::Chattanooga Artists Reserve::

good morning friends!  it's early for me on saturday morning to be up and about blogging.  i am on a mission.  an exciting one at that.  today from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. i will be showing my work with the Chattanooga Artists Reserve at the Gannon Art Center.  Tobi Weldon and Beth Gumnick have done an incredible job this year of making this event one that is unique and inspiring for artists and art collectors alike.  

i am showing 20 works, ranging from paper quilt collages to my forest of trees.  i have quite a few new pieces as well as several older pieces available for sale.  the majority of works are professionally framed, which is wonderful and exciting to see.  the other larger pieces have been created on gallery stretched canvas and are ready to be hung or displayed.  

the chattanooga artist reserve is a newer art collective that would love to see you and spend the afternoon with you.  this year's theme is 'sideshow', with beautiful handmade decorations and favors, art and craft for the young and old, and a venue that is special.  the idea, revitalize a 30 year old art store, framing shop, bring gallery artists in and share with the brainerd area the love of the arts.  

i'm looking forward to this day!  and would love to see you!  come one come all!

::scraps of scapes::

so in the free time that really never exists, i have spent some time dragging and pulling and twisting to create this little digimovie slideshow thingy of most of my trees.  it is just a way to break up the monotony of painting and cutting.  i am still working on creating my own music so in the meantime, i've added melpo mene as the soundtrack.  i completely realize that the slides/images are jumpy and fidgety but it was after all just for fun.  an experiment of sorts.  

this weekend is the chattanooga artists reserve.  i picked up twelve newly framed works today. and they look so sweet.  i cannot wait to hang.

over the weekend i made my very first yeast rolls, no photo for show, but i did add rosemary and what a great addition at that.  baking bread seems absolutely ridiculously easy.  so i'm going to try my hand at baking sandwich bread.  the thing is, i barely eat bread.  only an occasional piece of toast.  i'm a cracker girl.  bread will have to be croutons and french toast and for tuna melts.  um!

i cannot think of anything else.  i mean until the a.e.c. posts upcoming art.a.ma.jig info, i'll wait to add link and image of new work to be donated.

kingpawn::empireguilt {revised}

i just couldn't let this one rest.  after looking at it for a while, colors and lines and things begin to nag at me. so i have done some revising and am finished.  this is not a true spot on image of the final, but it's close enough.  the layer beneath is composed of chess pieces that i cut out of vintage wallpaper.  it is difficult to tell, because of the way the image takes; in the bottom right hand area i placed the square, the piece i cut all of the chess pieces out of.  in the top left hand is a circle composed of all the pieces, in a target like fashion.  if you look closely, and imagine two armies of chess pieces squaring off underneath a bright and geometric landscape.  conceptually it's a bit weak but for the most part, i am satisfied now with how this piece worked out.  the addition of the horizon line really helped, i think.  in addition to the lighter circles and paint/line touch ups.  so next up.  i begin my next piece (24"x48") for the aec benefit.  i've got a plan and drawings and will begin tonight.  

::cherry bombs away::

a-nother list

1.  leo

2.  fruit pizza

3.  chattanooga artists reserve

4.  poladroid image maker

5.  sundown in st. elmo

6.  afterburner

7.  color inspiration

8.  leah giberson via poppytalk; inspiration for kk1000

9.  cannot get enough; happy mundane!

10.  well well well.  i guess, you'll have to fill in the blanks.  what's your cherry bomb?

::misunderstood::

flowers and purchasing them. bringing them home and making them beautiful. i had no idea. it could be so delightful and fulfilling until i did it myself. flowers are so misunderstood.

::madly week::

my entire week was full and mostly filled with the new.  the thrill of having a couple of new boxes of moo minis arrive, rounded out my week. no matter how many times i have made an order, i always find myself a little nervous. moo has never failed me yet.  though i rushed through the process this time and neglected to lighten many of the images in picnic, before filling.  it's fine though, no matter.  the moo will be gone in a blink of an eye.  

toward the middle of the week, i bought a few new pieces of furniture from my mom.  these took the place of the raton, which is now in my bedroom, crowding.  everything about this plastic wicker furniture says hang art on the wall above me, put flowers on me, change everything, rearrange, sell the raton.  on and on.  new means, getting rid of the old or repurposing it in some form or fashion.  i'm not feeling the repurposing and hope that someday soon, someone comes along who needs these perfect pieces of vintage retro raton.  

