As promised, details to our upcoming show
Let me just say that I've had a sneak peek of just a few of the mannequins and
Creativity = AMAZING!
If you are in L.A., I hope you can join us.
One night only this Saturday November 7
6 - 10 PM
822 Wall Street, 2nd Floor
Downtown Los Angeles 90015
Music by KCRW's Anne Litt
The artists who will be exhibiting
Chanin McClurkin
& Me!
If you would like to challenge yourself as an artist? Paint a mannequin, or really a dress form. All I can say is "Whew"~ this was an interesting creative pursuit, but also one that was well worth the challenge {I think}.
And right about now you may be wondering, "why exactly, is she painting a mannequin?"
Well, another super EXCITING event that's happening this week. We're having a one night art show this Saturday, November 7, featuring all mannequins, each painted by a different woman artist from across the country. More details to follow!
Until then here's a sneak peek of the lady I painted and her name is Sophia. I will definitely be sharing more about this experience, as I also filmed the entire creating of Sophia. And my plan is to be making a short film of the process.
Hope you had a great weekend, a fun halloween and a good week so far? Yes?!
I took a good day or so to myself, visited with friends, saw a wonderfully inspiring film, and now I'm back, preparing for all the fun to be had this week!!
Yup, pretty excited over here.
Not only because tomorrow is Halloween and I'm wearing my favorite orange eyelet lace inspired top from Anthropologie in spirit of the season but...
Next week I'm announcing a brand new e-course!
{note: this is not another session of "in the fish bowl", but a completely new course!}
The announcement will go out first to those of you have subscribed to my email mailing list under the category of "Workshops/E-Courses". So if you want to be the first to know, you can sign up right here.
I hope you'll be just as excited about this new e-course {maybe even love it!}
have a great weekend everyone!! and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned completing a first-ever sewn creation that I managed to "pull-off". An apron it is!
While I have sewn off and on my whole life, an expert sewer I am not. And never before have I even come close to sewing something I could wear. So THIS apron is a very exciting accomplishment for me. I bought most of the fabric I used, and the gold super size ric rac, at a great little fabric store on main street in Ashland on my trip there earlier this month. I practiced and learned more of the 100 or so stitches available on my sewing machine. I tried different threads and ways of sewing on pockets. Crazy fun, I tell you. And I also have to credit Liz Elayne for the inspiration on this one. She makes the most beautiful aprons. She sold them last year at Squam and this year everyone had their aprons in tow. Every chance I could I tried to borrow/steal someone's apron because they are especially great for teaching and keeping your supplies at hand. Plus they are just so pretty~ a fashion statement all on their own.
Turns out aprons are also great for wearing to the farmer's market. Many pockets equal keeping your cash organized and easy to get to. I don't know about you but by the time I leave the Farmer's Market what's left of my cash is always rolled into a ball.
So I love, love, love my apron and wear it every chance I get. In fact I usually have it on at home. OK, I wear it every day. I wore it to Trader Joe's and the checker complimented me on it, then proceeded to make fun of my intense enthusiasm when I practically shouted "I MADE it myself!"
My apron also makes me want to SEW MORE. How did I miss the joy of sewing my whole life? I think sewing has always felt like one of those skills "that other people have", but the truth is that it is much like any other form of creating. You just sit down and start making something.
*Edit* October 29. Jen over at Indie Fixx invited me share a peek inside my home, something I've been meaning to do for ages, invite you all in for a little tour, and the post is up today! And you should totally check out all of the homes in Jen's blog feature, A Peek Inside: Indie Home Tours. SO inspiring.
That's right, last week I promised a Halloween treat.
I have recently been talking to the fishies, a term of endearment for e-course students, about going into this world, especially this online world, thinking about how you can give to others. You know sometimes when you have a business and a blog related to such business, it can be a little bit heavy on the about me, me and ME {exhibit A: photo above ;)} and then what can you do for me, me and ME ~ and while I know a blog is also meant to be about you and your creative expression, it's also nice to thank your readers for taking the time to come by and visit. {exhibit B: photo below}
Any time I try to thank you, all the things I want to say just become an overwhelming lump of emotion and it comes out sounding like blog sap. Is there such a thing, "blog sap" = when one tries to convey emotion on a blog and it reads as helplessly sappy. Anyway. It's late. I have a number of {exciting} projects that have all come due at the same time, but I didn't want to let this week slip by without
saying thank YOU and happy halloween!
