oh nine::{stuff} addictions list

my oh nine {2009} included a massive amount of stuff. stuff needed. stuff wanted. family stuff. work stuff. art stuff. friend stuff. learning stuff. visioning and revising stuff. getting rid of stuff. buying stuff. giving stuff and getting stuff. all kinds of different kinds of stuff encompassed my year. it's funny, stuff, that is. it either represents who you are or who you aren't. or both. we think about stuff and eat stuff. we'll stuff stuff and will use stuff to get more stuff. sometimes we have collections of stuff and other times we're about avoiding stuff. we're made of stuff and stuff comes out of us that we thought we could ignore. stuff turns us into monsters or buys us time. i've not seen it but there's a story about stuff. i think i am thinking about a different kind of stuff, not just the stuff i consume, but the stuff that consumes me. so it maybe ridiculous to some that i'd come up with an oh nine::{stuff} addictions list; meaning the stuff i will admit to being addicted to, let that cat out of the bag, though not completely and not without keeping some secrets.

i thought about creating a list of twenty six things i'm addicted to that each begin with the letter of the alphabet. i'm not going to. although, just out of curiosity i'd love to see what any of you, my meager readers, come up with. i may try it one day but today is just not that day. i am eager to get the list started and finished.

i am addicted to:

really really really pretty cheap paper napkins {as seen above}

flickr

twisting my hair when it is soft

purses to carry important stuff in

making art

cigarettes

afternoon naps

learning something new everyday

reading every night

the power of prayer

potato chips

craft and art paper, tissue paper, pads of paper and paper work

my nieces and nephews

great moments of solitude, though few and far between

writing personal notes or letters

small things

light, oh light. winter, spring, summer and fall light. lamp light and sunlight. moonlight and street light. hot and hazy light. light in color. i love light.

trees

people watching

baking chocolate chip cookies

the snooze button

so that about wraps up this list. i started to write something about love, about being 'addicted to love' and then i thought better. i just didn't feel like that's a subject of addiction i'd like to explore tonight. and not because i don't think love is great. it's just so complicated and addicting. for another time.

goodnight.

::peek::

the first seventeen days of this month and of this new year have spilled out in a force. much like a strong soft motion meandering up the sidewalk i recognized it, had planned for it, saw it coming. when the fox theatre let out last night the street filled rapidly with bobbling umbrellas, blinkers and brake lights in a seemingly chaotic congestion. from above it played out like a great musical composition and brought a smile to my face. a happy contented grin. quite a sufficient way of viewing these last two and a half weeks. i can't help but thinking that in someways it's been the very best beginning of a new year, that i've ever had or can actually recollect. i guess we are all feeling a little more fortunate and little more safe and little more confident that we have survived. that the mundane minutes we pass over are really glimmers of great hope.

the past weekend was no less than a grand adventure, same as the week before and the weekend before. each day has given motion to the next and it feels delightful. like eating, like sleeping and waking, like painting or singing. or it could simply be that i've been invigorated by getting out of town, peeking in on the lives of other people. i saw a city through the eyes of two of my favorite people in the world. together we successfully found new furniture, framed artwork, met new people, got stuck in the mud, escaped the mud, nearly risked our lives while pumping gasoline, saw a childhood neighborhood, ate lunch for breakfast and took time to take photographs. we dropped artwork off and went to the art show, saw more graffiti in one place than we'd ever seen in our lives, saw da vinci's sketches and without really knowing it, saw atlanta through portman's eyes. what a joy it all was.

it all happened so fast these last seventeen days. on january first i spontaneously decided to give myself the assignment of taking a photo a day; i think it's going to really help me remember and sort through all the details, the small glimmering bits and pieces i might otherwise miss. feel free to keep up with my comings and goings throughout two thousand ten, by seeing my year.

to top things off i have indeed created the list to beat all lists; i'm still working on it but it will appear. it is my thirty something things to do before i turn thirty five. i cannot seem to be able to narrow it all down. it will happen, just like tomorrow.

