Category Archives: My Art

Horse Triptych

artsy stuff, life as an artist, Making Stuff, My Art, the world I live in

My artist ego is Ajai, my alter ego that explores my art and craving for the outdoors and life lessons is Bohemian Tiger. Maybe hiding behind the alternate egos is a way to protect myself from the world I so desperately want to be a part of but want to be able to hide from at the same time.

Putting myself out there on YouTube has really been a challenge. Facing the camera and letting the world in on a little piece of who I am is easier when you don’t see my face…my identity…my true essence. I’ve been pretty transparent about my life here and have poured my heart and soul into some of my posts but there is something very unveiling about putting your face on YouTube that is hard to describe.

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Maybe it takes away the fantasy of who I am? When you read my posts, you can put any face to the comments and dream of what “that” person is or looks like. But when you have a face to look at, it changes the perception and concept of who that person really is. I know I am sometimes shocked when I meet or see a picture of someone I have admired through the arts or heard of through acquaintances. It can totally change your vision of that person. Sometimes for the better and sometimes…well let’s just say I was raised to say nothing at all.

When I paint, I don’t feel like “me” I feel connected to something that is way beyond this world. The “me” that holds the brush is just a conduit for something, some kind of energy that manifests in a place between “here” and “there” and doesn’t have a time or location.

Meditation…connection…peace…

Painting Horses Episode 2

artsy stuff, life as an artist, Making Stuff, My Art

Now that winter has hit pretty hard, I will be doing more painting than building at the off-grid cabin/cottage. It’s pretty tough getting up the off-road trail to the property so I find other ways to spend my time. My favorite of all pastimes is painting. I consider each of my works a meditation. I can lose time and find peace when I paint.

Like and subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates.
https://www.youtube.com/ajaiart/bohemiantiger

This is one of my favorites so far.

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Cabin Insulation at TMBR

house hacks, life as an artist, making money as an artist, Making Stuff, My Art, tiger tale

I’ve really started taking advantage of the YouTube channel I started a while ago. If you want to spend some time there, please like and subscribe. I’m hoping to some day get enough views and subscribers to monetize the channel so I can make some extra cash for supplies for the cabin. Here’s the link to the channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/ajaiart/bohemiantiger

Some of the videos are about TMBR and the trials and tribulations of building on a budget. Some of the videos include my art and the process for creating. I hope that somewhere along my journey, I can help someone else that is facing some of the struggles we all have to work through as being human. Even if that is just learning how to laugh at yourself.

I am going to do as much of the work as I can to get this cabin/cottage done myself. I did outsource the foundation, framing and septic. It may take a few years to get it all done. I’m doing the work myself and by myself so every project is lesson in process and coming to terms with the fact that I don’t have a clue what I’m doing…lol

That being said, I don’t expect anyone to think my videos are a real “how to” but more of an expression in process and perfection aren’t really the answer. The answer is just keep trying.

This is a peek at the cabin insulation…Love and hugs!

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color-me_ajai

step 1.1 (money makes the world go ’round)

life as an artist, making money as an artist, My Art, tiger tale

So…in Step One, I said…”…eliminate all things, people and emotional baggage that serves no purpose toward helping me reach my highest potential in the creative process!”

Somehow, I thought I could give up all my worldly possessions and become some sort of Zen master as I embarked on this journey. I was already starting out with pocket change and thought pennies and a little pocket lint could get me started on my grand journey and new adventure! Then…I got the utility bill…and the tax man visited and I had to pay for gas to get to the new Tiger Mountain…wow…what a buzz kill!

I thought to myself, “I could just find more project work!” That is what I have been doing for over a year now trying to supplement my measly earnings from my now drastically cut back “job” and all I would need to do is land that awesome gig building a website to get me over the hump and back on the track that leads to creative freedom and spiritual growth.

