bad blogger!

I am a bad bad bad bad blogger! All is well here in what I am now referring to as "Gluetown". Since getting home from NY I have been working feverishly to get ready for shows. One was last weekend, and turned out to be a little slow, but lots of fun. Hubby came and lent a helping hand which was nice. I secretly hate hanging the work. I get overwhelmed by the packing materials and stuff everywhere. It just never goes well for me. Hannah normally steps in to save me, but with her not being there Hubby stepped up to the plate with gusto! Filling 2 tents was daunting, but I think it all turned out well! I even won a white ribbon, and "Honorable Mention"! ;)

This weekend is the Affaire in the Gardens Art Show in Beverly Hills. I went to this show a few times as a kid, so it is a little intimidating to be showing there. It's going to be a scorching weekend, so just getting out of the valley will probably be a good thing! (It is generally 15 degrees cooler on the other side of the hill!) I cant wait to have the tent set up, and work hung. Then I can relax and enjoy the experience!

OK, I know this was short but sweet, but I have a ton of bits and pieces to do now for this weekend! Catch you next week with photos!

Quick Helllloooooooooo

NYC has been a BLAST!! I have had so much fun trekking around the city and catching up with old friends. I have only been here 3 days, but it feels like WEEKS!

I had a chance to hit a few great exhibits. I made it to the MET, which as always, was just mind blowing. There was a Courbet exhibit, a Jeff Koons exhibit, AND a Jasper Johns exhibit going on. Each was so different, and left me very inspired!

There was an incredible Gustav Klimpt show at the Neue Galerie. Klimpt is one of my favorite artists and I loved seeing so many of his sketches. The audio tour was really fascinating.

I also went to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. There was a great show on all things Rococo, and in the basement gallery they had a small exhibit called Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product which was drool-worthy! The cases were filled with pages of antique fabric samples, and 100 year old sketchbooks from interior designers, with the most amazing handwriting and drawings. You know I anted to glue down everything in the room!

This morning I am grabbing the train to Long Island. I hope y'all have a great weekend and week. I will share more when I return!

I swear I am still a blogger!!! Dont take my absence as anything more than just my complete and utter overwhelmed-ness. Plus, I am a total dork. There is at least one thing a day where the "OH! I have to blog this!" light bulb goes off, and then I am knee deep in some other project or who knows what! I am getting emails of concern, which are so sweet and I am very touched that anyone has noticed my absence!

The past few weeks have been hectic to say the least! I have been doing shows and getting ready for upcoming ones. On the 22nd I am headed to NY for a 2 week Vay-Cay! I can't tell you how excited I am! There will be four days in the city, and then I will be headed to Long Island where I will become a Godmother (of the fairy variety, of course ;). Then hubby and I are headed out to Sag Harbor for a few days to visit our friends who just welcomed a brand new baby boy (Can't wait to meet ya Spencer!), and to eat cheese at their shop, Cavaniolas Gourmet (one of my favorite places on Earth!!!). Then, back to the in-laws for a few days of niece and nephews, sundaes at Friendlys, and no glue whatsoever! This is the best kind of trip for me. Long enough to make me really be able to relax, and lots of variety to keep it exciting! I haven't been back to NYC in so many years, and I will have four whole days to roam the Met, and the MoMA, and I have even promised myself a trip to the Cloisters.

Once I get back from getting all relaxed and chilled out, I have two really big 2 day art shows (details in the sidebar) back to back which is what I have mainly been focusing on in my radio silence. I need BIG art for these shows, especially as at one, I have to fill 2 canopies. I am looking forward to such big events. Really, these are the first "white tent fine art shows" I have done, and the nerves are kind of exciting.

So there you go! The blog intervention worked!! You can all thank Tyn for taking the time to nag me back into the Blogosphere! ;)

Etsy Studio Interview!

I was recently interviewed by Francesca of Frucci Designs for an Etsy feature called Open Studio Tours. It was a lot of fun to answer all of the questions and get to share the space!

