Healthy in Houston

Yours Truly critiquing intermediate student work today

This weekend in Houston I had the pleasure of teaching a 2-day workshop and a 1-day intermediate intensive class. Lisa Morales, a super talented face painter, brought me back to Houston to teach again again this year. Since this is a repeat visit for me, Lisa was already familiar with my workout regime and my desire to eat healthy. 

I wanted to take an opportunity to really thank Lisa for all the Google searching she did for "Healthy Eating in Houston" to find restaurants that might interest me. We even went to places she had never been! AND to thank her for picking a hotel for me to stay at that had an above average fitness center which I took full advantage of. 

Ruggles Green offers organic and local food. Two students, mom Tara and daughter Keli stood in for Lisa and accompanied me to dinner after class on Saturday night. Ruggles food was so fresh! I had veggie tacos with black beans, fresh avocado, piled high with corn and carrots and cilantro. The chicken noodle soup featured gluten free quinoa noodles. Houston has a LOT of vegetarian and gluten free options for folks on a restrictive diet.

Empire Cafe's atmosphere was fun 

Lisa and I enjoyed the company of another local working artist Joan, who told me all about her year teaching art in Russia the night we had dinner at the Empire Cafe. This place had a wonderful atmosphere and I had salmon with brown rice risotto that was to die for. 

Missy and Lisa took me to Khyber for Indian food on my first night in town. Missy and I went here last year and the food was so good, with such nice atmosphere, that I asked them to bring me back. Khyber is Indian Pakistani food, the staff is super friendly and they know Missy personally. You can't beat that!

This morning for family style Sunday brunch Lisa found Radical Eats, this place was radical. First off, they were growing their own herbs and veggies in wooden planters out front. They asked us if we were vegan, vegetarian or "flexitarian" they cater to all three, as well as gluten free. I can't even begin to tell you about all the food we had, it just kept coming. I will say that the tamales with vegan chili were amazing, as were the gluten free chocolate pancakes and the sprouted salad and kimchi pancake. Such a combination of flavors, like nothing I have ever had. The wait staff was creative and friendly and the atmosphere was funky. I'd recommend this place any time just because it was so different.

Lisa and Me                                          Missy and Me

Last but not least, Missy, Lisa and I convened for one more meal together this evening at Baba Yega. (where I had vegan meatloaf that was to die for) When we pulled into the parking lot I turned to Lisa and said, "What a neat place, how do you find all these wonderful restaurants?" Her answer? "Healthy in Houston Elizabeth!"

Abby and Holly in serious concentration mode

Yours Truly demonstrating the splatter technique with her yellow shoes tucked safely under the table. 

We had a great class this weekend with many new faces and several return students from last year for the intermediate class today. How NICE it was to spend time with folks I have not seen since last year in Texas! Thank you all for coming out to tear and glue with me!

Thank you Lisa (and Texas) for your hospitality and for looking out for me, for driving me all over (and around, and around) Houston, for making Starbucks drive through part of our morning routine, and for being so all-around thoughtful. 

See more Houston workshop photos on Facebook

thank you for being 

a part of my 

Art Journey, 

Elizabeth

That's Just How I Do It

Rooster, yet to be titled, 30x30, collage on wood panel

In a recent blog post from my dear friend and fellow artist Robin Maria Pedrero talked about how she accomplishes everything she does. I found this post to be so refreshing and interesting as Robin and I often speak about balancing family and work.

Robin talks about keeping a positive attitude, mentoring and teaching, learning from her mistakes and managing her time. She goes on to share a typical day in her life, and it resonated with me. I decided to borrow her idea and share with you, my readers, a day in my life. I do this because like Robin, everyday people say to me "I don't know how you do all that you do."

This week I am teaching seven fifth grade classes the art of collage and the profession of being an artist. I am at Sabal Point Elementary school every day this week except Wednesday, which is early release day. Yesterday was Wednesday.

Tuesday late afternoon the corporate director for the Grand Bohemian Gallery which carries my work nationally asked me if I had any new work. Since I have been working on my Noah's Ark Series I have not had new work to give her for a while, and I am feeling badly about answering that question with "no" because my answer for most things is usually "yes."

I Always Give it My Best
Vanessa was looking for a large scale rooster piece and had hoped to install it in the Asheville gallery. I told her I'd do what I could to get one done for her.

sketch with beginnings of underpainting

Late Tuesday night I sketched up the rooster onto my 30x30 panel and coated it with multiple coats of clear gesso. Wednesday morning at 6:30am I blocked in the green background before waking the kids for school. 

Multitasking is Key

While the kids were showering and getting ready for breakfast I pulled on my sneakers and ran three miles around my neighborhood. When I returned I checked on the kids progress, took a quick shower and cooked breakfast of eggs, toast, sausage and fresh fruit (Every morning is like Sunday at our house). I ran a load of laundry and put away the dishwasher. Before they went out the door to catch the bus I packed them both healthy lunches and kissed them goodbye, wishing them the very best day!

Slightly off  Center

Back inside, I quick changed into my gym clothes and headed off to lift weights. Exercise is my relaxation, I enjoy pushing the limits of both my mental and physical strength. I find my center and calm my mind through exercise every day. Before I clean up, I dash out to the studio to block in more color on the rooster, completing the underpainting. This will need to dry for a few hours. I'm moving so fast I think I'm still burning calories!

underpainting progresses with more blocking in and

establishing a decorative background 

Keep Moving

I head into the house and put the laundry in the dryer, shower, check my emails and design an ad layout for a health and fitness club in Baltimore, MD. Today I have set aside some time to have lunch with a friend since it's early day and  I am not volunteering at school. We enjoy Greek food and catch up conversation and then I head home and back to my desk. I design a tri-fold massage brochure for that same Baltimore client, field more emails, make changes to some fitness posters for my Orlando based Sportsplex and before I know it I can hear the beep-beep of the alarm as the kids come in the garage from school.

