art supplies Archives - Dora Sislian Themelis Art

What? Everyone Loves Free Stuff

Yesterday I planned to take a short break while I still was semi free and visit the nearest art supply shop. There are two in my area and both were having sales. One shop sent me a great coupon to take off 40% on a non-sale item. That is huge.

My little artist date started at the office supply store for some stuff I needed to continue working in the Blast Off class. Then I moved on to Dick Blick art supply. I purchased a nice large block of Arches watercolor paper on sale. I needed watercolor paint and chose yellow ochre from Windsor&Newton. Dick Blick didn’t carry MamieriBlu which I’ve been using. Fine.

Afterwards I drove over to Utrecht where the Arches was also on sale, same price. Ok. I found MamieriBlu paints there and bought permanent green light. Sale! I decided I liked the brush selection at Dick Blick better, so that’s for another day.

At the register the manager was fussing with some large sheets of heavy weight paper as I was paying for my paint. He turned to me and asked if I knew what the paper was, because he had no clue and no paperwork for it. What did I know? Was it bristol board? Was it watercolor paper? No idea here.

Then he said, Why don’t you just take it?

Who? Me?

Yes! Happy New Year to you!

I said, Why not? Hey, I will never refuse free paper. I don’t know what it is, but it’s all mine now.
Now if I can only get my butt in gear and use it.

Finished for Friday

The Dark Apple Hides Shells (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

A finished work for Friday is here. I am done! I can’t touch this another time. I think I will keep at this apple until all that paint is used up. I have no choice. How many times can I complain about these paints? I guess an awful lot by the looks of the posts about this apple! Have you all had it with me yet? I’ve had it with my constant whining. The next time I decide to throw caution to the wind and by paints I know nothing about, kick me please?

Besides that, I fooled around with my camera and for some reason my photos in my last post came up like a widescreen TV. I don’t know what button I pushed. I was hunting for something that would take a decent photo and not be huge when I uploaded it to the computer. There’s just alot of steps to get the photos the right size so that they upload in seconds rather than long minutes. I mean long. Looks like there are no short cuts here, or in life in general.

I will be posting this to the 100 Paintings Challenge, too. Slowly, but surely, I’m working my way to 100. Oh I’ll do it, too. No doubt. But it’s going to be slow.

A while back I purchased another book on creativity and resistance titled The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp. I know she’s a great dancer and choreographer, but from what I’ve heard this is a really good book for breaking through blocks to creativity. I finally started reading yesterday and I think it’s going to be interesting.

I want to read it slowly for the words to really go into my head. Most times when I read, I more or less scan and read too quickly. Oh I’ve read big books in a couple of days, but don’t ask me what I read, I couldn’t tell you. While I’m reading I am in the moment. After I’m done, forget it. Talking with a friend about a book I had just finished, which she read in college, she remembered characters and plots. Me? I could barely remember the main character and some sketchy details. Not good. I need to take time to read this, and not while I’m having lunch. No. Multi tasking is not my forte.

The first page of The Creative Habit began with this: The White Room. Just imagine a large, empty, white rehearsal room for dancers. Immediately I thought of a blank, white canvas or paper. I knew then that this was going to be a good read. I will let you know next week.

Friday Photos

Hillside at Agriolivadi Beach, Patmos Island, Greece

on location

Agriolivadi Beach, Patmos Island, Greece

on location

Hillside church Santorini, Greece

from photographs

Hillside church at Santorini, Greece close-up

In the frenzy of travel, I sometimes remember to bring drawing materials for the times I see a scene and want to capture it as art, rather than as a photograph. Those times are few. Many years ago I did bring pen and sketchbook on our visit to family in Greece. Luckily, I packed these items for our beach day and drew some pretty scenery from life, which I prefer over photos.

The blue sky, azure beaches and non-stop sun was therapy for body, mind and soul. When can I return?

Shopping for Motivation

The Pearl Paint Art Supply in my neighborhood is having a sale of 50% off everything in the store. Are they going out of business? I asked the sales people, but they said no one told them anything. Looks like going out to me if they’re selling to the bare walls. That much off is a good sale, even better than buying online which is usually cheaper. Pearl’s prices are high first of all, and lately they were trying to compete with Michael’s Crafts, which turned me off. If I want craft stuff I can go to Michael’s. I want a quality art supplier when it comes to art stuff.

Well, I picked up a large pastel pad, a couple tubes of MaimieriBlu watercolors, and quite a few half pans of Windsor&Newton watercolors for my travel set. They had some semi-precious stones I liked and for half price I bought a couple. I spent enough yesterday. Paint is expensive. I need to go back another day to get a Vyco cover for my desk. Next week is soon enough unless they close the doors tomorrow which didn’t look like it was happening.

Feeling empowered after my art supply shopping spree, and relaxed from my little tantrum, I got down to business. Amazingly, the light was working in my studio yesterday. I took my purchases to my desk to take inventory of my supplies. I have some older tubes of watercolor that I need to use up. I thought I used up my watercolor paper, but forgot about the cherry blossoms work that was still attached to the block. I’m not sure if I’m done with it, but I took it off the block anyway. Since it was there, bare, and looking at me I found another photo of the blossoms from the swipe file and there I was penciling it onto the paper. Soon as I did that and took some pics, I was filling my water cups, dipping the brush and throwing paint on the paper! Wow, how did that happen?

Knowing myself I stopped before I made a mess of things. Watercolor is not very forgiving, in my opinion. I could take it too far, and then that’s it! So I left it and decided to organize my bead supplies. There I was stringing a couple of bracelets! I finished one and need some findings for the other, but I worked on two pieces. I just need to photograph the finished piece and shop online or in person for the needed findings for the second bracelet.

All in all, yesterday was an amazingly productive day. I’m still in shock that it all went so well! I better be careful and not mess up the momentum today.