also this week i attempted and succeeded at baking my first yeast rising cinnamon sticky buns. i prepped the dough and turned off the hvac and sat the dough directly in the sun.  i left for a few hours and came back to a mass.  so beautiful and surprising.

i could not believe my eyes.  it actually has given me confidence to try some more, bread, rolls, you name it.  yeast is my friend.  i got 15 pieces to framewrights this week for the upcoming chattanooga artists reserve. i'm also working on a large postcard order.  we'll see how that turns out.  
the week just turned out to be madly great.  a rush in every way.  great times with family and friends.  art making and a whole bunch of balcony sitting.  it makes my heart feel good enough.  i can go back to work tomorrow.

::apartment living::herbivore

one of the things that excites me the most about my new, since december, apartment living experience, is the balcony.  for the first time in seven years or more, there is space and place enough for a few of my favorite outdoor summer living plants.  last year i fell in love with the citronella plant, the shape of the leaves silhouetted, the scent, and the small purplish pink flowers.  this year i am trying my hand at lavender, basil, pineapple sage, and peppermint.  

i am imagining a long hot summer on the balcony, sweet iced peppermint tea in hand at all times.  i have yet to even get the flowers.  i am particularly interested in finding the perfect plant stand, one that will hold several plants at once, at different levels, and that has wheels. i like the idea of attaching basket containers to the hand railing but have not, as of yet been impressed with the options.  in my mind there is absolutely no rushing this summer thing.  everyday i feel like i am waking up on vacation.  is that what condo/apartment living is like for everyone?  i wonder these things.  i imagine catching sea shore scents off the wind.  oh the wind can be fierce.  it was a wind to be reckoned with this past winter, i am so glad that's over.  the wind tears through the streets like you wouldn't believe.  and then there is the sunshine.  i hesitate to even take pictures, only because i know i couldn't do the sun a bit of justice and plus, i think sunsets are like a dime a dozen.  except from my balcony, from my view there has not been one alike, there's not one cloud i've ever seen twice, the blues and whites and pinks and oranges change from day to day.  silly, i am almost jealous of myself.  

when i was a littler and younger girl i remember my summers revolving around, summer camp, baby-sitting, reading, bed sheet forts, mud ball making, and riding bikes.  i remember how as a kid we'd spend every single hour of the day out of doors, mostly.  nowadays, the weathermen forecast the air quality code of the day, taking your breath away.  i don't care a bit really.  after an eight hour day underneath the fluorescent, a nice long sit on the balcony, sweating out the man made light toxins, feels like all the craziness can be reversed.  so far, my summer is looking like a vacation on the balcony.  i'm wondering, what's yours looking like.

::listfull::

i thought i'd take a break from the usual humdrum and spout a list of sorts.  i noticed that my blog posts per month have taken quite a nosedive, so without further ado i present my first ever summer list. just incase you were wondering about this list or that list, well, here they are.

1.  participation!!! chattanooga artists reserve::june 27; 12-7pm

2.  art rental licensing agreement writing 

3.  moo over making

4.  balcony sunbathing

5.  pomegranate sweet iced tea

6.  family tree commission, planning and excited

7.  herbs that include; lavender, sweet basil, and pineapple sage

8.  5 part salad mix sprouting seeds at handypantry, in my summer eating plan

9.  how long have i been talking about this?  getting a bicycle, ever.

10.  clear & card envelopes, craft paper ordered; i've never ordered through stampin' up online before, i'll let you know how it goes.

11.  cards to make via kinko's

12.  art.a.ma.jig; july 16

13.  small art pieces; framewrights

14.  drink more water

15.  citronella rooting

16.  break out the skirts

17.  take more "giveaways" to salvation army.  i have a broken television and a very old microwave, best guess/approximately from the late '70's, early 80's {vintage}

18.  zero sum

19.  update etsy; seriously...

20.  see my nephews & neices!

so how's that for a list?  what's on your agenda?  

