Dolls

Whoo - I've been busy! Art Chicago was a blast and I have a gazillion photos to process and post in the near future. I've also been catching up on yardwork during this beautiful patch of weather, and its taking up a good chunk of my time.

I got the dolls in just under the wire! They were a whole lot more labor intensive than I had expected, but I think they came out well. There are some pearlescent powders mixed in with the paints so they have a glowy sheen to them - and the bottom halves all use real feathers.

I mailed them off today and can hardly wait to see what all the other participants have come up with. I'm hoping that the organizer will put together a Flickr group for the whole swap.


 

 

 

 

 

Etsy!

I put up the other birdstamp paintings that I've finished so far! Get them on etsy.

I'm having *such* a difficult time getting the aqua color to be picked up. I thought maybe it was just the scanner, so I set up a photo shoot in natural light today - and STILL, no aqua green came through. ARGH.

Whats worse is that the pictures end up coming out a little muddy looking, no matter how brilliant they are in person. Ive tinkered like mad in photoshop, and can't get it to work. ::sigh::

I'm just in love with this series, they are so luminescent - and I want that to translate online too. Especially because, once they sell, I will only have my digital pictures to remind me.

Link of the day!

Cool stuff today from the blogosphere!



The Anonnymous Photo Project

"The Anonymous Photo Project is a playful project in which camera packages are left in public places. People find the packages, take pictures, and return the cameras to the Project. Then we post them"

I just LOVE this idea, and wish I could duplicate it!! What a thrill it must be to receive a full camera, with all the promise it holds inside. Its like an everyday piece of wonder.



THINGS FOR SALE THAT I WILL MAIL YOU:

"If you give me $30 I will walk around New York, and the first homeless person I see I will buy him or her whatever he or she wants to eat (as long as it is less than $30). I will mail you back the exact change (minus the paypal fee and the cost of the postage stamp) with the receipt for the food and the name of the person who ate it.

* Kris Efland bought a really big Kentucky Fried Chicken meal and an orange drink from Nedick's for Regional Keith on W 33rd and Broadway on February 24, 2008.
* Joie Mikitson bought a bunch of groceries from Park Avenue Food Court for Francis on E 10th and 4th Ave on February 25, 2008.
* Bart Schouten bought a pizza full of every topping except anchovies from Johns' of Bleeker Street for Marvin who was in the Houston train stop for the 1 on February 28, 2008."

This whole project feels like a living poem to me. You can buy a minute of him thinking of nothing but you, an empty envelope he will mail you, an apology letter to someone he wronged - both you and the wronged individual will get a letter, and so much more!

I particularly love the po box, where he will send sporadic notes and quirky mail to the po box in NYC. (Id just have to find someone who could collect everything for me in NYC) Id also love love love to fund a semester of his grad school - where I'd get all the art he makes that semester.

The whole project is brilliant.

Artists Against Aids

Well, we successfully dropped off 7 paintings tonight for the Artist Against AIDs show, to be held later on this week!



I wanted to bring more, but I didn't have enough of them ready and framed. Ah well, there's always next year! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sale, because there are a number of things I'd love to invest in for my new studio setup.



The old and eccentric building the show had been held in previous years was torn down to make space for new condos. So the venue has moved to the old 1914 Orpheum Theatre, which is the current home to the children's science museum in the front lobby and mezzanine. The auditorium hasn't yet been renovated, and its going to house this years AAA show.

I'm glad they found a new setting that was a quirky and full of charm as the old one. (which was an old old bank)



Its a terrific cause and one I'm proud to be a part of. 50% of all proceeds go to The Greater Community AIDS Project (GCAP), a local non-profit agency providing support services for those affected by HIV/AIDS in our own backyard.

Art journal

This was just a fun little doodle, done in acrylic.

I haven't gotten much done in the past few days, but I'm desperate to jump on it soon. There's the swap deadline approaching, and my local area holds the Artists Against AIDs show every year, and I would love to get a portrait or two done in time to submit them to the show.

Also upcoming is Art Chicago - which is a contemporary art extravaganza like nothing I have ever witnessed!! I can hardly wait. :)

There are a bunch of other art shows going on in my area this month as well - April is an amazingly busy time and its a brilliant way to stay motivated.

Etsy!

The Nature of Things
5.5 x 3 inches
Collage on mat board

These small funky collages were inspired by Ray Johnson. This collage highlights the oddities we encounter in life, both mundane and exotic.

Available on Etsy

In the works

I'm making progress! It was a cloudy day, so its hard to see the details with the pearlescence in the paint. I'm hoping that once they're done, I can catch a good sunny day for the best photos. :)

I'm done with the feathers, except on the smallest one - which is proving to be super tricky. I'llbe adding some trim, finish painting the tops, and then add the faces. (Im debating whether or not to add hands)

I thought about doing a set of Hindu Gods, but I don't think I could have given them away - and it might not have been appreciated by all walks of life. I do consider buying another blank set eventually, and making them for myself. :)

A tease

I've been working laboriously on the nesting dolls over the past three days! That means many many many layers of paint, pearlescent powders and the above feathers. The feathers didnt work out quite as gloriously as I had hoped, but they still have a nice effect.

I should have an actual progress pic for you tomorrow. In the meantime, its back to the grind for me!

In the light of friends

I went to visit a local friend and artist today. (Patience) It was so nice to just sit and chat about our lives, to catch up on our art careers, and to talk about the world at large. We travel in several of the same art circles online - so its easy to talk, without having to explain everything. What a joy.

I love having my online communities, but boy, I sure do wish I could sit, have some coffee, and really relate face to face. You just can't replace the energy that goes on in person.

One of the things I was able to share with Patience was my success with my brand-spanking-new lightbox! I had been saving for a professional light tent for a while, when I stumbled across some instructions online for a stupidly cheap DIY version! I made it yesterday, in time to photograph my matchboxes, and BOY what a difference it made.

I had fun playing around with the box, arranging little still lifes with some of my favorite collection. I just love teeny boxes and pottery!!



So in the near future, I'll be heading over to help take pictures of her wonderful papier mache creations, that really need good lighting to fully appreciate. I'll be sure to share some of them when we get them done!

Matchboxes

So I've been working on these boxes for a long time. I started them about a year ago, just before my bedroom flooded. They were a wonderful release after working on my self portrait, which was labor intensive, and something I felt like I needed to get exactly right.

When I got my studio back up and running recently, these were the things I was most excited about working on.


the backs of the matchboxes