Sunday, June 3, 2012

Taking It on the Road (and a Toad!)

I have never taken my art journal in public to work on.  I shrink from the idea that someone might walk by me, look over my shoulder, and see a sub-par work in progress!  And I don't feel prepared to chat about my art-making, even though I write about it on my blog all the time.

I had the opportunity to ease into public art-making this weekend, when I worked on my second ICAD for Daisy Yellow's challenge at a coffee shop while a good friend was in town visiting from Texas.  With Christina there, we could chat as I worked, and somehow that made me feel less conspicuous.  She took my picture at the Seven Stones coffeeshop in Media, so you could see my on-the-road art space:
I have my index card, along with my water brush and a set of watercolor pencils.  Later in the evening, I completed the card on the back patio, where a rubber stamp and a bottle of wine were additional art supplies:
I have to tell the story behind this little frog card:  The night before, we had a rain storm, and my husband came up from his basement workbench to tell us that a little toad was trapped in our window well, and was looking at him through the window:
With that priceless expression, this little toadie clearly earned a spot on a daily index card!  Christina and I made up a haiku together:
late night visitor
seeking the light of our home
refuge from the rain
We felt like we were back in our high school English class!

(By the way, we all went out to rescue the little guy from the window well, and set him free in our yard.)

I even bullied Christina into playing around with my water brush and markers in the little Moleskin notebook that I carry around in my purse.  She thinks she might have enjoyed herself, but she wasn't willing to confess!
Tammy provides us with some great prompts for the ICAD challenge, but it's also fun to use the cards as a kind of daily diary of something interesting that has happened that day. 

Wishing you an artful week!

21 comments:

pooky said...

What a cute little story!!! Love your little toad card:) I can see the desperation in that little toad's eyes...so cute!
♥Bev

Cappuccinoandartjournal.blogspot.com said...

That little toad is just adorable!

aprilmariecole.blogspot.com said...

Hello Andria!!
Such a pretty picture of you. :]
I like the little toad, adorable.
Watercolors on tour, great thinking!!

Cheryl said...

Watch out for when you get a little braver and start carrying paint and papers and glue and brushes in public. You'll hit the pavement running. Good job!

laurie said...

that toad is so cute - both in the window well and on your card! my husband and my nephews went the the movie "the avengers" yesterday so i hung out at the coffee house next to the theater with my art journal - pure bliss! i like to work on it away from home - if i'm home, i always feel like i need to be doing something productive.

Christina said...

One of the GREAT days from a fabulous visit! Lovely little memories all the way through! Still not ready to admit I enjoyed playing with the colors, but it was so great to watch YOU do it. Over a cup of coffee in Media, or while the girls are nappping on the sofa -- Hooray little portable art devices! :)

Carin Winkelman said...

Sweet card indeed. There's nothing like sitting in public with a friend and creating something. I have one friend with whom I do this every now and then and yes, it makes one less self conscious. We can sit for hours that way. But...I do it on my own too sometimes.

scrapwordsmom said...

That toad is cute and I don't even like toads!!! REALLY DARLING:)

I haven't looked at the prompts yet. Off to do that!!!

Karen Isaacson said...

great card and a great story to go with it. way to go on the public art making! I'm a stealthy art maker. Last summer, on two different vacations I brought a lot of art stuff and made an index card every day, but I had to sneak off to a room by myself to do it. maybe this year I can at least make art in front of the family :)

Janet said...

You really captured his little expression! And I'm happy to know he was rescued. Now you'll always remember him with your ICAD.

Janet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Oh how I love your little guy! What a great reminder of these experiences that are becoming all the more rare! Great card!

Sharon

B @ Sweet Limes said...

I find it so intimidating to work on my art in public too, but I did about a month ago and I have to say it didn't kill me!

That wee little frog is soooo cute...I would have been so tempted to keep him as a pet. You've captured him so well.

Nicky Stevenson said...

He really looks as if he is saying 'Let me in, its raining out here!' Great image and the card is a fab reminder.

Angela said...

What a cute card!

Parabolic Muse said...

OMG!! This is SO fun! You had your water brush! And you were waterbrushing!!

I have yet to do this public thing. In workshops, sure. But I'm shy about doing it in public. The art thing, I mean. I'm so glad you had a trusted friend to be there when you worked it out. Great photos.

What a great little toad. I would have named it and given it a blankie. So I'm glad you freed it.

Erin Keane said...

That is TOO CUTE!

Maggie said...

Love your toad story, making art in public, and recreating the frog on an index card! Priceless.

Joyfulploys said...

Hi Andria...great photo of you! Enjoy the ICAD process...it's lots of fun. I did it last year but I'm awful about following through on some things like that, so, I don't think I'll try it this year. I dearly love your photo of the little toad and how you managed to capture him on your card!
Mary

VivJM said...

Oh the expression on that little toad's face! Priceless.
Haiku is super too :-)

iHanna said...

Great start and outing of the iCAD! Love the toad, both the photo and your sweet drawing + haiku. :-)