::again there is plently::

somewhere close to the middle of my neighborhood there's this parking lot with an abundance, filled to the brim yellow gold. close by in a building i heard the practicing tunes of a rock and roll band jamming out, instantly i began whistling norwegian wood and have had it in my head ever since. it just so happens to be my favorite time of the year, oh yes and there's plenty of the good stuff to go around.

while i'm waiting for my latest painting to finish drying, i thought i share some of this plenty with you, those who need it, read it.

currently reading: the yiddish policemen's union

could be reading: mixtape

will always enjoy thoroughly: shelteriffic

school is back; so is the after school program: mule

prepping for clothesline will remain the plenty of september along with a vacation.

::in the depths::

::our clothesline art show::

Our Clothesline Art Show

When: Opening Reception Friday September 11, 2009 from 6pm until 9pm and Saturday September 12th, 2009 from 12pm until 7pm (Join us for the Gallery Hop on Saturday!)

Where: At the Krichbaum House, Home of Mike and Maria Cardillo, located at 4401 St. Elmo Avenue Chattanooga TN 37409

Participating Female Artists: Lauren Leutwiler, Maria Cardillo, Linda Thomas, Cat Collier, Katie Ward Knutson, Jennifer Kring, Valerie Fleming, and Kelly Cardillo

Webpage: www.ourclothesline.blogspot.com

Email: ourclothesline@gmail.com

Open to the Public; Families are welcome.

::30 seconds here::

::taking to keep you::

i find that i am not so interested. or rather interesting until the light is either rather bright or barely there. the making is rather slow these days. there is one new painting in the works but i am not in any rush whatsoever. no one reads. flickr is the better friend. i purchased a brand new bicycle, a bike, a.k.a. the purple fizz and though i have never been a purple girl, except for the time my bedroom, as a child was purple, i was drawn toward this one bike. there is this temptation to paint a large giant yellow stripe down the middle of the bike, horizontally speaking, right across the tires and all. then i would change the name of my bike to the purple pounder. i am leaving practicality in reality and my devotion to blogging is bombing. i used to be. until i have a new piece of art, there's no point. i am no longer open, except. and it's not that bad. recently the work on carl cadwell's summer dregs from gold to green hit the myspace waves. i have lost my account but i was very very very pleased to be asked to contribute my art work to complete the look and feel of this album debut. in my humble opinion the music is sick and my art works, five chosen are just like the tip of the iceberg. i really cannot wait to have this in hand.
in the meantime, i've got clothesline on september 11&12 and then then then, a commission. i meet with h.p. tomorrow to go over the ins&outs of the commission piece(s) and am really looking forward to the process//challenge. i'm up for it. it's time to put away the laundry and drink the last of the coffee before bed. work week begins in eight or less hours.

green guide giveaway::karen michel

the talented artist and author karen michel is hosting a book giveaway on her blog.  the book, green guide for artists, was recently published and can be found on bookshelves and online.  but being one of several artists who were asked to participate in this fantastic book, i thought you'd probably want to try your hand at winning a copy.  i have read the book from cover to cover and it is a beautiful compilation of information and do-it-yourself projects.  i was so inspired to read about how to make one's own paint and create art in away that conserves our earth's bounty.  especially if you're first starting out, the task of gathering and collecting art materials can be overwhelming.  karen's perspective of how to recycle and reuse is something we're all too familiar with but maybe not in the context of making. just as you are hopefully teaching your children that the french fries you get from fast food are actually made by planting a seed/spud, so are some pigments in paint made from natural dyes you've got in your fridge or from rocks deep beneath the earths surface.  it's about applying our awareness in little ways that will renew the earth's promises.

hope you all have a restful one, and be sure to check out the book!

art.a.ma.jig::change

coming up tomorrow evening. apparently there's still time to purchase tickets, supporting the local arts and education council. change could be, just about anything, anything at all.  for what it's worth i gave it my "little brown jug" try.  we shall see how it all pans out.  i am excited, simply to spend the evening with kk1000, figuring out how to balance those itsy bitsy hors d'oeuvre plates, unga!  

i have started my next painting, gearing up for the next clothesline art show.  hoping for a fresh new way to present these trees i continue to paint.  are they getting to be old news?  or what?  there are still several things going on behind closed doors that i have yet to be able to speak about, waiting for time. meanwhile, i'll spend the next nine weeks trying to pump out about six new pieces and then come december i'll take that break i seem to need every year.

i have yet to update my etsy shop.  it seems rather unproductive at this point.  and one thing is for sure, i tend to forget to take smaller sized photos of my work, image size is limited on etsy. it's my biggest hang up at this point.  

i'm also looking for a thin shiny yellow belt?  silly me.   

::naturally changing::

until today, my days and nights were overlapping and i had not been able to focus, for lack of sleep.  but i made my deadline in the nick of time, finished this 24"x48" piece for the Arts & Education Councils Silent Auction, Art.a.ma.jig - Change.  

now, on into july.  i plan to begin brand new pieces for clothesline.  

::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!!!