Illustration Friday: Smoke

This weeks Illustration Friday theme is smoke and this immediately makes me think of cigarettes, and from there I think about how our perception has changed so dramatically over the decades as to how harmful smoking is. I find it hard to believe that people ever wanted to smoke in their office buildings, in restaurants, even in their beds. Whenever I watch an old movie and someone lights up in a space that is completely, and rightfully, off limits today, I kind of cringe. I have chosen this piece, Ron, as my IF for the week because he just looks like the kind of guy that worked in that kind of office where they all had secretaries with pin curls and ashtrays on their desks. Can you see it??

Terry and art

On Halloween morning I got the chance to hangout with my friend Terry, who I went to college with. Terry is awesome! He has such a great and unadulterated outlook on life. I love hanging out with him. He flew to LA from NYC to check out the opening of Marilyn Mansons art gallery on Melrose and we spent part of the afternoon trying to find it. I am so glad we did! I got a chance to take a quick peak in the gallery while they were setting up and wow! I had no idea Manson was a painter, and wow. Hung on the freshly painted walls where these gorgeous ornate black frames, with black mattes, displaying some of the coolest watercolor portraits I have seen. We were there for maybe 5 minutes, and the work left a mark on me. It is poignant and of course the subject matter is a at times disturbing, but it does exactly what art should do. You feel it. It marks you. The detail and craftsmanship are amazing. They actually kind of reminded me of Franceso Clemente, my all time favorite artist.

If you'd like to check out some of Manson's work, you can click here, but I am warning you, some of the subject matter may be hard to handle.

And here is an interesting article about Manson teaching an art class at Temple University.

Creative TECHniques

Today the third issue of Creative TECHniques hits newstands! I am so excited to share that inside is a great 4 page interview I did with them, and that they chose to use my portrait Jamey & Adam for the cover! This is a fun magazine full of great projects that merge craft and technology! It will get you thinking in all different directions! It is inspiring and really fun. Please make sure you check it out!!

Free Hugs Campaign

This video is inspirational and just makes me smile. I hope you enjoy it!

She's A Betty!

Just a quick thank you to the fab She's a Betty blog for including me in Volume 1 of their holiday picks! There is lots of fun on this blog! You should check it out!!

Holiday Goodies!

It is about that time for all of the holiday music, jingle bells, sugar cookies, snow, and turkey that make the end of the year so delicious! I love the holidays, especially our trips to NY for Thanksgiving. There is nothing in Los Angeles that compares to that crisp air feeling of the East Coast in November. I can't wait!

I have been working hard on fun new holiday items and have just added them all to my shop. I have put together some great stocking stuffers, as well as gift tags, and a few prints. Also coming soon will be my holiday shop featuring great tote bags, Christmas Cards, and lots of other fun goodies! But more on that later!

Happy Halloween!!

BOO!!!
One day only sale! All Halloween items in my shop are 20% off today only! Prices as marked, they are all the first items in the shop list. Happy Halloween!!

Imperfection-wk 5

This week the Self Portrait Challenge happens to fall on Halloween!! Too many crazy and stressful events have gone on in the last week for me to wallow in imperfection. Today I want to celebrate the fun. I want to haunt and spook, and give away TONS of candy! We decorated the front of our home over the weekend and Tom was very proud of his decorating skills. We were lazy, and busy, this year and didn't carve our own pumpkins, but I kind of like the Targét version! They really illuminate the front stoop and look killer in the dark!

I guess my one Halloween imperfection would have to be that I dont really enjoy dressing up. Costumes just dont seem to be my thing. I will however indulge and slap on a hat, or kitty ears, or something of that nature. This photo was taken in 2004 in San Francisco. We went to dinner at a yummy place that I cant remember the name of, where the projected the original "Vanished" on a wall. I am sure that once we have kids, and the magic of the day is fresh and bright, I will get sucked in, but for now, this will have to do!