Day 19. Prayer for my stomach

 

The text says: Peace be with you digestive system.

Day 18. You must be the change you wish to see in the world Mantra

Today I went a little crazy with all the symbols on the way you can recycle, reduce, reuse.  I guess living trash free is still on my mind.  I'm getting a little closer to that goal.  If you know of anyone in Chicago collecting food wastes for composting -let me know...Also heavy on my mind is renewable energy.  When is the windy city going to get a wind farm? I mean we already have big buildings that screw up our view- what's a few big whirly-scrapers?  I'm also totally stoked for having signed on to a new apartment with a deck, a deck! Next summer, it's tomatoes and herbs at the very least.

P.S. Mantra: Be Responsible for our environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Eat Locally. Use alternative Energy

Day 17. Chocolate Cake

Today I made a chocolate cake, in reality and in imagery.  I was thinking I could include this in a photomontage still life...

Day 16. Postcard continued..

I wish I had more time to devote to one of my other projects tonight - but alas it was not to be...

Day 15. More Work on the Rosemont Inn Postcard

 

Day 14. Beautiful Fall Day

Day 13. New Idea

So I've had this coloring book page with this quote on it for some time now, holding on to it not sure what to do with it.  Well I think I just got an idea.  I'm going to fill up each area with photos I find online of people doing things I'd like to see more of in this world. (Myself included!)
Stay tuned for further progress.

P.S. Mantra: Connect to others - Everyone in this world is my brother or sister, we're all in this together!

Day 12. It was a beautiful day!

Lunch in the park, heat warming skin and a breeze from the south.
The world's most perfect pear. Fingertips graze across the smoothness, I smell that intoxicating pear scent-waft it right up my nose, eyes take in every curve.
I nap in the grass.
Fallen leaves, yellow, orange & still somewhat green on the ground chattering while scattering.
The sound of children playing in the park.
A moment.  My eyes meet a stranger's in a pretty purple dress, her purple star-shaped earrings and our collective smiles.

Inspired by Compassion

Daniel Goleman on compassion | Video on TED.com


Compassion is the word of the day, no word of the week, or maybe month...How about the word for the rest of our lives?
If we could all learn to see through the lens of compassion, who knows what we could accomplish?

Inspiration on Inspiration

Steven Johnson: Where good ideas come from | Video on TED.com

Day 11. Layers of Rock for Animation

In the beginning of the animation, the girl falls through the earth, falling past many different layers of earth and rock.  These are the first layers I made-although it might not be the first she falls past.

Day 10. The finished Flyer

Well here it is, the finished flyer for my friend's sister.  Look out Atlanta- Here comes the Hair Expert!

Day 9. Weaving Background

My friend asked me for some help in designing a flyer for her sister's hair weaving business.  This is the background.

Day 8. I survived my first week!

Still Life and Voyeurism

Cellular-Neuronal-Synapse Thing

I was tired of being on my computer today and thought I'd revive my "old school" collaging ways.  Sorry for the poor quality photos, they were too big to fit on my scanner, and let's face it, I was feeling lazy...

Day 7. Animating Dress Fabric Continues

Still painting/animating for the dress fabric of girl character in me & hubby's animation.  I can't decide which one I like better.  Any votes? Suggestions? Parts of them are lighter and parts are darker, I was thinking maybe I could use the light part for the bust of the dress and the dark part for the skirt. Hmmm....

Day 6. Zuni Bear Heals the Earth

The other day I was in this wonderful store, Indian Summer, that sells Native American Artworks and I was struck by this beautiful stone-carved bear with an inlaid zig-zaggy arrow going from the mouth to the belly. 
The Zuni fetish carvings, known to the Shiwi people as, wemawe, are thought to contain the spirit of the animal.  The bear represents strength, courage, adaptability, spiritual communion and have curative powers. 
Reading this made me think of only one thing, our earth.  With raging environmental changes, war, famine, racism, and all of the hateful atrocities we experience daily- Let's take a moment to say a prayer for our earth.

Day 5. Birds Fighting

Day 4. Lunchtime birds- detail

Day 4. Lunchtime birds

Today I was having lunch in the park.  I was thinking of what I could make when I got home from work when a HUGE flock of birds flew into the park.  There were hundreds of these small dark birds with black & white poka-dots on their chests.  I was entranced by the cacophony of sound, the symphony of bird song.  They searched for food in the grass hundreds-all-together, fighting over all the little bugs they found.  They took baths in a puddle.  Then out of nowhere about 15 minutes later in one swoop they gathered up and left.

Day 4. Rosemont Inn Postcard Option 2

Here's the promised cool collage for the Rosemont Inn Postcard. At least I think it's cool- what do you think?

Day 3. The Animating Dress Fabric Continues

I'm still thinking about how I want to edit it all together, but here's another part.

Day 3. Inspiration

His Holiness the Karmapa: The technology of the heart | Video on TED.com

Listened to this Ted Talk Today and felt inspired by his talking of breaking down barriers and find happiness in this moment. Hope you like it too.

Day 2. More Work towards the Animation

Working on a material for a dress for one of the characters in our animation -thought it would be cool if it was simultaneously animating.

Day 1. Animation Door

I made this door today for the animation I'm making with my husband, Nicolás Rojas.  It is just a still image for now.

Day 1. Rosemont Inn Postcard

My Parents have asked me to make them a new postcard for their B&B in Douglas, MI.
This is option 1, the straight and narrow version.  Cool Collage version coming up next!

Day 1...No More Excuses

  Today I am launching the biggest personal art project I've ever attempted.  I've been feeling in a funk lately, well more like a lazy lump.  I'm tired of working M-F making very cool interactive anatomy illustrations and then coming home only to watch the telly.  When will my own artwork get made?  I've been a half-hearted weekend warrior and I'm tired of it!  Life is short, I can't wait forever to be able to afford working part-time.  The time is NOW! 

So, for the next 365 days I will make artwork everyday, no matter what, no excuses allowed.  Then I will post my progress.  I really hope I can scare myself into doing it.  I mean if there is even one person who reads this, then I am responsible to them.  They will EXPECT to see my progress...

I would like to shout out to three people for giving me the idea for doing this.

1. Julie Powell (of the famous Julie & Julia) her 365 days of Julia Child were inspiring and made me very hungry.

2. Marissa @ New Dress a Day.  365days, 365outfits, 365dollars. Ingenious! And at the end, she will auction all of her outfits for charity.

3. Laura Collins and her very awesome All Things Connect.  One girl sewing connections one bag at a time.  I so enjoy your blog and your great bags I wish I could afford.

I didn't plan to launch this blog on September 11th.  That's just the way it happened.  But then I got thinking about how much of a tragedy 9-11 was and how helpless I felt when it happened. And I realized it's the perfect day to begin.

I've struggled for years thinking of all the ways I could help heal our world, but I keep coming back to one answer.  Making Artwork.  I know it sounds hippie.  But I feel with all my heart that our world can heal itself if we all use our voices to speak out, our hands to take action, and our hearts to feel compassion for one another.  Art just happens to be my voice.  But more than that, when I am making my work, it is very time consuming, very labor intensive- I tend to zone out (the closest to mediating I get) I spend this time in a kind of prayer.  And so this is the way I can help, sending out good energies every day and artwork that hopefully sends a good message.

Best Wishes,

Katharine Lion