In my quest for projects, I ran across ad after ad grabbing at my desire to reach my full potential in art and the creative process and scam after scam from “get rich and find your center” programs and online tutorials from various religious and spiritual sales people. When did Buddhism start charging money for enlightenment? I must have missed that memo…

The beast within quickly came to the surface as I realized I need money and I need it badly! The internal fight over money vs sanity has set in and I find myself battling my own desires for peace and tranquility…I can easily justify going back to the corporate world I so despise to make a buck or two to get me through…WTF?! I know me…I know that if I go back to that world, I will get sucked in and drained of all of my desire to create and possibly my desire to live…so why would I even consider it?

Because I am scared…I’m scared of success and failure at the same time…what if I put everything I have into just making and selling art? Well…if I am successful, I have to do it indefinitely. OMG…what does that mean? If I am not successful, what does that mean? I’m not good enough? F***! I have been halfassing it for a while now…I do a little art and mostly newsletters and web updates and dumb stuff that pays pretty well but sucks rocks for enjoy ability…I’m like the dog and bone story…I’m walking over the bridge with my bone in my mouth looking at my reflection in the water below…should I drop the bone and go after the one I see reflected or keep trotting over the bridge to the other side? I don’t want to lose the bone I already have for one that may not really be there…

Time to get back on the horse! I need to get organized…I need to make more art! Starting right now! So here it is…if you would like to print this and color it…please post it to my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ILikeAjaiArt

color-me_ajai
color-me_ajai

that’s a lot-o-toilet paper

artsy stuff, house hacks, life as an artist, My Art

I’ve been working on a bunch of recycled/upcycled arts and crafts lately to get ready for the sidewalk show in Aurora this year. It really got me thinking a lot about the mass amounts of reusable things that so many people throw away. I made this chess set from a couple buckets of leftover parts and pieces that I bought from yard sales and scraps that folks were going to throw away.


I see so many things abandoned and forgotten by folks…things thrown in the trash that could be used again rather than thrown in a landfill…Not that I want to bring it all to my house and turn my place into a landfill, but a little bit of thought and a few minutes of your time could save the world from becoming one big landfill.  You don’t have to turn everything into a work of art…sometimes just being a little creative you can think of ways to reuse what you use.

Here is an example: I like to go camping a lot and I also have a fire pit at home that I use as often as possible. You know those little cardboard tubes that hold your roll of toilet paper? Well…next time you are about to throw them in the trash, take a moment (maybe while you contemplate the next roll of toilet paper) to tare it open and re-roll it into a small roll and put it in a recycled baggie to take on your next camping trip as a fire starter…


It gets a bit crazy when you think of how many people are in the world and then think of how much stuff they throw away…I found this great little population clock that shows the world population…that’s a lot of toilet paper! And, it’s a lot of other things that could be reused or recycled. If you come up with a great recycled/upcycled project let me know at https://www.facebook.com/ILikeAjaiArt

foam-landscape_ajai

Art – Good vs. Bad

artsy stuff, life as an artist, My Art
foam-landscape_ajai
Experimenting with materials typically found in a preschool as an exploration of what determines good art

If selling your work is what makes it good…Then we all need to evaluate our worth…She was criticized for her work for being unprofessional…she may not have sold many of them, but she did sell some…I wouldn’t buy them because I don’t like things that need to be cleaned or dusted, but I’m not going to dismiss them for their creativity and the fact that she put her time and energy into them.

What was it? I’ll just say it was what some in the art world would say is not art but craft and therefore not worthy of attention. I would have to disagree with that. The craft pieces were very creative and a few of them had beautiful texture and color. I liked them for the simple fact that they sparked an idea in me to be more experimental with everyday materials to see what I could come up with.

I was told once that doing a project or adult workshop fit for 8 year olds was not good enough to be considered “good art” because garage sales, hobbyists and little sidewalk art fairs have ruined our standards so that the mass populous no longer knows the difference between “good and bad” art.

I don’t think that is the case at all…beauty really is in the eye of the beholder and just because a gallery or group thinks a particular style or work is irrelevant or not worthy, doesn’t mean they are right. It is their opinion only.  ART is about so much more than what I have been hearing from folks lately. Art is about self expression and sharing a vision with others and if we start determining “what is art” and not letting our minds open to unfamiliar things… that is just as bad as any prejudice against humanity and I will NOT be a part of that!

