Painted Shoes!

One typical day at high school, while sitting in my history class amid the boredom of names, dates, and places to remember, my eyes drifted toward the floor. I noticed my friend's knock-off All-Star shoes under the desk next to mine, and was enthralled by the star-burst pattern on their black background. After class I couldn't resist asking where on earth she got them, only to have my hopes of acquiring some galactic shoes of my own crushed when she said she painted them herself.

"Really?" I was incredulous. "You painted those?"

Well, being the curious artist I am, it wasn't long before I bought a pair of white shoes and got my acrylics out. Since the fabric was porous, I had to apply several layers of paint to gain good coverage, and work in small sections so I could blend before the paint dried. You may be able to avoid my mistake if you use a paint-thinner, such as matte medium, to slow the drying time. Nylon brushes were the best for this project, since they work especially well with acrylic.

As for the over-all composition, I blocked out the flower shapes and painted the background first, so I wouldn't have to worry about messy edges. Covering the elastic parts on either side also kept a clean edge. If you decide to paint your own shoes and find that paint drips over the rubber siding at the bottom, you can wipe it away with wet tissue before it dries and still have that clean craftsmanship. Once you're satisfied with the shoes' appearance, you can spray them down with some water-proofer in a well-ventilated area. The water-proofer doesn't alter the appearance at all, so the shoes can stay shine-free.

If anyone has any other ideas for water proofing or sealing, let me know--I'm always open to new methods!

Part of the reason some photos of art being posted have been delayed is because, ironically, I've been plunged into a world of artistic wonder in the past few weeks, with one week to go. I'm attending the Missouri Fine Arts Academy this year, an amazing program for high school artists all over Missouri to collaborate and produce fantastic work. Unfortunately, being away from home (and my laptop) has inhibited my blogging, but we can expect it to pick up in the next few weeks.

Some of these "works" at the academy can include the experience itself, because there's a concentration here of some of the most talented singers, instrumental musicians, visual artists, actors, creative writers, and dancers from all over the state. It truly is a privilege for me to be around so many other young artists from  different disciplines who appreciate what I do, and what we can do together.

One project in particular that I enjoyed was our community mural, which unites all the disciplines in a creative way. We decided to paint an image of a hand with individual and collective "bubbles" springing forth as a symbol of creative empowerment. The image also abstractedly depicts a tree, symbolizing our growth. The mural is still in the process of being finished, and has yet to have the discipline-specific bubbles painted in, but seeing the process is super exciting!

What's the Point?

Hi everyone!

Sometimes when our talents bring us to a point in life where we can do nothing but step forward, we feel the need to share our vision with others. This might be because the creative process drives us to seek and integrate imput from different sources, or to grow into the professionals we desire to be.
Either way, all of us desire a sense of community that serves as a wellspring of ideas, inspiration, and learning. Whether we're artists, teachers, innovators, etc., all of our thoughts are connected and can bounce off of each other in profound ways.

So, why is this community so important? Personally, I'm beginning this blog as an artist who would like to get her work out in the world and grow in her abilities, while also helping and inspiring others. I believe working together as artists is indispensable in this technological, fast-paced world, and consequently the primary purpose of this blog is to connect.

As a high-school artist, I've been taking several advanced art classes to improve my abilities, aside from working on personal projects. Most of my inspiration comes from my faith, Mid-Missouri's landscape--thus the blog name "Mid-Missouri Paintbrush"--and the people I know and observe. I hope my future posts inspire creativity in each of you and help us all grow into better artists and individuals.

More on my art later!