Schedule for painting

I have decided to do a rotating schedule for the workshops.   Wednesdays.   Afternoon 1:30-4:40 one week and then 6:30-9:30 the following week.  Then take the occasional Wednesday off to catch up.

This week, I mean today....uhhh, when did that happen?  We are doing an evening workshop.  I know of at least 4 people coming, so there is room.  Drop me a note or call if you want to come.

5037209570 or recoverypanes at gmail dot com

If you have 5-7 people you can gather together for group session, let me know and I will schedule your very own Recovery Panes Workshop.

Workshop Today!!!!

I am sending out random calls for participants for the workshops over spring break.  I am in the studio on and off and decided that I should try this 'on the spot method'.  We shall see who shows up. Although I would appreciate a heads up (post, call, message etc. so I can set up materials.)

I still need to get the more formal promotional material out, but my printer guy is on vacation.  Good for him..  Wish I was too, but I don't think I get a vacation for about a year now that I have bit off this chunk of love of a project.

So , there will be a workshop today at 1:30-4:30.  You do not have to be an addict or alcoholic to do a panel.   You only have to have had your live impacted/affected by addiction.  As far as I know, that is the majority of the population if not all of it.  Is our health care system not a perfect example of that.  Ok... off that soap box.

Anyway... Today.  My NW Studio. 801A SW Green.  Right behind the Zupans on W Burnside and NW 23rd/SW Vista  1:30-4:30.  Bring imagry you might want to transfer into the wax. (I will show you how). I will randomly be posting these workshops, keep your eyes peeled.

Let the workshops begin

I am gonna try to pull together a workshop this week.  Eventually, I will try to have one a week for people to attend in order to make their panels for the project.  Maybe even an occasional Saturday workshop too.  I will need to keep up this pace for close to 6 months in order to have enough panels to complete the project the way I have it envisioned.

Hopefully, enough people will vote on the Pepsi site (www.refresheverything.com) throughout April and I will get the funding I need.  This way the whole project can be free to everyone so I won't have to spend energy fund raising anymore.  Instead I can spend my time doing the workshops, outreach and education.

Beaumont Do it Best Hardware is Awesome and I want my favorite torch.

Beaumont Do it Best Hardware really stepped up when I went shopping for new torches on Saturday.  Not only did they help me find some new torch alternatives and a great digital heat gun, they donated all the supplies I found that day to the recovery panes project.  With community support like that I hope to be able to reach all the people who really need to do some healing without stressing about budget issues.

I was trying to find my favorite torch, the Bernzomatic Powercell Triggerstart torch.   This great lady looked it up online and found out they are discontinuing them completely.  Which sucks, cause they work awesome with encaustics. 

Currently, most of the new torches come with the 'big boy' canister which is just too fat for my hand and for most the people I work with.  I miss the powercell style which fits perfectly into your hand and can be held for hours with out causing carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow...  Is anyone out there listening????  I do not have lumberjack hands.

At this rate, I am going to have to design my own torch just for encaustic art work.  Hmmmm?  Maybe I am onto something here.

Performance anxiety and avoidance.

I am avoiding writing up all the official documentation I need for the workshop tomorrow.  It is the first OFFICIAL Recovery Panes workshop.  I will have 6 staff members from Outside In (A homeless youth organization) working on their panels.  I am a bit nervous after my 'trial run'.  I don't know them or their issues, personalities or whatever.  Hopefully, I will be clear and consice about what we are doing, how to do it, and why.  They will be the ones encouraging (or discouraging) the kids at Outside In to participate later when I bring the workshop to them.  Performance Anxiety?

I did get the liability/release forms from 'my' lawyer.  WAAAAYYYY better than any hack job I was trying to peck out on the computer.  I just want to be clear that the project is an installation that will hopefully travel for awhile and that the art and accompanying writing will belong to the community for all intensive purposes, not the people making it.  They get to make it, not keep it.  I am trying to get enough funding for the homeless kids to be able to do a second piece they will be able to take with them.  I think that will be really important to them.  I will just have to see how the Pepsi Grant thing pans out.

The studio is trashed.  I should probably consider getting that in order as well or the paperwork won't matter, we won't be able to find the paint.  Time to turn up the music.  I am listening to 'Cake'.  Maybe time for some Black Eyed Peas or something really funky?

Hard Lessons

Last night I had a few people come by in order to paint their 'recovery panes'.  It was the first time anyone has come to the studio intently for this purpose.  I have envisioned it a thousand times in my head, but knew that certain aspects would only reveal themselves during the actual process.

I knew all three people, they did not know each other.  I thought I had been clear with all of them about what the project entailed and what the expectations were.  I began by doing a short exercise where I passed around a painting and asked them if they could tell their story with the imagery used. 

They have all painted in my studio before at least once, so I kept the focus on content over technique, but helped where I was needed if someone got stuck struggling with the tools.  One person knew immediately what she was painting and needed no direction.  Another was a bit more unsure, but considered many ideas and landed on some symbolic imagery that worked for her experience. 

The surprise came with the last participant.  She had been working on her painting for sometime and wanted it to come together, but it wasn't.  I asked her some questions.  Things like, 'What emotions are attached to your experiences?" " What colors or textures are those emotions?"  Things along this line.  It became clear that she was uncomfortable.  She asked to leave.  Which was totally cool to do. 

