Break Time: OVER!

Yeah, THAT didn't last long!

I just gathered info today for a new project: I get to come up with a design proposal for a diner in the Indianapolis City Market. For those not really around here, the City Market is this old brick building that kind looks like a train station, across from the City County Building (aka city hall). It has a large open space in the middle and a terrace above with chairs. The open space is divided up among booths of just about everything you can imagine. Vendors come and go, but some are basically permanent. The City Market recently underwent a huge and costly renovation, but the disruption caused by it put a lot of vendors out. Now, they're trying to do ANOTHER redesign, but this one with an element they forgot: Style. I saw a proposal pic at the diner, and it shows booths with actual canopy roofs and no cookie-cutter grey counters, but bright colors and various styles all working with whatever each booth sells.

My booth proposal will be for Papa Gus's/Tommy's. On one side, Tommy's, it's all spuds, all ways (with weiners soon to be added). The other side, Papa Gus's, is cheeseburgers, hamburgers, tenderloins, seasoned fries: Hot food. Gus, the owner, wants a 50's style feel, the highway diner motif, with stainless steel, magnets to hide the steel air ducts, and that classic style. I happen to LOVE that style. He has the coolest black and steel toaster on the counter and some retro hamburger signs. I took some reference pics of the diner as it is now, and have already brought up some ideas for updating his counter stools. I'm excited.

What does this mean? It means I've been watching waaay too much HGTV. Am I branching out? Hey, I'll take an opportunity when it presents, I'm no fool. I have to come up with a presentation board, (like I've seen on HGTV!) and some perspective drawings. I definetly can do perspective drawings. I also get to play with a logo of a sort, and my friend, Kat, is doing the website for him, so we have to make them match. Kat works there too, she's the one that gave me the head's up. Thanks Kat!

I'm really excited for September 18th too. It's the Fountain Square Art Fair day and I got the whole day off! I had an extra vacation day, went for it, and so now this year, I can participate in all the events, rather than cutting it short at 2 for work. I'm really revved up about my painting idea, I'm really really revved up for that. I think I'm on a bit of a roll, so, maybe tonite, if I get my chores done, the brushes are coming back out of the bin. There's some paintin' to do!

All that AND a trip to the Motherland (Illinois)? Yay! I'm torn. On the one hand, I want those days to hurry up and get here, on the other, that marks the end of summer, and while it's been a stressful, action-packed summer, it was still pleasantly warm out to explore aerosol art. I've decorated the front porch to my liking and just have had alot of fun. Art in the winter is fun too, but paint doesn't dry well in the cold. Maybe by then I'll have settled down enough for the pen and ink drawings my mommy wants me to get back into.

And, now for some pics:

From left to right: "You Cannot Resist," "Carrot," "Strawberry," and "Indiana Working Press Association."

"You Cannot Resist" is aerosol on an acrylic background. It actually covers up the painting that is on the floor in the picture of me and my dogs. I got really really mad at that painting, and sometimes, you just need to paint over it and make it go away. The black texture on the yellow letters comes from a pizza box edge that I dropped on to the painting while I was spraying it. Happy accident. I could have spent an hour trying to re-do the un-re-do-able, but I decided I liked it and proceeded to drop the pizza box on the painting several times.

"Carrot" and "Strawberry" are both aerosol on wood, similar to "Radish." "Radish" is currently at Butterfly Consignment, in Castleton, so I needed something to fill a big gap at Clowes. Same technique, same swirly style, I'm happy with how they turned out.

"Indiana Working Press Association" is kind of an inside joke, stemming from a photograph taken while out with some friends. I really liked how the green wall played off the table, and the simplicity of just the glass and smokes and lighter, placed near the bottom of the shot. At the time, the quote was, "You know you're out with a bunch of photogs when someone thinks nothing of standing on a chair in a bar to take a picture of a table, just to get the angle right." Hey, when the image is there, its there. Regardless of 'who's watching.' My favorite part about this one, is that that glass is the first time that I think I've painted glass in still life since college. Glass is kind of a mind trick, because it doesn't really have any color, but reflects the colors around it. So you have to give the idea that glass is there, based on it's reflections. I'm pleased with the result.