::not you::self portrait show @ mint gallery

i'll be heading down to atlanta again this weekend to see the mint gallery's show ::not you:: a self portrait show that includes work from seventy artists. i'm super excited to have been asked to participate in the show, my very first out of town show. i went down this past weekend to drop off my piece. my sister and i will hit the road together again to spend the day and night down there together. we are planning to hit the high museum of art up too. i'm in need of an art museum fix. need some of that da vinci, weingarten and portman, showing now, it feels, just for me.

the self portrait turned out as well as can be expected. i am super pleased with how it turned out. i have some favorite spots and feel like i won't be pursuing many portraits in the near future. i feel like sticking to my trees. the year has just begun but i'm as busy as ever. i am looking forward to the new year and trying some new stuff. until then, good night.

oh nine::read list

oh ten promises many a list, this list, my oh nine::read list includes all of the books i managed to read in the last year. a good portion of the year i read the book clubs requested reading, regardless of whether or not i could attend the discussion, i read. my reading has never reflected a primary interest or subject although i have become more interested in the biographies. it may be of interest that i reread one of my books this year (can you guess which one?), which i never do. and i cannot remember the last time i read a book sitting up, my reading time is usually before i sleep, underneath blankets, between the hours of eleven and twelve. in no particular order i give you my oh nine::read list;

'the kristin lavransdatter' trilogy written by sigrid undset

'the golden apples' written by eudora welty

'naked' written by david sedaris

'what is the what' by dave eggers

'animal, vegetable, miracle' written by barbara kingsolver

'benjamin franklin' written by walter isaacson

'my stroke of insight' written by jill bolte taylor, PhD

'the yiddish policemen's union' written by michael chabon

'crime and punishment' written by fyodor dostoyevsky

'the odyssey' by homer

'the brothers k' written by david james duncan

'mornings on horseback' written by david mccullough

currently reading 'theodore rex' written by edmund morris

and for added interest; my next, plan to read, 'walking on water - reflections on faith and art' written by madeleine l'engle. my parents gave this book to me for my birthday; inside was this inscription:

dec. 23, 2009

to our dear daughter cathy on her 34th birthday from dad and mom

may your artistic expression bring your soul great joy as you reflect the image of the sovereign artist, jesus christ, from whom all things were created. we love you.

so it's january two of twenty ten; i am excited! there's much to do but that, after all is what a good many lists are for.

more art::BIG ART SALE!

::telemamakhos{my far away fighter} was $300.00 now only $150.00. it's framed and ready to be hung. for the odyssey lover.

::bitter water//pretending tree:: was $400.00 now only $200.00. this 24"x36" tree is the perfect bright spot original painting. SOLD!

::sophia{my wisdom from up high}:: was $250.00 now only $125.00.

::criminal:: was $200.00 now only $100.00.

if you have questions about how to purchase or would like to see works in person please contact me at catcollier@hotmail.com. thank you and merry christmas everyone!

in a different light::BIG ART SALE!

enough for everyone: BIG ART SALE!

::phantomcrimes BIG ART SALE!::

holiday BIG ART SALE! see my etsy shop, then feel free to contact me for more information! my goal is to move some of this art, so that i can begin some larger pieces in the new year! help me make bigger artwork and surprise someone you love with a piece by cat collier! thank you all for your support and love!

::holiday handmade::

hi guys! long time, uh? well, i should have known i'd be too busy and less interested in blogging than making more art. it's been non stop around these parts lately. lots of fun! lots of late nights, lots of great conversations, acquainting and reacquainting. so next stop; holiday handmade this coming saturday 121109 from 10 until 8; at gannon art center; we're bringing the arts and crafts back to you, just in the nick of time. so come on, you know you want to, bring yourself and a pal and come see what we've got in store. i'll have 12 total-completed works of art for sale, plus paper quilt gift cards in packets of 8 for only $20. in every spare moment of my time i've been working on a new piece but just can't seem to wrap it up quickly enough. it has involved an incredible amount of paper cutting, that's about my only excuse. i've got some wip images, i'll attempt to post up after the busy weekend. also keep a close eye out for upcoming last minute phantomcrimes art sale. many of you have mentioned wanting to make a purchase this year, send me your email address and i'll let you know when and how to go about purchasing during sale before christmas! thanks, all. and good night.