::tempting~off the sub::

i happened to go the pet store with a friend, last weekend.  i cannot remember the last time i went to a pet store.  i don't even know if there is a "last time."  i mean, i saw this little baby fish at the walmart once and it was like, all funny, cute and nemo-style-wimpy-fin and i loved it. there seemed to be a connect between myself and this little thumb-like fish.  we made eye contact. for real.  so anyway. i went to the pet store and saw some fish that were not so impressive, no connection.  i saw some puppies, no connection.  and i saw some cats, definitely no connection and then i saw some birds.  several years ago i bought a small blue parakeet and fell in love. his/her name was moon and she was eaten by a cat. hence no connect with kitties at pet store.  well, i am now so completely tempted to purchase two of these beautiful birds.  and well wanted to see if, well if, i don't know.  i don't want to pay a two fifty pet deposit for one and the birds would cost about one hundred for two, because they ought not be alone and they are so incredibly sweet and passive.  my friend kindly did some research for me and found these pictures for me.  oh.  to pine.  too tempting.  apparently there are three different varieties, the top image of birds, are like the ones i saw at said, pet store.  i think i like them mostly.  subtle coloring and they were sitting in the back of the cage like aviary at the store, quietly dozing off.  i like that.  a lot.     
the other thing is that i still have not gotten a bicycle or a stackable washer/dryer, so i'm going to have to spread these tempting things out and sell a little bit more artwork before.  you know?  to say the least i thought i'd share a bit of my interests, thoughts, aside from the art stuff. seems all i've got on the brain is making.  but it's getting late and i've got to glue some stuff down.  and get my next piece ready to paint.  i cannot wait to be able to share some of the newest things i am working on for the summer.  really exciting stuff happening.  what did you all think of the book?  isn't it great!  i love it.

if you've got bird thoughts, suggestions or would just like to leave a comment of any sort i'd be happy.  i know that many of you support via facebook and such and all of your comments are much appreciated.  i really don't feel all that deserving.  i love making art and sharing.  it's simpler that way.  i mostly like working and making art all of the time.  

looking forward to long weekend, what are your plans?

::mindful making::

i just couldn't resist.  i had to, because i just couldn't believe it until i saw it, touched it, read it.  karen michel's book is on shelves now and it is beautiful.  as soon as i got home last night i dug in and began reading, cover to cover.  soaking in the spirit and purpose of this book.  'green guide for artists' cuts to the chase, delving into studio safety, green art recipes, and profiling artists who are mindful of their making. it is a conscience write on how to create art that is nontoxic, environmentally favorable, and significantly aware.  

i am going to make art for the rest of my life and so it is important that i remain knowledgeable of how my art influences the viewer. it is just as valuable and challenging for me to always consider how my work impacts my world, my body, and my home.  without even thinking about it, i began reusing material that had prior function. i participated in several art paper swaps, and flung myself at a massive stack of old or vintage wallpaper books i found, i began consuming less art store material and found a way to incorporate a lot of my own found pieces. from tissue paper left in gift bags, wrapping paper, mailing stamps left on envelopes, to old unused cardboard games like checkerboards and such. recently i was given two particle board type countertop panel things and made art on them. i have scoured thrift stores for old canvas material and friends who know me have given my canvas in frames with old art in them. i have thought a lot about the preservation of my work on and with this reused, recycled material and it remains, a balance i must strike. that my work must last by using materials that are also conserving in other areas. i must say, there is a lifetime warranty on all of my art. it goes without saying that my work is highly constructed, i take the technical crafting of art making very seriously. in this digital age, art can last forever, in a way that the many of the masterworks will not.
it is increasingly clear that we ought to take care and as karen writes, "...the decision to "go green" in art making will mean different things to different people...no change is too small or insignificant, even the little changes we make very day add up."

"it is about a life of making art that is examined and knowledgeable!"

i am excited about my profile feature and am thankful to karen and kristin for this outstanding collection of words, ideas and works.  

have a great sunday you all!

::published-contribution::

earlier this evening i received an exciting email from the extremely talented artist and author karen michel in regard to her newly published book; 'green guide for artists'.  i had forgotten or let it slip into the recesses of my mind that i had been contacted late last year by kristen hampshire & writehand co. in regard to the publishing of this fantastic new book.  as i recall and am now reminded, i was asked specifically about how i intentionally recycle, reuse or renew "found" things in my art.  i have little recollection of my thoughts or answers to kristen's questions.  i caught a sneak peak of the pages and it's absolutely beautiful.  i cannot wait to get a copy!  yes.  yes.  yes.  

i vaguely remember talking a whole lot about being inspired by urban contemporary or graffiti art, how, every bit of what i see on the street, influences my color choices and my line workings. i remember talking about how early on in phantomcrimes, i was interested in meeting and following and swapping with fellow bloggers and artists.  so much of my second hand inspiration came from the numbers of paper swaps i was fortunate to be apart of and how that became a resource for recycling, reusing and renewing much of what might otherwise be disposed of.  i never would have thought.  and feel so proud of this community of like minded artists and crafters i feel so haphazardly apart of.  it's just so crazy!  

