Invitation for Collaboration

Sometimes I wish paintings had powers. I wish they could right what is wrong.
I was talking to a girl the other night who had a streak of bad luck with fire. In my mind I painted her with fire in one hand and water in the other, wishing to give her balance.
I’ve carefully picked out each object depicted in a painting I’m working on right now in my studio. I’m doing this painting for someone specific and I thought of it as a blessing for her life. I want to paint blessings. I also want to paint my gratitude for beautiful life, for people I love.

I remembered Ex-votos I’d seen. I imagined myself a retablista, painting offerings of thanks. Ex-voto short for ex voto suscepto, "from the vow made" or in gratitude or devotion.

I could paint about my gratitude, but I’d like to paint for others.
Then I thought…I have a show coming up in one month actually and if others would related to me the event and circumstances which he or she would want portrayed, then I’d paint it, inspired by the idea of ex-votos.

So if you are interested, send me your idea. All submitted emails will be considered up until October 4, 2008. Tell your friends. I'll be getting the metal plates ready.
I will post more information about the show which with be displayed at Brigham Young University in November.

I begin to feel an enormous need to become savage and to create a new world. Paul Gauguin

I really like working in graphite because I can easily alter images. Usually after a drawing has been sitting in front of me for a couple of days, I know what I want to change. I think this drawing is about finished. I'm not sure about titles. That seems like a whole other project.

I've been thinking that drawing is a lot like dreaming. I talked about my mindswim in my first youtube video as that place where the mind is free to roam without restrictions. I find myself in that same sort of state when I'm lost in drawing.

I do feel a bit strange about putting these drawing up for display and scrutiny. They feel very much more intimate than paintings. Like dreams, the imagery is not easily defined. Maybe I should look up the symbolism of kangaroo headed women and women with marsupial bodies in a book about dreams?!

Pins, pins and more pins

Curse those Vistaunets. First they taught me how to make paper flowers. Now they got me started making pins. Pins that are a wee bit over the top...for some people.

The photo above displays my 'evil eye' collection. The photo below displays pins that I didn't actually make.

It happened at about 11:30p.m. last night. I was so high on little plastic people and glue gun fumes that I didn't realise how late it was. Dan Barney came into the studio and just sort of quietly stared at my little creations. He was probably amazed at all the beautiful treasures filling every surface of the studio. I asked him if he wanted to make one and he declined saying that this was "a total Corky craft." Then I tricked him, asking him to just glue one little deer onto a lovely flower petal and that's all it took. Pretty soon he was spray painting mermaids black and gluing gold glitter butterflies and fancy pink flowers. He has flare for sure. (see photo below)

Now the biggest problem is deciding which pin to wear. I tried on about ten this morning and ended up rotating between three during the day.

This is my little deer collection. They are so cute. I love little plastic animals.

The later it got, the more creative my pins became. I won't be selling these but T. Vistaunet is making some to sell at this year's Utah craft shows. You saw it here first but all credit goes to her. If anybody needs info on where to purchase, let me know. They are sure to be lovely creations.

As for me, I'd like to share. Write to me if you'd like the pin in the photo below. I just love the black swan. I spray painted it up nice and lovely.

How about I'll pick and number between one and one hundred and tomorrow evening I'll announce the winner.

Okay, got my number.

This past couple of weeks I've been gathering a few paintings for a show I'm having with a Carla Jimison and Jennifer Barton at BYU, Idaho in a couple of weeks.
I was looking at a couple of paintings that I liked but I thought hmmm... I think I want to paint on that paint again. I've never done that before. Usually the varnish is sealed and I'm done. So I experimented a bit and tries sanding off the varnish and it worked just fine. It sure changed the mood of that painting. The figure doesn't seem as lonely with the swan in there.

I'm not really sure what it is I'm doing in the photo below. Huh.

Garden Report

Cassie Cassie, not very contrary, how does your garden grow? Well? I can't really finish that verse yet because there aren't sliver bells or anything in a row. I'll have to get back to that in July.

