tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38244311861986240502024-03-12T23:41:06.484-05:00KyraByrdKira Slye's blog about art and lifeKyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-36866222931114804002016-02-10T09:38:00.003-06:002016-05-09T19:12:11.823-05:00A much needed creative weekend
I've not written in a while because I've been working very hard on the inside of our business, the part no one sees.
Except of course when there is an internet accident- which happened last week when for about an hour, our entire retreat website lost it's members. Since there are over 1,200 people currently enjoying Adventure Art Retreats, it was a very disconcerting hour of my life! I got itAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14457427426273950733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-32900946466998876382015-10-20T10:11:00.002-05:002015-10-20T10:11:35.551-05:00I did it, the September Art Bead Scene Challenge
So I did the challenge last month and it was fantastic to stretch out, grab some beautiful beads from my stash, and put them together to go with the theme photo.
I was inspired by the interesting color palette and loose organic forms, and I used my favorite techniques- adding foils to clay and micro-applique little pieces onto a matte surface, for the interplay of shiny, crackly and matte. So KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-69438594445986147442015-09-25T17:50:00.003-05:002015-09-25T17:50:38.833-05:00Time for another Art Bead Challenge...Can I make it in time?
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2015/09/september-monthly-challenge.html
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14457427426273950733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-77285319213107770412015-07-12T22:22:00.002-05:002015-07-12T22:22:42.585-05:00I'm finally seeing my drawings translated into art making tools and it's great!
I've been doodling with intention for a long time now. I have tried Zentangle, but sometimes it is actually too limiting for me! I enjoy a more freestyle way of drawing. And I was able to get a couple of technological tools to help me out, loving my Wacom stylus and tablet at the moment.
Because I've been working with polymer clay and mixed media for years (since about 1995) I understand KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-85024980299771655242015-06-11T11:39:00.001-05:002015-06-11T11:39:21.448-05:00Getting inspired by toolsIlysa and I are working hard on our shop right now over at PolymerClayTV.
We carry only really interesting molds, tools and other polymer clay art supplies. Right now, we are wholesaling these tools- but we have our own line of exclusive tools coming up very soon. I am still working full time, but next Thursday is my last day in corporate. The business is making enough money to support me, and KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-23732017157578207892015-03-01T10:12:00.002-06:002015-03-01T10:12:50.208-06:00Loving me some PEBEO Mixed Media! Watch what I did at CHA Mega Show 2015I really love my Pebeo paints, and I really enjoyed spending a few days demonstrating so many fun things you can do with them. I painted a realistic seahorse floating in the seaweed to show how you can control the reactions with the paints and lay them down to create exactly the painting you want-
but here, in this video, you can see me using the pouring method. When you pour the paints and KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-47381207116410278982015-02-24T13:26:00.001-06:002015-03-01T10:15:12.139-06:00Thermographic Silk Screens from my drawing!Have you ever heard of thermograph printing? I hadn't either. Somehow in all my wild Googleing I stumbled across this technique which basically makes a silkscreen without all the crazy fuss! It's almost instant. So then I found this awesome Etsy shop, uploaded a drawing, and had a shipping confirmation that my screen was ready, all within about a half hour! Wow!
Here's what my print looks like KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-70541780563227346282014-10-19T00:11:00.003-05:002014-10-19T00:23:51.860-05:00Real Mixed Media and why I love it
I really love mixed-media art. I mean REALLY. I like the ability to use whatever tools and supplies make my paintings, sculptures and jewelry come to life and look how I imagine in my mind.
I decided I needed to work on a submission for the Allegany Arts Council holiday cards. They sent out a notice saying they will be choosing 6 pieces this year to make a set. Since I love a creative KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-32326664806546757052014-10-12T11:34:00.001-05:002014-10-12T13:06:43.714-05:00Mermaids and inspiration from the Masters
Alphonse Mucha is one of my favorite artists, and I love the art nouveaux style. I am trying to dissect and understand just exactly what it is about Mucha that entrances me, and I decided that mostly it has to do with posture and hands. So I've decided to do some mermaids in a long-thin composition, which is one that I absolutely love- the 2x1 proportion of this type of work is difficult to KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-83870672912917078762014-09-11T12:21:00.000-05:002014-09-11T12:26:14.220-05:00Challenging myself to create more art beads
I want to be an art bead maker. I mean, I already am- but I'm looking at what I've been creating lately, and feeling like I could be doing better, making more, and providing more of a service to the community by selling my beads.
So I've decided step one is to participate regularly in the largest online monthly challenge for art beads, which is held by the ArtBeadScene blog. One of the KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-34599173517866597462014-09-10T12:27:00.003-05:002014-09-11T12:29:36.463-05:00Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14457427426273950733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-90411540561270956392014-08-23T13:10:00.001-05:002014-08-23T13:10:21.661-05:00Evolution of an Artist
I went to art school. Yup, 4 years. I enjoyed taking electives in many things I don’t use, such as paper making, the only course I got less than a B in during the whole 4 years. Not for lack of trying either, I was in that stupid paper making studio for loads of extra hours- but it still didn’t really work out for me.
I got my degree in teaching, and went on to teach for a few years. Love KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-4750356754782758162014-07-01T13:11:00.000-05:002014-08-23T13:12:00.276-05:00Pink is my Signature ColorI just love imagining myself saying that with a thick Southern accent, just like Julia’s character in Steel Magnolias. I find myself loving a deep dark pink color more and more. I used to like purple the best, but now I find it too cool. Perhaps as I’ve come into myself more I embrace the hotness and forward-ness of this lovely warm (yet a touch cool) color.
KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-24954983166270245342014-06-02T13:13:00.000-05:002014-08-23T13:13:49.388-05:00Color is a Driving Force
This is recycled Sari ribbon- all ripped and shredded.
I love color. It is what drives me. Have you ever seen ColorLovers.com? It’s a fun little website where I’m going to start posting new palettes often- I just love playing with the pattern generator too!KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-33540293971597083782013-10-27T12:07:00.002-05:002013-10-27T12:08:38.081-05:00It really is ALL ABOUT YOU. A Mini-Manifesto, kinda
Be responsible for you- completely.
Own your thoughts, words and actions- completely.
Be proactive. Respond responsibly, rather than React, to what other people think, say and do.
Our culture is perverse these days, maybe for much longer than that. The perversity I'm talking about is self-sacrifice. Don't get me wrong, this concept is important and is a founding thought forKyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-48221158651760495762013-10-24T13:39:00.002-05:002013-10-24T13:40:14.390-05:00Day 10? or 11? I made Art! Actually, I ordered fabric for my prototypes!
So this morning I finally sat down to scan, touch up, and arrange my drawings so they could be turned into beautiful fabric that I can use to create my new line of nursery goods. Fabric is only one of the mediums I will be using, tomorrow I'm going to work on the polymer clay parts! I am going to use Magic Transfer Paper, of course, to get my drawings onto the clay.
It's been a great week in KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-86889694167570360912013-10-21T20:12:00.000-05:002013-10-21T20:12:03.163-05:00Day 8- Get Feedback!
It's important to get good feedback when you are starting up something new, from someone you trust. I've started asking those closest to me what they think of my idea, drawings, and thought process with this new children's line I'm putting together, and the reception has been great!
It can feel awkward or weird to ask people close to you for their feedback on something that is really important KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-77481182136507798532013-10-18T18:26:00.003-05:002013-10-18T18:26:58.107-05:00Day 5- I have a superpower!
It's day 5 of the momentum challenge, and I was encouraged to discover my superpower and nurture it, to think about how it helps me in business, life and art...
My superpower is metacognition. I have the uncanny ability to think about how I think. Then of course, I get to change what I DO based on how I think about what I did or thought. Isn't that fantastic? It has led me to turn on a dime KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-29800607780067978992013-10-17T11:14:00.001-05:002013-10-17T12:40:01.044-05:00Day 4- conquering Fears.
I have spent a lot of time in the past year surfacing and conquering my fears. Today's challenge has to do with voicing your fears so that you can start conquering them. I did that.
In fact last year I wrote an ecourse called fear less, do more. Well, the original name was shut up and put out, which really means shut up your fearful mind, and start doing something about everything you say you KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-5855545515832501592013-10-16T09:06:00.002-05:002013-10-16T09:55:31.749-05:00Day 3- Momentum Challenge- Overcoming Limits
I'm a big fan of figuring yourself out. You know, most of how we FEEL has a lot to do with what we BELIEVE. A while ago, I did this fun activity where I tried to write down everything I believe about life, and then figure out where each belief came from. I discovered that most of my beliefs came from the (for lack of a better word) programming I received from my parents. After all, these peopleKyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-67215230404686789122013-10-15T11:08:00.001-05:002013-10-15T11:22:57.323-05:00Day 2- Momentum Challenge- My Manifesto
It's interesting, because although I am an artist, and the physical mark I want to leave on the world is my art, I know I have something more than a physical piece of artwork inside me- I have full knowledge of myself that has been gained through a lot of study, reflection, metacognition, and faith. I feel more ready to complete my current art project than ever before- but not for any KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-49644908815417102152013-10-14T19:02:00.000-05:002013-10-14T19:02:01.198-05:00Day 1- Momentum Challenge.
I'm starting by thinking about this: What if I knew I had a year to live? What would I want to leave behind, as my legacy?
Since I am an artist, and primarily concerned with enjoying and creating beauty, I want to leave the world my art. Something beautiful and "keepable," something people will love, enjoy, and cherish.
I have been gifted with so many talents, and lately I've been searching KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-18905875003291427082013-10-13T11:06:00.000-05:002013-10-13T11:06:14.664-05:00Letting Go and Moving ForwardI just let go of a project.
I was committed to it. Just not enough for the other people involved.
I have no hard feelings. I don't exactly feel relief, rather I feel an opening up, a void. I've got a project that has been on the back burner for a while, one that I feel will be lucrative. I just haven't had time to work on it, because I've been really tied up with other things and commitments KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-53321381471498350442013-10-08T11:06:00.003-05:002013-10-13T11:00:01.274-05:00I got interviewed! It was so awesome to be on the receiving end of an interview, after all the long years of podcasting and videocasting. iCreateFlix is a classroom site where I've got some videos for sale, and they talked to me on BlogTalkRadio last week. Here me talk about living my creative life, writing the book with Ilysa, and growing up in a teaching family. Among other things :)
Check Out Art Podcasts at KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824431186198624050.post-70855101060551643642013-10-04T11:04:00.002-05:002013-10-04T11:06:12.377-05:00One thing leads to another...
When we decided to write a book with a major publisher, we knew two things:
Some parts of it would be a pain in the rear (dealing with someone elses' deadlines and demands)
It would give us street-cred.
We were totally correct on both points. Going with a publisher means you get an editor, who may or may not work with you in the way you are best suited... it also means dealing with their KyraByrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14568547867121468014noreply@blogger.com0