Kirsten Alize Diaries

I haven't been blogging at all lately! I think because in addition to being exhausted after work, I feel a lot of pressure to get outside and exercise. By the time i'm done running/spinning/ elliptical-ing I'm so burnt out I just want to do nothing, I have 0 creative energy in me. I really don't know if I can continue like this all summer. I wan't to think and create and do things that I love, and lifeguarding is a long day in the sun just sitting. As much as I can't really complain because I'm happy to be employed and relatively well paid this summer, it really isn't satisfying any desire within me. I miss doing something that stimulates me.

So, even if I don't find something else to do for work (which will be fine and at least i'll end the summer with a nice tan), I've decided that I really want to try and create some of my own art work. I don't necessarily have any artistic talent, but I've been always been able to start a project and see it through to something I'm happy with. I'm not hoping for a masterpiece or anything, just something I can call my own and throw up in dorm room next year. My inspiration started with these inspiration collages by textile designer Lulu Dekwiatkowski.

I think Lulu's style could be imitated easily using black and white images and color pieces from magazines and wall paper samples. It would be interesting to make it really reflect me, I feel her images are very personal yet vibrant, happy and multidimensional. ( I didn't notice the naked ladies in picture #2 until a few days ago!)

I found these image's on the blog Elements of Style. The author, Erin, mentioned a piece of art she did herself that I adore. It's sort of like an abstract landscape, and I love the slight ombre effect. She obviously has a LOT of talent, and the fact that she can look at her own piece every day and be proud of it is inspiring. I certainly don't have talent like that but I think I could create something that I love. I want to do a more personal piece of casual art like one of Lulu's collages, and then also do something with paint something like Erin's. Because I lack the talent necessary for such detail, my work would probably have to have more of a blended look. My goal is to achieve that ombre effect with my favorite colors, as if i'm creating a specific piece of art for my room that matches it perfectly. Art is so expensive and personal, I'm excited to see what I can do with little $ and little talent to reflect my personal aesthetic and match the room in which I wan't to put the art. I'm sure there will be a lot of trial and error in this process.

{ this is Erin's artwork in her Boston, MA home)

While I've been ruminating on these images and searching for a creative outlet for a while, the Kelly Wearstler article in the June issue of InStyle really sparked my internal drive. I don't love EVERYthing Kelly does, but I think she is a color genius. This is one of the best articles I have read (I wish it wasn't so short!) in a long time. I think the color combinations are inspired and fresh, I especially love the blue, steel and yellow. But the icing on the cake was the Lana Gomez painting in Wearstler's office. I LOVE it. If I could buy any piece of art in the world this would be it (at this point in my life at least...) The colors, the depth, the creativity (it looks like a city scape to me) are right up my alley. What can I say, I'm a pink girl at heart.

{ this pic is from artist Lana Gomez's website, but is a screen shot of the InStyle article, love love!}

So as it comes along, I will post. I'm going to create a little inspiration board of colors before I start, right now I'm thinking of reds/pinks/oranges/purples of a sunset. ( Is it acceptable to use a Vix swimsuit as an inspiration springboard?)