Keeping myself busy

I have really good excuses for not having posted lately. I've been busy.

Still trying to get settled into the new apartment. We divided the bedroom in half, so that I could use part of it for the clean part of my artwork - drawings, computer stuff, slides, sewing. The half bedroom is going to be for the messy work, but it still has boxes in it. We put up some shelves, and I already filled them, and I still have a lot of stuff to sort through. Until that gets cleaned up though, I won't be able to put together the layers of the large drawings.

When not sorting through boxes (which I don't really spend much time doing) I have been working on the large drawings themselves (which is what I have mostly been doing). My friend Sky (her drawings are pictured in this post) and I made a pact with each other to have a strong portfolio of drawings finished by the end of June. I am way behind and these huge drawings can take a really really long time to get through - but I am still enjoying working on them, and hope to develop a fairly large body of work from them. I will post some pictures when I get them all layered together (originally I was going to latex them together, but now I am thinking soft gel medium - I need something to put on the trace that will stick the layers together and increase the transparency - anyone have any suggestions?)

I am putting together a list of powerful, empowering and emotional words for another piece I am working on. If you have suggestions please add them in the comments. I will update the list from time to time. Here's what I am working with so far:

fear, hate, love, endear, spirit, embrace, charm, spirit, light, heaven, hell, life, death, anger, joy, mock, mimic, entreaty, pathos, empathy, sympathy, pity, emote, power, strength, believe, hope, peace, war, might, sublime, kill, maim, birth, delight, savage, paradise, utopia, arcadia, absolute, dream, truth, lies, wealth, poor, honesty, clarity, wisdom, harmony, charity, freedom, kindness, inspiration, grace, confidence, energy, vitality, serenity, creativity, success, happiness, persistence, purpose...

I have also been trying to work out a good type of work to do that is entirely based on my own scheduling whims. I figured out yoga or other physical instructor; contractor of some kind (although I don't have any sale-able skills); web contractor (already doing that); or maybe writer (mmm probably not). Anyone have any ideas? Anyone want to hire me? I am super capable, and goal oriented...

Also been spending a lot of time in my head. Things I have been annoyed about:
1) Politics, politicians. Pretty much everyone and everything happening is annoying. (I have come to the conclusion that the media and mass communications are partly to blame. Instead of standing up for any real beliefs and letting voters judge them by their actions, politicians now bend in the prevailing winds, dictated by polls and media coverage).
2) The Brooklyn College FIASCO, now a lot of the artwork is damaged far beyond repair, or even better completely missing. Way to go assholes. If I was at that school I would quit immediately. I hope the students don't give this up and get some of those idiots fired. They are doing the worst job ever.
3) Eminent domain, New York City/stupid development. Its just embarrassing. Atlantic Yards, the Yankee Stadium, Fordham University, and a motor way development (gasp!) in Staten Island. Just who are these shortsighted greedy pigs? Why would anyone, I mean anyone, not whole heartedly embrace Livable Streets, rooftop gardens and green architecture. I can't even wrap my head around it. I think my brain is going to explode. I wish the Sierra Club had their latest newsletter online, it covers a lot of this.
4) The pedophilia and sexism in the artworld. Why is it that my list of artists I love is 80% females (and I think I am missing a few recent ones) and female gallerists show pathetically fewer than that? Pretty sure that in my list are some are in their late 20's, most are in their 30's and a few are 40's and 50's. Like a commenter (who's comment I can't find), when I was in grad school (the first time) it was a rarity for students to be courted by galleries, and now it is the norm? We were expected to begin our journey in grad school and then spend years in solitude developing and honing our skills. Many went to Skowhegan, some stayed in NYC enjoying sporadic curator visits (mostly from non-profits for group shows). And I hate Charlie Finch too, except when he is rewritten.
5) Print journalistm versus bloggers. I don't know many bloggers who make many claims about what they are writing as being codified in anyway, but I much prefer reading the bloggers (although I like Saltz, and think Gopnik is funny), because their musings seem more real,distilled through thoughtful minds. It also lets me find someone with whom I might share tastes and thoughts who I can rely on for good reviews or someone who is reporting on things not covered by the mass media. (To be fair, there are plenty here who roundly support blogging and all its foibles).

I am sure there are more, but I am getting 'all het up' and should stop and get back to drawing...