Southside Flats Open House & Art Exhibit

boy oh boy, i really thought i could keep up and post a post everyday. and now look, december seriously has crept in and nothing.

::summer dregs~gold to green::

::summer dregs~gold to green::
cd release party::installation and art by sarah c. nichols and myself on saturday november 7, 2009

it was one of the most inspiring fulfilling experiences. thank you carl cadwell, sarah, (n)fm, grant and to summer dregs for the best album of the year. the community is a beautiful ever changing momentum. the heartbeat of my life is in the integration of the arts>music&visual. yes.yes.yes.

::i.o.u - popcorn cake recipe::

i wasn't paying attention until now; it's the ninth inning. i am finished painting for the night, discovering yet, that i've got a ways to go. painting may take the longest. i am definitely not about to begin counting the hours. so.

popcorn cake recipe:

1. i make a pot of popcorn the regular way on top of the stove. i've used microwave popcorn before but it's not as tasty, too buttery and salty.

2. in a second larger soup pot, i used the largest bag of off brand big marshmallows and melted them on very very low heat. be patient here, they're easy to brown and burn. it's not worth putting the mallows into the microwave, they'll just get huge and take up too much space.

3. once marshmallows are completely melted, thoroughly stir in handfuls of popcorn. if you'd like to sift through and find all unpopped kernels, feel free. if bitten into the kernels tend to hurt the teeth. there is no need to keep the stove on, just keep large pot on the hot eye, that way ingredients remain pliable. i used almost an entire large bag of m&m's and a large container of salted peanuts.

4. i do butter a 9"x12" cake pan, lightly and then dump the entire pot of mixed ingredients. with a wooden spoon evenly spread cake into the pan.

it's identical to rice crispy treats only for some reason, just a little more halloweenish. i have made the same with cheerios instead of popcorn and as i mentioned in yesterday's post, you may decide to try a healthier rendition by using sunflower seeds, raisins or craisins, maybe try peanut butter too.

philadelphia wins!

::wip.phillips family tree & halloween::

so i decidedly passed on posting saturday and am getting back this evening to catch up. i got the ::phillips family tree:: tree completely cut out, the canvas covered in a tissue paper "under painting" and the tree and photos attached. i decided to soften the piece by adding a layer of gold acrylic, so that the plaid like lines beneath aren't as obvious. this morning i began the process of filling it all in with a parchment white acrylic. i also finally decided to go ahead and title the piece at the bottom; the phillips family tree, and dated 2009. i have never ever free handed or painting a cursive font before so i am pleasantly surprised with how well it is works and plan on using font or "script" in upcoming works.

i ended up hanging the cut paper tree all over my apartment and found i really loved it hanging on my lamps. i am thinking, at least, the cut paper could help me in future redecoration projects. i suppose i'll try my hand at it the next time there's a lull in the to make//to do list.

for our annual family fall party at my aunt's i decided to make and take popcorn cake. i hesitate to preface recipe by saying it's easy. four ingredients is easy, yes. but imagine fluffy popcorn and sticky marshmallow, it's difficult mixing but probably fairly kid friendly, i've never tried making it with little ones around and about, and super delicious. and without a doubt you could substitute the not so healthy with raisins, craisins, cheerios, sunflower seeds, or carob chips. i forwent the halloween costuming and partying and drinking and hangovering and went for my new book; 'mornings on horseback' by david mccullough.

i didn't even feel like changing my clocks until this afternoon; i've heard about people doing this while on vacation. i woke up at my normal time and got straight to painting. it's been a great first day of november. wouldn't you say?

