Showing posts with label joyful project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joyful project. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

2010 - New Decade - Big Changes

Yep - there are some big changes a-foot for me. I have been spending a lot of time and putting a lot of effort and prayer and thought into some serious soul searching, goal setting and planning.

Before I get into that - if I even do - I want to tell you  I MISSED you guys!! It has been a very long time since we have met together here in blog-world, or cyber-space. Thank you friends and followers - for hanging in there with me and being patient.

Here is a little  bit about some of the changes. You will just have to watch and see some of them as they take place, becasue even I don't know what they look like yet.

Oh, where to start? Let me do it this way:

1. In a nut shell, I have been contemplating giving up painting on any real serious or regular basis and pursuing business or something else. So far painting has not been all that profitable for me. I was building a business and an income on eBay when I listened to "Nay-Sayers" that criticized my doing it and discouraged me from selling on eBay and so, against my greater desire, I backed off that. I am sorry I listened to them. However - that is water under the bridge.
The fact is I love to paint, I love to make things, I love art. It is a gift that God has given me - I cannot neglect it. So I am not quitting.

2. However, I really enjoy people and I really enjoy business. Being a studio artist can be very, very isolating. I want more people interaction in my life - real, live, warm, breathing, sit across the table and touch them kind of people. While I love my internet friends and appreciate you all - I need more live humans in my life to be balanced and happy. That is another gift that God has given me and I can't neglect that either.

3. I love playing on the internet and spend WAY too many hours doing it. I am intrigued by the idea of making money by being online, I am intrigued by network marketing. I am curious. I think it can work to supplement my income, thus taking some of the pressure off my artistic endeavors, allowing me to be even more experimental and free in my art.

4. I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God, my Savior, my All. Don't freak out - I am not going to beat you with my Bible - LOL. But the fact is I am a believer and it is an enormous part of who I am. The truth is I have tried pretty hard to avoid saying to much "religious" stuff on my blog for fear of offending anyone. That will end right here.

5. I am politically interested and active. I am a conservative with some libertarian leanings. Or maybe I am a libertarian with heavy conservative leanings. Not sure how to categorize me but I am patriotic - I LOVE my country, I love our Constitution and Bill of Rights and I will fight for it.  Again - I have kept my political views pretty much separate from my art. The majority of the art community are liberals and progressives, and I am sorry to say I have lost a few "friends" from posting my political comments here.  I will probably continue to keep my views separate - you can always check my "I May Not Be A Genius, But...." blog. On the other hand...maybe not, we will see.

6. I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time and energy trying to keep my art, my spirituality, and my businesses all separate. I was afraid that my art friends would be annoyed and bored with my business endeavors, and my business friends wouldn't care at all about my art, and any spiritual or religious aspects would just annoy everyone. It has made me feel very fragmented - and it just makes so much more work for myself.

So I guess it all boils down to this: I am a believer who is a full time artist with an interest in the health and wellness industry, and also network marketing. That is me and that is who I am. It might be a little bit of a strange mix, or maybe not, it is what it is.

I am going to be working to get all of  "me" merged into mostly  one place. I do not yet know how I will be doing this but I will be doing it - watch and see what happens.

I have not been painting. As I said I have been contemplating, praying, seeking, trying to figure out how to organize and put this all together into one cohesive whole me, or thing, whatever.  I don't have all the answers yet. But since God won't drive a parked car, I have put myself in drive and I am moving. It will be an adventure to see where this all takes me.

You will be seeing much more abstract work from me. I have to - and I mean I HAVE to - finish the Joyful-Joyful project. I will probably continue the traditional Hymns painting series - I already have another hymn in mind for after Joyful-Joyful. My paintings will be changing I think - much more intuitive - we will see, won't we?

I am THRILLED to announce that I have lost 36.6 pounds as of today and have 21.6 more pounds to go to reach my tentative goal. I feel great and I look pretty darn good - at least compared to where I was. If any of you are interested in what I am doing to lose the weight please email me. I have information and a link for where you can get the product I use. I am an affiliate for this product, I get a small commission. My affiliate agreement does not permit t me to post the link anywhere on line - so email me for it. That is the only way I can get the information to you. It is amazing how effective and easy this has been. Eventually there will be a permanent reminder about it on this site.

