May 2016 – Faith Magdalene's Sundrip

Progress on Twelve and Studio

Posted on May 24, 2016May 24, 2016 by F.Magdalene

Twelve 5/24/16 — 8.5 x 11, Acrylic and Pencil, Paper

I’m always just strokes away from finishing a project, it’s the same with the painting Twelve. I have a hand full of tiny details to do, then she will be finished. After her I’ll work on one more of my pieces about this size then move into the larger paintings. The two paintings up next are at the end of the post.

My studio looks like the spoils of a police stings fromÂ the war on art supplies. I can just see a police officer putting his foot on my chair, and holding an extra large paint brush as he takes a selfie.

Perhaps it’s only that great to me. I may be a bit biased but I love my little studio and I love the

Total and complete DISASTER ZONE — As long as I paint it’ll never be clean. May it never be clean.

privacy of it. My living room used to share space with the studio but I really don’t want everyone and their brother to see every single thing I paint every time I paint something. Besides, I can destroy this little corner by painting one 5 x 7. I don’t want people to see how bad it actually gets when I start working. Having it in my bedroom gives me privacy which gives me the comfort to paint and hang whatsoever I please.Â Continue reading “Progress on Twelve and Studio”

Art and the explosion of emotion

Posted on May 24, 2016 by F.Magdalene

I tried everything I could to photograph, scan or whatever to get this painting to show its true face. I thought because of its online presentation it might be with me awhile, not so.

Passion Flower She now has a wall of her own. — Passion Flower
She now has a wall of her own.

Passion Flower will go to its new home and will take along with it the little girl with the funny feet called Dandelion Fields. These two paintings now have a wall of their own.

Is my dry spell over? Let us hope so. No matter what, I will keep painting and posting.

Recently I started reading more poetry blogs along with survivor blogs. I can’t help myself, poetry and art blogs are addictive. I’m happy I can’t be seen reading. Lol. Sometimes my hand covers my mouth in shock, something I turn off the tablet, roll to the side and cry. The worst is when I leave a comment. They’re usually full of emotion, very alive! Later I’m a little embarrassed I was so emotional but that doesn’t stop me from returning. Lol Continue reading “Art and the explosion of emotion”

Making Room for More

Posted on May 22, 2016May 21, 2016 by F.Magdalene

Ah, it’s time to start really thinning things out at home. I’ve tackled one corner of my room that has been bugging me for a good long time. It’s the space where I hold all my old art journals and writing journals.

A person can only have so much art before it starts to come out of places it shouldn’t, so I’m cleaning out the studio. Here’s what I’m doing, as much as it hurts to do so, some complete art journals are being tossed outÂ whileÂ some are being kept. Some that are being thrown away have drawings taken out of them that I’ll keep.

As far as the journals that are being kept, they’re being stored in a waterproof and air tight container. The individual pieces are stored in a filing system thingamabob. In a day or two I will start scanning theÂ individual pieces then put them up on Etsy.

Continue reading “Making Room for More”

Therapy Review: Permission to Speak

Posted on May 16, 2016March 20, 2022 by F.Magdalene

I saw my psychiatrist today. We talked about the suicidal feelings. She asked if I feel suicidal at the Kingdom Hall. I said no, I feel like I can make it one more day. She and my psychologist suggested I stick close to the brothers and sisters. but especially try my best to be there in person.

I know my attitude stinks. I’ve got to pray much more about that……

Dr. DÂ and I are taking on an art project where I let my body speak. Often I form experiences and emotions on canvas but they’re from my head. They’re all but photographs of my mind at that time. The rather large therapy painting will be a painting where body expressesÂ itself as it goes through medicalÂ changes.

Imagine not speaking the language of anyone around you. Pictures are all you’ve got to tell how you experience the world, the world where there is only one person, one physical being. Now that body hasÂ to try and free itself of silence so that bitterness is released. It needs to speak and I can tell and I have a feeling this assignment will be very emotional, humbling and beneficial. I think I’ll have a sense of freedom. I think it’ll give me relief.

A moment of self talk

Continue reading “Therapy Review: Permission to Speak”

How I Think. What I Want.

Posted on May 15, 2016May 15, 2016 by F.Magdalene

I understand Jackson Pollock more than any other artist.

I feel so deeply when reading van Gogh that I have to stop and catch my breath.

I want to be bold. I want to take creative risks. The colors of Klee and Gauguin are honest, and bold. Sometimes I don’t feel so bold as to put on canvas what I truly want to put there.

