I am so excited to share this new experiment with you! Yes, I made a podcast! Yes really, my first ever podcast ☁️👁 ❤️😊Ok guys so this is the part where I ask for your help: my new podcast I created that is NOW AVAILABLEto #ListenTo on iTunes.
The biggest way to help my podcast grow is to subscribe, this really helps the podcast see the light of day as well as writing reviews and rating. Thank you for taking the time to listen and help me grow this experiment. It's all new territory, still so much to learn how it all works but having so much fun growing this! Find it on iTunes just click the show art above. Seriously grateful for all of you! Thank you!
ABOUT: The Clarity Cloud is a new podcast by artist,Angie Mason. This is where we bring our intentions to fruition, waking our creativity out of hibernation. Dreaming Ourselves Awake. The Clarity Cloud Podcast wants to be a catalyst for creation. It seeks to find meaning and balance in our chaotic modern challenging times. How do we weather the storm how do we find our way home in the darkness. What kind of beacons do we utilize to get through the fog of life? How do we push through the storms to get to those clear mind moments and get to creating? Welcome to the Clarity Cloud - It's Blue Skies and Clear Hearts from here on in!
New year and new studio things to get the year started right! I put together this fantastic flat file storage cabinet. I love it! I have my matching window awnings up with cute scalloped edges... hand made goodness.
There were a ton of pieces putting this together I won't lie it was pain in my ass but so worth it in the end! It's great to have my art work organized and safely stored away! Having a clean inviting space always just makes me want to make more work and just excites me to be in that space.
Coming this Valentines Day I will have work in a show in Italy at Viola Box Gallery! Yay!
Process mold making success! Such great news...It passed my ice cube test! HOORAY! next up pouring resin and crossing fingers it sets well for cool new Angie Mason necklaces! The Storm Damage collection keeps growing! Increasing cloudiness around my neck and yours hopefully if all goes well! See all this new stuff at MF GalleryApril 13th 7-10pm! And the show runs till May 31! Myself and 2 other amazing women artists Aya and Nicoz! will be taking over the gallery! We also will be performing a live mural painting during the opening! Some random work studio shots including peeks at my new 'Pain Drops' pieces. Lots of drawing in this show and mixed media works on paper! I feel the clouds lifting and I see light at the end of making a show come to fruition... Just need to photograph all my new art and do some paperwork and deliver my babies to MF Gallery. This last work week will be a fun focus on jewelry hoping it goes according to my plans and visions.... So far so good!
I am on the fun video looping app called vine which lets you take 6 second clips of your life! It's so fun! Gofind me Angie Mason :D
here are some clips from the Angie Mason H.Q. Studio!
Drawing
Work table
One of my studio assistants! So loyal has been with me for YEARS!
YOU SHOULD GO!
Sneaky peeks!
weapons of choice!
At the framer!
Head down working....
OK Back to work on finishing things up! Hope to see you at the show!
When I was a little kid 2012 felt like the future not just literally but like a sci-fi kind of future with robots and flying cars and jet packs and well you get the picture. So fast forward to 2012 almost being over and I am an official person of the future typing this space log blog on a tablet pad like I am right out of Star Trek. Who do I think I am? Captain of my own starship! The future came and went and now I am sitting here looking onto 2013!
2013 will be a big year for me at the end of May I leave my 30's behind and enter into a new decade known as my forties, It's weird growing up and older because mostly you feel no change the idea of age was mostly always silly to me I just like to embrace life and do the things I dream of without letting outside perceptions and judgements of age affect me for the most part though sickness is harder when you are older so the you that is I do my best...your best to be healthy and balanced.
I still hold onto this idea and try to live life without worry of age and time. Though time the way it moves so swift and sharp nearly blinking your life away in a flash is the part that is a challenge. So often I wish I had special powers to slow living down but our modern society only sped things up making us run at break neck pace. One of the biggest challenges in real adult life is to find balance between doing the things you want and doing the things you have to right down to the boring minutia of brushing ones teeth to doing ones laundry. In our modern lives there are things we all must do because in the end they some how,these basic things, tasks if you will make our lives better you know not having rotted teeth to chew food and enjoy smiling while you still have them is a good thing.