Also I found an incredible new product called SoZo, made from the fruit of the coffee plant that is just amazing. It is loaded, and I mean loaded with anti-oxidants. Like 625 times the anti-oxidants of blueberries. One 3 oz serving of this tasty beverage is the equivalent of 16-20 servings of fruits and vegetables. The testimonials of people who have been using it are pretty incredible. There will be links to that on my site in the near future, until then check out www.sozolife.com/nsdavis or www.nathaliedavis.com (still under construction but should be up and running any day now - there are links there now that will take you to more information) or just email me.

I think one of my first goals is to start making enough income from SoZo, my online network marketing, and of course my paintings, to be able to rent a big studio space in a very public place where I can paint and still have people around me a lot. I don't get lonely and I don't have problem being alone, but when I can go a month or more without ever leaving my house - I wouldn't even have to get dressed if I didn't want to - well, that really isn't the way I want to live anymore. I am not complaining - there are things I really like about that lifestyle - I just want more now.

That is more than enough for now. I don't have a painting but I can't leave you without a picture of some sort.

This is the Riu Santa Fe Resort where we stayed in Cabo San
Lucas last week. It was just beautiful.


The grounds were just stunning with neatly trimmed blooming bougainvillea hedge rows everywhere. I can't believe I got these picture without people in them - what luck! Although they said the resort was full and the place was huge - it never seemed crowded at all.





I have no idea how many pools there are at this place - but this vanishing edge pool was the one closest to our room. It was cool to see cruise ships come in several times. We had a wonderful time. even though we had never been to Cabo San Lucas, we never left the premises. We had seminars for most of the morning and we just relaxed and chilled and visited with amazing people we met there. We had a great time.


Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Joyful Project Painting


#10
5" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

Yes I painted this a little while back - with the others. I am really dropping the ball I guess, but I am working very hard, earning a few buck and then I can buy some new canvases to paint on - yay! I will be busy completing the work at my friends house - we are making great progress, it is a big, big job. Then we have guest from out of town, then off to Ohio for a week or so to see my mother - who I have not seen in 2 years. Lot's going on right now.
Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

New Painting - #9 in Joyful Project



#9 Joyful-Joyful Project
5" x 7"
acrylic on paper

...another less than stellar photo because of the reflective nature of the interference color. The central white area has a warmer yellowish tone in real life.. I will try to reshoot these later. I have a temporary part time job helping a friend organize her house and studio and then paint the rooms, so I may not be posting for a while. But hang in there - I will be back soon and be checking in.
Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Thursday, April 16, 2009

New Painting

#8 in Joyful Project
8" x 5"
Acrylic on Paper

We had a really nice Easter, and hope you did too. It's good to get back to painting. I feel like I have been spinning my wheels - not getting anywhere and having trouble focusing. Working on the garden, and still working on my website. I started reorganizing all of my photos on my computer and got interrupted so many times that now I can't find where I filed half of them. Seems like I have taken steps backward instead of forward. Well, I have several paintings from today and some in progress. They are all small, but I put so much thought into them that they take almost as long as if I were painting large. Then I feel guilty for painting so small - even though I like painting small - I seem to think I should be painting large. Ugh - I am driving myself nuts! Then I look at them and think - what the heck? I am not sure if I like these or not - or if it is just this restless place I am in right now. The colors seem more garish than joyful...again. I think I will go sit in a chair and stare into space. I have been pretty good a that these past few days. Geesh, I just re-read my last few posts and I see I have been a real downer for a while now. Yuck, that has gotta change! Until tomorrow...another shot of San Diego springtime.




Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

New Painting - Untitled 7


Untitled 7
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
acrylic on paper

This painting is my favorite of the four - at least it is today. Here is another taste of San Diego Springtime. My wonderful husband drove me on and off the freeway trying to get around to all of the ramps so I could take pictures. Truth is - he loves this interchange too and was his idea to go drive by it.


