shangrila40

I'm a 30something year old female watercolorist and collagist who is discovering all the new and exciting ways to make art that have emerged over the past several years...largely because of the internet and how it has produced various artistic communities like swapbot and flickr- to name only a couple, that have no geographical boundries.I am looking forward to being an active member here on swapbot because I relish the idea of trading art in the various 'guerilla' and avant-garde forms found and developed everyday by the awesome artists who are a part of this community.

I'm a portritist, art and bamboo jewelry maker, and general bamboo craftsperson for my 'bread and butter'. My portraits are predominantly watercolor, however I am currently experimenting with sepia and black India ink, acrylic paint techniques, oil pastels-water-soluable, too. Over the past few years I've become increasingly fascinated with several new forms of presenting art, and collecting art. I've been researching and making ATCs, art journals & sketchbooks, hand-made journals, assemblage art, mixed media collage, collage jewelry, nature lovers jewelry, grunge jewelry, shrink plastic jewelry, found art jewelry/art/sculpture, "guerilla art", abstract art, shrink plastic art, word art, grunge art, altered books/photos/art...y'all get the picture... IT'S ALL GOOD! I'm a strict perfectionist in my work, and I'd like to learn to be more relaxed and experimental/whimsical with my art...I want to loosen up and have more fun...I bought Keri Smiths book 'Guerilla Art' and I've even been 'perfect' (perhaps anal) with it...

I worship the female body. I love to sketch erotic same-sex nudes. Female nudes are my primary focus for my canvas art, which are presented in a more abstract impressionist style. I also include them in some of my art journals, sketchbooks, and ATCs....however I've been drawn to the more abstract and 'imperfect' (?) drawings of the human form I've seen in the sketchbooks,ATCs, art journals, and abstract art I've been researching over the past few years. Unless a swap is named specifically a 'nude swap', I will NOT be sending such subject matter out to my partners. I'm sure there is a huge variety of lifestyles in our members population, and I'll respect that and the guidelines laid forth in all swaps and groups that I join...

I've always been a strict perfectionist in my work. I began receiving commisions for portraits when I was 13 yrs old. I'd really like to learn to be more relaxed and experimental/whimsical with my art...I want to loosen up and have more fun...I bought Keri Smiths book 'Guerilla Art' and I've even been 'perfect' (perhaps anal) with my projects from it... I'm hoping the artists here on swapbot can/will challenge me to have more fun and help me discover new and exciting 'avant garde' ways to express my irrestible urge to create and celebrate ART!!!

I'm a nature/art/animal lover who lives on 25 acres in Middleofnowhere, Florida. Population...about 50. It's 20 miles to the nearest town... population...about 600. Nearest arts and crafts store is about an hours drive. And it's slim pickin's. My partner of 6 1/2 years works for the FL. Dept. of Juvenile Justice. She's a supervisor and pulls 70 hour weeks. She insists I stay home and make my art. I seldom leave our peaceful retreat, and LOVE the physical isolation. I actually NEED it for various reasons. However, I've lived in Upstate New York, Phoenix, Kansas City, Flagstaff, Tallahassee, Panama City Beach, and a variety of smaller communities. I grew up in Columbia, Missouri...this is where I consider home to be. I want to participate and contribute to an artistic community again. As much as possible. I think it will be awesome and enlightning to corresponde with similar and other types of artists from all over the world. I will be very active in joining groups and swaps. I've even got ideas for starting a couple (of each) on my own. I will follow through with any swap I ask to participate in. If I have questions, I will not hesitate to ask. That's the perfectionist in me. Well, partly... I'm sure I will participate in several swaps at a time... Do not fear. I truly pride myself on being reliable. My time is precious, even though I have nothing but time to do whatever I want. I understand most people have to work for a living...I'll never rush anyone... I'm patient, compassionate, generous, and I have an excellent sense of humour. I despise censorship, and I will never judge anyones work as I have NO room to criticize content or anything else. I'm very easy-going socially. I'm hoping that paticipating in the groups and swaps here on swapbot, my art technique(s) will become a little more 'easy-going' as well.

Art Books...all kinds. Especially books written by artists sharing their workand/or their techniques, i.e. The book that got me interested in artists journals, ATCs and the vast majority of the mediums, genre's, and other forms of art in my list under MY ART is Lynne Perrella's 'Artists' Journals& Sketchbooks'. She has at least 2 others I want- 'Art Making, Collections and Obsessions' and 'Alphabetica'. I own and love Sabrina Ward Harrisons books 'Spilling Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself' and 'The True and the Questions: A Journal'. I want the rest of her books as well. I have Gwen Diehn's books 'The Decorated Journal' and 'The Decorated Page'- I don't know if she has any more...I suppose I should check. I also own 'Altered Art' by Terry Taylor, 'Collage Lost and Found' by G. Cirincione. 'Collage Unleashed' by traci bautista.'Acrylic Revolution' by Reyner. 'Visual Chronicles' by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino. I want the one they wrote with Rosie O'Donnel entitled 'Journal Revolution'. 'Guerilla Art' by Keri Smith. I've ordered 'Tear Up This Journal' by Keri and 'Semi-Precious Salvage: Creating Found Art Jewelry' by Stephanie Lee. 'Wide Open' by Randi Feuerhelm-Watts. Yesterday I recieved in the mail 'Artist Trading Card Workshop: Create, Collect, Swap' by Bernie Berlin. I love the stuff I've seen of Michelle Ward's and soooo any others. There's a huge list of others books I want, however I'd rather learn through the interactive projects and swaps found in this 'knowledge wealthy' community, and give myself a chance to really 'stretch my legs' and share my visions and how I've learned to apply them thusfar.

Art Documentaries. 'How to Draw a Bunny' about Ray Johnson...I've watched it 100 Xs and I'll watch it 1000Xs more. Biopics like the original 'Moulan Rouge' w/ Josse Ferrer as Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. 'The Agony and the Ecstacy' w/ Charlie Heston as Michealangelo. 'Pollack', 'Surviving Picasso', 'Modigliani' w/ Andy Garcia. 'Factory Girl' about Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgewick. 'Klimpt' w/ Wilem Defoe.

Southern Rock!Classic Rock! Elton John, AC/DC, Lynard Skynard, Bob Seger, Queen, Guns & Roses, Pearl Jam, Dave Mathews Band, Tom Petty, the'Grease' soundtrack...Lots of guitar and piano playin'. 3 Doors Down, Bette Midler, Classical Piano, all broadway musical soundtracks i.e.'Fiddler on the Roof',80's Retro-Duran Duran, Culture Club...I know! I know! Not ALL of it! Elton & Queen I can listen to day-in and day-out! I love some early David Bowie & some of his '80's stuff. I LOVE ALL MUSIC!!! Micheal Buble, Frank Sinatra, Bee Gee's (yeah, go ahead and laugh, laugh it up!) I love that'70's rock & disco. I don't care for rap/hip-hop, hard metal, or way-out-there alternative. I love everything Depeche Mode... I wan to be able to enjoy the beat&melody and lyrics...so I don't listen to 9 Inch Nails

I'm really looking forward to getting started...I'm jumpin' in with both feet! I can't wait to see the 'far out' art in various forms you and I come up with! This website Rocks!

Law & Order, L&O SVU, Boston Legal, Food Network, DIY Network, and the art network OVATION! They have great instruction and crafts series' documentaries, biopics... lots to learn from these two networks.