Tuesday 16 February 2010

Should I do this, or that, or maybe that? or The Trials of a Multitasker

I know I am not the only one who finds it necessary to do more than one thing at once. Some boring things such as washing and ironing, some more exciting such as playing with molten wax. Some in the middle of these two extremes-getting passport photos done, listing a desk on ebay. (First ever go at ebay selling-wish me luck!) Yesterday was a bit like that too. I think it is the holidays. So many things pile up that don't get done during term time that the first couple of days are just stuffed full of activity.
Tomorrow though, will be different. I am off to the post office first thing to post William and also a painting I have sold on Etsy! I get very excited when this happens.
After that I am going to see an exhibition with a friend. I am looking forward to this!
Here are a few things my flitting habits have produced over the last couple of days.
This woman is off to the market. To buy fruit and vegetables. She can't decide what it is that she fancies. I used a white ink pad to stamp the pictures and my chalks to colour them. I only discovered how to do this a couple of days ago-partly from Clare and partly through trial and error. It is a bit addictive! I coloured this while on the phone to Linda (my lovely colleague)-multi tasking again-both tasks pleasant. William taking part in his final photo shoot before departure.
Picture started on the craft day with Clare and Cleo. I have been having lots of fun adding wax and using my little iron and heat tool to smooth it. A while ago I bought two little blocks of encaustic wax and I melted a bit of that onto the picture. I was really surprised(pleasantly) by the effect. I have a white one and an iridescent one. The white one is amazingly opaque. It is hard to photograph waxed pictures-but you get the idea. The piece of wood was from a skip about four doors away from Clare's house-a lucky find!
Picture two from the craft day. I started it to try this pen Clare had-a sort of spirit pen that enables you to transfer printed images to paper-I can't remember the name of it but will find out. It works really well. This picture was not looking good at all at first. I painted deep green and a bit of dark red, then I scratched it-I was trying to get a seaweed effect as I decided it would be called 'underwater'-she is wearing a swimming costume! Then I waxed her-quite thickly, poor thing. Then I dropped big blobs of white wax on it and that is when I really started to like it. Then I decided to see if gold leaf would stick to wax. It would! So, many experiments resulted in a picture I quite like.
Random photo from my sidebar dispay which I love, as it makes me remember photos long forgotten.
How school used to be. From two great books I saved from the bin at school. These turned up when tidying my creative supplies-in one of the paper boxes-not that I would cut them up. They are simple dual language books from the 70s. One is called "Jobs" and the other "My School".
This just looks like my primary school. I love the huge pile of boxes on the left-just waiting for big imaginations to turn them into something else. And I have a lovely feeling that the table on the right with the red cloth is a nature table. That was one of my favourite things at school.



12 comments:

Aris said...

I feel for you as I too am a multitasker(: Congrats on your sale!! I love the pictures of school. Such a safe place full of wonder. I loved elementary school. I wonder if kids feel the same way today. I bet they do(:

Kat Mortensen said...

Hey Sarah! What painting did you sell? Well done, you!

Love that mermaid-y one in the middle (at least she looks a bit like a mermaid to me).

I continue to marvel at your gorgeous use of colour and media and imagination.

Kat

kendalee said...

ooo, the nature table... that was always one of my favourites too! And we had one at home as well. Looks to me like your multi-tasking has been very practically and creatively productive! As always, I am in awe and inspired. Hope your holiday continues full of good stuff!

Jessica Nichols said...

I am so happy for you about your sale! Yay! It is the best feeling. :)

frayed at the edge said...

Well done on your sale!! Your pictures are super - and all that talk of wax brought back memories of art at school, when we rubbed paintings with a candle, before putting another layer of colour on - something else to go on the to-do list! I'm about to multi-task .... I'm off fo a bath, in which I will read a book and drink hot chocolate - bliss!!

Tracy said...

CONGRATULATIONS on the sale of your painting--that is tremendously exciting! The thrill of a sale, isn't that "rush" great?! ;o) And good wishes with eBay--hope you sell the desk. The amount of art you produce weekly, never fails to amaze me, Sarah--you are a wonder! The market-going lady has such a fresh, sweetness about it--a hint of summertime...very dreamy. And your wax experiments are fantastic--love all the layering and effects...these are really beautiful! I would loved to have gone to a primary school like that. Mine was too well organized, and definitely not enough time for exploring art and imagination--had to do that on my own time. The arts are getting cut from too many schools these days, it's so sad. Hope there's a rival soon! Happy Week, Sarah :o) ((HUGS))

Candace said...

Congrats on your sales, Sarah!

Oh I do love these "experiments" with the wax. Yes, I am also a member of Multitaskers Anonymous ... ha! and I bet you are right about those holidays.
LOVE love love the school, haha! AND this is how I was taught and how I teach now -- when I do that (seldome). Despite the rigidity of "modern" classes... ART will OUT!
William is such a handsome fella.
I will miss him!
Candace x

jabblog said...

Ah, the nature table. 'Tis the time of year for sticky buds.
Good luck with your ebay selling. Barry's brother sells most of his secondhand books through ebay.

Linda Sue said...

LOVE your happy accident of under the sea! When (IF) I get my house in order I have to try wax! I hope William has a good home- I am sad to see him go...

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

Those pictures from those books are great Sarah! Love your bird picture as well....lately I've been stuck on the bird theme!
Loved your title....multitasking can be a challenge :)
have a super day!

BonnyBadger said...

That picture of the bathing lady you started the other day LOOKS GREAT. I love it!!! I love the green. It's so good....!

BonnyBadger said...

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