Rachael Padilla

Tuesday Update

Happy Taco Tuesday! 

Bare with me as I make my way through some thoughts and ideas. My last large body of work I called, "They Call Me Coyote". It includes paintings and movies. While that is still ongoing, I've got an idea for the next collection of work.  I don't yet have a title for it, but it will likely be a large part of what I create in the coming year. 

From sculpture to paintings and movies, the overarching theme of communication is the thread that runs throughout.  I look forward to sharing the process and results with you!

In Progress

Today's progress on my current sculptural piece. Using found objects, an opossum skull and a stone plus wire. It doesn't feel complete yet, so I'll be working on it more. Stay tuned for updates!

Today's Drawing

As I draw today's drawing, I dream of warmer days. 

This is an intimate look at drawing today's drawing for the selfie in three parts. 

Selfie in Three Parts

Today’s drawing and instant pics. I was going for another double exposure with the instant camera, with my face double exposed in the center of my palm. As you can see, both attempts resulted in a slight overexposure turning my palm into a bright blue spot.

With the past couple of weeks having been the coldest part of the winter (hopefully), I’ve been daydreaming. Looking at seeds, and imagining a new summer wardrobe. Until then:

I dream of warm days.

Sunshine warming my skin and

Coconut oil.

Look for Clues

A reading from "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin. 

It is one of several books I've been reading this month. This book in particular, brings me closer to the ethereal aspect of living life as an artist. Nurturing creativity, embracing art not as an act, but as a lifestyle. 

This Week's YouTube Video

"Solving Problems Like an Artist: Battery Edition" includes solving organizational problems like solving my battery charger clutter. 

It's a whimsical journey where creativity meets technology.

CLICK CLACK

The click clacking of an old timey toy, inspired me to make music. 

I wondered, and then found out, what it would sound like to create music around a naturally occurring sound (as in a sound not intended to be musical). In this case, the naturally occurring sound is one of the clacking balls as  I play with them. 

Gilded Opossum Skull

An update on the progress of this opossum skull before I take it to further steps.

As it turns out, gold leafing presents some challenges (or perhaps, it is my inexperience with the medium). It doesn't always cling as well as I think it should and has a tendency to flake off in little bits and pieces. However, there is something really lovely to the texture that is created  with bits of flaking gold. There is a beautiful contrast also in the colors. The aged bones next to the shiny gold. I had thought initially that I would leaf the teeth as well but as I saw the contrast between the the skull and the teeth I liked that the teeth were not gilded.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of this progress as it comes along.  Sculpture is not something I do often but I have Ideas and aspirations for more to come.

Wednesday Walk

It's been the coldest January in recent memory. That being said, walks and outdoor activities have been few and far between. 

There was at least that one day, when the wind wasn't whipping and the cold wasn't biting. 

It's a barren and gray landscape, but the sun was shining in between the rolling clouds!

Tuesday Update

Everything that's going on with me so far this week! Including the FREEZING cold weather, pottery, zines and LoRa (Long Range) radio communications!

Cross Faded

This is not exactly a time lapse, but it carries the feeling of time moving, overlapping upon itself. Layers of ghost images performing an everyday task.

As a social experiment, I wonder if it's possible for no one to mention the elephant in the room. 

In Progess

Found objects like stones, bones, and feathers have long been deemed valuable or precious by humans. This little skull is no exception. 

My first step will be the gold leafing. Then I intend to make some kind of sculpture using other components. I haven't committed to a final design yet, so as this piece progresses I'll have more updates.

I'm Not Here to Serve an Algorithm

This week's YouTube video is shorter than usual. It is recommended that YouTube videos hit about a ten minute length minimum. As I watch this video under perform, I consider that advice. However, I make art and record and edit the process because of my need to create, not  for the algorithm. 

Today's Drawing

Setting about the very serious business of drawing my reflection in the studio mirror. 

With charcoal in hand, and newsprint taped in place, this is the "real time" that it takes to draw myself; serving as my own life model. Judging from the expression on my face, I take it VERY seriously. 

