blackbunnywithcowbunny

blackbunnywithcowbunny, originally uploaded by tobin eckian.

ka! cow bunny looks perplexed by it's canary egg cargo.


happy weekend xo

snippet

That's the sound of hair being cut. 

turn upside down
flip hair over with you
comb it all forward
snip snippity snip

out with some of the old. in with the new.

Blogging....

   I have a secret back-up blog entry on a card near my table.  I havn't used it yet but feel like I want to type it out.  Then I have other things I like to talk about, like how much I value twittering....

(my secret is a cherished list from a birthdaycard from all the animals that currently lived within arm's length of the kitchen in 1999)

(why I love twitter?  i find different artists who are tweeting and we keep eachother tweet sharp and focused on our work).

   My friend, Foxfire is leaving for Africa this week and is blogging about how many pairs of underwear she will pack (possibly one or maybe two)  link here.

   Who do I think I am!?   Seriously,  I am social media-ist.  An Artist grateful for an audience and kindling kinship of others that are here on the Planet.  I am an entertainer, entertaining first myself and then benefiting from the laughter or grins of others seeing my ridiculous antics -  like a parrot with fat legs and funny feet walking, or attempting to run across a floor.  I am like a Parrot -  who desire full inclusion into a social network, full acceptance.  Complete Love and trustworthiness going both ways.

picture "Red Fox"

Saturday - Inspired by the Theater Community in Newburyport

   I get so inspired by being in the Firehouse.  It is like a giant toy.  I imagine moving little parts and things around on the walls and on the big projector screen.  I wonder how I could create a giant scenario combining music and story, drama and visual art.  I've had these thoughts and feelings before and it all came rushing in again unexpectedly last night while sitting in the theater during the opening of 'The New Works' festival (Playwrite James McLindon was in the audience, directed by Sherry Bonder with Astrid Lorentzon, Ashley Risteen and Eliot Johnston)  Well Played!

   Later at the surprise reception (I hadn't known there would be wine and food after), staring at the blank bricks walls feeling a tangible longing to hang my new work up I realized the idea of submitting work for the Firehouse had returned full force. 
  While napping before driving to the show I was with my old friends from High School at a bar that overlayed my old neighborhood (Leawood Drive, New Castle, PA)  where my actor neighbor lived adjacently, Mrs. Nord  and my new neighborhood (Newbuyrport around the vicinity of the Firehouse).  I had to leave my friends quickly to enter the Firehouse and looked down at myself and I was wearing a full length red dress, the same one that another person was wearing who was on stage getting ready to read.  What?    I woke up from the nap feeling quite ready to entertain the idea of getting up on stage at some point.  Maybe I will venture into 'The Random Acts"  next November or audition for next year's "New Works  shorts?  Somethings to look forward to.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to Marc Clopton's written play "Alice in Wonder Glass"  premiering this Feb 11th at the Black Box Theater in the Tannery.  Dan Hanson has been making the lyrical and sculpted furniture for the event and they will be auctioned (time and place tba). http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=144078960640

polite or Rude? Playing at the Port Taven.....

   I didn't realize how much I had payed attention to the common courtesy of waiting one's turn until I found myself sitting at the weekly Music Seisun at the Port Tavern in Newburyport.  Unlike some folks, I did not have the pleasure of growing up around this type of happening.  Eamon Coyne, a rare treasure from Ireland runs it every wednesday from 7 until 10 pm.  There is some element of waiting one's turn, ie:  when Eamon calls on you...but that happens only when the slew of players have stopped for 12 seconds to catch a breath or if it is a slower night (not as many players).   Rather, from what I can tell,  it is up to me to jump in when the last song (usually a run of three tunes each played three times in a row) has just ended.  There is no time really to think, just do it.  Gah!   hesitation can mean lost opportunity.

  It is not ever a 'slow' night as the seisun is known for it's rapid speed, both a thrill and inspiration.  I've been playing fiddle going on nine years now.  Some pieces like 'The Swallowtail Reel'  I knew to play fast.  Now I spend my early morning getting everything up to speed so I am not only correct in jumping in to the playing pot, but also not rude in playing poorly!

If you like Irish (scottish, english, celtic, cape breton) type of traditional tunes you may be overjoyed to be at Port Taven on State St. in Newburyport on a wednesday eve.  (with instrument or as listener -  beginners are always welcome to sit on the fringe!)

"Boston Terrier Island"

Fluffy Monday

first thing in morning. throw open the window, take photo,   will post somewhere.  fades in....singing "This Love Will Carry" by Contemporary Scottish Musician, Dougie Maclean.

 I take my music as serious as my art.  holding both lightly as fluff in one hand and as heavy as gravity would allow in the other.  Singing and playing fiddle are like the blood for me.  keeps things moving freely.  My art-making is like my bones.  They build me up.  keep me here on earth.  both are so important. 

I have been writing from this window for some years now.  There is a book floating around on the internet that took 5 years from this window.  I still have the urge to write from here.  This is where I do my blogs.  I realized near the end of writing the book that what I was really doing was practicing blog writing.  For that is the style of writing the book takes.  A ridiculous and quite serious account of my life as a almost street person and basically a traveler, gypsy artist musician.  Notice that even tho i mention this book i am not saying where it can be purchased, typical response to my ambivalence of being read.  i think to date i have sold 12 copies.

