As of the next update, which will be around the beginning of next month, there will be a slight increase in the price of art prints, to cover for changes in the materials I am using to produce them (they will be printed on a new, better quality paper) and the changes in the conversion rate between US and Australian dollars. So if there's something you've had your eye on, best grab it now before the change takes place! :)

This month is also the last chance to grab one of the original artworks at the low sale price, with discounts up to 75% off, only until the end of May.

I was going to make a post early last week but haven't til now because I've just been feeling so apathetic. Last Tuesday night I went and saw "The Painted Veil" at the movies. It stars Naomi Watts and Edward Norton (both of whom I really respect as actors) and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I wanted to write up a whole post in my feelings about it but I just didn't think I could do them justice. The next day I visited the film's website and was even more blown away by the artistry, intelligence, respect, hard work and dedication that went into the film. I haven't seen a film like that for ages and it still, a week later, has me feeling such a deep sense of respect and gratitude that there are people out there with such a regard for literature, art, culture and the human story that they could create such a masterpiece. Wow. Anyway, I'd HIGHLY recommend seeing it, even if just for the beautifully sensitive acting or the breathtaking cinematography which captures a rural China that Westerners have not yet been able to see. I believe it's one of the first Western films that actually combines Western film production with the Chinese film industry and with Chinese crews and cast...the result is a wonderful meeting between two cultures in the modern day to tell the story of the meeting of the same cultures in the early twentieth century. BEAUTIFUL. One more thing...the love story between the two main characters is one of the most romantic, un-sappy, beautifully handled and poignant that I have seen in a long, long time. It is by no means the traditional love story and was so refreshingly REAL. I could definitely relate to it on such a real, personal level and I found it absolutely amazing. The entire film, every single tiny part that went into its production seems to have been done with such a deep and sincere respect. And that in turn is what I have for this film and the people who brought it about.

So after having said all that...the next morning I was driving Ash to work, which is not far from his house in the rural area in which I live, when all of a sudden after turning a corner we found two trucks coming toward us on our side of the road carrying demountable classrooms and not going slowly! They veered back onto their side of the road quickly and we barely sighed our relief when a massive piece of guttering, a few metres long came hurtling off the back of one of them and straight into my windscreen. If it had've been a few inches higher it might have come right through into my face and I don't like to think where Ash and I might be if it had (certainly not on this earth, that's for sure!). As it was, it was low enough to be near the stronger part of the window near the seam so that it didn't come all the way through and just smashed up the window instead. So anyway, I'm waiting now for the repair people to come and fix it (I haven't been able to drive my car all week). As it is I had to spend this morning walking home from Ash's house (he does NOT live within comfortable walking distance!) in the hot sun along the dusty main road with rattling trucks rumbling past, suffering the odd beeping of dumb-ass cars, all while I'm wearing clothes I wouldn't normally do exercise in (jeans, volleys and carrying my handbag stuffed with abnormally heavy and unnecessary items). There was no vehicle there to use and Ash had to get to work. :D So hot and tired with sore feet, I arrived home rather later than I should have (I wanted to make an early start, but being car-less kind of threw a spanner into the works there). I'm supposed to be writing a thesis abstract for my PhD as well, but after the ordeals I've been facing this hectic week, my head just doesn't want to get into gear. How do I summarise my massive, interconnecting orb of ideas into a 500 word, neat and concise statement? It's OK though, I can feel the cogs turning subconsciously and the words will appear as if out of thin air when they're ready. That's how it happens. I just hope they come before I'm supposed to hand this in to my supervisor! :D

I finished it! The image bounced into my head months ago while swimming in the lake at Ash's house...I drew it and laid down the background wash a week ago and only today and yesterday got round to painting the rest! It feels good to have it finished, and to have taken a bit more time than usual to paint...I feel I'm growing more respect for my artworks now :)

"Morning Gossip"

Turn and face the strain..ch-ch-changes.... yeah anyway. Funny how there's always a song in my head that befits every mood I'm in or what I happen to be doing at the time! Yesterday was a day of changes for me, or NEW THINGS (!) at least....

