my love for you is a stampede of horses.

Process: Mike Maxwell.

*****This week's Process/Inspiration comes from left coast, artist Mike Maxwell. Mike more often than not renders his work in a myriad of blue hues. Painting both contemporary and legendary portraits, he uses his palate to blur racial, economic and gender lines into obscurity. Mike is self taught, and continually raises the bar in his work. I'm delighted to have him share his work with us. He went above and beyond what I asked of him. (Which only makes sense) This week's post will be in two parts; Part 1 is Process, which you see below you and Part 2 is Inspiration (you like how that works, don't you?) which I'll post tomorrow. Be sure to click on the images to get a more detailed look. Comments are open!******

For me the process is the most important aspect of making art. During the creation period is when I receive all my rewards from the art. As each work is completed I experience such immense feelings of accomplishment and joy that whatever happens after the work is done is an added bonus. I'm lucky enough to make a living off the sales of my art, but if I were not so fortunate, I would still reap these priceless rewards.

Tools of the trade: Photo by Rebecca Joelson

Process of "Live Free"

I build my own panels out of birch and pine.

Process of "Until The Whistle Blows"

"Process of "The Three Sisters"

More after the jump...

Process/Inspiration: Allison Sommers.

******This week's Process/Inspiration brings us Allison Sommers. The world she has created is magnificent. Filled with adorably, grotesque beings who are sometimes dressed in lederhosen or beasts with teeth of razors and a sparkle in their eye and there always seems to be meat like objects strewn about within Allison's work. Sounds bizarre, and it is for sure but she creates her painted universe with such ease and fine technique, it's impossible to not fall head over heels into it. Covering both process and inspiration, Allison shares with us a painting in progress for her upcoming solo show, Schlaraffenland at Thinkspace. Comment section is open to engage with the lovely lady.******

I figured I would start by showing a recent painting I've been working on, Temple Monkeys, from start to not yet finished. First, it started with a tiny drawing that amused me...

...working on the lineart.  I typically free-hand the enlargement to keep it dynamic. When I trace or grid drawings, they tend to lose some of their strength, get a little awkward...

On to the background and filling in the guts behind the little Pugg-y fellows. I wanted to keep the viscera within a somewhat limited palette, so they're mostly comprised of a few premixed colors. You can see a bit of my thumbnail color study in the above pic.

On to the first pugg. At this stage, there's a lot of blending involved, which is where gouache can be a little dodgy. It's tedious.

Process/Inspiration: Allyson Mellberg-Taylor.

*****Ok! We are back on track this week kicking it off with Allyson Mellberg-Taylor as this week's guest for Process/Inspiration. Allyson works incredibly hard to paint with only non-toxic, plant based, and ecologically responsible mediums, often making her own (which she talks about below). Her paintings capture creeptastic in such a soft, awesome light; children covered in spots, slugs on heads and weird, worm like hybrids. My favorite! Allyson decided to cover both inspiration and inspiration. As always, the comment section is open feel free to ask Allyson questions or engage. With out further delay, let's get started.*****

I have a lot of fun when I am drawing. My overall process is one of gathering up piles of stuff: little drawings, natural objects, pictures of animals, books (I like to read science fiction a lot), and various bits of paper.  On a good studio day I can sit for hours listening to episodes of Dr. Who, drinking tea and drawing away. As a teacher and printmaker, I am used to working in communal spaces, so sharing a studio with my husband Jeremy comes naturally and there is always conversation about our work. 

I am very superstitious about sketchbooks and tend to agonize over choosing one at the store (could this moleskine be jinxed? You never can tell…) Once I find a good one though, I stick with it and whole bodies of work can be planned from one little book. My current sketchbook definitely has really good energy because Jeremy made it for me out of old book covers and paper from the recycling center.

As far as inspiration goes, I am always looking for ways to connect with nature - being at the ocean is number one. It’s the only place where I feel completely at home and inspired. Since we teach, Jeremy and I both have summers off. We spend that time gardening, making art, and driving back and forth to southern Virginia. Jeremy’s rad Mom, Sandy (who is also an art teacher) lives near a wildlife refuge way out in the country. Much of the sense of wonder and desire to communicate with nature that shows up in my recent work comes from walking, swimming, surfing, and exploring in this totally magical place.  Thanks for looking!

Since our studio is currently the second bedroom in our house, our cat Fricktoria is around to oversee (and sleep on) everything I make. Her face shape is also referenced in my “dotties”, the rodents who appear in a lot of my work as the mediator between humans and the natural world. 

Inspiration: Lisa Romero.

*****ML4U's ongoing series Process/Inspiration continues this week with Lisa Romero. An avid painter and all around creative gem. Lisa let's nothing fall to the way side when it comes to the mediums she uses. Whether she's upcycling or recycling, she's always turning some one else's castaways into a new treasure. Lisa takes us on a virtual tour of her inspirations through out her studio and talks a little bit about her process as well. As usual I have left the comment section open to chat with the artist. Make sure to click for more pics after the jump.*****

I have a serious problem. I want to live in a harmonious world. The
fact that people throw away things that can be reused makes me really
crazy. You buy something, all this packaging comes with it and you
have to throw it out? Not me. I paint on it.

So my studio becomes this eclectic mish-mash of things I find while
thrifting for paint. You know how many people start painting as a
hobby but never follow through? Well, there are enough of those people
for me to hardly ever have to buy new paint. I go to garage sales
and buy used tubes of all brands of acrylic. Watercolor paper that was
put away and never used...Art students clean out their closets and
I buy what they forgot they had.

I've come to the conclusion that I prefer it this way. I feel that
these things I paint on, or with have a history. A story, and I am
adding to that story. I have also found that after a while these
things talk to me. They keep me company by telling me their stories.
The black and white picture that I remove from the metal frame gets
taped to the back of my door. I will use it to frame one of my paintings,
but for now the men hang out there showing me 1950s haircuts or
1930s wool blazers. They have glasses and gap-toothed grins and in
turn their stories eek into my paintings. And they help me. And I am
grateful.

Inspiration: Michael Hsiung.

*****This is the second installment of ML4U's ongoing series Process/Inspiration where I ask an artist to take a post and do whatever they would like with it, just as long as they represent their process or inspiration in some way.This weeks guest is Michael Hsiung, an artist who's drawing and sense of humor I always enjoy. Comment section is open for discussion with the artist. Enjoy! ~meighan*****

My work station is usually filled with tons of stuff. I'm from the school of disorderly organization.

Some works I recently received back from a gallery. I still have to clear some wall space and hang these suckers up.

One of my four collectible business cards. This one I call my "Romance/Sensitive" card, which features me pretty in pink next to some pretty roses.  Sometimes they are awkward to hand out.