I met a man at a seminar I went to this weekend named Brother Chi Sing. He’s a meditation teacher who learns from Thich Nhat Hanh. We are so excited about this because we are going to have him come down to Corpus Christi! We’re going to host him at a small chapel in town. He’s going to do a 4 hour long meditation group. His website is http://www.awakeningheart.org He’s so open and humble.

At the seminar I went to, I also got some ideas for art to do, but I don’t think I’m going to create them for Nuevo Cafe. They are war themed, and that – to me – is personal. I don’t want to ruffle feathers, but I do know I need to create at least one of the images I saw in my head.

I now have a boost to really work on making my website better, even if it’s only temporary. My Robert Downey, Jr. image is now on http://www.downeyunlimited.com How cool is that?! It’s not an official celeb website, but it’s still cool. Today, I am going to try to get a simple gallery website together for my actual website so that it’s not just a webpage (I’m paying too much for a simple webpage)

I will have a lot more time on my hands for the next week to do some work I need to get done for myself which is really a good thing. Expect more artwork (I want to get at least one piece started and completed by the end of next week) and I may be massaging at the airport soon!

I also got two Pell Grants for the rest of my community college career which is great and will allow me to learn how to teach yoga and I can get a mac laptop finally Woohoo! Life is wonderful!

Update your bookmarks to

http://amschwengler.wordpress.com/

I may seem like I am being lazy, but I have have self imposed limits placed on my creating art lately which I cannot figure out. 3 hours seems too daunting right now and I know that if I held myself to that everyday, I would kick myself if I did not do it.  So, I’m starting with one a day.

It’s so interesting, the first exercise, because it reminds me so much of Zen. The author says that you should not start drawing until you feel as if you are touching the object(s) in front of you with your pencil, so you really have to concentrate. I found myself becoming very impatient at times and it shows in my drawings. I looked at those spots with intrigue and continued on my journey (the author says this exercise is meant basically for the journey, not the destination. and the drawing is not to be looked at except for when the pencil is lifted off the page and must be placed down again.)  I did find that Nicolaides was right in saying how tempting it would be to want to peek at the drawing while it’s being created.

I admit that a few times I found myself doing this! However, usually I chose not to correct the drawing, but to find a point to continue. The second drawing was harder than the first. Imagine drawing for an hour not looking at your paper! Not to mention you’re only drawing 2 items! He says to use a regularly sized sheet of manilla paper, but all I had was drawing paper. Even at that, I found my hand to be drawing an object that was only about 3 inches across! Every time I tried to make it bigger, it seemed not to help – my hand would go back to drawing small again. Interesting.

My eyes started aching after a while, but I felt a sense of immense accomplishment then for at least starting to draw something.  I  took much time off the computer (I stopped at 1.5 hrs, and usually I am on this thing most of the day.)

I’m so excited to finish with the blind contours (I think I have something like 6 left – about 2 hrs and 45 minutes.) Then we move on to gesture! I love gesture and I know I need to get better at it.  However, I am finding it difficult to slow down my drawing process. With the thought of knowing I will only improve, I stick through it, even through the agony.  What I need to do is buy a timer and not look at the clock – only stopping when the timer goes off.

Honestly, I can’t believe I drew an hours worth of work on two 3 inch drawings. I found myself searching for other things on the object to draw – inner contours and outer. Then I began to slow myself down because I noticed when I was impatient, the time seemed to be longer than when I just stared at the object to draw it.

Anyway, today is supposed to be portrait group at the Art Center, but since I am trying to save money, I stayed home, napped, and (I bought books last night) so I may read. I also am going to finish painting some dancing wooden figures for a dance group and I will continue the agony with the contour drawing – getting into that Zen-like state – and just do it.

I have found that pretending I cannot use the computer past 12PM really makes me want to do other things, rather than thinking everything else is a chore. The day feels so much longer.  If you can’t tell, I am an internet junkie who needs to quit.

There were variations on how advanced the students were which was nice. I drew on some of their drawings to further explain, without words, what I meant for them to achieve. Working one on one was a wonderful way to help the students become better artists. I have to admit, I was still timid about correcting their mistakes, so I know I need to work on confidence in that area.

I’m so elated that today’s class went well! The students took a little while to let go of their fears and just dive into drawing in a new, and scary way for them (they had to unlearn what they had learned and see things afresh), but they finally did it and it was so great to see them learn so quickly. I could see that some of the students were struggling with some ideas of the technique they learned, but it felt good to have people push their boundaries and move out of their comfort zones so that they can become better artists. I’m glad they took the ride with me.

After class, I went and helped out with the Red Cross at the local grocery store- we were doing hurricane awareness. It was really slow, but it felt good to help out anyway and get to know some coworkers better. After the Red Cross, I went to the children’s hospital to help with mail-outs. Again, another fun opportunity to meet some fellow volunteers. If you ever have free time to spare, I highly suggest finding a place to volunteer. It’s a win-win situation for all involved. You get to help the community and make new friends.

