Seeing Black and White

I'm usually really colorful when it comes to artwork and decor.

The art I collect is normally vibrant, my own palette is usually super saturated- it's sometimes just  straight up, right out of the flipping tube. 

My color theory professor would choke on her eyeballs rolling back into her head at some of the pieces I've painted.

But lately I've had a side thing with ink, and it's starting to seep into everything else.

I'm also way into white. Like, really into it. 

I'm getting worried. What's happening to me?!

This is actually leading to a proliferation of pens on my work table.

They are slowly creeping out of their 2 designated existing supply drawers and crowding out the slots reserved for brushes and paint.

I truly thank my lucky stars I'm not into copic markers. That would be a nightmare.

I think it might be time to get a bit more organized and test out the new products from my shops.

Red Bubble offers studio pouches, like the one pictured below.

I am especially loving this pouch, and it's one of my favorite designs that was totally free form and that puts me in a nice headspace.

"You were in my Dream" Studio Pouch.

But, I also like this pattern that I created this week.

(and there will be free printable PDFs for Patrons, yo!)

I really like the clean white with the gold zipper on this design.

I got a notification from Society6 that I can offer this design as a Carry-All and also offer free shipping and 15% off on Carry Alls as an artist promo.

For whatever reason, not all of my designs are available on the new Carry-Alls, yet.

This one, Celtic Kisses Medley, is.

It looks a tad more grey, but I think that may be because of the cotton/poly blend.

The lining is definitely a plus, especially in the larger sizes. The 3 pack is only $40, and the large could certainly hold my iPad. I really wish I could mix and match...

 Along with a handful of other designs, my fox and fawn are on pouches- so that's making it tougher.

Maybe it's not so black and white after-all.

 le sigh...

Click this link and get free shipping plus 15% off any Carry-All Pouch in my Society6 shop.

But you have to click through the link to get the deal. 

What do you think?

How do you organize your pens?

Do you have any studio pouches or carry-alls?

Let me know in the comments!

Organizing an Art Studio : Sisyphus and I Take a Stroll

 You know the story. Sisyphus is punished for his trickery by the gods and has to roll a massive boulder uphill only to have it enchanted by Zeus to roll away from him when he reaches the top. Story of my life. Well, they say the first step is admitting you have a problem.  Here goes-
My name is D. Renée Wilson, and I am a messy person. This messiness is often coupled with a tendency to hold onto art supplies like an autumn squirrel gathering nuts in her chubby cheeks. Notice I said hold not hoard. (Hey, I use them. Mostly.)
I've told myself I just don't have enough space, but there's a part of me that knows if I had a 2000 sq ft studio there would still be clutter. Usually, I don't mind a mess. Things are right where I put them. I know where to find them. No problem. My mother may cringe when she visits me, but that's okay. It's my stuff, and I'm an adult. A very unorganized adult that may not quite feel or even act like an adult at times, but an adult nonetheless.

 Sisyphys (1548-1549) by Titian, Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
When it comes to being tidy, I'm sort of at a loss. Compartmentalizing things makes sense in theory, but in practice and especially my creative processes, I can't hang. Plus, I honestly feel like cleaning is a waste of time. I want to make art, I want to play. Why would I spend valuable time moving things to a specific area when they will shortly make it back to where they started?
 My husband is incredibly tolerant of my disastrous work and living areas and I thank him for this. That's why I spent an entire day last week cleaning and organizing ( shoving things into closets and hiding them in inconspicuous places) our somewhat small condo. Here's the thing, after eight hours of this, the place looked pretty great. Even better, I felt pretty great. There was a palpable sense of free flowing chi. A lightness in the air that set me at ease.
 Now, how would one accomplish this energy flow in a limited studio space without throwing out precious and costly supplies? A mixed media gal has to have a vast cache to birth unique pieces, plus all of my traditional media for portraits and commissions, and the myriad of tools and materials for my plaster paintings.
 Well, I bought this today.

It's a start. I'm exhausted already. Let's go, Sisyphus.