1) I was in a film clip! It was all filmed last night and I'm in it and I can't wait to see the final product!

2) For this film clip I wore a corset..my first corset experience, and it was actually quite fun! Though I didn't have it done up tightly...god knows how those women used to manage!

3) For the film clip I also had to curl my hair, which is so stubbornly straight it's not funny, so its hard to curl at the best of times. Yet even harder when it's as long as mine happenned to be...I hadn't got it cut in 2 years, so thinking I could save myself some time with the curling iron I grabbed a chunk of my hair, lopped about 7 inches off it, handed the scissors to Ash and asked him to try to keep the rest in line with that length. I'd been meaning to get a hair cut anyway, so why not?! Ash's Dad stepped in to trim it for me since he used to be a hairdresser :) So now my hair feels all nice and short again (still long by most standards).

4) I made up a proto-type of a new necklace I'm going to offer on my website with my art on it and I love it! Gorgeous silver lockets with a cameo art print under a clear cabochon...yay!

Photos of my costume, curly shorter hair (I look sooo tired after a long night of filming) and close-up of my necklace...

 

My cat puts himself in the cutest places! Here my sister had left fairy wings from a party on a box beneath my bookshelf, which Cherokee decided would suit him perfectly and probably help him fly after those tasty birds in his dream adventures...

Mood: depressed, angry, frustrated, despairing, listless, hurt, confused

Reason: Last night I watched the final episode of Robin Hood Season Two. If you've seen it you know why I feel this way. If you haven't then I won't ruin it by saying anymore except that I feel so gutted in so many ways at this directorial decision that has completely trashed the legend that was so humanely, humurously, charmingly, lovingly and respectfully treated until now. I can't see how this drastic mistake can be made better in Season Three, though a part of me hopes beyond reason that it does. I've a mind to write to the directors though I'm sure they've already received more than enough of what I would say. It's times like this you feel as if you should just be able to ring anyone up and speak with them. All I would say is a big Whyyy?!!! and plead with them to turn it all around. Though the options for doing this may be a bit cheesy or chiche, I'm sure the devoted audience would much prefer this to the devastating reality they seem to have set up. :(

Tonight I came across a forgotten inked but unpainted ACEO that I did at the same time as my last one. So because I had my paints out from the other painting I'm doing, I thought I'd give her some colour and life! Then I went and screwed her up by going over the ink again which made her lose her delicate appearance. Ohwell. At least it's only 3 1/2 inches big. For some reason the paper I used scans HORRIBLY...I've found this out before with another drawing I did...it makes it look like a bad kid's colouring-in page when actually the original looks quite sweet. Anyway...I'm off for dinner so here she is:

I'm drawing again! Woohoo!

While trying to be diligent and continue with my research, which also involves drawing up lots of time plans to better manage myself, :P I've also been working on some secret projects that hopefully soon I can show you! Well, they're not super secret...really just some cool new products that I'm in the process of designing and making :) It's very fun indeed and I've got lots of bits and pieces scattered around my desk and room, piling out of shoeboxes and drawers...I can't wait to finish the designs and release them! I'm also needing to paint again...perhaps I will switch this research day for my weekend day tomorrow. I'm loving this working at home thing!

Last night I suddenly had the urge to sketch so I grabbed a nearby sheet of parchment paper and roughed out this fairy...the same fairy, "Sylphia" that I painted last year in watercolour. Then tonight I decided to dress it up digitally to make it a bit more interesting, hence the darker edges and the lace :) Oh procrastination...what would I do without you? Oh yeah...my work. Back to the reading...

For April and May only...don't miss out!

