PAINT ALL THE THINGS!!!

 

Hi Everyone!

 

I've been a busy busy mural-painting beee! So much is happening between May and June that I'm feeling like I can barely keep up (while also incredibly grateful for the work...duh.) In Mural-landia, I've started to find that the wintertime, especially after the holidays, business is a little slow. Then Spring comes, and everyone starts to feel re-energized and excited about all things home-improvement. People start to add the color back into their lives! I've got a few business-place murals and a residential in the cue, and I'm super excited to paint all of them. Like, they're really really fun. But I'll tell you about those next time.

 

This post is gonna be way pic-heavy below, so get ready. Everything pictured here, and a few things that aren't, were finished during a recent 9 day trip to San Diego. I was there to paint murals inside a new memory care facility for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's. It's a super rewarding project to be a part of, and when I stop to reflect back on it, the warm and fuzzies start up. My grandma had dementia, and it was super hard to watch her decline. Up until the last couple years of her life, Grandma was an incredibly prolific and talented abstract artist. We were 2 peas in a pod - I thank her for the art-y brain I inherited. I also inherited her nice Golden acrylic paints, and a ton of her brushes. She wrote her name on them with sharpie, and I smile everytime I turn a brush in my hand and find her name there. When I reflect back on all the work I've done at not just that particular memory care facility, but the 2 others I've worked in, along with 2 retirement centers, I feel so happy and proud about being able to provide some joy and maybe ease some of the struggles of the residents who live in them. I know my Grandma would be so happy that I'm using this skill that she passed down to me, to help people who had what she had. Some strange full-circle-ness in the universe, that is.

 

BUT. Holy crap was it exhausting to paint this intensely under the kind of pressure and deadlines I was under for this last facility. Not to mention, trying to schedule and navigate around all the different kinds of workers that come through a construction site! I think I didn't blog about this whole thing until now, just because the whole post would have been like, "I'M. TIRED." Because I sure was. I guess, I've found that my "sweet spot", of getting my most quality mural work done, and staying in a creative zone, lasts about 5 hours. Then I need to eat (before the hangry-s kick in), and just rest my eyes. It really helps so much to do murals in big chunks rather than all in one day, working straight through. I think your brain needs time to catch up to what your hands are doing or something. It just feels like after I sleep between painting sessions, I solve the creative problems in the project overnight in my dreams. It really does work that way. BUT, deadlines are deadlines, and I didn't have that luxury this time. Still happy with what I made though, so maybe it's ok to paint exhausted and delirious. ;) Here's the stuff:

 

 

 

 

 

Memory Care Murals in San Diego

Hi everyone!

This is gonna be mostly a pictures post. This is a weeks' worth of work from my trip down to San Diego. I was there to paint murals at a new memory care facility being built there. Each of the 4 wings of the memory care building is considered a "neighborhood", and has a large mural corresponding to the name. La Jolla, Balboa Park, Coronado, and Torrey Pines, are the neighborhood names, and landmark places in the San Diego area. The idea is to help residents navigate the building, and also feel a sense of home. I love being a part of making this building a better environment for memory patients! I'll be heading back in a couple weeks to finish up, so stay tuned!

MAGIC mural to come!

Hi everyone,

I'm sitting here in the airport during a layover on my way home to Portland. I just finished up a week-long mural painting trip in San Diego! It was a very intense and productive trip. I finished three bigger murals, painted clouds onto a blue ceiling sky, plus a few smaller vignettes. Muraling that intensely is physically exhausting (murals are big and command lots of movement in themselves... add climbing up and down scaffolding a million times to that and you get one tired Corie!) But a very good trip overall. Though there were moments of terror (I hate heights!) There were also many moments - hours even - where the exterior world melted away, my own thoughts melted away, and all I was left with was that blissful feeling of "flow." Painting is so good. #addictedtoflow

I opened up my laptop just now with the intention of blogging about the trip and posting a ton of pictures, but I found this post in my drafts, waiting to be published. So, I'll post about my San Diego trip next time. But for now, a look forward at what's to come! 

I made the following mock-ups for a client in photoshop, and I get to paint it in a couple weeks!! This one is a bit more loose, playful, and generally magical than I'm used to painting for commission work. I'm super excited to be allowed the freedom to make this on a wall that doesn't belong to me. I think that painting something like this has a bit more to say than some of my other work. It feels like it has more of an opinion, if that makes sense. Instead of just saying, "this is Portland."... It says, "my city is SO beautiful - especially at night." Also, COLOR! Can't wait. 

