FIFTY SIGNS by LORI FRANKLIN

I
wrote 
this
last
week
after
dipping
my
paintbrush
in
 my
   tea...

    again.


Lori Franklin’s
50 SIGNS
YOU MAY BE AN ARTIST IF……
  •    
  • 1. there’s no salt in your salt shakers, but lots of pretty glitter.
  • 2. there’s at least one speck of paint on every piece of clothing you own, even your socks.
  • 3. your toaster oven is used for fimo clay.
  • 4. you have dipped your paintbrush in your coffee.
  • 5.a new box of color crayons still makes you weak in the knees.
  • 6. you run with pinking shears.
  • 7. studio time is your ‘twilight zone’.
  • 8. you think pears and eggplants are for painting still lifes.
  • 9. everything has ‘potential’.
  • 10. you make less dough than that breadmaker sitting on your countertop.
  • 11. you look forward to the annual ‘pantone color forecast’.
  • 12. you know who pantone is.
  • 13. mac rules your world.
  • 14. you have a short attention sp
  • 15. you actually like the smell of paint.
  • 16. a broken dish is a mosaic waiting to happen.

  • 17. the only ‘waxing’ you do is on canvas.
  • 18. your double boiler is used for the wax.
  • 19. you love do-it-yourself projects.
  • 20. except for wallpapering. or taking down wallpaper.
  • 21. you have painted over wallpaper. successfully.
  • 22. you are a glutton for punishment and make your own wallpaper.
  • 23.  you discover that the art of skip-troweling translates to canvas beautifully.
  • 24. you hear the waffle iron begging you to try embossing clay in it.
  • 25. you ignore the waffle iron. so far. but soon you may need a new waffle iron.
  • 26. people don’t ‘get’ your Halloween costume of Picasso in his Blue Period.
  • 27. people immediately ‘get’ your Halloween costume of Frida Kahlo.
  • 28. you have bonded with other artists over the joys of ‘doodling’.
  • 29. a productive day in the studio is your wonder drug.
  • 30. getting messy is a good and necessary thing.
  • 31. getting organized is also a necessary thing.
  • 32. the pet hairs in your wet paint inspire a new texture idea.
  • 33. a beret is obviously for your head, not for your hair.
  • 34. your blow dryer has paint specks on it.
  • 35. you have bought a friend’s art.
  • 36. you suddenly slow or stop your car to savor any of the following:  clouds, a rainbow, a peaceful valley, moonlight on water, glittering snow, or( insert your visual here) _________________.
  • 37. you have explained to the officer no you were absolutely not texting, you were distracted by the supreme beauty of nature.
  • 38. you promise to be more attentive. But you know it will happen again. Maybe you should just be a passenger.
  • 39. you are eternally grateful to your family who kind of understands what you do, but enthusiastically loves and supports and admires everything you do anyway.
  • 40. Your Facebook artist friends are your cheerleaders.
  • 41. Your local artist friends are your therapists and soul sisters.
  • 42. You believe in yourself as much as they do.
  • 43. your right brain never allows you to remember which side is the creative one.
  • 44. you know how to pronounce ‘quinacridone’ and ‘cerulean’.
  • 45. you always marvel at the natural color of beet juice – fuschia! wow! maybe you should try to dye something…
  • 46. you decide to dye Easter eggs using only ‘natural, dyes…tea, onion skins, beet juice, etc.
  • 47. You wonder what beet juice would look like when mashed into hard-cooked egg yolks for deviled eggs. You try it.
  • 48. It looks like spam-filled deviled eggs, only worse.
  • 49. Your kids heckle you forever on ‘spam-eggs’.
  • 50. You pride yourself on creating artistic ‘family memories’. After all, life is all about family…and art! 


  •  If you can relate to any or all of these, YOU JUST MIGHT BE AN ARTIST!!!!!




13 comments:

  1. Yes Lori - I can relate! I have recently done the paintbrush in my drinking glass thing - LOL! The worst part - I almost drank the water until I realized, it shouldn't be a bright color. As always, love your posts... xoxo

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  2. These are great Lori! I can so relate #9 and #36 resonate with me! Yes, hence I do have a few hoarding skills. Fun to read...love your photo!
    Clever n' fun to read :D

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  3. aaah, Colleen and Ella, two of my favorite artist compadres!!!!! Thank you for the lovely comments!

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  4. Ahhh Lori! I loved this post! I really relate to it! Especially the " A spot of paint on every piece of clothing that I have. And "Everything has potential!

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  5. Thank you Heather! I bet you have a few more to add to the list...! :) I had to stop at 50, but I could keep going on and on... xoxo

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  6. Amazing post, can relate to {almost} all of these and more..... addition to number 15 : I actually like the TASTE of paint too, hehe. Oh, I am also your latest stalker.....xoxo J

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  7. What a great post and so true! I am also a Minnesota resident and a mixed-media artist (though I use that "A" word with caution, still early in my art journey) :)
    I live in a suburb of MPLS, but several family members live NORTH, in Big Fork, MN so I go there often. Your work is beautiful!!

    www.OntheShortSide.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Julie! I will go over to your blog! :)

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  8. ha ha! Those were so funny (and, in most instances for me, true) What a darling blog you have here, Lori! Can't wait to come by and see more

    :) Amanda

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  9. Perfectly written!! Every single one!!!! Xoxoxox you are amazing!!! Xoxox

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  10. Made me smile the big smile today my sweet art sister. Xoxo

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  11. Made me smile the big smile today my sweet art sister. Xoxo

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