I take the kids for frozen yogurt so we can spend some time together before dance and swim team. We head home and on the way drop my daughter off for dance at 4:00. I encourage my son to do a bit of his homework before we have to leave for swim team at 5:15. Take a few minutes to check social networking, email and waiting for the underpainting to dry.

Head to the aquatics center with my son for 5:30 and back to pick up at dance for the break from 6-7pm. Arrive home, make spaghetti and organic chicken sausage. Back to dance for 7-9pm and pickup Connor at the aquatics center at 7pm. Typically I have help with the driving buy my husband is out of town on a photo shoot this week. Hit the post office to mail DVDs on my way home.

Balancing Act

Get everyone back and forth and settled with homework, then I sit and read for an hour with the kids and the dogs until DANCE MOMS comes on TV at 10pm. It's a repeat and so I tell my daughter I'm going to pass and head out to the studio to work. They are engrossed in TV as I head to the back yard with the dogs in tow. I pick up some papers and try to organize my work area a bit, put on some good music and start working in a sea of reds for the rooster waddle and comb. 

In the groove when 11pm rolls around, but I have to check on the kids and make sure they don't stay up any later than DANCE MOMS, head inside, say goodnight, clean out lunch boxes for tomorrow, and rotate the laundry again, dogs in tow. 

darkness has settled in as the sun has been down for hours, 

but I'm still going strong

Head out to the studio after everyone is in their room for the night. This is the witching hour, it's when the magic happens. Put my favorite Pandora station on, take the glue brush out of the water and I am quickly back in the zone. Share a few fun texts with my friend and Dog A Day painter Kim Santini who tells me she's turning in for the night. Stay in that zone for as long as I possibly can before the yawning starts around 12:30. Keep working until 1:00 am and sit for a minute to evaluate my progress.

Head in for a few hours of sleep with visions of paper tidbits dancing in my head like sugar plum fairies. Sometimes it's hard to get to sleep when my brain is moving so fast, even though I am tired. Tonight I get to sleep about 1:30. Some mornings I wake at 5:00am with my mind working away wildly at collage solutions and techniques for future subject matter. 

Do it All Over Again

Up at 6:00 am to varnish the now dry rooster head piece. Head out to evaluate the night's work and be sure I like it as much as I thought I did. Apply varnish and head back inside to making breakfast and start the day. After the kids go, I hop on my bike for a 20-mile ride and along the way I stop to take iPhone collage reference photos of the cows on the bike trail as they are at the fence and I have not seen them there in weeks! 

Return home and put another varnish coat on before heading for the shower. Today I'm volunteering at school again so I likely will have to bring the rooster downtown to the gallery tomorrow morning. I'll put the hanging wire and final varnish coat on this afternoon. 

And that's just how I do it. 

Post Art Festival Special

Carrots, 8x8, collage with acrylic on deep cradled birch panel ©St.Hilaire Nelson

Great Kitchen Art

this 8x8 original collage is on 5 1/8 inch deep boxed panel with painted edges, wired and ready to hang. This piece would make a great holiday gift for yourself or the art lover in your life. 

$150.00

Bird Note Cards

My NEW note cards have arrived and they look GREAT! I could not be happier with the color and quality of the printing. These are glossy A2 note cards with envelopes. Each set is in a clear box with silver ribbon and contains two each of five images. Get them while they are hot, I have limited quantities!

Atlanta Collage Society Show

Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech

I am in good company in the Atlanta Collage Society Show at Ferst Center for the Arts in the heart of Atlanta, GA. I have been a member of the Atlanta Collage Society for over a year now and have to say that they show in some fantastic venues!

Last year the ACS afforded me the opportunity to show at the Quinlan Visuals Arts Center in Gainesville, GA where I am scheduled to present a workshop this year.

Undulation and Syncopation, 20x20, collage of hand-made papers

The ACS is a wonderful group of diverse collage artists from the Atlanta area, but their reach is broadening. There had been some talk of them becoming a South East Collage Society, I'm not sure if that will come through, but you do not have to reside in Atlanta, or GA to be a member of this group.

I am also a member of the National Collage Society which has members from around the world. This year I was accepted for the second time into their Annual Juried Exhibition, quite an accomplishment! This means that I am 2/3 of the way toward earning my "Signature Member Status." The NCS only accepts about 20% of submissions each year for this show. 

The Annual Postcard Exhibit showcases 4x6 pieces from EVERY member who submits, if you want an opportunity to hang your work with other collage artists! Both of these Collage Societies are worth looking into if you are interested in collage art.

Tuscan Triptych

© St. Hilaire Nelson 2010 | three panels 12x24

The last of the vacation artwork!

Here is the Tuscan scene I worked on over the beach break. I like it for the simplicity. This piece is more about color, pattern and shapes rather than shading and volume. While I was working on it, I likened it to the childhood days of scribbling a big swirly paper and then coloring in the shapes created by overlapping lines. Remember that?

Breath of Fresh Air

I have joined the Atlanta Collage Society and I'm very excited about it! We have a show at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center from December 10 to February 20th, and I have three pieces on display. If anyone lives near that area, you might like to check it out!

I had been communicating with the president, Barbara Dunhan, for almost two years about joining the Society and coming up to visit, talk about workshops, and see the Society Show. I finally made arrangements and will be headed to Atlanta on the weekend of December 18.

My membership in the Atlanta Collage Society is in addition to my membership in the National Collage Society, I figure you can never have enough collage in your life, at least not mine!