things i'm fond of today

drifting in the depths, tiel seivl-keevers [brisbane, australia]

paintings by michelle breton [melbourne, australia]

tussle by melissa castrillon [cambridge, england]







ceramic vessels by shino takeda  [brooklyn, ny]

I had this idea of recording my sketchbook via video.  Then I came across this video that artist adriana lozano [buenos aires, argentina] uploaded onto her flickr last week.







Adriana's sketchbook reads like a book.  Did you notice how the drawings continue onto the next page?  This is another project I have been wanting to do but just haven't had the time to work on . . .  one day.



To see other videos of adriana lozano's wonderful work, go here.

my week

thanksgiving day in salem, oregon ::

i learned a new word- spatchcock

my husband says it sounds intrusive

it means to butterfly poultry so that it cooks faster

after four weeks of climbing up and down a ladder or crouching on the floor,

my "tattooing" of the prana store is now done

it was a wonderful experience and i am so thankful to have worked with a company 

that cares about how their products are made and the people involved

i've started including friendship pins with orders:

one with every order thru the end of 2011

just a reminder that my calendar sale ends tomorrow!

check out my latest interview on artists who blog

thanks stephanie!

New! 2012 calendar

New in my Etsy shop is this 2012 calendar.  The mixed media collage, which was actually created several months ago, was inspired by a trip to Crater Lake.  I love old lodges and cabins, so I created this calendar to have a vintage, rustic-like look.  The months and dates were all handwritten, and the paper is 100% recycled cardstock. 



For the next week and a half, I'm running a special promotion in my Etsy shop.  In celebration of my shop turning two this week, I'm giving away a calendar with orders totaling $30 or more.  To see more photos of the calendar, go here. 

Almost done

These are the two floor designs I have been working on in the new Prana store.  In the first pic, you can see the very small paintbrush I have been using to paint the lines. 



I'll be painting during the store's grand opening party Friday night.  If you can't make it to the event, maybe you can stop by in early January for my First Thursday artist reception.  I'm Prana's featured artist for the month of January, so my latest originals will be showcased in the shop.

my creative week

I managed to find some time this week to finish an 8 x 10 mixed media painting called dreamscape.  When I start a new work, it's rare for me to have an idea of what the finished piece will look like.  My painting process is very organic. I apply one layer after another until all the elements seem to just fit together.  Outside of art, I tend to be a big planner, so it's very freeing to sit at my art desk and not have to plan a composition beforehand. 



One of the comments I receive the most about my art is that it's much more detailed in person than on the computer screen.  It's difficult to capture with a camera the subtle gradations of color and texture in an artwork.  In dreamscape, the background may initially look like it's one flat color.  But, at closer observation, the wavy pattern that has been scratched into the wood panel reveals underlayers of color. 

Negative space isn't usually a dominant feature in my work.  But, in this particular piece, the dark empty space between the mountain and clouds creates balance and adds an element of mystery.



dreamscape is currently available in my Etsy shop here.  

I'm helping plan an art fair and fundraiser next month at my daughter's school.  It's a two day event where Portland shoppers can purchase art and handmade gifts by local artists and makers.  My two girls will be sharing a booth with me.  I'll be selling my art, and they will be selling their beaded jewelry.  They want to buy some chickens for families in developing countries, so this is their way of raising money. 

The girls will also be selling some wearable friendship pins.  I helped them figure out how to get the beads on the other side of the safety pin so that it can fasten to clothes or bags.  I have to say that the friendship pins are pretty cute, and I feel like I'm in middle school again!



In the spirit of holiday cheer, I'm including one of these little guys with every order from my Etsy shop this month and next. 

Sketches for a floor design.

This upcoming week, I'm finishing my art installation at Prana's new Portland store.  I have three designs done and one floor design to go.  My back already feels a little contorted from standing on a ladder for hours or being hunched over on the floor.  [I can't imagine what Michelangelo felt like painting the Sistine Chapel- which took four years!]



I have really enjoyed seeing the new retail space come together, and it has brought back many memories of opening my own store.  There are days when I really miss it, and sometimes I do think about opening another art-focused shop. . .  but not anytime soon. 



I'll post photos of the new Prana store and my designs later this week.  The grand opening party is set for this Friday from 6 - 9p.   Enjoy some drinks and snacks while watching me paint on the floor.  The design will look something like the sketch on the right. 

my week

i have been buying art supplies at art media, a local art store in downtown Portland,  

since i was a freshman in high school [that's 25 years!]

this was my bus stop

a couple of weeks ago, art media became blick art

i visited the "new" store today

pretty much the same stuff . . .  it just feels different

nostalgia is already kicking in

i do love fall in portland

 

 a halloween highlight: 

severed finger cookies my neighbor made

tasty!

 

my latest ebay find:

unworn urban outfitters oxfords,

fairly made in guatamala

i have begun "tattooing" the inside of the new prana store, which opens this wednesday

you can see me at work the next few days and

at the grand opening event,  friday, november 18

ta-da!