::television sucks::

not a whole lot coming to mind at the moment. just a whole lot of yawning and sighing and painting. and when i am reminded of how unique each day is, how not one cloud in the sky is exactly ever the same and how the sun moves throughout the year, marking the season. i can rest. sleep well fair friends near and far.

::what's hot + what's not::

::what's hot::

so i have decided to join loobylu's what's hot + what's not this week, at least this week. can't make any promises to follow up next week. i have been thinking about it. what's hot? what makes me tick, what really defines the hot this week?

well, i have no idea if this counts as what's hot but, i feel like my family really ought to come in at number 1. family feels and pretty much seems like the coolest thing i could think of, lame, no! not a chance. many say about their own families that there's never a dull moment. the same could be said about fam collier. we work together, we play hard together, we party together, we debate and struggle with one another. there's growth and comfort and a deep respect for one another. conflicts have become rare and i suppose in their place, five grandchildren have appeared, almost out of nowhere. maybe that explains it.

second on my list of hot; is paper decorations! i'm dying to make. it maybe old news but it's still hot to me; loving the small objects thanksgiving paper garland.

i'm also pretty stoked about more paper cutting; found jenny lee fowler via flickr this week and am completely committed to my xacto knife, until death do us part.

a month or so ago, my mom and i went to a library book sale. i found two treasures. i wish i could wait until christmas to reveal but cannot. since i'm on hot and paper cutting/craft i've got to mention 'the christmas spider - a puppet play from poland'. i don't know that i've seen anything as perfectly sweet.

aaron tucker's work continues to be and inspiration. he recently began blogging. cutpaint securely wraps up my week of what's hot!

::what's not::

...is it just completely ridiculous to complain about the weather. the back and forth temperatures, the rain, the warmth, the cold. bottom line is that it has been downright unpredictable.

GIVE ME A BREAK! i am not buying the book. i'm not stuck on celebrity gossip either. i mean really! So can you guess what's not? i don't understand the point. NOT HOT!

last but not least. to be frank. i haven't been riding my bike as much as i would like. not hot, not cool. riding partner are you out there?

so that's it. that's all i've got. if you'd like to play along, feel free and share, just leave a link with a comment, or post it up at loobylu's.

goodnight.

::apartment living::silhouette&shadow

the collected evidence is in. the findings in this case have been recorded, the proof is in the photos. the facts are faultless. i am not a photographer. i am an artist. i am different than a photographer, but the same because we are both artists. i never was, what i'd call a photographer and this is not a sad truth but rather something i have actually known for a very long time about myself.

the happy truth is that i love my little digital camera, it is just right, just enough for me. it gets the job done and fills whatever creative gap i feel in my daily comings and goings. don't get me wrong, i'm often tempted by the polaroid, the manual or the newest and badest nikon on the shelf. really though, i am perfectly satisfied, couldn't be happier. i'm still capturing the light, the silhouettes, the shadows and i'm addicted. seriously addicted but not like i am to making art or twirling my hair when it's soft or to chewing gum. it's a easy addiction that doesn't really require a whole lot from me in the end.

i also, often think that my artwork looks better in photographs, my apartment looks cleaner and brighter, really nice autumn light or morning light looks more real than real in photographs, sometimes. maybe it's the automatic manipulation that an image taken through the lens goes through that's addictive or fascinating. like i said, i'm definitely not a pro, it's not my number 1 passion but it is wonderful and fills me with good stuff. i love seeing lines revealed and disappearing in silhouettes and shadows, it's a simple as that. it comes down to line(s) and the positive//negative space principles, you know?

so...day 3. can i do this? it may mean i take a whole bunch of really so-so photos or it could mean i take myself back to the beginning and begin again. reinvestigate my photo taking history and see what i can see. who knows?

wip::phillips family tree

with monday almost behind us here, i thought it'd be fun to show some of the process of putting together the phillips family tree. i feel like i've found my groove with this one. over the weekend the momentum just grew, so i've actually made more progress but alas, darkness falls earlier and earlier, thus poor photo ops.