Read the article here.

Giddy up!

My friends just built a fabulous house in the Hamptons and I am so excited to have been asked to create a piece for their new walls!!

They got me researching fabulous old equestrian pics, many of which I have fallen in LOVE with!

So here are a few new horsey pieces that were the precursors to this soon to be jumbo piece! They have all been added to my shop!

Fierce!

I know I am a week late with this video, as I am sure that everyone and their momma has seen it, but whatever! ;) I already miss PR! Every time Amy Poehler makes that BIG SMILE face, I cant help but think of her Kim Jong-Il impression. A cha cha cha!

Speaking of which, did you catch the Vanity Fair which feature the hot Female comediennes on the cover?? Awesome photo spread and article on the darling dames of comedy. I really thought it was interesting to hear about the boundaries they have pushed. It is so easily taken for granted how I, as a woman, have the ability to do as I please without dealing with really any kind of sexual discrimination. Every now and them maybe something very minor, but nothing close to the feeling of having to prove myself solely driven by my sex. Hell, you want to carry a huge stack of oversized canvas to the car for me because you dont think I can manage, be my guest! See, thats not too bad. . . . In all seriousness, it is empowering to read about what these ladies have accomplished. Check it out!

Modishoppe

Yay! They're up!! Take a looksie!

Samantha Brown at Nahcotta!

I am happy to admit that I am a cable t.v. junky. I love Bravo (duh!) and the Food Network, National Geographic, the History Channel . . . I could go on and on. While I really do love a good drama, or cant get enough comedy, I really enjoy the shows that take me to far off places and show me people and places either past or present, that I may never get to see for myself. I especially appreciate shows like Samantha Browns travel series because I admire the amount of living out of a suitcase she must do. She has hopped, skipped and jumped all over the globe, always with a big smile and loads of interesting facts! So imagine the smile on my face this morning when, I was catching up with my Google Reader, and saw on the Nahcotta blog that while in Portsmouth, NH filming a new series called "Passports to Great Weekends with Samantha Brown", the Ms. Samantha Brown and her crew had swung by the fabulous Nahcotta Gallery (home of the Enormous Tiny III show).


THEN, imagine my very loud WOW! when I saw this picture of Deb from Nahcotta and Samantha Brown STANDING IN FRONT OF MY WORK! It is just a picture, and who knows if they talked about my work, but how cool is this! It is so random and such a surprise, that I am almost giddy! What a nerd! You can bet that I will be watching for this show to air, and when it does, I will be sure to let you all know!

(All images courtesy of Nahcotta)

Modish Handmade!!!

I am SO excited to share that 3 of my prints will soon be available exclusively through Modish Handmade! If you aren't familiar with the Modish blog, or the awesome shop, then you are in for a real treat! Jena has created an online boutique that is full of amazing handmade items from designers all over the world. I could definitely do a lot of damage shopping here!!

These two prints, Betty4 above, and Jocelyn below are printed on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper which is made from highly sustainable bamboo. The company even donates a percentage from each pack of paper sold back in to the community to help support growth.

I will be sure to post once the prints are available!

Natalie and Ryan

Recently finished wedding commission. 14" x 18"

New goodies!

HannahMade has been a busy gal! She has created lots of new pendants featuring my original artworks! I love them all!!

Busy Bee!

Tonight I am venturing out to a book signing of Kaz Blechers new book The Art of Wooing which she has self published and is AMAZING! I am really excited to finally get to meet Kaz in person! The event is from 7-9pm at my favorite new place, Fresh Pressed.

Also, tonight from 6:30-10:30pm there is an opening at the NoHo Gallery LA of their Women! show, which includes work from my friend Nicole Waldron. I will be doing my best to swing by there as well!


As far as the weekend, I am getting ready for another Sunday at South Park. Last week was canceled because of rain, so it was nice to get a day off, which was used to veg out and watch about 400 hours of Oscar goodness. I love seeing the dresses. My fave was the one Marion Cotillard was wearing. That was an amazing art piece. Anyway, back to the point! This weekend is the LA Marathon, so downtown is sure to be packed and busy. Hope to see you there!