I like doing projects fit for 8 year olds. I have recently finished an experimental work using materials often found in a preschool and its all about creativity. Children are often more creative than adults but don’t have the hand eye coordination to make a skilled piece, but with practice and nobody telling them its “not good enough” they can grow up to be magnificent creators that can change the world one vision at a time. Maybe the disconnect here is some folks are doing art because they want to make money, gain fame…be “respected”…? I am doing art because the universe insists on it.

I just want to be creative and enjoy what life I have left on this planet. I don’t want drama and I don’t want to fight…I will however stand up for what I believe in and I believe with everything in my being that being creative is the most divine thing we can do as humans and I will not judge another’s creativity. I will encourage it and embrace it and do my best to defend it…Art isn’t good or bad…it just IS…and the creative process is Divine expression and should be honored whether you “like” it or not isn’t the point…we all have opinions and beliefs…doesn’t make one better than the other. Take what you like…leave what you don’t…and LEARN from it all…

86th Annual CAG show

artsy stuff, life as an artist, My Art
Join us for the Artist’s Reception Thursday July 10, 2014  6pm  in the lower level of the Bemis Library
6014 S. Datura St., Littleton, CO 80120.      The Exhibit runs from July 2 through July 30, 2014
The 19 exhibiting artists are:  Leslie Aguillard,  Dani E. Day-aka- Ajai,  Diane Fechenbach,  Christine Fonte…not, Ferenc Gyulafia,  Cynthia Jennings,  Amanda Korth,  Nick Melliadis,  Pushpa Mehta,  Karen Pollart,  Stan Schwartz,  Sharmon Sheppherd,   Bobbi Shupe,  LaVerna L.Pierce-Sierra,   Mark Smith,  Laura Phelps-Rogers,  Carol Walker,  Ruth Work,  and  Renee Ziccardi.

breakin’ it down

artsy stuff, life as an artist, My Art

I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes me…me.

If you break it down, we are each a containment of parts and each of those parts are put into categories and sub containers of information. I have hazel eyes and at the moment, blonde hair. I am strong but am an emotional wreck and have moments of brilliance along with days littered with ignorance and stupidity. Depending on the color of the outfit I wear, I may have a cheery glow or macabre essence that pierces the view of the scene.

Emotion…caused by life and color swirl into a pallet of wonder when an artist creates a landscape, seascape or abstract. I want to find the eternal nugget of information in each of the images I create from breaking down a photo or the images in my mind. You may notice that the Mindscape 1 is more detailed or less simple in shape and form than the others. This might be due in part to my most recent brain fog brought about by daily emotional duress from dealing with my mom…what ever the case may be, it is a breakdown of the information in my head put in as simple a form as I can manage to put it.

Each of these pieces will be framed and displayed at the upcoming CAG show in July. I will be sure to post more info about the location and time…

nightmares

life as an artist, My Art

spider_ajai

After a week of chaos with my mom and staff at the assisted living place, I thought I had a chance to breath and get back to painting…I was setting up the easel getting ready to finish a painting I started the day before, when I got a call from my mom. They took away her scissors and she was freaking out.  I told her I was on the way and as I was getting ready to head out the door… the staff at my mom’s place called…they were freaking out!

Mom decided she wanted a hair cut at 2 in the morning, so she took her sewing scissors out and proceeded to cut her own hair…it would have been cute if she hadn’t chopped it bald in some places…the staff didn’t know what to do, my mom was crying and I was angry…angry that something so stupid could turn into such a freakin’ nightmare!

Maybe I have just been dealing with my mom so long that this just doesn’t seem like the worse thing that could happen…She’s been doing this as long as I’ve known her…I would have been worried if she’d cut herself or somehow injured someone else, but she just messed up her own hair…Oh…wait a minute…it’s not just that she cut her hair…she’s been running around the facility yelling at folks and throwing temper tantrums too…ok…so what? She’s been doing that for years too!

Damn! maybe I do need counseling…I got my mom calmed down, the nurse got me calmed down and I left there feeling like someone ran over me with a steam roller…WTF? I need to wake up from this nightmare!