Saturday, April 9, 2011

I'm going to try.....

I have decided I am going to start making more of an effort to create more art. I feel like I never have the time anymore and honestly I'm pretty depressed about not ever making the things that I want to make or following through on ideas that I plan out. I have decided to change that by starting off with this blog post. From this point on, I am going to use my creativity instead of letting it go to waste. I'm not getting any younger.


Okay.

Now.

Here I go.



I have been getting migraines since I was 14. I remember my very first migraine. I thought I was going to die and I went blind. I still get them. I still go blind. I can go weeks without getting a migraine and then WHAM they take over my life and ruin everything. Maybe just one day. Maybe 4 in a row. But no matter how long, or how short, they still manage to influence my every day. I took part in a study a few years ago about the effects of Epilepsy and Migraines on art. You can see my one of my submissions here on this website :



Here are a few more pieces, both self portraits:





After I googled myself once I found myself on this website about Migraines as well:




So now you know a little bit about me and one of my influences. Stay tuned because I really am going to try to be more creative and do the things that make me happy. I don't want to waste this life and think later on "Boy, I really should have....."


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Spring Portrait Event





We are holding our Spring Portrait Event, in Windber, Pa on May 21, 2011. Please sign up now because spots fill up FAST! Please email Brianakennophotography@hotmail.com and title it Portrait Event. Include how many people, their names, and their ages in the email. If you are bringing pets to be photographed, please give me some details about them as well. I will also need your phone number and your address. We'll send you a ...confirmation email letting you know that your spot has been reserved and time of your photo shoot.

How it works....

Families, Seniors, children, grandparents, engagements, pets.....

Show up at your assigned time 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time and we'll do the rest! Each family will receive a 15 minute session with a photographer. Each 15 minute slot is only $10 and you may reserve as many slots as you like (One for family shots and one for those overdue yearly portraits of the kids?) You will be able to view all of your edited images in a private online gallery where you will be able to choose and purchase your favorite. If you would like to purchase an album or a DVD of your images, you may do so for an additional charge.

This event will have music, food, goodies, and giveaways.

I will be more than happy to answer any other questions you may have regarding this event. Please email me @ Brianakennophotography@hotmail.com. Thank you!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Official....

Wow, two posts in two days!

It is official! I sent my little sketchbook off to its home today! It will only be there for a little while until it goes off an a working vacation for a few months around the United States. Then it will go back to its home at the Brooklyn Art Library.




The Sketchbook Project: 2011



Check it out!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Finished Sketchbook

Wow, it really has been a long time since I have posted on here. Many moons ago I told you all about The Sketchbook Project. I may have said that I would keep you all updated on the project as it went along. Well, I am finished with it and I never did one post on the darn thing. So I guess this will have to be one super huge long post on my sketchbook.

First let me just say that I enjoyed most of my sketchbook project. The creativity part I LOVED. The trying to deal with the thin pages of the sketchbook they provided created a lot of problems. The first issue was that I wanted to use spray adhesive to glue the pages together to make them thicker. This did work, until I painted on them. I guess though, that it is my own stupid fault for thinking that watercolors wouldnt do anything to the adhesive. I also used spray adhesive on the extra pages that I did paintings on and added in. This did not work at all. The pages popped right out each time I turned the page. BOO spray adhesive! So running behind on the project (which needs to be post marked by Saturday- EEK!)I made a trip to Michael's in this blizzard and bought some differnt tapes and paper glue. Only deciding on what I was going to buy after hours of online, late night, (and hysterical) research.

One problem that nearly sent me over the edge was the fixative. Not paying attention, I sprayed fixative on my sketches and paintings and sat them aside. Not waiting for them to dry. They stuck together. Some of them ripped. A migraine began forming. And then yet another late night spent in hysterics was spent fixing my artwork.

Now, on to the work.

I am influenced by MANY different things. Don't forget my theme was, Help!, so I did my best to stay within that theme. Some of these works are obvious, some only have the meaning of help to me. Some, you may take differently than others. I feel like that is what art is anyway. You take from it what you take from it and other people may take something completely different. It is subjective. Right here is where I wish to add my favorite quote from Ani Difranco "Art is why I get up in the morning, but my definition ends there, you know it doesn't seem fair that I'm living for something I can't even define..."
One last note, the art work that I did on seperate sheets of paper were done on old old paper from and old old copy of Robin Hood.
Why Robin Hood you ask? He stole from the rich to HELP the poor. Boy, I'm clever.
And now the cover. I did't want anything that was too much on the cover. I think maybe I should make it stand out more, but I just wanted a simple, cute pencil drawing.






