Monday, December 31, 2007

Yoo Hoo Boogaloo

Boogaloo is my universal nickname - I use it for the cats, the grand kids and in this case, my blog readers. A term of endearment if you will indulge me. It sounds especially nice spoken with a slow drawling southern accent (mine is really a lazy midwestern speech pattern). Anyhoo, why am I so excited you might ask?

Well it's New Years!!!!

I am one of those crazy people who actually enjoys moving into a New Year. Cause I like change for one thing and because I lovelovelove a fresh start. A chance to clean out drawers (done), straighten closets (yep, done too) and move on to new and fun stuff. No, I haven't done that yet, but I am champing at the bit as I have so may ideas my only fear is possible spin out from moving too fast.

I have good feelings about 2008 and am sending warm wishes to all. May your coming year be filled with the joy of creating lots of art.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

I am very drawn to Mosaics as they appeal to the organizational side of my brain, that OCD, anal part that kicks into gear every so often, usually right when I am trying to get "loose." Ha, such the life of an artist, huh?

At any rate, I heard about THIS website today and these murals are oh so cool. I especially love the horse and find myself drawn into his eye - click on that square to see the detail.
It's an intriguing concept and I think it would be fun to participate in something like this.

Thanks to Best of Missouri Hands for bringing the site to my attention. I am a new member of BOMH by the way.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Beads, glorious beads























Last week I took a Paper Bead class from my friend Dana. Each year at the end of my "season", I find it so fun to play with a completely different media, such as the basket weaving class I've been taking, or, in this case, the paper beads class. It helps me to clear my head and I think I eventually come back to my own medium with a new perspective.

But I didn't mean to digress into a serious topic. Because right now I am just having fun making these beads. Perhaps I'm just a wee bit crazy about them. I have discovered all these new (to me) techniques and it is oh so much fun! Not to mention the fact I have been basically house(chair) bound with this bum ankle which has not allowed my usual activity. I have, however, devised a way to make beads while still elevating my ankle according to Dr.'s orders.

And there are some folks who may find one of these necklaces in their stocking. I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you. Tee, hee, hee.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Riddle me this, Batman

Why do cats eat tinsel off the Christmas tree?
It makes them barf tinsel and shit tinsel, yet they continue to eat it, presumably while we are in bed, because I have never caught them in the act.
I clean up cat yak every single day and then remove a little more tinsel from the bottom branches of the tree; right now the lowest third has NO tinsel whatsoever and it looks kind of silly.

I guess maybe the real riddle is why do I PUT tinsel on the tree!??!?!

A star, a star



The last couple years, we haven't had a tree. Either I've been in a crappy mood, we've had travel plans, it seemed like too much work; you've undoubtedly heard all the excuses, maybe even coming out of your own mouth.
This year I feel good. Energetic. Optimistic. And all that stuff. Plus we'll be home (woo hoo!) and I wanted the house to look nice for the grand kids.
Sooooooooo, John went out of town and I went to town decorating the house.
First I hit the wholesale floral spot and got some terrific fake swaggery. I don't think that's really a word, but it should be. I had previously bought vintage ornaments - glass ones of all colors and tiny pipe cleaner people (they rock!) - I envisioned a swag around the fireplace, lush greenery with wonderful vintage treasures peeking out between limbs.
Here are some pics of my work.
It was a fun project. Other than that slight ugly turn when I fell off the ladder. Ugh, I was nearly finished, trying to place the star on the top of the tree. I thought I was on a 2 step ladder and I was really on a 3 step ladder. I stepped back thinking I was going to the floor and instead "landed" in mid-air. On the outside of my R foot by the ankle bone. Total wipe out.
Ugh, I am such a dork I swear.
Lucky for me, no fractures. Just a black & blue ankle with a nasty sprain - I have to wear a splint for 2 weeks, elevate, ice, no driving, etc, etc.
But the house sure looks pretty.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Art Pub Studios Blog News!

Art Pub Studios has it's own blog. Hip Hip Hooray! Thanks to Kathy Wasilewski, Deb Trotter and Lelainia Lloyd for all their hard work in setting up our group blog. If you link on over there, you will find all sorts of cool things, such as Tutorials, Freebie images and a giganza give away (wowza, I'm in the company of some generous and talented women here).

Sure we all have our own blogs, websites, etc. But we thought it might be advantageous to work together as a group promoting ourselves and our art businesses.

I've decided to use the Art Pub Blog as a site to share images and offer give-aways. I'll be on there about once a month and will give you the heads up here on my main blog in case you forget. Because I know you all want to be in on free stuff.

And yeah, I'll still be here with my usual observations on art and life - stories of collage and painting; the thrill of artistic success and the agony of picking up rejected work; tales of cats and porta-potties. Sometimes funny, frequently perverse, and rarely appropriate or grammatically correct. Let's hope it's just not the LOWEST Common Denominator.

But now, for a change in programming, just click on over there to Art Pub.
Enjoy!

Thursday, December 06, 2007


I felt a little puny the other day and Merlyn decided to nap with me on the sofa. He is such a sweetie and I think it's hilarious he was actually under the comforter. I suspect Gilligan was at my feet. I woke up twice this week with all three of them in bed with me. That is what I call a 3 cat morning. And I love it when that happens.
We've been having lots of kitty issues lately as Gilligan and Isadora are "aging." Hmmmm, I think I know how they feel. Anyway, since they are both 15 years old, our vet suggested full blood/urine workups and it turns out they are in the early stages of renal failure. He (the Vet) said that word "failure" makes it sound a lot worse than it is because their test results are just barely into the danger area. Therefore, we can control this (not get rid of it) through a prescription diet. Translation, really expensive cat food. And yes, they are worth it. This will hopefully alleviate any symptoms they are having (we haven't noticed any other than their usual weirdness) and also prevent it from getting a lot worse.
I presume. Perhaps I am optimistic.
But allow me my optimism.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

The land of commissions


I've been a busy little bee lately, working on commissions mainly, so I can meet all my holiday deadlines. Here is one of the new ones; I love the way it turned out. The client furnished some amazing material and wanted me to use as many of her photos as possible. Typically, I use perhaps one or two central photos of people only, but these were such(!) cool images I wanted to create more of a "scene." It was a compositional challenge because this is just a 12x12, but I think it worked, don't you?
All my commissions are special because it's an honor to work with family photos and I feel a little connection with the subject each time. But this piece holds an extra special place in my heart. Maybe because my grandfather also owned a gas station? Or maybe it's the depth of field or composition? Or the color? I don't know for sure, but I do know the client *loved* the piece. And that means the world to me.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Gallery Talkin'



I did it and lived to tell. The gallery talk is over and officially a success, or at least I have deemed it so.
It was a polite and interested group of art lovers - I really dig it when people engage with the art and I felt that many did yesterday.
My talk was sort of rambling, but I had a comfortable dialogue with the audience, at least it seemed that way. Such nice people! I talked about my rocks from the shore of Lake Michigan, how they mean so much to me and have inspired this series to some extent. I talked about my beliefs on the importance of accessibility for art. How I want people to look, think, ask questions, maybe (or hopefully) relate to the art. I talked about my circuitous path to fine art, my lack of formal education and my P-L-A-Y with the various media I use. And finally, I talked about Community, what the series means, how the pieces relate to one another and how they can be viewed from various orientations. I took a piece off the wall (God only knows if this is ok??? during a gallery talk, but it is my art after all) and I even passed around some other works so people could actually touch them and feel the surface.
Thanks so very much to my dear dear friends who drove in horrid torrential freezing rain to hear me. It means the world to have your support. And you know who you are.