Workin'

This week is kicking my butt! I get into these frenzys every now and then when I need new work, and apparently my brain needs it now! All of the ideas that I have been swirling around in my head have to come out. I am not sure why it happens all at once, but the damn has broken, so to speak, and the flood is raging (as you can tell by the growing stack of finished backgrounds above). If I dont plan well enough I can get stuck, so I have to be sure to be ready before actually picking up my brush. Sometimes I wish I had a simple brain that thought from A-B without jumping all over the place, instead of the easily distracted and jumbled blender of a mind that I seem to be blessed with. I swear I am not complaining, just venting a wee bit.

The weather is gorgeous! Here I am trapped at the glue table, and the sun is shining bright. I dragged the hammock up to the house, out of the shade, and set it up so that at lunch I could go outside and close my eyes in the sun and sway in the breeze. By that hour all of the gardeners have finished up (because here they are here at 7 am and gone by 8 all up and down the street like some crazed weed whacking dance) and so all you can really hear are the birds and the occasional car. We live a block away from an elementary school, and every now and then, if you are very still, you can hear the kids at recess. It is really lovely and why I love this time of year. The temps aren't over 90 yet, but I am sure they will be before I know it.

OH! I read this really interesting article I wanted to be sure to share! When you work for yourself and provide a service, such as Graphic Design, you have to be careful with how you accept payment. I never really thought about it much, but am now after reading this article on Freelance Switch.This was my first visit to this site, but I have it bookmarked now for future ref.

Diving Bell

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get to see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which has to be the most gorgeous movie I have ever seen. I really had no idea about the storyline, and have not read the book, so I had no idea what I was in for. I didn't know that it would be so moving, or that it would absolutely break my heart. The cinematography was breathtaking and surreal. A great deal of the movie is shot from the main characters perspective, and though I dont want to ruin the experience for anyone, I will say that I feel like I got a pretty insightful glimpse into what it must be like to be in such circumstances. In the end, I have been left with a visual and emotional feast, which I am sure will come out in my work. I think I need the soundtrack!


I also really want to see Persepolis, but it just went out of the theater near me. I frickin' missed it! This one I know I need the soundtrack for! I keep leaving a window open in my Firefox with the site up so that I can hear the music play. Both of these films are up for awards at the Oscars. I will have my fingers crossed for them both!!

Have you seen any movies lately that really left an impression in you?? Please please share with a comment!

Going, Going, Gone

Did you see how stunning the Eclipse was?! We were driving through Hollywood watching the cars in front, and the moon! It was mesmerizing!

(Image courtesy of orcagirl)

Love!!

A recent commission, Allie and Kyle, 11x14

Ever been threaded? (and other eye beautification)

Yesterday was technically my day off since Sunday was spent rocking out at the South Park Flea Market. I have been procrastinating getting my eyes checked for so long, and am proud to say that I can see again. I lost my glasses over 2 years ago, (I know! Dont be mad!) and am so glad not to be squinting as I write this! I am also hoping that this will also be the end of my migraines! Eek! It helped that Hannah also had to get her exam done. The buddy system paid off! We are both much better off now!

It wasn't just a day for glasses! There was all kinds of "maintenance" going on! Hannah and I stopped into the local Threading salon, and the awesome Reetu attacked my way overgrown brows with sewing thread! It was insane! She kicked butt! The whole thing took about 15 minutes, and didn't really hurt (my brows were WAY over grown! I haven't touched them in over a year to try to get them to fill back in!) It sounded like a bug was fluttering against my forehead, like a moth slapping its wings against a light fixture. The pain was on par with waxing, but not as intense. I actually dont think either hurts, but I am told some people really feel it, so that is how I would describe it.

You can see the right one is before, and the left one is after.

Hannah though it would be hilarious to take video, and now the whole thing is on YouTube for all the world to see, if they care! ;)