but sticking with my personal decision to use what i already on hand, i decided to use martha stewart's labels and cut out the center in order to frame each family members face. this just felt like the right thing to do, especially after having done a little bit of research.

talk about easy too, i guess the only difficult part was trying to decide how to crop each face. lucky for me i had 16 labels and there are 16 faces. crazy!

i also pulled out the kenneth james fibres wallpaper sample book i got years ago and found the perfect papers. there are a few, each a little different but reminiscent of tree color and texture. after laying the family tree out on the back of the wallpaper i proceeded to draw a simple sketch of a tree around the framed faces.

there's been so little preplanning here, that it's been a delight to just move through this project with more ease than what i originally thought i'd have.

i plan to complete finish cutting out the tree tonight and get a nice "underpainting" layer of nice golden green and blue tissue paper mod podged to the surface of the canvas. i guess painting in and around might become the slowest part of the project. i am still debating on whether or not to incorporated any lettering toward the bottom that says "phillips family tree". i actually have an idea; and will just need to patiently get there, you know?

i might be even crazier to think i can finish before the end of the week. i'm absolutely going to pace myself and not kill myself without sleep. with that said, my coffee is growing cold and the xacto knife has got to be warmed up. and and and, so you think you can dance is on. did i mention i'm a little bit excited about this season! sssshhhh!

::apartment living::autumn light

the weekend is now coming quickly to a close. it felt like a vacation what with the beautiful weather, autumn light and time to dwindle away. i forgot to bring along my camera for most of it, i missed taking the excellent opportunity to take any photos while with my nephews. i guess that means i will need to take them out again. but the nieces are next on the list.

i managed to make headway, the phillips family tree is chugging right along. i have taken a whole much of wip images and will be sure to show progress this week. with a week of much planning behind me, i'm looking forward to finishing this project within the coming week. i see it being completely possible. that is if i don't get distracted by all of the other little projects i'd like to try my hand at. for instance. i have fallen in love with molly's perfect hurricanes. i feel i must try making at least one of these before, well before i bust or something.

i'm also super glad that andrea has decided to post everyday. november is only days away, i'm not sure if i'm up for it, though. it's a nice idea and super inspiring but, i've never been able to post daily. i have never tried and am wondering if i should just give it a go, unofficially that is. for now. at least i've stock piled some photos, just in case.

recently found out that the paper quilt project is back! looking forward to see what dawbis comes up with next for the project. she was looking for 21 artists to fill in some of the gaps left in some of the months. be sure to to check it out! especially if you're finding yourself spinning out and need a hand getting back to creating something (everyday).

and one last thing; very excited to see this up&coming and her brand new website! keep up the great work heidi!

okay so, here's to posting everyday, finishing commission, then making something fun and fall-ish, and to another great week of weather. i'm crossing my fingers.

::apartment living::big happy puppy attack

even though this week has just begun, i am looking at a booked calendar of a few meetings, a luncheon, and a few more meetings. two meetings to prepare for an open house//art exhibit event in my apartment building during mainx24. a meeting with the ever talented sarah n. and fellow jessica from createhere to go over installation plans for the summer dregs release party on november 7. there's luncheon my mom is speaking at on thursday afternoon and another evening meeting. i think this maybe exactly what i need. to be more active and productive in a variety of ways. it just doesn't feel all that bad. i like the hustle and bustle. putting the puzzle pieces together in a way that make sense and correspond. it leaves me feeling even more motivated.

i came up with a few more halloween decorations and have transformed my apartment for the autumn season.

and a couple weeks ago, i sifted through my closet and found a few things to give up at a friends clothing swap. i have a pair of brand new brown converse, that i've worn like one time that i need to either sell or give away. i think they are size 3??? i have some baking to do and of course i will be getting down to business, creating the phillips family tree.