Perhaps I should lighten up. 

Selfie in Three Parts

A drawing, an instant pic, and my haiku.

There’s been a roller coaster of weather this week. High winds and cold snaps and wet. The grayness of the evening made my photo look like it was taken in pitch black darkness.

Today’s haiku:

January storms

Bringing wind and rain and cold

and hopes of spring time.

In Progress

I so enjoy playing with perspective and toys, apparently.

I placed the little figures strategically on the moss in the backyard. I’d bought them from a hobby store several years ago around Christmas time in order to make a diy snow globe. Godzilla’s been kicking around the house for years. It was fun to bring them together for this photo shoot. The final dramatic element for the shoot was my foot.

Last photo is of the first drawing inspired by the photos.

Lecon 1

My first lesson in French. Recorded in real time as I feel my way through. 

Lesson 1 from the Berlitz Self Teacher. A relic from my bookshelf! 

Tuesday Update

A week into the new year, and I've been busy! Here's a bit of what I've been working on from planning, to organizing, to reading and more.

A Reading

This is a reading from a book I'm currently enjoying. "The Creative Act: A Way of Being", by Rick Rubin.

This is all about the Source of Creativity. Everything that is available outside the self, not within the self. 

Today's Drawing

This is today's drawing. Set in real time to ambient sounds of rain with music. 

Selfie in Three Parts

It’s a rainy day today. I began and continued a variety of projects. Among them, self imposed challenge regarding pull-ups.

The selfie in three parts is my photograph, my drawing, and my words in haiku:

I’m just hanging out

In time, I’ll turn it into

Glorious pull-ups.

Musou Black Monochromatic Painting

For a very long time, I never used black paint in my work. 

 This painting is a totally new direction! 

Behind the Scenes: Photo Shoot

This is a behind the scenes look at the process of taking a photo shoot. I take my own reference photos for my paintings and work. This shoot was no exception. 

After selecting my favorite vintage coat to create the look I was going for, this is how I took the photos! 

On the Easel

My first painting of 2024 is monochromatic. After overcoming my complete avoidance of black paint last year, I thought I'd kick off a new year furthering my explorations of what I once considered an off limits pigment. 

Behind the Scenes: Photo Editing

This is a behind the scenes look at photo editing. It's a very necessary aspect of my creative process. Cropping, color adjustment, and removing backgrounds (just to name a few) are things I do often as a self portrait artist. The process can entail costumes, backdrops, taking photos of myself, editing said photos, sketching, and painting. There's a lot that goes into it.  

The editing is an aspect a rarely, if ever, share. 

In Progress

I took several photos as reference for a self-portrait painting. As always, I took an excess of them, these represent the better ones.

 The final photo is after I edited my favorite. Removing all the color and increasing the contrast and blacks for clarity of detail. I think it will be perfect for what I have in mind. 

Tuesday Update

This is the first Tuesday Update of the new year. I'm hoping the 2024 is going to be my most productive year ever! I have so many thoughts and ideas that I'm excited to explore and am looking forward to sharing them with you. 

Happy Taco Tuesday!

Behind the Scenes: Creating a Backdrop

This back drop is already in use, but I thought I would document the process of setting it up in order to share it with you!

A Good-Talking Candle

It's been a bit since I've read some poetry.  This is "A Good Talking Candle" by Richard Brautigan. 

It brings to mind lonely nights. There is something comforting about the warm light of a candle, and its constant flickering, which is captured beautifully in this short poem. 

I had a good talking-candle 

last night in my bedroom.

I was very tired, but I wanted

 somebody to be with me,

  so I lit a candle.

 and listened to its comfortable

 voice of light until I was asleep. 

Behind the Scenes

A behind the scenes look at one of the best gifts I received this giving season! It's a two in one combo of things I love. 

It features the work of one of my favorite artists (Tom Sachs) as well as one of the things I've come to love making (chawans).