I will not feel sorry for Damien Hirst

Just because his auction started the same day the market tanked.  No I won't.  Despite all the world's financial worries with banks failing and AIG about to declare bankruptcy, Sotheby's London made 111 million pounds (over 197 million US dollars) on the Hirst auction.   Who knows what Hirst will get but you can bet it's a bunch.  It is incredible to think that Hirst completely bypassed his galleries.  For someone who is thrilled to obtain gallery representation (that would be me!), it's hard to understand.  

But the sale of all this art just confirms that the rich are still really really rich (duh, like we had any doubt).  If they weren't, I might have had a chance to bid on that pickled shark for my grand kids....

Couldn't have said it better myself

Sunday's NY Times featured an article on digital scrapbooking.  It wasn't that long an article, but there was a section that grabbed me.  It was about Ali Edwards - who is friends w/my friend Dona, I am name dropping here, tee,hee.  I met her, Ali that is, at Artfest last year and she is a total doll, so very nice.  

Anyhoo, here it is....

"Edwards's fans praise her layouts precisely because of their personal touches - her handwriting across photographs and pages, in particular.  Yet when she teaches workshops, she encounters scrappers so wrapped up in buying embellishments that their work becomes "product heavy" and so concerned with achieving the "right" look (like the popular layouts they have seen online) that it "completely stalls them."  She encourages workshop attendees to think of the process as its own reward and to focus on telling a personal story."  

Yep, that pretty much applies to all art, doesn't it?  

Very good advice indeed.  

Rain, rain, rain

I just got back from Cincinnati.  My dad had cataract surgery last week and I drove over to make sure he was OK (it was wildly successful and he doesn't even need glasses now!).  Plus I wanted to pick up an antique table that my parents gave to me.  I drove the truck  and it is embarrassing how much stuff I managed to jam into it (can you say Ikea!?!?).  I think I am doing my part to stimulate the economy.

Luckily, I got back home before the rain started here.  I know I shouldn't complain, when folks in TX have such a horrible situation.  Based on the tiny bit of "Ike" that we have seen, I cannot imagine what Galveston and Houston residents have been through.  This is one nasty storm.  You can see from the first picture that a humming bird rode out the storm on our feeder.  There were actually 3 of the little birds all perched on the feeders; about the only time they've been social with one another.   I think the overhang of our roof offered them a little protection, but you can see this one is all puffed up trying to stay warm.

And later today this spider appeared with it's massive web.  Not to mention all the earthworms trying to flee the water.  Ugh, they crawled under our garage door.  And somehow one managed to get in to our foyer.  Yuckyuckyuck, you should have heard me scream.

I am so glad to be home, even with all these crazy critters; I even have a a few days to make some art, yippee!! Hopefully I'll be able to share some more pictures soon. 

The guts of my biz

I've meant to show this picture forever and keep forgetting about it.  This is how I re-organized my office with the new computer.  I love my mac.  Can't believe I didn't do it earlier.  It is just so great.  

But I also love my office.  It is probably the only room in the house (other than my studio) where I did exactly what I wanted without discussion.  I seriously feel it has helped my business for me to have this special space to work on the mind numbing paper stuff, you know what I mean?

That wave pattern on the wall?  Yeah, well that was free form.  I grabbed a paint roller and just went at it.  Sooooo much fun, I would definitely recommend this sort of painting release!  And my desk?  It's an old distressed table I bought at a local store.  Of course it wouldn't come apart (for some crazy reason) and we couldn't wrestle it through the doorway, so John had to saw part of it's feet off.  But I use those feet to decorate another area which I will show you later....

And yeah, that is an apron draped over my reading chair - so fabulous I just like having it out.  The pencil holder on the desk is a ceramic piece I made when I was a kid.  

The art continues to build across the wall as I collect more pieces from artists I admire.  There are also a few of mine up there and you can probably see the Misty piece that I look at every single day.  It has my favorite word on it.  Cherish.  That word sums it up for me.  

What a show

 Wow, it was so much fun doing a show at home!  So many welcoming faces - friends, collectors, and artist buddies.  

You know those pieces from the last post?  