::bozobot arcade::paper quilt collage

oh yes!  this one took me more than a minute. cannot wait to start a new one!!!

cottonmouth::paper quilt collage

confession; all photos of art are taken in huge bathroom.  i am thinking about renting it out as a photography studio.  on second thought, no.  so i'm gearing up for the second annual chattanooga artist reserve, my first.  i have decided to come back to the paper quilts for this purpose and to change it up, try some pastel inspired, circus sideshow inspired pieces. this one was like getting a burst of fruity cotton candy flavored energy.  it just rolled off the "presses" like you wouldn't believe.  i couldn't believe it.  it takes a whole lot more concentration to order a large painting, these paper quilts are just plain fun.  with one down, i am feeling excited about the summer, the upcoming art shows, meeting new artists and seasoning my life with the challenge of creating on a daily basis.  

as soon as i take some smaller sized photos i'll add everything new to my etsy shop.  

i will also really try and update the other facets of phantomcrimes...unga.   

::kingpawn::empireguilt::

::unequivocal::

are the moments of light and silence. a break in the waves before they crash and crush the body onto the bottom sands.  the sigh of safety. sound and sights of springing forward. the rest between warm sheets. walls that tumble and change the landscape. surrounded by embrace. missing caleb, my serious ray of sunshine. touching bodies and dancing more than talking. truing the lines and filling in the details. remembering to ask, forgetting forget. listening.  is this it?

i will start.  this coming weekend.  to make new art.  in the meantime i am going to update phantomcrimes.etsy and think about all the possible submissions to all the possible art things.  i will buy bigger canvas and make larger works of art.  i will enter createhere's next juried artshow and ava's all member show.  

there is an unequivocal desire to drive along the coast.  to stay driven. to remain at the most motivated.  off the subject; have you ever listened or read the 'i miss you' lyrics on bjork's post? i am thoroughly interested in what others might interpret she means to say.  if you know something please do comment.  i have a hunch but before i say what i think i'd like to see if anyone else thinks the same.  

i am thinking about buying a washing machine and dryer combo, anyone have any suggestions? and what else?  a list.  i will work on that to share.  

::middle deep::

my absence has an excuse and a good one at that.  i have been in the middle of creating art for tonight's palette 2 palette, with a contribution to createhere's FACES exhibit.  on top of that i have been working with creativinc to prep for skindeep, next saturday.  

in the right now moments i am gathering myself at the ends in order to complete the tax task.  i am also going to pick up the remainder of my work from fitness together.  

little else is taking priority and for that reason i leave you all to guess at what's happening within phantomcrimes.  

though the gallery at createhere continues to be a mainstay, pursuing creativinc feels like a breath of fresh air filled with spontaneity and hard work, not just hard planning or hard discussion.  what i mean is that the clothesline has chosen to forgo exhibiting, showing next month.  it is to our advantage to place our lives ahead of this event at this time.  i am glad for the break and for the opportunity to explore/discover new venues.  a venue like skindeep that challenges me to break habits, comfort and boundaries.  i want to see how my work fits into the underground and untouched realms of the art community in chattanooga.  when art becomes what i do just because it feels good or because it involves a whole lot of critique it becomes rather heavy.  

there is something in me that is simply attracted to the dirt and grunge.  the balance of showing bright, colorful pieces of art in the midst of an abandoned warehouse.  it feels right to me and counteracts my tendency to think art is something better, something worth more when it's in a gallery.  the clothesline art show has made art work attainable to the public in an intimate way that engages people's lives in the community sense of the word. skindeep, takes making art work attainable to whole new level.  graffiti and urban contemporary in chattanooga seems in some ways to be less regarded, worthless in the minds of prestige and class.  which leads me to a small discussion i had with film maker philip luckey.  