For you, one of my Papyrus Halloween Cards! Just say hello in the comments below if you'd like to enter the giveaway. If you feel inspired, tell me one of your favorite halloween traditions. I'll get the ball rolling by telling you how much I love pumpkin carving with Sean accompanied by the playing of Halloween music, {haunted house ride @Disneyland meets every classic scary movie}, and THEN pumpkin seed roasting. My favorite, favorite, did I say favorite? snack during Halloween time. It only comes once a year.
I'll announce a winner Wednesday morning at 9 am PST.
Yay! Shari Sherman is the winner of the card. Thanks everyone for sharing your Halloween traditions. I'm officially in the halloween spirit now ~
And they're here! A limited edition of 95 85 80 68 are available in the shop. They will begin shipping the first week of November.
Consider this post not only an announcement of the calendar, but an early wish for a happy 2010!
A limited edition of the 2010 Creative Thursday calendar will be released in the shop this Thursday
Clementine and the Skeleton ~ 3 x 3 in.
Clementine and the Pumpkin ~ 3 x 3 in.
You know it's exciting for me this time of year, because I get to paint things all black and "dark" in the Creative Thursday kind of "dark" {which is clearly, always, still cute} And in case you've been wondering what inspired my new banner? Clementine. She's a new character that made an appearance in my sketchbook over the weekend. And as is often the case with a new character, I'm slightly enamored. In fact if these paintings don't go to a good home soon, I might have to keep Clementine for me!
Should I keep her, I did also make 5, now 4, limited edition archival prints on panels. With painted edges and a matte finish, these little cuties are ready to hang just like my original paintings are. You can find them all over at the shop
Another Halloween treat to come this week...
Seeing as how I've been somewhat of a "chatty cathy" on this blog of late. I thought I'd share a pictorial of my recent trip to Ashland to visit with my mom. Whenever I'm asked what inspires my creating. This would be it. The world around me, where ever I may be.
happy {fall} Sunday.
6 x 6 in.
First: Couldn't leave you this week without at least one new creation as promised.
Second: it's time to move on from my last blog post. It was seriously starting to bum me out reading the words "steal"
Third: thanks so much for all your kind and supportive messages. I just want to assure you especially now that the dust is settling, I am really doing ok with all of this. I heard from many of you how many times this has happened to you as well, and as I mentioned before it has happened to me before too ~ so I think we all have to accept that sharing your creations with the world, any creations at all there is a chance this can happen. It's just one small drawback to putting your work out there. And I say small, because it is just that. The benefit of sharing your work with the world far outweighs a situation like this.
What I realize again and again in this life, especially in my creative career, is that no one can keep you from where you are wanting to go. No one can "steal" from you unless you let them and by let them I mean, allow them to crush your spirit. Sadly, and what I think stunned me the most in this situation is the realization that there are people in the world who would even consider behaving in this way. But at the end of the day I can't convince anyone that my way of living is best. And I'm not supposed to. My other realization as I mentioned in my "less is more" post is that I don't really want to convince anyone anymore either. We can't change others we can only change our perception and reaction to how others behave ~ a tall order on some days I know. Clearly this week has been more challenging than most.
With that said, I will still always speak out for what I believe is right in the world, recognizing that sometimes it can make a difference. {Now you know ~ don't understimate the power of a voice{s} combined with social media}. I will also continue to create, so that means it's back to business as usual over here. I thought today's painting was a good fit for this sentiment. Since my characters often hold hands in my paintings, this is a sign that I still {mostly} believe in the good in all people.
And you see in all the energy put towards this, I completely forgot to say thank you to Amy for inviting me to share some thoughts over at her beautiful blog this week.
to my lovely creative community ~ have a great weekend. xo
{click here to buy original}