I wanted her to know that she could either not do the painting, finish it some other time, or whatever.  Apparently, she hadn't eaten dinner, she was tired, and she was not completely clear on the depth of what we were trying to do and had become overwhelmed.  This experience is invaluable to me as the person leading this workshop. 

I will need to make sure that people know that the depth of what they share is completely in their control.  That what they share does not have to be the darkest experience, but can be about hope and strength, about redemtion and recovery.  They can stop at any time, they need to listen to themselves and stay safe.  I need to make sure people know to eat first and come prepared emotionally.  This is hard and important.  What they will be doing is a gift.  A gift to themselves, to others who have yet to open up, and to the community as a whole.

Rejection Sucks

Disappointing news.  I was not selected to recieve any funding from the Black Rock Arts Foundation.  I have learned that I should always ask for feedback , so I wrote to them today and asked for a detailed review of my grant proposal.

Mostly I just wanted to whine and say... 'But, WHY NOT?'.  However, I realize this is completely childish and I should be more professional, so I asked like a grown-up instead.  Truth be told, I wasn't feeling very grown up, I was feeling rejected.  Definitely need to transcend this state if I continue to pursue grants or I will be a wreck.

That is the 3rd 'NO' I have gotten this week on some pretty important situations.  Oh well, I am not one to take 'no' laying down.  I figure if I keep submitting, keep writing, keep asking, then someone will eventually say 'yes'.  It is all part of being an artist.  All soft and mushy on the inside, with a hard shell on the outside...  I suddenly have a craving for m-n-m's.   or chocolate ...

On that note, I will be digging through the pantry for some hidden goodies to make me feel better.   No issues here.

What is addiction?

How is addiction defined?  Do I use a societal definition, medical, 12-step?  Addiction research?  Educational?  Or just common sense?

Can you stop? Does that scare you?  Can you stay stopped? 
Can you have one drink (insert addiction here) and not think about having another or who the crazy person was that left their drink half-full on the counter?
Do bad things happen when you partake, even if it is seldom?

Just some food for thought.

Portland Open Studio

Ok.. it is official.  I have applied for Portland Open Studio 2010.  Last year was a blast and I hope to make the cut again this year.  It is a great art tour where people get to see artists at work in their own studios over two weekends in October. 

Hopefully, Recovery Panes will be hanging somewhere wonderful by then.  Maybe I will hold one of the windows back for the Open Studio Tour for people to see an example of the work.  Still lots of time and steps to take, so I best not get too far ahead of myself.

Grant writing workshop vs. Sunny day

I went to a grant writing workshop put on by RACC (Regional Arts and Culture Council) today.  Despite the fact that it was the prettiest day yet this year, I was actually glad to be there.  The speaker was informative and funny, which was nice considering the dread most of artists have about the BIG MEAN GRANT monsters. 

One of the most important things I learned today was that the people and organizations giving grants really WANT to give artists and organizations money to do well thought out projects.  This took alot of the scary out of wanting to persue other ideas that I have floating around in my noggin.  I actually felt quite privileged to have been funded for Recovery Panes with no grant writing experience. 

The truth is that I want to do RACC proud and bring this idea to fruition so that they feel good about their choice in funding this project.  I am also starting to generate community and business support.   I feel obligated to give them the best that I am.   Part of fulfilling this commitment is to find creative ways to meet the needs of the different individuals and organizations that will be creating the art. 

What the mind already knows

It is amazing how much processing can happen if you let your mind go and release the questions and problems to your subconscious.  I think we have all experiences where we can only remember the name of someone we have forgotten or where we left our keys if we intentionally direct our attention to something else.

I often struggle to find solutions to problems that consistently elude me by thinking 'hard' about them.  Although this has a place, I have often received wonderful and unexpected solutions by NOT thinking about them, but by letting them fade into some strange little corner of my mind.

Just this week while taking an afternoon nap, I was able to 'catch' a solution that has been dogging me all year long.  I rearranged my studio and can now fit double the amount of students.  This may be a simple thing, but the idea is far reaching. 

Sometimes we are in need of information of a less tangible sort.  Is there a message that is yearning to get out?  Are there questions that should be asked of ourselves from a new angle?   What are we trying to tell ourselves that we don't want to know during our daily living?  Accessing these answers is difficult with all the daily noise we surround ourselves with.  Translating this information is confusing.  Sometimes we just don't want to know.

Painting is a place for all these ideas, questions, solutions and insights to rise up and be allowed to enter into consciousness.  Letting go of the need to create a masterpiece and be willing to listen to our center allows for great truths to be revealed.  I hope that people will be willing to release the need for production oriented art and let the process of creation unveil what they need to know.

LOGO: Whoopie!!!!!

Finding money

I was so excited to get this project going, but I am spending a lot of time working on finding money.  Apparently my vision is much larger and more encompassing than I originally realized.  I suppose I could try to scale back, or limit the participants, or minimize the exposure.  However, I would rather just work harder, get a bit uncomfortable and simply ask for the funds to make this happen.

I have never done grant writing or fund raising before 'Recovery Panes'.  I have received a community project grant from RACC (Regional Arts and Culture Council) that has launched me into this brand new world.  I am waiting to find out the results of a request from the Black Rock Arts Foundation in the next 3 or 4 weeks.  Also, I have submitted a request to Pepsi.  They are doing a whole series of community oriented grants.  It will be a public vote if my proposal meets their criteria and I will be notified April 1st.