Tidbits from the Studio

The turn of the weather into soft grays and cooler days means that I've finally been here again. Working. Playing.

And it's oh so nice.

Today is the last official day of summer and I'm ready - bring on the FALL!

The Present I've Been Present In

Bit by little bit these little illuminations are all coming together. 

Watercolor and carving. Wax and China White weavings.

Collaborations and daydreams.

SOLO EXHIBITION: February 29 to March 31, 2012
CORE Gallery
117 Prefontaine (Tashiro Kaplin Building),
 Seattle, WA
 http://www.coregallery.org

 OPENING:  Thursday, March 1st, 2012, 6-9 pm

Artings

Siu Lung - Custom Pet Portriat

 The last couple of days have been chocked full busy with artings! Both of the making kind, and of the taking care of business kind. I finished a fantastic portrait of this cute little fella above and he turned out SO well that I had no choice but to get "going" with updating my website and listing my portrait availability in my etsy shop.

After all the computer work was sorted out I pretty much moved my studio outside for the day. Panels, paint and even the Dremel. Four hours went by like 40 minutes. So blissed out!
Top secret little studio tidbit - but that red string tied to my pencil? Tis how I make my swoops and swirls. Sketch pencil and compass all in one.

And chickens. Yes. Chickens. Why? Because I really want them. Someday. For now my friend Jenna's will have to do.

3 Days, 3 Shows, 300 Miles

With a full carload of paintings I traveled from Olympia to Seattle...
and then back again because the carload, even though full, wasn't quite complete *ahem*. Ya think you're totally organized and then... ah well =)

I delivered three large paintings for Confluence Gallery in the Methow Valley to a drop-off location in adorable downtown Bothell, then headed right on over to Ballard to meet up with some artist friends at the Conor Byrne. Our little group show between James Caudle, Jim Pirie and myself came out rather well I must say:

Saturday's art walk at Habitude was one of the more pleasurable show experiences I've had. The folks at Habitude truly know how to host a nice art walk! They were super attentive to all the details such as snacks, yummy chocolate, wine and teas AND the lovely massuese Larra (who I enjoyed meeting and talking with) was on hand to offer complimentary 5 minute chair massages at the start of the evening. My work fits perfectly and looks fantastic in the space. A couple of friends who I hadn't seen in ages came out for the event despite the rain and I had a wonderful time chatting with everyone.

Thanks Habitude!

After all that fun I unfortunately took a turn for the worse with a cough I'd been battling and spent the last couple days recuperating. Today found the cough settling down and I was feeling well enough to bask in the sunshine. Donned my face-mask and power sander to prep some new painting panels and already have a sketch developing. These doodling digits don't sit idle for long these days!

Or perhaps it had more to do with wanting to spend as much time as possible outside enjoying this oasis that is my new home.

If THIS was out your studio window... wouldn't you? How could you resist?
















Oh Blessed happy beautiful days!

Studio Clean Up = Art Play

Studio Installation 4/18/11
I went to "clean" my studio today and look what happened!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 One week ago from today I enjoyed an artist date with my east coast friend, Kecia Deveney. She has a wonderful photo blog post over here which captures the day spectacularly. We toured some of my favorite "local" spots in Seattle which was quite fun.

Ballard

Georgetown - Corson Building

Someday, I want a fairytale cottage garden just like this.

Kecia was quite taken by the Seattle street art, which of course meant we had to stop for a Henry photo op!

Kecia at Discovery Park - the colors were spectacular that day!

Oh the Re-Store - how I love your treasures.

Studio Daze Days

 It's funny. You would think if someone had recently acquired the nearly full-time pursuit of art she would be capable of blogging more often. Right? Well... Now that I CAN paint full time, I'm finding that is exactly what I'm doing. Painting. Each and every day. Longer than "workday" hours Picking up the practice right where I left it off at my residency. And it feels oh so good!

I've broken it up a wee bit with walks at my nearby parks such as the above pictured Madrone up at Priest Point (one of my favorites in the known world and an inspiration) and enjoying the pleasure of cooking good food.

 There have been occasional jaunts out of the studio nest... but not many. Other than two short trips to Seattle - (one for First Thursday and another for seeing good friends) I've been here. Just right here. Painting the days away.

"Ticket" In Progress...

 I'm gearing up towards my next big solo show, The Birds and the Bones which will be at CORE Gallery. But it's more than that. My muse is flowing strong and speaking to me often. I've "seen" far more flashes of full fledged pieces than ever before. The woodworking I've been experimenting with continues to bring me flushes of joy and disappeared hours. And how it's all coming together makes me feel like it is the culmination of the last four years of my work all coming together... not just this one show. Painting the days away indeed. Painting right on into tomorrow.

