Bayou Boogaloo

After the festival (a re-hash)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all!

In New Orleans, when we aren’t talking about our next meal, we’re talking about the weather. FYI, my next meal is coming from Juan’s Flying Burrito and the weather has been gorgeous for two weeks straight. 80’s, sunny and dry. My favorite weather is dry in the day and raining all night, but not when I am leaving my art all night in a tent on the bayou.

Duke, my sort of brother-in-law took some fabulous photos of Bayou Boogaloo. I think this will be a photo essay. I will include information for first time festers, which I am not one of. (Thankfully.)

Gator Girl Art had exposure to the public. Lots of people came out. I sold a little over $1,000. My expenses were a little over a thousand dollars. I almost broke even. Yes, I would have liked to make some money. No, I am not giving up.

I signed up for Blues and Barbecue taking place in Lafayette Square in October. Jazz and Heritage will tell me soon if I have been accepted. You will be the first to know.

Walking to New Orleans seemed to be the crowd favorite.

My sort of brother-in-law bought it. Thank you, Duke.

In New Orleans, if you are selling in an arts district, there is no city or state tax on original art. The tax I had to pay is only on the $200 I made selling prints… $8. That’s cool, right?

I decided some things for the next festival. I am going to buy nice, white, mesh sides for my tent. They will be easier to transport and look professional. I am going to paint some smaller originals. I like originals better than prints. People who have a small space or limited finances will be able to buy an original. I am only going to take my originals and one size prints.

I made these cool presentation binders. One binder has all of my originals that are still for sale. One binder has all originals already in collections. I filled the binders with 8 x 10 prints. On the facing page is their story. I am going to take along the binders.

This has been an important week for Maggie. She graduated from kindergarten and turned 6!

Maggie's Celebration — Maggie’s Celebration

I am pretty excited to paint again.

With green, scaly gratitude,

Gator Girl

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Count Down to Festival!

Posted on May 7, 2014May 7, 2014 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all,

It’s May. How are you doing?

Count down to festival! (Click on the picture to watch a short video.)

: Bayou Boogaloo

Counting today, it’s 10 days until Bayou Boogaloo. Tent. Check. Art. Check. Yen for a new adventure. Check.

It is hard to prepare for something I have never done before.

My plan is to try my best without being compulsive about it. Trying my best is getting all of my prints ready. Packing everything I think I will need. It is not watching festival videos and ordering on-line (with one day shipping) for something I suddenly need.

If I told you I wasn’t even a little stressed, I’d be lying.

If I told you I wasn’t even going to watch one “How to do a Festival” video, I might be lying.

Wish me luck. I’ll post photos on Facebook.

Until after the fest,

All my love,

Gator Girl

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Working with Copper

Posted on April 15, 2014 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all,

We are having a blustery Tuesday. It is really cold and windy out there. I know I shouldn’t complain because we don’t have snow, but we are supposed to be a tropical climate.

I was given a big sheet of copper. I took it to a metal shop and had it cut in 8 x 10 inch pieces. I think I have about 50 pieces. I can cut them smaller myself, but the copper is pretty thick. My idea is to put some of my art on the copper. I tried using a transfer paper called TAP. It is designed for transferring onto material, but it advertises that it transfers to any surface. I chose Baby, I got this. because his skin color is so beautiful, but the white wings did not transfer. I added some color to his lips with red paint and darkened his features with black paint.

I painted embossing powder on the wings with varnish, then used a heat gun until it bubbled. I sealed his face with wax and the rest of the copper with varnish. I won’t use the wax again. It didn’t make that much of a difference.

I tried printing the same photo on organza.

This was easy. I just attached the organza with varnish.

My plan is to nail the copper onto reclaimed wood with copper tacks and add some kind of embellishment. If you have any ideas for this project, let me know, please. I plan on taking a few finished pieces to Bayou Boogaloo to see if people like them.

I also bought a silk screen kit to try with the copper. So far that has been a big mess, but I am not through.

I have painted Nice Hair a little bit. I have an idea that might help you if you are just starting to paint faces.

I started by painting her face and hair, then I stopped and measured. Are her eyes level? Her ears the same size? It saves me from painting her over and over without knowing why she looks out of whack. I painted her before I measured because I don’t want to be too controlled.

When I put the pencil marks on, her left ear was short and one of her pupils was more dilated. A little quirky is good in a face, but some things like pupils just look off.

I don’t know where I am going with this yet.