All gone.  Plus many others as well, including all those greeting cards and more that I made up during the show.  Geez, I never dreamed they would be so popular.  I definitely need to find a manufacturer.

I am also jazzed at the positive feedback regarding my abstracts.  I sold 5 of them which was quite a thrill.  I can't wait to start painting for my show next year, I just want to immerse myself and hole up in the studio.  Unfortunately, I have at least 2 more months of shows and classes until that is possible. 

And oh, the ideas I have!  Just loads of them, but really, play is the best direction (for me at least) because then I will make loads of new discoveries.  And most likely end up moving in a completely different direction than where I thought I was going.  But that just makes it fun.

Beth & Frank brought the grand kids to the show and it was wonderful to have them hanging out behind my booth, both working on drawings.  Aidan is writing and illustrating his own book about fish and dinosaurs.  I am perhaps a little biased, but I think it's pretty fantastic for any child, but especially a 6 year old.  The commitment he has made to this project is unbelievable.  Hopefully I will be able to share some pics one day.

Anyhoo, it was a perfect weekend.  I need to sleep for about a week except I have a studio class on Tuesday and then I leave for Cincinnati on Wednesday, so I will have to make do with a 24 hour rest.  

Thanks so much to all of you who support my path.  It means more than you could even imagine.  I am incredibly blissed.

Of birds and babes

Schlafly Art Outside

Starting today!!!!

I have lots of birds

and babes...

plus some cowboys

and clowns 

thrown in for 

good measure.

Hope to see you there!

Gypsy life

Greeting cards - printed, mounted & packaged 4 dozen

Sound Bites - painted 2 dozen, still need to do phrases & wire them

Reproductions - printed, matted & packaged 2 dozen

6x6's - 6 complete, 4 to go

12x12's - 4 done, 4 to go

my list is getting shorter

I'm working pretty much round the clock at the moment.  Lots of little things because my stock is low.  It is times like this when I wish I had an assistant.  Ah, perhaps one day.  

Schlafly Art Outside is this weekend - 50 artists - check out the site, it is just getting better and better!  I am excited since it's my only outdoor fair in the St. Louis area for 2008.  And you know what, it's OK that I didn't get in to the "big" show this year.  The Schlafly people are really my people anyway.  I mean I loved doing the Clayton show (duh), like who wouldn't want to be in a top five show like that.  But Schlafly is where it all started for me.  Four years ago, in fact.  Geez, it's crazy to think how far I have come since then, specifically the fact I have relaxed enough to truly enjoy this lifestyle - using shows to catch up with artist friends for dinner and to grab a li'l vacation in the towns we visit.  It's a good life indeed.  But it's also good to be home too!  

We will set up Friday starting at noon.  The show itself starts at 5 and runs till 10 on Friday.  It's from 10-10 on Saturday and then 12-4 on Sunday.  I am blissed with  a corner booth, yippee (my lucky number no less, booth #7  as sweet Joe Mohr traded with me because I begged and whined), so I will have some of the big abstracts with me.   

Summer days

Summer always gives me wanderlust.  These days, I don't really have the luxury of much free time, but I used Rhonda's puppies as an excuse to get away for a day.  I finished up the new batch of commissions (yippee!!), threw some stuff in the car, grabbed the big cooler and hit the road.  

Rhonda just lives an hour and a half away, but it seems further because she's in the country and has 16 acres on a lake.  We romped with the puppies, played with her older dog, even lured the cat out of hiding.  I saw all the work in her studio, things in process, prototypes of new ideas, etc.  I would love to show you a picture of her place, but I stupidly failed to charge my camera and the battery died.Luckily, I did get a few good shots before it pooped out.  

She fixed me a lovely grilled salmon dinner with fresh corn on the cob from the Mennonite farmer's market.  I got tons of veggies to bring home (hence the cooler)  and I stopped at the "mile high" place to get some carryout pie which is such a treat for me and John.  Yumyumyum!!!!

Aren't the puppies adorable?  They have tons of energy as you might imagine.  Sooooo very cute.

I drove home via every antique store I could find and that was fun.  Got lots of new material for the upcoming Schlafly show.  I need to pull some all nighters as I don't have much time left.  

