Missing – Acrylic on 16″ x 16″ panel, 2011

“Soft the Sun” – Acrylic on 9″ x 12″ canvas

On a photo road trip with Joe and I really loved this tiny road to the houses in the distance.

I can tell you one thing. I never imagined I’d be watching an amazing thunderstorm outside my sliding glass door, playing the banjo as the lightning flashes. My tortoise shell cat is silhouetted against the window nicely.

My goal for 2011 was to KBA (Keep Being Awesome)…and I think I did that, even if it felt like I didn’t.

• Drew everyday for several months
• Painted many paintings, more than I ever had before
• Was there to witness my twin sisters son being born (well, right after he was born)
• Ran the Austin Half Marathon
• Submitted to a couple of art shows and got in (hey, 1 is big to me!)
• Had an awesome birthday with the amazing Julie
• Visited NYC alone and walked myself sore going to lots of museums
• Improved my roller derby skills – even if I became burned out by the end of the year
• Went to my first festival (FFFFest for a day – and proceeded to drink too much and puke a lot!)
• Lost about 25 lbs! (back to my pre-divorce weight…oh wait, smaller!)
• Got to know Joe
• Picked up my violin again, which I had almost forgotten (and am playing often)
• I’ve been introduced to all types of new music

I am listing these, because these are things I keep forgetting to reflect on. Instead I linger on insecurity, the things I am not, loss and hurt, and why I’m not doing more…the list could go on. It’s okay to reflect on those things, but not to let it overwhelm me. I’m glad that I wrote this post, as you can see from my first sentence, I just automatically assumed I’d write how unhappy I was. Tough times yes, but Gina, look what you can accomplish in tough times!

I didn’t give myself a New Year’s resolution. Maybe KBAing it, is still a worthy resolution.

“Cotton On To” – Acrylic on 16″ x 16″ panel

This is a scene I was used to growing up in south Texas. I’d see the rows and rows of tiny mountains…they’d follow me as I sat in the backseat of the blue station wagon we had. I’d imagine the chasing shadows were an animal racing alongside the car. A giraffe? Something with long legs, trying to keep up. If you don’t understand what I mean, it’s because you probably haven’t been around farm land too long. Cotton was the major crop, you’d see it strewn about the sides of the road after it had been picked.

KTP in NYC – Acrylic on 16″ x 16″ panel.

I traveled to NYC this summer to visit a friend and check out the city again. My friends, Liz and Katie have a place in Brooklyn where I was able to crash. Each day I got up with Liz and headed into the city with her. We’d part ways at Grand Central Station and meet up later in the evening. Their apartment is small but cozy…
at the time, Katie was still living in Austin, finishing out a job. They were separated for a few months, which seemed pretty difficult.
One night after I had gotten back, Katie was sitting on my couch, playing guitar. It was a pretty image, so I decided to paint her playing…but in her real apartment in NYC.

I was inspired by a painter I spotted on Tumbler named Susan Lichtman. I just really liked her forms and palette and wanted to try my hand at creating something like it, but still sticking to my own imagery. It’s a style I’d like to continue focusing on. Worrying less on the details of the image and more on shapes and the effect of light and shadows on objects. Joe mentioned Susan’s work reminds him of Fairfield Porter…who is also amazing! Check both of those artists out (and Joe!).

I am continuing to paint in all kinds of styles and trying different things. Hopefully to find a central theme within all of these seemingly random images. Although they are not random since all are based on things close and personal to me.

Just really glad to see the leaves changing colors. I got home just in time for a down pour…

First off, one of my self portraits was accepted into the Austin Art Space 12buy12 show.
If you’re interested, go check it out, it should be up until January 7th. If you’re really interested, you could even buy it! I was unable to attend the opening because I had to teach that night. But I did check it out later and snapped a couple of photos on my phone. The images are just one side of the gallery, there are a couple more walls with all kinds of art, all within the 12″ x 12″ limit. Buy one and support local art!

I also submitted work to the call for artists that the Austin City Hall People’s Gallery had. Artists should know by the end of January if they got in. If picked, artwork would be hanging for a year in their lobbies and atrium. I’m crossing my fingers and toes.

In the process of applying, I created my artist resume (statement and all). Because of this and the additional artwork I’ve made, I realize I need to make an actual artist website. This blog has been useful in tracking my progress, and will stay, but the site will have to morph. Now to find time to do that…