You know what? I take part of that back. I didn't paint glass in college, the still life I was working on (in oils no less!) had a silver pot in the set up. THAT'S what was messing me up! I remember my teacher telling me that silver isn't really a color in the paint world, because that pot was so shiny, it's true color was the colors around it, the reflections. I never did finish that painting (I got sick), but I did get a good grade on it for all the other parts. And I learned a lesson in the process, that, years later, I was able to apply to glass. I earned that grade well, in the end!

Next time: What's up, the Motherland (more windmills?) Hog Days, and the diner!

Busy Busy Busy Busy Busy Busy.....

Phew.
Ok.
Crazy Week.
And it's not done yet.

I have half the show up at Clowes. We ran out of time, both for me and the union stage hand, of our four hour allotment. I had to get to the regular job, he was only scheduled for four hours anyway. We're set to continue the work tomorrow and finish it then. I'm pushing for two hours and we're done. I think it can be done. Just take some quick work, that's all.

I've spent the last two weeks on a mega-push to make sure everything gets done. I finished the last of the paintings for a while (just a little tapped out), and I'm really happy with them. One only got half done, but I just kept looking at it and looking at it, and it just wasn't in me yet to finish it. I like where it's going, but sometimes you just have to walk away from a painting to save it. If I had kept trying to finish it, I probably would have messed up the parts I like, and that just won't do.

I got some framing equipment. I got a little device that looks like a stample gun, except it doesn't kick back, or threaten the glass, and shoots those little tabby things into the frame to hold the glass, work, and backing in. So yeah, I know offer framing services. Or at least, assembly services. I just get old frames and fix them up, so I don't have the abilities to order brand-new frames from anywhere. Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! I offer Green Framing!

I learned how to cut glass, from my awesome mosaic-artist friend Deborah Lewis. She has a studio, The Bunker Studio, in Muncie. She gives lessons on how to cut glass, design and make beautiful mosaic pieces, and how to adhere the glass on to surfaces, like gazing balls and window panes.

The lesson came along by accident: I kept cutting myself on the glass from the frames! And then I broke a large piece of glass! I was really disheartened and scared of cutting myself again. Deborah told me to bring the glass up to The Bunker, and she'd cut it down for me so that I could reuse it for smaller frames that didn't have any glass. While she was cutting that glass down, she taught me how to score and cut stained glass andplay around with a piece of light green. Then I got to glue it onto a mirror and take it home! AND, I didn't cut myself!

Ain't it perty?

So now I have a new skill. And I'm not afraid of glass. I have a large window in the front room of my house (my 'studio') that has a smaller window above it. The name starts with a "T" and many people have said it to me but I keep forgetting what it is. Anyway, my landlord said I can make a stained glass pane to put up there, and Deborah inspired me on the design: Circles. It'll be like bubbles are floating around the window and it will be awesome. Thanks Deborah!

The rest of the week was mad-assembly of the framed works, the boyfriend being very helpful in putting hangers on the backs, dotting "I's," crossing "T's," and making sure the name cards are just right. I'm going to be so happy when I get this all up and finished...Just in time for the Fountain Square Masterpiece in a Day! I actually have an idea for this year's painting, a better one than last year.

Also, I'm thinking photography for Phoebe's this month. The photos I took of the windmills, the ones that inspired the paintings, are excellent stand-alone photographs. I'm just trying to decide if I want them black & white, or in color...Either way, they're going up there on Monday!

So here's the rundown of activity:

From now until October 10th: Joy Hernandez Art at Clowes Hall on Butler University.
September: Windmill photos at Art & Soul by Phoebe Gallery in Muncie.
September 12th: Gallery Tour at Clowes Hall.
September 18th: Masterpiece in a Day in Fountain Square, Indianapolis.
Until October: Three pieces are at Butterfly Consignment in Castleton, Indianapolis.
Ongoing: A variety of pieces at Cortex Hair Salon in Muncie.