We continue to have amazing weather here and more predicted for the weekend.  It feels good to be home (no show this weekend).  We are invited to 2 parties, plus a dinner date.   I will be in the studio during the days.  Don't feel sorry for me, there isn't anything I'd rather be doing.  I feel invigorated after my 18 hour vacation, tee, hee.  

 

Helloooooooo?????

I feel a little boring lately with my blog entries, makes me wonder if anyone is reading or if anyone cares, I mean if I am boring myself (!!!), goodness only knows what anyone else might think?  

My big news is that a very dear friend took me to the Bruce Springsteen concert Saturday night; and yes, I was a "virgin" Bruce fan.  Always liked his music, but didn't think too much about it.  Until this concert.  It was life changing.  I kid you not.  

The lyrics, the passion, the joy, the love.  He is a poet for our time.  The concert was a revival.  Absolutely amazing.  I need awhile to process it, but I am so grateful to have had the experience.  It has moved me in many ways.  I'm thinking and thinking......about many things in my life....and our society, about family and home and friends. 

I wonder if I could be a groupie.  Or perhaps I already am?

 

I was a lady of leisure yesterday as I was treated to a facial (my friend Claire got me a certificate).  Divine, geez, I could get used to that!  I spent half the time hovering in that glorious blissed out state, the one where you are in and out of sleep.  Just lovely.  Not to mention my skin looks really nice and feels oh so soft. 

Then I took my car in to the dealer because there is a vibration/rattle that is driving me bonkers (very short drive I might add).  Anyhoo, one of the mechanic guys took a ride with me and he finally (!) heard the sound too.  Then he popped out the entire center console part.  While I was driving!!!  The sound stopped.  Hmmmm, interesting.  Back to the dealer where this brilliant guy put a little strip of felt along the leading edge of the console and then popped it back in.  We went for another drive and it was perfectly silent.  Yippee!

In other news, I accidentally paid $13 for a bunch of basil.  The guy at Whole Foods was unloading this incredible fresh basil - small basil bushes, they were.  And the smell was so fantastic all I could think about was a tomato and mozzarella salad, how delish it was going to be.  I grabbed one up, the largest one of course, stupidly assuming the price was per bunch, not per pound.  Duh.  Luckily I froze a bunch of it. But I still feel like an idiot.

2 Wholesale or not 2 Wholesale, that is the question

Yikes, I had 2 galleries approach me at the Lexington show, one from Louisville, one from Lexington.  They both wanted to wholesale my products, specifically my reproductions, Sound Bites and greeting cards.  This is one of those, "be careful what you wish for" things, as I have been tossing this around for the past months (in my head of course).  And now it literally falls into my lap.  

Wonderful you might say and yes, of course I am thrilled.  But this means I also need to log some big-time computer hours designing a line of cards and figuring out which pieces to reproduce, etc.  Because my past efforts have been a little casual to say the least.  

I mean my usual greeting card approach is to simply reproduce which ever images amuse me at the time I am making them.  Seriously.  It varies wildly from show to show.  My reproductions have been limited to the four pieces that "define" me, the autobiographical ones, "Don't Play Dumb", Don't Fence me in", "Crack yourself up" and "Wear it like you mean it."  Clearly I need to expand this.  

And Y-E-S, I do want to wholesale my work.  I've always wanted this, it's just new and big and scary and I'm feeling way out of my comfort zone at the moment.  I need to find a printer for greeting cards because I will no longer be able to make them up by hand - we're talking way too big of quantity.  Anyone who would be willing to share a source let me know!

In other show news, I used part of last week's prize money to treat myself to a pair of Piper Sandals.   Here is a picture - I stole this from Dave's website but I don't think he would care since I am talking about how great they are.  Geez Louise, these are great shoes.  I know sooooo many artists who have these shoes, I see them everywhere and now I know why!  Dave was my next door neighbor at the Lexington show and what a fun time we had.  I laughed my butt off cause he is so funny he could be a stand up comic.  That is, if he had any spare time......his sandal biz is booming, they are being sought for, not one, but two upcoming Hollywood movies.    

