Rejections 2010

There comes a time when rejections are simply part of life and certainly part of my artistic path!  Boy, that statement took a WHOLE lot longer to accept than to just spit it out right here!  But, in order to grow personally, I want to show my previous year's rejections whether it be from a magazine or a local gallery.  With each rejection I find it strenghtens me as an artist and toughens my porcelain skin!  Looking back, I can see why just about all of them should have been rejected but where these art pieces take me is the real fun!

So, without further ado, here are Hannah Koch's 2010 rejections:

"For Button's Sake"

A mixed media piece with a shadow box frame.  Looking at this piece, I see two different elements fighting each other, therefore it feels incomplete.  It needs something else....

I made these art pieces that were rejected, but the real winner is how I solved some aesthetic issues I faced in trying to bring these ideas from my mind to a tangible object!

This is a bangle titled "Shades of Gray" and currently my avatar.

Earrings titled "Hardware Glam"

After working on these earrings, I had a better understanding of weaving with metal objects and how to look at industrial objects with a different and keen eye.  (These are hardware store steel washers).

A necklace titled "Midnight Sampler".  Literally a sampler of various techniques and metals into one necklace.  It was a lot of fun to put together.  And through these 3 jewelry pieces I realized how much I love the color gray.

A mixed media piece titled "The Good Road State".  I learned how to appreciate orange, it's unique presence and experimented with layering of tissue paper, pens and acrylic paints.

"Enter at Own Risk" is the title of this mixed media piece.  I learned a lot about taking better photos since I took this one, yet I still have a lot more learning to do on better shots! 

There I did it!  I shared some good and ugly art with you that I created!  I am not sure how I should feel right now.... maybe relief or freedom.  But really it's the lessons I taught myself through each trial and error that makes rejection not all that bad of a thing anymore.... to me.  (well...almost) With each rejection comes a stronger art piece behind it!




Until the next rejection, I'll be hanging here having my own artist holiday-
hannah

Highly Prized Page 3

This is page 3 from my new sketchbook for the Sketchbook Challenge I joined this year.   It's very exciting and such a great mind exercise to explore through various mediums and techniques.  This month's theme is "highly prized".  Each month, the theme and moderator changes.  Click the button on the right for more details.  

"America the Beautiful is highly prized to me"

Materials: pencil, acrylic paint, pens


I believe the effect I was trying to achieve was moderately successful.  Taking the colors; red, white and blue with various hues and tints throughout.  It gives it depth and texture along with the brush strokes.  I was going for "Jasper Johns" texture without the wax!  The result: another painting that I enjoyed working on!!

To see my first two sketchbook pages for this challenge, click here.


Exploring and simply having fun on this artist holiday.....finally-
hannah






 

A Patter in your Heart

Grant me three wishes and that won't be enough.

Because wishing is for those who don't try

and dreams are for those who never give up.

If you just sit and wish and don't do a thing,

Your life will pass you by and you'll never grow wings.

But a dream can take you places you never imagined thus far,

A patter in your heart, a whisper from afar.

Forget about wishing for all that delight.

Put your best foot forward with all of your might.

Begin to rise early and stay up late.

Get it together, this is after all your very own fate.

So, the next time "I wish" is the sentence you start,

Discard all that wishing and dream from your heart.

A 2x2 canvas was the structure I used to create this mixed media artwork. 

Materials used; dress pattern, collage and tissue papers, acrylic paint, pens and pencils.

Just coming from the heart on this artist holiday-

hannah

Highly Prized

What do I love more than most?

More than raspberry jam on buttered whole wheat toast?

I can count a million and one without breaking a sweat.

No worries though, only “highly prized” here, is the setting I will set.

There are those that should go without saying at all.

Those embedded deep in my heart and truly my life’s call.

But when those particulars are said and complete.

All things Art gets me right up off my feet.

I’ve spoken of my tool love and art supplies as dear friends.

Without these things my creative muse would never ever win.

Books of Art history, Art methods and processes fill my studio that I adore.

Not to mention, magazines of inspiration, not a single one could be called a boring bore.

But what I’ve chosen to display here

Really gets my juices flowing and I may well up with a small tear.

The Elements of Art demand our attention

They are in everything we see and everything we mention.

We use them both conscience and sub-conscience on any artist holiday

When these tools are used properly, the artist has truly made way.

The same goes for the Principles of Design on page two.

You may be using them right now and not paying them the respect due.

Sometimes I forget, it happens to the best of us.
That’s why I took this time right now and give them their deserved just.

This challenge has also gotten me into drawing once again.

It’s as if I’m being reunited with a long lost friend.

I drew this self portrait just to give it a shot.

Who knew I could look so serious, it’s a mood I am not.

I have so enjoyed month one, in this challenge, thus far.

Month two and beyond, I hope continues to raise the “artistic” bar.



page 1

 Elements of Art: Line, Form, Color, Shape, Texture, Space, Value

page 2

Principles of Design: Unity, Rhythm, Emphasis, Proportion,

Pattern, Contrast, Variety and Balance

Starting new challenges on this artist holiday!

hannah

Photo Opp

My husband and I were able to make a "date night" for the opening reception of Squared2 at Visual Art Exchange Gallery in dowtown Raleigh.  It is such a nice show and a delightful evening!  He even convinced me to get in the picture this time!!  I didn't place, but a photo of my piece is on the website as a representation of the show!  So, in my mind, I received the internet award!  hahaha

http://www.visualartexchange.org/

The beginning of the year has been hectic already!  But every now and then, I hope we can sit back, relax and enjoy our self-made artist holidays! 

hannah