Busy busy busy.

I leave you with a sneak peak at Clowe's, with stage hand helper Joe, hanging the works:

Next time: My latest works, those that I finished just in time for Clowes!

Busy Busy Busy

Yesterday, I accomplished alot!

The day started in Muncie, hanging a couple of security cameras for Phoebe's. Some no-brain jack knob stole some stuffs and that's just not cool. One of my co-workers, Gary Gallinger, an avid techie, sold some small, HAL-looking cameras to Phoebe with a crapload of cable and I attached them, ran them through the ceiling and set them up so Phoebe can record them. I was told if I can set up a liveshot, I can set up this system and...Presto! Instant security system, just don't add water. (cause, you know, it's electronic).

While in Muncie, I dropped off Angry Flower Girl, Comí El Loto, and Tomoe at Cortex, reclaiming From The Earth, Pineapple, and Tomato. I also picked up my July show pieces from Phoebe's. I'm sitting out August there to prepare for Clowes. I did leave Lost Moon behind, now retitled Found Moon. I left it for Dena, the blind lady that loved it. It's hers now, her moon.

Drove back to Indy, stopped by Butterfly Consignment. Left for them Radish, From The Earth, and Licked By Rembrandt. Those will be there and for sale for 90 days. Go see! Go see! Also, they had a really cool lime green and silver bracelet for sale, and it called my name and I BOUGHT IT! :P I worked hard that day, it was my reward! :) The lady working that day said it was cool that I bought something there because so many artists drop stuff off but don't buy anything either, kind of instead of supporting the establishment that's giving you a shot. I told her that wasn't and issue for me: If I find something nifty and its a good price and I got the dough, I'll buy it. I like cheap finds. My problem is letting myself buy stuff! Bad Joy!

Also at Butterfly Consignment, I delivered some Green Glam jewelry, handmade by Debra Dragoo, for sale there as well. Since I have to drive back and forth anyway, I'm a go-between. I have a cool blue scarab necklace made by Debra, so go check out her stuffs too, its pwitty!

Drove down to Southport, to my friendly neighborhood Hobby Lobby. Got a mat cutter kit thing (had a coupon!) and some mats as matboard was on sale. Got some orange paper for the labels I have to make for each painting. I had a good start on it the night before, but then I went and got the wrong shade! Grrrr.

Stopped by Value World, my neighborhood thrift store, and got a bunch of big frames (I had a coupon!). They have some horrible looking prints, usually in really nice wood frames, but always for a very low price, given the size of the frame. So I buy them, discard the print, repaint the frame and instant art display!

I finally figured out the formula for the blades of the windmills. I made a little check thing, and made sure all the angles lined up with that piece of paper. Penciled them in and painted them over. I have the three little ones done (they had all the background finished, just needed windmills) one large one (the one I needed to repaint) nearly finished, just need some final touch ups, and one more all ready to go, I just haven't really gotten to it yet. Hey! I got tired!

No really, as I was working on them last night, I realized, as you get tired, you mess up. I stopped myself before I messed up something stupid. Good thing, cause these windmills have been giving me headaches and I want to paint something else. I have one Puerto Rico ocean painting to finish (the one you can see me painting in my website photo) and four blank canvases. I also have some plywood scraps that will soon be painted as well!

I still have a TON of work to do, but its trucking along. If I just keep doing SOMETHING, then every day I'll be closer to being done. This house is gonna look so empty with all my artwork hanging somewhere else for so long!

And I'm saving my pennies for a new camera. Pics as soon as possible!

Next time: All that other stuff I keep saying I'm going to write about, except I'll (probably) really do it!

Death of a Camera...RIP.

Welp, my camera died. I don't know how. I don't know how to rescusitate it. It won't switch off the little movie setting that's in between the picture viewing and picture taking settings. When it does switch to the picture taking setting, it shows all the little icons on the screen....and black. *sigh* It was a good run, anyway. Guess I know what I'll be saving up for. Worst part is alot of stores have the upgraded version of the same camera (Canon Powershot--with 12 mp instead of 3) on sale now! Oh well. In time.

