December 16, 2008

Illustration of "Red Bear"
from Adventures with Sophie
Playdate with Bella
by Sharon Lee

Thus far this winter, my creativity has been expressed through the writing and illustrating of a children's book. It is a series called "Adventures of Sophie", the first installment named "Playdate with Bella."

The process of making a book is very different from painting and I find myself retraining my focus as I work on the various components of the book. While writing I need silent though when I paint I prefer music or podcasts. Because my house and studio tends to be cold I find myself working on this project in the inner sanctum of my bedroom where I can stretch out my legs and prop up my back comfortably and my studio where I paint sits cold, dark and dusty. Doing a book at this time is also forcing me to learn computer programs and websites that I have until now ignored. The beauty of painting is that it is a timeless activity very much the same as it was many many years ago.

Peace Always

Sharonhie
Playdate with Bella
Sharon Lee

October 27, 2008

"Pardon Me, Are you Bi-Polar?" (working title) by Sharon Lee

Most of this week has been spent between house chores (laundry, dishes, cleaning, stacking firewood) and painting. Yesterday after painting most of the day I got into the correct groove about 1/2 hour before I stopped for the day. Today was mostly a struggle. Nothing more to report.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 19, 2008

Because my art is based on personal experiences, issues or observations with/from friends, family and acquaintances are usually part of a painting. At times, I suppose, this can be uncomfortable for some to be publicly exposed in such a manner. I try to keep this in mind while at the same time not compromise the vision I have and what it is I want to say.

Such is the case with my latest start. Several days of metamorphosing the person who is to be exposed into a bird, toad, then alien I was inspired by an old Mexican woodcarving that I had acquired many years ago. The figure is in a position which speaks to the experience I want to share. Tomorrow I will translate the woodcarving on to paper then transfer to the canvas where I can begin to paint.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 3, 2008

"My Backyard" photo by Sharon Lee

"Hermit of Halfmoon Valley"
2006
acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"

Day after day I write this blog with the purpose of "explaining myself" as an artist and hopefully drumming up some interest in my art work. My art site can be accessed by clicking here.

When I decided to do a blog I thought consistency would be important and decided to try to write almost every day. I find myself writing much about non art things as you can't really separate real life from creating life it all melds together into one. Something noticed in a woods with my dog-it's bound to end up a part of an artist project. My thoughts were that the best way to sleuth my art is by telling the back story.

It would help if I could get some comments from you readers. In addition I'd like to experiment a bit and see what happens if each person who reads this blog passes the address to two other people. They can be offended by my work or like it either way their input will be interesting. So sorry to give homework on a Friday but please write a comment and send to me as well as pass this blog address on to two other people. Hopefully they will be interested in carrying on this assignment and also comment and send blog link to two other people. Will keep track of this experiment and tell you what happens.

Peace Always

Sharon

P.S. The Smokey the Zombie Bear series is now avaiable for sale on Ebay, Smokey the Zombie Bear I, Smokey the Zombie Bear II, Smokey the Zombie Bear III,Smokey the Zombie Bear IV

September 20, 2008

The Dishes Hadn't Been Done
1998
acrylic on metal tray
15" diameter

Because I am self employed, I realistically work seven days a week. Even a off day involves some amount of work for instance last Wednesday when my daughter and I took a day trip to Pittsburgh I needed to pack and ship two things through the United States Postal service and one item via UPS. I also took my camera with us in case I found something that was interesting to photograph for either my on going group of "arty" photos or something to add to my daily post.

Today I painted for most of the day. Paint time usually means something won't get done. In the case of today there were several things that were neglected: no walk in the woods with my dog, no gardening time and lastly the pile of dishes that were amassed today still remain unwashed.

I have been painting scenes from the hearth since my daughter was young and I began to paint some 14 years ago. Undone dishes have been part of my paintings including scenes from the "Housewife Series", 2000, "Pulled in All Directions", 1999, and "The Dishes Hadn't Been Done", 1998.

Peace Always

Sharon

September 19, 2008

Because most of my work is autobiographical, if something or someone comes into my life whether good or bad it will eventually make it's way into a painting or sculpture.

Two years ago I decided to make the plunge to become a vegan. After 20 years as a vegetarian I thought the transition would be a gentle one never suspecting all the new information I was to learn and how becoming a vegan ultimate opened my eyes to many more things than I anticipated.

The garden has become more important to me once I learned a bit about the food industry In addition because I live in central Pennsylvania I have access to many small produce farms at the local farmers market, fruit and veggie stands and through Penn State's weekly market. I take it upon myself to be an activist when I can.

Included in most of the past two year's works are statements, both verbal and visual about my experiences as a vegan. From my small studio in central Pennsylvania I get to pass on some information as well as entertain visually.

Peace Always

Sharon

July 7, 2008

One more day of gardening and hopefully if the thunderstorms stop, a hike in the woods to pick more huckleberries. Three days in a row of gardening, hiking and picking is physically challenging. A few years ago I spent a week at Feathered Pipe in Montana for a yoga intensive and this schedule feels similar. It is nice after the necessary bath to fall into bed at the end of the day feeling that your body and mind has been fully engaged and stimulated. The colors of flowers are amazing as well as inspiring. I will take all these wonderful color combinations into the studio when I paint.

Today I was greeted by a new flowering in my succulent bed.It is a variety of the common hens and chicks that I picked up at a nursery locally that has many varieties succulents. A perfect combination of pink, red-violet, yellow and green-yellow with green foliage. Also interesting is the pattern its petals, the reproductive system and the round leaves of the faded out foliage of another plant behind the flower.

I haven't decided which will be the next painting I start but I have it narrowed down to one of two ideas. One a scene from the massacres that are happening in Darfur and the other is a scene I saw and embellished (a young boy, 10 ducklings, a pond and two dogs) which would be told in a story telling three part painting.

June 25, 2008

Today I had to pick up a piece "The Big Gulp" that was being framed in State College by one of the local frame shops. I had forgotten to consider its size when my daughter and I left for town in her Volkswagen Beetle. Beetles are not known for their versatility in transporting things and a 42" x 42" framed canvas was not going in easily. After some failed attempts at getting the painting in I decided we should take of the top and slide it in through the top. With an open roof the painting slid in but we could not close the top. We began to drive the 14 miles home. One traffic light later, the brown paper wrapper is tearing off and is making an extremely loud rustling noise. It is now necessary for me to drive holding down the paper so it doesn't rip off and fly out of the car. We drive about 1 mile more when I tell my daughter that she needs to pull over ASAP because I feel the $315 frame is bowing in the wind and sense it may break. Pulling over in a Korean restaurant-Dominos Pizza parking lot my daughter and I have some words (she was not happy at using her car as a UHaul in addition felt it could start raining at any moment) I move around the few miscellaneous things that were in the back seat (old Dell hard-drive, yoga mat and shiny black high heeled shoes), lean the painting forward onto the two front seats and viola the top was able to close. If you bend your head forward a bit and don't mind the looming canvas at your back the problem is solved-painting saved. Such the life of an artist (smile)

Only a few days left for this auction! If you like my work and want to support my endeavors please consider purchasing a painting. I have just put up the painting, "A Silver Titter Stole My Baby" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. It is acrylic paint on organic cotton and hemp canvas. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.

June 9, 2008

Yesterday when I was doing early in the day gardening I noticed that some short poppies were coming up in a cluster of about 10. Sorry I have to go back a bit an explain my garden (and do not think it is anywhere near weeded as we have had 3 weeks of rain into many many days of exhaustive heat and humidity-but I digress) Most of my yard is part of one or another flower bed. There's the two beds at the front of the house under the maples and another small spot with all day strong sun. In the shady garden I had planted hostas of many varieties and planted them in a simple pattern, some old traditional orange day lilies. and a nice small leaf ivy which slowly climbs up the wood fence. But let's move on. As you go to the back of my yard you pass a work area of wood-firewood brush, etc under a giant maple tree-hardcore no real beauty to this section of my yard but:

1. It doesn't need to be mowed
2. I love to see piles of firewood-like money in the bank.

At the edge of the shade of the giant maple tree is the first bed I have in full sun and it's a basic the entrance bed for the garden In this bed goes the flowers I treat myself with I had a blue lupine there, a beautiful blue delphinium, striped green and yellow grasses, mint, primrose, ground sedum, comfrey, sweet woodruff and a delightful pink poppy. Last night when I looked I saw only the pods. This morning when I got up to look the pods were still attached to the flower (like a chick coming out of the egg shell) By afternoon the pods had already dropped to the ground and the flowers were fully opened. I took the attached photo this morning around 9:00 am.
Peace Always

Sharon