What a mess!

It is time to get organized!

I have art supplies out the ying yang and spend far too much time trying to find what it is I want to work on. Everything is spread out between the small room that is supposed to be my studio, to the library, to the dining room, to the spare bedroom and the laundry room closet. I have had many studios (moved around a lot) but this is the most disorganized I have ever been.

I think it is making me sick because I am TIRED all the time – It has to be the clutter. I love to create art and I have been stuck for a while now. 2008 is here and I really need to get organized and get creating so that I can make the next show!

Holiday Thoughts

Everywhere I look there are signs of the holiday season. Although the glitz and sparkle is attractive and festive, it overpowers the true reason for celebrating at this time of year. All of us are crazy busy running around spending money that we will regret spending once the new year rolls around.

Today after standing in line for what seemed like forever, the young couple in front of me had finally handed the last item in their cart to the clerk. Much to their embarassment, their check was not accepted and all of their Christmas was taken back. It made me stop and think, first how would they provide gifts for their children. Then I felt a sadness for our world that has become so commercialized and material, that unless we can shower our children and others with gifts that will soon be dismissed, we are made to feel less than adequate.

I had met an elderly lady at the Art Factory in Orlando last week who told me her Senior Center had made an old-fashioned Christmas tree. All the ornaments had been hand-crafted from materials like popcorn, construction paper, fabric and so on. She said, “you know, we couldn't just go out and buy ornaments like you do now”. Maybe we should all take time to craft a few gifts and ornaments and bring back some of the personality of just being and enjoying one another without all the monetary pressure. After all, can you remember what you bought last holiday? Or what you received? What will remain long after the store-bought items will be the love and time spent together with family and friends.

So, no matter whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hannuka, Kwanza or some other religious holiday this month, take time to consider the true meaning, not just the commercialized version.

October 14, 2007

Wow! What a beautiful weekend. Just got back from a MarineMax boating event at Ortega Landing Marina. Perfect weather the entire weekend. Wish we could do these get-aways more often. Spending time on the water away from TVs, Radios, Internet, work and home responsibilities is such a luxury. What's more, it is perfect for thinking, journaling and planning that next painting.

September Artwalk

What a great Artwalk! In spite of the rain earlier in the day, or should I say week, the event was very well attended. This month I had the great fortune to show my work as the featured artist at TTV Architects on Forsyth Street. CSX was there promoting safety around railroad crossings. Did you know that it takes a train traveling at 55 mph a full mile to come to a complete stop? Neither did I, but the folks from CSX did a great job delivering the message and though many came in just to get the sticker so they could collect the prize at the Florida Theater, most took the time to review my work. It was well received and will remain on display for the remainder of the month. New work was also hanging at The Art Center Cooperative at 31 W. Adams Street.

Many Thanks to Lori Orton and Tri Vu for hosting the show! If you haven't been to TTV Architects for Artwalk, make a point of it next month. They have an awesome building and art work really looks great there.

August Art Walk

August Art Walk was very busy. My work was upstairs at The Artists Cooperative in the Carling building at 31 W. Adams St., in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.

Painting on premises really got a lot of attention and it was amazing how many people were curious about the process of my work. It was great to be able to share it with the guests, especially the kids.

June 3, 2007

What a fabulous day it is here in sunny Florida! It was filled with lots of sunshine, fun time and painting time! Weekends go so very fast. This week's big events are the Art Walk on Wednesday night. You can see my collage work at the Bryan Building on the corner of Hogan and Monroe. Pray for air conditioning this month. And this is the deadline week for 2 shows-"Lost and Found" at the Jacksonville Women's Center and for the Florida Watercolor Annual Show in Daytona.

I have been painting furiously trying to get something new to enter in both of these events. But just had to take some time out to run the river on the "Ltl Hawk", my little Jet'n'Spray boat. What a blast! Living on the River is just the best.

On the graphic design side of my life I get to work on a fun cookbook, a new magazine, a newsletter and a couple of websites this week. Yes, I am busy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to the blogspot for Ads & Art, the online presence for the graphic design and fine art of Linda F. Hawkins. In one way or another I have been an artist from the very first time I held a crayon in my hand. I got into Advertising and Graphic Design because I couldn't imagine myself working in a job that did not permit me to be creative. I have had the opportunity to work at small graphic design firms, medium sized agencies, magazine publishers, printers and Fortune 50 corporations. And while each one has their unique qualities, it is the act of creating that has kept me working in the field of advertising design this past 34 years.

The act of creating something from nothing is an amazing and frustrating thing. Some days it comes so easily and on others there is absolutely nothing in the well. I have often asked myself why in the world would anyone want to put themselves on the spot like that. The answer is always the same—because it feels so good to stand back and look at what has come from your mind out through your hands and onto the page. Some days it is so amazing that I have not doubts that there is a higher power.

We who create, whether it is with paint, computer, music or the written word, often find ourselves scraping the bottom of the well, wondering if we will ever have another good idea again. Fortunately, the world is such an interesting place and full of such interesting people and places to visit that it is easy to fill the well again. It is soooo important to take the time to do that, even though we may find it a challenge with our hectic lives and jobs. I am all for taking what I call a mental health day if necessary just to make certain that happens. All the work and responsibilities are still there a day later, so what is the harm?

I hope you will visit my spot often and that my musings will inspire you or at the very least let you know that you are never alone. That there are so many creatives in the world who all have struggled, who all have been high on life, who have doubted and who have known in an instance that this is the life they were meant to live.