Telling stories and the loss of time.

Washing my brain waves clean at Asbury Park Beach!

Telling stories and the loss of time.

www.angiemasonwrites.wordpress.com

So this has always been my main blog to write and post lots of life bits and it still is really but life being the crazy roller coaster ride that it is has led me to start a new side blog project that focused on my writing. It's simply called Angie Mason Writes Stuff. It's a blog and online collection of some of my writing samples to highlight that creative side of myself. You know just branching out creatively, no big deal :). So that is part of the reason I have been absent from here this month as well as I suppose just having a bit of a creative hibernation and ponder time to take it all in. Back in July I just completed the cycle for putting a solo show together. It ended August 3rd. I am thrilled to have been able to create that body of work and show it in of all places NYC total goal and dream come true. 

I love checking things of my goal list. 

I like setting my mind to accomplish things and see them happen it totally enforces the fact that if you want something to happen and try to make it happen it can in fact happen! Hooray for goals and having dreams come to fruition. 

With all that said and done I also go through a down time of needing to go inward. Online life can sometimes get overwhelming with so many things to keep up. I have been a bit quieter than my normal web pulse and my frequency has slowed a bit. Though I do post on instagram pretty frequently even though it's set to private so you have to ask to join me but I always approve any who ask! Find me on there my name is SmilesMcdoodle.  I will eventually get things back up to my typical pace and online pulse but I am still sorting things. 

Taking a creative hibernation break at the Great Falls! 

Watching ParaNorman in 3D! It was such a great story and so great looking! GO SEE THIS FLICK! 

Making art is a wonderful gift...

But being an artist in this economy is an especially great challenge as I am sure many of you are going through some kind of personal economical issues as well can understand where I am coming from. I also work as an illustrator / designer so my time has been often dedicated these days to securing jobs in those fields in order to support this art life that I love.

Having people constantly buy art is tricky and is not how I ever depended on making my living. I just wanted to make art and not put the stress of having to sell a percentage of works in order to make a living instead I balance it out by doing illustration/design work that way the art I make is from a pure place not derived in any way from needing it to be a commercial / profitable success though sure it's nice when things sell. But because I know it would creatively alter my vision even stifle it I chose a different path for the way I work. But as I have said with this crazy economy affecting all corners of life it certainly makes it quite the challenge since so many industries have been hit hard. 

Of course I have an Art Shop which yes does bring in sales but they are not a reliable source since art buying is so fickle especially these days. I am having a bit of a brain dump here. Not trying at all to focus on money but simply stating life is a bit tricky and all these tricks take time...time that takes me away from say blogging as often as I might like to. Now if my Art Shop sales were more steady and things evened out a bit more then I would strangely get time back on my side but until that balance occurs I am afraid I may just be sporadically blogging and giving art updates when time allows. 

My guitar in my garden! Six string garden party of one! :D 

Expanding ones mind and making music as a result...

This summer I have begun learning guitar. I have never played in my life and just had this desire to pick up a musical instrument other than my harmonica which I love dearly but wanted to expand my musical palette. So I am in love with strumming my guitar and learning chords. I am still very much a beginner but can now strum somewhat melodically which pleases me more than you could imagine. It's a process that clears my mind from all the stresses of  this modern life and how wonderful to be able to sing along with made up songs to lighten your load. It's a great stress relief and mind builder. I think everyone should learn how to play one instrument in their lives at what ever point they feel ready to make music. Only drawback about it is my stupid numb fingertips from playing so much (everyday now for almost a month!) and never have played before I am now building my guitar calluses which feel weird but I am slowly getting used to them. 

Codeine playing earlier this summer in Brooklyn at the Bell House performing the first song I am learning on guitar - 'Broken Hearted Wine' Check the video below! It's a sad beauty gem of a song! 

Upcoming shows and projects. 

• Sept: Jinxed Gallery in Philly - Pigment Deficient Show

• Oct: MF Gallery Brooklyn - Halloween Show 

• Oct: Modern Eden Gallery in San Fran. - Moon Goddess Exhibit

• October is the Lowbrow Tarot Book and Deck Release!

• Nov:  MF Gallery  Brooklyn - Toy Show

• Dec: Sacred Gallery NYC - End of Days Show 

• Dec: Bound By The Secrets We Hide Poetry Anthology Book Release

Here is a peek at my piece for the Pigment Deficient Show on the left here called 'Dream Hatcher'.

With all of life's challenges and even hardships at times the one constant in my life has been art. I am not going to stop or give that up until I give up living. Like the saying goes: The day you stop dreaming is the day you stop living. I WANT TO LIVE so I KEEP DREAMING! 

And yet another side project a gift from a dear friend of mine she was getting rid of this fabulous old chair and I was lucky enough to take claim of it! I am going to keep the majority of this wonderful fabric but will mend and mix it up with some new stuff to fix that hole right up! THANK YOU sweet Tara for the awesome chair we love it so much! 

Until the next bloggy foggy notion....

I adore all of you who have followed along with my life and art and continue to follow along! I am excited for all the upcoming projects going on in the future some I couldn't mention here for 2013 that are secret for now but I am as I have said above dedicated to this art life! It's what I do! I just hope down this path at some point has more support systems pop up a bit on the financial side just to make time a bit easier to come by and allow me to create more stuff. Working on it everyday to hopefully have happen!