You all have heard me talk about my delicate little feet before.  I mean they are so darn sensitive that I get blisters with nearly every shoe purchase.  Plus my foot is on the skinny side and I have trouble finding a good fit.  So imagine my surprise when Dave put these on me and I wore them for about 10 hours straight the first day with not one blister.  They felt amazing.  Comfy yet supportive, like I could walk around in them for a long time.  The straps run under the sole and you can adjust them to perfectly fit any foot.  This is a shoe to keep forever, just get them re-soled  as needed (which includes new straps!).  What a quality product.  Click here to see Dave's website, read his story and perhaps even order a pair for yourself.

Artfest is coming....

I will be teaching 2 classes at Artfest in 2009.  The site is live, so you can click here to see all the amazing workshops that Teesha has lined up.  If you are new to AF, make sure you go over all the registration details - you need to postmark your entry by a certain date, I think it's 9/02?  Anyhoo, all the details are on the site.    

I attended Artfest for the first time in 2007 and instantly felt like I had found "my people."  It was a welcome get-away for me - a perfect adult art camp where I could play to my heart's content.  I came away invigorated and filled with ideas and new techniques for my work.  In 2008 I taught one class and was filled with joy to witness my students produce the most amazing work I could ever imagine.  You can click here to see the post of  the work from my students.  Needless to say, I am thrilled to return for 2 classes on my very fave topic in the world which is Claybord.  I've divided my techniques into 2 sessions because I just have too much to share in one day and I don't want anyone's head to explode (joke). 

So now I just need to figure out what class I want to take on my free day!  

Hey little Birdie

There were three baby birds in this knothole nest a short distance from my booth at the Lake Geneva show.  I could have watched them all day, but alas, I had an art fair to work, tee, hee.  They were so adorable and oh-so-needy as they cheeped incessantly for Mama's attention.   

Everything about the show was idyllic, right on the water, it just doesn't get much prettier.  And the weather -oh my - 70 degrees and sunny?!?!?!?  What a treat it was!  

I hung a bunch of abstracts in the booth to take a new booth photo, here is one of my set-ups.  I didn't leave the booth this way for the show, I kept moving stuff around (I had a corner!), but it gives you an idea of how an all abstract booth would look.  

See the big red one?  It's 44" across, 34" tall.  Gone, sold within the last half hour of the show to some fun and funny folks.  I so enjoyed talking with them and am happy they have the piece.  

And how about this dragonfly?  Isn't its coloring interesting - I had never seen one like that.  It hung out in my booth a lot (I swear it was the same one!?!?!).  Maybe brought me good luck because I won an award, yippee, that even included money.  I was also invited to come back to teach a workshop for the Art League.  I feel honored and blessed.  Life is indeed good.

The Big Boys are here

Since I am working with a gallery now (yeah, yeah, I need to share more details on that, announcements coming soon....) I need to start getting pieces framed.  Thankfully, a friend of mine has recently opened a framing biz, woohoo.  He has been trying to persuade me to frame my large pieces for a few months and I finally took the plunge.  Oh my----even I was impressed to see my work presented this way. I sat the paintings in my family room so you could get some perspective on how large they are.  Forty four inches tall with frame. 

 

They are all traveling to WI with me for the Lake Geneva Art in the Park show this weekend.  If you're in the greater Chicago area or in WI, come on over!!!  The weather is going to be divine!!

The second picture shows my recent work that has returned home from the Art Saint Louis show.  It is wonderful in our house, so perfect above John's chair that I don't think I can sell it.  This bottom piece is on Claybord.  The ones in the top picture are on canvas.  All are mixed media - acrylic, pastel, ink, collage, marker.

Message for the day

Signs of Progress

The Daniel Smith 2008-2009 catalogue arrived the other day.  I reverently placed it aside, waiting for the perfect time to peruse its pages.  And so this morning, with cup of coffee in hand, feet propped on desk, I started to go through it page by page.  Like a child with the Christmas catalogue, I have already turned down corners and marked certain "must have" items along with some real "dream on" stuff.  

Ahhhh, what a perfect rainy day activity.....

OK, since a number of you have written me about my crazy energy concoction.....

