Monday, April 19, 2010

Looking for the Sweet Spots...

So the funny thing is that even though both Kims are avid photographers (Though the Chicklet is far superior in skill, I think), the cameras never came out !

There are no photographs recording the wonderful time shared by the Queen and the incredible Bodhi Chicklet but there are many great memories of the event.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to learn some very cool lessons in a week long workshop with the awesome mixed media artist Lynne Perrella. The number one thing I came away from that workshop with was to "look for the sweet spots". Lynne had us create a frame with our fingers and pass it over our art work in order to locate those spots in it that really "work" for us or that touch our artist soul. I have been using this trick in my art making ever since. It may not all be beautiful, but every piece has a "sweet spot" to savor.

I shared that lesson with Kim this past weekend when we played at art making for an entire day with our multitude of juicy art art supplies. Yeehaw, was that fun !!!

As I reflected on the time we spent together this morning after my return home, I realized that lesson can apply to our life moments as well. There were so very many "sweet spots" from the three days I spent with Kim, Riley and the doggies at her home that are framed and living on in my memory.

This morning, I took a few pictures of some the pages that I created during our play day. We used a whole series of art journal prompts that I have gathered from a variety of sources (Sarah Ahearn, Sarah Whitmire , Judy Wise and yours truly...) and filled a couple of pages each. Such fun, paint and ink a-flying, lots of sharing and story telling, color galore, no judgement, lots of support both ways...who could ask for more from play time ?

"One Song" (in progress)


One Song sweet spot...


The Queen's Progress (in progress ;))

the sweet spot...a passage cut out of "Sage Women" magazine that fit so well...


"The Bird's Plan"


Birdie's sweet spot.


"Kim's House" - finished piece and my favorite!



"Kim's House" sweet spot...



So not only do I have a ton of sweet spots in my memory after three days spent with my art-making friend,

but Kim, the Bodhi Chicket extraordinaire, has a big sweet spot in my heart as well !

I made sure to :

So here's to a fun Monday in the afterglow...
Keep looking for those sweet spots, Beautiful Ones !

18 comments:

Bethany said...

oh, fun for me to see this right now, like being transported in a time machine. Since I'm behind in posts and read that you were GOING to visit your Kim. These are glorious. Love the sweet spot idea. It's funny though, everyone's sweet spots are different. For instance, I was transported by the three lines of purple at the top of the first one. I love these though, what colors and movement. Is the bottom orange of the house one a stamp?
I wish I could come play with you. I need a lesson. I wish I knew how to make such inky delight, like on the house of your last one.
These all awe me.

Lisa said...

Oooh - love it! The pages are gorgeous, but even more I am enthralled with the Sweet Spot idea. Mind if I borrow that one in my own journeys?? :)

MB Shaw said...

The Sweet Spot on Kim's House is very sweet indeed. It seems to me like you are doing some important work here, good self work, eh?

Sueann said...

Love your journal pages!! Colorful and intuitive. Beautiful. Glad your weekend was filled with precious "sweet spots"!
Hugs
SueAnn

iadorearts said...

Hi! I love your mixed media work - so creative. I'm currently working on art GCSE and have previously had to do mixed media coursework, but I often get bad marks for homeworks that I try hard on. Have you got any tips on how to go in your own personal direction with quite a specific title?
Thanks, and please check out my blog!!

Kate Robertson said...

The Sweet Spot, that is a wonderful idea. You were so lucky to learn from Lynn Perella. Your pages are all very vibrant and full of sweet spots... Glad you had such a great time...

lynne h said...

oh i love 'the queen's progress', kim...

happy monday to you...

xo

patti said...

Sounds to me as though that whole day playing creatively was a huge sweet spot! Love the idea of having one for our artwork, I will look with new eyes!

Great quote - moving away from pain - big sigh!

Kelly Warren said...

what a good lesson finding the sweet spot is! I love that! love all these pages, but particularly the birdie page. thanks for sharing!

iHanna said...

Beautiful pages and a great concept of sweet spots, I look for it too, but didn't know a name for them! I envy you for taking a class with Lynne, I want to do that some day too! :-)

Jennifer said...

Delicious! I love how I felt reading this Kim! I found sweet spots in all the pages and that awesome rock too!

beth said...

i'm going to walk around the house with a little frame and try to find the sweet spot in everything around me...including those that live here :)

Snap said...

Wonderful, wonderful ... the frame (sweet spot) is one Mr. Dragon's tricks, too....

Anonymous said...

Sounds like one very "sweet" weekend! Love the art the came home with you.

Paula said...

Love the sweet spots...there pretty much always is one, isn't there? Welcome home, my dear!

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

I noticed too, after you left, that neither of us had taken any photos. I understood that to mean we were both just in the moment, in the true sense of the word, not needing a recording of it. Even though I saw these pieces as you made them, I am thrilled to see them again, and with your finishing touches. I'm glad we could be the jumping off point for each other at this weird and often vacant-feeling time. It looks like you are moving forward. Love all those snippet shots!

rachel awes said...

oh kim, my favorite too!
ADORRRRRRRRRE!!!!
xoxox

Eliza said...

Kim I love your work and all the colours that you use. I am still trying to find the spot 'sweet spot' and not sure when I have, if it is the right one. Maybe a shove might help. I will be back to see more that is for sure. So sad to say that being in Australia is a bit far to do workshops with Lynne P and Judy W. Judy was ment to come to Australia this year but couldn't due to heal issues.

I'll be back...