But back to time I ponder our human cycle often seeing its bitter sweet beauty in the grace of those who are lucky enough to grow old, seeing walls fall away as you get older is a difficult thing to imagine at that end of the human cycle... It's like you have been the center of a rose bud and all your petals fall away exposing your stem its scary looking and fragile yet full of beauty for coming full circle I try to hold on to that beauty of life having stages and phases shifting growing and constantly changing until we are dust.
So thinking of 40 it really is kind of a human mid point, if life expectancy is an average of 80 years old for a full human life cycle. I feel the first half of my life, looking back has been overwhelmingly full of art creation and love...with bits of misfortune and loss thrown in the mix. What's life without some black and blues we all have them. It's normal, the downs we all face make the ups worth working through hard times. Life cycles, seasons change, friends come and go out of our lives, loved ones pass on...like my garden things grow die and bloom again newness is always there with each sunrise we get to see life is always new and never consistent only ever changing. The last few years for me have been a balancing act and often times were not easy but I am here and made it through rough waters with a supportive loving group of family and friends. Sure the storms not over yet but I do think some full sunshine weather is coming my way as I navigate towards the sun and my garden will bloom again.
The list of what I want to do for my 40th year is another blog post ponder fest to come in the next few months leading up to that point in Spring time. I have been writing about it in my journals thinking on that... a new decade of creation lays before me I want to map out a visual guide to help lead the way and start the new process.
This past year upon reviewing my personal collection of photos was personally a year of much art creation and poor spotty health literally with full body hives starting back Christmas night of 2011 going strong throughout the year mixed with other health issues. Somewhat fitting I am ending the year getting over a cold. Happy to say I'm feeling good now!
I am refraining from talking about 2012 world events as that's not what this blog has been about, its focus is on my personal journey in life in relation to art. With that said I know 2012 on a whole has seen great darkness and sadness with so much loss due to violence and natural disasters.
NJ and NYC was hit hard with Super Storm Sandy leaving us with no heat or electric for a week but I'm grateful that was the extent of our loss, we came out lucky and my heart aches for those who lost their homes. But I don't want to go on about current events and become crippled in fear and sadness I want to keep moving toward the light and simply just keep trying to be better and progress and help others where I can. I hope on a whole the human race can progress into a more peaceful age where we respect and honor our differences and learn to live together. Call me dreamer I don't mind being called that.
Ok on to some memory lists from this past year :D
So one of the biggest moments I am most proud of this past year was my solo show in NYC Project 30 the Hand Pick 10. It was a great way to interact with all of you who follow my work as well as making a new rich body of work I am very proud of.
Other Shows and Events worth mentioning are:
In the spring I did my Art Star Craft Bazaar Event
In May my baby sister gave birth to my beautiful Niece!
So where do I see me in relation to 2013? I see more art being created the visions never stop, I see growth in my creative life both professionally and personally. I see more balance and better health. I see more strength and understanding. I see more openness and flexibility within my personal career path. I see paths clearing and me walking down them into the darkness of an unknown forest that is full of life and possibility.
The darkness is not always something to be afraid of it is in the unknown territory that we can have the greatest growth. I am looking toward the branches and vines and I am ready to get twisted up in new challenges. This world and economy has been keeping me under it's thumb with it's demands too long I am looking to find my way and break free in 2013 it will be a shift and great change for me I believe this to be true. And it's in that simple statement that is the catalyst for all great change... the first step is in believing something. I will make the changes happen even if they are not ready for me.
2013 is lucky 13 and I am ready to shed some light into the darkness and shine so the world knows I am alive and knows that I love being alive and knows how I want to continue sharing my visions and characters with it and hope that the world is even more open to embrace me back for it is in that mutual embrace that I can truly flourish and find my balance.
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!