That’s not all! Today I found out that my artwork is in the newspaper! Apparently, the group I am a part of, Coastal Bend Artists, is in the paper and my artwork is there as well. I have yet to see it, but how exciting!

Yesterday, a taping that I did with some fellow Del Mar College students aired (I think it will air again June 10 @ 6:30PM), but I missed it because I was at the Star Wars Concert Live!

It was amazing, but I did have to deal with some children that were misbehaving – Ben and I were so close to telling them or their guardian something. They were being so rude and they should have known better. They looked about 7 years old.  Also, there was a waft of perfume that kept coming my way… amazing how one person can decide they want their own atmosphere. I have nothing against the woman, but someone should tell her to spray ONCE! It’s not flattering at all to upset everyone’s noses around you, even if it is perfume.

I also found a video that I am in on Del Mar College’s youtube channel. Check it out if you want. It’s kind of cheesey, but it’s cool to be a part of it.

I don’t know if I will squeeze in any Nikolaides exercises today. But just even saying that, I should try. It’s only 3 hours, right!? That’s not very long at all, especially if it’s broken down and spread out.

The Unknown, 2010

So, I’m getting more excited, rather than scared, about my portrait drawing class tomorrow.  It will be the first time I’ve professionally taught any kind of drawing class.  I was terrified at first because I was judging myself, but I am now confident in myself and have a rough idea of how the class will go.  I also have a potential of 5 people signed up for tomorrow! (I thought it might only be 3)  The max is 15, so I will be very pleased if I have 1/3 of that number!

Demo for portrait class

I’ve just finished a demonstration of the steps I use to get from A to B, but I think I may need to add one more step.

I will be stressing the importance of value, measuring, a lack of critical self judgment, and letting go of expectations.  I will also be helping everyone individually with their work. We will be working from a sculpture bust that I made of myself last semester.

Soon, I will be completing the painted wooden dancing figurines I am working on for a client – so excited about finishing that!  Once those are completed, I will be able to get on to the good stuff – painting a large painting for Art walk at Aria Lounge & … I have decided to pick “The Natural Way to Draw” back up.  It’s a lovely book and it was working for me before I attended Del Mar College & I am done with the art classes there, so I need to do something to hone my skills (although I am sure that the Art Center’s portrait group and teaching will greatly help with that!)

My goal is to follow the schedule of the book’s course as closely as I can & FINISH it in a timely manner.  That’s 3 hrs of self motivated drawing per day people.

You may not understand, but it’s been very difficult for me to START anything.  I research, get inspired and I read, read, read until I am overwhelmed and just cannot get myself to just START. So, this is my challenge to myself.  My only rule is not to let myself beat myself up over it if I don’t do it EVERY day.  This will only lead to more procrastination.  I need to just do yoga if I can’t bring myself to create.

My next challenge, which I don’t know when I will initiate it, is to go through all of my art books, one at a time, and read each one/study it front to back.  I tend to hoard good books and they just sit on the shelf – for some reason, I am better at reading books that I know someone else expects back. I want to stop taking it for granted that I own them.

Life Drawing of Rachel, 2010

Well, it’s been a while, but I admit, I have definitely been busy. Not all the time, but some. I waste a lot of time – in my opinion – but I want to start to change that. More on that later.

For starters, let’s do a little catching up and, perhaps, a real introduction.

I love to learn. I love to help. I love to take care of myself. I love to teach. I consider myself an eternal student, always searching for answers – either within myself, or out there somewhere. Most of all, I love art. Always.

My favorite mediums thus far are: drawing (charcoal), oil painting & sculpture.

Anyway, enough of that. You’ll learn more about me later.

I have been so excited with this year. So many opportunities and positive things have happened! The highlights, I would say, have to be that I was inducted into the new Kappa Pi Honorary Art Fraternity at my college, I was inducted into my college’s Hall of Fame, & I’m starting my first teaching gig this week! Not to mention, I might also be moving out with Ben somewhere down the road, this year! OH! I almost forgot to mention that I became a licensed massage therapist this year! That was a HUGE accomplishment for me (I finished school before the law changes, didn’t get my license, and then I had to go back to finish even more school.)

There’s more to say, but it will have to wait.  Ben is on his way home and we’re gonna grub!

I just got the heads up on a mural commission and I am a little under the weather.  I’m also getting a new, more permanent, better paying job.

Not to mention, I started up massage school at night again.

Visit me at:

http://www.amsfineart.com

http://www.twitter.com/artistangela

http://www.facebook.com/amsfineart

Painting of boyfriend watching a movie

Hello and welcome to my blog.  I am an up and coming contemporary artist living in South Texas.

I’ve created this blog to share my knowledge with other artists and to share my art work and updates with fans.

I envision this blog as a success in what I want to accomplish.  Hopefully, it will bring us together as a community of artists and art appreciators.

To the left is a sketch I did in oil paint of my boyfriend in under two hours.