Papers Everywhere

'The Happy Couple'
Acrylic on wood wall assemblage

©robinrkent

I constantly am organizing, filing or recycling paper. In many forms-magazines, junk mail, notes. I look at the shredder and think what a great artistic tool. Maybe when things slow down and I stop decluttering the house. 
Does paper reproduce overnight while I sleep?  

photos from the barn attic

I am not a collector. I could live spare and sparse. Not so with Jim. And I do appreciate his ‘eye’. Ephemera is near and dear to his heart. Love the old photos he found upstairs in the barn. Wonder who they were? They, like good art, beckon, giving off an energy of their own. Wonder if they ever thought in their wildest dreams they might be the subjects for original art? 

Crazy Robins

'Crazy robin' photoshop doodle

©robin r kent

Turning the corner from winter to spring: the ground smells sweet, the sun's angle is friendlier, and flocks of birds are returning. We have come full circle. Tomorrow (St. Patty's Day) is my one year anniversary for this blog. I'd do something special like change the format, but no time for that yet.
I drove through a flock of robins this past week and didn't know how we avoided each other. Maybe a professional courtesy since we share the same name. Some stay all winter. But all are hungry and feasting on the last of the existing berries. The berries froze and thawed and refroze through the winter so now they've fermented. And many robins, having one too many, are flying under the influence. Crazy robins.

Never Say Never

'When Pigs Fly' assemblage sculpture
acrylic on barnboard

©robin r kent

There I was. I caught myself watching the 'Happy Brush' public tv show. I realized what I was doing about 3 minutes into it.

And 3 minutes is a very long time.

Just goes to show what repels might seem interesting years later. Does age makes us more forgiving? And art, no matter what style, is a tie that binds?

I stayed with it through the color listings.
He also was working from black gesso to light, which many artists tend to do nowadays. I followed until he got to the point of using titanium white on his go-to 2 inch house brush adding highlights.

That was enough of that for me.

Hidden Potential Uncovered

'2009 Supremes: Ruth and Sonia Give Their Opinion'

©robin r kent

Sometimes new subjects morph into the unexpected while I'm still at work (and in the dark) on the initial idea.
Sometimes when I've posted flippant observations on my blog, they are answered by wiser points in the comment section. (I wonder how many 'aha' moments I have missed by not reading comments in blogs I follow?) There's only so much time, but will try to be more observant when there.
Like painting or other creative endeavors, those layers make a subject beckon. Pieces with surprise twists and turns wind up much richer than the initial concept. (This piece started as 2 men talking on a park bench... and anyone has the potential to be president in my world, also.)

Folk Art Diary: Coffee, Tea, or Espresso?

'Crossing the Line'
Acrylic, wood, wire wall assemblage

©robin r kent

My drink of choice changes depending on my mood, my goals, and my health.
Recently it's been tea all the way. It's great when you have a cold. No sharp edges. Lulls you to sleep and reminds you of the gentler things in life. Isn't it funny how your mind thinks when feeling sick? Things you wouldn't give a thought to become stuck as ruminations and won't leave. Like another germ. Time takes on a different proportion. Tea helps remind you of better days to come.
Coffee is my social drink. Talks with my mother in the morning over coffee is a family tradition. In the 1948 movie, 'I Remember Mama,' they were constantly making or offering coffee. It's good for meetings, office time, open houses. It's a bonding drink. Warm, and nice to be with, like a supportive friend. And forgiving like one also. Now where did I leave that cup? It travels well and keeps me focused while driving. Glad coffee doesn't have ears. It never criticizes my singing flat when I join in with the car radio, for stimuli at the end of a trip.
That's where expresso comes in. I'm a morning person. It puts the giddy up in me. I can think ahead and also sideways while working on an art piece. Pondering the potential options of using this stick or that, this color here or there, to define an assemblage or painting. I can picture my eyes turning into caffinated rotating spirals.
I like them all. They console and fill me up without being heavy (love that part-I can drink espresso without sugar!) while I take care other things. What a support system.

A Sailor's Dream

'A Sailor's Dream' acrylic wall assemblage

courtesy Frog Hollow Gallery/7Days newspaper

I spent each summer 'cruising Maine' with friends many years ago. How would I know that as a staunch land lubber, I would look back so fondly on those days?
I think it comes from 'the stretch.' By that, I mean putting yourself in a situation that you might not have dreamed of, working hard on the coping mechanisms, learning a bit more than you knew before, and leaving a little richer for the experience.
'The Stretch' can be applied to any topic of your choosing. Art is always a good subject to start with. Some of the hardest lessons become the most cherished.

The Rare Sighting of A Native Skier

'Native Skier' acrylic and wood assemblage

©robin r kent

Winter is still with us but the snow has been in hiding. Not to worry - February and March are usually our snowiest months anyway.

Even though Vermonters are born wearing skis, back in 'the day,' most didn't spend much time on the slopes. Too expensive. Snowshoeing was the winter sport of choice.

I live in the town where they once made Tubbs snow shoes. Tubbs made the best snow shoes. They're sold by L.L.Bean, EMS, etc. and were preferred by Admiral Byrd and Norman Vaughan on their trek to the South Pole.

I think they've had snow there.