How Rude!

So yesterday evening, I was fixing dinner and getting ready to eat when I got a phone call on my land line.

No one ever calls me on my land line. No one interesting that is. I checked the phone number and I could tell that it was an unlisted number.

Typically, I don't answer if I don't recognize the number. But with family and friends scattered all around the world, I decided to answer it.

Me: Hello?
Guy: Hello!!!! Is this the lady of the house?

Me: Staring at the phone. This person obviously does not know me. Or else, he would never call me lady of the house. What an antiquated term! Just like the word house wife. Who marries a house? When I stayed at home and raised my kiddos, I hated it when people called me a house wife. I would always tell them, "I married a man and not a house. I stay at home and raise my kids. If somewhere along the line I take care of the house, good deal. But I am not married to the house!"

Anyways. You can probably sense my mood by now. I was having one of those power surge moments. My family would probably say that I've been having a decade of power surges but let's ignore them. Shall we?

Me: Who is this? Is this a solicitation phone call? I am on the do not call list.
Guy: Well mam I am calling to let you know about the pest control service we are offering in your neighborhood.

Me really wanting to say: And would that entail getting rid of pests like you who call me at inconvenient times? Even though I am on the do not call list?

Me exercising some self control: Thanks so much for the offer but I am not interested and kindly remove my number from your list.

Guy: But wait Mam! You really haven't heard about the wonderful deal I have to offer!!!

Me not too happy: You know what? This is not a good time for me. Why don't you give me your name, your cell phone number, your home address and your email id and I will get back with you as soon as possible.

Guy: Uuuummm... We are not allowed to give you our personal information. But you can contact our office at...

Me: Really? You have all my personal information and can call me anytime but I can't call you? Isn't that a tad ironic?

Guy: Hmmmm...

And. then. he. hung. up. on. me.

How rude! How very rude!

Ok I get it. He is just trying to do a job and make a semi-honest living. I say semi-honest because I am on the do not call list and he should not be calling me. He either hasn't checked the list or doesn't care about it. Not very honest or smart in my opinion.

So there you have it. A phone solicitor hung up on me. Can you top that?

Ugh!

Based on what I have posted lately, you must thing that I am making amazing progress as an artist.

Not true.

This piece started off very lovely.





See?

And then aliens invaded my body. Or... I went crazy.

Pardon my french but WTF?

I made a few mistakes and tried to correct them. And I made mistake after mistake.

All I wanted to do was draw a cool looking eye in the center. Or something. And what the heck did I do?

Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!

This painting looks like a fish is going to an ER and threw up on the way.

Ugh times million.

But...

I think I'll start over on this one. I have no choice.

And I'll keep you posted.

Encaustics

So yesterday, I went to the most amazing encaustics workshop ever. Taught by the uber talented artist Sharon Kyle Kuhn, it was the most fun I've ever had with beeswax, wooden panel and a heating gun.

For those who don't know, encaustics is an ancient art. It was almost a lost art form until artists like Sharon revived it. Not only did she revive it, she also made it current and relevant for today's world. I am a HUGE fan of her artwork. Unlike faux arteests like me, she is a true artist. I mean who wakes up in the morning and goes... today I am going to take a mother board, glue it to a wooden panel and pour hot lime-green wax over it.

How creative!

So these are some pieces I made yesterday.




Some commonly asked questions about this form of art.

Is this a new art form?

Nope. It is an ancient art.

Will the wax melt?

Nope. Typically, you add a resin to the beeswax that prevents it from melting.






In this workshop, we used found objects to embed in the artwork. I used some leftover Italian yarn. But you can use any thing from leaves, to beads, to wine corks to anything. And instead of color pigments, you can add turmeric, red pepper, saffron etc.

Fun. Right?

So what do you think I should call these pieces?

Funk

I guess I've been in a funk lately.

On paper it looks like I am doing so much. But I feel like I'm bored and on a road to nowhere. Just running around in circles.

You guys ever go through that?

Any suggestions for me? How do I get out of this funk?

Do tell. I am open to all ideas (G rated) and the weekend is just around the corner.

Ugh. I can already anticipate getting at least one comment that involves exercise.

Double Ugh. But at this point, I am ready to try almost anything. So do tell!

Sunflowers

Painting with A

This weekend, I got together with my friend A. and we both painted some. It was fun.

She is using oils and I can tell you that they are messier than acrylics. And less forgiving. Here is what she is working on.



It is not complete yet. We'll get together at some point again and paint some more.

I made one painting that is absolutely horrible. Will have to post a photo soon. I'll have to fix it but am not sure what to do. So I am just letting it sit.

Here is hoping that you all have a fantastic week.