cause shoes are prisons on my feet. No Imelda for me.
9 I love snow that glitters even in the daylight, random gangs of wild turkeys visiting my brother's neighboring orchard and K State by default.
10 Favorite brush with greatness? I met someone long ago when my husband was acting with whom I felt an instant connection. But after awhile I sadly forgot her name. It just leaked out of my brain. But we had a blast and I kept a picture of us two. I later figured out that person is THE Frances McDormand. I JUST KNEW she was special. I was rightchaknow.
11 I love camping, family required, just as long as we get to revisit all the family stories by the campfire. Even if the campfire is a candle in the dead of summer's heat.
12 Favorite quiet, happy place to conjure up when I'm stressed is facing the lake at the end of the dock. The Shell Lake cabin dock, that is. Bare feet in the water, a given.
13 I'm sick and tired of being discriminated against.
14 My sister is my first and always, best favorite girl. Granddaughters have their own golden category.
15 Art is food for my soul. I never understood Klimt though. Yuck.
16 My biggest regret is not having that third child. Especially if it was to be a girl. If I were to have a daughter, I'd want her to be just like Krysta. Nothing to change except the state she lives in.
17 Can't figure out why rum isn't one of the four food groups. Think I'll go drink dinner. Just kidding. Dessert, here I come.
18 Top 5 songs are...

• "Guilty" by Bonnie Raitt


• "My Darling Hometown" or "Blue Umbrella" by John Prine


• "Mil Besos", "Long Road" or "Mary" all by Patty Griffin


• "Alabama" by Wet Willie


• "Dream Girl" by Dave Matthews Band - How can I leave out so many others like James Taylor's "Is That the Way You Look" or "You Can Close Your Eyes" or how about Ray Charles' "Busted" or Maht Wells' "Moon Topples" or "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers? And I love Bonnie's wicked "Gnawin' On It". I give. Okay. It's official. I can't do just the top five. Not no way, not no how.

19 Top 5 movies (for the moment) are... that's not possible to list, is it? I'll try. Here it goes:

• It's a Wonderful Life


• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington


• My Cousin Vinny


• Big Night


• Amelie - - - and (wanted to include Born Yesterday or City Desk here too) Want to "feel deeply"? Try "My Life" with Michael Keaton.

20 I've learned to live with my sentimental mushiness. It's my soulful "tell". Everything is more important if it's cried over or laughed upon.
21 Favorite serious self-written epitaph by Robert Howard -

All fled, all done, so lift me on the pyre; The feast is over and the lamps expire

Runner up serious epitaph:

"I had a lover's quarrel with the world" - Robert Frost

Favorite funny epitaph:

Here lies
Johnny Yeast
Pardon me
For not rising

22 Love all our inside jokes including: Chips, Anvil Lake Earthquake, Bonk, I was in the car, She's rightchaknow, 4 duck too much, honey, lly, all right what were they, i hear dat, can you hear me now, midnight, hooked on phonics and inaudible celebratory gestures.
23 I wouldn't trade my boys for the world even if I do have to put up with the Chicago Bears obsession and pats on the head. Small sacrifice for my prizes. Even the one that's not 6'4" can pat me on the head.
24 Kris wanted to name me Bessie Jo.
25 Did I mention that art feeds my soul? Hey, this list has a lot of references about feeding here. Even the epitaph... The list is done for now so I'll quit chewing the fat and put on the feed bag minus the long face and/or the shoes. duh

Question: Is design art?

Answer: ED FELLA