 

So I'm still tackling that commission I posted about a couple of days ago...or was it yesterday? Feels like ages ago...because for some reason (and I think it helps getting your priorities straight by having the most beautiful, wonderful, kind and caring boy in the world to love!) things just started going right and I had one of the best days in a long time yesterday. I got so much done on the commission that it's at a stage where I feel happy with it enough to feel justified in continuing to work on it! And all with a song in my heart! haha In between stages of working on it I did a tiny little drawing just to rekindle my creative fire...I had been wanting to do another mermaid artwork for so long now! And this is my FIRST EVER ACEO! I'm quite excited and have found I quite like the idea of tiny little original artworks! Except obviously the printing limitations if I happen to really like the image! Anyway, this one was super fun and used my favourite medium...ink! :)

I haven't posted here in ages so I thought I'd check in to say I'm still here! I've been ridiculously busy in so many areas...starting my PhD research is the busiest! It's full-on and also very draining when you're trying to get your vision for the thesis perfect...the vision that has to last 3 whole years! I've been reading lots and lots and trying not to fall asleep (reading makes me feel all snuggly and sleepy!). Then I've also had an awful lot of website coding and designing to do. I've got a few new products to add to my range soon and each of those has needed a fairy bit of work...and it continues. I've decided I'm going to stop announcing things in advance since something always seems to happen to make it take longer than I thought and then I just look like I can't stick to my word! Very frustrating and stressful. I'm also adding a whole lot of new original artworks for sale and reducing the price of others in a massive sale, which WILL go up at the start of next month, if nothing else! On top of that, I'm doing my wholesale website, which is proving to take a whole lot of time and energy, but I've wanted it to be finished for aaaaaages, so I'm determined to do it! I've also got commissions in the works, leaving me no time at all to breathe! I'm absolutely itching to paint something of my own! I have a list a mile long of "artworks to do next" and I haven't been able to touch it! Grrr! I want to just stop time for a bit so I can catch up to where my thoughts are stubbornly racing away. "Soon", I tell myself, "soon"....

 
(LJ was doing something weird with this post so I tried to delete it and re-post...hmph.)

I now have an Etsy store! I had no idea what it was until my sister told me about it a few months ago! It looks like so much fun and such an ecclectic range of things...it's awesome! So I listed just a few things and will list more in the future. I think this shop will be where I list my hand-crafted, unique, stranger items that don't fit so well with the rest of my main website! Check it out below...

My greeting cards and bookmarks have finally arrived and they look absolutely stunning! So glossy and lush! I'm going to have to try really hard not to sit here trimming the corners and adding tassels to bookmarks all night long! They're just so cool! There are 25 designs in the greeting cards and 20 in the bookmarks, all available now from www.kirstinmills.com!

Oh my God! I got into Epilogue! Yaaaay! haha I never thought I'd say that. I joined up early last year before I knew what it was, thinking it was just like DA or Elfwood and was shocked to get rejected pieces for really weird, non-descriptive reasons! I soon heard round the online town that Epilogue was well known for this sort of thing and was regarded by many as a bit of an arsey place. I began to hold a similar opinion and didn't bother submitting anything else until recently I remembered it and thought, "Hey, why not?" And I got accepted! Some of them are still pending but my little dragons got in! Little babies...I'm so proud! :D I think I might try and upload some more of my recent stuff soon...I just have to get time to adjust the copyright marks on them to still functional but barely noticeable...quite hard to do!

My Very Small Epilogue Gallery

I LOVE getting parcels in the mail! God it's fun! I got my envelopes today so hopefully the greeting cards will follow soon! (Yay!) I can't wait to get these, and the bookmarks! These are things I have been hand-drawing and making since I was about 3 years old (I used to draw fake barcodes on the back and write "RRP: $Pricless" above them! haha) I also used to put my logo in the middle and everything (It was a portrait of my 'Bunny'...the toy I've had since I was born and that still sits on my bed...shh)! And I still have a felt bookmark I made with my mum when I was maybe 2 (?) that has a giraffe eating leaves that I drew on it with permanent crayons. heehee Anyway, point is, I really, really can't wait to finally see some REAL greeting cards and bookmarks with REAL barcodes that are the product of my own creativity! FINALLY my little dreams are becoming reality! :D It's a nice feeling, to stop and look back at where you've come from :)