Back in the Studio!

Notice that I used a capital “S”...’cause I feel like my studio has it’s own personality and presence. It’s where I experiment, get sh*t done, teach, nap, snack, create, explore, entertain...it means so very much to me!  

Here’s a sample of one of my upcoming classes...sooooo pretty!

I’ve been traveling for the last couple of weeks, and now I’m back, hitting the ground running! I’ve got a lot of new classes coming up, including an entire series at the YMCA in Hornell, NY. So excited!

I’m also prepping my talk to a group of teenagers in Elmira...I’m trying to channel my inner Tony Robbins. Yes yes yes!! (Booming voice!)

...and then there are the 2 “secret for now” projects I’m producing. I can’t wait to chat about these with you...stay tuned!

What sort of projects are you working on?

LOVING my studio space!

"There are always flowers for those who see them." --Henri Matisse

And I want to see A LOT of flowers! 

One of my artist heroes is Ashley Longshore. Photos of her studio in New Orleans always show huge bouquets of exquisite flowers. I'm following her lead in my studio. How can you NOT be inspired with these lovelies lookin' at you all day?


I am having a great time working in my new studio space in Hornell. I feel really lucky to have found it!

 Here are a couple of paintings I started working on during my art trip in Lucca Italy. I want to create more works like this, on paper with lots of paint. My dear friend MG (also a fabu artist) says (something like): "People don't use enough paint!" She's right! Let's use ALL THE PAINT people!! (oh, and my scarf is one of my creations that can be found on my Redbubble shop)


What have you been up to? I've been busy with happy art stuff and teaching fun classes...please do check out my Instagram feed to see more...it's purdy over there! :)

Holy Ribbon Cutting Batgirl!

Don’t you just love this young artist and her bunny ears! She’s a new friend and a keeper!

Thanks to the group for helping me celebrate! 

Holding the end of the ribbon is the amazingly talented Bridget Bossart van Otterloo. 

Look her up and buy her art/take her classes!

(All the !!!!)

So much love!!

So a lot has happened in the last month...went to Europe to take a class with the fabu Carmelo Blandino, rented an “official” art studio in Hornell, NY, and celebrated said space with friends (new & old!) and family :)

Cupcakes made by the fabu Sweet Sarah’s Kitchen in Corning, NY :) Vegan delish!



My Redbubble shop merchandise is slowly growing and I’m excited that people are choosing to wear, use, and gift my artwork. I truly feel “HASHTAG BLESSED”!  Click on the link below to head over to my shop. :) Thank you!

www.redbubble.com/people/filomenajack

3 Weeks of Learning: Week 2 update

Busy busy busy (and also restful and meditative)

I participated in an online meditative hypnosis session with Mind Valley Academy led by Marisa Peer a couple of days ago. It was pretty neat. I put in my earbuds, closed the drapes, and sat back on some comfy pillows. It was relaxing and opened up some some new portals of understanding about what makes me tick. Interesting stuff!

I'm also about half way through the Mindy Lacefield baby animals class (painting tutorials). I'm happy to report that my sketching abilities really seem to be advancing! High five!

We were *supposed* to be painting on small 6" squares...but you know me...I always feel the need to change things up...so I'm going with 16x20" canvases LOL!

I had intended for this to just be a sweet lil' puppy looking bashful, but, as you can clearly see, it looks like a sweet lil' puppy taking a poop. C'est la vie!  It makes me laugh!

3 Weeks of Learning: Week 2

I wonder if I'm making as much progress as I would have liked...or if perhaps my "to do" list has just morphed a bit from where I thought it would be.

In the last couple of days I've started a new painting (which I don't as yet love), began work on 2 online classes (hands and baby animal portraits), partially conquered a pretty major panic point (i.e. dog parks), and began to conduct artist interviews that will become a podcast series.  All while battling some wicked sinuses and artist/life glumness (and a full moon!)

Oh, and technology ...still working through some new apps and software to get things rolling. One of the projects includes migrating this here blog over to Wordpress. Light a candle for me! :)

That's a lot to report, right? Not bad for just 7 days! Here's to the next 2 weeks of learning!

3 Weeks of Learning: Day 4 recap

Yesterday I learned that sinusitis plus diphenhydramine will knock you on your ass.
Bummer. Day lost.

Plus the WiFi was down (first world problem,  I know), so I started a new sketchbook.  One of the online classes I am enrolled in is all about learning to draw hands but I am unable to connect until the tech issues are solved so I just started tracing and shading.  Welcome back to 1st grade y'all!  ;)

3 Weeks of Learning, Day 1 recap

I hit the ground running yesterday...spent a lot of the day working on my podcasting skills. I feel like there are 2 ends of the recording spectrum you can go with in this genre...techie tech tech, or low brow.  I *thought* I was going to use garage band on my beloved iPad Pro...but after spending a couple of (years), NO, just hours (I can be So dramatic!)...I just can't seem to do the stuff I want to do. More practice and touching of screens will need to happen.