I have a couple of videos on my "Genius" blog that are worth taking a look at. One of them is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid explaining our voluntary taxes that will leave you laughing, or crying - or just plain speechless -

Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Monday, April 06, 2009

New Painting - Untitled 6


Untitled 6
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

Here is another that I painted ahead. I really like this one too. Boy, am I glad I did paint ahead too. I seem to be having a hard time getting a grip and getting things done! I am very, very eager to get back in the studio - but I also have to get the garden - which I have completely neglected - built up, planted and growing again. We have been enjoying fresh from the garden salad but I never replanted and now we are all out. We are expanding our garden space too. Building raised bed frames and tucking them in where ever we can find a little sun - which is not a very easy task since we "live in a hole." I am putting my name on the waiting list for the few community gardens around here - but they are all a 2-3 year wait!

I don't even really want to bring up the web site - I am on the verge of hiring someone! I got all my photos together and then spent hours saving them for the web - or so I thought! I did something very wrong becasue now they are so blurry you can't even make out what some of them are! I will get it - it just takes so darn much time - even though I love learning - once again this seem s like an unreasonabley huge learning curve. This is truly a love/hate project - today the hate is winning!

Oh - and I wanted to share some San Diego spring time with you. Every year there is an expressway interchange that is unbelievably gorgeous! The ice plant is so brilliant it almost hurts your eyes. So enjoy - I will just post one of these each day this week I think.




Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Thursday, April 02, 2009

New Painting - Untitled 5


Untitled 5
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
Acyclic/Collage on paper



Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

New Painting - Untitled 4


Untitled 4 (Joyful Project)
7" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

I have painted ahead a little bit today - I have about 4 done or nearly done in this same "family." I am getting closer....; D Yay. The colors aren't quite what I want - still a little harsh. I think there has to be a balance between bright and intense and soft and light. The energy I want is pretty much there. I haven't found it yet - but I confess I am finally having a great time doing these now and they are getting easier in a way - "freer" maybe, or not quite so stressful - oh heck - I don't know the exact right words - maybe "funner" is it.
Hopefully working ahead a bit will allow me a little extra time to work on my web site - that thing is a mess! and I have let it slide for way too long.

Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Daily Painting - Untitled 3



Untitled 3 (Joyful-Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

I am really questioning my good sense tonight - this is a HORRIBLE photo of this painting. "The Dog Stealer" got home from about 10 days of travel today, and I burned up all the daylight hanging out with him. I did this painting early this morning before he got home and I promised myself I'd get it posted today, so I used my flash (horrors!) to take this and get it posted. I will re-shoot and replace it later. So I kept my promised to myself, and that is good I guess. It also does help me to "see" my paintings in a different light - and now I am not so sure this is finished. But I do have to say it is a bit closer to that "Joyful" thing I am going for.

Today - 4/1/09 - I replaced the really horrible photo with the better one. I don't know if this will republish and be sent out or not - we will see.


Have you visited me here?
I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Monday, March 30, 2009

Today's Painting

Untitled (Joyful Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in the Joyful Project. I guess I can stop saying that as that is pretty much all I am working on now. While I like this piece, and in general I mostly like the abstract work I have been making - it is still not anywhere near what I want it to be. I am trying to express a feeling - that is pretty personal, and when I look at these I do not see what I am trying to express. I will not be happy or feel successful until I get much closer. One of my biggest barriers is that I am not an emotional person. I am definitively a joyful person, just not emotionally expressive - so working on a painting project which is all about expressing a feeling is a difficult challenge. There seems to be a huge gap and disconnect between my head/intellect and my emotions. These painting are one thing in my head and when I start applying paint they become something entirely different. On one level that is OK - great in fact - but on another level it is very frustrating.


Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Friday, March 27, 2009

Painting again


Untitled Joy
10" x 8"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in my Joyful-Joyful Project. Again, I am not sure if this is the final format - I am still flipping it around and upside down and studying it. Right now I am leaning toward this format, also I am waiting until I feel the Project is near completion before I give them final titles. Tentatively this might be Encroaching Joy - or something like that - who knows? I don't have too much to say today really - busy trying to get re-focused, caught up and back on track - I am totally out of clean laundry!