Friday - resting while working

i know i said i would attempt to blog everyday but i am thinking every other day now..  i am not going to capitalize my 'i's'  because my sleeve will go into my paint if i move that way.  my recent canvas is sitting in front of my this, studio laptop.

i also am finding the joy of typing a draft in the  morn and not publishing until i have some kind of photograph to show for myself.  yesterday i took some photos of the baby tiger, canary hastening back into it's nest.  just like i did out of sheer exhaustion of pushing myself too hard re: paint and fiddle.

basically most capitol letters are out while i am typing in this manner.

i learned something valuable yesterday and this morning....(ice is falling off my roof right now)....the art of not working too hard.   that's right.  that's what i said.  i think it is un natural to work to the point of too much.  what is called for is a focus and refocusing of a particular goal, intended progress -----  not the overdoing.

i'm serious about this.

I think I finished the painting just now so now I can cAP.   

There are plenty of environmental pressures that seem to squeeze in on my cells sometimes propelling me towards a desperate enbarkment - a ridiculous journey even for my mind,  before I make a move.  The best way to deal with this while it is occurring is to either clean up something and through out old stuff, or take a nap.  

Wednesday Jan 13th - nearly in the middle of the month and the week

I woke up and came downstairs and who was sitting on a little branch in the middle of the cage?  Only the cutest little baby canary there ever was.  This one is mild mannered and barely makes a peep.  A quiet, sensitive little bird with bright black eyes.  I wasn't there this time to see the baby's first hop out of the nest.  Previous accounts (4 in all) I have witnessed first steps and flights.

softiebluebunnyandskip3

softiebluebunnyandskip3, originally uploaded by tobin eckian.

the small wool stuffed softies serve as an inspiration by placing them in my new paintings. it appears the blue bunny bear morphed into the schipperke in the latest 12 x12 ! quite funny what can happen.


And back to the new canary baby, Tiger. simply so adorable and looked at me while i was talking to it today without shrinking back into it's nest like it usually did before when I attempted a direct conversation.

Happy January 11th

 

The new little baby puff is adorable.  I call him tiger.  Super alert today, 3 weeks old and seems ready to jump out of his nest.

My interview with online Cool Newburyport Today blog came out today (I havnt read it yet! ;o) see following tiny url:

Artist Profile: Tobin Eckian http://bit.ly/8zhNr0

boxy friday

boxy, originally uploaded by tobin eckian.

this is a little 8 inch square box i built out of cardboard, tape and plaster. i glued a print into it and painted it, wired a safety wire in case you were small enough to fit inside and be walking along the edge. there are some blue beads on the wire to look at also.

happy weekend.

tob

blue

dailyjan5, originally uploaded by tobin eckian.

we're in a little boat coasting through the air
going somewhere new
a new frontier
a new feeling

Tiny blog entry

because I said I would (blog everyday)

tho' that january winter has crept into my hibernation factor of the bear in the cave.  It only lasts for a short while.

my daily blog

i plan to do this everyday whether anyone notices or not. today, i put away some of my childish things and picked up my palatte once again.  it seems a couple times a year i play for hours and dream about being a jeweler and rarely do i get any real product out of it.  then i sit and ask myself 'what is the lesson here'?  today i got - the lesson is to go back to painting! lol.

AFter all these years (over 30)  it is ok to call myself a painter even tho, i always think i could be a better one and i've heard this said about painters.   That they sometimes think they could be so much better and also, i usually don't make as much money on my art as say a plumber or someone who makes an hourly rate. So...I think I can duck out of saying i really am a painter because of that.  And also, because I am a musician for real so can i be both?  of course silly bird.

journal transferring transformation - how I do it.

I have been making my own journals in the last year, small enough to pop into my little carry around bag (small enought to forget too if I don't commit to using it )

They are a wee bit on the smallish side.  about 40 pages.  A lot gets put down in them and easy to forgot what I do actually jot down and to even see it in low lighting.  SO here is what I do, am in the process of doing right now

I enter things sequentially (instead of the way i used to do it by just opening it up where there was a place to write and jotting down a fiddle tune whilst looking in the dark at a Port Tavern session).

I am going through my last journal and pulling out the bits that need to be transferred into the new one:  things like  lists of jigs and reels I am working on, the names of the animals I plan to make into softies (small 6 inch stuffed wool handpainted things I make), Wall fluffers (new things I am making...same as softies only made with paper, both stuffed with wool)...and so on.

It's all very exciting.

Painting in the Land of 2010

Hello my friends.  It is 2010.  May your wishes, hopes and dreams come to fruition in the best possible order and timing suited rightly just for you!

happy almost new year

softiebostonterrier, originally uploaded by tobin eckian.

it got a wee bit chilly out there. windy, blustery. the tall strands of goldenrod leftover from the summer blow fiercely about and then stand quite still for a moment.

here's to a nice place of stillness within no matter what the wind blows.

Happiest of Holidays

catbeardog

catbeardog, originally uploaded by e tob.

"Have yourself a merry little christmas
may your heart be light.
from now on our troubles will be out of sight.
have yourself a merry little christmas
make your yule-tide gay
from not on our troubles will be miles away."

happy december 17th

rosechairpose, originally uploaded by e tob.

sigh. i am packing up a box to send to my folks in western pennsylvania. wish i could help my mom decorate her tree this year. i sang 'o holy night' with maura at port session with her harp last night it reminded me of the years of singing it with my mom. was a true gift to sing it.

one more commissioned cat pillow to go out then finish some holiday cards and thoughts of stocking gifts and food stuffs to make.

take care everywhere.

e tob