I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and then found something called Boss Jock Studio.

So today I will go through the entire experiment again with this app. It was $10 and if I can get it to do what it advertises it can do it'll be well worth it. Stay tuned! (Ha! Podcast humor!)

After all this research and poking of screens I had a headache and decided to take Ruka Dog out for a walk. FLOWERS! FLOWERS! FLOWERS! Within seconds of being in Bryant Park my headache floated away and I felt this amazing zap of Prana...Woot!

Segue to flowers...last night I went to a live drawing meetup at the National Arts Club (ritzy!). Ugh. And Ah! But mostly ugh. Best model I've ever worked with, for sure! My drawings are abysmal. Where do the flowers come in? Well, I drew this beautiful woman so badly I should send her flowers to apologize. At least I stayed the entire time and didn't bolt during the break. I did, in a moment of "whoa is me", have a baby cry after the session, as I walked the streets of Manhattan. NYC is great like that, you can openingly cry and no one will really bother you about it.

Neil Gaiman has this great speech/book about feeling like a fraud...that the creative police are going to come and round up all your creations and supplies and throw you out of the club.  Exactly the way I was (am?) feeling. I gotta just let it go (queue that terrible song).

Tonight I'm going to a podcast info meetup. Wish me luck...I'm sure there will be less tears 😜

3 Weeks Learning New Stuff, Day the First!

I am dedicating the next 3 weeks to taking online classes, going to workshops and drawing events, and learning to put together a podcast.  I'm also working on some soul searching. Thinking about what the future looks like for me and my family and honing in on what I really want, and what needs to be allowed just to float away.

Already, as I am putting this post together, I'm learning that my iPad doesn't want to sync up with my photos in the way I thought it would...com'mon! I haven't even had my coffee lol :) Challenge on Universe!!

(Ha! Figured it out) Take that!!

Painty hands and lots of research

Hello blog buddies! Thanks for stopping by! I've got A LOT to chat about, but I'll keep this brief for today. I'm already on hour 4 of computing and I'm getting a bit antsy to go outside and play in the leaves.

I recently had a few holiday vending days get cancelled do to admin stuff at the host location, so I'm busy finding new opportunities. As of this writing I'm waiting to hear back from 2 new locations. Painty fingers crossed!

At the same time I'm riding the learning curve of both a new iPad and YouTube. Here's a link to my YT channel, go have a look-see if you wouldn't mind :)FilomenaJackStudio on YouTube

Cheers dears!
Filomena :)

Radio Interview Fun!

Next week, Thur. Feb 4th @ 6pm I'm going to be interviewed by Clifton and Sabra Wood* for the radio station 104.3 FM WAYO out of Rochester NY.  Sabra is an artist and cat momma, and lives in beautiful color rich, art filled home.  She's been kind enough to invite me over a few times and served me tea. I'm a lucky gal!

Last night we went over some of the interview questions.  Wow! Sabra asked great questions that stumped me! I'm espcially surprised since I feel like I am thinking about art and process ALL THE TIME.  The radio show is called "The Graphic Ear" and investigates the interplay of visual art and music.  I was asked to provide songs that I love and support my artistic vision and process.  
Complex, right?!? 

I realized that I'm out of practice chatting about my "Whys" of art. In art school, as you may know/guess, I had to talk about it (copy/paste) ALL THE TIME.  In retrospect I believe this is one of the most important reasons to attend ArtFart School**.  AFS trains you to talk about your art. And think about your art. And write about your art. I'm out of practice! This interview is proving to be an amazing educational recharge! Yay!

Well, we'll see how it goes :) I know that to some I hold sort of "out there" beliefs and my life philosophies are not everyone's bag.  This is going to be interesting!  Hope you can tune in!  It may be fun to listen to me struggle to not curse. :)

I'll be posting my play list, even the songs that don't make it on air. I'm calling it my "Sophie's Choice" play list. Because, com'mon!!! Who can choose? 

*inside joke!

**official term

Getting digi with it

I've been doing all sorts of research about digital art. Equipment, capabilities, restrictions...My head is spinning!

Leave me a comment below...do you have a favorite platform? 

Here's a piece from old school MS Paint and a mouse. EEK! ;) I can only go up from here lol.

Lots of Littles!

Have a few fun art events coming up in the next couple of months. Working on some "littles" that hopefully will be crowd pleasers. What do you think?

Stay tuned for progress!

Caught in the act!

Started on the "big" panel yesterday. Excited! I see that there is going to be a lot of layers to this one and am currently in need of some new tubes o'paint. Stay tuned for the progress  :) 

 

Lefties unite! :)

How about this set up? Bird coach, dog toys, roaring fire, great view of the outdoors...this place has go it all! :)

New backgrounds!

I've been working on some new small backgrounds.  I love the colors and the way the metallic paints shimmer! And check out that texture...yummo!