Art Supplies

I was working on a commission today and noticed that some of my brushes are falling apart. That's to be expected, of course, but for some reason I thought all my supplies were pristine and ready to go.

My last few paintings were abstracts on a large canvas - I used mostly sponge brushes. The commission I'm working on is a 16 x 20 acrylic landscape on paper. It requires a lot more detail. And the detail brush that worked just fine before started messing up my work! What an ass! I called him into my office. I told him in no uncertain terms that he's completely replaceable, so he better shape up. I also told him he needs to brush up on his technique. I don't know if I got through to him - his face was wooden the whole time.

Well, I went through all my other brushes, and oy. Some I used for an oil painting in, oh, 2002, and I must not have cleaned them properly because they were so stiff and gunky I couldn't use them. On others, while the bristles were fine, the paint on the handles was flaking off. I actually don't know what a quality brush is. All I've ever bought were student sets from Craft Warehouse. I never paid attention to brand or material. What's better, camel hair or synthetic? I think the last time I bought a brush was in 2006 or so.

So, on to my point - I'm off to the art store! This is actually quite exciting, as I will be trying a new store I found through Twitter. I feel like a "real artist!" I'm hoping to build a network of local artists, maybe feel like I'm part of a community. I'm shy at first (though not as much as I used to be), so putting myself "out there" might be the hardest part of this venture. There's always something that needs my attention here at home, so I don't venture out much. But that's not a bad thing - I like my house and being with my family (especially the dog, hehe).

I don't know if I'll get there today or Wednesday - the laundry has been out of control for quite a while. Er, this is important because I do all my art cleanup in the laundry room. Glamorous, I know. Anyway, the store is on Hawthorne, and while that's a bit of a drive, it's really good for me to get outside my comfort zone. I live in the 'burbs where there is always a parking lot and I know exactly where I'm going and where the bathroom is. And that's important because I had a baby and sneezing is now dangerous. The things they DON'T tell you about motherhood...

This is where I'll be going: Muse Art and Design. Yes, I will blog about it.