I wonder if all artists know they speak through art, that it’s their language. But do other artists feel as though they’re constantly searching for their voice? I know art is my language but I’m struggling right now to find the voice of today.

Jordan

Walking With Roses

Posted on May 14, 2016March 20, 2022 by F.Magdalene

Ever have one of those days when you were okay for five minutes butÂ torn up the next? I’ve had several of those recently. I can’t put my finger on one thing, not sure I need to. I just know my head doesn’t feel right. I’m trying to help myself, pick myself up a little bit.

I had my nightly cry, sketched a little on the painting called Twelve and then decided to brave the stairs and take out the trash. Really, I just needed to be outÂ of here andÂ breathe.

I know I just said this on a blog I first read today. I said we see people walking down the street and they seem more grounded than we are. Well, as I walkedÂ around the courtyard I couldn’t help but feel grounded. What grounded me? Choice. Having choices, not feeling backed into a wall, not feeling as if I’m at the mercy of life itself. Being outside with no nurse, no friend standing guard, just me, I felt free. The feeling of being stuck, of being in prison washed away quickly….because I let it.Â Continue reading “Walking With Roses”

Art Therapy in the Etsy Shop

Posted on May 14, 2016March 20, 2022 by F.Magdalene

I paint with my heart and all but bleed on canvas. Painting is a powerful way to release anxiety and thoughts that pound my skull. While art as a whole is therapeutic for me, there are certain pieces that were created specifically as therapy with my psychologist. As I thin out the amount of art in my home, I’d like to make available on a continued basis, some of the art pieces created during my therapyÂ sessions or at a later time.

As I said, art therapy has been one of the most powerful tools in my healing process. I can’t explain to you the relief I feel knowing that some of my abuse memories have lost their sting when I was professionally guided with the tool of art therapy.

Continue reading “Art Therapy in the Etsy Shop”

How to Remove Unwanted Embellishments and Stickers

Posted on May 14, 2016May 15, 2016 by F.Magdalene

What if you like a painting but you don’t want it mounted on the board or you wish to remove an embellishment on an art piece? Well, let me tell you how.

Let’s start with this painting as an example. This is called Blues Garden. The painting is an emotional art therapy piece created in blue, gray and rose, with a wash. I’ve drawn a young woman with her head to the side and several flowers around her. I do like this painting, especially framed, but I have mixed feelings concerning the largest sunflower at the bottom. First of all, I put it there because to hide the words “No Peace” written in white crayon.

Lets say a buyer likes the art, but too has reservations about the sunflower. Well, lets show how to remove it.

Before you begin, you must figure out if the embellishment has been given a permanent seal or is raw such as the sunflower in the painting Blues Garden. Some embellishments, dye cuts, stickers and additions look best without a seal and are on the final art piece in their raw, natural form. Other additions have an obvious finish. You should not attempt to remove these as it will tear the image.Â Continue reading “How to Remove Unwanted Embellishments and Stickers”

Crazy. Unstable.

Posted on May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 by F.Magdalene

Today I realized I’m crazy. I’m not right. Plain and simple. No, I don’t kill people or stalk or have any of those types of craziness issues. It’s the craziness where I’m ok one day but the next I’m far gone.

I’m angry.

I’m afraid of being left.

I’m argumentative then deeply remorseful 5 min later. The blast of anger comes out to friends and blindsided them. You can almost see the deer in the headlights look in their eyes.

I overflow with emotion sometimes to the point of exhausting myself.

I want to leave my friends alone because I don’t want to hurt them. I feel this shame inside like I can’t drag them through this anymore. How many times is I’m sorry enough?

Robert, 19

African American Art Doll. African Inspired Custom Order.

Posted on May 9, 2016May 9, 2016 by F.Magdalene

I remember saying I wasn’t going to do dolls anymore. I just couldn’t get into it the way I was. Something interesting happened though, a woman who purchased a doll from me in 2009 contacted me to ask if I still make dolls. She wanted the doll to look a certain way. At first I was nervous because I thought, how am I going to make a doll when my head is a total mess and my body is running on the fumes of fumes. Still, I said yes. I’m happy I did. I really needed to remember that I can still make a quality doll.

I was concerned about making her without a down payment because a few doll sales fell through. I was a bit cautious but with a down payment in hand I went ahead and made her doll.

Just like before, no pattern was used. I used my machine to sew the main parts of the lower body. The head was sewn by hand. She is painted from head to toe by hand. Her face is hand drawn and painted. Her hair is two different types of yarn that give it a nice dark texture. Continue reading “African American Art Doll. African Inspired Custom Order.”