Potato's are a fancy version of potatoes. According to my garden manual, the potato plants are almost ready to cover. I'm very excited about that. If I were a scientist I would totally be an inventor of growth hormones because this process is taking very long. Maybe I should go pour caffeinated beverages over the plants. Maybe I should feed them some sugar too. That always makes me hyper. I suppose hyper and growing are different. I'm short and hyper. That doesn't have anything to do with growing. Hmmm....

Before anyone compliments me on the green flourishing section of garden in the photo below, I just have to say right off that it's not mine. It's Dan Barney's herb garden. He's very magical with his skills.

I am painting, but not as productively these days. Every time I stand up to stretch or change the cd, I run outside to check on my little baby plants and then I start weeding. Maybe I really should wear gardening clogs but I don't really like them. It's a little silly that all of my shoes are dirty though.

Cutest garden item is my littlest kitten's playhouse. I planted flowers all around it. She know's which herbs she can pick and she makes salads for me while I'm weeding. Her salads are actually pretty good.

My Wing Sailing

One of my favorite places, with a couple of my favorite people, doing what we love to do. My Wing Sailing is now on youtube. I used the music of one of my favorite bands, Air Traffic to accompany this little film. To read a little more see She Dreamed in Verse and Rhyme.

Photos by Stella

New video on youtube!

Episode 6, Discussing Collaboration with Kate is now available on youtube.
I'll be posting more about the Cannon Beach show on She Dreamed in Verse and Rhyme. My niece sometimes says, "that's magical." I'd say those words describe this weekend's show.

Segullah

Segullah invited my sister Emily and me to be their featured artists in this spring's issue. I'm impressed with what I've seen so far. Online you can find Segullah here.
I thought this Segullah blog entry about art and religion and the comments were interesting. I often marvel...marvel I tell you... at how much harder it has been to be satisfied with what I paint when I'm aiming to create beyond my abilities. Painting beyond my abilities isn't what that blog entry was about...it's just what started me thinking about my place in life, eternity and the making of art.

I feel I keep getting close to what I am capable of, then it slips a little further ahead of me, into the fog, leaving me grasping and searching. I hope I find that I'm working toward is the best thing for me, my family and the universe. Sometimes I get carried away in passionate torrents but I regroup eventually. I feel alright about that. Whew.

Youngstown, Ohio

A gala “Dinner with the Artists,” where I got to visit with friends I’d made at my last show in Youngstown, the opportunity to introduce my sister Emily during our power point presentation, a gallery show AND I got to meet some really great people. Oh ya...and a great gift basket. I like this part of my job. I get the opportunity to connect with people all over the place.

It's nice to see Nicholas and a few other now familiar faces. It only takes a handful of people to reaffirm what I do. Thanks.

Demetria

The Three Graces

Cassandra Barney, The Three Graces, 2007

Somewhere I Have Never Traveled

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond any experience,your eyes have their silence: in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, or which i cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me though i have closed myself as fingers, you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens (touching skilfully,mysteriously) her first rose or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly, as when the heart of this flower imagines the snow carefully everywhere descending; nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries, rendering death and forever with each breathing (i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

e.e. cummings

Strawberry Hunter

This is what I'm talking about.....Strawberry Hunter
This is what happens in too much dark rain.

Miranda July

Dan gave me the website of this artist named Miranda July...not only does she have the coolest name, this girl is a brilliant performance artist and filmmaker. Inspiring. mirandajuly.com

Little Knives

I just asked my little bit what the grey lines coming out of the top of the tree were...she said, like I should have known, knives .

Gracias

Thank you to Dan for taking time that he couldn't spare to take care of things at home while I was away....again. I couldn't do what I do without him always supporting me. He's the best!!!

Las Palmas

Following an exhausting evening of stomping around the gallery, I traded in my strappy hot pink heels for a white robe and slippers at my very favorite spa, Las Palmas. I've been there several times and I haven't been disappointed yet. If you are ever there for a massage, request Rob from Park City. He was so amazing that he could tell which hand I painted with and how I hold my wrist by the muscles in my arm. He fixed everything that was sore and tired.
I spent the rest of the day reading, drinking, eating my favorite food, drawing in my sketchbook, thinking, sleeping and just having one of those perfect days by the pool. The sun felt so good...there was even a breeze. It was a perfect way to end a lovely weekend and get ready to go back to work.