I get my yogurts at Whole Foods or at our local nutrition/health store.  I go to Cornerstone, which is out in Chesterfield Valley on Edison, right off of Long Road.  I prefer a low fat yogurt (rather than non fat), but that's just me.  Cornerstone stocks the Hemp Hearts too and truly I think they are the "guts" of this recipe - like if you only want to buy one thing.  For those of you out of town, I would suggest you call around to health food shops and I bet someone has them in your area.  

The Hemp Hearts are really tasty, at least I think so, but you may question my taste buds since I have admitted to enjoying pumpkin brownies.  They taste sort of like lightly ground walnuts.  Definitely a nutty flavor, good enough that you can grab a handful of them and eat them alone.  They have high calories, so I measure to make sure I don't max out and fix a 1000 calorie yogurt treat, ha!  

And finally, if you are at the nutrition store anyway, try CALM Plus Calcium.  I have been taking one dose of this stuff every night before bed (I buy the flavored one so I don't have to mix it with juice).  I swear it helps me "wind down" and have a good night's sleep.  I've been sleeping better that I have in years since using this stuff.  Now keep in mind it's not a sedative or sleeping pill - it just helps you chill.  Plus it's got good stuff in it like Magnesium (which is good if you have migraines) and Calcium, which we all need.  

It's been awhile since I've talked about any of my oddball eating habits.  Some of you may remember last summer when I ate yogurt with bee pollen every single day for lunch.  Naturally I can't give up my daily yogurt, but the ingredients have changed, plus I have switched from the Greek yogurt to artisan yogurts.   A couple I really like - Trader's Point Creamery and Seven Stars Farm are yummy.    

Anyhoo, here's my "recipe":

3/4 cup yogurt 

2 T. Hemp hearts

1 t. Chia seeds

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup Fiber One cereal

This is what I eat every single day for lunch.  Except for today when I had a partial lobotomy (apparently while I was having my hair cut) and drove through White Castle  on the way home.  One double cheeseburger, no onions thankyouverymuch.

The Hemp hearts rock though - they're a great source of protein, give you tons of energy and definitely curb your appetite.  I strongly recommend them!  The Chia seeds have a lot of Omega 3, are a good source of fiber, and are also believed to boost your immune system.  Though I will confess I have this vision I am growing little Chia plants in my belly, tee, hee.

Yesterday, in an effort to make a "healthy" chocolate dish, I baked this weird brownie/fudge concoction that I heard about.  You take a brownie mix and then add 2 cups of pumpkin.  Bake for 30 minutes, then refrigerate.  It is actually pretty good.  I often think box brownies are too sweet anyway, so this is a nice alternative.  The consistency is a bit odd, a tad rubbery.  But I like the flavor a lot. 

And I crossed off 2 more items from my To Do list, yippee!!! 

I've been trying to get ready for 3 back to back shows, all out of town.  It's going to be a crush and I know it's do-able, but I need to focus.  And have a lot of wildly productive days.  Today NOT being an example of that.  

Good grief, I was trying to do a layout for some new greeting cards in order to get them all printed.  I swear I had some sort of a brain fart and absolutely could not find any of my files, could not manage to use Photoshop like I normally do, etc, etc.  It was ridiculous.  After struggling along for hours on end, I eventually got the job done, but I ended up with a stiff neck and shoulders plus a headache.  And grumpy to boot.  It was only till about an hour ago that I realized I missed my second cup of coffee.  Well duh (smacks self in head) no wonder I was so befuddled!  

In addition to getting the cards under way, I also printed a bunch of the giclees (which I am going back to calling repros as people simply don't get it).  I matted them tonite while watching brainless TV.  Cross another item off the list, woo hoo!!!

I am really anxious to get going on some large pieces, I have prepped 2-30x40 canvasses and also 2-24x24 canvasses.  I have a local gallery that has taken some of my abstracts and they want more (hooray!) so it's time for some all nighters.  Can you say solo show.....stay tuned for more info on that, coming in 2009.  

In other news, my cherry addiction is costing us upwards of $10 per week I swear.  I just love those dark sweet cherries though.  They have become my morning (before exercise) treat.