Next I made a title page.




This is my lovely, more beautiful, cartoon self.







This next one was inspired by too things. Migraines and a recurring nightmare I had when I was a child. The nightmare was, my mom had a candle in her stomach and when it burned out she would die. After she died I had to go live with the gals from Facts of Life. I'm not joking. It woke me up all the time, and I would cry and cry. I still remember every detail of that nightmare and it still freaks me out, as funny as it might seem to you. (haha, Facts of Life)






This next one ofcourse is migraines again.





Again, migraines and auras. Oh, and floaters too. I have lots of those. Hate them.





I just like drawing octopuses. Or is it Octopi? Octipodes? Google it. I don't know, neither does google.

Ps. That bird needs help.







This was already in one of my other sketchbooks. Probably inspired by heartache and migraines.





I just like painting trees.








I think the title of the poem should be Migraines.







This following sketch was done one night when I had another Migraine. This one was in the back of my head (basilar migraine). I was going to draw a hole or knife stuck in the head, but it was too nice to ruin.





I think the next few are out of order. Just deal okay! ;)
This is one of my faves! Naturally, it was one that was majorly ruined with the fixative incident. But its fixed now and I bet you cant even tell!








Darn floaters!










Aww, now heres my baby. I love him so much. He helps me to be happy. His kind helps pull sleds. Huskies are abandoned every day. They need help. See, fits right in with the theme.







I heart me some belugas.
BTW: Their environment is being ruined. They need assistance. (sick of saying help)







Hello. Migraines again.






I wrote this poem many ions ago. I was sad. I had some heartache going on.







Autism. Early Intervention is very important!!!




Again, I like trees. Idk. She looks helpless to me.





Take one guess as to why her head is on fire........ If you said migraine, you are wrong.
Just kidding. You're right :)



I am an avid reader. Mainly things on the holocaust. (or teen vampire fiction, but.....) I had the awesome pleasure of meeting a few holocaust survivers over the years. One that I absolutely loved was Bob Mendler. He was an amazing person. I had the pleasure of seeing him at a play at the Mountain Playhouse a few months before he died. He actually remembered me from college. He passed away on December 10, 2009. I cried that day because I knew what the world would be missing. He was a great man. When I read the sentence that is highlight on the page below it reminded me of Bob and I wanted to do something for him in this sketchbook.
If you cant read the sentence is says,
"Sick and sore are we of our hard lot, and we can bear no more."
Never Forget.



This is the last page of my sketchbook.








If there is anyone out there reading this blog, or even just this post. Let me know.


Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Sketchbook Project

I have been waiting patiently.
Finally it came to me in the mail.

Direct from the Art House Co-op is my Moleskine sketchbook!

The Sketchbook Project is an international sketchbook tour that travels the USA and then ends at the Brooklyn Art Library. My sketchbook will live forever at the library and become part of their permanent collection :) . "It's like a concert tour but with sketchbooks" says the website. I am really excited to get started!!!








Anyone can sign up for this awesome project. They send you the sketchbook, detailed directions, a Brooklyn Art Library card and the theme for your sketches.













Here is the barcode that people can use to check your book out from the library. You can then view the details of your book online and read the feedback.


You can have them send you a theme or you can choose your own. I chose the theme:





Help!
You can alter the book in any way, as long as it remains the same size. The pages are very thin so I think I will be getting myself some spray adhesive tomorrow at the store :) .
I am excited to see where these sketches take me. I am hoping this reawakens my creativity as I feel like I have had "artist block" for a bit. I think it may already be working because I have a bunch of ideas bouncing around in my head right now!
I will try to keep you all updated during my project with pages that I complete. First I have some portraits to finish editing and then I will be fully involved in this sketchbook.
Give the Art House Co-op website a check to read more about the project, and other projects that they have. If you decide to sign up for this project, you have to do so soon.
Happy Sketching! :)





Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Sweet Seth...

I haven't posted in a while because I have been super busy. My sister and nephew were visiting and I had many photos to edit. I appologize but I will make up for it with the sweet little guy in this post... :)

Check out his tiny foot.... or maybe its just a huge rock ;)




This little man has a really great big sister. She loves him sooo much!



How could you not with this little guy. I mean, LOOK AT THAT FACE!!!!






So cozy and sleepy. What a trooper through the whole shoot.
















Lori, thanks so much for choosing me to take Seth's photos. Also, thanks a ton for the wonderful comments on facebook. :) I look forward to watching your kiddos grow and I can't wait for our next session!


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A future star....

This girl wants to be an actress and I think she has what it takes....
she is gorgeous...







I love her hair!




Remember me when you are famous girl!!!