Hey! I know! Someone buy a painting so that I can use the proceeds to buy a new camera! Yeah! That's it! :)

Even though I can't show you through photo-documentation, things have been hopping lately!

Thanks to the awesome Debra Gindhart Dragoo, another artist that shows at Phoebe's in Muncie, I know have artwork showing (and, hopefully, selling) at Cortex Hair Center in downtown Muncie. It's a really nifty place, with some cool swirly textures on the wall that, if you follow them back to their sculptural source, reveals them to be strands of hair from a lady's head. I plan on rotating painting in and out of there as I take new work up to Phoebe's, usually around the 24th of the month.

Also, thanks to fellow newsphotographer (although at a different station) Joel Clausen, I'll soon have four paintings on display (and, hopefully, selling) at Butterfly Consignments in Castleton. I met with the owner, Niquelle Allen, and they have a really wonderful shop! The walls are a deep yellow and a chocolate brown, and should look neat as backdrops for my works. She selected "Licked By Rembrandt," "Radish," "Conversation Dimmed," and "From The Earth" to be shown there. All are for sale as well! None are there yet, as I still have to finish framing "Conversation Dimmed" and "From The Earth" is still at Cortex. Haha, much to do.

And speaking of framing, I have about 28 pictures that NEED to be framed, pronto, because....
August 16th through October 10th, Joy Hernandez Art will be showing at Clowes Hall at Butler University! I'll be kicking off their season, hanging pretty much my entire collection (the display space is HUGE) in the lobby of Clowes. They use the lobby as a gallery so that people that are attending shows have something to look at (and, hopefully, buy--Hey! I need a new camera here! :D ) during intermissions or before the shows. Thanks to my pal, Mari Yamaguchi, we will be holding a reception/gallery walk & talk on September 12th, at 1:30 pm. There will be a free jazz concert, following the walk & talk, at 3pm, performed by students at Butler.

In the meantime, I'm pretty much painting my BUTT off, I have 14 canvases here in my front room (my "studio") in various stages of production, from still in the wrapping, to having paint on it from 4 months ago, to halfway finished, to all but finished but I'm too intimidated to fix it, to ...Finished! Yes. I have one painting finished. Thirteen more to go. I wanted to take a picture of it and show you all but....my camera broke. :( Can you see yet how much this is bothering me? I feel like I got poked in the eye!

On that note, time for the rest of the day.

Next time: The explanation of that painting in the previous post, updates on the progress of THIRTEEN paintings, how things are coming in Clowes preps, and an update on my sanity, or lack thereof. Oh yeah, and fun at the Art Bank! Laters!

Why I Didn't Join "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" On Facebook

Apparently today has been declared "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day." I discovered this last night, when a Facebook friend posted a link. I thought about it, and slept on it, and, today, decided not to participate. At least, not on the Facebook link.

Why?

Ok some background. In 2005, when this issue first came to light, when Muslims around the world were protesting and asking for the heads of political cartoonist contributors to Danish newspapers, I was all on board. In college, I was a political cartoonist for the paper, The Reflector, I won awards for my work in journalism contests and got to meet with nationally syndicated, yet local, cartoonist Gary Varvel. Now, while Gary and I disagree politically on many fronts, it was a wonderful chat, he made me think about alot of things cartoonist-wise, and pointed out that there weren't many female political cartoonists. He told me what I could probably do to start getting printed in newspapers, if I had something to say, but after college, I "got busy with post college life" (yeah yeah yeah) and focused on my job that truly paid the bills and stuff, and cartooning got benched. I was greatful for the chance to do it though, because it got me out of the funk I moved to Indiana in: Animation wasn't going to cut it, I was burned out and didn't want to draw, and cartooning eased me back into it. I'm always up on current events and it allowed me to express that. And, you know, I may still jump back in. We'll see.