Thank you again for all of the emails and support for my daughters. If you haven't yet read about my daughter in Los Angeles - check out her story here.

Also DO NOT MISS the videos on my blog too - of Bob Basso as Thomas Paine.





Visit me here:
I May Not Be A Genius, But...
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Dog Stealer is Finished!


The Dog Stealer and The Traitor
48" x 60"
oil on canvas

Whew! I am finished, except for varnishing. I am so very grateful for digital cameras. I have such a hard time photographing these larger pieces, I would have spent a fortune in film if it weren't for digital. I carried this thing all over the house and out in the back yard - It is just hard to find a spot big enough with even lighting to get a good photo. This will have to do. Over all I am pretty happy with the painting. Glad it is finished. Now I want to really focus and immerse myself in the Joyful Joyful Project for a while.

Visit me here:
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

New Paintings

I have been busy - busy - busy!!! I believe Dog Stealer is finally finished - I am trying not to look at it for a while after studying it for several hours the other day. Of course there are things I am not happy with - as always - but over all I think I am done. I will get the final photo up in the next few days - providing I don't change my mind and repaint stuff. I am at a place where I either can't see what needs to be fixed or I am not concerned enough to fix the stuff I see - seems like a stopping point to me. This one definitely needs to be varnished - so I have to wait for it to dry enough to do that too.

So here are some abstracts I've been working on in the Joyful-Joyful project. While they might be OK in and of themselves I don't think they are hitting the target as far as what I am trying to express. This is killing me - who would have ever guessed that this abstract business would be so darn challenging?? Certainly not me!


Untitled 2b - vertical
12" x 24"
acrylic on hardboard


Untitled 2a - horizontal
12" x 24"
Acrylic on hardboard

I am showing 2 views of these as I am not certain which way I like them best yet - or even if they are finished.



Untitled 1a - Vertical
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled 1b - Horizontal
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled Abstract
24" x 24"
Acrylic collage on hardboard

I am pretty sure I like this one this way, so no point in boring you with other views. Actually I do this for me too - there is something about seeing my painting online that enables me to view them more objectively. I really get a different feel for them, so it's really helpful for me to look at them this way too.

Comments and votes for which direction you like best are welcome.

Visit me here:
www.NathalieDavis.com
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Thursday, February 19, 2009

New Painting forJoy Project


Joy in the Morning
12" x 16"
Acrylic on hardboard

The title is tentative. The titles for all of these "Joy Project" paintings are tentative. Actually I think what I would like to do is get a bunch done and put them together, and then name them - while they are all together, I actually think they will "tell" me their names then. I like this one, but it is actually a bit darker than what I was going for. Actually I am not sure about it - but I will set it aside as part of the project for now and see how things develop. I am short on patience these days - still battling headaches -and allergies, and generally feel cruddy. Ugh. It seems like I just keep slipping further and further behind and having less and less energy. "This too shall pass" and I am so ready for it to.

Oh gosh - I almost forgot to tell you! I got the coolest birthday present over the weekend from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law - BUGS and Butterflies! The bugs are beetle type things from Indonesia and the iridescent colors and patterns are amazing! and the butterfly is magenta and lavender and green and black one one side and browns and green on the other, from Papua New Guinea. They are mounted under glass so I haven't had any luck getting photos yet, but I will keep trying. For sure I will be doing paintings from them. Incredible. I think birds and bugs and tropical fish are often like God's jewelry for the earth - such beautiful and amazing little creatures. Oh look - I found the butterflies on www.butterfly-design.com which is where they came from. I think the colors on mine are much richer than shown here - but you get the idea. Awesome.