while he was doing some filming of me while painting, i mentioned that i felt strange about using a certain marker to define the edges of my drawing. philip's response resonated with me, he said, it is just a plain old marker your using on a plain old piece of wood, which was just a plain old tree somewhere in a plain old forest.  okay, so maybe he did not say it exactly like that but the point is that as an artist i often think that the best tools of the trade are going to better express my ideas, than if i used the rawest tools and materials.  or if i don't use the very best tools my art takes a step off the pedestal and becomes less.  or maybe i think too highly of what i create and a simple old marker just isn't good enough.  who knows?  what the underground, grassroot efforts of the clothesline and creativinc does is gives worth and value in an otherwise stodgy, stiff and stifling scene.  it is nice to have finally found places in this community where my art work, works and fits.  that is it.  so in the middle deep is where i stand.  happy saturday.  

w.i.p::sophia-athena::

third and final piece for P2P.  ::sophia {my wisdom from high up}::  it's coming along well.  i am pleased with how well it reflects what i want it to.  often times it is difficult to translate ideas.  these recent pieces have been time consuming but when all the fine line work is done, it is absolute fulfillment.  it has not been so hard saying good bye to the trees either.  what a relief.  

it's been a good long weekend, very productive. crunching time.  more to come, hopefully tomorrow everything will be wrapped up, tomorrow night, late.

::Hyperion::{my watcher from above}

2nd in a series of 3 for P2P, also known as Palette 2 Palette.  FACES exhibit at createhere on main street, April 4.  

the most exciting aspect of this pieces is the incorporation of real wood wall paper, given to me by a friend, while he was papering the new BCBS building.  

::Hyperion::{my watcher from above} is the mythological god of light.  nothing too mysterious about that, mixed in the sunshine, a light bulb (not a c.f.l.), and a little bit of lightening.  i would have liked to have added some fire but accidentally cut if off.  the face is cut from some really nice fiber wall paper and rest is just a light landscape, so to speak.  

i have one more piece to go, hoping to create a female, any suggestions?  

~apartment living~

my apartment living and feelings are crumdgy, snobbish and particular, to say the least.  mother can testify to my recent particulars, a list of complaints about any of the new neighbors, the peep hole sightings, their unknown loud sounds and voices, slamming doors, of an ever growing neighborhood.  my four story neighborhood, my apartment living. mother asked me to share in this perspective, "won't you be my neighbor?  daughter, neighbors are a good thing, don't you know", she said.  i am decidedly not sure.  i have no idea what to think.  i want to feel like my four story neighborhood is all mine and that everyone moving in must adhere to my apartment living ethical guide, as if i've written the book and it actually exists.  i am finding it seems i may be quite wrong in my particulars, that i am rather funny about making friends with people who live across the hall. except, i have no earthly idea what any kind of dorm life experience would be like.  because this apartment life is what i can only imagine dorm life must feel like.  so, i am as friendly as the simple hello and have no other clue.  the other evening as an unseen neighbor seemed to be moving in, i followed a path of their belongs from the apartment building entryway door all the way to the door to the apartment next to mine.  i thought to myself as i followed the path, leading me to my own door, that i was seeing, literally, all that this person possess.  surely, i may be quite wrong, i thought to myself, my privacy must mean too much to me.  but yet i am sure i could not leave my things out like that.  is it really real, a bright shiny brand new golden brown bike with a bell, left.  are neighbors that trusting.  should i be that trusting?  regardless.     
i envy the people i know who spend their days domestically.  and not because i feel the need to be all that domestic but for this simple reason, the afternoon light.  i come home each late afternoon and any particulars i have about neighbors is flooded out by the immense amount of light beaming in through the windows.  today i took a multitude of photos just because everything seemed just a little bit prettier and at five o' clock, it is quiet in my neighborhood because i think all the others have gone for happy hour and i just want to be in the light not in a bar.  i seriously wonder if any of my other neighbors would appreciate the light in our neighborhood like i do.  i mean, really, how important is the light?  the quiet warm radiating light.  if for the light i might actually be friendly and forget about my hermit-like list, just to ask a neighbor about their light.  may be i ought to be the neighborhood light investigator and begin the process of actually being a good neighbor to my neighbors, by asking them about their light.  oh brother, i am beginning to feel a little quarry-sheepish.  so it's good night light.  good night all.  apartment resting.

::Telémakhos {my far away fighter}::

Fresh from the studio table, ::Tele'makhos {my far away fighter}:: makes it's debut.  This mixed media collage weighs in at 27" x 23", framed and 99% ready for upcoming exhibit at Createhere; FACES, for Palette2Palette.  

It is too late for details, I will post asap.