Happy saturday, friends!

A Not-Mural for Not-myself

Hi everyone!

There are some commissions and projects that exemplify the reason I am fulfilled by being a commercial artist – an artist that makes work according to other people’s visions instead of their own, in exchange for said other person's money.

 To back track, obviously, I do very much enjoy making my own work that is not for pay. Making my own work satisfies a deep wanting to see in real life, what I see in my head. Or, it satisfies the need to explain something, or tell a story about my life - to be understood through the pictures I make. Last year, I took 3 months off from taking on freelance work of any kind, in order to finish a series of paintings commissioned by none other than my very own heart. I painted a 10+ piece series about my experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar. Making and showing those paintings allowed me to #1 express and release feelings I was holding onto, and #2, to explain the stories to other people. It was wonderful and I wish I could find the time and motivation to do more art for myself in between my day job and freelancing. But I also take a lot of pleasure in creating works for other people, and the painting below is why.

Because sometimes someone you know comes to you wanting to turn something sorta sad and dark into something empowering and uplifting and the way they want to do that is through your art – through your hands. I’m not going to go into her story, but my client/friend went through a hard thing, came out of if, and wanted to have a physical and symbolic reminder to look at every day. She wanted something to remind her that she is strong, and can be strong when different hard things happen later. She likes the ocean, warm colors, and the sunshine. She was so happy when I showed her the finished painting. Sometimes, I feel like I blow off people’s reactions to my art. While I appreciate the “that’s pretty!” I shrug it off more often than I take it in. But when she told me it was perfect and I could see how happy it was going to make her to have the painting, I felt it, for real. While I rarely stop to think about it, I know it is a gift to be able to paint things. It is more of a gift to be able to make people feel good, by painting things for them. And not just "good", but more specifically sometimes it's: closure, release, joy, calm, freedom - validation of the stories in my client's lives. Throughout my years making murals and commissions, I’ve occasionally painted things I deem “ridiculous.” When I take more time to think about it, I know that they are asking for the ridiculous thing because it will mean something to them. It’s about their happiness, not mine. But then also my happiness, by default, in creating theirs. For that, I’m going to practice being more aware, grateful, and honored.

Corie

"Six Strong" Mural Project

Hi everyone!

There's not going to be much happening in the way of murals for a few weeks here (construction scheduling... predictably unpredictable!), but there's a lot of mural-ing on the horizon to be looking forward to! 

Today, I finished this sketch for one of the future projects that I'm most excited to be a part of. I was asked to be one of six female mural artists/street artists to collaborate with on one large mural in NE Portland (the Alberta Arts district, if you're familiar with Portland.) I am super honored to be sharing a wall with each of these five talented women! We'll each get one 4'x8' panel to do whatever we want with, as long as it relates to the theme of "female empowerment." The panels don't have to relate to each other in terms of style or color, or anything other than the theme. Instead, each panel is supposed to represent it's individual artist's aesthetic. You can learn more about the project on the Go Fund Me page here.

I was working with two main ideas to make my sketch:

1. The idea that feeling strong, capable, empowered, and independent, but also presenting as "femme", can exist together in the same person. Someone should feel that it's ok to identify as a woman and a feminist, and present themselves as traditionally feminine - or not - as they want. Break the molds, break through stereotypes, break the glass ceiling. But feel that it's also ok to paint your nails and wear pink and glitter along the way, if it makes you feel good to do those things. I'm not sure I'm explaining the idea well enough. Basically, I think it should be considered a legit choice to be a super badass and also glittery if you want to be glittery. Sparkle on!

2. The idea that we are strong through each other and through our communities. I liked the imagery that came up when I thought about women very literally, lifting each other up to positions of greater power and strength.

Hopefully, at least a little of those ideas, or at least positive, empowering vibes, comes across in my panel when it's done. I'm excited to paint this BIG! And extra EXTRA excited to use this much pink glitter on one piece. ;)

Happy one-extra-hour-of-daylight, loves.

Corie

Hi Everyone!