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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

New Daily Painting - ACEO


"Heart Flower" - (Sketch)
2.5" x 3.5"
Oil on gessoed board

Does anyone ever really catch up? Being behind just seems like a constant in my life. I have not painted since last Wednesday or Thursday and it makes me feel - well - icky, restless, antsy. I guess I NEED to paint. I did this little ACEO sized painting as a sketch for the Joyful Project - trying to work through some stuff. I actually did it early last week, before the abstract - It will probably go up on "FeeBay" when I get around to it. Oh look! - the sun is out, I have potatoes I want to plant - I have never grown potatoes, so maybe I can get out there and pot them up today. It has been cold and rainy here for days and days and days, and I feel like I have a "gloomy day hang-over" from it - I need a kick start - No painting for me today - again. It is after 1PM - I am still in my robe - and by the time I get myself moving it will be time to get ready to go to dinner for my birthday.

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

New Painting - I am thrilled


Untitled - as of now, I have a couple in mind though
24" x 12"
Acrylic and charcoal on hardboard

I did this in class yesterday - and I am so happy with it that I don't care if it is not polite or whatever to be so darn happy with your own stuff. It has energy, the colors and the feeling of the painting is joyful and light - and the textures and marks are exactly as they should be. It is exactly what I am going for - right out of my head - no reference. This is a HUGE breakthrough for me and I am downright thrilled!! Go me!! ; ) I will get a grip and be more humble tomorrow - but for today I celebrate. Can I do it again? - I don't know, but I did it once...that is a good sign. Excuse me - I have to go dance around now and giggle - see ya later.

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Monday, February 02, 2009

About that dream...

I got up this morning - reluctantly, as I usually do - shuffled to my Wii and did my yoga with my virtual trainer - who I am beginning to love. She tells me "your doing great" and "you have great posture" even though I have just completely fallen over and off of the balance board. I grabbed my morning bowl of cereal and sat down to my email and right off, first thing, found a link to collage artist and sculptor Margaret Conte. I love the whimsical nature of her work but the thing that hit me like a ballbat is her artist's statement - right there - staring me in the face:

“My sculpture is about making a word, a phrase,a part of a song, or my thoughts into something tangible using discarded pieces of wood as well as designed elements. “
Margaret Conte

Why the big deal you ask? Read on...

Those of you who follow my blog and writings already know that I had an unusual dream on Jan 6th, (which is by the way my husbands birthday). It came complete with "smell-a-vision" sort of (if you are new to the blog just scroll back to Jan 6th if you want to know). Yesterday morning (Sunday) we went to church for the first time in months and months and months. We really have never connected to any churches here since we moved here from Dallas area - where there was a multitude of churches we loved - not so much here in San Diego. The kind of churches we attend seldom, if ever, sing classic hymns. They are much more contemporary, but we walked in and they were singing "Joyful-Joyful We Adore Thee" - one of the maybe 3 classic hymns I know - it was a contemporary version - but it was the Hymn nonetheless. They project the words to the songs up on screens to make it easier to sing along. I immediately went on high alert, got goosebumps, and instead of seeing lyrics I saw painting titles on the screen, almost as if the titles were in bold letters, but I know they weren’t. It was that clear and strong though. I went home, Googled the lyrics and there they were - 45 titles for the paintings in this series. So - this week I will wrap up all the loose ends I can and buckle down on creating the 40-45 paintings in what I am calling the "Joyful-Joyful" project. This is a DAUNTING task - how in the world can I ever put such abstract thoughts and phrases into something visual that evokes an emotion in the viewer? and in me? I mean really - I sit a person, a pear, maybe a photograph. or on a risky day a flower, down in front of me and paint it. Can I do this? How? I have no idea right now ... but I can't really remember feeling so confident and excited and CLEAR about something - at least not for a very long time. Now read back to Margaret Contes quote - get the connection? Encouragement! Confirmation. Bright and early - first thing in the morning. Coincidence? I don't think so...

And now for your viewing pleasure - Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee as interpreted by Hollywood in the movie Sister Act 2





(or go here to see it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_c_MHkba5c)

By the way - having the title to these paintings before they are even painted is like having the hardest, worse part over with already - in a way - I am the WORST - absolutely the lamest - at titling my paintings! It is the hardest thing ever - that's why I number them so often.




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