I left the sketchbooks in the freezer for 5 days and there are no signs of the spider mites, except for a few spots on some of the pages indicating that the bugs that were alive are now dead. I’m glad to have my books back. Also, my strategy of using the rubbing alcohol to wipe down my desk has worked. I am now looking out for an artificial plant as I’m not going to risk bringing in a live one after this experience.
Here are some things that I came across recently that I liked:
Wil Freeborn wrote a great informative article about pens and inks: All I Know About Inking.
On Tuesday I sat down to work in my sketchbook and I noticed teensy tiny little bugs crawling across the page. They were brownish orange and so tiny that you would not normally notice them. I was so bothered that I decided to put my sketchbook in the freezer to try to kill them off. Then, I noticed the bugs were all over my desk and were crawling up and down my lamp and had built teensy tiny spider webs on it. I was so repulsed! Then, I noticed that these bugs were coming out of my plant (a palm), which I had gotten in the past month or so. The plant was completely covered with these near microscopic bugs and there were tiny webs all over it.
Some leaves on the plant had recently been turning brown and I thought that I must be over watering it. But after searching online, it seems like the poor plant was infested with spider mites. The little buggers must have crawled up my lamp cord which was touching the plant and got onto my desk from there.
I burned the plant in the firepit and then swabbed down my desk and lamp with rubbing alcohol. I also found the spider mites in another sketchbook (my moleskine), so both of them are now in the freezer. I’m thinking of leaving it in the freezer for a few days and then thawing it before refreezing, to give any eggs a chance to hatch in case they survive the freezer. I hope this takes care of them.
When this problem is gone, I will get a silk plant. I have also gotten a new sketchbook in the meantime. A hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inch Strathmore Artist Journal with gray toned paper. I will let you know what I think of it in a future post.
Right now we are in a drought and the water level in the lake is very low. My energy/creativity levels have been somewhat on that same level lately but I feel that this outing yesterday refueled me creatively. The prospect of fall coming is really starting to excite me. The most exciting prospect of this upcoming fall and winter is that my space is now fully insulated and heated and I will have a comfortable place to work.
I moved back home a week ago and I’ve spent the last week getting settled in, which will be an ongoing process I’m sure. It is so nice to have fully insulated smooth walls, air conditioning (not in a window), hardwood floors and a closet. I got rid of a number of unnecessary possessions to make room but also upgraded some others. My space looks more cohesively decorated with a new rug, lamp, metal cabinet to store my art supplies and a cute little bluetooth speaker to replace my old clunky stereo. I even got a miniature palm tree.
I feel very relieved to have this project done. Already my sleep has improved just from being in a more comfortable environment and I am looking forward to getting back into my sketchbook. The sketch below was one that I found in my sketchbook from June, before I packed it away in a box and forgot to use it.
A house nearby has been condemned for many months and it about to be demolished. I sketched it from across the street, albeit from an odd angle. The doors and windows have been removed and I’ve seen little critters go in and out of it. Heavy equipment is sitting in the front yard, waiting to get started. I am curious to see what will be rebuilt in the location.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about houses and homes, especially since I’ve been in this flux mode for the past few months. The project is going to be delayed by a few weeks due to some unforeseen scheduling difficulties and I am feeling so antsy to get back into my space again. Being between homes is an unsettling feeling.
Another part of me is thankful for what I have, and I am a lot luckier than a lot of other people in my situation. I’m thinking about how I am going to decorate my new space once I move back in and I have an idea of something clean, uncluttered, with a muted palette. I am having fun shopping for a new rug, lamps and a cabinet for my art supplies.
Recently I saw the new documentary called TINY. It follows a couple building a tiny house from scratch, with no prior carpentry experience. A number of other tiny house builders and residents are interviewed throughout, including Macy Miller, whose blog I follow. I really enjoyed the film, and it has gotten me thinking about my ideal living situation.
I do not think a tiny house would be feasible for me at this point in my life, as I could afford the house but not necessarily the type of land I would want, but it is something that I fantasize about from time to time. If I the opportunity, I would build a tiny house to live in and another one next to it as a studio, like Kate Johnson’s.
Update: My scanner is unplugged and I don’t have a good place to set it up, so I will most likely be photographing drawings out of my sketchbook for the time being, like I did above. I am also starting a larger (for me) watercolor (no ink) for my weeknight painting group. It’s an unusual subject for me so I think I will wait and post my in progress photos when I am finished, in case things go majorly awry.
This has got me thinking a lot about the direction that I see for my work in the future. I have never thought of my work as “whimsical” before but I have been feeling that my work has been missing something for awhile now and some whimsy might be just right.
I have started a new pen and ink (and watercolor) which is based on my imagination and memory. It’s a little scary to work on because I am not using a set up from life or even a photo references for the most part. When I have more of the ink done, I will post some work in progress pics.
I really love the Epsilon Series paper in the Stillman & Birn sketchbooks for pen and ink. The pen glides over the paper with no resistance. Unlike other papers, the ink dries quickly and doesn’t sit on top of the paper increasing the potential for smudges. I wish this company sold this paper in tear out pads though. They do carry it in 22″ x 30″ loose sheets, but I don’t have a good way to store paper this size.
It seems that these days all I am doing is pen sketches which is okay with me. I recently found my copy of Rendering in Pen and Ink and am inspired to do a really big, detailed drawing in just ink. Since I am living a bit simply right now, I think I will work on some small ones for now. I may really take my time and work on one drawing over multiple days.
This book is a collection of 40 essays and interviews which are first hand accounts of what it is like to live and work as an artist. I really enjoyed this book because, for the most part, it is really down to earth and the essays were short little nuggets that I could read in one sitting. The various artists are very upfront about their lifestyle and the struggles they have had in earning their income from their art. There are only a few examples of “art speak” and I skipped over these essays.
One of the similarities I see in all these artists (as expected) is that they are disciplined with their time. It seems that the artists with children require the most discipline to get work done while their kids were in school, daycare or being cared for by their partner. Having a supportive and self-sacrificing family also seemed to be crucial to their success.
Besides living in NYC and being a people person, the common trait I noticed in all these artists was the willingness to take a calculated risk, much like any entrepreneur. I fear the unease of not being able to plan on stable income, especially with a child to support, would be too uncomfortable for me to tolerate. This is why I am personally thankful for a full time job with benefits. A number of the artists featured in this book worked side jobs or full time jobs for a long time before becoming successful, and it encouraged me that they still considered themselves artists throughout.