Right now, I am getting ready for my in-laws. They are coming tomorrow for Easter. I always feel like I need a block of time to get started on something. I might be able to pop in here once in a while. We’ll see.

I really would appreciate any copper feedback.

Love to you all,

Gator Girl

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Posted on March 18, 2014March 19, 2014 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all,

I didn’t really think it would happen that I am accepted to Bayou Boogaloo. In the application they asked for a picture of my tent. I wrote that I did not have a tent yet, I have never been part of a festival, but rest assured, it will be fabulous. I figured this was a shot in the dark . It is a big art and music festival along the bayou by City Park. It runs for 3 days, May 16, 17 and 18th. I haven’t slept well since I found out.

When I start becoming too anxious about life and I can’t calm down by thinking that my life is pretty good, I write. I found out by writing that it is the outlay of money that is making me anxious. You know how they say you have to spend money to make money? I have to use the communal money from my marriage to fund this new adventure, i.e.. my sweet darlin’s income.

Before I started making art as my full-time profession, I bought a lot of art supplies just for fun. I had to remember fun. So I put my worries aside and started a new, easy painting. In this painting, I will paint intuitively. No learning curve.

I do like to learn how to paint a chicken with an expression of fear. I like to analyze what chicken feathers flying off the chicken might look like. I like to figure out how to paint a swaggering alligator walking toward me. I was becoming too tight. (Imagine wearing a t-shirt two sizes too small.)

I want to paint with abandon. Reclaim joy.

I know it will be a woman. I know she has a lot on her mind. I think she has wild hair.

You can already see her eyes peaking through.

Anyway, that’s where I am. Regaining joy.

I have never been a fan of journaling. But in a pinch, it is a good way to find out why your head is spinning.

Wishing us all freedom.

Gator Girl

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Making the Banner

Posted on September 17, 2013 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all!

I finished my part of the banner this weekend. Sewing the banner will be a joint effort with my sister in October. It will be so cool.

I have a good feeling about getting into Bayou Boogaloo in May. We’ll see. I don’t know if feeling optimistic about Bayou Boogaloo really means anything. I sometimes think I am fancifully optimistic.

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I made each letter on computer paper, using some of my original art for accents.

Then, I scanned each letter. Next, I printed it on Inkjet Fabric Sheets that I bought on Amazon.

Voilà!

My sister, Jan, found these burlap panels at Michael’s for $1 each.

You can see the pretty colors. The Green is for Gator and Art. The pink is for Girl. They are just a little bigger than the letters that I made. We are going to add fringe, dingle balls, etc… to the bottom of each letter.

Next time you see these letters, I hope they are on my white E-Z Up at the festival.

Last weekend, I attended a fundraiser with the Pussyfooters and my husband. The W Hotel gave $45 for clean drinking water in India for each person who walked the runway carrying 80#’s of water. This is me, trying to make it look easy.

Mia Borders played at the event. It was awesome.

I plan on finishing every painting that is almost done this week#goal.

With abundant love and kindness,

Gator Girl

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Mostly a cat costume

Posted on August 31, 2013 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all!

Happy 3 day weekend!

My intention is to be accepted as a vendor at The Bayou Boogaloo this May. I am working on a banner. Each letter will be on fabric measuring 8.5 x 11 inches, then sewn on a sturdier fabric, probably the weight of denim, so the letters will hang nicely. Lastly, embellished and strung like prayer flags.

10 flags.

GATOR GIRL ART. “Art” will be on one flag.

The space is 10 feet across. I am going to buy a 10 x 10 white easy-up.

The beginning of "G" — The beginning of “G”

I printed the G on material; but it is still in progress.

While I was playing with the banner, Maggie came by with some plans of her own. Literally.

We are all having a going away barbecue on Monday for some friends who are moving to Hawaii. Maggie wanted her cat to have a party outfit. (Sorry about the shadows.) Maggie chose the purple outfit, but in a different color.

Maggie did the cutting and sewed the grey ribbons on by hand.

Lacey was willing to wear the cape, but did not cooperate with the shoes.

I am working on two paintings. I need a little time with the turtle and pelican.

And I am waiting for supplies to complete my Pussyfooters painting. I ordered a brighter orange acrylic, some small brushes, and Liquitex paint pens. The Pussyfooters volunteer all year, but the season picks up speed in the fall. Practices start next week. I am Pussyfooting in Southern Decadence tomorrow. I haven’t been to their parade before, but it sounds like fun.

Until next time,

With unending love,

Gator Girl