 

This week's mural had me travellin'! I got to paint this little ocean wall for a couple in Seattle. Conveniently, my best friend also happens to live there. Business trip meets weekend getaway! A day and a half of painting + the cutest neighborhood pub + the cutest neighborhood brunch place + the cutest neighborhood ice cream hot spot (for you Portlanders, think Seattle's version of Salt and Straw, but without the insane line) + catching up and late night talks over tea + cooking delicious dinner together = weekend success! (Can you tell I ate well?) I'm happy with how this little ocean scene turned out, and hoping that it brings many relaxing tub soaks, far into the future for my clients. Can you hear the waves? I love the Pacific Northwest and it's coastline.

 

In about 10 days, I will be headed wayyyyyy down the coast to paint an entirely different landscape of the Pacific: San Diego! I'll be working in another Memory Care facility that is being built there. I'm SO EXCITED to fill it with murals. Stay tuned, that will be a mural marathon for sure. paint paint paint. :)

 

 

Mirror-selfie of paint clothes/gear, and the wall only a couple hours in. And yes I stood in that bathtub all day!

 

 

 

 

Project MAHITA Comes to Life (Again!)

Hi Everyone!

This week has been a very special one. My mom has been here visiting to help me with a pet project that is near to my heart. To learn more about it, check out this website that I built to explain the project. But overall, it's this:

PROJECT M.A.H.I.T.A. (Murals Aiding Health Information To All):

"MAHITA (verb) means "to see" in the Malagasy language, spoken on the island nation of Madagascar. American students (grades 3+) can help people in Madagascar by creating a mural on cloth, with an important health message. The mural they create will be shipped to Madagascar, and installed by Malagasy health educators in a rural village. Murals convey information visually, which is important where literacy rates are low. The American students gain a global perspective, while making a meaningful connection and artistic and helpful contribution to a rural community in Madagascar."

The idea for this project came to me in 2012, after I had returned from the Peace Corps in Madagascar, and was working as an intern at the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. I learned a technique in Philly, that allows you to paint a mural on special cloth, and then install it. My "aha" moment was when I realized this meant you could paint a mural anywhere in the world, and then install it anywhere ELSE in the world. Murals can teach things because they are PUBLIC and pictures can teach as well as written words. The idea for MAHITA solidified.

I made the first "pilot" Project MAHITA in 2012 with a group of 4th graders in Eugene. It was written up in the local paper! The kids had a blast and learned a lot about Madagascar. They created a mural about Malaria prevention - specifically, the care and use of mosquito nets. The mural was sent to a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in a rural village, who installed it on the wall of a local clinic where mothers could see it while waiting in line to get their babies vaccinated. That was all well and good, but the new model of MAHITA will have us sending murals to the director of a branch of Population Services International, in Madagascar (instead of to Peace Corps Volunteers). The PSI Director will have the Malagasy PSI Health Workers bring the mural along when they go out to rural villages to teach about Malaria, family planning, and other health topics. After the mural is explained, it will be installed, and left permanently somewhere in the village, as a reminder of what they taught. This model feels better because it's just an add-on to something that is already happening, Malagasy to Malagasy. 

So this week, was MAHITA project #2! My mom and I worked with an afterschool group at the school where I work. Overall, it went well and I think the kids enjoyed painting and learning. 

This coming week, my mom and I are teaching a seminar about Project MAHITA, to a group of about 40 teachers. We are hoping to gain some interest from teachers who may want to do this project in their classrooms. It's maybe a tough sell, in the current climate in education. BUT, we are hoping they see the value in, and find the time for, cultural exchange, community service projects, visual art practice, and instilling a global perspective in their students. Wish us luck! We are hoping to grow this project to the point where neither I, nor my mom, will need to be present for anyone to do this project. We are working on developing all the materials so that this can happen. 

It moves me so much that people I love are helping me on this project, in all different wonderful ways - sharing their knowledge and skills, to sharing their dollars. My good friend from Peace Corps, who is studying international development, will be researching the impact that murals have on impoverished communities abroad where literacy rates are low. My mom is making this her retirement project. My good family friend/mentor person is donating the money needed to buy a ton of the specialized mural fabric that we can provide to teachers doing the project. I truly have an incredibly supportive, caring, and smarty-pants network of friends and family. 

I am so happy to see my idea actually happening!! Here are some pics of the kids in action this week: