Gina BarryThe words to go with the art. Because Art doesn't speak for itself. Archives
February 2023
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100 day project2/22/2023 Social Media has a 100 days project starting today.
I decided to jump on the train. Structure and a plan. I haven't made art today, but my project for 100 days includes all the work around art, making art, business of art, engage in art, research art. All the wrappings of art. My day 1 is about the plan and application. I made a big list of things I have been dreaming about art. But my action step today - I applied to an art show for the summer. The show is past my 100 days but I am going to need these 100 days to get ready for it. if I get in I will find out by March 15 hopefully Onward
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Playing the Cards you are dealt12/14/2021 I have been inspired
to start up something that sort of fizzled out. when the world was shut down and nothing to do but be home. I created over 1000 cards by hand Wrote "May you feel safe and loved when you look at this heart" and I mailed out almost 500 cards. I received a big order of cards for a business in Breckenridge. I am so grateful for that distraction. Giving a gift is a part of my mental health tool box I learned about it long ago when I listened to a book called 29 gifts. It is about giving a gift every day for 29 days. Not some big grand gesture. I mean you could, but it is really all about a mind set. What does it mean to give something away? And in the giving of something, I learned that I get back way more. I feel like I have a purpose. The act of giving something is so powerful. and in 2020 I needed so much to give something. and my something was a card I started with my own little mailing list. and then I created a form on my website and then I got a big order... and things sorta slowed down. and I sorta slowed down. and i realize how much I need to start giving again... and collecting quotes and sharing them. so check out beautifulgrunge.com and sign up!
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Morning Pages11/3/2021 Over a year ago
I began morning pages. A tool to help heal my very broken heart. I filled a composition book in 2 months then I discovered write a page, turn my journal 90 degrees write a page turn again write my 3rd page overlapping. In the end I can’t read what I wrote. It offered me freedom to really say what is in my head Without the fears. I don’t want to go back and dwell in all the mostly muck. And I like that my auto brain thoughts Won’t hurt anyone else If they stumble upon these journals Someday. I filled the last page of this journal yesterday. Knowing all that pain is no longer in me. And I feel lighter. I like the texture I have created. I plan to use this as an art journal. Turn the ugly into something beautiful. Thought I would share my little process. In case it may help you get the ugly out. Onward. (Morning pages are a tool from the book The Artists Way by Julia Cameron)
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Fall trees10/12/2021 A beautiful fall afternoon.
We sit in the car talking about big profound things in the space between going there and getting there. She points out a tree the center still green radiating yellow and red of its own making. That tree got to choose what color it's leaves get to be leaves of spectacular gradient color green to red is tough to get to especially by way of yellow mother nature with her expert color manipulation But it is the sun that points out those leaves that made the difference between a tree that was beautiful and a tree that looked to be on fire a tree that had the power to show up in the distance and to incite a long peaceful present moment shared. The metaphor of a tree has so many meanings but for me this lesson was about letting in the light and when I do I can reflect and radiate it out. When I stay in the shadows it is much harder to notice the beautiful things and all that power is lost. In that moment I got to witness a tree in all it's glory of letting go with a beautiful friend. Words don't explain it well. Another lesson, to live it is better than to story about it. The tree was still green in the center it's conversion not yet complete but it radiated yellow and red too it was a fleeting moment that when the light came it was on fire and when the light left, it was still quietly beautiful. Maybe there is a lesson in that for me, like life, maybe I can shine the light but it doesn't have to be all the time to still be beautiful to shine the light means I am seen and to be seen is my work to stop playing small and to get out of the shadows
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lessons from a hat4/9/2021 We carefully curate our lives.
We show the best of us. How are you? fine. you? Look at my beautiful facebook life! and if it isn't beautiful - yeah - no one wants to really deal with that they have their own crap to deal with and soft delete. I got a new hat! cute little ragged heart and it says "Life is good" I got it for camping. Hat equals Shampoo as my friend James says. I haven't worn a hat since a boy gave one to me. I was probably 19. Last week I ran upstairs to get dressed to take the dog on a walk. I came down and she has something... puppies!!! she dropped it instantly knowing... she had chewed off "Life is Good" and left the rest of the hat in tact. I could not believe she had eaten ONLY "life is good" I was sad about this hat. Sad that I had left if for her to get. And that she had EATEN "LIFE IS GOOD" LIFE IS GOOD... But the metaphor is not lost on me it has been a ruff few years. Letting go of a dream you have had since you were 5... well let's just say, it is a ruff go. this one little event Life is good - but sometimes it is not. I've been journaling about this hat. and I try to live my life by WabiSabi - it is the belief that there is beauty in things that are not perfect. I also call it Beautiful Grunge. And in my life I have lots of grunge. and I realize that this is the perfect example and I get relearn this over and over. Putting a label of Life is Good is not really how I roll. Life is complex might be better. So the expectation that Life is Good has been completely removed from my hat grunge love remains but good... well, that is all relative.
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the birds are back3/11/2021 This morning I was playing in the yard with my sweet Luna. A mellow morning because we had dog friends over yesterday to play and she is usually pretty tired the next day. A quick game of fetch and she was ready to lay on the big pillow under my feet.
The birds are back early this year or maybe I just now notice? They came just before the big storm. Do you think they are prepared? Do they stop at the store for veggies and get ready to be inside for the weekend? Was their supermarket out of bananas too? I miss the outside world and humans as I am now making up stories about the birds. Last night at the grocery store, a long line meant some chatting with my fellow line waiters. Filling their carts with food for the weekend - in case we get 5ft of snow and can't run to get the frozen pizza. A long line makes for a quick chat. Unless you are the stoic guy behind me who just wanted to get home. The woman in front of me mentioned her husband at least 5 times in a span of that 30 minute wait in line. I guess that is how it is when you have a person. You talk about them and bring them with you where ever you go. Do you think the birds do that too? All this morning chatter, was it about the mate or the thing that happened at the store or the latest gossip about the nest next door? They sure had lots to say this morning and I hope they have safe warm nests and a fridge full of frozen bird seed, if we do get that much snow. ps i know no one reads this - but if by chance someone does, will you post a comment? I am just curious if there is an echo in the void.
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March forth3/5/2021 well it is March 5th but March fourth is a better name for this post. I am taking classes at the Denver Botanic Gardens for their Botanical Illustration Certification. I started back in 2017 and slowly taking classes here and there. 2019 and 2020 were a bit of a blur. But I am back at it and so grateful they are ONLINE!!! I am currently taking color pencil class (my first apple here). April will be filled with watercolor and handwriting. Photo realism meets my beautiful grunge and we shall see what comes of it. Sold these three paintings at Portfolio Gallery in Breckenridge. I will always be grateful to make art that will dwell in someone's' space.
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in the tides of change2/21/2021 These three paintings
began in ANGER months ago. full of texture and drawings and words Today I found the calm and meditative lines over paint. I used white paint and and liquitex ink over top to find some movement I used golden high flow in a metal tip bottle to draw the lines. these will hang in my bedroom soon.
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Foothills Art Show 20212/10/2021 I got into Foothills Fine Arts Festival 2021! So excited to be accepted and can't wait to be among the HUMANS. July 10-11, 2021, come see me.
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In with the new - out with the old1/18/2021 Excited to have some new mountains at Portfolio.
I picked up a bunch of the older art that doesn't seem to sell at that spot. I am trying to figure out how to sell it and get it moved on so I can make space for what is next. |