When the 2005 protest started, I was angry. To be honest, I'll be damned if someone will tell me what I can and can't draw. I looked at the situation like this: I don't adhere to your religion, mores, or whatever. If I did, I would be a member of your sect, culture or whatever, and then you can dictate to me all day what I can and can't do. As it stands, I'm a Lutheran member of the "American" culture (in quotes because it is so diverse) and American country. The religious ideals that I adhere to are of the Christian varity as interpreted by the writings of Martin Luther (and sometimes, whatever pastor is in charge, but, unfortunately, that's a separate issue). The cultural norms and mores that I adhere to are American: We make our own way. We can be a secular nation where (hopefully) no religion or sect, even Lutheranism, can hoist its feelings about something onto all of us (And no, it never really mattered WHAT religion Obama is, or if he has any. He's the head of government, not a church). And I abide by the laws of my country, the United States of America, and most specifically in this case, the First Amendment and all of the rights afforded in it. You know, like Freedom of Speech. I liken it this way: If I was Jewish, I'd have to eat kosher, right? But I'm not, and I'm gonna eat all the Oscar Mayer hot dogs I want, instead of Hebrew National. The freedom to do so, without fear of recourse, is part of me not adhering to that religion. The same thought process allows me to watch Disney movies, because I'm not Southern Baptist. If I had kids, and wanted them baptized, and the Lutheran pastor said I had to have other Lutherans be the godparents, well, I guess I'd have to do what he says on that one, though.

So yeah, I'll be DAMNED if someone is about to tell me what I can and can't draw. Screw you. I'm a political cartoonist (if not anymore in practice, certainly still in spirit) and I have something to say. So I drew this:


I didn't draw an ugly Mohammed. I thought I drew a pretty cute one. I even gave him a halo, to give him holiness. He's not necessarily holy to me, but others think so, so I recognized that. I figured he was probably looking down on his flock, from where ever he was, and thought, "Man, with all that's going on in the world, THAT'S what they're upset about? Really? Wow."

I posted it without fear on DeviantArt, and, despite comments of discouragement and encouragement, I've left it up there. Even when friends warned me to check under my car, afterwards, to make sure it wasn't a bomb. 'Cause see, there have been artists for generations that have had something to say, to push humanity forward, in a sense, and they had to do so without fear of outraged mobs.

Now, as to why I didn't join the Facebook group. I'm not drawing a new picture for this years "day" because the above picture is all I really have to "say" on the issue. That picture, five years later, still represents what I think. I checked out the Facebook page and actually was really appalled by the comments on there. There were people making blatant racist (or religionist?) comments against all Muslims, just being totally disrespectful of the entire group. I think that's wrong. Also, there were the typical, American, Christian-Evangelical-wear-your-religion-on-your-sleeve nutjobs that were posting on there how it's ok to make fun of Mohammed because all of his followers are going to hell anyway because they aren't following the ONE TRUE religion...as dictated by the tele-evangelist they send too much money to each week to be "healed." Yeeeahhh. Not cool either, because, face it, those people are just as much extremist as the ones marching through the streets, carrying signs saying "Kill those who insult Islam." Screw both of you. So I'm not joining your little club.

No one can tell me I have to adhere to their religion, except the one I belong to, and it's completely my choice to belong to that one or not. Jews can't make me not eat pork, Baptists can't make me think the Lion King is sinful, Muslims can't make me not draw Mohammed (or anything else) and Evangelicals can't make me hate everyone that isn't like them or else I'm an evil sinner fornicator that's going to hell (or whatever). Now, if you're a Muslim, I'm not saying you should draw him. If He didn't want you to draw Him, DON'T. But don't call for my head because I did. I'm free to do what I want.

But, c'mon, people, don't go on Facebook and show how ignorant and intolerant you can be. The answer to intolerance is never more intolerance. Pot? Kettle? Extremism on both sides? Draw him for the freedom of drawing him but remember he's important to alot of people, so at least draw him respectfully. And sorry, Pakistan, that Facebook got banned.