i had the photo images resized to fit perfectly into the martha stewart labels i am going to use as frames, to hang in the family tree. excited about the idea
and am now pretty confident of the next steps, to completion.

i was gently attacked by a dog in my apartment building, which was surprising to me. the owner of the dog, let it off it's leash and it came bounding toward me in a big happy puppy sort of way but still, i felt a little unsure. the owner lady was pretty apologetic and all, no worries. i've just mentioned many a time to myself, how odd it is to me that so many of my neighbors have dogs, living in the tiny little apartments. they have no yard, no place to run and jump and play around in. what craziness. so. that is apartment living, for now. any thoughts on dogs in apartments would be much appreciated. should i carry around a bag of bacon strip treats, or what?

::on the wall::

i promise if i had the time, the skillz, the wall, legal or not, i would be a graffiti artist. it must sound stupid right, i mean, who gives a flip? i want to hide in the dark corners, wait until the coast is clear and throw up all over a great big city wall. if only. i'm just a little white girl who dreams just a little bit, that she'd grown up understanding, developing and producing graffiti on the streets. my ideas in this context are completely romanticized and utterly embarrassing, because, really what do i know about being a graffiti artist. all i want to do is change the perspective and learn the ropes. all i want to do is bridge the gap between what is seen and what people hear about the "graffiti" genre of art. yeah, i know, it's been done, it's happening all over the world. just not on my street corners, not on the decaying dilapidated buildings in my city.

so much of my personal development as an artist came from drawing. i think that's true for most artists, though. my drawings directly correlate with my larger complete works. i would not say i am exactly limited by paper or canvas or by size or shape. it's more than that, the limitations are primarily, only in my head. even though my series of trees have taken me almost as far as i could have originally imagined i am still thinking about ways of incorporating new layers, new concepts, fresh perspectives. even if i only create trees for the rest of my life i will figure out a way, no matter what. i suppose as long as i'm drawing, my work will change and become what i see in my head. eventually. and if the opportunity strikes and i do find myself with a spray paint can in hand, i will feel really darn good about it.

this week's list consists of:

secretly making a birthday present for my bff.

cleaning house for autumn-ish g.n.o.

organization of all the little details of...stuff.

check it out the CD is here and it has my artwork in it!

and i'm working on posting more, can you tell?

::goodbye until we meet again::

last weekend i decided to pack away my summer sunshine yellow eggcup collection to make room for autumn, i've never done this before. i am learning to pace myself and the seasons within my ::apartment living:: decor . i found my 'happy halloween' banner and hung it up and am using a ledge between my kitchen and dining//living room space as the focal point for the season. it'll be fun to bring out the yellow again next year and absorb the freshness in color again. for now i'm embracing the warm cozy feelings of fall. with the ever beautiful hues and tones of this time of the year.
i gathered a couple of pumpkins and a handful of tiny warted gourds today, along with an assortment of baking ingredients. i'm thinking another round of sticky buns might be nice.

this evening the sliding glass door to the balcony is open, the a/c is off. i'm imagining the there are autumnal city sounds, just as there are autumnal country sounds.

there's plenty of things that are keeping me busy. i feel like i've barely crossed a thing off my list of things to do. it's just all so preliminary. at least my shop is full, just in case, wink*wink*. and i've started the next commission piece; the 'philips family tree'. i met with v.d. this afternoon to talk about her commission piece. the color of her kitchen walls are to die for. i'm excited about starting the project. and will make sure to include w.i.p of both projects.

the website is coming along fine and dandy, summer dregs release party date + venue has now been nailed down, november 7. i've still not been to blacksmith's - to meet/hang my work. i am planning and open house/art show during mainx24 and am asking the clothesline ladies to participate. and then then then, i'll see what's next. possibly traveling over thanksgiving. am working out those details.

i am not as overwhelmed today, i spent the morning replying to stack of emails that had piled up. forgive me if you've emailed me and i've not yet responded. i promise i'll get back to you asap.

have a lovely evening, the beer in my fridge is calling my name.