First star to the right and straight on till morning anyone?

In Progress and the Epic Shipping of a Studio

 I'm feeling very much "in progress" these days. If you harken to the analogy of "having pots on the stove" and moving something "to the back burner"... well I think I need to add another stove cuz I'm all out of burners!

I've got 10 brand new pieces in the works which will involve a delicious combination of wood stained northwest Botanical, watercolor cut outs and beeswax. I can't wait to share them... but until them here are some sneak peeks in progress:

Also in the works are the preparations for 2 other last minute show additions. One will be a group show in Pioneer Square that will include some of my pieces from "The Birds and the Bones". 

The other will be:

The Belltown Holiday Gift Show

 November 15th - December 23rd 

I'll be contributing an assortment of small works such as my aquarium pieces and a clearance sale of some Rekoj hand painted clothing. Should be fun!

And now, at least for a few days, preparations for my residency at the Vermont Studio Center have been shifted to the "back burner" because this very afternoon I shipped off an extremely precious box. A box containing all of my most favorite studio supplies. Sifting through my paints, inks and brushes turned out to be more difficult than I ever would have imagined. Trying to par my studio down to one little box for the post? What was I thinking - wanting to leave on a residency? Goodness. 

All part and parcel of the journey I suppose...

And a 28 pound shipping bill. But hey! I had to get my snow boots over there too!

Okay... I probably sent off more than I needed but what's that the Girl Scouts say? 

Always be mega overly prepared? Yeah...

Snail Tales from the Studio

"Greenwood Common"
Oil & Acrylic

Finished! This little garden snail friend makes piece number two working with wood-stained line work. I love love love how this one came out. It is on a small cupboard door with a green acrylic wood stain that contrasts against the oak quite nicely methinks.

This is part of a mini series along with the seagull piece  for a group show at Seattle City Hall this winter. The theme is "The Visual and Varied Facets of Seattle". I chose to feature three incredibly common but under-noticed Seattle "nuisance" creatures... me being the creature lover that I am. Can you guess what the third will be? Here's a hint: It's another feathered friend in the works!

I'm still deeply enthralled with working with wood stains and it is swiftly becoming apparent that it will be the focus of my upcoming show for Ballard Art Walk in October. (Dear me that is coming up with a quickness!)
But with the amount of artwork that has been spilling out of the studio lately I'm already contemplating switching things up to try out some more works on paper. Paper being about a gazillion times easier to store than giant paintings on wood...

Instead of "Do what you love and the money will follow" I'm currently thinking the more appropriate saying is "Do what you love and what you love will take over your living room."
But that's just me.

Printing Afternoon

I had myself a little block printing party this afternoon - aren't they lovely? My studio is pretty small so I make do with what I got. In this case that means using my floor and a box of dominos to dry prints with instead of a drying rack.

And since I'm in full process of getting ready for the Punk Rock Flea Market this Saturday, most of my floor looks just like this.

It's a lot of hopping around, but someone's gotta do it... =)

Some of the BEST holiday shopping deals will be found this Saturday in Belltown at the Punk Rock Flea Market. If you're in Seattle you should stop on by!

Punk Rock Flea Market
Saturday, December 6th
Underground Events Center
2407 1st Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
Doors open at 10 AM
Shopping till 6PM, Bands until 10 PM
Admission $1

I'll be there with some extra special Rekoj holiday goodies. Stay tuned for another preview tomorrow!

Glowing

The Punk Rock Flea Market is on it's way again - coming up on March 22nd - and I have a whole spiraling to-do list in preparation. And I'm thrilled. I'm busy busy and it isn't really possible to get it all done... but I'm thrilled. Because it isn't just all for the PRFM... it's for the new website I'm building. It's for the excitement of a future photoshoot of my clothing doodles. It's for the pleasure of my muse herself.

This week has been full. Very full. Filling and sloshing up to the brim. I'm certain that tonight's visit of First Thursday Arts Walk in Pioneer Square will tip me right over the edge. I'm already eager in anticipation for tomorrow night - a studio night! My favorite kind of Friday...

Really though, this week has been inspired and present. I've had multiple moments of feeling my being... my path in this time and place. It's the kind of feeling that when it happens, makes me want to look around and see who's looking because surely, I must be glowing, right?

If I were a wood burned pendant today I would be this one - glowing with the half light of a puget sound evening. Happy First THursday Arts Walking to any and all who plan on stepping out tonight.